Pink Poogle Toy Forum

Emra smiled down at Althea, realizing how strange it felt to be looking down at her from her throne, when they were equals. She stood up and walked down from the dais, motioning for Althea to follow. She went to a small corner of the throne room, covered in books. Though not wide in space the bookshelf was immensely tall. She withdrew six books from a shelf that was barely in her reach, she balanced on the balls of her feet.
"These should help," Emra motioned to the books, "with the teaching."
It was going to be difficult she knew, teaching something that she was born with would not be easy- but her parents had schooled her well(and left detailed instructions in their will about how she had to be instructed her lifelong), in everything from complicated ruling, made simple, to even more complicated theory, made as simple as complicated theory can be. She dragged two chairs to the bottom of the dais, facing each other. Each richly cushioned and draping with delicate silk.
"Please, sit..."
[Now ]

Anka looked upon his Kingdom and its glittering beauty. In the back of his mind a nagging voice said, ‘You know that you can't keep mining the mountain for long. It's not safe. There may be more accidents like this morning's... What if a child was hurt? There would be uproar.’

He moved towards the grand and gleaming mirror that stood near his bed. He stared into it, into his own Ruby red coloured eyes.

‘You know what you must do. Send the miners away to a new mountain. A Mountain full of ore.’

‘NO!’ came his own voice drowning out the other, ‘I refuse to. The miners are also our most skilled soldiers. If we were to be attacked…’

‘You fool!’ cried the other voice, it sounded familiar in some way, except it was now becoming colder and impatient. ‘You think that the kingdom of Ruby has enemies? Look around you. The other kingdoms need the Rubians for its metals. You think that they would destroy the kingdom?’

‘No… of course not’ he told the voice ‘… Maybe… maybe I am being stupid… Yes… yes I am. I will send some of the miners to try to start a new mine in the neighbouring mountain.’

‘Good. And also…’ the voice became less cold at this point, ‘you should buy Bella a present because she’s going to be all alone while you’re away at the council…’


Meanwhile not far from the very mountain in which Anka was wrestling with himself another pair of ruby red eyes ware staring into a mirror. This mirror was nothing like the gleaming mirror Anka was staring into. it was grimy and dusty. There were many chips and cracks in it, and the woman staring into it was nothing like the man staring into his regal mirror.

This woman did not even look like a human. She had bright scales in an orange colour. Her face had a skeletal look about it. One thing was for certain. You wouldn’t want to meet this woman down a dark alleyway.

She stared into the mirror as if expecting her reflection to do something of its own accord. It did not. But soon her reflection was not visible anymore. It was replaced by a quite pretty woman in regal robes and with long flowing black hair but the roots were a little purple. This was barely noticeable though.
“Bella.” croaked the strange woman, “How is phase two coming?”
“Good my lady,” the cold voice of Bella Lionheart came from the mirror. “He is sending some Miners to Bal’moreth tomorrow.
“Ah, for once Bella, you have done something right.” she said looking pleased “You will be rewarded for this.
“Thank you my lady.”

The image of Bella disappeared and was replaced by the refection of Pyrona.

The door opened and a hooded and hump-backed figure almost crawled into the room.

“What are you doing Inferia?” She asked threateningly, “I ordered you to Ruby. Do you wish to meet the same end as your dear sister?”
“No my lady,” Came a high pitched, shaky, almost squeak of a voice from the woman called Inferia, “But I found somebody outside when I left. I knew you were awaiting news from Bella so I tied him up and waited until you were finished.”

She left the room and returned with a young Rubian boy.
“ARGH! LEMME GO!” shouted the boy.
He was in his late teens and looked quite handsome.
“Who are you, boy?” She asked him. She sounded quite polite.
“Please, I’m just a Miner. I only started work today. Don’t kill me please, I need to feed my mother and father. They’re too sick to work and -“
”Did I ask you to tell me your life story boy? NO! I asked you who you are.”
“M-m-my name is Zachariah. Z-Zachariah Hetsibah.”
“So… Zachariah… What are you doing here? Rubians are forbidden to leave the mountain of Bealorath without the monarch’s permission.”
“W-w-w-we are b-b-but -”
“GET TO THE POINT BOY!” Pyrona had lost patience with him. He whimpered and looked on the verge of tears.
“I wanted to see the outside.” He said it as fast as he could.
“And you wandered all the way out here by chance did you?”
“Y-yes…”
”A likely story.” she told him. “Kill him Inferia. We could use him then.”

The boy started to sob.
“No! My m-m-mother and father will die! Please! Show some compassion!”

Pyrona ignored the shrieks and wails as the boy was dragged off to face his death…

[All right, while I'm waiting for Discordant's reply, I'm going to jump on the bandwagon.]

The Festival of Music came and went. From all old Namu Prot could hear, it was an unmitigated disaster, but he didn't much care for the public life any more, festivals included. The rest of Apple Hamlet may have traveled to the orchard manor (and found it woefully unprepared,) but Namu stayed and didn't need to fret.

Though it did serve that Molan Wan right, to flub up this way. Perhaps he would lose the next election, and then... well, he'd see how the Governor would react after that.

After his woeful show of language that lost him his seat, Namu took the obligatory trip to inform the victor of state secrets, then abruptly retired from the humiliation of the public eye. Few outside Apple Hamlet knew his residence of late. Mostly relatives. His great-nephew Liam, most notably, though he rarely visited. In fact, he found the life of a farmer relaxing, and in obscurity, he lived more comfortably than he ever had.

He lived, which was a fact far more unfortunate than he realized.

((Second Character... sort of))
Zachariah Hetsibah stood at the foot of the mines. It was his first day on the job. He was looking forward to being able to provide for his sick Mother and Father.

He entered the mines and was met by his new boss, a kind woman called Cali.
She showed him to where he was going to be working and demonstrated what he would be doing.
“You put your hands on the rock face like this,” she put the palms of her hands onto the rock face, “and then you concentrate on creating a weak explosion like this.” The rock face shattered. Glittery stones glinted on the floor.
“See, that’s an Iron ore.” She said happily.

It happened so fast before he knew what had happened he was on the floor, another worker on top of him.
The ground was shaking, there were sounds of cracking and things falling.

Screaming filled the caves, the calling of names, cries of pain, then… as soon as it had started, it stopped.

Zach looked up and saw it. Rubble was everywhere. The worker that had been working near him was on top of him.

“You Ok?” asked the man on top of him.
“Yeah, hey… where’s Cali?”
“Well… she was over there when I last seen her.” He was pointing to where Zach had dreaded that he would point. He was pointing at the largest pile of rubble in the room.

“No…” He said weakly.
The worker who had saved him got up and started to brush himself down. A rock fell from above and hit Zach in the head.


He woke up in a hospital bed a few hours later. He was quickly discharged and sent home… but he did not go home…

He did not want to go home. He wanted to leave Ruby. He wanted to get as far away from those mines in which he had witnessed Cali’s death. He wanted to see the outside but he knew that he needed permission for this, and that would take months.

But he wasn’t going to ask permission. Why should he? He was free to do whatever he liked.

So he hid himself near the exit cave until the Guards went for a break. This is when he made his move. He sneaked past the guard pouring himself a drink and made his way quietly down to the exit cave. Before he knew it he could see the light at the end of the tunnel.

It was blinding. He was used to the caves darkness but it was a bright sunny day outside. Zach waited until his eyes adjusted. He lost his breath as soon as they adjusted. The sky was an amazing blue and the green was all around him. It was so beautiful to him a sat down and wept.

After ten minutes he rose and started to run. He didn’t care which direction he went in or where he ended up… as long as he was far away from the city for a while.

A house came into view. He must’ve been running for about half an hour. The house looked old and un-kept.

He started to slow down and approach the house.

Who could live there? No Rubian lived on the island outside of the glittering city.

The door opened and out came a hunch-backed woman who was so bent over she looked as though she was crawling.

“H-hello?” he asked.

The woman looked up at him. Zach was paralyzed in fear. This woman had… scales! Bright… Orange… Scales…

The scaly woman grabbed hold of his arms. Zack tried to resist but he couldn’t. The woman was quite strong.

Before he knew it she had bound him and was waiting by the door for something to happen. After a few minutes the woman had went back in.

‘You can do it Zach, just loosen the rope. You’ll be able to escape.’ He told himself.

Then, she was back and had dragged him to his feet.

“ARGH! LEMME GO!” he shouted at her.
There was a woman in the room with the same scales as the on pulling him. He noticed her Ruby red eyes the most. That was characteristic of the Rubian Monarchs.
“Who are you, boy?” She asked him. She sounded quite polite but he was too afraid to really notice much0.
“Please, I’m just a Miner. I only started work today. Don’t kill me, please; I need to feed my mother and father. They’re too sick to work and -“
”Did I ask you to tell me your life story boy? NO! I asked you who you are.” Zach began to panic what was this woman capable of?
“M-m-my name is Zachariah. Z-Zachariah Hetsibah.”
“So… Zachariah… What are you doing here? Rubians are forbidden to leave the mountain of Bealorath without the monarch’s permission.”
“W-w-w-we are b-b-but -”
“GET TO THE POINT BOY!” Pyrona had lost patience with him. He whimpered and swallowed back his tears.
“I wanted to see the outside.” He said it as fast as he could.
“And you wandered all the way out here by chance did you?”
“Y-yes…”
”A likely story.” she told him. “Kill him Inferia. We could use him then.”

Zach started to sob.
“No! My m-m-mother and father will die! Please! Show some compassion!” But the woman seemed to be enjoying his pleading.

He began to scream and punch and kick any part of Inferia’s body. She didn’t seem to mind. she laid him down onto the floor and pulled out her dagger.

“NO DON’T PLEASE!” He screamed at her.

But she had already lunged. He screamed in pain. Everything went black and he felt a floating sensation.

His body however had ideas of it’s own…

Althea breathed reverently over the books, stroking the smooth covers and spines in pure joy. She had not touched a book here as yet and the feeling of pleasure overwhelmed her. Although this was not a new book, it was in far better shape than the best books in her own kingdom. She did not need to handle the books as though they were going to fall to pieces, but she did it out of habit anyway.

Perching herself carefully on the edge of the chair Emra gestured to, she sat staring into the Sapphire Queen's clear, bright eyes and waited for their lesson to begin.

---

The dark, oily blob was swimming slowly down to the ocean bottom - if, indeed, its clumsy descent could be called swimming. It looked more like sinking than anything else, with black mud and oil oozing out of its sides as it spiraled slowly downards. At last, it landed with a dull thud on the sandy floorbed. The sand was black, as though it had been stained by a strange liquid, but it might be naturally black for all anyone knew.

No light penetrated this dank dark where the blob had now found itself. Even a Zirconian glow-worm lantern could not have provided more than a small circle of light.

For a long while, the blob did not move. It was still for so long that one might suppose it was a sort of vegetation that grew there. When it did move, it did it suddenly and violently. In bounds and leaps, the strange creature had disappeared from its position and had raced across the ocean floor where a series of cave-like structures were embedded into the sand. Water did not seem to slow it down - at least, not while it was on the floor.

Dark rocks surrounding the caves suddenly moved as the blob approached. They were not rocks after all but creatures after the blob's own fashion, only in different shapes and sizes. The cave-like structures shuddered slowly and one large, gleaming eye opened. It stared expectantly at the blob, waiting for its report.

((Sorry for the lack of posting.))

Emerald

Arelore leaped onto the saddle behind the boy and flicked the reins, Meret followed quickly as they sped through the forest back towards the city. The trip took many hours and by the time they were nearing the city the sun was just beginning to set. Arelore, despite her dislike of riding, was actually a very good horserider and controlled the creature very well. They had just reached the city and begun to climb off the horses when the sun dipped below the horizon. Crimson red and firey orange filled the sky and the blackness of the sky soon began to envelope it. All throughout the city people began to walk around lighting the many lamps that filled the streets and sat outside the houses as they went.

Arelore began to take the child off the horse when darkness began to fully envelope the city. Suddenly the boy began to squirm in her hands, Arelore cried out in surprise and let go of the child. Meret turned to her in shock and watched Arelore jump away from the boy who was now writhing on the forest floor. She glared at Arelore for a moment who turned to face her and frowned, "He bit me!" Meret looked back at the boy and was shocked to discover that he was changing.

The young boy's pale hair had grown shaggier and longer, and two triangle shaped cat's ears soon burst forth from his skull. He screeched in pain, blood covering the leaf covered floor. Many townspeople began to gather to see what was going on. Meret turned back to David, "Tell them all to go inside and barricade their doors. And restrain his parents." She had grown very pale and as she turned back around she couldn't help the tears that began to spill down her cheeks. Fur began to cover some parts of the boy, and a long blood covered tail had now emerged from his tailbone.

The horses had run off, into the safety of the town, and Ruti was sitting close to her, growling lightly. Arelore moved closer to her, and Meret could tell that she was in shock. "What's happening to him?" Arelore whispered, both watched as claws began to extend from his fingers.

Meret suddenly remembered the letter, tearing it open quickly she read fast, praying to Anaedaan that it would hold some answers.

There is an Outah council that is held annually in two weeks. I hope that all kingdoms shall attend, as I will be a representative for Diamond, the first one in many centuries I realise. There I wish to discuss the pressing matter that I mentioned in my last letter.
I hope that you will grace the council with your presence.

From Crown Princess Serenity Tehsume

Meret's eyes widened in shock as she read.
Diamond?
Crown Princess Serenity?!!
What's been going on? And why weren't we informed of it?

((To Be Continued!!!

Muahahaha! I had this planned all along... the whole boy's-really-gonna-get-turned-into-a-demon thing. I talked with Rachel and I decided that the Animal Demon's can cause an almost 'disease' much like a Werewolf bite. In which, during the night, the person who has been bitten turns into a demon. ))

The Ocean

Isabella spun around in circles on the wooden deck, her arms were held out and her hair whipped freely around her face. "It's so great to be back at sea!" Vann watched all this while leaning against the cabin wall, they had been sailing for three days now, but it seemed more like three weeks to her. So much had happened since she left Pearl, it was all so exciting and overbearing. She never really thought much about the other kingdoms, nor what the ocean surrounding them would be like.

The Captain, an old man with a long white beard and an eyepatch, stepped out onto the deck. He grinned at Isabella's antics, which Vann had surprisingly grown used to. "It'll be another three days until we arrive at Estel. From there I'm sure you can buy passage to Returana."

((It's rather short. But I didn't want the trip over to be focused on as much. There'll be much more happening at Estel.))

David nodded, and left the three - the boy, Arelore, and Meret - before Meret opened the letter. He called to the masses, in a commanding voice, "Go back into your houses, there is nothing here."

Reluctantly, the masses left, although David had to chivvy a few inside. Two people then came out of a hut - a man and a woman - and said, "You found our boy!" True happiness shined in their eyes as they looked at David, but he forced himself to shake his head.

"No - I'm sorry..."

The two people began to walk forward, but David caught them both around the waist with his arms. "No - you can't go there."

Suddenly, the man grabbed David's sword from his sheath, and slammed it down on David's left arm, the one restraining him. "Ouch!"

David removed his arm - the man had used the flat of the sword, not the point, but it had still taken a battering.

The man held the sword out to David, pointing it at him. "Do you know how to use that thing?" David asked, nursing his left arm with his right as the woman looked on.

The man looked at the sword doubtfully for a spilt second, but it was enough. David ducked round the side of them and grabbed the sword from the man, holding it weakly in his right hand - though the people didn't need to know that.

"I'm going to have to ask you to go inside," he said, his voice little more than a whisper because of the pain. The parents of the boy thought it was anger that made him speak like that, so they hastily retreated, the man first.

The woman first said, "If you find him... please..."

"You'll be the first to know," David assured them, and they left.

"But why, I have no idea. Attacking Meret's bodyguard!" David muttered to himself once they'd gone, trudging back over to Meret, and the boy, and trying to sheath his sword, but failing since it was on the left side, and he was using his right arm.

[... yay?]

Echo
Echo looked at the girl through narrowed eyes. She stood up clumsily and drew her sword, and aimed it at him.
“D…d… don’t move! Or I’ll kill you!” she stammered.
Echo examined the sword and had to chew his lip to keep from laughing. The sword was harmless. It was made from rock! Diamond to be exact. Sure, it could hurt someone if they swung it hard enough, but this girl didn’t look strong enough to even hold up the sword.
“I don’t need this. I’m leaving,” he thought angrily.
He turned around and started to walk away but he heard a shriek behind him. He turned to see what had happened.
“I don’t believe it,” he sighed to himself as the girl came running at him with the sword. He drew one of his swords and swung it towards her and the two swords met. The diamond sword was very heavy and the impact of the two swords clashing made Echo’s hands shake. However the girl was not so lucky. The weight of the sword became too much for her and her knees buckled. She fell to the round, dropping the sword. Echo saw his chance and kicked the sword away. The girl then pulled out a stick from her cloak and aimed it at him, shouting unrecognisable words. A bright flash erupted from the stick and Echo’s mouth dropped open in shock. It was a wand! That girl was casting magic! He looked down at his shinning swords. Would they be able to hold against magical attacks?
As he was contemplating this the flash of light flew towards him. Echo dived out of the way and the light hit the ground. The ground then began to shake and flowers erupted from the ground. The flowers opened their petals and faced their lovely heads towards the sky… and began to sing, gently bobbing up and down to each other’s tunes.
By the look on the girl’s face, this wasn’t the spell she was meant to cast.
Echo sheathed his sword, crossed his arms and looked down at the pink-haired girl who was still lying on the ground.
“I don’t have time for this. So I can either leave, or kill you, it’s your choice,” he informed her.
She stood up putting her wand back in her pocket and sheathing her sword, “Please, I’m sorry for attacking you. I really need help,”
“You’re telling me. Was this girl seriously fighting?” he asked himself.
“What do you want from me?” he asked, eyes narrowed.
“I need a guide. Someone who can take me to Returana,”
“Why would I want to help you?”
The girl sighed and pulled a small velvet pouch out of her cloak. It looked heavy. She shook three sapphires and two rubies out of the bag and into her hand, “Will this be enough?”
Echo gaped. Those small stones would get him enough money to settle down and live in comfort for the rest of his life. He shook his head and came back to reality, “You stupid girl! Never carry that much money around the cities. People will rob and kill you for just one of those stones!”
The girl lowered her eyes sadly, “I am sorry. I do not know Outah very well.”
She did not know Outah? Was this girl truly from Diamond?
“Who are you?” he asked.
She inclined her head, “My name is Crown-Princess, Serenity Tehsume,” as she bowed her head, her tiara glowed.

Emra took one of the other books, and felt a tear slide down her cheek, she handed it as reverently as Althea.
"Sorry...this were my father's books...." and the tears stopped, but she still felt them sliding down her heart.
"Alright," her face cleared, "We should begin with....well where to begin?" She opened the book hastily and smiled,
"When swimming underwater your mind is one to think that it can not swim any longer when very tired, you think you can not hold your breathe underwater because that it what you have been taught. Erase those thoughts. If I told you to jump into the sea," she paused and gestured to one of the titanic windows in the throne room, "You would be able to breathe and swim forever." She shut her eyes, thinking hard. When she opened them she seemed resolute, "I will teach, and I can, but I will also bless you...and your kingdom, with the unity of sea (with being able to breathe underwater), and this will help." Emra looked as though she was thinking before she spoke again,
"You must keep the secrets very safe, they are our secrets- they are our life, we are sharing them out of your dire need...keep them secret, and keep them safe and no harm shall come to either of our kingdoms." She spoke in a strong, but quiet voice- and you could simply gain stregnth by looking into her blazing, determined, fiery blue eyes.

((Sorry guys, I've been busy with band camp and the start of school and all, and haven't had the time to think of a good post. This will be short, but it'll have to do for now.))

"Yes, we have heard from Diamond. Let us discuss a dlightly less serious matter now. How has your harvest been this year? My people desperately need food, but we have plenty of metals and ores that would make sturdy tools for your people, and many jewels to put more color in your lives."

Thisa noticed Molan shaking himself. "What is the matter? Have your people been speaking of possible dangers as well?"

((.:Eternal_Spirit:., Haki is also there. *trying to get involved* I have some plans for Merle too, but, I am awaiting the meeting. Though I might post in between. *not dead yet* ))


Haki

Haki perked up his head, listening to the two humans, though he didn't understand much of their babbling. Or yet?

The little snake circled around, trying to find a spot to land.

Returana? Princess?

Those sounds weren't very like the language of the scaled ones, but yet, he understood some things.

In a distant past..

Haki flicked his tongue, finally landing on a rock that stuck out. Curling his tail around it, he folded his wings.

..or life?

[Sorry - this isn't a role play post as such; I'll write one during the weekend. FM, do you plan on giving the ability to breathe in water or hold the breath a little longer? Also, are you giving it to only Althea or for her to share with her whole kingdom.

I don't mind if it doesn't work and neither Althea nor her people can breathe/hold their breath underwater. A little heartbreak is always interesting. ]

Molan waved his hand impatiently. "It's nothing. At any rate, the harvests have been bountiful, but ores and jewels are a secondary concern right now. The birds have been dying off - some sort of blight - and what we need most are doves. Oh, and chickens, before Lord Farmer Mashu goes completely off the edge. Now - how certain are you about Diamond?"

He probed the Aquamarinian Chancellor's mind and found a good deal of certainty, but stopped abruptly. "Forgive me - it's common, from Peridotian to Peridotian, to view the dominant thoughts, but if you don't take to it, Chancellor... Ah well, you're certain. On what evidence?"

[As it was, I was rather planning to not be able to give you and your people the ability .... because it would be, well difficult- as I will fill in, in a upcoming post. Heartbreak is always great and interesting , if you would- make a quick response post and then I will respond with the heartbreaking news ]

Thisa blinked a little. She could sense Molan reading her mind, and it wasn't a good feeling. "I would perfer that you didn't do that, but if you must, you may."

"Yes, we do have many birds here, mainly doves though. Do you have any idea what is causing them to fall ill? Also, I am certain about Diamond. They replied to a letter that I sent, and their princess enclosed her bracelet and a few feathers inside it. We've also seen a few unusually shaped coulds that seem to be cities. It convinced my people, at any rate, and we're not a country that's easy to fool."