Chronicles of the Secret Fire: Bedtime Story (55)

[Audren]

Spies Abound

Matthew didn't like being the "face" of the wolfpack, but who else would do it? Alfred was rather rude to outsiders, Victoria wasn't much of a people person, (or even a werewolf person) and the Pack Mother was too busy following other leads. Of the four tasked with working with the spies, Matthew was the only one suitable.



That's not to say he minded the ability to go to Varg's Tavern, of course. That was probably one of the only places in town that werewolves could go without fear of getting hunted, either by the Van Goulds or humans. He would've put on his game face, but he didn't want to scare off his informant. For now, nice, baby-faced human Matthew would do.



As expected, the pack's spy was tending the bar. The Pack Mother had told him that she was a master of disguise, and could pass herself off as almost anyone. Matthew sought to put that to the test.



Brianna: One Fang-toothed Sunrise, coming right up!
Matthew: *under his breath* The baby?
Brianna: In Moonlight Falls. Last seen in care of red-haired man.
Matthew: Red hair!?
Brianna: You know, crimson, nectarine, scarlet-
Matthew: I know what the color red is! Just brilliant. She won't be happy to here this.
Brianna: Good news, red-haired man left Moonlight Falls. Left baby behind.



Matthew: Then where is he?
Brianna: I don't know-
Matthew: Then find out. The Pack Mother will already be angry that he's back. The sooner you find his new caretaker, the better.
Brianna: Will do.
Matthew: Dismissed.



As Brianna left the tavern, she managed to overhear Matthew talking on the phone, presumably the Pack Mother. Even from the door, she could hear a distinct growl on the other end as he told her the news of the red-haired man.



Not her problem, though. Her job was to find out everything about the baby, good or bad. If they only wanted good news, they could get him back themselves. Fortunately, Brianna had an idea where the baby would be. Her TAR- er, LLAMA would take her there.



And so it did, before the museum opened, to boot. She would need time to get ready.



A. had always admired this piece. Granted, he was biased and he was fond of all of them, but he admired this one in particular. Artists simply didn't make sculptures like this anymore. Now they do crazy things with metal and grass hedges. Whatever happened to traditional stone sculptures?



Of course, this artist wasn't making anymore stone sculptures. Or sculptures at all, for that matter.



DeeDee had arrived at the museum shortly after he did. She knew that Subject 11 spent an unusually large amount of time here, and she wanted information as to why. Her primary theory was that he had art in this museum, but she had no way to confirm it. Maybe the lady at the front desk could help her?



Brianna: Hi, my name is Piper. How may I help you?
DeeDee: I'm looking for records of an artist who might have paintings here? Do you know if there's anything here from A. Simself?
Brianna: I'll have to check the records. One moment, please. Is that your baby?
DeeDee: No, a friend's.
Brianna: Ah. *discreet smirk*



As Brianna pretended to search for this artist, she was actually taking discreet pictures of the woman in front of her. She had no doubt that this was the new caretaker, especially since the baby matched Matthew's description. She quickly sent the pictures off to Matthew before returning her eyes to the woman in front of her.



Brianna: I'm sorry. It doesn't look like we have anything of his here. You might want to try the Lucky Palms Art Exhibit for better luck.
DeeDee: I will, thank you.



Fenris: *growl*
DeeDee: Now, don't you growl at that lady, Fenris! That's not nice.
Fenris: *growl*
DeeDee: I'm sorry for this. We'll be leaving now.
Brianna: Not at all.



DeeDee left the museum feeling dejected. If he didn't have anything of his own here, she had no idea why he spent so much time at the museum. If Brianna had actually done a search, the results would've been more interesting. Alas, Brianna was not there to help, but to spy. As DeeDee left the building, Brianna pulled out her phone to contact Matthew.



Brianna: Did you get the pictures?
Katherine: Yes.
Brianna: This isn't Matthew?
Katherine: And?
Brianna: Okay. How should I proceed?
Katherine: Follow her.

[Schipperke]

Victoria wasn't much of a people person, (or even a werewolf person)

That line made me laugh out loud!   

I love your combination of humour & suspense.

[RaiaDraconis]

Fortunately, Brianna had an idea where the baby would be. Her TAR- er, LLAMA would take her there.

I see what you did there.

At this point I am still stumped at how the werewolf clan is tied with everyone else, but I guess that will be clear at the end. Obviously Fenris doesn't like Brianna too much.

[Blayzen]

At this point I am still stumped at how the werewolf clan is tied with everyone else, but I guess that will be clear at the end.

I'm not sure how they're tied in with everyone else either but I think we'll soon find out that Fenris is the key to answering ALL of our questions! Such is the way of Audren's genius!

[RainBeau]

Fenris is so adorable. I love his little freckles.

My favourite line:

Brianna: Hi, my name is Piper. How may I help you?

Because I have a weird sense of humour, and the incongruity appealed to me.

I like Brianna. Spies intrigue me. This is set up so well!

[Audren]

That line made me laugh out loud!   

I love your combination of humour & suspense.

I do try to mix in the humor with a serious update, and yet also to try to add a more somber note to a mostly funny update. Keeps the readers on their toes. 

I see what you did there.

At this point I am still stumped at how the werewolf clan is tied with everyone else, but I guess that will be clear at the end. Obviously Fenris doesn't like Brianna too much.

Oddly enough, I actually have more the werewolf plotline planned out than the ultimate alien storyline. No, Fenris doesn't like Brianna at all. (though I'm not sure if he's too fond of anyone, save perhaps Thor)

I'm not sure how they're tied in with everyone else either but I think we'll soon find out that Fenris is the key to answering ALL of our questions! Such is the way of Audren's genius!

Rest assured, the werewolves' relevance will become clear in time.

Fenris is so adorable. I love his little freckles.

My favourite line:

Because I have a weird sense of humour, and the incongruity appealed to me.

I like Brianna. Spies intrigue me. This is set up so well!

Fenris does have rather cool freckles, doesn't he? There sure is a lot of spies running around right now. Maybe there's some we don't even know about yet?

[Audren]

Project Lazarus

This mansion used to be the house of Count Turner and his family, more than a century ago. The mansion had long since been abandoned, ever since The Count's grandson bartered it away in an ill-considered trip to the Lucky Palms Casino. The mansion had recently been purchased for the astonishly low value of $561,819.62 by a mysterious businesswoman. Now, the mansion was the home of Project Lazarus.



The businesswoman spent quite a bit of time in Bridgeport, and therefore was only now returning to her investment. Her secretary had arranged a deal with a new partner to acquire the physical components which, while relatively simple, was essential to the success of Project Lazarus. Here in the mansion, the metaphysical department was hard at work. Hopefully.



Ronin: How is our progress, Brian?
Brian: Quite well, Ms. Ronin. I'm finishing our quota right now.
Ronin: And our supplies? How are our stocks holding up?
Brian: News is not quite as good there, I'm afraid. Heather and Leonardo are burning through our supplies as quickly as I order them.
Ronin: We do have enough materials for the potions, correct?
Brian: Well-



Ronin: Well, how much can we make?
Brian: 60.
Ronin: 60!? That's it?
Brian: I might be able to enlist the help of miners on Lunar Lakes to send us more supplies, but the cost of that would be-
Ronin: Do it.
Brian: Yes, ma'am.



Mary: You don't understand! We need your-
Mr. Hawke: No, we do understand what you need, Mrs. Myron. We simply are not willing to give it to you.
Ronin: What's going on here?



Mr. Hawke: Your associate has the audacity to request the rights to the Kalashi dig site. You are aware of its state as government property, are you not?
Ronin: Yes, but-
Mr. Hawke: There is no but. I would advice that you cease your requests, as our opinion will not change.



Mary: This is the very same boat that the first Immortals arrived to Union Cove in. If we could just examine the dig site, we might find clues to help us in our project!
Ronin: That dig site could mean the difference between the success of this project and its failure.
Mr. Hawke: The project that you have not lowered yourself to tell me about, that is?



Mr. Hawke: Do you see this?
Ronin: It's the city.
Mr. Hawke: Yes. The same city that I have to serve at all times. Now unless you can tell me that this project would serve the interests of the whole city?
Ronin: Well, no-
Mr. Hawke: Then we have nothing more to talk about. Good-bye.



Ronin: What on Earth is that?
Leonardo: It's a sculpture. You wanted me to distill the essence of art-
Ronin: I know what I told you. This, this isn't what I meant. What ever happened to good ol' stone sculptures? Those are what I meant.
Leonardo: I'll start a clay sculpture as soon as I finish this portrait.



Ronin: Portrait? Of what, a turtle?
Leonardo: It'll be better once it's finished.
Ronin: It won't be finished. I'll handle the portraits. You work on the sculptures.
Leonardo: Yes, ma'am.



Doryagus: Oh hello, Ms. Ronin. If I may have a minute of your time?
Ronin: What's the problem, Doryagus?
Doryagus: I was signed on as the botanical consultant for this project. Yet I have not worked a single day with plants. All I have done is fish.
Ronin: Fish eat plants, so you are still working in the botanical field, correct?
Doryagus: I suppose, but it's not what I signed up for.



Ronin: How about this? Tomorrow I'll send you out to Moonlight Falls. We need more mushrooms for the life-extending potions.
Doryagus: Thank you, Ms. Ronin, but I'm not sure I know where to find these mushrooms.
Ronin: Don't worry, I believe there's already a collector there. He'll help you, I'm sure.
Doryagus: Very well, I'll pack my bags.



Ronin: Plants? What on Earth is she up to now? *sigh*



Ronin: Heather!? What happened in here!
Heather: Just a misunderstanding between me and the chemicals, is all.
Ronin: A misunderstanding? You nearly blew yourself up!
Heather: ... I lost.



Ronin: No wonder Brian's ordering so many supplies. You keep blowing them up!
Heather: Well, there is a silver lining in this, believe it or not.
Ronin: And what is that?
Heather: I've managed to bring an ant back to life. If I had more chemicals, I believe I could-
Ronin: You will have those supplies, as long as you don't kill yourself doing it. This project isn't for you, after all. Now, I need to go to a meeting with a new client. Keep up the good work.



Despite the various setbacks they've experienced, she was pleased with the progress of Project Lazarus. If everything went as planned, and Gillian could provide her end of the bargain, then maybe, just maybe, Project Lazarus might work.

[RainBeau]

So dramatic! I love it! Is that house The Castle from Starlight Shores? I really liked how you had them talk to the Halls of History man. I totally believed it. Ronin is such a great leader.

[Audren]

So dramatic! I love it! Is that house The Castle from Starlight Shores? I really liked how you had them talk to the Halls of History man. I totally believed it. Ronin is such a great leader.

Yes, I believe that is The Castle. I liked the way the Halls of History man came out. I was worried it wouldn't be convinving. Glad I was wrong. 

[Audren]

Postponed April Fool's

This update was supposed to be an April Fool's type update. (Readers of Ben Oliver or The Bachelorette would know what I'm talking about here) Unfortunately, I never got the screenshots I wanted for it, so four days later, I've decided to put up another blooper reel. Enjoy my chronologically challenged update. 



Poor Brianna. Mixology really isn't your thing. Spying, on the other hand...



Even though Arthur is the one with the Coward trait, Thor is the one that seems to be most easily frightened. Pretty much everything in the Chateau scared the living daylights out of him. Foreshadowing, perhaps?



Thor doesn't look so mad about getting singed. I guess I haven't told him he's going to die yet.



And I'll admit at first, Thor wasn't going to die. He would've been extracted from the Chateau and healed in a hospital. It was only later that I was trying to figure out how I would introduce one of the most important plot points of the story, and I realized I needed somebody to die. Obviously, Thor was the most likely candidate.

Also, the idea of Gillian sitting on a stack of pancakes wearing a bikini was too hilarious not to share.



Don't worry, even if Thor had survived, Brianna would still have been up to her spy shenanigans.



Not a funny screenshot, but a beautiful one. DeLouche really did an outstanding job with designing Green Dolphin Island. I would highly recommend trying it out.



I'd swear Thor has both the Brave and Coward hidden trait, contradictory as it may be. He's always striking poses like this.



This isn't so much funny as creepy. Mary's face literally would not change as Ronin was talking to her. Believe it or not, they're in the middle of a shouting match right now. Wouldn't know it from Mary's face. I didn't think Frank's sister-in-law would be so creepy.



Ronin got an Opportunity call right in the middle of screenshotting. Heather took the opportunity (no pun intended) to float up and make her eyes bug out. She almost reminds me a moth attracted to the light.

[RainBeau]

Hurray for April Fools' jokes! Even late ones. I like how well the hospital turned out, spy nurse and everything. I need to get a hospital into one of my stories so that the hospital gown I got from the Store doesn't go to waste. Hmmmm *looks around at various story characters*

[Audren]

Dreamwalking

DeeDee returned to her woodland cottage disappointed with her spying. She had found nothing that would explain any of Subject 11's actions, save the mushrooms and other ingredients she found. The first part of the riddle made sense to her, though not much else.



But tonight was not the time to wonder about that. It was a long day, even more so for Fenris. She tucked him into the crib (making sure to lock the door on her way out. She was quickly learning that one could never be too careful with Fenris) and went into her own bedroom.



DeeDee had not quite realized just how tired she was. Not five minutes after lying down was she fast asleep. But if it was an uneventful night's sleep she was expected, she couldn't have been more wrong.



Standing resolute before DeeDee was a house. Not a mansion, by any means, but overall a decent place.



DeeDee blinked, and now before her sat two people. One was no older than a toddler, and the other no doubt her mother. Presumably these were the inhabitants of the house. Just like their house, they seemed like nice people. Nothing particularly interesting going on, though.



But suddenly things changed. Now all she could see was fire, and the charred remains of what must be the house. She frantically looked around, searching for the woman or the toddler, hoping that they had made it out of the inferno. She couldn't find them, but whether that meant they had escaped or...



At this point she woke up. At least she thought she woke up. She could not help but feel like something was strange in the room around her. Something surreal, something ethereal. She heard a voice come from her living room, and suddenly she was in the living room herself.



DeeDee: Thor! You're, you're alive!
Thor: Oh, I wish. I'm afraid I'm just as dead as I've always been.
DeeDee: Then, what are you doing here?
Thor: Dreamwalking. We dead folks can do that kind of stuff. You're still sleeping, actually. I just need to pass along a message.
DeeDee: Well, what message?
Thor: *pause* You know, I'm feeling a bit peckish. Do you have any sandwiches?



DeeDee: But you're a ghost. You can't eat food!
Thor: It's a dream, remember? I can do whatever I want. Anyway, once I passed on into the afterlife, I had these dreams. Similar to the ones you just had. Lots of fire and whatnot.
DeeDee: It was so intense. Like I was really there.
Thor: I had that same feeling. Apparently it's normal for someone who's just died to have dreams about their former life.
DeeDee: But you don't know any of those people, do you?
Thor: No, I don't. Which makes me think that this is related to our alien riddle. There's one line that keeps bothering me.



DeeDee: The secret fire? You think that's what it is?
Thor: Maybe. But why would The Riddlemaster want us to figure that out?
DeeDee: Maybe it would help if I told you what I've found on A.
Thor: Oh? Please do tell.
DeeDee: I found the house that A's living at in Moonlight Falls, and I couldn't help but smell these mushrooms coming from the yard. It's a very strong smell, you know. Anyway, I investigated the smell, and I found ingredients for a potion. One that I recognized.



DeeDee: Thor, he was making a Youth Again potion.
Thor: The ageless fire... you're sure that's what he was making.
DeeDee: Those mushrooms aren't used for any other type of potion. I'm positive.
Thor: You think A. had something to do with all this?
DeeDee: It fits! We knew he had a past with the aliens. Maybe The Riddlemaster wants us to know about it, too.



Thor: Then our next step is obvious. We have to solve this riddle. If A really is involved, then we need to get the whole story.
DeeDee: Well, if we find that woman in the house, we might be able to get some answers.
Thor: That's what I was thinking. I think you should poke around, see if you can find that house or any records on the woman.
DeeDee: What will you do?
Thor: I'll keep an eye out in the Afterlife. We have to hope they made it out of that house alive, but there's just no way to know for sure. I might be able to find one of them on my side of the Veil.



Thor: Whatever the secret fire actually is, I think we're getting closer to finding out.
DeeDee: Agreed.
Thor: Now, I have to head back. Can't stay in the mortal world for too long, or the higher-ups will get mad. When you wake up, you'll actually be awake.
DeeDee: Will you be visiting again?
Thor: With any luck. Now, have a good night.



And as quickly as he arrived, Thor was gone.



For the rest of the night, DeeDee slept peacefully. But when she woke up, she was driven to uncover the past of the secret fire.

[Gogowars329]

Ooh. So mysterious. Why is A. making a young again potion? Who is the woman and her toddler? Why was Thor so hungry? So many questions, so little answers...

[Blayzen]

I just loved Dreamwalking! Except for the part where it makes it seem, even more than it already had, that my favorite show-runner is not to be trusted! Oh, A, what have you gotten yourself into?

[Schipperke]

Loved your screenshots in the Dream sequence!  Very surreal.

And I have to say, there's something about Thor that just appeals to me.  He's not the bravest, not the handsomest, not the smartest, but he's definitely likeable.