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"The Pookey Situation" (Outside Kuskus) The concentrated rays of the evening sun slowly died out with the disappearance of its creator behind the mountains. The night painted green plains into shades of deep blue, the villages basked surrounding regions with yellow of their flames. That certain night was unusually quiet, even the monsters retired from their usual nocturnal prowling. All quiet, except two women escaping an unseen threat. “Why.... are you running...so.... fast?” Karen stopped to catch her breath. “We could’ve at the very least spent the night at the inn.” Accordions and an assortment of exotic words still rang in Eilie’s ear. “No!! Must.... go.... a little farther..” Eilie took a glance over the hill. The town of Radat was a tiny yellowish speck. In the scenery of navy blue, it clearly stood out. Night sank deeper into its course and both the travellers decided to camp before going to Radat. Exhausted, bored, frustrated, Eilie assumed a nights sleep might help. An unlikely chance, but a chance none the less. Her companion sat in front of a camp fire half glowed in its flames. Stars shone down upon the duo, two stars especially luminous. Karen and Eilie spoke for a while. Mostly about Muse. Karen had mentioned a very famous singer who performed there and recommended that Eilie go see her while in Muse. They spoke, until the fire gave out its last cackle. Eilie decided to relax for a while, finally acknowledging that worry will get her nowhere. Actually, the city states of Jowston was a beautiful place and not just a quick stop before going to Harmonia as she first thought. Aside from its strange residence, the place had charm. Though Rina had wanted it to be a quick tour, “We’ll come back later” She had said “There’s great tension between here and Highland, I sense war will break out soon. If you really want to, we can always return once things calm down here.”. The way Eilie saw it, their acts could be a great diversion for all the people who were worried about the uncertain future. Besides, she could take care of a few soldiers if it were really necessary. Sleep crept up on the raven haired girl, sending her to unknown regions. Mist choked all light and sound of that region. Eilie stood in the middle of nothing, but she felt a strange presence all around her. There. Silhouette figures of 3 people stood, beckoning her. The atmosphere cleared, and Eilie found herself in yet another place. Wheezes and coughs were heard everyone, and scattered around the floor were the dead and dying. Everything began to spin around Eilie, and the only thing that stood clear and intimidating against chaos, was a wheel with an X in its whole. Blue lightning charges zoomed around it. “Eilie?” Eilie found herself back to the land of consciousness, now in the day, with a worried Karen next to her. “Huh?” “Shouldn’t we get going? Its morning...” “Oh..uh... yeah.” Radat. The sleepy village that connects the region of South Window and Ryube and Toto. Sleepy? Not what Eilie saw... “This is.... Radat?” Eilie’s focus were on the countless hordes of variety people. Karen too shared the surprise, she’s been to Radat last week and never saw this many people. “I don’t even think a Madonna concert could get this much people” “Who?” Karen’s face produced an empty stare. “I...don’t....know...” Poor Karen, Eilie thought, the madness is spreading and made her speak about strange things called “Madonna”. She decided it was time to get away from this loony bin before she started imagining things. Tip toed, Eilie made her way to the bridge. That is, until Medusa decided to speak to her, then the tip toe turned into a mad dash. The noise of the town died out, and Eilie sat next to the bridge. Toto is just north of here, she calculated, that’s perfect, at this rate I can reach Muse in less than a day. Just then, the crying of a little girl distracted Eilie from her map. Deciding that helping a poor little girl is the most humane thing to do, Eilie asked the girl the reason for her crying. “Waaaaaaaah! Pookey! I lost Pookey!!!” Cried the girl, both hands in a fist. “Pookey? What is that?” “Its Pookey!!! Waaaaaaaah!!” “What’s going on here?” Asked a tall muscular man. Judging by his clothes he was probably a sailor, Eilie thought, maybe he can help. “Well..” she started. “It seems this girl...” “Poooooooooooooooooookeeeeeeeeeeyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy” “Pookey, eh?” Said the man. He bent down to speak to her eye to eye. “Little girl, uncle Amada is here, now tell me, where is Pookey?” “Pooooooooookeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeyyyyyyyy” She went at the edge of the bridge. “Ah!” Eilie said. “Could this Pookey be in the water?” “Could be.... that means to find her little Pookey we’ll have to close the sluice gates and look at it in here... Thats against the rules but.... who can resist this little girl.” He turned toward Eilie, wind blowing hard and dark thunder clouds clasping the air. “So tell you what? I will face you in one to one combat. Only the strongest and most honourable of us will make us out of this... so, in the name of all that is little and cute, will you, face me in such a combat?” “No” The wind stopped blowing and the clouds gathered away. “Oh........... ok........ but.... uh... I’ll close them anyway” “This is just great!” Eilie muttered under hear breath. “We’ve spent all evening looking for this pookey. When will I ever make it to Muse?” Amada stood up, “Its getting dark lady, and if you want me to continue aiding you in finding pookey you must engage in mortal com...” “Pookey!!” The girl screamed, delighted. Unclenching her fist, she realised pookey was there all along. She walked past a very annoyed Eilie and Amada, poking merrily her palm. Then she tripped, and her hands curled into a first again. “Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah! Pookey’s goooooooooone!!!!!!!!!!!” Drying up, Amada turned to Eilie. “Now that our mission is complete, won’t you engage in one on one manly combat? Pleaaaaaase.” But she was gone. Outside Radaat, not a second too soon. Eilie imagined this whole country was getting loonier by the second. First a scary nobleman’s mission to reform her into a high class pish posher, then the whole chaos in that little town. What next? Attacks by squirrels and a squirrel-zilla? Eilie laughed at the whole idea, concluding that not even this place could have such a ridiculous thing. She continued walking, not noticing the squirrel in a tree with a homicidal smile on his face. Before she knew it, night fell once again. Toto was unusually dark, no lights to give any indication of life in the town.... No time to wonder, must run to Muse. Crawling, Eilie saw a city in front of her. The rays of dawn illumined it with golden lights and she could’ve sworn a chorus kept chanting Hallelujah. Then, the revelations hit her, it was Muse. Life once again gripped her legs, and she ran with pure joy into.... a gate. “No one is allowed to enter without a permit.” The guard at the door snapped angrily. “What?! But how did Rina...” She stopped herself, knowing very well the answer to that. She couldn’t help shudder, but then again... “He.... hey!! What... What are you doing?!” Cried the guard, seeing the young woman clinging to his hips. She snapped his head back, rubbing his hair violently and hummed in his ears. “Assaulting a Muse guard is a punishable offence!” Eilie grabbed the guard once again and attempted to drag him away. ““What?!I want to have an adult conversation!” SLAM. Eilie looked into the city of Muse, jail bars getting in her way. "And Rina makes it look so easy...."
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