Newsgroups: alt.pub.dragons-inn From: taz@media.mit.edu (Brian Shea) Subject: [Green] & [Zen] An entrance and a encounter. Message-ID: <1993Aug3.141733.1227@news.media.mit.edu> Date: Tue, 3 Aug 1993 14:17:33 GMT ADMIN: Hello, here is another new character from the mind of Brian Shea, hope you enjoy him. Erik was having a miserable day. Working the gate sucked. All the people did was bitch at you and ask stupid questions. If everyone would just have the sense to shut up and just keep walking, they wouldn't need to bother him about the blockage. Didn't people realize they were the ones causing the problems they were complaining about? Erik cursed as an old man walked up to him, old people tended to be the worst complainers. The man was tiny, about five foot, and was bald and as wrinkled as a prune. "Hello," said the man, with a strong voice that was at odds with his frail build. He looked like he'd hurt himself if he sat down too quickly. "Hi," said Erik, a bit gruffly. The man was unfazed. "This must be an unrewarding job. A lot of hard work, and no recognition." "Umm, yeah, I guess so." The man reached into a pouch at his belt, and pulled out a square piece of yellow paper, about 8 inches to a side. The man started to fold the paper, his hands seeming to flow around the paper, and the paper was transformed into an origami tiger, tiny but detailed. The man offered it to Erik, and he took it. Erik studied it for a moment, marveling at the transformation. "That's amazing." "It is but a trick I learned long ago," said the man. "Thank you for your diligence, it does not go unnoticed." The man smiled, and walked through the gates, and into the city. Erik watched him go, and he found a smile where there had previously been a frown, and he thought about what a great day it was and how much he enjoyed his job. - * - The old man saw a young woman leaning against the wall of an alley, wearing a skimpy dress, and he sighed to himself. He watched as she looked around, then adjusted her dress, thinking that no one was looking, and he could see the weariness and despair show through the fake smile and the mask of her makeup. Angelique shifted her weight, trying to ease the pain in her back and the soreness of her feet. She straightened, though, as an old man walked up to her. She mustered herself, and cheerily spoke. "Well, hello there! Looking for a little companionship?" The old man looked sad, and said, "You are too beautiful to do this." He produced a dusty pink piece of paper, which was quickly transformed to a miniature rose, which he offered to the woman. She took the rose, and felt long buried emotions rise inside of her. Normally, she felt scorn when the do-gooders tried to point out the evils of her occupation, but tears came to her eyes at the simple, blameless compassion of the old man. "I'm sorry," said the woman, between sobs. The man smiled, a gentle and loving smile, the kind given from a grandfather to his beloved granddaughter. He reached into his pouch and produced a handkerchief. Angelique took it, and wiped the tears from her face. Much of the makeup came with them, revealing the youth and innocence hidden behind the mask. She timidly smiled, and the old man smiled back. He once again reached into his pouch, and produced several platinum coins. He handed them to the girl, and gently cut off her protests. "Shhh, take these to the Temple of Ilmater. You know where it is?" "Yes, but this is too much," she said, trying to give the coins back to him. "They are not for you, dear, but for the temple. I trust you to do what is right. Not only what is right for me, but what is right for you." "I will, I promise." The old man smiled once again and said, "I know, and I promise you that hope and love can be found through patience and forgiveness." Angelique then watched as he exited the alley and disappeared into the crowd. Later that afternoon, the Temple of Ilmater accepted not only a modest donation from an unknown patron, but a new member to their fold. - * - Over the course of the day, several small and completely unimportant people had their entire lives changed by an old man they had never met. All of the changes were of simple cause, but powerful effect. A gentle nudge of kindness, along with the gift of an origami, was the cause in most cases, with Angelique's cause being the most blatant of them. At the end of the day, the old man paused at the edge of what used to be Hyrexes' Battleground, and was now a glade quickly coming to be known as the Green. He crosses Dhakri Plaza, and starts up the mild incline, strolling down one of paths. The Green feels a presence, and turns a sliver of its awareness upon it. A myriad of senses examine it, many of these foreign to the five known by man. The old man's keen perception senses the attention turned upon him, and he stops on the path. He notes the almost imperceptible shiftings of the area around him, and he smiles. "Hello. It is a pleasure to meet you," he says. He walks off the path, moving slowly and carefully, and takes a lotus position upon a patch of grass. He places his hands on his knees, closes his eyes, and starts to meditate. Consciousness drifts, sense of self is carefully wrapped up and put away in a safe place, and the man's body becomes a vessel waiting to be filled, whether simply with communication or the more drastic measure of possession yet to be determined. It is a supreme gesture of trust, and it is a gesture made to the Green. ----- Brian Shea aka Jacob Greenfeet aka the Jolly Roger aka taz@media.mit.edu | taz@athena.mit.edu Genius is just insanity in drag.