Newsgroups: alt.pub.dragons-inn Subject: [blade] The temptation of Mechatack Message-ID: <1992Oct14.021935.17685@cheshire.oxy.edu> From: dementia@cheshire.oxy.edu (Daniel Steven Reinker) Date: Wed, 14 Oct 1992 02:19:35 GMT References: <1992Oct14.015809.17145@cheshire.oxy.edu> Hendrix, after watching the mutations of the five guardsmen with amusement, is quite ecstatic with the choice he made. All of the five, except perhaps with the exception of the quiet, dark one, seemed to have endured the Change with flying colours. The dark one...his name had been 'Marcus,' though hendrix preferred to think of him as 'Rot' now, had wandered off in agony...Hendrix had jumped from building to building until he could spy on 'Rot' from the ceiling, and watched him spread unwittingly spread his plague to a rat in the alley. Within seconds the rat was a rotting disease infested corpse. Rot, dripping pus and slime, walked on. Then Hendrix remembered Mechatack. He traced the young child until he heard sobbing from a nearby doorway. He jumped onto the street and approached. "Mother have mercy..." he screeched when he saw the child. The Change had not been merciful to young Mechatak. His face had gone a bright albino white, and his skin now hung loosely , as if it was a couple sizes too big. His eyes were that of a hawks, large, yellow, and unblinking, and his nose was upturned. He had grown an extra set of arms, and each hand sprouted long claws, so long that Hendrix could see Mechatack had accidently cut himself several times already. The cuts healed rapidly, another part of the Change, Hendrix supposed. Mechatack's legs were horse legs, complete with hooves, and overall Hendrix thought the effect was of some perverse devil. He made himself ignore the revulsion that was this child, and put mercy and compassion in his eyes. "What's wrong, young one?" he asked the child. Mechatack looked at him with tears dripping down his face. "W...Who are you?" Hendrix grinned. "Oh, I'm a friend, young child. I'm like a squirrel, aren't I? Small...small but strong. Like you, yes child?" "Look...look what happened ta me! I got changed, by Creepy Charlie... now I'm creepy charlie!" The child fought back sobs. "I see nothing creepy about you, child. Look at me! Some would think me creepy...ugly...simply because I am different. They call me names, throw things at me...but I'm as good as they. Just different. As you are, my child." "Who calls you names?" asked Mechatack, concerned. "Oh, they all do. They say I am ugly. Not fit to live. But I am as you are, child...I prefer to think I am special. Just as you are special. Very special. We can both do things they can't, and they hate us for it." "What can I do?" asked Mechatack. "Oh, many things. You are very special. You will amaze yourself with the power you now hold...would you like to come with me to a secret place?" "oh! oh, yes, I'd like that...can we go now?" "Certainly, child." said Hendrix, letting some malevolence drift into his grin. "But first...are you experienced?..." He smiled, knowing he had the child. To be continued Hendrix the spawn -- "You can't help that. We're all mad here."-The cheshire cat, Alice in WL "A mass hysteria/a megalomania/reveal Dementia/reveal"-Metallica