2nd Reading ❂ Trouble is brewing?

[l33t_magician]

[It had been some time since Brietta had addressed the populace. She'd seen no point in getting attached to the people here given her intention to leave, and fully believing that she still could. Leaving too early could spell disaster for her back home, but the longer she remained here the more she missed her friends and acquaintances. She wondered if any of them had been looking for her or thinking about her.

If only she could send them a message to let them know she was all right without letting her enemies know it as well.]

Has anyone noticed the townspeople acting .... a bit strange today?

[You could see a row of boarded up shops in the background. The merchants that usually ran them were no where inside, presumably hidden away safely inside.]

I wonder if it's some sort of holiday.

Comments

[folklorist]

I've been wondering the same thing. The inn and bar downstairs has been quite empty. I'm not too sure on the types of holidays celebrated here however...

[ It is a bit ominous looking though. ] No one has mentioned anything either.

[l33t_magician]

I'm not too familiar with the customs here either. I know.. that the last time there was a ball but this seems different somehow.

What other purpose would there be, to do all this...?

[folklorist]

I-I can't say. I do know people lock up at nighttime but this is...entirely different. [ This is far more than a simple closing up shop for the night to be certain. It was very ominous to be honest. ]

Perhaps they're just simply being cautious, extra cautious.

[l33t_magician]

.. but extra cautious for what?

[It felt ominous to her as well. It seemed like everyone was on edge but no one was saying as much]

I wonder if we shouldn't try to follow their example. Maybe they know something we don't.

[canistricari]

[ Coyote cackles. ]

Strange? My dear, this is perfectly normal for them.

[l33t_magician]

Normal? I would think that if it were... I would have seen them do it before.

[canistricari]

Oh? And you're an expert, then, are you? Ahahahahaha!

[l33t_magician]

[This might be the weirdest person- thing- she'd met since her arrival. Wrinkling her nose she replied..]

I never said that I was, but I have been observing them for sometime now.

[canistricari]

[ He twists his neck so his head is all the way upside down. ]

Then tell me, child, what is happening now that has not happened since you arrived here?

[l33t_magician]

[She tries not to feel squeamish at the sight of it]

They have been ..fairly open but this time they're not just closing up their houses but closing up themselves. As their "heroes" it seemed like they were only too willing to talk to us before but no one can get any answers from them this time.

[canistricari]

Ahahahahaha! You're only looking at what's right in front of your nose! Think harder.

[l33t_magician]

I'm.. not sure what you're expecting. [One riddle, after another.]

[canistricari]

Of course, it's alright! You're just an ordinary girl, after all!

[l33t_magician]

If only that were true..

[She sighed.]

[for_that_i_run]

They are a bit more shy than usual. I wonder what they are so concerned about.

[l33t_magician]

Do you think it's anything serious?

[for_that_i_run]

I haven't noticed anything serious. I really wouldn't worry too much about it unless something more substantial happens. The people here are all of a very superstitious nature.

[Famous last words? ^,^]

[l33t_magician]

[Talking to Eagle helped to dissuade her own growing apprehension.]

You might be right. It will be difficult not to upset them in the future if I'm not sure what their customs and superstitions are.

For example, there is a saying in my world.."step on a crack, break your mothers back".. what if they have something similar here? We could always be on the verge of unintentionally troubling our hosts.

[for_that_i_run]

What a strange thing to say. Cracks have that kind of magic power where you come from?

[He highly doubted it. Eagle was teasing more than anything. But it WAS a very strange saying.]

What exactly does it mean?

[l33t_magician]

Not really, well not without some sort of intervention.

[Ironically, she'd been looking for ley lines before arriving here.. which were sort of a set of interwoven cracks in the surface.... just lines that carried tremendous power with them]

I'm not sure how it originated.

[trappedinatower]

I have noticed the sudden change, but they won't tell me anything and when they did... they were kind of mumbling.

[l33t_magician]

Mumbling? That doesn't sound good...

[trappedinatower]

Mumbling isn't something someone should be doing.

[l33t_magician]

No, not at all. It's very foreboding.

[brosif]

I notice them acting strangely every day.

[l33t_magician]

You have a point there. They are very different from the people back home... but still... something feels off this time.

[brosif]

Then they should tell us what is happening or they should send us back. I tire of vague prophecies in place of knowledge.

[l33t_magician]

I know what you mean. How do they expect us to be of any help to them at all if they don't confide their troubles in us.

[Not that I plan on helping them..]