Kokoso--the bird's words still clear in his mind, inspiring tales of the forbidden genres--made his way to an abandoned store of oddities, where he spent much of his time studying the old things that came before the rise of the city-nation--which was left unnamed as it was the sole city and sole nation, the people called themselves by the name of the current reigning dynasty--everything from books to movies across every style, genre, and faction seemed to reflect more varied ideas than those that were in circulation these days, anything that didn't contribute to the city was in the Forbidden class, along with anything that could corrupt the people.copyright protection189ＰＥＮＡＮＡCMGSEROeOq
The city had it's comedies and tragedies, from two who are brought together by pursuing the city's goal to the tale of two lovers who upset the city's goals, and paid dearly.copyright protection189ＰＥＮＡＮＡuAaJD3n8H4
These were the common tales, envisioned and reinvented several times, painting different hues of severity with different strokes of sins, all highlighting the beauty of the city, in all it's mechanical perfection, how strange then that the words of people long passed should exist, hidden within the city itself, poisoning the populace, or a time bomb, as in those spy movies Kokoso found in this store of guilty pleasures.copyright protection189ＰＥＮＡＮＡaocWPjjXs7
His eyes lit up when he found the guiltiest of them all, in a closed off room that required a flashlight if one would peruse it, there was a poster of a man on a horse, a weapon known as a revolver held high in the air, sunlight glinting off the silver surface.copyright protection189ＰＥＮＡＮＡk4T0XySLNG
"Hmm, that's an awful lot of running...I do like the outfit, though." Kokoso turned the light to a mannequin in a corner, it wore the clothes depicted in the poster, "I'm going to be wearing the clothes in the poster." he thought wryly as he disrobed the mannequin.copyright protection189ＰＥＮＡＮＡbhhl1Vpo36
Ten minutes later and his old clothes were in a sack he left here, the light clothes, heavy boots, and tall hat on his head. Fortunately no one knew about these clothes, or the genre they came from, the old building was forgotten, stranded in a timeless second, apart from the world, disconnected, adrift.copyright protection189ＰＥＮＡＮＡtduGakZthr
He set off for the city's prison when he heard shouting. He looked up to find three figures against the night sky, the two from earlier and a woman with white wings that seemed to have been dipped in ink before she left home, wispy gold hair flying behind her, "Are you angel?" he inquired as she landed before him, elegant and majestic as the fabric of her dress rustled in the wind, scepter at her side. She didn't seem to hear him, merely watched him with curiosity, a friendly smile seemingly sewed onto her face, "M-ma'am, are you an angel?"copyright protection189ＰＥＮＡＮＡABwuCu3ufQ
"No, my dear, they call me Mother Goose, this hatchling and his friend are in danger, we must go now."copyright protection189ＰＥＮＡＮＡbr7tN8ocxs
"I want to follow you!"copyright protection189ＰＥＮＡＮＡj0GOGQ8Gjq
"Ha, after you saved us earlier!" the bird Animen scoffed, "I don't trust him, Cat, can we leave him?"copyright protection189ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8U2FpE9s9o
"I trust his naivety," Cat continued onward, "but if we don't decide soon, we're all in trouble."copyright protection189ＰＥＮＡＮＡjlQrODzdQ7
"If you follow you must accept the consequences." Mother Goose warned, "This is a dangerous path." Kokoso nodded and went with them, turning to see Mother Goose, who had fallen back.copyright protection189ＰＥＮＡＮＡFa8lYPb7vv
"Mother Goose!" the redhead bird Animen called out, as though in answer, an explosion and a wall of flame kept the soldiers at bay, Mother Goose rejoined with a satisfied smile, and the three fled, he followed the trio into the uncertain night.copyright protection189ＰＥＮＡＮＡxDqAjPfsio
They stopped at dawn, panting against the wall of an abandoned store where Animen were rumored to roam.copyright protection189ＰＥＮＡＮＡRCKH3zlDMb
"I want to run with you." Kokoso bowed to the white feathered woman, looking up when she took his hat and set it upon her head.copyright protection189ＰＥＮＡＮＡKslSNkHZrd
"Hmm, a fan of the outlaw archetype?" Mother Goose wondered aloud.copyright protection189ＰＥＮＡＮＡvZRVAaLPC4
"A-ah, well, not exactly-"copyright protection189ＰＥＮＡＮＡeuGYcJxxmk
"I understand, an injustice committed spurs him to action, the region is steeped in violence and corruption...the trigger of fate is pulled, and fire spews forth as from a dragon's maw, a daring battle of wits and luck follows, running and chasing, back and forth, until one emerges from the smoke as the victor." she dropped the hat back onto his head and turned around.copyright protection189ＰＥＮＡＮＡJ6M5ZAqHzS
"If it's not something I can win...I'd rather not fight." Kokoso looked away, losing himself in thought, "but if I had help, I would be willing to try."copyright protection189ＰＥＮＡＮＡU5RL0sVMhy
"Then come along, I'll carry you and Cathryn here, and Byrd will try out flying." Mother Goose floated up on her wings with practiced ease and ivory talons slid from her toes, catching their pair's shoulders. She turned to Byrd and the four made their way across the ocean. Kokoso almost threw up several times on the way over, but somehow combated the urge.copyright protection189ＰＥＮＡＮＡQw3xufg2NC
He woke up, crouched on his feet, sweat running down his forehead, "Did we make it?"copyright protection189ＰＥＮＡＮＡnwJ9CJJ2qj
Mother Goose smiled and nodded, "No need to worry now, you're safe."copyright protection189ＰＥＮＡＮＡUkoM6pe2cw
"You said there were others like Byrd." Cathryn observed, "Is this one of them?"copyright protection189ＰＥＮＡＮＡB32EAwURzH
"Yes," Mother Goose replied, "but so are you, hatchling, your cloaking spell just hasn't worn off yet."copyright protection189ＰＥＮＡＮＡuWed6QXQSn
"Wait, is that what happened?" Byrd wondered, "I had wings the whole time?"copyright protection189ＰＥＮＡＮＡaNIzzPZORb
"Yes...there was a danger here, so we sent you away, that same threat now rules the city you were to live in, I was warned to cloaked you before we put you on the boat, good thing, too...as for the wings, they were well hidden, I manipulated the space of the Pocket Zone to conceal your wings." Mother Goose confirmed, "I need to rest now, I have another mission tomorrow to scout for a few more Animen we left behind."copyright protection189ＰＥＮＡＮＡksem7PT1Gs
"Why don't we do that, Mother Goose?" Cathryn offered, "You somehow knew exactly where we were, surely you can make a list of Animen for us to find."copyright protection189ＰＥＮＡＮＡJapXowOlnH
"Ah...that would be nice...my magic won't recover for a while yet, either way I'll be tired tomorrow." Mother Goose.copyright protection189ＰＥＮＡＮＡJxus64h6S8
"Uh, what's this strange feeling?" Byrd groaned.copyright protection189ＰＥＮＡＮＡhcBwyIlrK2
"That is raw magic you feel, it comes straight from the earth, but is only influential here, in the Wilds." Mother Goose explained, "You'll feel better soon."copyright protection189ＰＥＮＡＮＡUtckrBRfWe
"I hope so...wait, if that was magic back there-"copyright protection189ＰＥＮＡＮＡWGLq8SvpYn
"It was, I carried a little bit with me as a side effect of my Pocket Zone, but it was draining fast, I will recover it here."copyright protection189ＰＥＮＡＮＡxgz9N8S9zD
"What's a Pocket Zone?" Kokoso asked as the three followed Mother Goose.copyright protection189ＰＥＮＡＮＡbu6oPyZGNW
"It's a dimension that exists within ours, we can harness it because it conforms to gravity, so...say you push down on a mattress, the resulting impression is where your gravity influences the world, your Pocket Zone falls around your impression, you carry it around you like a shroud." Mother Goose informed, leading the trio into the large hut.copyright protection189ＰＥＮＡＮＡUKCGbKzG9x
"So...how do you carry magic in a Pocket Zone?" Cathryn inquired.copyright protection189ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3HODRBLJKk
"You just do," Mother Goose sighed, settling into her chair, a makeshift throne, "it's something you carry with you, proportional to your aptitude with magic."copyright protection189ＰＥＮＡＮＡmVPtkE2jkP
"Well, we can bombard you with questions later," Cathryn bowed, "Byrd's looking a little ill., and you probably want to get some rest."copyright protection189ＰＥＮＡＮＡffASVLCurM
"And you three may want to find your families."copyright protection189ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2vuQ8msT6c
The next day Kokoso and his new allies went back to the city to find the Animen before the cloaking spell wore off, though some were more incredulous than others.copyright protection189ＰＥＮＡＮＡes83WsIYM2
Among the last he was sent to was the most difficult to approach, there was nothing on her, she wasn't known as a sympathizer to either side, known only as Maria and "the lone wolf", who was fond of the beach before the ocean was tainted with death.copyright protection189ＰＥＮＡＮＡO2hpUdaxHC
He hadn't always been so interested in meeting another Animen, he usually tried to keep some distance between the others and himself, part out of guilt, part out of fear he wouldn't be accepted, as he was not an Animen.copyright protection189ＰＥＮＡＮＡkK7PBfb39h
On the way his thoughts were everywhere at once, he wondered how she'd be, if she'd be very pretty, nice, if she'd like sweets or favor more savory foods, what her favorite color would be.copyright protection189ＰＥＮＡＮＡgnKorHR9GD
He was ecstatic about the meeting, but somehow anxious, as though this meeting was somehow of great import, "This is the last Animen on Goose's list...what if she's really angry?" then he had a thought, "And what if she doesn't like yellow?! Not liking yellow should be a crime! Yellow is so happy, and basically goes with everything if you try-"copyright protection189ＰＥＮＡＮＡcuFuTzH47p
He snapped himself out of his thoughts and chided himself, noting that, even if his mind was racing at a million miles a minute, he had to remember his main objective. He was trained in loyalty, once, even if he was a lone ranger now. He couldn't let any of the Animen down, his loyalty belonged to them, he was going to be a hero, however he could.copyright protection189ＰＥＮＡＮＡGr9OgL4sOd
Suddenly he stumbled over something and fell to the ground, taking stock of his situation he found that he'd collapsed a sandcastle, sand was, he realized, heavier than he imagined, it bore down its fluid weight on him legs and made his movements sluggish as he crawled out of captivity.copyright protection189ＰＥＮＡＮＡJ5Btt2alcQ
Sitting up on his knees he turned to his left, and was glad Cathryn and Byrd had been working out her schedule for the last few weeks, she was just where they said she was: On the beach, kicking up sick yellow sand.copyright protection189ＰＥＮＡＮＡYolETfeAkl
"Join me on a quest to save the world!" from her stunned expression, he realized that that was not the right thing to say, as for taking her hands, he shouldn't have done that, but he did mean it, every word, every gesture, him, her, and the others would be saving the world, together.copyright protection189ＰＥＮＡＮＡZ0N9P3UTwJ
"H-huh...what?" he's brows furrowed and she covered her mouth as she laughed. He frowned and glanced at his hands, still holding hers, and fell backwards, she laughed harder and shook her head.copyright protection189ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6fOIJiLUDX
"You're a trip...and a fall, too, I guess!" she caught her breath and extended her hand, "You should still be proper and introduce yourself first."copyright protection189ＰＥＮＡＮＡKCm6gfmuQG
"U-um, yeah...I'm Kokoso." he sheepishly accepted her help and after tugging on the back of his shirt to rid himself of the sand therein, he turned his attention to the Animen, wondering now what type she'd be, Mother Goose wanted it to be a surprise, for some reason.copyright protection189ＰＥＮＡＮＡQQHDZwHUpd
"I'm Maria, and if you fall on my sandcastle again...we're going to have trouble," she threatened teasingly, "but I'll let you off the hook, since you're such a card."copyright protection189ＰＥＮＡＮＡEwstecLZ6p
"I thought I was a trip." Kokoso quirked his eyebrow and she grinned.copyright protection189ＰＥＮＡＮＡXR1kXhAkMq
"You are, you're also a card," Maria started back to town, casting a glance back at the "hero", "since they, too, fall."copyright protection189ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0CgHfgeWaD
"Isn't that a line from a poem by Relia Cordelia?" Kokoso recalled hours spent reading one of the more recent texts in the old store's shelves.copyright protection189ＰＥＮＡＮＡaP9DioP4oV
"Yeah, so you're the one who disorganized my setup? I thought for sure I'd been found out!" Maria chuckled, giving him a light blow to the shoulder, "I can tell we'll get along fine."copyright protection189ＰＥＮＡＮＡtlMuGKMg4y
"Two Animen-hater haters." Kokoso chuckled.copyright protection189ＰＥＮＡＮＡG4bWMrc0nn
Maria turned to grin at him and they made the rest of their journey in silence.copyright protection189ＰＥＮＡＮＡEycObvc0zA
Silence, disturbed only by a light hiss followed by a light, metallic thud.copyright protection189ＰＥＮＡＮＡV2WIxCskSw
"You're name?" a commanding voice inquired.copyright protection189ＰＥＮＡＮＡTyB4vovIoT
The smaller form before the king looked up cautiously, alarm crossed her face as she noticed the expression of the one before her, swiftly she brought her head back down and stared fearfully at the floor, as though a thousand spears could be summoned from the surface of the cold steel, "Eternia, Your Majesty! Eternia-" she yelped and fell to the floor as a thousand yellow beams formed and vanished around her, leaving her stunned, "I...I am the End, Your Highness, for thou to summon."copyright protection189ＰＥＮＡＮＡ63rjRCO3Cn
The man nodded and waved his hand dismissively, the gesture sent her flying back into the capsule from whence she came, and as she fell out of it, the cold, hard glass observation window caught her, but it also sealed her capsule and as she turned her eyes to the king, darkness encroached her vision.copyright protection189ＰＥＮＡＮＡDyqzgYbIi4
"Project E.N.D. will proceed as planned."193Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsfVTPcR1Va
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The last words she heard before her ears followed her eyes into the abyss.copyright protection189ＰＥＮＡＮＡFXH7gyK4Bn
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