Tales From a Misfit
Updates every Sunday.
Found on wallhere. made by "wallup"
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Found on wallhere. made by "wallup"
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“Ironic.” Madelyn chuckled. “We built a place to forget, and we are forced to remember.”
“Remember what?!” Collin shouted. “I don’t know any-” He dropped to his knees holding his head. Groaning as he struggled until the soft strumming stabilized him again. “You do,” Madelyn replied. “or did. Not that it matters anymore.” Madelyn grunted and flinched forward. Hat tilted down as she got up. “Unlike your battle with Inka, which she won’t shut up about. The unphasable Dreamscape brought down. Hopefully the next 16th is less of a whiner.” “Ugh.” Collin stood up. “Does every watcher have these weird split personalities?” “Surprisingly, no.” Madelyn replied. “Most of them learned to get rid of their… weaker half.” rolling her eyes as she said the word weaker. “Don’t think Maddie is going to help you though.” She said stumping off key notes. “I’ve never played without her.” Collin braced himself as she played, and caught the last note as it flew out towards him. Maddie replayed the notes in perfect harmony. The note Collin was holding shook before exploding sending to the group. “If she hates music so much why keep playing?” “Collin, Collin” Symphony said as she circled around him. “It’s just not that simple.” “I’m glad you helped Nikki find herself.” Maddie's voice came through. “and I’m hoping we help you,” “Realize what a ridiculous pursuit this is.” Symphony finished, and stump again, Collin pushed himself up jumping over the shockwave as it came. “And what about you? What about the other watchers?” Collin rebutted. “Wasn’t this place ridiculous?” He charged forward “Far from it.” Symphony answered strumming out notes followed by their off key counterparts. Notes flew past Collin left and right before circling and diving at him. Collin grappled Maddie as he dove at him in response. “What are you-” Notes plowed into both of them and flash out an explosion. Both laid on the ground clothes in tatters and panting. “A tie doesn’t… count.” Maddie said. “Especially, not when you didn’t even do any damage.” “No points for creativity?” Collin asked, and both chuckled before he sighed. “You… never said anything…” “I was going to… last tuesday…” Maddie replied as she sat up. “Figured you’d find out yourself after that.” “Oh… Right…” Collin sat up, and looked at her. “I still don’t know what everyone else expected.” Maddie chuckled. “Yeah, we were a bunch of optimists, I guess. Still, I thought you liked it here... I thought you liked me.” “I… didn’t realize I’d have to go through you…” Collin said. “You like this place that much?” Madelyn opened her mouth and then closed it. “... Alright.... As long as I also get those points.” Collin tilt his head. “What that’s supposed to-” Maddie locked him in a long kiss as his vision faded. You can’t allow your most precious desire to be tainted by sour notes. Collin watched as his wife dragged Madelyn back to their home before throwing her into her room. Turning the TV up as his wife yelled and pounded on the door to get their daughter to go to yet another concert that day. Collin watched on and doubted himself as his daughter grew more and more disgusted with her own music often purposely playing off key at home. Madelyn made little effort to hide it, and her mom made no effort to notice. Still their young girl grew into a charming woman, and never tired of writing her own melody. Over time it was simply too easy. To not travel to that section of their mansion. To ignore all the people his wife paid off. To ignore the faces of the endless music teacher. He did nothing. When Madelyn broke a piano and several other instruments he did nothing. When his wife purchased more than even they could afford, he did nothing. When more concerts they could ever do were promised to the powerful elites, he did nothing. When their only chance to save their wealth hinged on a single performance, he did nothing. And so when his daughter played a self-composed piece of disgusting harmonies of soul notes, he did nothing. As his wife sold their one and only daughter to save what little they could, he did nothing. Madelyn’s music was too dear to her to let be tainted by anymore soul notes. And it was then, she pulled back from her kiss. “Just go.” She whispered before Collin could speak. “At least you did something.” “Maddie…” Collin hesitated. “I can’t answer anything else, Collin.” Maddie replied. “It’s far too early for that… and far too late for anything else.” “But you said ties don’t count?” Collin asked. “They don’t.” Symphony replied. “But if you were going to lose, it would’ve been tonight. I think it was clever, and she thinks you’re cute.” She winked. “Keeping you here isn’t worth the trouble, so we surrender.”
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The familiar sound of the balcony door sliding open alerted Collin as he looked to the horizon. “Still not sleeping?” Hannah asked looking at Collin.
“Not another test is it?” Collin asked. “All these intense dreams?” “Yes and no. You’d have to see for yourself to understand. You could always try more tea.” Hannah stated. “You know, if this place is so great why does it have so many secrets?” Collin stated Hannah put a hand to her heart. “I never thought I’d hear you, of all the people, complain so much about your home. What happened to the little Collin, huh? The one who kept Sypher in the arcade for hours, because the pipsqueak elf got lucky again.” “Life isn’t all arcade games…” Collin stated. “It was. Along with a bit of drinking, and a little partying.” Hannah recalled. “A board games night or two.” “Was I supposed to stay content with only that?” Collin replied. “Never wonder what’s outside these walls Hannah sighed. “I was kind of hoping for that, yes. But I figured it would come to an end sooner or later, never expected it to come so fast though.” “Well, I guess you’re not the only one keeping things locked away.” Collin rebutted. “I’m not in charge around here, no matter what everyone else says.” Hannah replied as she began walking back to bed. “But if you’re that annoyed by locked doors maybe try opening a window.” Yawning again as she closed the door behind her. Collin left shortly after Hannah, stumbling his way through the light crowd before collapsing into his bed. Darling, you must learn to steal what’s precious in this world. That is your only chance of survival. Collin jolted as a woman touched his shoulder. “Oh...umm… forgive me I…” Collin scanned the crowd around while trying to process talking with a voice not his own. “Honestly, Martin, enjoy yourself.” A man spoke up. “I mean what are you going to do after you conquered the globe?” A soft voice drowned out the roaring laughter. “But couldn’t you… it’s just a dinner…” A young girl whispered. Collin felt anger swell into him as he glared at this girl. Watching her sniffle up as she escorts out crying. In a flash of lighting he lay down spiritless on his bed. “Whatever is wrong mother?” The once warm flower that was his daughter spoke which a chill matched only by her icy stare. “You have to learn to steal what’s precious in this world.” Collin felt himself trying to reach out as his neglected daughter eagerly stepped towards her mother. “It will be your only chance to survive.” Collin lost all sense of time struggling to stay awake. His body becoming a little more lifeless with every blink. His daughter painfully looking over him as she eagerly turned his dreams into nightmares. Confusion had become a central state in this man’s life. Why should the duality of his daughter be any different? Was there only one daughter? There must have been 2. No, no he had not had the time for 2. His daughter often acted out when she was younger… A final thought of clarity passed through his mind. Or perhaps the clarity was simply the loving embrace of death, but either way he finally understood. Looking at his daughter with an angry pride as life at long last left him. Collin bolted out of bed. Panting as he leaned against the wall. A soft voice echoing throughout several floors of the building. Torture sooouulls, Young and old. Once. they felt. eeeveeer bold. Always they raise, and come to fall. “Madelyn?” Collin approached. Here within these ancient walls- “hmm?” Madelyn looked up after the off tone note interrupted her playing. “Oh, Collin! I honestly forgot you might start listening for a change.” “Did… did everyone here?” Collin looked around at the crowd. “Oh come on, hun, not everyone is hiding something from you.” Madelyn stated. “Though a few people here could’ve done without you waking Dreamscape up.” Collin notices a few flinches, and glares in his direction. “She was only supposed to fight me…” Collin replied. “Did she seem like the type to follow instruction?” Madelyn rebutted resting her sitar on her shoulders. “Besides, she doesn’t like Thor, and he’s just a big baby when it comes to nightmares.” “Mostly due to her.” Thor grumbled. Madelyn glanced over at Thor. “...She made it worse fair enough..” “Could we get to the matter at hand?” Collin rebutted. “No.” She said turning back to Collin. “Sit down. Have a drink or two. I’m not in a fighting mood, even if you were in fighting condition.” Collin wanted to protest but sat down, and Madelyn began again. Abandoned rot, best forgot. Once. they felt. forever lost. Buried deep in all they’re not. Found when they refused the cost. Madelyn sang through the night. Softening the rigid air. Words gracefully charging into the walls. Vibrating throughout the floors again. Softly bursting as they traveled. Collin had little choice looking around. The crowd had come for a show, and Madelyn was never one to disappoint. Collin stumbled his way through the crowd. Until Nikki grabbed his arm, and dragged him to her bar table. “For the last... time… I’m fine.” Collin said.
Nikki continued examining his face opening Collin’s eyes for him a few times. “There's herbal tea for nightmares, a cherry one for falling asleep, and um… I’d prefer you pick me for more… private troubles.” Collin blinked a few times. Nikki pressed her chest against his before pointing down. “Ow.” She rubbed her shoulder. “Well, if i’m that bad of a choice...” She grumbled. “I’m fine.” Collin repeated collapsing on to a stool. “I need to do this myself.” “Collin, you can’t even stand!” Nikki stomped. “Whatever you’re trying to do. You can’t.” Collin’s protest was interrupted by his own yawn as he dropped back on to the counter. “Maybe a night off..” Collin said. “Herbal.” He drank the tea as it was handed to him. Nikki grabbed the cup as it was slammed down. I… said…” Nikki propped Collin up in her before walking him off to bed. “Custom blend on the house.” She said as she tuck him in before walking away. “You can thank me later.” She stopped and turned around. Staring at him. “Never did like her.” She said closing the door behind her. Hours later Collin woke up, and jolted out of bed. For the first time in a week, he hadn’t had a nightmare. He sighed, got out of bed, and got breakfast before he slammed a fist down on the counter. Concern glaces eating as they watched. He took a deep breath, and began eating again. Drowning out the whispers as he lost himself in thought. “I took an oath.” Nikki said as Hannah walked in. “You really didn’t.” Hannah replied. “And even if you did, you’re just making it worse, you know?” Nikki sighed. “You of all people should understand.” Both stared at each other. Judgement leaking out of them. Past decisions colliding in the air between them. A few people approached, but turned around. “You can’t interfere.” Hannah said. “You agreed to the rules, and you can’t back up the moment you have to follow through.” “He’s going to get himself killed at this rate!” Nikki rebutted. “WE were elected to protect people.” “We were elected to protect OUR people. That does not include people trying to leave, by law.” Hannah said. “You’ve never followed that before.” Nikki crossed her arms. “Why do I have to start?” “Well…” Hannah paused. “That’s a fair point… Still he’s only more determined.” “I know…” Nikki sighed. “I didn’t think he wanted to leave this badly.” “Feels like I missed something.” Hannah said looking towards Collin’s room. “I knew he was dealing with a couple months worth of emotion, but nothing this intense.” “It makes sense. Given it’s him.” Nikki yawned. “Get out of my room. I’m heading to bed” Collin tumbled into bed a few hours later, and woke up on a floating stone. Walking towards the door entangled in chains he grabbed the padlock marked 16 once again. “Ugh. You’re already back?” The feminine voice began as an echo in two different tones before it merged into one. “Do us both a favor, and go back to bed before you bore me to sleep.” The walls panel started spinning, and both walked on to the battleground. “How many times do you have to lose before you understand?” Inka asked before walking through a wall without coming out the other side. Collin anchored himself, and scanned the area. She did this several times every fight, but a swift kick to the stomach reminded Collin of his inability to read it. “You? You want to get out of here? You can’t even handle your own mind.” She taunted before vanishing again as Collin got up. Collin grabbed one of the spinning sections of wall, and threw it. Missing as Inka came at him. Collin shouted, and watched as his shout rippled out in front of him. The soundwave visibly traveled past Inka. He stared at her coming towards him. Launching a punch towards him in slow motion. The sound of ticking picking up speed as the world around him sped it way back up to regular speed. Collin sidestepped just a blue tint broke, and Inka tumbled on to the ground. “What?... How did… Did I?” Inka sighed. “And here I thought you were learning, this was almost going to be fun.” With a snap of her fingers 5 walls stopped rotating, and flew towards Collin. “Okay… I can do this.” Collin took a deep breath, and anchored himself again. This time he heard the ticking of a clock slow down. Extending his right arm he sent out ripples that inched one of the walls backward before doing the same with his left. But the ticking sped up again, so he hopped on the lowest door. Inka leg armor pulsing and she stomped down, and sent a shockwave across the ground. Collin rode above the lighting on a makeshift surfboard as two doors plowed into Inka. Inka backflipped before landing. She pulled up 5 pillars from the ground as Collin surfed toward her jumping with the door just as the lighting ended. “Look at that, he can learn.” Inka said teleporting to the other side of the room. “I think we’ve played enough games.” She got out a whip, and bent the door with it. It came flying toward, and she turned to the side. Only to see Collin running straight for her. This time she saw the world around gain a tinted blue as she whipped Collin. Letting go as he grabbed it. She charged toward him to get it back. But Collin has wrapped the whip around the door, and sent both flying toward her. Nikki jolted awake before smiling as she got out of bed. Taking a deep breath as she made some tea. Lights strobing away outside her door. The music leaking its way through the walls. She sighed as her body shivered. Flinching as something pounded at the door. She stood staring at it, and bracing herself. The illusions sinking into her brain despite her best efforts. The shouting of a single mother as the door was silently pounded on again. A young girl stood where she did as several papers were thrown at the little one. Crawling to her bed as sleep became her only escape, and her emotions became the fear of her nightmares. The music came to halt before Nikki held a beer to a roaring cheer. (So he actually won.) Hannah thought. (Well done, Collin...) “Others have won.” Thor noted. “Why him?” “Maybe she’ll tell us one day.” Hannah replied. “For now it seems 2 people are moving on tonight.” A well endowed neko girl yawned backflipping up from her makeshift mattress. “Quite the party last night.... Or was it two nights ago?” She flipped a very clunky looking pocket watch into existence. “Time lost?” 34:28 displayed itself on the screen along with a few others. “Well, hey at least the bar is open again.” She walked along, and greeted several passersby. Despite its current size, everyone knew everyone in Malicoin Tower. “Brick-break.” She greeted cheerfully before barely leaning on to the bar.
“Miss Hannah.” Brick, whose real name was Byran, greeted. “Another Yarnball?” Already preparing the drink. “Best make it two.” Hannah gestured out to the window. A bright holo screen raises the red number just a little higher. “He’s still not like what you have to say.” Brick mocked handing one drink, and making another. “Which is why I’m bringing beer.” Hannah stated walking off to the balcony with two wooden mugs. Collin was once again looking out towards the city. His mind racing with questions. Questions no one else seemed to want answered. The clunk of the mug jolted him upright, but thankfully Hannah held the beer before he could knock it off. “You haven’t been out here for 34 hours, right?” Hannah chuckled. “You at least got something to eat, I hope?” “A simple hello would suffice, you know?” Collin stated chugging some of the beer. “Don’t bother I know the answer.” He continued looking out into the city. “You’re not the first to wonder, you know?” Hannah stated. “I doubt you’ll be the last. There’s plenty of people you could-” She frowned and sighed as Collin looked over to her before looking back out. “You and all the others just think you know what best.” Collin replied with the attitude normally typical of a teenager. Perhaps he was given he was a half-elf. Hannah was never really sure. “Just because you’re perfectly fine being trapped in here doesn’t me everyone else is.” “Terence? Did you need something?” Hannah questioned as the large male loomed over them both. “This could take a while.” “I’ve known many of the people we speak of for hundreds of years, Young elf.” Terence stated. “And while I no longer remember the outside, I know people in the walls. And they tell you what they believe, so do not complain to them when you do not like the answers.” Terence looked to Hannah, and his stern serious tone switched to one of childish concern “Why do I hear of limited soda?” “As I continue to have to explain.” Hannah sighed. “The soda is still unlimited. The machines are no longer being made.” She stared at him. “So if you all break another 20 soda machines, you will be down a soda machine.” “‘Thor’ will have no further broken soda machines.” Terence shouted back to the inside before stomping his way back in as the doors and shaped themselves to account for his tall, muscular stature. “I thought we had everything?” Collin stated smuggly. Hannah’s eyes going wide in response. “Oh no…” Hannah whisper don’t her best to look afraid. “You got me.” Dramatically acting out her heart stopping despite Collin’s growing protest. “We’re no longer a… paradise.” She spun around one as she paused, and concluded her performance by falling on to her before getting back up. Chuckling as she did. “It’ll be a couple of years, but it’s not the first time we've been in short supply.” “And that’s work?” Collin questioned in disbelief. “Just telling them they can’t break like what 3 soda machines per week.” “You tell me.” Hannah stood there proudly, and Collin looked at her confused until several tables came flying out the windows. They both waited and watched as the 15th floor held yet another strength competition. Simple chairs, large table, a couple beds, and eventually arcade machines. “See? No soda machine.” “Yet.” Collin stated. “They haven’t thrown any from the roof yet either.” “Oh. they’ll break a few the first couple months or so.” Hannah conceded. “20 probably seems like a lot right now, so they’ll probably get down to.. I don’t know 12 spares or so.” “And what if it never comes back?” Collin asked. “What were the only people who drink the stuff?” “Then I guess we’ll have no choice, but to close down forever.” Hannah stated with a mock sadness and dramatic flare. “You could at least tell me why you hate it here all the sudden.” “Because this is all there is!” Collin shouted. “It is not natural that I hated something?!” Hannah stared at him for a minute or so. “If the floors are locks, the watchers the keys. Escape your 16, and you can walk free.” Hannah turned around and walked away as she spoke. Collin quickly turned his head after she did, but she had already closed the door. He finished what remained of his drink, and ran to one of these libraries. And then other, and then a third. Bringing several books to his room on the 16th floor. Despite his best effort, he finished his research with more questions than ever. “She told all anyone is allowed to, lad.” Brick stated as he poured Collin a drink. “Getting out of here isn’t exactly easy, but I guess you have one advantage. Too bad I can’t tell you about it.” Brick chuckled. “But it is possible?” Collin stated. “To leave the tower?” “Oh, I wouldn’t say that.” Brick stated. “I’m not even sure a stick of a man like you would survive. Of course, you wouldn’t be the first to surprise me. It's dangerous, kido, and it’s not always so rewarding.” “This is ridiculous!” Collin stated slamming the table. “How am I even supposed to find these people?! What am I even supposed to escape?!” “They’re called ‘watchers’, lad.” Brick stated looking out into the crowd. Collin looked behind him in response. Several figures dipped back behind the crowd. Others vanish all together. He looked around for several regulars, but couldn’t find them. “They find you.” Brick stated. |