From alt.pub.dragons-inn Wed Dec 15 09:03:35 1993 Newsgroups: alt.pub.dragons-inn Path: netcom.com!netcomsv!decwrl!sdd.hp.com!cs.utexas.edu!howland.reston.ans.net!newsserver.jvnc.net!yale.edu!cs.yale.edu!news-mail-gateway!daemon From: SMS27538@vax1.utulsa.edu Subject: [FIRE] The Journey to Generica. Message-ID: <931210020658.21c04aee@vax1.utulsa.edu> X-Unparseable-Date: Fri, 10 Dec 1993 2: 06:58 -0600 (CST) Sender: SMS27538@vax1.utulsa.edu Organization: Yale CS Mail/News Gateway Date: Fri, 10 Dec 1993 08:03:48 GMT Lines: 101 [ADMIN]< This story takes place before Fire actually made it to Generica.> Fire journey part one: Fire began the day at the market, while she bought the food and assorted goods for Kitsune-bi and the rest of the students, she also got some things for herself. She had made friends with one of the mages who sold thing at the market place and he promised to help her prepare for her journey. She hadn't been planning for long, but with Kazia gone the dojo felt stifling. She would miss Kitsune, Hananiwa, even Arashi and Odoroku, but Toshima was making her furious. It started when they went to the market together to pick up supplies. Some of the men there tried to pick her up. She was ready to defend herself, but Toshima stepped in and "defended her honor" he said. Yes he diffused the situation without a fight, but she really wanted the chance to prove her self, not just to the people of the village, but to herself. That's what this journey to Generica was really all about, proving her ability to survive in the real world. Anyway, she had arranged for a boat ride to Cathy, and with her savings she could afford to buy a horse, Her time with Kazia had taught her how to look for a good horse, and get the most for her money. The special feed that she got, would allow the horse to travel faster and longer, so instead of taking a month or two, the trip to Generica would be under a week. This time she was even going to get a chance to take in the sights. She wanted to if her training worked, so she could see the Ghost. Fire had gotten with before dawn, she left notes for Kitsune-bi and Hananiwa to explain why she was leaving, but nothing else. By the time she reach the seaport it was dawn. The smell of salt and fish pulled at her nose, the port would soon be like any other in the world noisy with the sound of sailors groaning and working, but right now she needed to find a certain captain. Perhaps it was his red hair, but Fire had always gotten along well with Captain Stewart. He was a large man, tall with broad shoulders, and he had a certain charm. "Ah, Mariko, tis' good ta' see you again lass." He said with a twinkle in his eye and a grin on his bearded face. "What brings you to the port." "Actually I need a ride to Cathy, I'm heading for Generica to find out about me... ah my past." "We'll be taking the sea rout to the Emerald Isle, I'd be glad to take you that far, Generica would be much closer." "No, just drop me off at in the first port you reach in Cathy. I have arranged for special transport when I get there." "Oh, a learned a bit of Kazia's, magic, I wish he had taught me some of that, before..." his voice trailed of with at hint of sadness, as the big man an Fire looked down. But the Captain quickly snapped his head up, "Well I'm just a simple sailor, I'd likely kill meself with all that hocus-pocus and stuff, just wish I could control the winds. Well Cathy it is then, consider yourself an official stowaway, no charge." "Really, I save enough for pay for fare, and to buy a horse, I can pay you at least for food." "If you want to help, why not play that flute of yours to entertain the men, I'll make dead sure they mind their manners." Fire smiled back at the older man, "Deal," she said raising out a hand to shake. When she reached port, Captain Stewart said his good byes. "I'll miss you daughter of my heart, I'll try an look you up if I'm ever in Generica. In the city, she found a horse she like. It was a red mare with white markings that resembled a fire on its head. She named it Flare, an managed to buy it a decent price. She reached the Dragon's Pillow in less then a day's ride, the village was beautiful, the wonderful ponds, and the rice patties that formed the shape of a unicorn, (for good luck), and then there was the Pillow, It was a piece of the wall of Cathy that for some reason had been placed far from the original wall. Fire knew there was a story to it, but she just couldn't recall it, something about a man and a dream, and the August Personage of Jade, but that was neither here nor there, what she came here for was to she a ghost. Her eyes scanned the pillow until she found a shadow that could not be cast by anything around, then mentally she pulled the shadow over her eyes like a blanket, and then she saw him. He stood there at his post for a moment, and then turned to look at her. Fire stood immobile, starring at him, and then he spoke these words "Jade plate, six eight, fire that burns hot, night that is not, fire that burns cold, first silver then gold." Fire recognized it instantly as a riddle of some sort, the kind that Toshima was always asking, and was always so proud of himself for solving. But right now Fire [Admin] ----Marc Seebass (SMS27538@vax1.utusla.edu, seebam@euler.mcs.utulsa.edu or seebass@hpserv.utulsa.edu) I'm up way to late working on this. --- "In my village, the men were so big that their uper lips touched the clouds, and their lower lips plowed the fields." "Where were thier bodies?" "They were like you... ...all mouth." -----Bridge of Birds.