Elements of a Shattered Past- Prologue(part 2)
Story by FeuerfoxKA8 on SoFurry
Notes:
Again, this is off to a slow start but I also felt I should touch on some of the roleplaying bits. AOL’s unofficial RP rooms were in a fictional setting called Rhy'Din, which attracted people playing all sorts of characters. People who played fantasy archetypes such as swordsmen and wizards would routinely square off against Special Forces operators armed to the teeth with the latest in personal firearms. You would also see people portraying known characters from all sorts of popular media; the scene with Roland Deschain(of Stephen King’s Dark Tower series) was something that more or less happened. While AIM was killed off several years ago and I believe AOL chatrooms went with it, there seems to be a small yet dedicated group of people who are still roleplaying in this setting. I haven’t tried it yet, but I might in the future.
A few things of note: chatroom roleplaying followed a few basic conventions. Actions were denoted with double colons, like this:
::picks up a glass from the table::
Speech did not usually have any marks due to character limits when sending chat messages, though some people did use quotation marks.
Finally, anything out of character, such as players addressing other players, was denoted with double parenthesis, like this:
((I’ve got about an hour left before I have to go, let’s get to a stopping point))
I spent many, many hours and got to know a lot of good people through this collection of chatrooms. Unfortunately I lost touch with nearly everyone I did this with, and I do sorely miss some of them.
For those of you reading this, thank you. This story will take a turn for the fantastic, but not without a lot of exposition and character building. I'm going to make this a slow burn, as it were. For those who are waiting for content in MvP, I do have some progress made in that. However, for obvious reasons these stories will be somewhat similar, and I would like feedback as to whether I should continue both at once.
[4/18/01 4:37PM] Instant Message from RockinHolly83: is this adam?
PaintedBlack05: Yeah. Julie’s friend Holly, right? How’d you get my SN?
RockinHolly83: julie told me. i’m sorry for leaving like that on monday. i didn’t know if you would respond to my note so i wanted to reach out.
PaintedBlack05: That’s okay. Sounded important, so don’t worry about it.
RockinHolly83: it was, kind of. i hope my note didn’t seem weird?
PaintedBlack05: I was confused by it. What did you mean by “Prom?”
RockinHolly83: you answered the question, i think? you’re not going to prom, right?
PaintedBlack05: Likely not. Not to be rude, but why do you ask?
RockinHolly83: can i be honest?
PaintedBlack05: Not much to lose by being honest, so go ahead.
RockinHolly83: i wanted to ask if you’d go to prom with me.
PaintedBlack05: I don’t hang around the popular crowd, but I thought you were dating Matt? Why would you go with someone else?
RockinHolly83: long story. too long to message. he doesn’t take no for an answer.
PaintedBlack05: Ah. Could I also be honest?
RockinHolly83: yes?
PaintedBlack05: I really don’t want to go. That has nothing to do with Seth, Julie, or you. I don’t know you very well but what I will say is that anything that reminds me of Megan hurts too much for me to deal with right now.
RockinHolly83: i understand. i really do. i miss megan too. i don’t act like it but she was a good friend to me. i never got to tell her that before the accident.
RockinHolly83: will you at least come to the mall saturday?
PaintedBlack05: Seth and Julie are insisting that I go. I’ll be there; we’ll talk if we have time to do so?
RockinHolly83: i’d like that. we are going to meet at 10:30, food court. julie’s mom can get all of us back home after. bring money for lunch and for prom clothes just in case we talk you into going?
PaintedBlack05: I don’t want to act like a jerk, but I don’t do these social things that much or that well. Not after what happened. I don’t think even Seth can convince me to go.
RockinHolly83: i understand. i don’t expect to change your mind. i just feel like we should talk.
PaintedBlack05: I guess? Again, not wanting to act like a jerk, but I don’t really know you that well. I think we may have had a class together freshman year and you were one of Megan’s friends, but I’ve never really talked to you.
RockinHolly83: remember how you stopped me from falling at the cross country invitational last year? i could have been very badly hurt. i’m grateful for that.
PaintedBlack05: I would have done that for anyone, though. That’s just looking out for other people.
RockinHolly83: julie says you’ve been a good friend to her, seth and will. i made mistakes choosing my friends when i started school here and i want to start over, but getting out of katie’s orbit is very hard.
RockinHolly83: family’s in the other room, can’t stay on long. please talk with me on sat?
PaintedBlack05: Okay. We’ll talk, if you want. Don’t get into trouble on my account.
RockinHolly83: i won’t. i might not be able to talk while we’re in school because i don’t want to bring you into what’s going on, so don’t feel bad if i don’t really say hi or join you for lunch again?
PaintedBlack05: That’s okay. Have a good rest of your week.
RockinHolly83: you too. gtg, dad’s telling me to get off the computer.
[5:08PM] RockinHolly83 Signed Out
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[4/19/01 7:39PM] Instant Message from XxNightScythexX: Ad-man! I thought you were going to be in character tonight? Guildmaster’s wondering where you are.
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PaintedBlack05: Was that tonight? I’m wrapped up in a class project for creative writing. Classmates wanted to get a private chat going and we’re going over a lot of stuff.
XxNightScythexX: Crap. I’ll tell Simeon you had an emergency. You won’t be signing on as Marcus tonight, at all?
PaintedBlack05: How late are they running the catacombs?
XxNightScythexX: Later than we should be staying up, I think. If you’re done before 10pm go ahead and jump in. We’re managing, but your ball lightning and gunplay would help.
PaintedBlack05: Well, if a lightning-slinging, gun toting kitsune can save the day at the last minute I’ll try to be there.
XxNightScythexX: You won’t be the only shooter present this time. New guy’s joined us, character’s kind a weird cross of knight and gunfighter, searching for some sort of tower. Says he met you a while ago?
PaintedBlack05: Oh, yeah! He plays Roland from the Dark Tower books. Does a pretty good job of it, I can tell his player’s read them.
XxNightScythexX: Books? This isn’t an original character?
PaintedBlack05: No. Main character from a Stephen King series. I can lend you the books if you want.
XxNightScythexX: Sure. I have a couple of books to turn into the library on Monday so I could use something else to read.
PaintedBlack05: Okay. Just put them in my backpack. Remind me to give them to you during lunch.
XxNightScythexX: Don’t forget that mandatory assembly after lunch, unless you’re planning on sneaking out before then?
PaintedBlack05: Like a thief in the night. Perks of having a half day of classes; I’m not going to be missed.
XxNightScythexX: Making like a fox out of the henhouse, LoL. What about saturday; are you going to meet up with us at the mall?
PaintedBlack05: Seth’s REALLY pushing for me to go, so is Julie. I guess I’ll go? I should probably get out of the house for a bit, and I’m not on the work schedule.
XxNightScythexX: Hey, it’s an opportunity for us to get matching tuxes. Do the whole James Bond thing?
PaintedBlack05: While I’m a big Bond fan and my folks have the cars for it, I still don’t think I’m going to go. While I should try to do things offline a bit more, I don’t think I’ll have a good time there.
XxNightScythexX: Why not? We’ll be there. I promise there will be some good memories.
PaintedBlack05: I appreciate your friendship, but I’m going to have to pass. I mean, it’s a bunch of couples dancing to either bad music, sappy music, or both, and a popularity contest between the jocks and spoiled kids with that whole prom court thing.
XxNightScythexX: You have a point, but it’s also about spending one last party with friends before you go out into the world. I’m going to miss the antics of the Knights of the Lunch Table. Please at least consider it?
PaintedBlack05: I’ll think about it. No guarantees.
XxNightScythexX: Okay. That’s all we ask. The action in the catacombs is getting heavy so I’ll let you go. Hopefully you can make it, just don’t forget the guild meeting on sunday?
PaintedBlack05: I’ll remember the meeting. I don’t think I’ll be able to join in the catacombs, though. Don’t get beat up too bad, like last time?
XxNightScythexX: Oh ye of so little faith, my friend. I’ll carry my weight AND yours for that comment. :P See you tomorrow.
[8:52PM] Status set to Away: “When a man lies, he murders some part of the world. These are the pale deaths which men miscall their lives…”
April 20, 2001
6:13PM
Streets of Rhy’Din
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Given enough time one could get used to the eclectic mix of vehicles that traveled the roads here, though that took a healthy appreciation and tolerance for the fast and loose way that traffic laws worked. You could be dodging a horse-drawn carriage one minute and getting nearly run down by a hovercar the next; threatened by unhinged drivers and operators wielding everything from crossbows to machine guns to laser rifles. Considering this was the City of Rhy’Din, a sort of crossroads between timelines and realities, you had to be prepared for anything. I took it in stride; where I came from I was anything but normal anyway.
I reached my destination and pulled over to the curb; the deceptive growl of the V12 engine under the hood of my car cutting out as I shut it down and removed the key from the ignition. I exited the car and locked it up, taking a moment to admire the sleek profile of my BMW 850CSi. It was a rare vehicle where I came from and likely the only one to grace the city where fantastic sights were commonplace. The entrance to the small hole in the wall tavern beckoned to me, though I wasn’t foolish. I patted my waist, making sure both the dagger slung on my belt and the Beretta in my shoulder holster were present. The ankle-length leather coat I wore handily concealed the hardware; in a place where you could find yourself under attack at a moment’s notice having a weapon was just about mandatory, even if I had the ability to defend myself by other means.
I pulled open the unusually heavy door and stepped into the dark confines of the tavern, instantly assailed by the mixture of odors that a sensitive vulpine nose found distasteful. Unwashed bodies, sour beer, the sharpness of more potent alcohol, vomit, and an aged hint of blood came to my senses. I was grateful I wore my coat because my tail was twitching in annoyance at the olfactory assault. This was a known vampire hangout, so showing any sign of weakness was ill advised.
As my eyes adjusted to the dark interior of the tavern, I picked up more details. A bored-looking bartender poured yet another beer; her jaded eyes falling upon me as I took a few steps into the room. Everything was wooden; the floor, walls, and tables. It held about as much charm as an Old World inn, if you didn’t mind the layer of grit and the patrons that largely looked like they stepped out of a renaissance festival. There were a couple of people who had rifles slung over their backs, but tonight the crowd was mainly the sword and sorcery set. A quick glance upward revealed the rafters of the place, which true to the norm for this strange land had a few people perched in them; all wearing dark clothing and scowling at the patrons below between breaks in conspiratorially whispered conversation.
My entrance attracted some slightly unwanted attention in the form of an obviously inebriated man who sat at the bar. He was tall; even taking my ears into account he was a good three inches taller than I was. Dark-brown hair cascaded down around his shoulders, with enough stubble to suggest he hadn’t seen a razor in several weeks. I wasn’t one to talk as I hadn’t seen one in several decades, but that was another matter entirely.
“Who let the oversized furball in?” he snarled; a hand drifting dangerously near a sheathed dagger on his waist. I bristled; the coat I wore hiding a twitch of my tail. It took effort to maintain a human form; even then with the number of other magical and supernatural beings who inhabited this city it hadn’t been worth the hassle. “Go to that ‘Anthro’ bar instead; I don’t want any of your kind stinking up the place.”
“That is not your call, Lord Donovan.” The voice who intruded was that of the woman who tended the bar. “All are welcome here. Man, elf, dwarf… even vampires who behave themselves. This one has been here before and has not caused trouble, despite his appearance. I believe his kind is called kitsune, are you not?”
I nodded at her, though I kept my eyes on the man who accosted me at the bar. His fingers traced the pommel of that dagger; I was well aware of the danger of a thrown blade. I was caught a little off guard and wasn’t sure I could reach my pistol before he could react. “Half-kitsune, to be honest.” It wasn’t a memory that I wanted to dwell on, but I had once been as human as the man at the bar. A man lucky enough to have fallen in love with one of the mythical spirit-foxes and unlucky enough to have been caught up in the dealings of the more sinister of their kind.
“It matters not what this creature calls himself.” The man sneered. “It is an affront to my sensibilities. Leave, or I shall take my pound of flesh.” It was then that I noticed another patron approach the scene. I couldn’t help but smirk as I noticed the one I had business with regard the scene with cold, blue bombardier’s eyes. He wasn’t dressed in the medieval-type garb of most of the others, nor the obviously modern military gear of the pair of mercenaries who were now watching the unfolding scene with mild interest. Instead, he was dressed in a long brown duster coat in a similar fashion to my own, a pair of worn bluejeans, and a simple brown shirt. Two heavy belts cris-crossed his waist, loops holding numerous cartridges present upon them. For all accounts he looked like an Old Western gunfighter; a time and style that was more contemporary to me than my vulpine appearance and means of conveyance suggested.
“Hile, Donovan_-sai_.” The man spoke in a soft yet gravelly tone. “This one is here to speak with me on a matter of some importance. I would ask you to kindly desist from accosting my friend.”
“And if I don’t?” the rude, greasy man grinned; a humorless and aggressive tone to his words and actions. He pulled slightly at the hilt of his dagger; exposing about an inch of the gleaming blade before his expression froze. A sharp series of mechanical clicks resounded throughout the nearly silent bar.
“Simple, Donovan_-sai_. You shall be visited by char; or if you prefer the Low Speech, death.” The reason the man looked like a Western gunfighter is because he was a Western gunfighter. Of sorts. One of the big revolvers he carried materialized in his hand; its barrel pressed against the patron’s neck. “Now, shall you swallow your distaste or shall your distaste be diluted with lead?”
The man’s expression flattened; he might not have been born in a world which had firearms but he was definitely aware of what they were and what they could do. Anyone who spent time on the streets had been at least witness to a gunfight between rival gangs or guilds. He spat onto the floor; his hand releasing its grasp on the hilt of his blade. My ear flicked slightly in annoyance, though silently relieved I had avoided a fight.
“Smart choice.” I growled, pulling my coat aside to reveal the grip of my nine-millimeter automatic. “One shouldn’t bring a knife to a gunfight.”
“You best watch yourself, kitsune.” The man practically spat the word like a thick glob of saliva on the dusty wooden floor. “I won’t give you quarter next time we meet.”
The door to my room resounded with a soft knock.
XxLordDonovanxX: “I won’t give you quarter next time we meet.”
DeschainOfGilead: ::fixes the man with a cold stare:: “I would advise you against such actions, sai.”
MarcusFirestorm: ((door’s knocking, guys, gtg. I might be back later, not sure))
DeschainOfGilead: ((np, Marcus-mun. Continue via IM when you can?))
XxLordDonovanxX: ((Aww, just when it was getting good! Thanks for the play!))
The knocking on the door brought me back to reality with a jarring finality; the mental image of what transpired in the chatroom fading away to the surroundings of my room. Wood paneling surrounded me; my folks were sure what had become my bedroom was the previous homeowner’s study or office considering the built-in bookshelf near the hopper window and the relatively small closet. My desktop computer sat on a fairly small desk; cluttered with peripherals and a set of speakers, which were currently delivering a Tool album to my ears at a volume that my folks and I had agreed was loud enough to be enjoyable and soft enough to not disturb them while my door was shut. While I had the run of the basement area it was still open enough for sound to carry upstairs.
My bed, a cramped twin mattress, sat next to a small nightstand which was a companion to the desk my machine sat on. It was a hand-me-down from my sister. I didn’t care enough about the aesthetics to buy or beg anything different; my priorities were tied up between surviving the final weeks before graduation, transitioning to working full-time, and the window to the virtual world that served as my escape; an escape that I had been jarred from.
The door knocked again, followed by a muffled voice; as familiar to me as my own. “Adam? Are you awake?”
I called back. “Yeah, just a second!” I pressed the pause button on the CD player application, shutting down Maynard’s vocals mid-verse. As I got up to answer the door the familiar ring of an incoming IM hit the speakers, but I had to ignore it; Roland’s player would have to wait.
As I opened my bedroom door my mom stood in front of me. Several inches shorter than my five-foot-ten, her petite stature didn’t particularly reveal the hidden strength of a woman who had unloaded heavy boxes off of semis and spent copious amounts of time skiing during the winter and spring. Her dirty blonde locks also didn’t match my nearly black, slightly mussed hair; I considered that a gift from my father. Unfortunately for me her expression was one I knew a bit too well: a mixture of concern and sternness that usually culminated in a more serious discussion than my work schedule or what dinner plans were.
“I got one of those automated calls from the school this afternoon. You haven’t bought your senior prom ticket yet?” Her tone of voice wasn’t accusatory; in fact it was a little saddened. “Were you planning to go?”
I shook my head. “Not really, Mom. I just don’t see the point.” I was half-expecting this conversation, ever since the notifications went out that the tickets were on sale.
My mom closed her eyes for a moment and reached out for my arm. “C’mon up to the living room, son. Ben’s getting takeout for us, so we have a few minutes to talk.” Despite the tone of her voice I was well aware that I couldn’t brook any argument; I followed her out to the living room. In contrast to my bedroom the area was light and airy; the hardwood floors and white walls were accentuated with a picture window and a small balcony looking out over the majestic mountain views which were a trademark of living on the Front Range. The TV, usually switched on to news or a Discovery documentary if we weren’t watching a couple of rented DVDs on movie night, was turned off. I was led to the comfortable leather couch; my mom motioning for me to sit.
“Is this about what happened to Megan?” The mention of her name sent a pang through my heart. I knew that it wasn’t my mom’s intent to reopen those wounds, but it didn’t stop that pain. I couldn’t really form the words at that moment, so I just nodded.
My mother’s hand found its way to my shoulder. “Son, I know this is a difficult time for you. I just don’t want you to miss out on things you won’t be able to revisit, and I’m sure your friends would want to see you there. Have any of them asked you if you were going?”
I took a deep breath and nodded again. “Yeah. Will, Seth and Julie. I’m just not going to be much fun to be around, and I’d rather save them the frustration.”
The statement caused her to frown. “Adam, I’m sure they asked you because they want to see you there, even if you aren’t going to be at your best. It’s one of the last times you’ll be in school together; while you’ll still be friends after you graduate you won’t have as much time to spend around them. Are you sure I can’t tempt you into going and at least have your picture taken? It’ll be something for you to look back on.”
I closed my eyes, hesitant to turn away but the short conversation caused a maelstrom of emotions to run through my heart and mind. My mom had a point, but it was difficult to see through everything that happened over the past several months. I wasn’t ready to acknowledge it; on the other hand Will knew what I was going through, even if Seth and Julie didn’t seem to understand the fact I was still not taking Megan’s death that well.
It wasn’t that I couldn’t function. I was able to maintain decent grades, though I was the first to admit my penchant for distracting myself through roleplay chats and music meant they took a hit. I didn’t have big plans for college, though unlike some of my classmates I didn’t have Ivy League intentions in mind. I wanted to take a year or two off to get my head straight and to figure out what I wanted to do. I was still working at the shop part-time; a gig that would become full-time once I was out of school. However, my social life was primarily online at this point; those three were the only people I really interacted with outside family and coworkers. My mom had a good point, though I still didn’t particularly feel like going.
I sighed. “I understand what you mean. I’m just not ready to make a decision yet; I probably won’t until the last minute. I’ve been dodging questions from my friends about this all week; I really need time to decide.”
My mom nodded. “I understand why you wouldn’t want to go, though I hope you will reconsider. Please don’t take too long? I called the school back to get some clarification and the front office secretary told me that ticket sales will end two weeks from today.”
I nodded in return. “I’ll give it some thought, but like I told Will last night I’m still eighty-twenty on not going.”
“But you’re going to the mall with them tomorrow, right?” My mom asked.
“Yeah. Will, Seth, Julie, and a couple of her friends I don’t know that well. They want to shop for dresses and tux rentals and wanted me to tag along.” I shrugged. “Knowing them, they might want to go back to one of their places to hang out after.”
“If you think it’s going to be overnight, call either Ben or I on our cells.” My mom diverted from the prom topic for a little bit. “I’m not sure if Kelly is going to try to call in on Sunday; if you can’t cover her shift I’d like to know sooner than later.” We had a business to think about; staffing was a pretty frequent issue.
“I can nip that in the bud if you want me to cover.” I offered, but was answered by my mom shaking her head.
“I appreciate your willingness to cover the store, but if your friends want to do another all-nighter you should go. You’re going to be managing the Fountain store in a couple of months so I’d rather you get to do some fun things before your responsibilities ramp up.” She had a point, even if I wasn’t convinced I would want to spend much time beyond shopping.
I was about to nod but heard the garage door open and the quiet rumble of Ben’s car pull into the driveway. “Looks like Ben’s here with dinner. I’ll think about the whole prom thing but I’m still not sure I want to go.” I stood up to cross over to the kitchen with the intent to get some plates and silverware ready.
It was over an hour later by the time we had finished; the takeout from Coal Mine Dragon was as excellent as always. We mainly discussed shop business and my mom had promised to call Mr. Schaefer and set up some time for our upcoming shooting range trip. While it was a welcome distraction, I wanted to get back to my bedroom and touch base with Roland’s player; perhaps get the storyline we were working on underway before I went to bed. It was going to be a long day tomorrow.
My connection was still up as I slid into my chair; while AOL would boot you for inactivity I used an idler program to make sure I wouldn’t be kicked. I had my own phone line; an extravagance paid for with my part-time job along with a portion of the monthly bill for the online service in the first place. I glanced to the instant message window, momentarily confused when I saw it wasn’t from Roland’s player but rather someone I didn’t know.
[4/20/01 5:14PM] Instant Message from KitsuneMeika: ::When you leave the tavern you notice a slip of paper tucked into the windshield of your car, a folded note with hints of delicate handwriting. When you open it you read the message within… ::
KitsuneMeika: “Please do not be alarmed or upset. I am Meika, a fellow child of Inari. I was tasked with reaching out to you as there are so few of us in this strange land. On behalf of our community, I would like to extend the invitation to meet with your fellow Kitsune. If this interests you, you will find our address below.”
KitsuneMeika: ::As you look up from the note you catch a glimpse of the one who likely wrote it; a vixen with red fur and dressed in a leather bodysuit with a long black coat stands half a block away, the handle of an ornate katana visible from a sheath strapped to her back. Soft lavender eyes glance at you and a smile forms upon her vulpine lips; nodding at you before she disappears down a nearby alley::
KitsuneMeika sent a link: *UKoR Clubhouse* ((check us out if you have some time, and add me to your buddy list if you’d like?))
[5:28PM] KitsuneMeika Signed Out
I regarded the message with interest as I looked to my buddy list. I hadn’t seen another kitsune character in my online dalliances, so I was quick to add her and bookmark the link. I didn’t really want to show up to the private chat right then, but I would have to check them out later. Until then, I opened an instant message window to Roland’s player. A little storyline progression while I got ready for bed wouldn’t be a bad way to wind down after a long week of school and strange occurrences.