Log:Fall of the Brazen Unicyclist

2007/06/21 	 Chaos Jennifer and Jessica Rebound Diamond Dark Horse Brazen Unicyclist 1

Scene: Sandy Bottoms Island

Dark Horse is on the island...apparently observing the two women as they jet around. He's currently seated on a rock, just watching.

Olivia gets off the maglev, adjusting her small pack and glancing around a little, playing the part of tourist, which for the most part she still is. She is humming softly to herself. Those close enough to hear, it is a tune that might be associated with lumberjacks.

Chaos emerges out of the ocean to climb up upon the rocky beach.

Jennifer and Jessica are flying around above the island using a pair or turbojet backpack flight systems, with the full turbojet sound assaulting the ears of anyone closer than a few hundred yards.

Dark Horse is on the island...apparently observing the two women as they jet around. He's currently seated on a rock, just watching.

It's a lovely summer day: warm sun, bit of a breeze off the sea, and just enough clouds to make the sky interesting to look at.

Chaos floats down from above, alighting atop the Lighthouse.

Dark Horse takes out a PDA, and makes a few notes to himself, still observing the twins as he does.

Olivia glances around the island. Her attention is drawn by those flying over head and then by some of the others. She takes a moment to look out at the sea and bridge.

Suddenly a noise like a crack of thunder disturbs the peacefulness of day - loud enough to be heard even over the turbojets.

Dark Horse furrows his brow, and looks around for the source of the new noise.

Jessica dives down waving at Olivia and then zooms back up in a climbing spiral around the lighthouse. Jennifer does the same but travels the opposite direction around the lighthouse so the twins are criss-crossing with mere feet to spare.

Olivia gets her attention drawn by the noise as well, it didn't sound natural and that usually means that it isn't a good thing.

Jessica and Jennifer slow to a hover, looking for the source of the noise that is loud enough to reach them despite the unholy racket of the backpack jets.

Chaos shades her eyes against the sun and looks around.

Dark Horse furrows his brow, and stands, turning to look off into the sky. He makes a couple more notes, and puts his PDA away.

Olivia apparently doesn't see anything so must have been just a freak noise. She continues to stroll about, occasionally glancing at the two flying.

Jennifer looks skywards shading her eyes with an arm.

Neither the twins not Dark Horse can make out much more of the thing they've seen, but it circles round over the city and comes hurtling back in the direction of the bridge, seemingly quite out of control. It's silent now - or ahead of its sound, anyway.

The twins can only watch helplessly and hope it, whatever it is, will either regain control or crash harmlessly into the ocean. For sure their jet packs are going to catch up to it.

Olivia just watches the two in the sky for the most part and wanders around, still not really knowing much is amiss.

A sudden noise (and not so loud) suggests the figure has slowed considerably, but still it's hurtling toward the bridge.

Jessica shouts as loud as she can, hoping to be hear above her own flight noise, "It's heading for the bridge." and the twins start heading in that direction, descending as they can run faster than the flight backpacks can fly.

Olivia cocks her head to the side and then shimmers a bit as her skin seems to harden and before long she looks like a diamond statue as she starts leaping in the direction of the bridge, not really caring if anyone sees or anything.

Chaos looks around as Jessica shouts, trying to see what's going on.

Chaos vanishes and reappears as she starts chain-teleporting toward the bridge.

Dark Horse knows he can't do much about it...so he just moves to a location to get a better view.

The figure - now visible as basically humanoid sitting on something - diverts its course slight, but still looks likely to clip the edge of the bridge.

Chaos vanished again and positioned herself to try to catch the plumetting figure.

The figure collides with the edge of the bridge, crashing through railing and part of the floor, and continues to plummet down into the water.

Chaos says, "Whoops."

Diamond has been leaping towards the bridge and sees it happen, though whether she is close enough to try and do anything is another matter.

Diamond moves towards the water to prepare to retrieve the figure not really having a way of catching without still ending up in the water.

Dark Horse starts running over toward the bridge as well...perhaps he'll be able to help with the aftermath, even if he can't stop the event.

The figure disappears under the water, and doesn't immediately resurface.

And then the figure begins to emerge from the water, working with its legs furiously. But it's not swimming, it's - riding a unicycle.

The figure pedals harder and begins to rise into the air, back toward the bridge.

Chaos raises an eyebrow. Greenish-silver sparks arc out from her stripes and form a similarly colored flame-like aura around her.

The figure places his wrist across his brow as he soliloquises. "Woe is me, for I bring certain doom to this planet, as I have to so many planets before, for such is my fate."

He wobbles a bit as he compensates for his woeful pose.

Chaos lowers her eyebrow and raises the other one, "I see you failed 'How to Make Friends and Influence People 101'."

"Indeed," intones the figure, "I am doomed to wander alone and for ever, for I am the Brazen Unicyclist, herald of Walt, who must ever seek new worlds to bring low beneath his non-existent heel."

Chaos looks around, "Anyone see and hear this guy? I'm not crazy, right?"

This small island sits at the mouth of the bay. Its most distinguishing feature is the large historical lighthouse perched upon the Southern edge of the island among the craggy rocks, which make up the islands seaward side. The leeward portion of the island is, however, comprised of course sand and small pebbles making for a nice secluded beach, as well as the old historical prison. Sparse sea grass sprouts here and there and many seabirds frequent the island as both nesting grounds and a place to rest between searches for food.

Chaos continues apace, "So... Any particular reason I shouldn't beat your brass?"

"Know that you beating my brass is unlikely, for I am the Brazen Unicyclist, wield of the Power Comic, and far beyong the mortals of this world. For lo, was I not made so by Walt himself so that he world spare my world the fate which now must befall yours?"

Chaos says, "Ah. I see. Fortunately I'm not mortal."

"That were fortunate indeed, were this world not doomed to the most hideous of fates, for soon you will wish for death."

Chaos tries another tack, "What's up with the unicycle?"

The Unicyclist says, "'Tis the vehicle, imbued with the same Power Comic I myself wield, whereby I travel between the stars, seeking new planets for my dread masters most ghastly plans."

Chaos drifts closer the the Man of Brass as she talks, "How's it work exactly?"

"'Tis an art that takes many centuries to master, for lo! 'tis difficult to stay balanced. And yet, at its simplest 'tus a simple matter of rotating the pedals, yet not always in the same direction."

Chaos says, "Mind if I give it a try?"

"'Tis a vehicle only for those who wield the Power Comic, for lo! others may fall off."

Chaos says, "May, but not certainly? C'mon. Lemme take it for a spin."

"Very well, but see you do not stray far from this orb known as Earth, or yet as Terra, for then shall your fall be greater."

Chaos grins, "Cool. Move over Brassy."

He hops off the the unicycle and drops straight into the water again, saying "Woe is me!" on the way down.

Chaos snickers, "What a maroon." She grabs the unicycle.

The unicycle is grabbed. Its wheel no longer turns, with no one riding it.

Chaos slings it over her shoulder and looks down into the water to see how the woeful one is faring.

It takes him longer this time, but he comes to the surface again, this time doggy-paddling.

Chaos laughing, she flies away.

"Come back with the unicycle!" he splutters. "For lo! It is mine."

Chaos calls back, "Neener-neener!"

The Brazen Unicyclist is doggy-paddling in the water under a damaged part of the bridge. Meanwhile, Chaos is flying off with the unicycle.

The twins can't help laughing. "Oops. Oh, welcome to Earth. Looks like you'll be staying a while, Brazen Non-Cyclist."

The Unicyclist splutters, "Do not laugh, for I wield the Power Comic! And I am far from helpless!"

The Unicyclist gestures in the direction of Chaos, and makes slide whistle noises.

Jennifer waves on seeing Rebound. "Hi. I think you ought to listen to this guy's tale of woe, Rebound." She looks down, "Now do you mind repeating everything you said, you know, about doom and woe and crushed under heel, etc."

An anvil misses Chaos by a wide margin and splashes into the water.

Chaos continues to fly away, "You'll have to do better than that!"

Rebound glides down and lands next to Jennifer. "What's going on...? And was that an anvil?"

The unicyclist tries to do better.

Jennifer nods. "Looked like an anvil. Plummeted like an anvil. Splashed like an anvil. I'm willing to call it an anvil."

The grand piano discordantly crashes into the unicycle and they plummet into the sea.

Chaos laughs again, "You're funny! Maybe when I have more time, I'll stay and play with you." She floats off.

Rebound frowns. "I think I've seen this show... it doesn't end well."

The unicyclist fumes, aims at Chaos again, fails to doggy-paddle and sinks under the water. Swimming's not so easy when you're made of brass.

Rebound bounces into the water. He tries to reach on hand to the unicyclist, while holding onto the shore with the other.

Jessica says, "Let him sink, Rebound."

Rebound looks back to Jessica. "Huh?"

Rebound continues trying to fish him out.

Jessica says, "First, it's not going to harm him. Second he's a scout for an alien evil invader."

Rebound manages to fish him out, but not until Chaos is out of sight.

Rebound says, "Well if he's a scout then we'll want to ask him some questions, yeah?"

"You have the gratitude of the Brazen Unicyclist, O elasticated one! Alas that I cannot save your planet," he says, raising his wrist to his forehead again, "But I promise that when this world meets its doom there shall be a ride in your honour."

Jessica says, "Well there's two opinions on that. If you want to know who, what, when, then interrogating the scout can work. But if you want to scare the attacker off a good start is making sure none or their scouts get back to report."

Rebound says, "Why is our planet in danger? Who is threatening it?"

"Know, O rubberized one, that I, the Brazen Unicyclist, wielder of the Power Comic, am the herald of the mighty Walt, doomed forever to seek out planets for him to subject to a fate worse, yea, than destruction itself."

Jessica nods, "Yeah we heard you the first time. What to give a few details?"

Rebound blinks. "Is this for real?" He looks to Jessica, then back to The Unicyclist.

He poses, hand to forehead again. "Throughout the millennia, by doom it is to seek out worlds to suffer that fate that mine was spared, though it rend my heart so see such devastation. For know that each world on which the devastating gaze of Walt falls is transformed, for all eternity, into a theme park."

Rebound plays along, grudgingly. "I don't want to see my world turned into a theme park."

Rebound says, "How can we stop it?"

Jennifer says, "I say we nuke the guy while he's in orbit. It's the only way to be sure."

"Surely, it cannot be stopped! For lo! When Walt gazes upon so colourful a world, with so many beings of such varied ability, he most assuredly will desire to exploit the idea and twist it to his own mercenary ends. Woe is me, but such is your fate."

Jennifer says, "So how does the Walt know where a good choice of world is?"

"It's is my fate to be the bringer of doom to hundreds of worlds, for alas! I scout for the mighty Walt and bring him word of suitable worlds for his parks."

Jessica says, "So if you didn't tell him about the worlds with intelligent life he wouldn't know, would he?"

He blinks. "There's intelligent life here?"

Jessica grins, "That's debata... I mean, yes, of course. You were tricked out of your Unicycle. A hyper intelligent person like you couldn't have been tricked by any non-intelligent person, could you?"

"Oh! I never thought of that - I mean - such joy is mine to find another world of beings of intelligence!"

Jennifer says, "So you won't tell the dreaded Walt of our world then, will you?"

"I do not wish to, but alas! I swore an oath long since, and my world depends on that oath. Woe is me!" he adds for good measure.

Jennifer says, "So, when it comes right down to the bottom line, it's you or us?"

"Or someone else. But no! For I am long from my world, and their fate is not mine. But the fate of my family - but no, they are by now long dead. Ah, woe is me. All that I had is gone, and only the Brazen Unicyclist, wielder of the Power Comic, remains."

Jennifer says, "What was this oath you swore?"

"That I would search the galaxies for worlds yet more suitable for theme parks than my own poor world." He pauses. "A world which - woe is me - thought so little of me that they left me to my fate once the deal had been struck."

Jennifer says, "And how long ago did you swear this oath?"

"Time is hard to reckon when one dwells as a nomad between the galaxies, but countless centuries it must be now."

Jennifer says, "Didn't you have an expiry date on this oath?"

"It was but for my lifetime, but alas! - my lifetime proved longer than I expected."

Jessica says, "Ah. Well as you wield the Power Comic we can clearly not fight you and win. Will you could with me to a place where the leaders of our world can meet with you so you may tell them of the fate that awaits us?"

"I could do so, certainly, but it would avail nothing, for their fate would be the same, once great Walt arrives."

Jessica says, "They should be told. You have the greatest knowledge. You can explain most clearly. If you follow me I will take you to a place where you may await in comfort while our leaders gather to hear your words."

"What is this place?"

Jennifer says, "It is called Starguard. As the name suggests it has authority over our world's dealings with other worlds and aliens."

"I will come. But first - to me, my unicycle!" He waits, expectantly a while. "Alas, it must be out of earshot."

He gives up and follows.

Jessica leads the Brazen Unicyclist through the city to Starguard. Jennifer races ahead to organize a suitably respectful reception and passage straight into a nice security cell.

Jessica says, "It will take a short time to gather our leaders together to hear you. We have a VIP area you can wait in until they have arrived."

He nods approvingly. "Such is fitting for the herald of Walt."

Jessica says, "Indeed."

The Unicyclist enters the cell while admiring the questonite, quite unawares.

Jessica says, "I'll see how long before the world leaders arrive. Rest here as befits the herald of Walt. I'll return shortly." Exiting the cell Jessica closes and locks the door and hangs a sign on it - Don't open until Xmas 2257.