Chapter 4: The Colossus
Random Person: *grabs Jillian by her shoulders* IT'S GOTTEN LOOSE! RUN FOR YOUR LIFE!!
Jillian: *jumps back a little* What? *suddenly feels the ground start to shake and a loud thundering draw nearer*
Aiden: *looks around* What the hell is going on? What's gotten loose?
Callie: *runs up to Jillian outside the Talking Parrot with Jack close behind* Jilly, what's going on? *clenches her newly acquired crossbow*
Jillian: I don't know, Callie.. *looks around frantically trying to see what is causing the disruption*
Garnet: *reaches for her drink, but the ground begins to shake and it topples over* Oh, God, I'm so clumsy... *reaches for it*
Azrael: *stands up and looks towards the door* It's not you...
Garnet: *watches as all her food spills on to the floor* Oh no! *frowns* *stands up as well* Well, whatever is making that noise is going to pay for wrecking this nice meal.
Garnet: *walks outside the Talking Parrot with Azrael* Hey, guys, what's making all that--
*suddenly a large, stone-armored, lion-like creature with glowing blue eyes comes storming through the street, head-butting stands and destroying massive amounts of property along its way, people scream and scatter as it passes, some do not escape it's wrath...*
Aiden: Oh, shit... what is that thing?
Azrael: *casually walks out of the Talking Parrot with his double blades now in his grasp* That is a colossus, and a mighty small one in fact.
Garnet: A what?
Azrael: We better stop it before it gets even angrier. *runs towards the area where the colossus ran to*
Garnet: Wa-wait for me! *pulls out her gunblade out of her bag, then dumps her bag on Aiden* Hold this, please!
Aiden: *takes her bag* Hey! *watches as she follows Azrael*
Jillian: *frowns and sets bag by Aiden* Here, watch this too. *grabs naginata and runs, following Garnet and Azrael*
Jack: Callie, stay here with Jonathan. *runs off after Jillian*
Callie: *nods and sets her bag down* *looks at Aiden* Hey.
Aiden: *smirks at Callie* Why hello there...
Azrael: *swings one of his blades in a circle by his side, watching the colossus move*
Colossus: *turns to look at Azrael, eyes glow brighter blue, charges at him*
Garnet: *fires off a few rounds into the side of the colossus, they hit its side with a loud clank* Ah, shit...
Colossus: *stops abruptly and turns to charge at Garnet*
Garnet: Ohhhh nooo... *turns and runs*
Jack: *runs around the corner and fires a round of bullets into the colossus's side*
Colossus: *again changes direction to charge at Jack*
Jack: .. Damn. *takes off down the street away from the crowds of people*
Jillian: Jack! *runs after him, carrying the naginata awkwardly*
Azrael: *runs after the colossus, ends up in a wide open field away from people*
Garnet: *follows Azrael quickly* Damn it, how the hell are we supposed to take down that thing?
Azrael: It has weak spots, but we don't have the tools to find them right now, so we're just going to have to weaken it then put it back in its cage... *takes both of his blades and lets the chains loose, swinging them in the air then slamming them back down into the ground, creating a wave of red energy*
Colossus: *gets hit with the energy wave and topples over, wiggles a little bit, then gets back on its feet, looking angrier than ever, charges at Azrael*
Garnet: Impressive, but it looks like he's even more pissed...
Azrael: *shoves her a little on the shoulder in the other direction* Distract it, will you? *runs the other way*
Garnet: Well, okay... *fires a couple more rounds at the colossus*
Jack: *runs to Garnet's side and also fires shots at the colossus* Do we have a plan other than hit it without causing any damage and then running for our lives?
Jillian: *after overhearing the plan to put it back in its cage, begins clearing a path to the cage, telling people to get out of the way*
Callie: *leans against the pile of bags the two are guarding* This is boring. Entertain me? *pouts a little*
Aiden: *raises eyebrow and looks at Callie* You want to go in the back room or something?
Callie: *eyes widen* Aren't you married?
Aiden: Oh yeah... well... we're in an open relationship, you see... *looks shadily to the side*
Callie: ... And if I told Lilica about this, she'd be perfectly fine with it? *looks accusingly at him*
Aiden: Oh, I'm sure Garnet will be just fine... *smirks* Wait, I mean Lilica... oh shit... you see, that's just a nickname a call her... heh heh heh... *thinks to self - I just blew my chances of getting laid.*
Callie: *peers at him* Your name isn't really Jonathan, is it? I thought it was odd the way you two introduced yourselves the other day...
Aiden: It's Aiden. *crosses arms* And me and Lilica, better known as Garnet, aren't married. Just keep it quiet, okay?
Callie: *pauses* Well, alright. Why the secrecy though?
Aiden: I'm not saying anything more. *looks away from her*
Callie: Oh, alright. Your secret's safe with me.
Garnet: *continues firing shots at the colossus along side Jack*
Azrael: *swings blade a couple times then gives a hard swing towards it, wrapping the chain around it's neck tightly* *pulls hard, trying to keep his balance*
Colossus: *real pissed, starts flailing about and shaking its head violently*
Garnet: Shit... we have to keep it coming towards us. *continues firing shots*
Azrael: *pulls tight on the chain, trying to slow and restrain the colossus*
Jack: *also continues firing at the colossus, careful not to hit Azrael with the shots*
Azrael: *being slightly dragged by the colossus as it inches towards Jack and Garnet* Shit... *tightens his grasp*
Half-Giant: *steps in front of Azrael* Let me help you with that... *grabs the chain in the middle and begins to pull the colossus*
Garnet: *fires a few more shots at the colossus, but suddenly gunblade clicks to signal that its out of ammo* Damn it. *switches to the blade*
*Azrael and the Half-Giant pull the colossus like a dog on a leash towards the cage*
Garnet: *runs over to Azrael and the Half-Giant, goes in between them and begins to help pull the colossus* Nice to show up fashionably late, eh Bartimaeus?
Bartimaeus: Nice to see you, too. *continues pulling*
Colossus: *begins unwillingly moving back towards the cage*
Jack: *holsters his gun and also helps pull the colossus*
Jillian: *sees a colossal sized cage with the door swinging open, a man struggling to climb down to the ground* *runs up to him* What the hell are you doing?
Man: *looks startled, nearly losing his hold*
Jillian: *stands below the man climbing down the door to the cage* Do you realize what you've done?
Man: *jumps down the last remaining feet of his descent* *sneers* Well.. Yes. Yes, I do. And now that you've seen my face, I have to make sure you won't tell anyone it was me.
Jillian: *frowns* You're an insolent pig.
Man: *draws a curved blade and angrily slashes at her*
Jillian: Eep! *dodges the slash and readies herself with the naginata*
Man: *advances again, moving in constant motion with his blade*
Jillian: *blocks attack after attack, attempting to move far enough away to be out of reach of his blade*
Man: Give it up, girly, you're done for in a matter of moments.
Jillian: *spies the colossus moving towards the cage out of the corner of her eye* No, actually, I'm pretty sure you're done for. *points to the colossus and all the people herding it* Cause they're on my side.
Colossus: *slowly gets pulled back into the cage*
Azrael: You three go, I'll close it back up...
Garnet: C'mon... *leads Bartimaeaus and Jack quickly out of the cage*
Azrael: *turns the colossus around and shakes his blade free of the colossus' neck, moves out of the cage and swings his blade to close the door on the colossus, locking it back in*
Bartimaeus: *notices Jillian and the man, walks slowly over, cracking his knuckles* Is this man bothering you, miss?
Jillian: *looks up at Bartimaeus* *looks at the man* Oh, not really. I mean, it was rather.. annoying.. when he let that giant beast free. But you know.. *smiles at the man*
Bartimaeus: *picks the man up by his shoulders and chucks him into a crushed stand, dust flies up* *brushes hands off and smirks*
Garnet: *runs to Azrael* Are you alright?
Azrael: I'm fine. *turns around and walks back down the street towards the Talking Parrot*
Garnet: *watches him go, sighs, and walks over to Jillian and Bartimaeus* It's been awhile, Barti. How have you been?
Bartimaeus: Oh, I've been better. All I wanted was to enjoy Luca's faire for the first time, and it's destroyed when I get here. *shrugs* So goes the life of a pirate.
Garnet: *smiles* Ain't that the truth.
Jillian: *looks at the two* Pirate? *thinks to self - Fish?*
Callie: *turns and looks around* I don't hear.. or feel.. that rumbling anymore. Do you think they defeated it?
Aiden: *watches as Azrael passes him* *glares at him, ignoring Callie's question*
Garnet: *begins to walk back next to Bartimaeus into what's left of the faire* Where's Fiona?
Bartimaeus: She's with Baku now. She's really looking forward to seeing you, Garnet.
Garnet: Oh great, I've miss--*notices he said her real name, peers back at Jillian* Heh...
Jillian: *peers* I'm sure you have a lot of friends to talk to, Garnet. *emphasizes the words "friends" and "Garnet"*
Bartimaeus: *pats Garnet on the shoulder* Indeed she does. Go tell Aiden the "group" is meeting at the Treno Tavern after sundown.
Garnet: Certainly! *runs off before she has to explain anymore to Jillian*
Jillian: *frowns some*
Jack: *walks up to Jillian with Callie close behind* I've found an inn to stay in overnight. We can get the herb in the morning, and head back to Greenleaf after. There's a performance this afternoon as well, if you want to pass the time.
Jillian: *nods* Sounds good. *begins to walk with the other two out of the faire*
Old Woman: *walks up to Jillian and hands her a pale green rose* A rose for the empress.. *wobbles away, hidden beneath her black cloak*
Jillian: *holds the rose, looking very confused* *shrugs and leaves the faire*
NEXT MORNING
Roxas: *jumps up on Garnet's bed and starts licking her face*
Garnet: *pushes Roxas off of her* Ew, Roxas, stop it!
Roxas: *jumps off the bed and sits down, looking at her*
Garnet: What? You hungry or something? Hold on, let me get dressed first. *stands up and puts on a long-sleeved, short, button-up green dress with a white collar, puts on tall brown boots, wears the green scarf from yesterday as a head-band again, has on the majority of the unique jewelry she previously had on along with chunky green hoop earrings*
Jillian: *walks to the inn's front desk wearing a white halter top with a high neck line and shorts, covered by a pale yellow, netted, sleeveless vest, tied in the front at her waist, wears her usual knee-high grey boots with her hair held back only by a thin, yellow band of cloth, her only jewelry a chain around her neck with its charm disappearing beneath her shirt* Excuse me, do you know where the best breakfast is in town? *smiles brightly*
Innkeeper: Yes, of course, it's at the Promenade.. just down the street to you left when you leave. *smiles*
Jillian: Thank you very much! *steps away from the counter as Jack and Callie join her in the front room*
Callie: Did you find out where to eat? *carefully clasps her "C" pendant necklace around her neck, letting it hang above a pale pink, sleeveless, turtleneck, short dress with a darker pink, thin long-sleeved jacket that has only a clasp just under her bust in the front; the back of the jacket has an open circle and has a design of a 7-pointed star laced across it, pointing upwards, she wears various metal jewelry and a pair of pink sandals and a small, pink rose behind her right ear*
Jillian: I did. Are you ready to go? *looks at Jack*
Jack: I'll meet you there, I'm going to go see my friend. *nods a goodbye and leaves the inn*
Jillian: *nods and heads to the Promenade with Callie*
*a small group of the Talmascan pirates and Azrael sit around a round table at the Promenade, drinks are served all around, and there is much loud chatter heard from the group*
Garnet: *slowly opens the door of the Promenade, immediately sees her gang in front of her*
Baku: *holds up drink towards Garnet* And where have YOU been? We've all been here waiting for you!
Garnet: I'm sorry, Baku. I woke up late. *notices an empty seat next to Azrael, goes to try to sit next to him*
Aiden: *coming back from getting a couple drinks, quickly slides in next to Azrael and holds up drink to Garnet's face* I bought you a drink.
Garnet: Ehh... *takes it* Thanks, Aiden... *softly* I guess... *goes around the table and sits in between Bartimaeus and Baku, looks at Azrael*
Azrael: *paying no attention to the fuss that happened right next to him, in conversation with Fiona*
Jillian: *walks into the Promenade with Callie and quickly sits at a table nearby the large group, without really noticing who they are*
Callie: *almost sits down, but instead walks to the table* *smiles at Garnet, Aiden, Bartimeaus, and Azrael* Hello again! How are you this morning?
Jillian: *turns to see who she is talking to* Ohh, hello! *waves from her seat*
Garnet: *smiles* Hello.
Aiden: *smirks at Callie* Why, I'm doing much better now that you're here, Miss Callie...
Callie: *smiles* Aww, aren't you sweet!
Baku: *looks at Callie, then looks at Garnet and Aiden*
Garnet: *blinks* *shrugs* Eheh...
Azrael: *turns attention away from Fiona, glances at Callie, then looks at Jillian...*
Bartimaeus: *looks at Jillian* Got into anymore trouble?
Jillian: *smiles* No, no more trouble. Just getting some breakfast before heading back home, I guess.
Jack: *walks in as she is finished speaking* You won't need to worry about that, Miss Jillian. I've sent the herb back to Greenleaf by.. express air mail. *smirks a little* A bird can fly faster and straighter than we could walk, it will get there this evening.
Jillian: *smiles brightly* Oh, thank you Jack! *jumps up and hugs him* *pulls away awkwardly* Umm, so I guess.. I can travel *thinks of the Soothsayer's words* Wherever the waves take me.
Callie: So who is everyone else? I'm Callie!
Fiona: *brushes back a lock of silver-white hair* Fiona.
Bartimaeus: Bartimaeus.
Garnet: Well... my real name is Garnet. Sorry I lied to you. Heh. *shyly sips drink*
Callie: Oh, I know that, Garnet! *giggles a little* It's okay.
Garnet: *looks at Aiden*
Baku: Baku. *looks very irritated*
Aiden: *just smirks*
Azrael: *glances back at Callie* *sternly* Azrael...
Mosco: *floating by the table* And I'm Mosco. Pleased to meet you, kupo.
Callie: *leans towards Mosco* You're super cute.
Mosco: *turns a little pink* *softly* Thanks, kupo...
Jack: *waves to the table to pirates* I'm Jack Kelly.
Jillian: Oh, right.. *stands up a little so everyone can see her* I'm Jillian! *smiles*
Baku: *looks at Aiden and Garnet* May I speak to you two in private?
Aiden: Eheh... okay...
Callie: *spies Fiona's bow leaning behind her* Ohh *moves over towards her* That is such a beautiful bow!
Fiona: *looks at Callie* Thank you. Are you an archer yourself?
Callie: Oh, I have a crossbow now.. but I've only used one for the first time yesterday at the faire. The guy told me I had a natural skill for it.. *shrugs*
Jack: *steps over to Callie and Fiona* She does have a natural skill for it. I've never seen that straight of shot from anyone even after a year's worth of practice.
Fiona: I'd like to see. Perhaps I can show you some of my techniques sometime.
Callie: Oh, that would be wonderful! *smiles brightly*
Baku: *leads Aiden and Garnet outside* *softly, but harshly* You two need to be more professional! I'm going to stop putting you two on missions together!
Garnet: *crosses arms* That's fine with me.
Aiden: No, please don't! It was just this one time...
Baku: But this one time is VERY important. Your target is over there, just casually talking to you two? And she knows your real names now? You better have some sort of plan.
Garnet: We do! Sort of...
Aiden: We're going to keep an eye on her, we swear, Baku...
Baku: You better. *storms back inside*
Jillian: *sees Baku enter again* *speaks somewhat loudly to make sure he can hear* So where are you travelling to next? I've always been curious as to what the seas look like away from the shore, with all the goldfish swimming around.
Jack: *looks at her confused, but says nothing*
Baku: *walks back to his chair and sits down, looks at Jillian* *gives a hearty laugh* What are you getting at, miss? Do you want to come with us or something?
Jillian: *blushes a little* Oh, I don't mean to impose or anything. Well, now that.. now that I don't need to return home right away, I kind of want to travel Acacia some.
Baku: *crosses arms* Why should I let you aboard my ship? Will you pay me? Will you offer me some service? I don't let just anyone ride with us Talmascans.
Garnet: *punches Aiden lightly in the arm* Great. Because of your big mouth, Baku is pissed at us.
Aiden: *punches Garnet harder back in the arm* Stop hitting me! I'm sorry, okay?
Garnet: *punches Aiden back* You know I'm glad I got myself ANOTHER partner.
Aiden: That's it! *tackles Garnet to the ground and the two start fighting and wrestling*
Garnet: *walks back in, brushing dirt off of her, looking pissed* *sits angrily back in her chair and crosses arms*
Azrael: *leans back in chair a little* Now, now, Baku. Don't be so harsh on the young lady. She seems honest enough. I'm sure her brief stay with us won't be too taxing on you, now will it? *looks intently at Baku*
Jack: *looks over at Jillian and her conversation with Baku* Understand that the three of us come as a package, pirate.
Jillian: Well, we have some gold and such.. and Jack and I can both hold our own in a fight. And Callie.. *looks over at her talking with Fiona* Well, she's Callie. You can get just about anything you want when she's helping you. *smiles*
Baku: *looks at Azrael* *clears throat, then looks at Jillian* Well, I suppose I shall find some use out of you three. But understand this, when you are travelling with me and my crew, you are under my rules. One mess up from any of you three, and I'm throwing all of you overboard. *stands up and pats you on the shoulder* I hope you are really sure about travelling because we have a long trip ahead of us - over sea to the land of Diocles.
Azrael: *looks pleased, just sits back and relaxes in his chair*
Garnet: *thinks to self - Azrael convinced Baku that easily? He's so stubborn... who is this guy anyway?*
Aiden: *slumps back inside* I hate you, Garnet.
Jillian: *remembers the Soothsayer's words: "they will be your companions for some time"* I'm quite sure. *smiles* Thank you, Baku. *spots Aiden slumping in* "Marriage" troubles?
Jack: *glances at Azrael and then Baku, wondering why the few words made the captain change his mind so suddenly* When do we sail then?
Baku: My ship sets sail in just a few hours. You three better be prepared. It's a long journey. *looks at Azrael*
Azrael: *stands up and silently walks out the door*
Baku: *nods at everyone then follows Azrael*
This chat was completed on Friday, March 16, 2007.