Date: 6/13/2000 1:01 AM Central Daylight Time
From: Maetel Cat
Maetel was hardly happy with the present situation. She didn't remember much of the place she was born, but she remembered that she did not like it at all. Her first real home, where she was given her name and taught how to be careful of others, was burned down by strange men with even stranger weapons.
Now her new home was going to be destroyed. "It's too old." they said. "It's a wreck!" they said. "We'll build a better place." they said.
Maetel didn't want any of that. Maetel wanted a home.
"You kin stay in da back room fer as long as you want, Maetel" Duece had told her. Now Duece was gone. He had gone away to look for something, but he had never come back.
"Maetel is stay at make-fight-place all times" she told Kheldar.
He didn't understand though, he just grinned. "Yep. They're goina make it all nice again soon."
"Maetel is like for have make-fight-place is be stay same! Maetel no is want for make-fight-place be broke-down for have new place!"
"Ya gotta talk to Matt then.. I think he's the one in charge. I dont think they are breaking it down now.. Just fixing the insides." He thought for a moment. "At least thats what someone told me."
"tell-fight-lady is tell Maetel is be make all break down"
He just shrugged. "I dont know then.. maybe your right."
"talk-funny-Duece-man is say Maetel is can stay at make-fight-place all time! no is have for to make go away"
He nodded at that. "Yeah I remember Duece.. I'm sure you can live here when they fix it all.. I know how it is to have your house taken away.. Mine burned down.. Or rather Someone burned it down."
Maetel only pouted and grumbled, "Maetel is make stay. no is can have make-fight-place broke down when Maetel is be in"
"Good idea.." was Kheldar's reply before he finished his drink and made his way out. "Well goodnight Maetel."
She would stay. When the men came and burned down Ms. Chandles' boarding house, she was too young to stop them in time.
Now she was not too young.
Now she was strong.
Lost and Found, Silent Protest
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Re: Lost and Found, Silent Protest
Date: 6/18/2000 9:56 PM Central Daylight Time
From: Maetel Cat
Maetel was woken up by the banging noise outside. She crept out of the back room and spotted Ria coming inside.
It was strange to see the woman here, when the sun was in the sky. Something was wrong.
She waited until the woman was out of sight, and she went outside to see what had made all the noise.
Outback Closed for renovations!
She didn't know what the last word was, but she knew what the word closed meant.
She crept back into the Outback and to her place in the back room.
She would wait. Maybe it meant that they really were giving her the Outback, like she asked.
If it meant they were going to destroy the Outback, she would stop them.
She would be careful.
She wouldn't hurt them.
But she would stop them.
From: Maetel Cat
Maetel was woken up by the banging noise outside. She crept out of the back room and spotted Ria coming inside.
It was strange to see the woman here, when the sun was in the sky. Something was wrong.
She waited until the woman was out of sight, and she went outside to see what had made all the noise.
Outback Closed for renovations!
She didn't know what the last word was, but she knew what the word closed meant.
She crept back into the Outback and to her place in the back room.
She would wait. Maybe it meant that they really were giving her the Outback, like she asked.
If it meant they were going to destroy the Outback, she would stop them.
She would be careful.
She wouldn't hurt them.
But she would stop them.
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Re: Lost and Found, Silent Protest
Date: 6/25/2000 9:59 PM Central Daylight Time
From: Maetel Cat
"Let's get started guys, before it gets too hot." was the first thing Maetel heard this particular morning. She didn't recognize the voices or the scents, so she snuck out to investigate.
A dozen men wearing bluejeans and white t-shirts emblazoned with the words 'Black Dragon Mining & Building, Inc.' on the back had come into her Outback. Most of them wore yellow hardhats, but two of them wore black ones.
"Jeeze Louise, they didn't even drain that pool!" exclaimed one of the men as he kicked aside a broken chair.
"What is that gawd-awful stench coming from that hole?" said another, pointing at The Pit. "An open sewer or somethin'?"
"Just shut your faces ya mooks, we've got a job ta do." yelled one of the men with the black hardhats.
The other man wearing a black hardhat pointed over to the charred remains of Styx. "Alright men, best get started with that. Rip it all out... and be quick about it. Charlie, you and Dino go get the big saw. The rest of you, use the axes and sledges."
Maetel knew that the time had come. Men had come to destroy her home, just like they had when she was younger.
Thinking quickly, Maetel crept over to a pile of soot and ash to roll around in it... camoflaging herself.
Then, as two of the men were heading outside, she made her first move in her campain to save the Outback...
(tbc)
Maetel
Truth is but an illusion... illusion, truth.
From: Maetel Cat
"Let's get started guys, before it gets too hot." was the first thing Maetel heard this particular morning. She didn't recognize the voices or the scents, so she snuck out to investigate.
A dozen men wearing bluejeans and white t-shirts emblazoned with the words 'Black Dragon Mining & Building, Inc.' on the back had come into her Outback. Most of them wore yellow hardhats, but two of them wore black ones.
"Jeeze Louise, they didn't even drain that pool!" exclaimed one of the men as he kicked aside a broken chair.
"What is that gawd-awful stench coming from that hole?" said another, pointing at The Pit. "An open sewer or somethin'?"
"Just shut your faces ya mooks, we've got a job ta do." yelled one of the men with the black hardhats.
The other man wearing a black hardhat pointed over to the charred remains of Styx. "Alright men, best get started with that. Rip it all out... and be quick about it. Charlie, you and Dino go get the big saw. The rest of you, use the axes and sledges."
Maetel knew that the time had come. Men had come to destroy her home, just like they had when she was younger.
Thinking quickly, Maetel crept over to a pile of soot and ash to roll around in it... camoflaging herself.
Then, as two of the men were heading outside, she made her first move in her campain to save the Outback...
(tbc)
Maetel
Truth is but an illusion... illusion, truth.
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Re: Lost and Found, Silent Protest
Date: 6/26/2000 12:47 AM Central Daylight Time
From: Maetel Cat
Maetel moved silently in the shadows of the Outback as the workers picked up their tools and headed for the scorched beams of Styx. She didn't want to harm them, but she knew she had to stop them.
As the first man swung back his axe, she made her move. Darting forth, she snatched the axe from his hands and threw it across the room. It all happened in an eyeblink, and Maetel leapt into the Fern before any of them had gotten more than a glimpse.
"What in tarnation are you doin' throwin' yor axe across the room like that, Tom?" asked the man in the black hardhat.
"It wasn't me, I swear it boss!" he answered. "Something grabbed it from my hands!"
The others began looking around nervously. "I hear tell this whole place is haunted." one of them said.
"Bullpucky!" said the boss. "Get back to..."
His order was drowned out by Maetel's loud growl from the Fern.
With everyone's attention on the Fern now, the Outback's other protectors made their move.
**ZZZap!** "Yeeouch!"
"What the heck was that?!?" yelled one of the workers as another fell to the floor... stunned by a taser weilding Koala.
"It ducked into that barrel!" yelled another, pointing wildly.
**ZZZap!** "Aaaaa!" and another leapt forward after being grazed by a taser.
"What's going on in here?!" cried Tom.
"I'll handle this." growled the boss, pulling a pistol from his belt... which proved to be a big mistake.
As he drew a bead on the hiding place of one of the Koalas, Maetel sprang from the Fern. Landing infront of him, she smacked away his gun and yanked the hardhat from his head.
"Gun is bad!" she practically roared at him. Of course, he wasn't paying attention to her words, only to the hardhat she was crushing like it were made of so much cardboard.
Now construction workers, as a general rule, are pretty tough guys... but there's always a breaking point, and they had reached theirs.
Screaming and yelling, dragging their stunned co-workers, the crew fled the Outback in disarray.
That afternoon, a letter was delivered to Matt Simon's office.
Mr. Simon.
I regret to inform you that the Black Dragon Mining & Building company will have to cancel our contract for the renovation of the structure known as the Outback.
It has been discovered that you failed to properly exorcize any ghosts and/or demons upon the premesis before contracting our company.
I recomend the firm of Maloch & Uberman for all your exorcism needs. When I have received a clearance notice from Mr. Maloch, we can again negotiate on the contract.
Best of luck,
David Corn
CEO of Black Dragon Mining & Building, Inc.
Maetel
Truth is but an illusion... illusion, truth.
From: Maetel Cat
Maetel moved silently in the shadows of the Outback as the workers picked up their tools and headed for the scorched beams of Styx. She didn't want to harm them, but she knew she had to stop them.
As the first man swung back his axe, she made her move. Darting forth, she snatched the axe from his hands and threw it across the room. It all happened in an eyeblink, and Maetel leapt into the Fern before any of them had gotten more than a glimpse.
"What in tarnation are you doin' throwin' yor axe across the room like that, Tom?" asked the man in the black hardhat.
"It wasn't me, I swear it boss!" he answered. "Something grabbed it from my hands!"
The others began looking around nervously. "I hear tell this whole place is haunted." one of them said.
"Bullpucky!" said the boss. "Get back to..."
His order was drowned out by Maetel's loud growl from the Fern.
With everyone's attention on the Fern now, the Outback's other protectors made their move.
**ZZZap!** "Yeeouch!"
"What the heck was that?!?" yelled one of the workers as another fell to the floor... stunned by a taser weilding Koala.
"It ducked into that barrel!" yelled another, pointing wildly.
**ZZZap!** "Aaaaa!" and another leapt forward after being grazed by a taser.
"What's going on in here?!" cried Tom.
"I'll handle this." growled the boss, pulling a pistol from his belt... which proved to be a big mistake.
As he drew a bead on the hiding place of one of the Koalas, Maetel sprang from the Fern. Landing infront of him, she smacked away his gun and yanked the hardhat from his head.
"Gun is bad!" she practically roared at him. Of course, he wasn't paying attention to her words, only to the hardhat she was crushing like it were made of so much cardboard.
Now construction workers, as a general rule, are pretty tough guys... but there's always a breaking point, and they had reached theirs.
Screaming and yelling, dragging their stunned co-workers, the crew fled the Outback in disarray.
That afternoon, a letter was delivered to Matt Simon's office.
Mr. Simon.
I regret to inform you that the Black Dragon Mining & Building company will have to cancel our contract for the renovation of the structure known as the Outback.
It has been discovered that you failed to properly exorcize any ghosts and/or demons upon the premesis before contracting our company.
I recomend the firm of Maloch & Uberman for all your exorcism needs. When I have received a clearance notice from Mr. Maloch, we can again negotiate on the contract.
Best of luck,
David Corn
CEO of Black Dragon Mining & Building, Inc.
Maetel
Truth is but an illusion... illusion, truth.
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Re: Lost and Found, Silent Protest
Date: 7/9/2000 4:50 PM Central Daylight Time
From: HOST DFC Glo
To say things had been hectic in the past months would be putting it lightly. Rask's "disappearance," all these bills arriving (in his name, no less), the Outback having to close and new locations found…it was all taking its toll. And now, the company contracted out to repair the Outback had broken the deal. He had spoken to the head foreman, a man who said his crew had been terrorized by a beast of some
sort. That didn't make any sense…it's not like the Outback housed some unknown force who only came out to trouble construction workers.
Regardless of what was really going on in the Outback, he needed to get someone in there making the repairs. There were two names on the top of his list to contact and, since he had 5 spare minutes headed over to the Red Orc Brewery to see if Jake might be willing. He also placed a call to the Graf Corporation Temporary Encampment Number Eight and left a message for one Layne Jenkins. Both men (well, one man and one half-orc) had done well
building the Outback a new bar. Perhaps they'd be willing to take on a much larger job; if not, Matt suspected that he'd really be in a world of hurt.
From: HOST DFC Glo
To say things had been hectic in the past months would be putting it lightly. Rask's "disappearance," all these bills arriving (in his name, no less), the Outback having to close and new locations found…it was all taking its toll. And now, the company contracted out to repair the Outback had broken the deal. He had spoken to the head foreman, a man who said his crew had been terrorized by a beast of some
sort. That didn't make any sense…it's not like the Outback housed some unknown force who only came out to trouble construction workers.
Regardless of what was really going on in the Outback, he needed to get someone in there making the repairs. There were two names on the top of his list to contact and, since he had 5 spare minutes headed over to the Red Orc Brewery to see if Jake might be willing. He also placed a call to the Graf Corporation Temporary Encampment Number Eight and left a message for one Layne Jenkins. Both men (well, one man and one half-orc) had done well
building the Outback a new bar. Perhaps they'd be willing to take on a much larger job; if not, Matt suspected that he'd really be in a world of hurt.
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Re: Lost and Found, Silent Protest
Date: 7/16/2000 5:52 PM Central Daylight Time
From: Maetel Cat
It had been a quiet week in the Outback since the day the construction workers had fled, and Maetel was getting bored.
The Koalas gave her a wide berth; she was a predator and a dangerous one they knew. Instead they simply wandered the rubble-strewn Outback, occasionally roughhousing with each other or picking through the debris in hopes of finding something interesting.
In the entire building, the only thing that remained undamaged was the bar; and Maetel spent most of her time there... lounging upon it and listening for any sounds of trouble.
Still, it had been a week now... maybe she had won! There was only one problem. She missed her friends. She missed playing the fight-game. She missed sneaking around and surprising people. But most of all, she missed the attention.
She'd seen a note about the Diamond Quest... and while she still wasn't sure what it all meant, she did remember getting a note like this before, and the fun of playing with some really good fighters.
She was pretty sure that no more people would come to tear down the Outback, at least not tonight. Even if they did, she was sure the Koala's would protect the Outback until she got back.
Scrambling up off the bar, she sprang to the door and raced out to the street. Most of the scents were old, but there were enough to guide her to where the "make-fight-thing" people would be.
Maetel
Truth is but an illusion... illusion, truth.
From: Maetel Cat
It had been a quiet week in the Outback since the day the construction workers had fled, and Maetel was getting bored.
The Koalas gave her a wide berth; she was a predator and a dangerous one they knew. Instead they simply wandered the rubble-strewn Outback, occasionally roughhousing with each other or picking through the debris in hopes of finding something interesting.
In the entire building, the only thing that remained undamaged was the bar; and Maetel spent most of her time there... lounging upon it and listening for any sounds of trouble.
Still, it had been a week now... maybe she had won! There was only one problem. She missed her friends. She missed playing the fight-game. She missed sneaking around and surprising people. But most of all, she missed the attention.
She'd seen a note about the Diamond Quest... and while she still wasn't sure what it all meant, she did remember getting a note like this before, and the fun of playing with some really good fighters.
She was pretty sure that no more people would come to tear down the Outback, at least not tonight. Even if they did, she was sure the Koala's would protect the Outback until she got back.
Scrambling up off the bar, she sprang to the door and raced out to the street. Most of the scents were old, but there were enough to guide her to where the "make-fight-thing" people would be.
Maetel
Truth is but an illusion... illusion, truth.
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Re: Lost and Found, Silent Protest
Date: 7/30/2000 3:42 AM Central Daylight Time
From: JakeThrash
An Orc Visits the Ruin of the Outback
Jake surveyed the destruction that had once been the Outback. The extent of the damage was severe. It seemed that nothing within the structure was whole and sound with the single exception of the bar. The orc smiled wryly at that. It was no doubt due to luck or other things less pleasant, namely magic, that this was true. Still the orc could not argue that whatever it was that Mojo and/or Dalamar Majere had done which so protected the bar was successful. There it stood, free of dust, as new-looking as the day that Jake and Layne had installed it.
The orc marched down through the ruin, taking care with his footsteps to avoid perilous flooring. He had come here following the Diamond Quest to assess the place after Matt's visit to the brewery earlier in the week. The pool was broken and the water had flooded out, washing out part of the earth beneath the floor. It had collapsed part of the pit, making it nigh unusable. Only one truly careless with his life would fight there now. A false step, and a dueler might find himself in a sinkhole and be swallowed up by the earth.
The wreckage of ring Styx lay above as well, hanging in silent testimony to the violence of the night which brought the Outback to such ruin. Jake smirked lightly to himself. Well, at least no one would duel there again soon, which suited the orc just fine. Duels did not belong in the air after all. Orcs were not born with wings and so did not belong in rings that rose high above the earth. It was unnatural and wrong to duel so far from the firm, solid ground.
Jake stopped at the edge of the pool, glancing down into its broken shell. Somehow he had known that building such a structure here, where the water could damage so much, would be an error. It was a small miracle the flooding had not destoyed all of the cellar where the ale was stored. True, the cellar had been flooded with water, but thankfully it had not flooded more than boot high, and so had not reached the cradles which held the ale.
The orc turned back towards the bar, the sight of an unwelcome goblin playing amongst the ruins brought a frown to his face. "Goblin, what are ya' doin' here?"
The goblin was collecting stones of various shapes and sizes and piling them up into a crude pyramid when the orc called out. Mojo giggled and replied, "It's a secret. Ssshhh!" And with that the goblin held a finger to his lips to emphasize his meaning.
Jake rolled his eyes and marched over to the bar. He had heard that the cat who hung out in the Outback these days had been chasing off the repair workers who had come to clear the wreckage of the Outback. The orc didn't understand that; he couldn't imagine why anyone would hold dear to such a ruin. The orc shrugged to himself, it wasn't the first time he did not understand the thinking of non-orcs.
He leaned on the bar, running his hands down its length, admiring the work they had done so many months ago. It was a fine bar. He was glad that it had not been damaged in the maelstrom which had destroyed so much else. He glanced down to discover the goblin had joined him. The orc sighed.
The small goblin, barely more than boot tall on the orc, was leaning down, eye to the tiled floor. The goblin whispered, "knock, knock," as he rapped upon the black and white tiled floor which surrounded the bar and then giggled.
Before the orc could make comment about the goblin's silly actions, smiling faces appeared on the tiles, yawning as if awakening from a long sleep, and then chimed in high-pitched unison, "who's there?" and then broke into harmonious giggling.
The orc's heartbeat stopped for a moment and he could feel the earth reaching up to grab him. The orc leapt backwards, away from the bar and off of the giggling tile, horror-struck. The goblin, on the other hand, fell over giggling, hands held tight across his round yellow tummy, rolling about in uncontrolled hysterics.
Jake glowered at the goblin.
Mojo continued to roll about the floor laughing and giggling, tears pouring from his oversized eyes. The tiles continued to "teehee" along with the goblin in merry harmony.
The orc continued to glower.
The goblin finally stopped laughing, and hopped up onto his oversized feet. Mojo twirled about on tiptoes, "it's me!" he declared in joyous manner, spinning like a top as he finally answered the next line of the "knock knock" riddle. The tiles gleefully played along, shouting out in cheerful unison, "hello me!"
The orc shook his head and stamped away from the bar, thinking to himself, "why me?" as he tried to escape the range of the tiny voices. His heavy boots trod upon the edge of the tiled floor which cried out "Hey! Watch where you are stepping!" in shrill tiny voices.
The orc did not pause in his march until the cries of the little voices had become faint and nearly inaudible. He found himself near the ring that had been called the Fern. The orc was sorry to see it damaged as well. The giant plant reminded him of an old friend and it saddened him to see it so whithered and weakened.
So much damage...
The orc sighed and sat down upon a cluster of rubble. It would take weeks, if not months, to rebuild the place. It was a daunting task. And all for what? So that another of the weak fools could lose control of their Opal and wreak havok? The orc shook his head.
He opened his eyes to discover the goblin had joined him once again. Jake growled. The goblin ignored him and began collecting another series of stones and rocks to build into a pile.
"I knew bringin' those Opals here would cause trouble," the orc said to himself. He had hoped that the strength of will and discipline of the duelers here would be sufficient to hold the power of the Opals in check. The orc shook his head, finally letting it fall into his hands as he contemplated the rebuilding.
"Why don't you use them to reinforce it?"
The orc broke from his reverie as he heard the words and glanced down at the goblin, growling in his insightfully brilliant manner, "huh?"
"You said the Opals destroyed the place, right? So why not use them to reinforce the place so they can't do it again?"
The orc looked blankly at the goblin. "What are you talkin' about? They can be used like that?"
The goblin laughed, "silly orc, of course they can!" the goblin answer cheerfully. Mojo set a circle of small stones around his pile of larger stones. As the last stone was put into place, and the goblin's fingers let go, the circle of stones stood upright and began marching about the pile. The orc did his best to ignore the marching stones as he directed his attention at the goblin.
The goblin continued even as he hopped over onto his head, letting his feet waggle in the air. "They're just elemental force, Jake, if some of their force were infused into the Outback, the whole building could be made resistant to their forces."
The goblin fell over, landing on his back, and stared up into the air as he giggled. "It would just take a moment or two for the wielder, exerting their will over the stone in a small ritual, to infuse a hint of their power into the structure and make it resistant to damage from its own element."
The orc glowered and covered his ears. "I don't want to hear this. I don't want to hear this. Magic is bad." he recited to himself.
The goblin broke into another round of giggling. "Oh, Jake, you are so funny."
As much as he tried to resist the goblin's words, they sank into the orc's mind and he contemplated them. His tactical mind could do no less. Anything that could be used to resist magic, and its effects, was a good thing...right?
Maybe he could just pass the idea off to Matt and let him think about it. That way the orc wouldn't have to be the one to figure it out. Yeah, that seemed like a good idea. Let Matt worry about it. He was the guy in charge now. The orc nodded to himself. A plan had formed in his mind, both for rebuilding the Outback, and for suggesting the goblin's idea. The orc rose to his feet, readying himself to head out for the night, tired as he was from the dueling earlier in the night.
In the distance, the orc heard a myriad of voices chiming out, "I see Paris! I see France! ... " followed closely by a chorus of mad giggling and chittering. The orc shook his head, thinking someone must have made the mistake of wandering too near the newly awoken bar, or more precisely its tiled floor, with a skirt on. The orc shook his head as he wandered off. He really hoped that effect of the goblin's magic would wear off soon.
~~~~~~~~~
Author's Note: This post takes place shortly after the Diamond Quest (presumably while Maetel is still away from the ruined Outback) and well before the Dojo got destroyed. Sorry for the long delay in getting this up, between illness and delays while verifying the idea with Matt, it got put on hold for a little while.
From: JakeThrash
An Orc Visits the Ruin of the Outback
Jake surveyed the destruction that had once been the Outback. The extent of the damage was severe. It seemed that nothing within the structure was whole and sound with the single exception of the bar. The orc smiled wryly at that. It was no doubt due to luck or other things less pleasant, namely magic, that this was true. Still the orc could not argue that whatever it was that Mojo and/or Dalamar Majere had done which so protected the bar was successful. There it stood, free of dust, as new-looking as the day that Jake and Layne had installed it.
The orc marched down through the ruin, taking care with his footsteps to avoid perilous flooring. He had come here following the Diamond Quest to assess the place after Matt's visit to the brewery earlier in the week. The pool was broken and the water had flooded out, washing out part of the earth beneath the floor. It had collapsed part of the pit, making it nigh unusable. Only one truly careless with his life would fight there now. A false step, and a dueler might find himself in a sinkhole and be swallowed up by the earth.
The wreckage of ring Styx lay above as well, hanging in silent testimony to the violence of the night which brought the Outback to such ruin. Jake smirked lightly to himself. Well, at least no one would duel there again soon, which suited the orc just fine. Duels did not belong in the air after all. Orcs were not born with wings and so did not belong in rings that rose high above the earth. It was unnatural and wrong to duel so far from the firm, solid ground.
Jake stopped at the edge of the pool, glancing down into its broken shell. Somehow he had known that building such a structure here, where the water could damage so much, would be an error. It was a small miracle the flooding had not destoyed all of the cellar where the ale was stored. True, the cellar had been flooded with water, but thankfully it had not flooded more than boot high, and so had not reached the cradles which held the ale.
The orc turned back towards the bar, the sight of an unwelcome goblin playing amongst the ruins brought a frown to his face. "Goblin, what are ya' doin' here?"
The goblin was collecting stones of various shapes and sizes and piling them up into a crude pyramid when the orc called out. Mojo giggled and replied, "It's a secret. Ssshhh!" And with that the goblin held a finger to his lips to emphasize his meaning.
Jake rolled his eyes and marched over to the bar. He had heard that the cat who hung out in the Outback these days had been chasing off the repair workers who had come to clear the wreckage of the Outback. The orc didn't understand that; he couldn't imagine why anyone would hold dear to such a ruin. The orc shrugged to himself, it wasn't the first time he did not understand the thinking of non-orcs.
He leaned on the bar, running his hands down its length, admiring the work they had done so many months ago. It was a fine bar. He was glad that it had not been damaged in the maelstrom which had destroyed so much else. He glanced down to discover the goblin had joined him. The orc sighed.
The small goblin, barely more than boot tall on the orc, was leaning down, eye to the tiled floor. The goblin whispered, "knock, knock," as he rapped upon the black and white tiled floor which surrounded the bar and then giggled.
Before the orc could make comment about the goblin's silly actions, smiling faces appeared on the tiles, yawning as if awakening from a long sleep, and then chimed in high-pitched unison, "who's there?" and then broke into harmonious giggling.
The orc's heartbeat stopped for a moment and he could feel the earth reaching up to grab him. The orc leapt backwards, away from the bar and off of the giggling tile, horror-struck. The goblin, on the other hand, fell over giggling, hands held tight across his round yellow tummy, rolling about in uncontrolled hysterics.
Jake glowered at the goblin.
Mojo continued to roll about the floor laughing and giggling, tears pouring from his oversized eyes. The tiles continued to "teehee" along with the goblin in merry harmony.
The orc continued to glower.
The goblin finally stopped laughing, and hopped up onto his oversized feet. Mojo twirled about on tiptoes, "it's me!" he declared in joyous manner, spinning like a top as he finally answered the next line of the "knock knock" riddle. The tiles gleefully played along, shouting out in cheerful unison, "hello me!"
The orc shook his head and stamped away from the bar, thinking to himself, "why me?" as he tried to escape the range of the tiny voices. His heavy boots trod upon the edge of the tiled floor which cried out "Hey! Watch where you are stepping!" in shrill tiny voices.
The orc did not pause in his march until the cries of the little voices had become faint and nearly inaudible. He found himself near the ring that had been called the Fern. The orc was sorry to see it damaged as well. The giant plant reminded him of an old friend and it saddened him to see it so whithered and weakened.
So much damage...
The orc sighed and sat down upon a cluster of rubble. It would take weeks, if not months, to rebuild the place. It was a daunting task. And all for what? So that another of the weak fools could lose control of their Opal and wreak havok? The orc shook his head.
He opened his eyes to discover the goblin had joined him once again. Jake growled. The goblin ignored him and began collecting another series of stones and rocks to build into a pile.
"I knew bringin' those Opals here would cause trouble," the orc said to himself. He had hoped that the strength of will and discipline of the duelers here would be sufficient to hold the power of the Opals in check. The orc shook his head, finally letting it fall into his hands as he contemplated the rebuilding.
"Why don't you use them to reinforce it?"
The orc broke from his reverie as he heard the words and glanced down at the goblin, growling in his insightfully brilliant manner, "huh?"
"You said the Opals destroyed the place, right? So why not use them to reinforce the place so they can't do it again?"
The orc looked blankly at the goblin. "What are you talkin' about? They can be used like that?"
The goblin laughed, "silly orc, of course they can!" the goblin answer cheerfully. Mojo set a circle of small stones around his pile of larger stones. As the last stone was put into place, and the goblin's fingers let go, the circle of stones stood upright and began marching about the pile. The orc did his best to ignore the marching stones as he directed his attention at the goblin.
The goblin continued even as he hopped over onto his head, letting his feet waggle in the air. "They're just elemental force, Jake, if some of their force were infused into the Outback, the whole building could be made resistant to their forces."
The goblin fell over, landing on his back, and stared up into the air as he giggled. "It would just take a moment or two for the wielder, exerting their will over the stone in a small ritual, to infuse a hint of their power into the structure and make it resistant to damage from its own element."
The orc glowered and covered his ears. "I don't want to hear this. I don't want to hear this. Magic is bad." he recited to himself.
The goblin broke into another round of giggling. "Oh, Jake, you are so funny."
As much as he tried to resist the goblin's words, they sank into the orc's mind and he contemplated them. His tactical mind could do no less. Anything that could be used to resist magic, and its effects, was a good thing...right?
Maybe he could just pass the idea off to Matt and let him think about it. That way the orc wouldn't have to be the one to figure it out. Yeah, that seemed like a good idea. Let Matt worry about it. He was the guy in charge now. The orc nodded to himself. A plan had formed in his mind, both for rebuilding the Outback, and for suggesting the goblin's idea. The orc rose to his feet, readying himself to head out for the night, tired as he was from the dueling earlier in the night.
In the distance, the orc heard a myriad of voices chiming out, "I see Paris! I see France! ... " followed closely by a chorus of mad giggling and chittering. The orc shook his head, thinking someone must have made the mistake of wandering too near the newly awoken bar, or more precisely its tiled floor, with a skirt on. The orc shook his head as he wandered off. He really hoped that effect of the goblin's magic would wear off soon.
~~~~~~~~~
Author's Note: This post takes place shortly after the Diamond Quest (presumably while Maetel is still away from the ruined Outback) and well before the Dojo got destroyed. Sorry for the long delay in getting this up, between illness and delays while verifying the idea with Matt, it got put on hold for a little while.