Hi there! I'm Fauna, a nymph that lives in the deep woods of Sylestia! I'm a story-teller for my tribe of people, but I've come across a problem! I can't think of any more stories to tell the children! Will you help me out by writing your own so that I can show the kids new and exciting adventures from outside of our forest? I'd appreciate it! Here are the rules.

Fauna pulls out a dusty old scroll, and, coughing, she unrolls it and reads it out loud.

Stories must be reasonably short; if you have to use another page to continue it, it's too long.
If you like someone's post, feel free to continue it, but the rule above still applies.
There must be no inappropriate language, stories, etc.
No mean or hateful comments.
You may write multiple stories or comments.
Be as creative or weird as you like.
You can write scary stories, but not too scary for some of our more sensitive readers.
Feel free to generate a picture of a character in your story and add it to your post.

Fauna grins and takes a deep breath.

Let the story-telling begin!

Liz yawned and got out of bed, stretching her legs and yawning again. It was a snowy afternoon- her mother would let her stay home today. But she knew that she would have to clean and prepare for her grandparents that were arriving in the evening. In fact, she could already hear her older brother in the next room over tidying up his room and throwing dirty laundry into a pile, which he would later collect and wash.
Liz was thirteen in a week, and she had a twin that slept in the bunk above hers. Her brother was seventeen, but he was kind and generous to his little sisters. Liz's twin, somehow knowing her sister was awake, jumped off her bed and walked to her closet to find some dress to wear. Unlike Liz, Rosa was very picky about her clothing when in public, but in her own home was rather messy.
"No school today," Liz informed her sister, who nodded and pulled on some yoga pants and a tank-top. "I can't believe our grandparents are coming today!" Rosa squealed, doing a quick dance around the room. She was in ballet, and was in top of her class. Their mother often polished her trophies lovingly, making Liz glower and stalk away. But Liz was a young star too- she was famous in her state for gymnastics. Liz sometimes did cartwheels down the banister (this was very dangerous, and more than once she had fallen off) or back-hand-springs on the trampoline.
Liz pulled out matching clothes to Rosa's, and the two grinned and spun around each other. Since they had the exact same haircut (though Rosa had thicker hair) they looked almost identical. Since their grandparents hadn't seen them in a year, the two would most definitely be called each other's names. This didn't bother the young pranksters- in fact, they hoped that this happened.
"Girls!" their mom called up the stairs, and the two raced to the door and then looked down the stairs. "I made breakfast!" The twins exchanged a grin and gracefully sat down on the banister, before sliding down and landing on opposite sides of their mom. Their mom smiled and shook her head, leading them to the kitchen table where a stack of steaming pancakes awaited them. "Mmmm... Thanks, mom!" Rosa and Liz said in unison, grabbing two each and pouring syrup on.
After breakfast, all the members of the house went to work. They dusted, swept, mopped, scrubbed, polished, and washed everything they could get their hands on. Liz was just finishing vacuuming the living room when the doorbell rang. Rosa, who was setting the table, put the last fork and napkin down and rushed up the stairs with Liz.
The twins put on their best clothes, identical dresses that were a dark purple. They pulled on boots that reached to their knees, and braided each other's hair. They looked like princesses in just five minutes. Wiping off a smudge on Liz's cheek, Rosa grinned and spun around, making her dress fly up, revealing black leggings. The leggings were just the perfect touch, because the twin's hair was black.
They heard laughter downstairs and the clink of glasses, so they rushed downstairs. When they arrived at the doorway to the kitchen, they saw their brother, mother and father, grandma and grandpa drinking a purple liquid. There was sparkling champagne right next to another bottle, that looked the same as wine but was just soda in a fancy bottle.

The family proceeded to have a magnificent Christmas dinner, and afterwards they opened presents. As Liz lay in bed that night, she rubbed her full tummy with satisfaction and drifted off to sleep, having pleasant dreams about flying reindeer and talking snowmen.

Oh come on, guys! We need to get some stories for the wee ones! They're going mad with boredom! We're going to have a riot on our hands before long.

Myst takes a deep breath, mustering up what few stories she has left in her (albeit rather twisted) brain.

"Ah... Fauna, was it? I don't know how good of a storyteller I am, or how many I have left to tell, but I'll certainly try my hardest to keep the young ones entertained."
She sits down, drumming her fingers nervously before finally settling on a tale.
---
You don't know me, and I don't know you. Or maybe you do. I don't know that either. Really, life is but a tangled web of things we know or don't know.
One thing I do know, though, is that I've heard and seen a lot of stories in my time. Some I've picked up, some I made myself, some a combination of both. Some I made with others, some in solitude in the dead of the night, some through the connection of strange magical technology from another world.... I'm good at that sort of thing, heh.
So I'll tell you a story about dreams. A funny thing they are, tales our mind weaves when we're not around to lock it in a cage and tell it to be civil. But yet dreams inspire us, they drive us, my own life has changed in countless ways because of dreams. What are your dreams, and will you let them guide you?
---
Long ago, there was a young prince... mind you, this was so long ago that his name has since been lost to time. At the time, I worked as a minstrel and entertainer in the royal court- hey! I'm older than I look!
*muttering* I swear, kids these days....
Anyways. The prince was not happy with his life in the court, and the bard- that's me- could tell. The way his eyes wandered at every given opportunity, the restless way in which he stood... he looked like a trapped bird ready to take flight. His parents, the King and Queen, tried everything to steer him back onto the path of royalty. Persuasive words, tutoring, distractions, even punishment. But nothing worked- if anything, the tactics they used only stirred resentment within the prince.
The King and Queen came to the bard one day, for they knew she had wisdom in many areas and much experience in the workings of children.
*pointedly glares at the disobedient audience* so you had best watch out.
"Lady Mystiria," The Queen asked me. (I told her to call me Myst, but of course she didn't listen.) "We've tried everything, but our son refuses to cooperate with the traditions of royalty. What in the world is wrong with him, and how can we solve it?"
Of course, I knew what was 'wrong' with the prince immediately- it wasn't a problem so much as a gift, and I hesitated to tell the monarchs for fear they'd try to squelch it out of him. But of course, I also feared for my own head, so I didn't dare withhold it from them.
"Your Majesty," I told the Queen, "There's nothing wrong with your child at all. In fact, I think him rather special. Can't you see it? He's a dreamer, and because of this he's destined for greatness."
I don't think the Queen liked that. Or the King. But I've never been one to pander to someone's tender little feelings.
But even for someone as.... fine, as arrogant as me, I admit I spoke before I thought. The King and Queen placed even more restrictions and strict rules upon the prince, and I could see he was beginning to strain and break. His eyes, although still bright and fierce, had lost some of their luster, showed the fragile state of his mind. I couldn't do anything for him in my current position but pray he was strong enough to make it through, but such a feat seemed unlikely.
So, being the schemer I was- and AM, for that matter- I came up with a plan.
I pleaded the King and Queen to allow me to tutor the prince in music, an extremely difficult and risky endeavor, but by whatever twist of good fortune they allowed it. 'Thank goodness,' I thought. 'Maybe, just maybe, the kid's got half a chance now.'
I was allowed to visit the prince in his chamber once a week, to school him in the matters of all things musical alongside my extensive knowledge of history. When I first saw him, my heart sank. He was listless, dull, barely there. His soul had retreated to the furthest corners of his mind in a feeble attempt to keep itself from being extinguished entirely. But I was not too late, it was still there, and I had confidence in that I would be able to coax it out.
"Lady Mystiria, is it?"
"Call me Myst."
---
It was months before I got him back to the state he was before.
We started with the lute and the dulcimer- I told stories of the old days and taught him how to play. Then came the pipes and the flute, the horn and the lyre, the zither and voice. He had a remarkable voice, the voice of an angel, really. Yes, yes, I do know how to play far too many instruments for my own good, although I'm rusty on most.
And to my great surprise, when the prince was about 10 or 11 years old.... he told me his plot to escape.
"Myst?"
"Yes, milord?"
"You do that to annoy me at this point...."
"Perhaps."
"I'm getting out of here."
"...pardon?"
"I'm running away. I'm not happy here. There's too many rules, too many things to do."
"I'll help you."
"...huh? I thought you'd be mad...."
"Well, firstly, if you thought I'd be mad it was exceptionally stupid to say that in the first place. But secondly, yes, I'll do everything I can to get you out of this blasted court."
---
He escaped.
It involved hitting his father across the face with a dinner platter.
It was incredibly satisfying. I still remember the booooong it made....
With the help of some well-placed incantations the court definitely didn't know I could do, both bard and prince fled to the edge of the kingdom to the wild forest.
"So." I said. "We're here. You'd better be sure about this."
"I am," He replied. "More than sure."
"That's the spirit. I'll visit for a couple more weeks.... to make sure you can forage and hunt for food, build or find shelter... the like. Also, I'll place some spells around here and there so the rest won't find you.
"Myst?"
"Yeah?"
"Why are you doing all this for me? Risking your job, even your life?"
"I'm thousands of years old, and a mage. I go through jobs like most people do underwear. But if you really wanted to know...." I smiled, placing a hand on his shoulder and looking, with him, out towards the forest. "It's because you're a dreamer. You'll do great things kid, I just know it. But first, you've got to break free of everything that's tying you down."
I noticed, with a start, that his eyes were bright blue, like the sky on a cloudless day. I hadn't noticed his eye color before, but it certainly wasn't that. Magic, I thought, but not mine, his own. I was right.... this kid has some serious potential. I wonder where he'll be come ten years from now.
And there we parted ways. Just like I promised, I visited a couple times afterwards to teach him how to survive in the woods, which he did excellently. His eyes turned an even more electric blue with the time that passed, and his hair grew out long and pale silvery-blonde. He, just like me, was not human anymore, changed by magic.
Last I saw him, it was a little more that three hundred years ago. I don't think he saw me, but I know it was him by the song he was playing high in a treetop. One of my own teachings, combined with something he had written himself. He went by the name Lore, and I think he still goes by that to this day. The Boy of the Woods is what they call him some places, Ghost Child others, the Forest Guardian still others. But to me, he'll always be the prince who could dream.
And this is my lesson for you, small monkey-gremlins that mankind passes off as 'children': never stop dreaming, never give in, and never let anything hold you back. If you believe in yourself, even if you don't 'know' everything, incredible things can happen.

ping

Fauna looks immensely relieved as she smiles.



Thank you for your stories, Myst and Fehe! The kiddos... whew, I don't want to talk about it. I'm gonna have nightmares for years to come! Wild little people, they are. They'll be talking about the war that changed people, and the princes daring escape from his castle for months!
Does anyone else have a story I can share with the littles?

Fauna looks around hopefully.

Fauna smiles softly and taps one finger to her chin, before her eyes light up with an idea.

It's a very long story. Not exactly short. Ah well! I hope the kids like it!

Even as a smuggler, one thing you've never accepted is an escaped felon. One day in port, however, while the crew is unloading and you are lounging in the bridge, the door blows open and a woman stumbles in, bleeding from a wound to the gut and dragging a possibly broken ankle. Although she is dying, she is distinctly beautiful. She's also holding a pistol. Hurriedly, weakly, she orders you to take off. Your protests are cut short as she fires. A dart impales itself in your arm, but you feel nothing. She tells you that it's Alaya venom, which is famous for its slow but certain death. The woman says the antidote exists only on her home planet and that you have to fly there. All thoughts of negotiation vanish as she pulls another pistol, a real one this time and assures you the next shot will not be so merciful. Seeing the madness in her eyes and hearing desperation in her voice, you realize she is a heartbeat away from killing you. Hurriedly you act, even though it means you will be left to fly the aircraft alone. The police give chase, of course. Now you are onboard alone with a strange, violent, and gorgeous criminal, headed toward a strange planet, with all the resources of the Empire aimed at bringing you down.
You let out a nervous giggle as the radio turns on and you hear your captain's angry voice. "What the hell are you doing, Nix? I swear to God, if you get caught-" You cut him off, saying "No problem, Cap, I'll be back in a jiffy!" and then you turn off the radio. You start to panic. Your stomach is hurting, is it the poison?
"What'd you do anyway, to get in trouble I mean?" you ask, trying to start some friendly chatter. She tells you to shut up and drive.
As you land on the planet she lets out an angry wince. "Quick, someone is coming!" she whispers. You lock all the doors except the exit. "Help me up, let us go!" You help her, kicking open the door. You're greeted with a surprising sight. There's a city in front of you, one like you've never seen. There's huge metal buildings, each with its own purpose. There are various fountains and plants along the neat rows and rows of houses near the buildings.
You had heard that this planet was dry, and poor. Apparently the latter was a lie, but the land surrounding the city was drier than a human could stand. You feel the woman dig the gun into your arm, and you immediately help her limp to one of the buildings. It's a small pub, made of wood and looking out of place in the advanced city. "In." she commands.
"I have a feeling that there's no one in here that can help you-"
"I said IN!" she roars, before doubling over and spitting up blood. You rush her in, somehow feeling sympathy for the woman who is killing you. A neat looking man with a suit and combed hair bows down to you. "Welcome, just this way." he says, not looking the least bit concerned at the bloody woman in front of him. He leads you back into what you thought was a kitchen. Instead you're greeted with hospital beds and people. Everyone, a total of four people, has a look about him, somewhat guilty but somewhat smug. You recognize them as criminals. They're all wearing black suits, which seems to be their uniform.
The woman lets out a delirious giggle, muttering something about having it, before fainting due to loss of blood. The man catches her and looks at you sternly, silently instructing you to leave. You feel the overpowering urge to obey. You even forget about the poison. Somewhere deep inside you, you remember that Alaya venom takes almost a day to kill you, so you know you have time to wait until she can tell you where to get the antidote.

You wake up with a gasp. You then hit your head on a bar above you. Reaching up to rub it, you realize that you're handcuffed. Groaning, you open your eyes, and yep, ten officers of the Empire. You grin weakly, but the smile is wiped off your face as one of them hits you.
"Where is she?" he demands. You let out a small laugh, then you receive a harsh punch.
"I dunno. Really, I don't! Owch!" You let out a gasp of pain and hold onto your rapidly swelling arm. Another man had slashed at you.
"I can't tell you anything till I get an antidote. I'm dying, I only have minutes left!" you lie in earnest. The men exchange a glance before the smallest one opens a medical bag and puts the Alaya antidote in a syringe. Flicking it, he wipes your arm with a moist towel. "How'd you know it was Ala-" you began, before the man snorts and points at where the dart had cut you. You see that there are black veins popping up, and your arm is a sickly green. The man takes the dart out, muttering "Idiot, didn't even take it out" before injecting the syringe in your arm. You see the swelling rapidly stop. Not your other arm though, the one with the knife cut. The medic ignores the blood falling down onto his gloved hands. He straightens up and nods. The men go back to interrogating you.
"Where is she, then?" That woman is a murderer and thief. By all rights, we should arrest you right now but currently we have no proof that you're in cahoots with her," The man speaking to you flicks out his wrist and looks at his watch. "The Empire will be here to search this place soon. If you don't speak up soon well resort to violence. I don't want to get mixed up with them."
Your curiosity peaked, you smile winningly and shake your head. "So you're not the Empire, huh? Just a bunch of secret agents for some shady weirdo. Typical!" The man's face twists into one of rage and he slaps you sharply. You notice he's flushed red, as if he's embarrassed. The other men begin to shuffle their feet.
You stick your nose up in defiance. "I'm not telling you anything. Not until the Empire gets here. Ah, I think they've just arrived!" The men dash away instantly, and you let out a sigh of relief. But your mind has moved on and is thinking about the next problem. You pray that by some stroke of luck they didn't see you taking the woman away. Just in case, you'll need a weapon. Searching around the small space, you realize that this is a shuttle. It's devoid of everything but a plastic briefcase full of dried rations. You reach out with your cuffed hands and grab it, thinking, This will have to do.
You hear muffled voices outside, then someone kicks open the door with a spiked boot. In walks a woman in a military uniform, obviously of some high rank. She surveys the shuttle, before fixing her gaze on you. You feel tempted to look away, but you must not show weakness.
"Yes?" you say, mustering all your dignity. Not only are you covered in tattered clothes, you're also handcuffed and previously locked inside a shuttle. She thinks of you as a joke. "Papers?" she asks unconcernedly.
"Sorry, ma'am, but I'm tied up and they're not on me." you say, holding up your hands.
"Oh, I'd thought a smuggler like you would've already picked the lock. Unfortunately, we don't have the key, so... we need the laser!" she shouts out of the door. Not wanting to find out what the laser is, you swiftly take a bobby pin out of your concealed coat pocket and pick the lock with minor difficulty. You've been in situations like this many times before.
"Heh heh, no need, ma'am! The cuffs are good as gone!" you say with false cheerfulness.
She looks at you with disappointment. "We're going to have to bring you in for questioning, sir. It's not everyday you find a man locked in a shuttle on the same day as an escaped felon somehow avoids our clutches."
You're in deep now. "Oh no ma'am, this is all just a big misunderstanding. You see, some thugs locked me up in here and tried to take my money, but when they heard you coming they ditched."
She looks at you, her eyes flickering with anger. "Thugs, no. They work for a man I despise; The Shade. No one knows his real name, but all of the Empires officers are taught to hate him- and with good reason. He killed all my family, you know." The anger fades, replaced by a deep sadness. You realize how young this woman is, maybe even younger than you. She quickly recovers, going back to being emotionless.
"I've heard more lies than you can count in my work, but this has to be the worst. You're involved in this, and I'm taking you with me. If you lead me to her now, I can make it worth your while. The Empire has supplies and credits galore," she kneels down next to you, lifting your chin up with her gun. "All you have to do is tell me where she is."
The offer is undoubtedly tempting, and your captain would be delighted. "Sorry, I can't. She's injured and might die in the state she's in. She's with the best hospital here, but even they may not be able to save her." you say, pushing away the gun. Her face twists into a glare, before she stands up and shrugs.
"Forget the rewards. We'll search everywhere in the verse, and if she so much as mentions you, you're dead. You're free to go, for now. But I'm putting a tracker on you. Only I have the key," she says, taking out a metal bracelet and snapping it onto your arm. "We'll be watching..." she trails off. "Nix." you offer helpfully.
"Hmph. Goodbye, Nix, but I suspect this will not be the last time we meet." She spins around and leaves. You immediately set to picking the lock. It's surprisingly easy. A smile flits across your lips. It seems that you have more friends than you previously thought. You step outside the shuttle, and you notice the Empire spreading out across the city, searching everywhere. Huh, everywhere except that dank pub. you mutter to yourself. You toss the bracelet into the air, catch it, then throw it as far as you can.

As night descends upon the city, and the Empire leaves to search elsewhere, you make your way to the bar. It's still empty, save for the well dressed man. He glares at you inquisitively, and you force yourself to speak. "Can I see her?" you ask timidly.
"She does not care nor want to see you. She doesn't want to nor care to meet you." he says. His voice is practiced and short, his words are clipped and formal, as if he wants to waste no time getting the message across.
"Oh, and she told you this?" you ask defiantly. You're not entirely sure why you want to see her; besides, if it hadn't been for The Shades men, you'd've been dead by her hand.
The man's lips tightened into a thin smile. "The Lady has not yet awoken. She is unstable and may not recover," he says with no emotion. He sees the distress in your face. "Why do you care about her? She did try to kill you."
You look at him sharply. "How could she have told you this?"
"It is standard procedure to shoot someone with Alaya venom to force them to cooperate. It is not often someone lives to tell the tale, though. I suppose that in that way, you are lucky." he says, shrugging. He goes to an old keg and pours some dark liquid into a mug, before placing it down on the counter in front of him. "Drink this." he commands.
You have every reason not to, but you sit down anyway and take a sip. It tastes foul. You were expecting beer or wine from a replicator, not whatever this was. "What is it?" you ask, wrinkling your nose in distaste.
He gives you that thin smile. "Wine made from real grapes. We have a vineyard not far from here. We are considered a bar, since we serve alcohol and food, but our prices are outrageous and no one likes that wine. All they care to drink these days is sweeter wines from those replicators of theirs."
You roll the cup around in your hands, watching the wine spin around in circles. It reminded you of the globe you had transported from Blackveil. It had been in a museum, as it was a thousand years old, but some thieves had stolen it and given it to your captain to sell off. The thought of your crew makes your head spin. By now they'd be worrying, not about you, but about the ship and its goods. Luckily, there were more than a few hiding spots on the ship, and that's where most of your smuggled things hid. You suddenly feel sick as a sad realization comes to you. Your colleagues don't care about you. You're nothing but a mechanic to them, a thin and weak man just there to fix the ship. Well, that's what most of the crew thinks anyway. There are two people in the whole galaxy that care for you. Emma, the pilot. She can fly better than anyone in the universe. Then there's JJ, who's technically not a person but you think of him as one anyway. He's like a weasel with really long and floppy ears, and such a big heart.
You hope both of your friends are alright. Most likely they'd be receiving the anger from the rest of the crew. No doubt the captain, two fighters, and doctor were mad. They had valuable items on the ship that no one could afford to lose.
You lose track of time, sitting there with the cup in your hands, always rolling. You think of many things, like the punishment you'll receive when you get back. Maybe you'll be fired. Not that the job was well paying anyway. But that ship is the only place you've ever called home. Sure, its occupants may be lousy, but at least you know it by heart, better than any of the others.
You don't notice that the man is gone until he comes out of the fake kitchen. "The Lady would like to see you." he said, his voice full of some emotion. Jealousy?
Sitting up with a polite smile, you walk into the room. The four men are gone, and the only other people are a nurse sitting by the woman's side. The nurse looks at you coldly, before sitting up and leaving.
You feel your heart skip a beat. Even near deaths doors, this woman is more beautiful than anything you've ever seen. Even the most pretty sunset would be ashamed. Her eyelids flutter a minute, and you see how long and thick her eyelashes are. She lets out a long sigh, as if preparing to speak. Her lips move, but you cant hear anything. You lean closer.
"Sorry... for... shooting you," she says in between breaths. "The... antidote... is in my... coat." You shake your head and lean forward, whispering in her ear "I already got it. Thanks though."
A small smile flits over her lips, before she begins to cough violently. Once she stops, she wipes her mouth and you see blood on the back of her hand. "Maybe... if I... live, we can... go somewhere... I have heard... good things about the... Princes... Islands." she gasps.
You stare at her silently. You don't respond to that, instead saying "What's your name? I'm Nix." But she's fallen asleep. You straighten up without a sound and leave. You walk out of the pub, ignoring the mans questioning glance. You leave the city, and all its shiny buildings. You only stop when you reach your ship, which is cloaked. "Open up, please." you mutter.
A robotic female voice answers. "Scanning. Subject identified. Welcome, mechanic." You let out a loud sigh and correct it. "My name's Nix. Save it to the files." A soft whirring sound, then the voice speaks again. "Apologies, Nix. Please enter the ship."
The ship decloaks, and you type in the code into a little pad to open the door. You feel an icy hand on your shoulder just as you're about to step in.
"Going somewhere?" says a tidy voice. It's the man from the bar.

"M- me? No, I was just thinking of flying the ship away and coming back." you say, your voice tinged with sarcasm.
"We have more Alaya poison, I warn you. You may leave, but first I must put a tracker on you," he sees the grin on your face. He returns it with a cold smile. From his coat he withdraws a syringe. "You won't be able to take this one out." His laugh is a terrible thing, and you feel the urge to cover your ears. He injects the tracker into you, but into somewhere where he can know for a fact that you'll never take it out. In your neck.
He turns and is gone as quickly as he came.
You walk into the ship, greeted by the familiarity of it. And also by an adorable fluffball. JJ bounds up to you, licking your face like crazy. "Oh hi, oh hi, little guy!" you whisper into his fur. "Listen bud, we gotta go. I don't want to stay on this creepy planet one minute longer."
"Neither do I." says a female voice to your left. You look up. Emma! She smiles at you with her crooked grin, tossing a strand of her brown hair over her shoulder. "The computer wouldn't respond to me, it was on lockdown mode. Also, I know you already know this, but you're a terrible flyer."
You feel relief surging through your body. Your friends were safe! "Listen to me, Emma, I know this is gonna sound crazy, but what if we dont go back to the captain? What if we just take the boat for ourselves, and maybe do some honest work for once? We could be a transport ship!" you say in earnest.
She looks at you like you just suggested that she should crash the ship. "We are a transport ship, Nix. Besides, you know what the captain''ll do. There ain't a single chance we won't get caught. He has mics and cameras all over the place. There's no way we'd find them all."
A grin lights up your face. "What if I told you the captain had me write down all the locations of them in case they got broken?" you say in a singsongy voice.
You were hoping for a better reaction.
"No, Nix, it's too risky. After all, the captain does own this ship. As long as no one finds the goods we have, he can send the Empire after us. And once we get caught, Doc will rain down hell on us."She looks around bitterly, before leaving the room and going to the bridge.
"Sealing all doors. Sealing complete. Ready for takeoff." the computer says. You stare at where Emma had just been standing, absently scratching behind JJ's ears. You dust off your pants as you stand up, JJ hopping from your lap. He looks at you curiously, letting out a squeak. A loud rumble echoes around your belly. You hadn't eaten anything since morning, which was a hundred years ago.
"Computer, what time is it?" you say, walking towards the kitchen. A soft chime, and then "On this planet: Eleven forty three at night. Home planet: Six a.m. Universal time: ni-"
"Enough, thanks." you say, tapping on a small pad. In the replicator, a piece of- Oh, I dont believe it, you think. "Emma!"
You hear a loud snort echo over the speakers, and you strap a headset on thats laying on the table. It has a small microphone that is an inch away from your mouth. Putting the earpiece in, you open a cupboard to see it empty. "You think you're so clever," you say, searching for food. "Who knew you could program things in such a short time?"
Emma laughs again. "Short time? I was trapped in here for over ten hours. I had plenty of time to get your food ready." she says, and you hear quiet clicks and whirrs.
After searching for a few more minutes, you pinch the bridge of your nose in irritation. "What did you do with the food?" you say sharply.
"You really think Id let you eat that replicator crap? Come up here, I made something for you." she says, a slight tremble to her voice. You strain your ears in confusion. "Emma?" Highly unusual. You hear a sharp intake of breath, then the very quiet shing of metal. A whimper.
You quietly sneak over to the next room, which is the cargo bay. It has the big door that you load stuff in and out of. One of the pieces of metal wall comes off, though, and thats where your latest shipment is held. You gently take the metal off and ease a small pistol out of a duffel bag. Replacing the door, you make your way to the bridge carefully but with confidence. Above you, you hear light footsteps.
You look around desperately. Aha! The airlock. That's what whoevers boarding your ship will come through. You type the code into the pad next to the door, locking it. You hear the hiss of air escaping into space, then you see a foot find a hold on the ladder. Quickly yet silently you sprint away, stopping only at the entrance to the bridge where Emma should be.
The door is sealed.
"Computer," you whisper harshly. "Unlock the door to the piloting room!" Then you add "Say it only into my earpiece."
"You would need a direct code to unlock the door. Please state now or enter into the lock." it responds, thankfully, only to you.
"802473, clearance Nix." you say in a hurried whisper. "Clearance invalid. Please state code now or enter into lock." it repeats. You let out a silent groan. "802473, clearance "Mechanic". Try variations of 'Mech, Mechie, Mechanic, and Nix.'"
After a moment of soft whirring, the computer chimes in your ear. "Code 802473, clearance Mech. Unsealing door."
You mutter the word "Mech" under your breath as the door opens. You step in and are met with a concerning sight. A man, you recognize him as a scavenger, has a knife pressed to Emmas hand. He looks up at you, and your gun. "The man in flesh and blood! I thought girlie here was lying... But it really is you!" His voice is cold, then a warm grin spreads across his face. "Happy birthday, kid!" he says, walking over and throwing an arm around your shoulder.
Oh.
"I hadn't recognized you, that beard and scar! What's happened to you, Frank?" you say, squeezing him tightly. You remember Emma. Then you punch him in the face. "Why were you cutting her arm?" you suddenly shout, glaring at him.
"Whoa, whoa, calm down!" he says hoarsely, gently massaging his forehead.
Emma stares at you with contempt. "I got a piece of glass stuck in my hand. He was helping me get it out." she says harshly. You flush red with embarrassment, before hurrying over to her and taking her hand in yours. You turn it over, so the palm is facing up, but you see no blood. Not on the other hand either.
"It looks like you're fine. You just want an excuse for a big, strong guy to hold your hand." you mutter darkly. Your brother lets out a booming laugh, clutching his stomach as if he feared it might run away.
Something in his pocket lets out a squeal then a voice. "The airlock is... locked. I can't get in." It's your sister too!
"Forgive me for asking, but what is going on? Why are you here in the middle of nowhere? It's my birthday?" you stutter in confusion.
You hear Emma type something, then your sisters head pokes around the door. "Nix, how good it is to see you!" she says, rushing towards you and hugging you tightly. Although she's nearly five years younger than you, she's almost your same height. Both of you, though, are dwarfed by your brother. Your siblings are red-headed, like you, with pale skin, freckles galore, and twinkling blue eyes.
"Forgive me askin', but where's the captain?" your sister asks.
Ah.
"I'm going to pray, Jess, that you didn't just come here to see the captain, that instead you came to grant your favorite brother a birthday wish!" you say, nudging her in the ribs playfully. Her face is suddenly flushed red with embarrassment. Shuffling her feet, she shakes her head forcefully.
"No, 'course not, Nix." she says in a squeaky voice.
"Good. Then I'm assuming that Frank here didn't just come to see the best pilot in the history of ever?" At these words, both Emma and Frank let out nervous giggles and blush, looking at each other timidly.
"Aha! I see! Then I suppose you guys can have my crew for family, and I'll be the maid." you say, grinning widely at the shocked faces around you. Frank pushes you to the ground, Jess gives you a noogie, and Emma pinches your arm.
"Ow ow ow, alright, I get the point!" you cry, muffled by your brothers arm wrapped firmly around your head. They separate, looking like their job is done. You rub your head gently, glaring at them. "I see you've gotten better at being mean!" you mutter to yourself, standing up.
"But what's the real reason you came here? And how'd you even track us?" you ask your siblings. They sigh in unison.
"Well Nix, y'see, we're both fresh out of a job. The Empire made a ban on mercenary work on Jecues II, and they demolished Jesss hospital for a lab of some kind." Frank says bitterly. Though none of your current family had openly disobeyed the Empire, your ancestors definitely had. Like all civilizations, there was a revolt. Your great grandmothers and grandfathers had fought in this war, only to be crushed down almost immediately. Because your great grandmother had been a major leader in the revolt, the Empire kept a close watch on you and your family. Not that it mattered, anyway. Frank and Jess did honest work, and as for you... Well, you hadn't been caught yet. But from time to time, you did do work for major companies, sometimes for the Empire themself. It was usually medicine to go to the outer planets that the Empire had you deliver.
"So what, you want a job on this ship? No way the captain'll allow it. He despises you Frank, and Jess... he'd say youre a distraction to his duties. Not that he does anything, anyway."
You had expected one of your siblings to say something, but instead it was Emma who piped up.
"Then we'll get rid of the cameras and go rogue," she says quietly. Everyone turns to look at her. "Stop staring at me like I'm a madman. It was Nix who suggested it. But why not? We'd divide the money fairly, unlike our current crew. We'll do honest work, stuff that the Empire has nothing against! We'll go clean."
"What about the current goods?" you ask.
"Toss them into space. No one ever needs to see them again."
"No, no, that's money laying back there. And if we're late with the rest of the shipments, they'll send their gangs after us. We'll be hunted." you argue. Emma bites her lip, seeing the logic.
"Fine. One last delivery, then we'll forget that horrid captain and his crew," She looks up at you, Frank, and Jess, smiling. "Sound like a plan?" There are murmurs of agreement, before Emma takes the wheel.

On the way to Earth, (which has drastically changed over the past thousand years) you tell them everything about your little trip. Well, almost everything. You exclude the part about how beautiful the woman was. That's unnecessary information. As you dock into port and load the smuggled goods onto a cart, you hear a loudspeaker blaring something quite alarming.
"Attention, citizens of Earth! The escaped felon, who goes by the code name "The Lady", has been caught. Her hideout was on her home planet, in a small hospital for criminals disguised as a bar. Her execution will proceed later today. Anyone who would like to say goodbye, or spit in her face, you may do so now. We will let crowds of five into the containment area, where you will speak through a mic. Be assured, the metal and glass we have placed around her is COMPLETELY SOLID. Nonetheless, please do not aggravate her. If she somehow survives this (which is most unlikely) she might chase after you. She is insane, and uses people to her advantage. Of concern for anyone else besides her, she has none. On another note
The voice goes on about unimportant things, such as volunteer work signups and notices.
You feel the blood drain from your face as you realize the truth. The Lady, whoever she was, was going to die today. That was it. Just like a candle put out. You feel somewhat saddened. While Frank and Jess continue unloading, you pull Emma aside. When you tell her that the woman who you met earlier was to die, she seems most unconcerned.
"Well, good, she's crazy." she says. Before she leaves you grab her arm.
"But I feel it's all so sudden. Just like that," you snap your fingers, "shes dead."
Emma gives you that look she does when she thinks youre rambling on and on like a madman. "Honestly, Nix, what're you on about? Listen," She grabs your shoulders, brings her face an inch away from yours, and shakes you gently. "She tried to kill you. She doesn't love you, or like you, or whatever fantasy you have in your head. She wanted to go to Prince's Islands? I can go with you instead."
"But its not the same!"you say loudly.
"Not the same? Why? Just because I'm not as gorgeous as an angel, with a voice so sweet it'd put sugar to shame? Why, Nix, answer me that!" she yells, storming away.
You catch yourself before calling after her, "Yeah, that's exactly it"! Why do you care about The Lady? You had seen her face when she first stumbled into the ship. Grim satisfaction. An evil snarl. She had barely glanced at you before shooting. She didn't care about you.
"Emma, wait!" you shout, jogging up to her side. "Sorry," you say awkwardly. "Like always, you have the better common sense. Yes, of course, I'll go to the Prince's Islands with you. Better you than that lunatic." She lets out an approving huff, so you know shes forgiven you.
"Let''s get this stuff outta here!" Frank calls, indicating the carts.

The man, wearing a dark green scarf around his head, passes you a little card. Though it doesn't look like much, it contains almost a million credits. Thats enough for twenty people to live off of for fifty years. You take it and put it into a concealed pocket of your coat.
The man bows his head slightly, grinning. You see at least five missing teeth. "Pleasure to do business with you," he says. "I do hope this won't be the last time we see you."
You shrug. "I'm afraid it will be, sir. Thanks for this." you say, indicating the card. You had been hoping to get away without incident, but apparently not this time. His guards cross arms and step in front of you to block your path.
"Excuse me, sirs." you say cheekily. One of them thumps you upside the head. "Don't be smart." mutters one gruffly. He sounds like a troll, an ancient myth from Before. Before was when there was only one planet that people lived on, Earth. It was a time when they had discovered no aliens like JJ. How very boring. They didnt have ships, or replicators, or any of the other fancy tech Earth has nowadays. Their planet was dying, but they did nothing about it. It was only when they had discovered the other planets did they have hope. Turns out there were thousands of planets like Earth, they just hadn't known where to look. In between the folds of time. The people had scoffed and shook their heads, saying it was just sci-fi stuff, hopeless jokes. The scientists had blushed and agreed it did sound far-fetched, but it was true.
Between the folds of time. Not many people knew how to get there. Really, it was just another dimension. When the first volunteer, a woman named Laika, had been sent through, it had failed and she had almost died. On the second go, she tried again. It worked. She arrived in the same place she had left, but it was different. There were no humans. The grass was green and the rivers were clear. After several experiments, they discovered that this world was untouched by pollution. So, naturally, they took this as a chance to start over without pollution. That world was the current Earth, bright and vibrant for thousands of years. Since there were other Earths, they used them to make things. They made factories and pollution and many bad things. Meanwhile, the first Earth was getting greener, abandoned. The world eventually righted itself, and the animals took over. Most everyone forgot about the old Earth, because who wants to go back there when there's other worlds right there?
"Sirs, it doesn't have to be this way," you mutter uncertainly as one of them draws a taser. He laughs shrilly.
"Aye, mate, it does!" he says cruelly. You sigh in exasperation. Whipping your gun out, you point it at him. With ease, you toss a dagger to the other man, planting it firmly in the wall beside his head. They both shrink back.
"You'll give me back my goods," you say quietly. "You'll let me leave without a scratch to show our little miscommunication here. If you send your men after me, I'll report to the police where your hideout is. You have been warned."

"Frank!" you call as you enter the ship.
He looks around a doorway, grinning. "What is it?"
"I'd like you to find a buyer for those weapons. The first encounter didn't go too smoothly. Got the money, anyway." you say, flipping the chip into the air and catching it.
"Right you are, Nix. I'll have 'em sold in no time. What'll you guys do while youre waiting for me?
"We'll be paying a little visit to an old friend."You mean The Lady. You want to see her one last time. You talk to Emma and Jess and they shrug, saying "Fine, we'll go." Emma looks at you suspiciously, though. You promise her no funny business. She seems satisfied with that.

At the quarantine place (you're not exactly sure what it's called), you see a bored looking woman. "Come see The Lady before she's wiped out from existence!" she calls in a toneless voice. There's no line, so you are ushered into a huge room. In the center there's a glass box. It's reasonably big, with a twin sized bed, a lamp, bookshelf, desk, and many pens and pencils. There's a notebook on the desk as well. Over it is a camera connected to a projector, so that the prisoner can write what they wish and all can see it. Theres a white piece of plastic hanging from the ceiling, and you see a piece of paper projected onto it. A slender, pale hand moves quickly across it, writing. It says:

I accept death and the fate I have. I understand what I have done, the people I have killed. Believe you me, it took a toll with me as well. The pain that erupts in my chest when I think of the childrens helpless screams I am not good. I am evil. I have stolen, harassed, killed, and I do not beg for mercy. I wish for my death, ah, merciful sleep, endless and peaceful. I wish to say goodbye to those whom I once loved, before turning into this monster that I am. My mother, Angelica, you guided me when I was wrong. Do not hold yourself responsible, Mother. Father, I know you loved me with all your heart. Remember when we used to go fishing? My sisters, oh dear, say goodbye to the nieces and nephews for me, please? Tell them I love them. Tell them that they must understand I have done wicked things, unforgivable things. Tell them that I will not come back. Brother, I know you will never remincense about the days of our childhood, when I was helplessly innocent. We both fell down the same dark path. But you can escape before you are killed like me. You are loved, my brother, never forget. To those that I have met and that survived: well done. Among them is Nix, whom I meant only yesterday. He has a kind heart, and helped me when I shot him with Alaya posison. He looked after me, and felt for me. Many people think that those who helped me have been seduced. While I can not deny this, Nix... He would have helped if I was anyone. I believe that. To Amy, who hid me in her basement even after I killed her child. She hated me, but was merciful. How strange. I will never understand the ways of the human, for I am not one. She fed me once a day, and I hungered, but I am still thankful. I hope you never see a murderer like me again, Amy. And to my close friend, the Butler. He ran the bar with the hospital. He seems stern and unforgiving, but deep down he is a real softy. I hope he does not meet the same fate as me. To those whom I have taken from; I apologize. I know it sounds hollow. But what can I say? I hope that the years smile down upon you, and the rest of your life is peaceful. Even if you are overcome by grief, you must not follow me down this path that I have chosen. It is a dark and mysterious one, full of hate and sadness. And so I say: Goodbye. To life, to friends and family. Goodbye.

The woman at the desk is most definitely The Lady. She looks up, sees you, and smiles sadly. She walks up to the glass and presses her hand against it. You press yours against hers, but you feel no warmth. The glass is far too thick. You feel tears gathering in your eyes, and the back of your throat stings as it does before youre about to cry.
"Do not grieve," she whispers into a microphone. "There is nothing to be sad about. I knew this fate would come to me before long. Thank you for helping me. I surely would have died without you. Hey, it is alright. Promise me this, Nix, that you will give up smuggling. Do not be evil like me. One thing will lead to another if you continue down this road."
You nod, biting your lip. You hear Emma and Jess shuffle their feet behind you awkwardly. A guard comes into the room, and it's the same one you had met on The Ladys home planet. When she sees you, her lips curl into a thin smile.
"Ah, so you were involved with her? Doesnt matter anymore. Youre free to go. She'll be dead within the hour." With that, the guard types in a code into a pad, and the door to the containment area opens up. She roughly hauls The Lady to her feet, though the latter offers no resistance. You see her one last time, her beautiful face, delicate hands, straight posture. She looks fearless as shes taken away, never to be seen again.

As the years pass, and you and your new crew settle into the routine of honest work, your memories of The Lady slowly fade away. Of course, she'll always have a special place in your heart. Time passes. Emma and Frank get married, Jess finds a wife, JJ dies at the ripe age of twenty five. You remain alone, and you eventually forget about The Lady completely until you're on your deathbed, with Jess holding your hand tightly on one side, and Frank and Emma on the other. You're all old, soon to die peacefully. Jess, trembling, hands you a yellow piece of paper. It is obviously very old. It says...
I accept death and the fate I have...
Far too old to read the rest, you press the piece of paper to your lips, before throwing it into the nearby fire. With you, your siblings, and Emma, The Lady; the terrible and beautiful Lady is lost from memory... forever.