Cerillium wrote:The evening wore on and people grew tired, or horny, or thirsty, or sleepy or any of the things that people in Bielefeld were prone to do when one needs to transition forward. And so they went to bed, or went to fuck, or went for a drink and then went home to go to bed or to fuck and then sleep, or did all the things necessary for us to all move on to a brand new day.
The day arrived cold and crisp and clear as a proper autumn day should. It was by some clever spell woven by Mother Nature, or God wiggling his phalanges, or the GM having one beer too many, but was indeed no longer summer and winter really was right around the corner. Gretta's rabid flower garden had transitioned into a blaze of red and orange (at least the damn thing wasn't actually on fire - yet), and the trees were now heavily crowned in reds, oranges and yellows.
Bielefeld was rather German (nobody knows why, so don't ask) and Oktoberfest was something that everyone looked forward to all year 'round. The city and her citizens had worked tirelessly to prepare for the holiday (for it was a long legal holiday in this quaint nation-state!) and now everything was in place. Great wreaths made from leaves and autumn berries and reddish orange ribbons festooned lamp posts. Corn stalks tied up with brown twine kept hay bales company on the street corners. Pumpkins and apples adorned the outsides of shops or were tastefully arranged behind their glass windows. The mouth-watering scent of freshly baked good filled the air and promised the tastes of apple pies, cinnamon-raisin breads, pumpkin loaves and other seasonal delights.
The Market District park was once again set up as a Biergarten with booths and tables for beer and other not-so-healthy German foods.
Ein Prosit drifted on the breeze. Pretty frau in Bavarian dirndl dresses carried frothy Glaskrug of Hacker-Pschorr to patrons at the tables, although the hour was still early in the day (Bielefeld's German population didn't care - holiday!) The song ended and a traditional German band struck up a new tune.
Klaus had been a very busy person. He was a busy-body by nature, but he'd enlisted the aid of some of his more trusted Men and been too busy for his own good. Many of the beer garten patrons realized they were up to some nonsense, but the exact nature of it wasn't apparent at first. A table was set up in one corner. Streamers and balloons hung from the poles supporting an overhead tarp. Comfortable chairs had been placed in this celebration "tent", but many of the trappings were unrecognizable unless one were familiar with Torsiedelle. These were native things, beautiful things, and cultural things that spoke of a proud land and a proud people. People paused to admire them but quickly got out of the way once the people arrived.
Oh yes, the people. These poor souls had been awoken from their beds without even so much as a "how'dyoudo" and rushed through their morning routines. "Hurry. It's a surprise. You're going to be late! Hurry". And so they were dressed, given some buttered toast, and hauled through the shadows to that very pavilion. Some had thought ahead and had gifts, while others perhaps dashed across the street to purchase something small. And then they waited....
teen club and friends alike.
"
Torii!" Klaus' voice was an explosion in Torii's tiny bedroom. "Come! Come hurry come! It's urgent. You must go there now!" He didn't allow her any time to ask questions. She was prodded into washing and dressing, was told that her pets would be fed, but that she had to hurry. Thus it was that the young girl found herself fully clothing and through the Biergarten, turning the corner just in time to see her very own party tent and hear the teen club and others shouting "Surprise!" and "Happy birthday!"
Marcus, blushing furiously because he was the one that told Klaus, stood next to
Gioventh.
Rylli was also there, although Bran wasn't present.
Myra smiled and gestured for Torii to join them.
Yuna and
Drova stood off to one side. Even
Kale had managed to make it. (If there are any other teen clubbers or Torii-friends they certainly are there as well.)
Elsewhere
A lone figure sat on the low stone wall that separated street from beach. He wore a grey cardigan sweater and held a bag of roasted chestnuts, and his red socks matched today.
I think...I'd like to give the idea of 'us' a try, if you don't mind. She had whispered those words on this very spot nearly a year ago, and then she had slipped from the wall to kneel in the sand before him. He recalled the glow from the sand captured in her hands, and then the image of the golden glass flower that she held aloft as a token for him to take, the flower itself a representation of her. He had cupped her hands with his own and said,
This is me, holding you and hoping to protect you from ever being shattered by careless wind or motion.Hans sighed. Life was worth living when she was part of it. She was his battle maiden, his beautiful
Chrys. And soon she'd wind her way down the road from the Building, and perhaps meet up with him to explore the city and bier-
"Oh damnit!" The cultist slapped his forehead as he suddenly realized he'd forgotten to tell her to meet him at the wall.
Still Elsewhere
We aren't privy to that far of time and place of Vaffelhelm, nor to the further
dialog between the Klaus of that period and his guest, the human
Mab. We are privy to the current events here in Bielefeld, and they went a bit like this:
Naomi had made her excuses. She had children to attend to and was still intimidated by a god who knew how to behave like a proper god should. This left Fritz and Mab to quiet reflections. He had briefly considered the idea of entertaining the glorious queen in bed, but sensibly realized she had better things to do than romp with a chaos god (not to mention that kinky sex was more of his sibling's gig).
And so they parted for the evening, and his last words were to reinforce that she could come and go from his house as she pleased and, were she interested, she might look into the strange Teutonic festival in the city tomorrow. He had planned to attend it at some point, perhaps towards evening.
Mab would be awoken by a cheerful servant offering a breakfast to suit her fancy.
And Still Elsewhere
Reginald awoke in the hall that morning. It was uncertain how he'd gotten there (he'd been put to sleep by a cultist) or where the knight went (a cultist took care of that as well), but now he was sore and stiff and propped up against
Cerril and
Sherril's door. He made a bit of noise upon awaking, which would alert the people inside that someone was at their door, of course.
As it so happened,
Calle was passing and saw the man on the floor.
And Also Still Elsewhere
"OH MY SWEET GOD OH GOD OH GOD OH GOD!" Mrs. Peabody had never prayed those words so fervently, or even uttered them in bed with so much emotion, as she was doing so now. She flailed like an overturned turtle and waved her arms to ward off the massive monster beside the strange man. Mrs. Peabody's eyesight was rather poor without her glasses, and those were unfortunately now resting somewhere under the browning hostas. "OH GOD OH RUN OH LORD RUN!"
Her words seemed to galvanize her into action. Up she went, and
Ilun found his wrist caught in an incredibly tight vice. She pulled him across the yard, her house dress flapping and the curlers bouncing with each step. "Come on, man, don't stand there. That Drone is probably targeting us with laser beams and death rays!" Pushing and pushing and more pushing (despite Ilun's size) managed to get him not only up the back porch steps but into the kitchen proper.
It was then that Mrs. Peabody got a good look at the young man she had just rescued. There, under the harsh kitchen light, was Ilun in all his glory.
"God's Mercy!" she squealed and turned to run, but Darius had followed along behind them as silently as a cat stalking a mouse. Mrs. Peabody darted out the door and directly into his hull, and was thus (mercifully) now unconscious.
The Drone instructed Ilun to lay her out on her plastic-covered floral couch. She would provide information once her senses returned. They could get nothing much out of her other than ramblings about seeking the Drone shelters and for someone to call the NMJM offices. As it turned out, Mrs. Peabody had a nice little library in one of the bedrooms. Old encyclopedias offered some explanation of the land and the Earth's history.
Morning came before there was any sign of purposeful movement from the woman. By then, the sounds of Oktoberfest music were starting to rise on the breeze.
And Also Still Elsewhere
Bran would awake with the urge to check his mail.
Brit would awake with the urge to check her mail. Thus the two collided at the mailboxes. They were nearly run over by three of Klaus' Men eager to get to the festivities.
More Elswheres
Matuk awoke in his apartment. Given that his handler is a regular, there isn't any reason to go through an IC explanation for how things work around here. Thus he was aware of basics and able to get on with his day. Someone had kindly slipped an Oktoberfest flyer under his door during the night.
Yeah, More Elsewheres
The Honey Badger had decided that night time was not a good time to investigate the fish in the middle of the smelly water. He invited the other three animals to share his den under the fake pirate ship. It was damn decent of him, considering his nature, but needs must, chaps.
And All the Places Remaining
Residents awoke as was customary. Those that ventured into the halls would smell the remnants of mac and cheese. Those that opened their windows would smell the sweet foods being prepared all over town. This is the GM's polite way of saying he's tired of writing so find your own fucking motivation and go participate in the festival. Hence the Luxans were lux'm, the Klingons were klinging, the Froxians were froxing, the Raptors were rapping, the cultists were culting, and way far away on Gliese a bunch of invitations were being written. Every resident would find an Oktoberfest flyer had been slipped under their doors during the night. You can all go, you can all stay away. Regardless, it's a brand new day.
Oh PL people,
Transitions take way too long.
It makes my head hurt.