Somewhere far far away ... Part 8

Somewhere far far away ... Part 8 by CaylaCatz https://budgetpixel.com/u/CaylaCatz and @panos https://budgetpixel.com/u/panos Index to all chapters: https://budgetpixel.com/blog/somewhere-far-far-away-all-chapter-links here: Chapter 15 (by Panos): You're Not in Kansas Any More Part 8 comments Chapter 15 : You're Not in Kansas Any More Chapter 15 images and text by panos Wizard's chapter: I stood at the rail. The wind from the good airship “Sky Torrent’ ‘s slipstream freshened my face and ruffled my hair. The sky was late afternoon azure all around us, but it was starting to deepen towards early evening. All around me the ship’s sounds provided a constant white noise, comfortable to me. A comfort coming from long association with ships – whether sea or air. Ships I mean. The thrum of etheric engines, felt deep inside the bones, speaking of power but also of unknown dimensions. The crew’s activity, busy going to and fro, laughter, crude jests and curses. For a brief moment I found myself wondering how my former ship, the ‘Crimson Shadow’ fared. I thought of my friends there, Captain Catz, Rappu – or – Zel, a Former Princess-In-A-Tower, according to her. I wished them well, wherever they travelled. I sensed a movement beside me and looked. Catherine of Seattle had come to stand by the rail. I nodded at her, smiling and she smiled back. I looked at her, that young woman fate had brought across my path. So recently – and yet, I felt as if I knew her for years. She was a chance traveler to the Multiverse, caught by the machinations of a … ugh! .. fairy, far, far away from home. Naïve to the wonders and perils of Realms other than her own and yet, there was a quality in her… a hidden steel, sharp and unbreakable. And something else. There were unpredictable moments where I almost sense something emanating from deep inside her. Something that had the unmistakable feel of Magic. Strong Magic. “Off shift, already?’ I asked. Cat rolled her eyes. ‘Already? Feels like days to me!” I smiled wider. “Chief Musten drives you hard, then?” “Any moment I expect him to take a whip to us, if we don’t do everything EXACTLY as he tells us” she answered. She sighed. “I admit that things are tense right now.” She continued. “That sub-etheric regulator that got damaged in the battle with the harpies is holding just with a prayer. And I mean, from time to time I am almost sure, Chief will have us all fall to our knees before it and ACTUALLY pray to it to keep working!” I couldn’t help but let out a burst of sharp laughter at that. Cat smiled wider, even though I could see her tiredness. “It is a kind of vicious circle’ she went on, “We need more power to the engines, to get to the place of repairs for the sub-etheric regulator soon, but more power, means more use of the regulator, thus more chance for it to fail and them… uhh…” Cat faltered. “Bye -bye…” I finished for her drily. “Uhh… right” she said. I responded to her uncertain, anxious look. “Well, don’t worry. We’re almost there.” “Really?” A look of relief flooded her face. “I guess everything is all right, then.” she said. “No.” I said darkly, frowning. ‘There is a terrible problem. An even worse one.” Cat’s face looked like she just had a bucket of cold-water splash on it. “Oh God!” she exclaimed, alarmed. “Something WORSE than falling out of the sky? What is it?” I looked at her grimly and told her in a dark tone: “Someone is stealing my cookies.” Total confusion manifested instantly on her face. ‘Some… your… WHAT?!!” “Indeed!” I exclaimed too, intentionally misinterpreting her own exclamation. ’Tis Terrible! ‘Tis Villainous! ‘Tis Unconscionable!’ Catherine looked at me, her look of confusion transforming gradually to one of incredulousness. Finally, she shook her head. “Oh, you!...” she managed to say. “I am not joking, Cat. Someone IS stealing my cookies!” “Really?” she told me, mockingly. “Yes. I return to my cabin again and again, only to find my cookie jar half-empty, or even totally empty.’ Catherine looked at me, crossing her arms, taking a reproving expression “Takkis” she said to me, ‘if you devoured your cookies in record time – again! – and need some more, you only have to come out and ask for it directly.” She frowned. “Although,” she said pensively, “If I ask the Cook to let me bake some more, he’ll chase me out of the kitchen. I have almost depleted his cookie ingredients. We shall have to re-stock now that we’re going in port." “Wha… Hey, I’m not kidding! My cookie jar is being ransacked!” I cried. “Or,’ said Cat, “you just stuffed your face once again and don’t care to own to it.” “Totally untrue!” I protested. “I’m telling you; I’m being robbed!” I leant to her and whispered: “I’m suspecting…” “Fairies?” Cat finished for me, looking at me, mockingly. ‘…How did you…” I looked at her puzzled. “..well, anyway, yes! Fairies are stealing my cookies!” “Yeah, right!” said Cat, laughing. “Hey!” I protested, ‘I don’t know how it is in your Realm. But in most others in the Multiverse, Noone. Steals. A. Wizard’s. Cookies!” A blaring mechanical clarion sound stopped our conversation. Which was not going anywhere, anyway. I was confronted with a wall of disbelief, built by my great love for Cat’s cookies. That said Cat now looked very alarmed, looking all around. “What… what does THAT mean?’ she asked. “Don’t worry, it’s NOT an alarm this time, thank Belial!” I reassured her. “We’ve reached our destination. “Oh! Where?!” Cat leaned over the rail – not precariously so – and scanned what could be seen of the ground below for a city or town. “No” I told her. “Not down there. Up there!” I pointed. Cat followed the direction my finger pointed at. A great bank of clouds was hanging just ahead and above us. High and wide, reaching for hundreds of meters left and right. And among the clouds… Buildings could be seen. A spider web of wooden buildings, connected by long, flimsy looking wooden bridges/walkways. Docks and freight-cranes could be seen here and there. A few airships of various designs and sizes were docked there. The ‘Sky Torrent’ was heading straight for one of these docks. Cat’s face showed her total surprise. Her eyes were goggling. She pointed there, too. “That.. that…” she stammered. “THAT” I said, “is Roberta’s Skyport.” “There’s a whole city up there!” exclaimed Cat. “Well, hardly.” I said. “I wouldn’t even really call it a town.” “In the CLOUDS!” insisted Cat. “Yep.” I agreed. Cat just stared at me. “Remember Cat.” I told her. “ ‘You’re not in Kansas anymore’ “ Cat stared at me for a few moments more, without saying anything further. Then she turned her attention straight ahead, observing our approach to our port with avid focus. Roberta's Skyport Chapter 16 coming soon featuring Roberta's Skyport Roberta's Skyport, original visuals and lore created by Bobbie https://budgetpixel.com/u/Bobbie These images of the skyport by panos. Comments below