04-04-2016, 09:30 PM
The motley crew of adventurers made their way down the icy stairs leading away from Jade's tower, making sure their footwork was deft and free of stray skids onto blustery territory. At the bottom of the staircase sat Grundy, snow melting on his icy clothes, the giant seated in a snowbank as he watched his companions pick their way back down to the somewhat level ground of the Fields. He breathed a sigh, blowing the flakes off of his face, and got up as soon as everyone had reached the bottom. There was something familiar about the scene, people picking their way down treacherous stairs, but he couldn't quite remember....
"We just want to help you, Grundy!" the man had shouted as he flew forward, fists outstretched.
Raising his hand to catch the blow, the zombie wound up with his other tremendous fist and let fly a blow that sent the red caped boy scout flying backwards. "HELP YOURSELF!"....
"Down this way, Grondy."
Looking ahead, he watched the golden armored figure stride forward purposefully alongside two others, both having a rough time descending the sandy stone stairs. Wondering why, the corpse watched a bead of water flow to the end of his nose, then fly upwards. Right. The stairs were upside down...
-ffffffffffwwwwwwwwWWWWWEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE-
The sound shook him out of his hazy remembrance of past lives, penetrating into his cracked and ancient skull. The noise was soft at first, musical, then louder, and louder, and louder, until it was almost maddening. Solomon clasped his palms to his head, but the sound still reverberated in his dead brain. It was almost physical, the numb un-pain of his head being shot through with burning iron rods of pitch and tone.
He fell to his knees and opened his mouth, inhaling deeply for a loud yell, the bellow of a wounded animal, until just as suddenly as it had started...the noise stopped.
Silence once more, the cold chill of wind and snowflakes falling onto the ground, a pitter-patter that sounded like the opposite of a fire crackling. Bleary, yellow eyes opened as the stricken giant looked around to see if anyone else had been affected as badly as he had been. Lightly slapping his own cheek, he saw the rust colored phenomenon seep out from the tower and flow towards the party. Arcane symbols formed from the soupy gunk before it rotated and flew away, and Grundy was surprised to find he could understand it. Free me.
In vain the clueless hulk ran towards the symbols and tried digging in the snow as they retreated, attempting to "free them" until he realized that wasn't their intention. Slowly, he tromped back to the group, feeling confused and somewhat shaken. Shaken, until he looked down to find his small angel dogfriend holding a vote.
“All those in favor of helping the mysterious ghost letters, raise your right arm!”
Slowly his snow caked icy fist pointed at the sky. He felt that something should be added, and said to no one in particular. "THAT NOISE...HURT GRUNDY. HURT GRUNDY IN HEART. AND HEAD. FREE ME. GRUNDY KNOW WHAT IT LIKE TO NOT BE FREE."
"Step right up! Step right up and see the Mysterious Unliving Man!"
He could feel the chains around his arms and neck, a gnawing, angry pain eating the corners of his vision as he strained against his shackles and tried to tell his story, so that these people would let him go. "SOLOMON GRUNDY, BORN ON A MONDAY! SOLOMON GRUNDY, BORN ON A MONDAY!!!"
Laughs, jeers, shrieks of fright from ladies who swooned into their well dressed partner's arms. Just like always.
"Quite the dullard, isn't he ladies and gentleman! Observe, as he defies the laws of God and Death!"
-BANG-
A barely imperceptible flinch as the fractured memory flitted across his mind. Karkat voiced his grumpy opinion on their next step, and the zombie watched the back and forth between the troll and Jade, and then a short wait while the Witch worked on summoning a weapon for the surly teen. During this time, he wandered around their small bivouac, eavesdropping on conversations and eventually finding himself next to Valerie.
"HELLO, VALOR REE."
"Why hello there my gargantuan companion! Is there something I can assist you with?"
The giant shook his head. "GRUNDY JUST WANT TO SAY HELLO. YOU LOOK COLD. IS VERY COLD HERE. PLANTS NOT DO TOO WELL IN COLD, BUT GRUNDY JUST FINE."
"Why yes indeed it is absolutely frigid here!" Valerie throws the back of his palm to his forehead, "My vegetation will certainly freeze solid here, but I suppose that is the price paid for adventure. Are... are you implying that you're a plant Grundy?"
He shrugged, his broad shoulders shaking off powdery snow. "GRUNDY NOT THINK HE PLANT? GRUNDY COME FROM SWAMP, THOUGH. MAYBE GRUNDY PART SWAMP." The zombie stared off into the distance, before looking over Valerie once more. "YOU REMIND GRUNDY OF LADY HE USED TO KNOW. SHE HAVE MANY PLANTS TOO. AND GREEN ALL OVER. EXCEPT FOR HAIR. HAIR RED."
"Oh my, a fellow plantsmen?" his face sparked and lit up with the warm joy of anticipation, "is she here? In the Omniverse I mean. I do so cherish my time spent with other plant-lovers such as myself, and to meet one from another universe, well, that would be absolutely fantastic!"
The chalk giant actually sounded wistful as he answered. "NOT THINK SO...GRUNDY NOT SEE HER HERE. MAYBE SHE SOMEWHERE ELSE....NAME IS IVY. HAHAHAHA....SHE MAKE BIG PLANTS, GROW STRONG. EAT BAD PEOPLE." He grinned at the verdant mage. "YOU HAVE FAVORITE PLANT, VALOR REE?"
Val paused for a moment and bit the back of his palm before answering, "no, I don't believe that I do. Each plant is special in its own way, even those considered weeds are precious to me. Indeed, asking me to choose a favorite is akin to asking me which one of my legs I prefer."
The plant mage was met with a blank stare, a few seconds of silence, and a mumbled, "GRUNDY NOT HAVE FAVORITE LEG. LEGS GROW BACK." Just then, Jade came up to him, and he nodded to his planty wizard friend. "GRUNDY KEEP EYE OUT FOR PLANTS FROM NOW ON."
Grundy felt her tap on his arm, and looked down to see their fearless leader, smiling sheepishly at him.
“WHAT ANGELJADE WANT?”
"Can you boost me up real quick?"
The alabaster monster thought for a few seconds, unsure of just how far to throw her, before shrugging and giving her a heave skyward. After a few seconds of pell mell tumbling, she took control in the air and floated around, scouting the icy fields. After she landed and indicated the direction she thought they should go, Grundy nodded and followed on after her. He waved his compatriots onward with a tree trunk forearm. Maybe there would be dragons, or other things to encounter. One thing was certain though; Solomon Grundy would liberate whatever had called them. Or he would try to, at least.
"We just want to help you, Grundy!" the man had shouted as he flew forward, fists outstretched.
Raising his hand to catch the blow, the zombie wound up with his other tremendous fist and let fly a blow that sent the red caped boy scout flying backwards. "HELP YOURSELF!"....
"Down this way, Grondy."
Looking ahead, he watched the golden armored figure stride forward purposefully alongside two others, both having a rough time descending the sandy stone stairs. Wondering why, the corpse watched a bead of water flow to the end of his nose, then fly upwards. Right. The stairs were upside down...
-ffffffffffwwwwwwwwWWWWWEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE-
The sound shook him out of his hazy remembrance of past lives, penetrating into his cracked and ancient skull. The noise was soft at first, musical, then louder, and louder, and louder, until it was almost maddening. Solomon clasped his palms to his head, but the sound still reverberated in his dead brain. It was almost physical, the numb un-pain of his head being shot through with burning iron rods of pitch and tone.
He fell to his knees and opened his mouth, inhaling deeply for a loud yell, the bellow of a wounded animal, until just as suddenly as it had started...the noise stopped.
Silence once more, the cold chill of wind and snowflakes falling onto the ground, a pitter-patter that sounded like the opposite of a fire crackling. Bleary, yellow eyes opened as the stricken giant looked around to see if anyone else had been affected as badly as he had been. Lightly slapping his own cheek, he saw the rust colored phenomenon seep out from the tower and flow towards the party. Arcane symbols formed from the soupy gunk before it rotated and flew away, and Grundy was surprised to find he could understand it. Free me.
In vain the clueless hulk ran towards the symbols and tried digging in the snow as they retreated, attempting to "free them" until he realized that wasn't their intention. Slowly, he tromped back to the group, feeling confused and somewhat shaken. Shaken, until he looked down to find his small angel dogfriend holding a vote.
“All those in favor of helping the mysterious ghost letters, raise your right arm!”
Slowly his snow caked icy fist pointed at the sky. He felt that something should be added, and said to no one in particular. "THAT NOISE...HURT GRUNDY. HURT GRUNDY IN HEART. AND HEAD. FREE ME. GRUNDY KNOW WHAT IT LIKE TO NOT BE FREE."
"Step right up! Step right up and see the Mysterious Unliving Man!"
He could feel the chains around his arms and neck, a gnawing, angry pain eating the corners of his vision as he strained against his shackles and tried to tell his story, so that these people would let him go. "SOLOMON GRUNDY, BORN ON A MONDAY! SOLOMON GRUNDY, BORN ON A MONDAY!!!"
Laughs, jeers, shrieks of fright from ladies who swooned into their well dressed partner's arms. Just like always.
"Quite the dullard, isn't he ladies and gentleman! Observe, as he defies the laws of God and Death!"
-BANG-
A barely imperceptible flinch as the fractured memory flitted across his mind. Karkat voiced his grumpy opinion on their next step, and the zombie watched the back and forth between the troll and Jade, and then a short wait while the Witch worked on summoning a weapon for the surly teen. During this time, he wandered around their small bivouac, eavesdropping on conversations and eventually finding himself next to Valerie.
"HELLO, VALOR REE."
"Why hello there my gargantuan companion! Is there something I can assist you with?"
The giant shook his head. "GRUNDY JUST WANT TO SAY HELLO. YOU LOOK COLD. IS VERY COLD HERE. PLANTS NOT DO TOO WELL IN COLD, BUT GRUNDY JUST FINE."
"Why yes indeed it is absolutely frigid here!" Valerie throws the back of his palm to his forehead, "My vegetation will certainly freeze solid here, but I suppose that is the price paid for adventure. Are... are you implying that you're a plant Grundy?"
He shrugged, his broad shoulders shaking off powdery snow. "GRUNDY NOT THINK HE PLANT? GRUNDY COME FROM SWAMP, THOUGH. MAYBE GRUNDY PART SWAMP." The zombie stared off into the distance, before looking over Valerie once more. "YOU REMIND GRUNDY OF LADY HE USED TO KNOW. SHE HAVE MANY PLANTS TOO. AND GREEN ALL OVER. EXCEPT FOR HAIR. HAIR RED."
"Oh my, a fellow plantsmen?" his face sparked and lit up with the warm joy of anticipation, "is she here? In the Omniverse I mean. I do so cherish my time spent with other plant-lovers such as myself, and to meet one from another universe, well, that would be absolutely fantastic!"
The chalk giant actually sounded wistful as he answered. "NOT THINK SO...GRUNDY NOT SEE HER HERE. MAYBE SHE SOMEWHERE ELSE....NAME IS IVY. HAHAHAHA....SHE MAKE BIG PLANTS, GROW STRONG. EAT BAD PEOPLE." He grinned at the verdant mage. "YOU HAVE FAVORITE PLANT, VALOR REE?"
Val paused for a moment and bit the back of his palm before answering, "no, I don't believe that I do. Each plant is special in its own way, even those considered weeds are precious to me. Indeed, asking me to choose a favorite is akin to asking me which one of my legs I prefer."
The plant mage was met with a blank stare, a few seconds of silence, and a mumbled, "GRUNDY NOT HAVE FAVORITE LEG. LEGS GROW BACK." Just then, Jade came up to him, and he nodded to his planty wizard friend. "GRUNDY KEEP EYE OUT FOR PLANTS FROM NOW ON."
Grundy felt her tap on his arm, and looked down to see their fearless leader, smiling sheepishly at him.
“WHAT ANGELJADE WANT?”
"Can you boost me up real quick?"
The alabaster monster thought for a few seconds, unsure of just how far to throw her, before shrugging and giving her a heave skyward. After a few seconds of pell mell tumbling, she took control in the air and floated around, scouting the icy fields. After she landed and indicated the direction she thought they should go, Grundy nodded and followed on after her. He waved his compatriots onward with a tree trunk forearm. Maybe there would be dragons, or other things to encounter. One thing was certain though; Solomon Grundy would liberate whatever had called them. Or he would try to, at least.
“I don’t wanna be a product of my environment. I want my environment to be a product of me.”