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The Tale of
Chatterbox: Inkwell
The Tale of
The Tale of General Waffleson!
You may have read my CB Fanfiction thing on BaB, and this is a sort of repost of that, but with some key elements changed in the story, and some of the spelling and punctuation corrected. So basically,it's That Thread 2.0. So uh, let's go! I'll start with the first chapter and release one every day until we come up to the one I'm still writin. Then it will be a bit longer to each post.
If you want to see the original thread the link should be here (please post link, Admins!):
http://www.cricketmagkids.com/chatterbox/blababoutbooks/node/321112
Here's the first chapter:
Act One, Scene One: In Which the General Acquires a Strange Device
My story is a wild one. Depending on who you are, you’ll either think it’s a load of Halabagutchet or a nice autobiography. But whichever you think, I assure you it’s true. All of it. Every word. This is the story of General Waffleson. Me. So without further adieu, let’s do this thing.
One thing I need to get out of the way first: My mother was a dimension-hopping time-lord. My father was the general of the army of the Breakfast Kingdom. My parentage was a bit strange to say the least, but they were still my mom and dad. That is, until mom disappeared and I got lost in the timestream light years away from my father. More on that later.
My adventure started at age 12, the year 2487. I was at an old stone bridge in the woods by my house, my feet dangling off the side. The yellow grass of september colored the ground and dead leaves were just beginning to fall. I was sitting with Jamie, the 80’s nerd who’s been my friend as far as I can remember.
Jamie was taller than me, about 5’ 7” and a year older. He almost constantly wore an aviator’s jacket, even in the middle of summer, when you could fry an egg on the hood of your hovercraft. He had bowl-shaped black hair and brown eyes. In short, he looked pretty much nothing like me, but a lot like Mike from Stranger Things.
I was 5’ 5” and had dark brown hair that was usually flat, but sometimes stuck out in tufts. I liked clothes that included hoods, because it could rain acid at pretty much any moment. My eyes were sometimes green, and sometimes gold. My limbs were long and a bit spidery, with not much muscle to support them. I was currently wearing a blue hoodie with the message ‘Flynn’s Arcade: Go Grid or Go Home’ on it and my Fez (What? Fezzes are cool). Jamie and I were in the middle of a fierce debate, and I was about to push Jamie into the water.
“I tell you,” he said, “Mjolnir can summon thunder! Sting was only used to spread butter on Lembas Bread!”
“Ah, but does Mjolnir glow when your enemies are close by? No. It does not.” I pointed out.
“Thor doesn’t need to know where his enemies are because Mjolnir can blow up mountains! MOUNTAINS!”
“Tell me, Jamie, have you ever heard of the words collateral damage?”
"Touche. Mjolnir is still WAY cooler than your stupid halfling butter knife."
I was growing irritated. “Will you ever give up?” I asked.
“Nope! Mjolnir is cooler than Sting, and nothing you say will convince me otherwise.” Jamie said, grinning.
I sighed. Jamie’s determined, I’ll give him that, but sometimes he’s kind of annoying.
“Where’s Very, anyway?” I asked, looking around, “He was supposed to be here.”
“He’s busy with violin class, but he’ll be here soon,” Jamie answered.
Very Bad was Jamie’s older brother, and had recently joined our little group. He had been a great supplier of ideas, and he had a strange affiliation for music. Despite his name, he was a pretty nice guy, and mature for his years. He had promised to meet us at the old stone bridge, but it looked like he had other plans for the time being.
“Shall we head off to the bunker?” Jamie asked. I pondered for a couple seconds.
“Will Very know where we are?” I asked.
“He’ll figure it out. He’s pretty smart.” Jamie said.
“Let’s go then!” I said, and jumped down from the bridge onto the shore. Jamie followed, and soon we came to a tunnel in the ground. We both knew the way, so navigating through the various trick passages and getting to the trapdoor was easy. When we arrived, Jamie looked up at the ceiling, skeptical.
“Through the Floor Door?” asked Jamie.
“I thought it would be fun to try out,” I replied.
“That’s OK. I don’t have a problem with it.”
I opened the trapdoor, climbed in, and helped Jamie up. The bunker was a large underground building that we found one day, and refurbished (with the help of my parents) to act as a kind of secret base. It had a lab where we conducted tests on various stuff (more recently constructed), a comfortable living room, three bedrooms, a bathroom (obviously), and a couple other rooms that aren’t worth mentioning. We dusted ourselves off, and took a look around the lab, which is where the Floor Door lead. Nothing was out of the ordinary at first glance. But then I noticed the police box in the corner.
The police box was just standing there, not doing anything. I knew what it was because we learned about them in history class. I don’t know what one was doing here, though. Jamie stared with me for a little bit, but then he began to walk towards it. I followed, but when he opened the door, I stopped him.
“What are you doing?” I yelled at Jamie.
“Going inside.” he said.
“Do you know who this belongs to?” I asked.
“No. What's your point?”
“My point is that we shouldn’t just waltz inside a random box that appears in our hidden bunker!” I shouted.
“No need to shout. I know you, aren’t you the littlest bit curious about what’s inside?” he said.
“Yeah, but do you really think that this is a good idea?” I asked.
“Good as any idea you’ve had. Come on!” He walked inside, waving for me to follow. I followed, albeit reluctantly. When I saw the inside, I gasped. There was a huge four-way control panel with various levers and buttons in the center with a large tube coming from the middle. We were walking on iron catwalks suspended by seemingly invisible cables above a floor that seemed to be steaming. Jamie busied himself with the console, while I walked around the various rooms that branched off of the central one.
As I was walking, I came across a hall with wall-to-wall rows of some strange objects. They were glass tubes sitting on large panels with the word TARDIS written across the bottom. I stared at the tubes, and called Jamie over. “What’s up?” he asked.
“I found this weird tube thing, and I think I should go inside.”
“Can’t hurt that much, can it?” he asked.
“I dunno, it’s possible. Do you know what the word TARDIS means?”
“Never heard of it. You should try going in!”
“Alright, but if I die, I’m blaming you,” I said. I took a deep breath and went inside the glass tube.
Much to my surprise, the inside of the ‘TARDIS’ mirrored that of the area I had just left, with the console in the centre and pathways the sides of it. There was one difference from the one I had just left. This one had a key on the console. I grabbed the key and stepped out of the TARDIS. Jamie was waiting with baited breath, and when he saw me come out with the keys, he started speaking frantically, “There’ssomeonehere! Gogogogogogogogo!” he said and started to shove me back in the TARDIS thing. I tried to resist, but the caught me off balance, and I tumbled backward into the tube, Jamie right behind.
As we groggily sat up, I spotted a shiny keyhole on the console. I got to my feet, ran over to the console, shoved the key into the keyhole, and turned. I heard a loud ‘VWORRRP! VWORRRP!’ and the floor began to shake. I looked at the console, and saw a bunch of levers and dials, and for some odd reason, a teapot. I pulled the levers and twisted the dials, hoping to somehow deactivate the machine. No such luck. The ‘VWORRRP! VWORRRP!’ noise grew louder, and then, all of the sudden, everything slowed to a dull hum. Jamie and I both walked to the door, nearly in sync, curious to see what happened. I stared at Jamie. Jamie stared back. With a nod, we both pushed the door open. I gasped. Jamie gawked. We were in an entirely different world.
submitted by General Waffleson, age -456, The Breakfast Kingdom!
(November 5, 2017 - 8:26 am)
(November 5, 2017 - 8:26 am)
Act Three, Scene One: In Which The General Meets The Oracle
I awoke in a bed. That was the first surprise. The second was that I was healed. I had none of the injuries from my fight with The Living Ember or Morpheus or the Flamazerta. I felt rested and healed. It was very strange. The room I was lying in was sand-colored (or at least the ceiling was) and covered in strange carvings. Geometric shapes and strange symbols were strewn about in what seemed to be no recognisable pattern. I looked to my left. The first thing I noticed was that there was a nightstand next to me that had my Jumpship keys and toaster gun on it. That was the third surprise. I looked to my right and saw the fourth surprise: A woman in a brown robe with the hood down sitting on a rock ledge jutting out the side of the wall. She had short-ish black hair, grey-blue eyes and a face that looked as if she hadn’t laughed in a while. If I had to guess her age, I would say she was in her forties. The only thing that distinguished her from a regular human was the left side of her face, which was black and charred. Red lines ran across the black, crossing over each other and winding down her neck. The left eye was charred shut. When she saw me looking, she smiled.
“So. Sleepyhead here has finally woken.” said the woman.
“Where am I?” I asked, “Who are you?”
The woman chuckled, “Straight to the point, I see. I am The Oracle. I see all time and space. I know everything that will happen, has happened, and is happening. I’ve been like this for quite some time now. I forgot when exactly I came here. Time goes a bit blurry when you see all of it at once. You are in the Sanctuary. A place outside of time and space. The Sanctuary is for those seeking shelter from evil. The Current takes them here when they need a safe place, but don’t know where to go.”
“What’s the Current?” I asked.
“The Current is the force that governs law outside of time and space. Within time and space, the continuum is governed by gravity and physics. So basically, the Current is extradimensional physics. It would be much easier to show you than to sit here explaining. Are you well enough to get up?” The Oracle asked.
“I think so,” I answered. I propped myself up on my elbows and swung myself off the bed onto my feet. It didn’t even hurt in the slightest. I looked up at The Oracle. “How did you do this? Heal me, I mean.”
“A magician never reveals her secrets,” she replied, “You were pretty bad off when you came here. May I ask what happened?” The flood of memories came rushing back. Jamie, sitting next to me on the bridge, the Reapers in the alley, the Flamazerta’s dead remains, Wolfy and Autumn fighting it with me, the chicken-headed guy, Psycho outside the coliseum, The Living Ember, dead, Morpheus with his black sword, and then…
“All right,” I sighed, “But it’s a long story.” I sat back down on the bed and told my tale. After I had finished, I looked back up. “Wait, can’t you see the past and stuff? WHy did you have me tell you all that?” The Oracle looked at me.
“You needed to say it, didn’t you? Many have come here seeking refuge from The White Queen. You are not the first. She is the one who scarred my face. But I can tell that she wasn’t the cause of your trauma. Killing isn’t as easy as they make it look in all the movies, is it?” I shook my head. “Trust me, it doesn’t get easier. Nor should it. As soon as you become numb to death, you become just like The White Queen. Addicted to death. You’re friend Psycho Squirrel is on the border.” I opened my mouth to speak, but The Oracle shushed me. “Yes, I know who he is. I can see the past, present, and future, remember?”
“So can you see what will happen to me?” I asked.
“The past and present are easy to see, because one is set in stone, and the other is just what is happening. The future is hazy, and constantly changing, depending on the choices people make, and the choices they make based off of that one, and so on and so forth, forever and ever and ever, for eternity.” Seeing my look of confusion, she sighed. “Like I said earlier, it would be easier to show you. We should go outside.” The Oracle stood up and walked towards the door. “Come on. It’s not that far.” I got up and followed her out of the door.
The outside was a japanese-style garden with tall bamboo poles and thick clumps of thin grasses and a pond to my right with blooming lotus flowers. The buzz of dragonflies, the chirping of birds, and the croak of small frogs filled the air. In the middle was a smooth stone path, leading around a into a fork. By far the most noticeable thing however, was a massive cherry tree that stretched up to the clouds, then to the light blue sky, then the sun, and then to infinity. From the tree grew millions of branches, with branches coming out of those branches, and so on and so forth. The branches seemed to infinitely grow smaller branches forever and ever. I noticed my mouth gaping open, and closed it. The Oracle looked over her shoulder at me, and smiled at my awed expression.
“Pretty impressive, isn’t it? Wait till you see The Web. Come on,” The Oracle said, and then turned back and walked down the left path. I followed. The rest of the garden was similarly decorated, with lotus flowers, and bamboo, with small ponds and a couple times I saw stone benches, carved with the same strange symbols I had seen on the roof of the building. After an indiscernible amount of time, we reached a hill of dark green grass, where the garden fell away, and all that was left was feild. The stone path remained, snaking its way up the hill to a huge red, pagoda-style gate with tall wooden double doors, and a large silver emblem in the center surrounded by a wall. The emblem depicted the massive cherry tree that was much closer now than it was before. Behind the cherry tree on the emblem was a spider web. We stopped at the top of the hill, and The Oracle held her hand over the doors.
“Jodu, shelut jo eh ziheshe,” she said in a strange, unrecognisable language. At her words, the imprint of the cherry tree and web glowed with a bright blue light, and slowly, the gates began to open. Before me was a circular floor of stone atop the hill, with a single bench overlooking the massive tree. “This is the Garden of the Sanctuary,” The Oracle said, “That is The Tree of Alternate and below us is The Web.”
I looked to where she was pointing and breathed an audible, “Woah.” I thought the tree was impressive. Below me was a web, like on of a spider with great glowing, swirling orbs of dimensional soup connected by thin strings of glowing energy. The Oracle sat down on the bench, and beckoned for me to sit next to her. I did.
“Now the tree is an example of how time works. Tell me, have you ever heard of a fractal?”
I pondered this for a second, but then remembered a particularly interesting interesting math lesson, “Yeah, fractals are those shapes that just branch off into new shapes that branch off into new shapes and so on forever so that it never fully closes on itself. A shape within a shape within a shape within a shape, et cetera.”
“Very good. This tree is like a fractal. The main trunk, which symbolizes what has happened and what is happening is like the base of the fractal. It is constantly growing, because things keep happening to make the future the present. Now because people make choices independently, time also must record what might have happened if a different choice had been made. Thos alternate choices are the branches, which lead to more alternate choices, and so on, for eternity. In fact, just in the time of my explaining the tree, more than a hundred million things different could’ve happened, ranging from me using a slightly different word, to The White Queen finding us and attacking. You can visit the alternate timelines using a Jumpship, by the way.
“The Web, however, is a different matter entirely. The Web is the best way to represent The Multiverse. Those orbs are like the dimensions, infinite but all connected. Some dimensions have ties to some, but not others. This means that one can travel to that other dimension without a capsule, a capsule referring to a machine like a jumpship that creates its own rift other dimensions. Dimension hoppers like you and I don’t need a Jumpship to travel to some other dimensions. All we need is something called dimensional residue, which is left by the natural portals in some dimensions that lead to others. Are you with me so far?” The Oracle asked.
“I think so. Keep going,” I replied.
“Do you see those dimensions? The black ones?” she pointed to some of the orbs that were charred like ash.
“They look like they’ve been burned,” I observed.
“Those are dimensions that have been corrupted by The White Queen’s Nightmare Current, a force that can take entire dimensions and add them to her ever-growing Nightmare Dimension. It’s her way of conquering new territory. There’s one other dimension that’s different from the others. Can you see which one it is?”
I pointed to one of the orbs that was swirling with a glowing energy that was changing colors as I looked at it.
“That one. It looks like all the dimensions are connected to it,” I observed.
“Very good. That dimension is The Nexus, it’s a-”
“Meeting point for all dimensions? An urban jungle with portals around the outside leading to other worlds?” I interjected.
“Precisely.”
“Yeah, that’s the place I ended up when I first found the Jumpship. That’s also the place where-”
“The place where what?”
“HALABAGUTCHET!” I swore loudly, “My friends, Autumn Leaves and Glacia Wolfstone, can you see them?”
“Yes,” The Oracle said, closing her eyes.
“What are they doing?”
“Well, it seems that they are looking for you.”
“Where?”
“They’re in the Breakfast Dimension and- oh…” The Oracle’s face turned white.
“What? They are alive aren’t they?”
“Yes. They’re alive,” The Oracle confirmed.
“Then why did you-”
“Sometimes being able to see all is a curse as much as it is a blessing.” The Oracle interrupted, “Well then. Shall we begin your training?”
“My what?”
“You have much to learn if you want to have even a small chance against The White Queen. Do you really think I’m going to pass up the chance to train a young hero? I’ve been sitting in this place for who knows how long, only a bystander to the events that are taking place, and you think I would let this chance pass by? By the time you leave, I will have taught you all that I know,” The Oracle explained.
“When do we start?” I asked.
“Whenever you’re ready.”
“Alright, I’m ready,” I said, maybe a little too quickly.
“Then let’s begin,” The Oracle said. And with a wave of her hands, the world around me fell apart and I spiraled into whiteness.
(January 18, 2018 - 12:10 pm)
(January 18, 2018 - 12:15 pm)
(January 18, 2018 - 1:31 pm)
GW left a while ago.
(January 18, 2018 - 3:11 pm)
Tell that to the new chapter.
(January 20, 2018 - 3:33 pm)
By the way, the TARDIS has been replaced with a device called a jumpship which is like a TARDIS but cooler and The White Witch is now called The White Queen.
(January 18, 2018 - 4:12 pm)
nice GW! Keep going!
(January 18, 2018 - 3:09 pm)
(January 23, 2018 - 11:44 am)
You guys thought this was dead, didn'tcha? Well guess what? It PROBABLY IS! But sinse I finished the next part, I'm gonna post it for the heck of it. Actually, I've made so many changes, I'm gonna repost the last part too.
Act Three, Scene One: In Which The General Meets The Oracle
I awoke in a bed. That was the first surprise. The second was that I was healed. I had none of the injuries from my fight with The Living Ember or Morpheus or the Flamazerta. I felt rested and healed. It was very strange. The room I was lying in was sand-colored (or at least the ceiling was) and covered in strange carvings. Geometric shapes and strange symbols were strewn about in what seemed to be no recognisable pattern. I looked to my left. The first thing I noticed was that there was a nightstand next to me that had my Jumpship keys and toaster gun on it. That was the third surprise. I looked to my right and saw the fourth surprise: A woman in a brown robe with the hood down sitting on a rock ledge jutting out the side of the wall. She had short-ish black hair, grey-blue eyes and a face that looked as if she hadn’t laughed in a while. If I had to guess her age, I would say she was in her forties. The only thing that distinguished her from a regular human was the left side of her face, which was black and charred. Red lines ran across the black, crossing over each other and winding down her neck. The left eye was charred shut. When she saw me looking, she smiled.
“So. Sleepyhead here has finally woken.” said the woman.
“Where am I?” I asked, “Who are you?”
The woman chuckled, “Straight to the point, I see. I am The Oracle. I see all time and space. I know everything that will happen, has happened, and is happening. I’ve been like this for quite some time now. I forgot when exactly I came here. Time goes a bit blurry when you see all of it at once. You are in the Sanctuary. A place outside of time and space. The Sanctuary is for those seeking shelter from evil. The Current takes them here when they need a safe place, but don’t know where to go.”
“What’s the Current?” I asked.
“The Current is the force that governs law outside of time and space. Within time and space, the continuum is governed by gravity and physics. So basically, the Current is extradimensional physics. Another thing it can do is provide somebody with different kinds of magic if they are born with the skill. It would be much easier to show you than to sit here explaining. Are you well enough to get up?” The Oracle asked.
“I think so,” I answered. I propped myself up on my elbows and swung myself off the bed onto my feet. It didn’t even hurt in the slightest. I looked up at The Oracle. “How did you do this? Heal me, I mean.”
“A magician never reveals her secrets,” she replied, “You were pretty bad off when you came here. May I ask what happened?” The flood of memories came rushing back. Jamie, sitting next to me on the bridge, the Reapers in the alley, the Flamazerta’s dead remains, Wolfy and Autumn fighting it with me, the chicken-headed guy, Psycho outside the coliseum, The Living Ember, dead, Morpheus with his black sword, and then…
“All right,” I sighed, “But it’s a long story.” I sat back down on the bed and told my tale. After I had finished, I looked back up. “Wait, can’t you see the past and stuff? WHy did you have me tell you all that?” The Oracle looked at me.
“You needed to say it, didn’t you? Many have come here seeking refuge from The White Queen. You are not the first. She is the one who scarred my face. But I can tell that she wasn’t the cause of your trauma. Killing isn’t as easy as they make it look in all the movies, is it?” I shook my head. “Trust me, it doesn’t get easier. Nor should it. As soon as you become numb to death, you become just like The White Queen. Addicted to death. You’re ally Psycho Squirrel is on the border.” I opened my mouth to speak, but The Oracle shushed me. “Yes, I know who he is. I can see the past, present, and future, remember?”
“So can you see what will happen to me?” I asked.
“The past and present are easy to see, because one is set in stone, and the other is just what is happening. The future is hazy, and constantly changing, depending on the choices people make, and the choices they make based off of that one, and so on and so forth, forever and ever and ever, for eternity. The only time the future is clear is in a prophecy, something that The Oracle receives from the current at certain times. I have only seen one prophecy.”
“What was it about?” I asked, curious.
“The prophecy said that a young boy, son of a leader and a savior of the multiverse would someday overthrow the oppressing force of evil and terror that threatens the multiverse. Sound familiar?”
“You think it was talking about me?”
“I do. According to the prophecy, you are going to be the one to save us all. Now come on, I want to show you something.” the Oracle walked out the door of the small hut, and I followed.
The outside was a Japanese-style garden with tall bamboo poles and thick clumps of thin grasses and a pond to my right with blooming lotus flowers. The buzz of dragonflies, the chirping of birds, and the croak of small frogs filled the air. In the middle was a smooth stone path, leading around a into a fork. By far the most noticeable thing however, was a massive cherry tree that stretched up to the clouds, then to the light blue sky, then the sun, and then to infinity. From the tree grew millions of branches, with branches coming out of those branches, and so on and so forth. The branches seemed to infinitely grow smaller branches forever and ever. I noticed my mouth gaping open, and closed it. The Oracle looked over her shoulder at me, and smiled at my awed expression.
“Pretty impressive, isn’t it? Wait till you see The Web. Come on,” The Oracle said, and then turned back and walked down the left path. I followed. The rest of the garden was similarly decorated, with lotus flowers, and bamboo, with small ponds and a couple times I saw stone benches, carved with the same strange symbols I had seen on the roof of the building. After an indiscernible amount of time, we reached a hill of dark green grass, where the garden fell away, and all that was left was feild. The stone path remained, snaking its way up the hill to a huge red, pagoda-style gate with tall wooden double doors, and a large silver emblem in the center surrounded by a wall. The emblem depicted the massive cherry tree that was much closer now than it was before. Behind the cherry tree on the emblem was a spider web. We stopped at the top of the hill, and The Oracle held her hand over the doors.
“Jodu, shelut jo eh ziheshe,” she said in a strange, unrecognisable language. At her words, the imprint of the cherry tree and web glowed with a bright blue light, and slowly, the gates began to open. Before me was a circular floor of stone atop the hill, with a single bench overlooking the massive tree. “This is the Garden of the Sanctuary,” The Oracle said, “That is The Temporal Tree and below us is The Web.”
I looked to where she was pointing and breathed an audible, “Woah.” I thought the tree was impressive. Below me was a web, like on of a spider with great glowing, swirling orbs of multicolored dimensional soup connected by thin strings of glowing energy. The Oracle sat down on the bench, and beckoned for me to sit next to her. I did.
“Now the tree is an example of how time works. Tell me, have you ever heard of a fractal?”
I pondered this for a second, but then remembered a particularly interesting interesting math lesson, “Yeah, fractals are those shapes that just branch off into new shapes that branch off into new shapes and so on forever so that it never fully closes on itself. A shape within a shape within a shape within a shape, et cetera.”
“Very good. This tree is like a fractal. The main trunk, which symbolizes what has happened and what is happening is like the base of the fractal. It is constantly growing, because things keep happening to make the future the present. Now because people make choices independently, time also must record what might have happened if a different choice had been made. Those alternate choices are the branches, which lead to more alternate choices, and so on, for eternity. In fact, just in the time of my explaining the tree, more than a hundred million things different could’ve happened, ranging from me using a slightly different word, to The White Queen finding us and attacking.
“The Web, however, is a different matter entirely. The Web is the best way to represent The Multiverse. Those orbs are like the dimensions, infinite but connected. Some dimensions have ties to some, but not others. This means that one can travel to that other dimension without a capsule, a capsule referring to a machine like a jumpship that creates its own rift other dimensions. Dimension hoppers like you and I don’t need a Jumpship to travel to some other dimensions. Because of the stuff that runs through our veins, all we need is something called dimensional residue, which is left by the rifts that other dimension hoppers create. Only dimension hoppers can see and collect dimensional residue. Are you with me so far?” The Oracle asked.
“I think so. Keep going,” I replied.
“Dimensions are constructed from a balance of the two forces that govern the multiverse. These forces are known as the Limbo and the Current, or Chaos and Order if you prefer. Depending on the amounts of Limbo and Current put into a dimension, the dimension is formed differently. Magic, which is just the common word for manipulating Current and Limbo, is the same thing. Depending on the amount of Limbo and Current put into a spell, the outcome of the spell is different.
“Some people who are not dimension hoppers can construct things called Tesseracts, which can form a bridge between two dimensions that one can use to travel between the two of them. There are also Homing Tesseracts, which can, depending on the power, teleport you to less or more specific locations in one dimension that you can go to from any other. The other type of Tesseract is a Nightmare Tesseract, which can teleport you to the Nightmare Dimension. That’s what Morpheus used to kidnap you.
“There are beings who control the dimensions, the Current, and the Limbo. Even though they have nothing to do with the timestream, they are called Time Masters. They are powerful beings, and can obliterate, seal, or create new dimensions. They also serve as judges, and will call up people who have commited interdimensional crimes to decide their fate. They are not on the side of good, and they are not on the side of evil. The only thing they wish is to have balance. They also keep track of all the dimension hoppers by sending down one of their representatives to register you into the system as soon as your powers begin manifesting. One of them should have come to register you, and if they haven’t, they will soon.
“Do you see those dimensions? The black ones?” she pointed to some of the orbs that were charred and dark.
“They look like they’ve been burned,” I observed.
“Those are dimensions that have been corrupted by The White Queen’s Nightmare Current, a force that can take entire dimensions and add them to her ever-growing Nightmare Dimension. It’s her way of conquering new territory. There’s one other dimension that’s different from the others. Can you see which one it is?”
I pointed to one of the orbs that was swirling with a glowing energy that was changing colors as I looked at it.
“That one. It looks like all the dimensions are connected to it,” I observed.
“Very good. That dimension is The Nexus, it’s a-”
“Meeting point for all dimensions? An urban jungle with portals around the outside leading to other worlds?” I interjected.
“Precisely.”
“Yeah, that’s the place I ended up when I first found the Jumpship. That’s also the place where-”
“The place where what?”
“HALABAGUTCHET!” I swore loudly, “My friends, Autumn Leaves and Glacia Wolfstone, can you see them?”
“Yes,” The Oracle said, closing her eyes.
“What are they doing?”
“Well, it seems that they are looking for you.”
“Where?”
“They’re in the Breakfast Dimension and- oh…” The Oracle’s face turned white.
“What? They are alive aren’t they?”
“Yes. They’re alive,” The Oracle confirmed.
“Then why did you-”
“Sometimes being able to see all is a curse as much as it is a blessing.” The Oracle interrupted, “Well then. Shall we begin your training?”
“My what?”
“You have much to learn if you want to have even a small chance against The White Queen. Do you really think I’m going to pass up the chance to train a young hero? I’ve been sitting in this place for who knows how long, only a bystander to the events that are taking place, and you think I would let this chance pass by? By the time you leave, I will have taught you all that I know,” The Oracle explained.
“When do we start?” I asked.
“Whenever you’re ready.”
“Alright, I’m ready,” I said, maybe a little too quickly.
“Then let’s begin,” The Oracle said. And with a wave of her hands, the world around me fell apart and I spiraled into whiteness.
(March 11, 2018 - 3:33 pm)
(March 11, 2018 - 7:00 pm)
(March 11, 2018 - 7:01 pm)
(March 11, 2018 - 7:01 pm)
A couple new chapters for anybody who cares:
Act Three, Scene Two: In Which The General’s Training Begins
The surrounding area was pure white, for as far as I could see. The Oracle had disappeared. “Oracle?” I called out, “Hello?”
“I’m right here, Waffleson,” came The Oracle’s disembodied voice. I jumped.
“What the heck is going on? Where am I?”
“Hard to describe. In simple terms, you are in The Current. Your body is still on the bench outside the tree, but your conscience has been taken into The Current, which I can control with my mind. It’s kind of like you’re in a canvas and I’m the artist painting things around you. I’ll prove it:” The Oracle said. Before me, objects like buildings, signs, and people began to come into view as if they were painted by a huge paintbrush. Before long, I was in the middle of a place I knew well. It was The Nexus! I was only surprised for a second, before I remembered that The Oracle could see any moment in time. “See what I mean?” The Oracle asked.
“That’s so cool! Can you make ANYTHING?” I asked.
“Pretty much. What do you have in mind?” I smiled an evil grin. Soon, a shark riding on a unicycle juggling Death Stars with a fez on its head that was breathing fire. As I watched, the shark began to recite lines from Shakespeare’s The Tempest. I applauded loudly. The Oracle chuckled. “We really should get to training though. First, we have to strengthen the least important but most obvious thing about you.”
“And what’s that?”
“Your physical body, of course,” The Oracle said.
“You must be joking,” I deadpanned.
“Do I sound like I’m joking?” The Oracle asked.
“Yes?” I said hopefully. The Oracle laughed.
“Come on, we have a LOT of work to do.”
“HEY!” I protested. And then, again, my surroundings changed. I was now standing on top of a tall skyscraper, surrounded by clouds. Ahead of me I could see more tall building tops, stretching out for what appeared to be miles. The gaps between the building were just wide enough for somebody to jump, but only barely. Behind me, I heard a noise. I turned around to see that a huge bear-like shape made out of black smoke appeared behind me.
“This beast will kill you if you do not run away from it,” The Oracle explained, “It will start chasing you in 3… 2… 1.” A roar came from the thing and it pawed the ground. I didn’t need to think twice. I ran. Sprinting like crazy, I made it to the end of the first building, and leaped with all my might. I skidded against the side of the building and fell down into the clouds. Then, like magic, I was back on top of the first building.
“Again,” said The Oracle.
It didn’t take long for me to get tired. I had been mauled several times by the beast, and falling to my death wasn’t too pleasant either. After about 18 times, I found that I could finally clear the first rooftop. But as soon as I reached the edge of the second one, I saw the next jump was even longer. Then, of course the beast caught up with me, and I had to go back to the start.
After about 20 more tries, I got to the third roof. Then I managed to get to the fourth. I was getting better. But then, I began to slip up, tripping on the first roof, falling, getting mauled. I was exhausted.
“Enough,” said the Oracle, “You can stop now.” The world around me went white again, and then I was sitting back on the bench outside the tree, my head back over the rim of the bench. I snapped my head up. Blood rushed to it, making me lightheaded for several minutes. I was sweating profusely, and my muscles felt strained, like I had actually been running and jumping from rooftops while being chased by an evil bear creature. I was exhausted.
“Come on,” The Oracle said, “Let’s get you rested up.” The Oracle led me back to the little hut, which had mysteriously sprouted a seperate annex. Inside, I saw that the annex was another room, with another bed, presumably for me. I didn’t even need The Oracle’s permission. I fell onto the bed and into deep sleep.
The next few days were very similar to that one. The Oracle would walk me up to The Tree and The Web, we would go into the current and I would train. And train. And train. Sometimes I would be sparring shadowy spirits with a sword, sometimes I would be shooting targets, and sometimes I would just be running on the roofs again. My record was the eighteenth roof, where the buildings started to shake and move underneath me. I always fell off at that bit.
Time seemed to work differently in The Sanctuary. I couldn’t tell if it had been days or months. The training continued, and I could feel myself getting stronger. I could react faster, jump farther, run faster, and shoot better. I could feel it working. There was only one question remaining: When would it end?
Act Three, Scene Three: In Which the General’s Question is Answered
One day, I woke up to find The Oracle gone. I wandered up the hill to the Garden, and saw the gates were open, and The Oracle was standing in front of the bench, holding a long bamboo staff. As I approached, The Oracle remained motionless, holding the staff. “Ummm, hello?” I asked, “What’s going on?” Then I stepped through the gates and The Oracle spun around.
Faster than you could say bagels, The Oracle was whipping her long bamboo staff towards my head. I just had time to duck, run, and grab my own staff from the oodles of bamboo that grew in the garden. I turned to see the end of the staff ruching towards me again. I raised mine to block the blow, and with a loud ‘Clack!’. I expected to be pushed backwards, but I held my own against the blow. The Oracle’s eyes widened, and a small smile crept on her face as she swung her staff around to hit the spot under mine. I tilted my staff sideways, and it clacked against the Oracle’s. I had blocked another shot. Blow after blow came, but I blocked almost every single one. Then I began to hit some blows of my own. The Oracle blocked them easily, but I began to see the cracks in her defense. My training against the shadow warriors had taught me to look for an opening. I found mine when the Oracle went to block a downwards attack to my head. She raised her staff to block it, and I kicked her in the chest, sending her back, as she was not expecting the blow.
The Oracle was on her back, and I raised my staff for another blow, but then I heard a sound. The sound of laughter. She stood up and pulled her hood. She was grinning, but it was a sad smile. “I think you’re ready.” I looked up uncertainty.
“Ready for what?”
“Ready to leave.”
“Leave?”
“You’ve bested me in single combat. That’s quite a feat.”
“Leave?” I repeated.
“If it’s any consolation, I’ll still be able to see you.”
“Will I ever see you again?” I asked.
“Unlikely. But possible,” The Oracle replied. “Listen, there’s something I’ve been hiding from you.”
“What? What is it?”
“When you get back to The Breakfast Dimension… things aren’t going to be the same as they were when you left.”
“What do you mean?”
“I’ll let you see it. That’s why I went white on the first day. You’ve been gone for two weeks, by the way.”
“Two weeks?”
“To the rest of the world, yes.” The ground began to shake. The Oracle took hold of my hands. “Listen, when you get home… remember to stay good, OK?”
“I have a question:” I said, “How do you know so much about me? I get that you’re The Oracle, but it seems like you really know who I am. How?” The circle of ground around me began to rise. The Oracle smiled her sad smile, her eyes watering up.
“A mother never forgets her son, Hugo,” The Oracle said softly, holding back tears. I felt my lungs contract in a sharp intake of breath.
“Mom?” I cried. The Oracle nodded. her finger began to slip away as I floated up in the air. “No! No! Not now! No!” I cried, “No! Don’t go! I’m not strong enough!” I was really crying now, hot tears falling down my face.
“I have to, son. You have to go. You have to save us all,” my Mom whispered softly.
I reached down off the edge of the floating platform, trying to find my mom’s hand, but it slipped away. “NO!” I cried, “NO! Nonononononononono…”
I could only read her lips as I rose into the blue pool of sky above me. “I love you.”
Then I was gone.
Then she was gone.
I shook silently, and the world went white once more.
End of Act Three
(April 14, 2018 - 1:29 pm)
(April 14, 2018 - 1:29 pm)
(April 14, 2018 - 1:30 pm)