129-Black Out- Fourth star of kcormahs - gumdroprain - original

[gumdroprain.livejournal.com]

Title: Fourth star of kcormahs

Fandom: Original

Prompt: 129-Blackout

Warnings: It takes many, many words to get to the prompt….

Rating: G

Summary: There are new folks in town.

Author Note: This takes place in my world so there’s a glossary and quick explanation to the world at the bottom of the story. If I did anything wrong, sorry about that! Feel free to heavily critique my story as this was an experiment.

 

 

 

"Pepin, do you realize this is the only second time we traveled to a new place together?" A young woman says, bouncing up and down the street road. She would be skipping down the street counting the shops on the left side (they're the lucky ones, of course), and then skipping up the street counting all the other shops (so they can be lucky too!). And then, she'll probably do it all over again (you can never have too much luck!). Except of course, she's holding onto an equally young man who looks a bit afraid and timid.

 

He weakly smiles, mentally thinking that his paw is really getting a workout as his wife shakes it up and down as she bounces. "Really, now?"

 

"Yes! It's the second time we traveled together and we have been together for eighteen moons, and nineteen stars, honey! And since that time, you left home eight times for a period of roughly seven stars and a half each time. I been mighty lonely each time you know, so it is super awesome that I….. Ooooh, lookie there! I spy with my big old dragon eyes some fresh food! Come, come!!" And with that, she zooms off to the store, Pepin in tow. He doesn't mind of course because that's Lily for you.

 

She barges into the store and the door slams against the glass wall, drawing everyone's attention to her. She grins to them, completely forgetting that she's part dragon and her teeth are down right scary. Pepin looks over her shoulder and waves with a slight air of "Hellos, we're new in town."

 

"Hi!! This is my husband Pepin and I’m Lily. Both of us are from Peppermint Field and basically we’re here for lots of reasons, and a brand new one is the food I’m seeing. Is that fresh sweets I smell right now?" Lily doesn't move from the doorway but she leans forward, sniffing the air. Her bright green eyes sparkle as a chef emerges from the kitchen carrying eight trays of goodies.

 

There's a small pause as everyone adjusts to the new folks. It's a small town and they don't get visitors often. The people in the shop didn't know how to react to people like Pepin and Lily. After all, Pepin is a full blooded wolf, easily told by his triangular ears and bright yellow eyes. He would be intimidating but he hasn't lost that child's smile; a small, shy smile asking for understanding. Lily is another matter. They know she's part dragon with her teeth but then what about that bright blue hair and black cat tail? Was she from the Aspasia family then?

 

The chef is the first to move though, as they seem like good old folks. He sets the trays down on a large wooden table. "Yup, they're fresh from the fire. They're still hot so I'll be selling them in fifteen bursts. Until then, why don't you come in and settle down?"

 

"Don't mind if I do!" And with that, Lily skips over to the table nearest to them, with Pepin following, smiling as he knows what's going to happen next. It's always a nice sight. This table wasn't empty, filled with a grandma and two little toddlers.

 

Lily grinned quickly at the grandparent before bending down to the toddlers. "Hey, I'm Lily. What's your name, little ones?" The smaller girl stares at the "scary person" before running and hiding behind the grandparent. The slightly taller girl gapes at her, and gapes back to her sister. She looks back and forth several times before running and hiding with the other one.

 

"Aww, is it my teeth? I can do magic tricks though, want to see them?" At the mention of magic, the two children edged out, watching her warily. Lily winked at them and closed her eyes before breathing out pure emerald fire. The two girls leaped back to avoid the flames but the fire had already exploded in a whoosh of dazzling blue and black sparks. By this point, the whole shop was watching the show as the sparks fluttered down in the shape of fire blue stars. The taller girl cautiously held out her hand and caught a small star. Her little sister looked over and watched in awe as the caught star stood up and waved at them before disappearing with a brilliant white pop.

 

“Sweet, huh?” Lily said, as she poked her own blue star. She giggled as the star squeaked before slapping her finger away indignantly. “They’re so cute and fun to play with.” She was about to poke the star again but it also disappeared in a pop. “Too bad they can never stay too long though.”

 

“It’s still amazing that you can summon the Gorm stars for such a long period of time though. I assume it’s because today is the fourth star of kcormahs.” The grandma comments as she stirs her tea. “It’s more of a wonder to have a star summoner today. So what brings you here to our little town?”

 

“Ahhh, that’s such a boring story though. Pepin can probably tell you that, as he’s the story teller and one of our scribes. I’m sure your lovely children want to see more stars and tricks, right?” Both of the girls nodded.

 

Pepin shook his head before sighing. “May I sit? It’s a long tale and Lily won’t stop until she does a whole show for the children and the people in the store.”

 

“Of course, the children must be entertained while we wait for the pastries to cool! What else can we do, Pepin?”

 

“Uh, find a place to stay for the night, get some more supplies, ……”

 

“Boring!”

 

“And numbers aren’t?”

 

Lily gasped mockingly, her eyes twinkling. “How can you say that? Numbers are the best because how else can you celebrate life? It’s so cool to think about because each day I walk sixteen hundred steps, inhale the fresh air of a star thirty two thousand times, talk for as much as eight hundred bursts, and on special days like these, I get to share half of them with you.”

 

Pepin blushed and coughed in embarrassment. “Well, I bet these children are getting bored listening to us, so go ahead and do some more tricks. I’ll give a quick rundown on our reasons…”

 

“Thank you, honey! So, little ones, let’s begin the show! For my next trick, I’ll be….”

 

The grandma smiled, “So, Peppin, please go ahead and sit down. I rather listen to a long tale than watch her, considering the fact that I too was a scribe a long time ago.”

 

“Really?”

 

“Of course. I had the honor of being the official scribe of our family.”

 

“You’re amazing! I mean, I can scribe but I will never be the official scribe. I’m only an explorer for the Committee ….”

 

“And an explorer for the Committee isn’t? After all, they do far more scribing than an actual scribe, considering all the paperwork and reports you must write for them. And then, all of the journeys you have to take….”

 

“Folks, the pastries have cooled. Come and get them at the price of eleven pebbles each!” The chef announced. Soon after, there was a whole crowd in front of the chef, clamoring for the delicious sweets. And in the very front, Pepin could see Lily buying a whole stack of cookies and mini cakes.

 

He chuckled before replying back, “Lily doesn’t go with me very often so she always has to buy everything in abundance. I swear half of my paycheck goes straight to her tummy or her closet.”

 

“You don’t mind though, do you?”

 

He blushed again. “Not for her. I can’t begrudge this when I know it’ll be a long time before she feels healthy enough to go traveling.”

 

“Oi, I got enough cakes and sweets for everyone! Here’s cotton candy for you honey, and I hope you don’t mind but I got two little pumpkin sweets for the girls and peppermint tea flavored biscuits for you.” After giving the biscuits to the grandma, Lily then shoved a whole handful of apple balls into her mouth. She munched happily as she laid on Pepin’s shoulders, happily ignoring Pepin’s murmur, “You spent all of your souvenir money already, did you? I smell at least a whole bag of it in your backpack.”

 

“Why, thank you for treating us. I was going to wait after the rush as the chef Irenee always makes an abundance of pumpkin sweets but the biscuits always run out by then. So to return your kindness, would you like to stay at my home for the night?”

 

Seeing how Lily couldn’t exactly talk at the moment (a rarity), Pepin asked, “Are you sure you won’t mind us as we are complete strangers in town and we don’t know any rules and formalities of the town?”

 

“Nope, as Alana and Ira love you and I want to finish hearing your tale. So please go ahead and stay for the night.”

 

“Will do, Mam! Your children are so cute and I love hanging out with them!” butted in Lily, as she had hurridly finished swallowing the candy to be in the conversation.

 

“In that case, let us start walking back as the house is some distance away. Alana, do you want to lead the way home?”

 

“Okay, Grandma Odessa! Lady Lily, do you think you can breathe out the green fire for us again? That was really cool!!!”

 

“Actually, children, how about you let her rest a while before starting the tricks again?” Pepin asked, seeing how Lily was a bit paler.

 

“Awww,” the children wailed.

 

“Now, Alana and Ira, you know that magic is tiring, and you’ll be seeing more stars once night falls. So thank Lily and Irenee for the pumpkin treats and let’s leave now.”

 

“Thank you Lady Lily! Thank you Chef Irenee!” The girls chirped as they left.

 

Lily couldn’t help but call out “Bye Chef Irenee and everyone in the shop!” as she carefully closed the door this time.

 

“So, where exactly was I?” Pepin asked the grandma as they reached the dirt road again and finally started walking home. The sunlight was already dimming and it casted a soft glow on the rapidly disappearing town and the appearing meadows.

 

“You were talking about your wife’s health, I believe.” The grandma said, being a bit preoccupied as she was keeping a stern eye on the skipping trio who was getting farther and farther away. “Alana and Ira, come back here! You’re getting too far out and the road split soon.”

 

“Coming Grandma!” The two children called out, as they all gradually skipped back. They were taking some time as it was hard for the girls to skip and to count the picket fence on the left side.

 

“Ah, yes. Well, Lily has been sick for some time now. The doctors don’t have a clue why and  can’t figure out a cure for her. It’s certainly not their fault as half of them don’t understand the sickness and half of them don’t believe that she’s even sick. I know it, because look at her!” Pepin said softly, as he points at how Lily was running over to them, with the children in her arms. He whispered, “On her bad days, it shows though. Most of the time though, there’s no physical proof, but I believe her when she says she’s sick. Doctor Bazyli is the only one who figured out a way to counter the pain so I think I have to believe him when he says that this will kill her someday.” Pepin was looking at the dirt beneath their feet now, not wanting to look over. He could hear how close Lily and the children were to them. It was so much harder to speak about this in front of them.

 

The grandma didn’t want to talk about such a depressing subject anymore, but she honestly liked them. They really were good folks and that’s why she didn’t even mind them staying over for the night. That’s why she cared a “bit” for them, and had to ask the imposing question, “How long?”

 

By now, Lily was already over and panting a bit. She replied with a laugh, “Oh, fifty six moons and twenty stars! And children, as you could see there was eighty pickets on the left side and seventy six pickets on the right side. See, someone must have placed the pickets too far or too close.”

 

“Wa...” Ira said, uttering her disbelief at how “sooper cool” Lily was. Alana had to agree.

 

“Well, Ira and Alana, now that I proved to you that, let’s play a game! Pepin and Odessa, we’ll be going on ahead a bit as we just past the split in the road, kay?”

 

Odessa nodded, and said, “Go ahead.”

 

“Alrighty, then! Pepin, love love! Talk to you guys later!” Lily said before she began skipping nice and slow for the children. ‘So, this game includes good eyes and good ears.”

 

Both Pepin and Odessa watched the three skip away until they were out of hearing distance. Both of them were silent for some time but it was Pepin who started talking again.

 

“Lily gave you the wrong answer by the way. She doesn’t mean any harm as she did understood that you were asking how long until she sleeps, but she doesn’t want to think that way. For her, she’ll rather think that you were asking how long did she had that disease. It’s more encouraging to think that she bested her sickness for fifty six moons and twenty stars. It’s far better than thinking that she only has twenty four moons or so…..”

 

Silence lapsed again as Pepin sighed. “That’s why I’m a traveler. I know there must be a cure out there and I will find it. After all, there are still new places undiscovered and newly discovered cultures that might have a clue. I’m going to search the history of each place as it might be a very old type of sickness that faded out and there might be a cure there. Lily’s family is also keeping their eye out for any new discoveries and we have a wonderful niece named Melania who keeps our clues together.” He smiled and said, “We’ll definitely find a cure for Lily.”

 

“Well, I’m no doctor or historian, but since I was the official scribe for my family, I could definitely take you over to the Library tomorrow. Yes, it’s completely fine for you to skip all the paperwork and permission getting, as I ultimately will be the one looking over the paperwork and granting you permission.”

 

“Oh, wow, thank you!” Pepin stopped and bowed to her. “That’ll save me much time and truly, I thank my lucky stars for meeting you today!”

 

“Truly, fancy that. I wish you the best of luck in your mission and you won’t mind if we go tomorrow in the early morning? I have some business tonight and the walk over there is incredibly long.”

 

“No, of course not. Again, thank….”

 

“Honey, we’re reached the house! Come, come Pepin! I can’t introduce myself to the parents without you with me and I’m sorry, but me and the children are hungry already and they’re cooking some really nice smelling dinner!!” Lily called out, interrupting Pepin’s thanks.

And off to the side of the road up ahead, both Odessa and Pepin can see Lily, jumping up and down in front of the house with two bewildered parents holding Alana and Ira in their arms…

 

“Coming, coming!” Pepin called back, and with that both hurried on to the house.

 

***

After the introductions and the following dinner, the family, Pepin, and Lily left to go off to one of the meadows. Here Lily and Pepin contently sat in a spot, watching the entire town gather in the fields to watch the oncoming sunset and night stars.

 

“You know, Lily, it takes such a long time for the sun to set here.” Pepin remarked as they watched the sun dip lower and lower.

 

“You’re right! Back at home the sunset only lasts for like ten bursts and here it’s been at least forty-five bursts long. And you know, you can never appreciate for how pretty it is as it’s gone so quickly.”

“That’s true. Like, I never realized that as the sun disappears over that horizon, you can clearly see the darkness that’s coming on. Why, it’s right on the sun’s heels.”

 

“Don’t you think that the dark is even chasing the sun right now? Like, look how fast the sun is disappearing right now and the dark has caught up to the sun right now! Why it’s swallowing the sun whole and my goodness,…..”

 

“….. The sun disappeared.”

 

“Uh, Pepin, it’s really really dark now.”

 

“I know.” Pepin grasped Lily closer, this was strange. Usually, the sun goes over the horizon, there’s still sunlight, and then the darkness gradually come. Here, the dark really did….

 

“Pepin, the sun was eaten by the darkness!”

 

“Don’t jump to any …..”

 

“And, there’s no stars in the sky! Look at that, Pepin, you can’t even see the moon and I don’t see the kcormahs star or even the…..”

 

“Shhh, Lily. Look there’s some stars over there.” But, Pepin realized that wasn’t exactly a reassurance. The stars were falling out of the sky right now and that certainly wasn’t normal….

 

“The world is going to end!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!” Lily wailed.

 

“What?” How did she get to that conclusion?

 

“It’s all unlucky signs of doom and death and scaryness!!!! Look how dark it is and how all sources of the light are dead! They have died, as the darkness ate the sun and now the stars have fallen out of the sky or are falling right now! And honey, these sixty seven stars are falling closer and closer to us!! They’re going to smash us to bits with their heaviness!”

 

“Lily, don’t worry.” Now, those reasons didn’t sound too good but at the same time, they kinda made a bit sense. Something weird was happening.

 

“Do you have a plan? Like a shield or bubbles because those stars are aiming right at us!”

 

“……” Pepin couldn’t exactly say anything back to her, because no, he can’t come up with a plan in twenty seconds with the fact that stars were going to all fall down on Lily. Yeah, those stars were perfectly aiming to Lily, because if he pushed her to the right, the stars moved to the right, and vice versa to the left. The only good fact was that the town was safe as they were across the meadow. But that fact was disappearing quickly as he could see the town running towards them right now. But, he thinks that they would be safe by the time the star squishes them. The stars are so close to them that their brightness fills up his vision right now.

 

“Honey, I love you and let’s be squished together as you clearly don’t have a plan. I’m seriously so thankful that I was able to spend these eighteen moons and nineteen stars with you.”

 

“Me too. Me too.”

 

***

“Be quiet.” Pepin said, blushing like mad. The whole town was pretty much laughing at them right now and it was embarrassing.

 

“You know, you guys have been laughing at us for the last twenty bursts and we’re sick at it.” Lily grumbles, as she grudgingly accepts some star fruit from a pretty star girl.

 

“But, it’s so funny that you thought the world was going to end! It was just a black out, as the whole stars travel to dance in the meadows. It was amazing luck that we met a star summoner and we just had to meet you! Who knows you’re going to start screaming your head off thinking that the world is going to end!”

 

“I told you not to jump to conclusions.” Pepin said, chuckling at both his and wife’s foolishness.

 

“You can officially shut up now.”

 

 

Oh geez, I thought up the ending first but it takes three thousands words to get there. A pain.

 

Glossary to my world.

This world is a work in progress as I’m still figuring out the physics of this world. Only a week ago I realized that I don’t know exactly where the sun and stars are. I have some stuff figured out so here they are.

 

This world is populated by people with magic. Everyone can use magic but not everyone can do the same magic tricks and stuff. More on that later.

 

Instead of months, days, and minutes, they use stars. My world has a single moon surrounded by a ring of stars. There are twelve* types of stars that rotate once in a while. (*There are more than 12 types of stars but there’s only 12 types of stars that rotate around the moon. By the way, that number isn’t definite). As an example, in this story, there are four kcmorahs surrounding the moon at this time. By the way, kcormahs is shamrock backwards (hopefully).

 

Instead of dollars, they use minerals in the form of pebbles and stones. (Think gold and silver). The different colors and type depict how much it’s worth, but pebbles are the base (like pennies). This is very subject to change.

 

They use minerals as the form of money because that’s the form of technology that’s currently being used in this story. For instance, if you drop a type of liquid on an assortment of orange and red pebbles, you’ll make a weak type of fire that is used for cooking and heating. (It’s like chemical reactions to the extreme!)

 

I think that’s it, but if you have any questions feel free to ask because it’s good for me to think more about this world.

 

By the way, I have a couple of questions that I’ll really appreciate if somebody can answer me. So, I recently joined here and am really nervous about this. For instance, is this story enough? Like the quality? This is certainly not my best story but at the same time this kind of quality is normal for me. At least, I think so because this story is rather long as it just wouldn’t get to the end.

 

And, if it’s not good enough quality, can you please point out where I’m sucking? Like I know that the dialogue is really weird but I couldn’t think of how it can flow better, so tips on that would be awesome.

 

And then, is it alright if I post stories to members only?

 

Much thanks!