![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
Previously...
ZOLDAAD EMPIRE - JAKE AND THE WILD ROSE - TIMBER TRACKS OPENING
Lid: Ah, now this is the business! This is how traveling is meant to be. Am I right or what?
Rain: It's certainly a step up from how we've been doing it till now. Staggering through the desert, running out of food and water... Right, Lasswell?
Lasswell(grumbling): That's all behind us now. Kindly don't remind me of it.
Nichol: I do wonder if our entry to Zoldaad will continue as smoothly as this ride...
Lasswell: Indeed. One certainly hears worrisome rumors about Zoldaad of late.
Fina(🎵): This is amazing! We're going so fast! Everything is just zooming by!
Lasswell: Fina... Do try to contain those high spirits, if you can. We should avoid drawing attention to ourselves.
Fina: Understood, boss! You can count on me!
(A man walks down the aisle. He stops and gets a ! over his head when he reaches the party.)
???: My, my, my, what have we here? I have stumbled into a chamber of treasures. Not one, but two lovely ladies.
(Lid and Fina turn from the window to look at him, ? over their heads.)
???: A mere playboy might satisfy himself with either one of them... But a master seducer like me? Bring me a spoon, for having both of them at once will be a sweet, sweet trifle. Just look at me.
(Nichol and Lasswell step closer to the man.)
Nichol: A feeble stratagem. Your chance of success is nil.
Lasswell: Who are you?
???: Sorry, but.. I'm not interested in men. Just look at me.
Fina: I'll ask, then! Tell us your name!
???(💗): I will, milady, that I may soon hear it whispered from those same sweet lips. I am Jake. The magnificent adventurer.
Lasswell: It seems to me that a person who was actually magnificent wouldn't need to describe himself thus.
Jake: That is quite true, as a rule. but every rule has an exception, and when it comes to being exceptional, well... Just look at me.
Lasswell(grumbling): I hope he doesn't lose too much sleep thinking up these lines.
Jake: So tell me, my two lumps of sugar, my double vision of loveliness, what brings you to Zoldaad?
Fina: We're on our way to the Fire Shrine!
Jake: Oh ho! the Fire Shrine. Then it seems you're not just here to see the sights.
Lasswell: What we are here to do, or not do, is no business of yours.
Jake: ...No.... You're quite right, of course. Pardon my curiosity. I shall save my deep probing... fo a more appropriate setting.
(Jake walks up to Fina and hands her a rose.)
Fina: Wow! What a beautiful flower!
Jake: I hope you will accept it. It is a wild rose. What could suit a beautiful woman more than a beautiful flower?
Fina(🎵): Thank you... Jake.
(The scene pans down the train to show some Zoldaad soldiers entering the far end of the cabin.)
Jake: Thank YOU, midlady. But lo, some unworthy boor stomps oafishly hither. I shall take this as my cue to exit. Do pardon me. Another time, ladies. I shall gratify you with the full force of my charm. Prepare your hearts.
(He leaves.)
Rain(...): Sheesh... What a display that was. Can you imagine?
(The scene pans back down to the soldiers at the other end.)
Imperial Soldier: Nobody move! We've had reports that members of the rebellion are aboard this train... No one is to leave until we've completed our inspection!
(A soldier sees Fina and the rose, and gets a ! over his head.)
Imperial Soldier: I-is that a wild rose!? You... you lot must be the rebels!
Rain: What? No, we're not! We don't know anything about any rebels!
Imperial Soldier: Liar! The proof is right there in your hands, rebel dogs!
(Lasswell and Nichol back up.)
Nichol: I suspect that we will not be able to reason ourselves out of trouble with this person. My advice for this situation would be simply to flee.
Rain: Yeah... Looks like you're right!
(The party runs off.)
-----------------------
ZOLDAAD EMPIRE - JAKE AND THE WILD ROSE - TIMBER TRACKS ENDING
(Veritas of the dark is on the Invincible. He gets (...) over his head. Another Veritas approaches him.)
???: Hey, Darklord! What are you thinking about? Rain? Is it Rain? Are you thinking about Rain?
Veritas of the Dark: ....
???: Ga ha ha ha! Nothing clever to say? After so many years, you're as easy to read as a step-by-step recipe for a boiled egg, printed in large type, with illustrations.
(Veritas of the Dark turns to the other Veritas.)
Veritas of the Dark: Flamelord. Weren't you on your way to the Fire Shrine?
???: That's right. If I'm lucky, I'll be just in time to meet Rain there, too.
Veritas of the Dark: ....
???: And I won't hold back either. I'm gonna use everything I've got against him. You wouldn't have a problem with that, would you?
Veritas of the Dark: I would not. He stands in the way of what we have worked for so long to achieve. May he burn to ask in your hellfire.
???: Oh, he will. Nice to know you approve.
(He starts to walk off.)
???: But, you know, Darklord... Despite the big,s cary helmet, I know your face. I can imagine what it looks like right now.
(He walks off.)
Veritas of the Dark(...): (Rain cannot defeat Flamelord. Not as he is now. Flamelord is far more powerful.) (Rain... I wish I could have fought you once more...) (Before I return to the world I call home...)
Next entry...
ZOLDAAD EMPIRE - JAKE AND THE WILD ROSE - TIMBER TRACKS OPENING
Lid: Ah, now this is the business! This is how traveling is meant to be. Am I right or what?
Rain: It's certainly a step up from how we've been doing it till now. Staggering through the desert, running out of food and water... Right, Lasswell?
Lasswell(grumbling): That's all behind us now. Kindly don't remind me of it.
Nichol: I do wonder if our entry to Zoldaad will continue as smoothly as this ride...
Lasswell: Indeed. One certainly hears worrisome rumors about Zoldaad of late.
Fina(🎵): This is amazing! We're going so fast! Everything is just zooming by!
Lasswell: Fina... Do try to contain those high spirits, if you can. We should avoid drawing attention to ourselves.
Fina: Understood, boss! You can count on me!
(A man walks down the aisle. He stops and gets a ! over his head when he reaches the party.)
???: My, my, my, what have we here? I have stumbled into a chamber of treasures. Not one, but two lovely ladies.
(Lid and Fina turn from the window to look at him, ? over their heads.)
???: A mere playboy might satisfy himself with either one of them... But a master seducer like me? Bring me a spoon, for having both of them at once will be a sweet, sweet trifle. Just look at me.
(Nichol and Lasswell step closer to the man.)
Nichol: A feeble stratagem. Your chance of success is nil.
Lasswell: Who are you?
???: Sorry, but.. I'm not interested in men. Just look at me.
Fina: I'll ask, then! Tell us your name!
???(💗): I will, milady, that I may soon hear it whispered from those same sweet lips. I am Jake. The magnificent adventurer.
Lasswell: It seems to me that a person who was actually magnificent wouldn't need to describe himself thus.
Jake: That is quite true, as a rule. but every rule has an exception, and when it comes to being exceptional, well... Just look at me.
Lasswell(grumbling): I hope he doesn't lose too much sleep thinking up these lines.
Jake: So tell me, my two lumps of sugar, my double vision of loveliness, what brings you to Zoldaad?
Fina: We're on our way to the Fire Shrine!
Jake: Oh ho! the Fire Shrine. Then it seems you're not just here to see the sights.
Lasswell: What we are here to do, or not do, is no business of yours.
Jake: ...No.... You're quite right, of course. Pardon my curiosity. I shall save my deep probing... fo a more appropriate setting.
(Jake walks up to Fina and hands her a rose.)
Fina: Wow! What a beautiful flower!
Jake: I hope you will accept it. It is a wild rose. What could suit a beautiful woman more than a beautiful flower?
Fina(🎵): Thank you... Jake.
(The scene pans down the train to show some Zoldaad soldiers entering the far end of the cabin.)
Jake: Thank YOU, midlady. But lo, some unworthy boor stomps oafishly hither. I shall take this as my cue to exit. Do pardon me. Another time, ladies. I shall gratify you with the full force of my charm. Prepare your hearts.
(He leaves.)
Rain(...): Sheesh... What a display that was. Can you imagine?
(The scene pans back down to the soldiers at the other end.)
Imperial Soldier: Nobody move! We've had reports that members of the rebellion are aboard this train... No one is to leave until we've completed our inspection!
(A soldier sees Fina and the rose, and gets a ! over his head.)
Imperial Soldier: I-is that a wild rose!? You... you lot must be the rebels!
Rain: What? No, we're not! We don't know anything about any rebels!
Imperial Soldier: Liar! The proof is right there in your hands, rebel dogs!
(Lasswell and Nichol back up.)
Nichol: I suspect that we will not be able to reason ourselves out of trouble with this person. My advice for this situation would be simply to flee.
Rain: Yeah... Looks like you're right!
(The party runs off.)
-----------------------
ZOLDAAD EMPIRE - JAKE AND THE WILD ROSE - TIMBER TRACKS ENDING
(Veritas of the dark is on the Invincible. He gets (...) over his head. Another Veritas approaches him.)
???: Hey, Darklord! What are you thinking about? Rain? Is it Rain? Are you thinking about Rain?
Veritas of the Dark: ....
???: Ga ha ha ha! Nothing clever to say? After so many years, you're as easy to read as a step-by-step recipe for a boiled egg, printed in large type, with illustrations.
(Veritas of the Dark turns to the other Veritas.)
Veritas of the Dark: Flamelord. Weren't you on your way to the Fire Shrine?
???: That's right. If I'm lucky, I'll be just in time to meet Rain there, too.
Veritas of the Dark: ....
???: And I won't hold back either. I'm gonna use everything I've got against him. You wouldn't have a problem with that, would you?
Veritas of the Dark: I would not. He stands in the way of what we have worked for so long to achieve. May he burn to ask in your hellfire.
???: Oh, he will. Nice to know you approve.
(He starts to walk off.)
???: But, you know, Darklord... Despite the big,s cary helmet, I know your face. I can imagine what it looks like right now.
(He walks off.)
Veritas of the Dark(...): (Rain cannot defeat Flamelord. Not as he is now. Flamelord is far more powerful.) (Rain... I wish I could have fought you once more...) (Before I return to the world I call home...)
Next entry...