“Are you okay little one?” Chimed in an unfamiliar voice.
The tear soaked face of the dog girl peered up to look at the source. An old man, hair gray and spiky, a brown bowler hat perched atop his head, was looking down on her. He wore a chocolate brown suit and held a cane in his left hand. He had a curly mustache that swirled across his cheeks. He looked familiar to Isabelle, but he was certainly not the mayor.
“I’m fine.” She said, sniffing in a nostril full of snot. “I just lost someone, that’s all.”
He offered his free hand down to the girl and gave her a kind smile.
“Well, it’s certain this missing person can be found.” He said confidently as she took his paw. He gently pulled her to her feet and offered her a handkerchief. He tips a hat to her. “My name’s Rovin, Rovin Wayward is my full name.”
“Isabelle.” She answered honestly, blowing her snout into the cloth.
She couldn’t shake the feeling that his name wasn’t real, but despite that, something about the man felt trustworthy, something about him made her feel comfortable.
She offered the snot covered handkerchief back, but the man held up a hand in protest. She then proceeded to fold it nicely and stuff it away in her pocket.
“So tell me about this man you’ve lost.” He asked cordially.
“That’s the thing, I don’t have any memory of what he or she looks like, and I certainly don’t know where they might have gone around here.”
She had to fight to keep the rainworks from pouring again.
“Ah, you must be new, and you must be a prime.” He said, looking over at the lawn chair and book that wasn’t far away.
“A prime?” Inquired Isabelle, cocking her head at Rovin.
“That’s someone who was brought here by Omni himself.” He began, his mustaches twitched reflexively. “While Secondaries such as myself and most people in this world, are brought here by the wishes of the primes.”
She mulled over this new piece of information, but Rovin wasn’t finished.
“Well, it’s common for Primes to have missing memories when they first arrive. I wouldn’t worry, they’ll come back eventually. I think.”
“But I can’t wait for them to come back, please.” She begged, her paw pressed together, desperation in her voice. “I can’t let him be out there alone. He could be in trouble, he could need my help!”
The old man rubbed his chin as he mumbled something to himself, inaudible to even the ears of a dog.
“Well, if you think you’d recognize him at first sight, I’d try searching one of the verses.” He began, before bending over to lay a hand on her shoulder and pointing out to the distance. “See those arcs? They lead to the many worlds of Omniverse. Fantastical landscapes of many varieties. If your mayor truly is here, then he must be in one of those.”
Isabelle almost slapped herself. Of course there would be more to this world than just a white void, those people in the distance must be going somewhere. But it didn’t matter now. She clenched her paws and reassured herself of her new goal, she was going to find the mayor and help him anyways she could.
She reached into her pocket and tossed a leaf on the ground. It automatically poofed into her scooter, causing Rovin to take a few steps back at the sudden appearance of the transport.
“Thank you Mr. Wayward. I’ll repay your kindness someday!” She called out as she hopped onto her vehicle and sped off.
“Wait! That direction leads to-” Cried out the old man, but he realized his words were reaching deaf ears. Instead, he sat down on the beach chair and adjusted his hat. “I guess that little doggie is having herself quite the adventure.”
After a short trip, she packed up her scooter again, and took a long good look at the gate she had arrived at. The arc was made of some sort of archaic stone structure. A faint glow emanated from within as smoke billowed from inside. She almost wanted to try one of the other gates, but she couldn’t purge the thought she might be on the trail of her Mayor.
So, with a deep breath, she stepped through.
The tear soaked face of the dog girl peered up to look at the source. An old man, hair gray and spiky, a brown bowler hat perched atop his head, was looking down on her. He wore a chocolate brown suit and held a cane in his left hand. He had a curly mustache that swirled across his cheeks. He looked familiar to Isabelle, but he was certainly not the mayor.
“I’m fine.” She said, sniffing in a nostril full of snot. “I just lost someone, that’s all.”
He offered his free hand down to the girl and gave her a kind smile.
“Well, it’s certain this missing person can be found.” He said confidently as she took his paw. He gently pulled her to her feet and offered her a handkerchief. He tips a hat to her. “My name’s Rovin, Rovin Wayward is my full name.”
“Isabelle.” She answered honestly, blowing her snout into the cloth.
She couldn’t shake the feeling that his name wasn’t real, but despite that, something about the man felt trustworthy, something about him made her feel comfortable.
She offered the snot covered handkerchief back, but the man held up a hand in protest. She then proceeded to fold it nicely and stuff it away in her pocket.
“So tell me about this man you’ve lost.” He asked cordially.
“That’s the thing, I don’t have any memory of what he or she looks like, and I certainly don’t know where they might have gone around here.”
She had to fight to keep the rainworks from pouring again.
“Ah, you must be new, and you must be a prime.” He said, looking over at the lawn chair and book that wasn’t far away.
“A prime?” Inquired Isabelle, cocking her head at Rovin.
“That’s someone who was brought here by Omni himself.” He began, his mustaches twitched reflexively. “While Secondaries such as myself and most people in this world, are brought here by the wishes of the primes.”
She mulled over this new piece of information, but Rovin wasn’t finished.
“Well, it’s common for Primes to have missing memories when they first arrive. I wouldn’t worry, they’ll come back eventually. I think.”
“But I can’t wait for them to come back, please.” She begged, her paw pressed together, desperation in her voice. “I can’t let him be out there alone. He could be in trouble, he could need my help!”
The old man rubbed his chin as he mumbled something to himself, inaudible to even the ears of a dog.
“Well, if you think you’d recognize him at first sight, I’d try searching one of the verses.” He began, before bending over to lay a hand on her shoulder and pointing out to the distance. “See those arcs? They lead to the many worlds of Omniverse. Fantastical landscapes of many varieties. If your mayor truly is here, then he must be in one of those.”
Isabelle almost slapped herself. Of course there would be more to this world than just a white void, those people in the distance must be going somewhere. But it didn’t matter now. She clenched her paws and reassured herself of her new goal, she was going to find the mayor and help him anyways she could.
She reached into her pocket and tossed a leaf on the ground. It automatically poofed into her scooter, causing Rovin to take a few steps back at the sudden appearance of the transport.
“Thank you Mr. Wayward. I’ll repay your kindness someday!” She called out as she hopped onto her vehicle and sped off.
“Wait! That direction leads to-” Cried out the old man, but he realized his words were reaching deaf ears. Instead, he sat down on the beach chair and adjusted his hat. “I guess that little doggie is having herself quite the adventure.”
After a short trip, she packed up her scooter again, and took a long good look at the gate she had arrived at. The arc was made of some sort of archaic stone structure. A faint glow emanated from within as smoke billowed from inside. She almost wanted to try one of the other gates, but she couldn’t purge the thought she might be on the trail of her Mayor.
So, with a deep breath, she stepped through.
Quote:Will Isabelle find her mayor? Will she survive the Omniverse? Tune next time in the Ashen Steppes with “Tale of a Pup: In the Dog House.”
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