Post by Flexico on Oct 19, 2007 22:53:42 GMT -5
Across The Light Years ~~ part I
Chapter 1 ~ Creation?
I floated limp in a translucent fluid, the only world I had ever known. Tubes and wires pierced my skin and ran in all directions around me. Hazy shadows passed by, the only movement in the universe save my slow, steady breathing.
My mind was in a fog. I knew no different, but something inside me told me that there was more. Deeply, I knew that what I felt was a mere shadow of reality. I felt the presence of extensions of myself, limbs and digits, but knew not how to move them, to make use of them.
Faint vibrations and soft sounds drifted to my ears. The sounds seemed vaguely connected to the shadows, but everything drifted along its merry way, never hinting to any real destination. Slowly, my mind began to focus. The sounds and shadows began to take on shapes, and although I couldn't make meaning of them, I knew there was meaning to be made.
FLASH! I was running through tall grasses. The wind whipped through my fur, over my streamlined face, along my curving back. The grasses brushed my sides and my legs as it sped by below. Bright, golden sunshine streamed down upon me, warming me through and through. Everything the light touched vibrated with life. I was alive! I knew where I was and what I was doing. I was the fastest animal on land. I was the golden, spotted cheetah.
FLASH! Sharp focus blurred into hazy gray-green light. Once again, I floated in the omnipresent fluid. My consciousness faded away into the slow, steady breathing that permeated my small world. Nothing moved, nothing changed. The dark shadows hovered all around me, but never touched me, never even disturbed the fluid to the point that I could feel it. My head pulsed, as if something was pushing from the inside, trying to escape. A body seemed to tingle to life beaneath my throbbing head. I felt pinpricks along my sides.
FLASH! I jetted through crystal-clear, pale blue water. Vibrant colors surrounded me, blinding me, but only for a moment. My sharp mind quickly adjusted to the vast spectrum. The same vitalizing energy permeated this world as well, through the warm glow of the sun. I felt through my sensitive skin every movement of every fish around me, adjusting to them, feeling them adjust to me. My eight streamlined arms trailed behind me. As I caught sight of a rock that seemed exceptionally comfortable, I spread those arms wide, slowed to a stop, and came to rest. I was not the most attractive creature, but I knew where I was and what to do to live. I was the eight-armed, shapeshifting octopus.
FLASH! This time, when the blurred world returned, it did not hold me captive as it did before. I held on with all my will to the clarity of the two worlds I had briefly visited. Nothing had the right to keep me from that. Nothing had the right to return me to the eternal state of floating in the haze, oblivious to anything beyond. Nothing.
As I held on to the image and feeling of the lifegiving light, the world around me came into focus more and more. I saw the tubes run from my skin, through the fluid, up to a silver box high above me. I saw what seemed to be an invisible wall between my gray-green fluid and empty space beyond.
I left my surroundings to themselves for a time as I examined myself. I recalled my time as a cheetah on the vast open plains. I saw four paws in front, just like the ones that propelled me through the tall grasses. Below them twitched a long tail. I was a cheetah.
From outside, the steady, rhythmic sounds grew louder and increased in frequency. Whatever was watching me knew that something had changed. Ha. Good for them.
As I attempted to swim near to the barrier between my world and theirs, I noticed something else about myself: the arms of the octopus trailed behind me, just like during my 'trip' to the ocean.
I twisted my head around to see four long tentacles curving around the tubes that connected me to the silver box. As I concentrated, these slowly submitted to my thoughts, just as had the paws and tail.
I was two creatures in one. Two creatures who need freedom and open road more than anything else, especially some hazy green reality.
The shadows outside moved rapidly and pulsing red lights pierced through the gloom. I knew it was time to break out of my prison. I reached my tentacles forward to feel the invisible wall. The powerful suction cups pried at the now-tangible barrier, but it didn't show any sign of budging. I reached my rear paws back against the opposite side, while pressing my front paws forward. With the suction-endowed tentacled I pulled on the walls to either side. The walls began to groan and creak beaneath my strength. This only invigorated me more, and soon what had been my whole world fell apart.
CRASH! SWOOSH! The walls shattered and the greenish fluid flowed outward in all directions along the ground. I tried to stand, but found myself tangled among the tubes and wires still attatched to my skin. One by one I gripped them with my teeth and pulled them out. Pain wracked my being, but I was ALIVE! I freed myself from the last of the tendrils, my fresh red blood dripping to the floor to mix with the fluid that had once suspended me.
I stood on my four paws, breathing heavily, my tentacles drooping with exaustion. Quickly, however, my strength was returning. I looked around at my surroundings. I had escaped from one box into a larger box. All around this smooth, square place were many gray, hazy cylinders reaching from floor to ceiling. Dark shadows bobbed slowly within them. Were these what had drifted around me... before? No! They were like me! Trapped within a world of uncertainty. They must be freed as well!
Before I could act on my next thought, tall beings appeared by the walls of the square prison. THEY were the ones! What were they doing, containing innocent creatures in such cruel conditions?
Ffft! Ffft! Ffft! Small projectiles lanced toward me through the air! Before I had time to think, my tentacles snapped forward, harmlessly nabbing the objects from the air before they reached me. I held one close to my face to examine it. It had a small, boxlike frame and a long, sharp point at one end. Giving my attackers a glare, I flung it back at them, pointed end first. It struck one, who quickly jumped back. Soon, the figure colapsed to the ground, where its fellows bent to its aid.
I charged forward, and with a great snarl leaped over them. I found myself in an even more cramped space, with the same unnaturally blue-white light shining from above. I ran down a narrow passageway that wound around like a maze, but always felt when I was getting closer to fredom. More of the tall beings appeared around me, but all of them screamed and scrambled to get out of my way.
Around and around and back and forth for what seemed like an eternity, before... before I caught the faint scent of a fresh breeze. I bounded happily out through the portal into the world I had glimpsed in my mind, but knew was real... somewhere.
This world was different in some ways, but the same in many others. It was much darker, but a pure, natural light filtered down from above. Soft, cool grasses met my paws. I nestled down into the grass, pressing both paw and tentacle into the natural ground I was meant to feel.
Suddenly, the frantic voices of the tall beings echoed throuh the passage behind me. I flashed back to the others like me, contained within tiny cages of hazy fluid. My heart went out for them... but I knew I would not go back there, not on the terms of the tall beings.
I did my best to disappear into the trees, just as several of them appeared out on the grass, pointing long tubes around in all directions. Those must project the sleeping needles.
Someday I must get back there. Someday.
But first, I had a beautiful world before me, begging to be explored.
Chapter 1 ~ Creation?
I floated limp in a translucent fluid, the only world I had ever known. Tubes and wires pierced my skin and ran in all directions around me. Hazy shadows passed by, the only movement in the universe save my slow, steady breathing.
My mind was in a fog. I knew no different, but something inside me told me that there was more. Deeply, I knew that what I felt was a mere shadow of reality. I felt the presence of extensions of myself, limbs and digits, but knew not how to move them, to make use of them.
Faint vibrations and soft sounds drifted to my ears. The sounds seemed vaguely connected to the shadows, but everything drifted along its merry way, never hinting to any real destination. Slowly, my mind began to focus. The sounds and shadows began to take on shapes, and although I couldn't make meaning of them, I knew there was meaning to be made.
FLASH! I was running through tall grasses. The wind whipped through my fur, over my streamlined face, along my curving back. The grasses brushed my sides and my legs as it sped by below. Bright, golden sunshine streamed down upon me, warming me through and through. Everything the light touched vibrated with life. I was alive! I knew where I was and what I was doing. I was the fastest animal on land. I was the golden, spotted cheetah.
FLASH! Sharp focus blurred into hazy gray-green light. Once again, I floated in the omnipresent fluid. My consciousness faded away into the slow, steady breathing that permeated my small world. Nothing moved, nothing changed. The dark shadows hovered all around me, but never touched me, never even disturbed the fluid to the point that I could feel it. My head pulsed, as if something was pushing from the inside, trying to escape. A body seemed to tingle to life beaneath my throbbing head. I felt pinpricks along my sides.
FLASH! I jetted through crystal-clear, pale blue water. Vibrant colors surrounded me, blinding me, but only for a moment. My sharp mind quickly adjusted to the vast spectrum. The same vitalizing energy permeated this world as well, through the warm glow of the sun. I felt through my sensitive skin every movement of every fish around me, adjusting to them, feeling them adjust to me. My eight streamlined arms trailed behind me. As I caught sight of a rock that seemed exceptionally comfortable, I spread those arms wide, slowed to a stop, and came to rest. I was not the most attractive creature, but I knew where I was and what to do to live. I was the eight-armed, shapeshifting octopus.
FLASH! This time, when the blurred world returned, it did not hold me captive as it did before. I held on with all my will to the clarity of the two worlds I had briefly visited. Nothing had the right to keep me from that. Nothing had the right to return me to the eternal state of floating in the haze, oblivious to anything beyond. Nothing.
As I held on to the image and feeling of the lifegiving light, the world around me came into focus more and more. I saw the tubes run from my skin, through the fluid, up to a silver box high above me. I saw what seemed to be an invisible wall between my gray-green fluid and empty space beyond.
I left my surroundings to themselves for a time as I examined myself. I recalled my time as a cheetah on the vast open plains. I saw four paws in front, just like the ones that propelled me through the tall grasses. Below them twitched a long tail. I was a cheetah.
From outside, the steady, rhythmic sounds grew louder and increased in frequency. Whatever was watching me knew that something had changed. Ha. Good for them.
As I attempted to swim near to the barrier between my world and theirs, I noticed something else about myself: the arms of the octopus trailed behind me, just like during my 'trip' to the ocean.
I twisted my head around to see four long tentacles curving around the tubes that connected me to the silver box. As I concentrated, these slowly submitted to my thoughts, just as had the paws and tail.
I was two creatures in one. Two creatures who need freedom and open road more than anything else, especially some hazy green reality.
The shadows outside moved rapidly and pulsing red lights pierced through the gloom. I knew it was time to break out of my prison. I reached my tentacles forward to feel the invisible wall. The powerful suction cups pried at the now-tangible barrier, but it didn't show any sign of budging. I reached my rear paws back against the opposite side, while pressing my front paws forward. With the suction-endowed tentacled I pulled on the walls to either side. The walls began to groan and creak beaneath my strength. This only invigorated me more, and soon what had been my whole world fell apart.
CRASH! SWOOSH! The walls shattered and the greenish fluid flowed outward in all directions along the ground. I tried to stand, but found myself tangled among the tubes and wires still attatched to my skin. One by one I gripped them with my teeth and pulled them out. Pain wracked my being, but I was ALIVE! I freed myself from the last of the tendrils, my fresh red blood dripping to the floor to mix with the fluid that had once suspended me.
I stood on my four paws, breathing heavily, my tentacles drooping with exaustion. Quickly, however, my strength was returning. I looked around at my surroundings. I had escaped from one box into a larger box. All around this smooth, square place were many gray, hazy cylinders reaching from floor to ceiling. Dark shadows bobbed slowly within them. Were these what had drifted around me... before? No! They were like me! Trapped within a world of uncertainty. They must be freed as well!
Before I could act on my next thought, tall beings appeared by the walls of the square prison. THEY were the ones! What were they doing, containing innocent creatures in such cruel conditions?
Ffft! Ffft! Ffft! Small projectiles lanced toward me through the air! Before I had time to think, my tentacles snapped forward, harmlessly nabbing the objects from the air before they reached me. I held one close to my face to examine it. It had a small, boxlike frame and a long, sharp point at one end. Giving my attackers a glare, I flung it back at them, pointed end first. It struck one, who quickly jumped back. Soon, the figure colapsed to the ground, where its fellows bent to its aid.
I charged forward, and with a great snarl leaped over them. I found myself in an even more cramped space, with the same unnaturally blue-white light shining from above. I ran down a narrow passageway that wound around like a maze, but always felt when I was getting closer to fredom. More of the tall beings appeared around me, but all of them screamed and scrambled to get out of my way.
Around and around and back and forth for what seemed like an eternity, before... before I caught the faint scent of a fresh breeze. I bounded happily out through the portal into the world I had glimpsed in my mind, but knew was real... somewhere.
This world was different in some ways, but the same in many others. It was much darker, but a pure, natural light filtered down from above. Soft, cool grasses met my paws. I nestled down into the grass, pressing both paw and tentacle into the natural ground I was meant to feel.
Suddenly, the frantic voices of the tall beings echoed throuh the passage behind me. I flashed back to the others like me, contained within tiny cages of hazy fluid. My heart went out for them... but I knew I would not go back there, not on the terms of the tall beings.
I did my best to disappear into the trees, just as several of them appeared out on the grass, pointing long tubes around in all directions. Those must project the sleeping needles.
Someday I must get back there. Someday.
But first, I had a beautiful world before me, begging to be explored.