Chatterbox: Inkwell


ROCK PAPER SCISSORS

 

You glare at your co-worker, who is laughing at your expression. “Come on, it was just a game of rock paper scissors!” he says, still laughing. “But if you LOSE, you have to take the other person's WORK!” you growl. Your co-worker starts laughing again. “Oh well. Go sort those books in section three,” he says, giggling. You glare at him again and stomp off. Stupid extra work… you think, slamming books onto the shelf. But eventually your rage is tamed and you find yourself at ease with your job working at your local library.
An hour later, you leave the library, tightening your scarf, bracing yourself against the cold November wind. You slog down the sidewalk, your boots crunching bits of dirty snow. Finally you make it to your street. Weird… why is there a bunch of gravel on the sidewalk? You wonder, hopping over a rather large piece of gravel that's in front of your mailbox. In fact, gravel is in a wiggly trail going up to your front door. You shrug, blaming the construction workers down the street, and get out your key. Stepping inside your house, you’re shocked to find that there's gravel scattered on the furniture, scissors wedged in the couch, and… toilet paper wound around everything?!? What in the world happened? You sit down on the couch, then leap up again as a scissor blade cuts into your leg. While going into the kitchen to get a band-aid, you spot something on the counter. It seems to be a gray envelope. You pick it up and open it. Inside is a flat, thin rock that's engraved with curly writing. You start to read…

Dear letter recipient,

Oh, hello there! So nice of you to open this! I am Queen Agabba of Northern Gravelah, but technically I'm the ruler of all Gravelah… Oh, you might be thinking-what is Gravelah? Why, Gravelah is one of the three kingdoms! We are bordered by Tailett Papero and Scissoni. Recently the three kingdoms broke out into war for control of the land. I hear you are a CBer? (Yes, even we in a different world know about the CB.) We also know that the CB is formed of some very intelligent, amazingly resourceful people! We would be delighted if you came to stay with us for a while-a break from your job and annoying co-workers! You would help us strategize (And fight if you wish) and win the war. Of course, there’ll still be some fun involved-Gravelah is home to Gravel Mountain, which, despite its name, is perfect for rock climbing and camping. If you would like to come, please fill out the form attached. Hope to see you soon! 

                                                  ~Queen Agabba of Northern Gravelah

PS-My assistant will send a portal. 

PPS-sorry for any messes in your house. We were racing the Scissoni people and the Tailett Papero people to invite you! 

You shrug. It’ll be a nice break-but how did they know about your co-worker? You look around at the mess in your house and decide to go. So you pull out the form, grab a pen and fill it in.

NAME:

APPROXIMATE AGE:
GENDER/PRONOUNS:

SPECIAL TALENTS:

APPEARANCE:
PERSONALITY:
LUGGAGE:
COMPANIONS (TWO MAXIMUM):
PERCENTILE CHANCE OF HAVING MAGIC:
IF OVER 50% MAGIC CHANCE, WHAT TYPE?:
Please fill out a form for your companions as well. Again, hope to see you soon!

You finish filling out the form and the second you take your pen off the paper/stone, a whirling, stony gray portal appears in front of you. Suddenly, with a pop, your battered suitcase lands next to you. You shrug (for like the fiftieth time) and grab your suitcase, then jump in. This is going to be one heck of an adventure.

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

Yes. This is a ski lodge. Two companions maximum (EG-one AE, one CAPTCHA or two AEs, one AE, one CAPTCHA, two CAPCTHAs… etc.) Feel free to guess who I am. 

And I know it sounds silly-a ski lodge based on rock paper scissors? Oh no. Ski lodges are murder mysteries, and Ive been studying. Be prepared. Note-this is going to be a shortish ski lodge, as I am preoccupied with other things--but when the idea struck, it stuck, and now I have to finish my duty as the narrator and write out your deaths. Have a nice day.


submitted by Queen Agabba, North Gravelah
(June 23, 2020 - 11:44 am)

Okay-so I'll call you Zahava Shira, not Zahava or Zahava S?

Any is fine- i can even call you ZS XD 

submitted by Queen A@Zahava S.
(June 28, 2020 - 11:48 am)

»I forgot to add something. If you use He/Him pronouns I won’t mind.«

submitted by Shaow
(June 27, 2020 - 11:37 am)

alright everyone sorry, i wasn't on for THREE DAYS

But, all spots are full! Thanks Zahava S. for joining.

Wow, ironic, Zahava is the name of NoOneKnow's CAPTCHA XD

 

I will post part one very soon. I'm writing it as fast as I can!

Shaow- Ill use they/them pronouns. I like diversity. 

submitted by HOO/Queen A
(June 28, 2020 - 11:42 am)

I'm sooo excited for the first part! Also, this is my first ski lodge, so I'm really excited to see how I turn out.

submitted by Luminescence, age XI, California
(June 28, 2020 - 1:52 pm)

@Queen A, please scratch the part in my luggage about a stuffed bear. I was copying and pasting something and somehow I forgot to delete that part. Thanks!

submitted by Luminescence, age XI, California
(June 29, 2020 - 9:32 pm)
submitted by TOP
(June 29, 2020 - 9:40 pm)
submitted by TOP
(June 30, 2020 - 11:36 am)

Ahem!

Hey everyone!

PAAAART ONE!

Day One, Part One

PygmyOwl heard the doorbell ring and yanked it open, smiling at Dolphin and Shaow. Abcde (who was behind Pygmy) blushed when Shaow slipped their hand in hers. Dolphin grinned, so did PygmyOwl, and they all walked into the kitchen. A gray portal was spinning, and they watched it suck a stray piece of toilet paper into nothingness. PygmyOwl glanced at Dolphin, who was smiling as Shaow handed a carnation to Abcde. They all shared a moment of happy-shipper-smiles and then one by one hopped through the portal.

Luminescence melted at the sight of Kiwi, who was clutching to her purple duffel bag adorably. Blaze was packing somewhere in their house, and Luminescence was tapping her foot impatiently as she waited. Finally Blaze rocketed over to them, and the moment she entered the kitchen, a stoney-gray portal appeared. Kiwi squealed, her fur rising. The portal pulled harder and Kiwi disappeared into the gray vortex. Blaze hesitated then followed. With no one else in the kitchen, Luminescence hoisted her duffel bag onto a shoulder and jumped into the portal.

Arithmancy adjusted her round glasses and picked up her bag. She glanced around the kitchen and waited a second, then heard a whoosh as a portal appeared next to her. She shrugged, then hesitated. Deciding quickly, she ran upstairs and grabbed a pocket knife just in case, then flew downstairs and leaped into the portal headfirst.

HeroesOfOlympus grabbed Tomru’s hand. She looked down at their smiling little face and felt a swell of contentment. Then she shook her head. Stupid cuteness magic… she thought, and then she grabbed her bag and turned. Tomru stomped their little foot, their red rainboot making a slapping sound on the tiled floor.
“=Letss gggoo!=” they shouted, and then jumped into the portal. Heroes sighed. She couldn't procrastinate any longer--so she jumped in too. 

NoOneKnows smiled at Zahava, who was jumping around on the floor. She picked up her bag and watched as time and space ripped apart while the portal appeared. Zahava barked, turning in circles clumsily, her fluffy tail wagging. NOK picked up the tiny purple bag stuffed with Zahava’s things and waved goodbye to her AE, who was sulking in the doorway.
“How come I can't come?” her AE complained. NOK shrugged and picked up Zahava.
“We’ll see you soon!” she shouted, jumping into the portal with Zahava in her arms.

Alex skidded around the corner, grabbing her computer from her room and then jumping down the stairs three at a time. She stuffed her computer and another book into her suitcase, then went into the kitchen just in time to see a gray swirl-y portal appear. She smiled, tugged on the hem of her halloween shirt, and stepped into the portal.

Strawberri grabbed her purple glasses from the counter and pushed them on. She put another pen into her bag and looked at the portal that had appeared minutes earlier. She shrugged and tossed her bag over her shoulder, then took a step forward. One second later, she was running upstairs to get another pen (Hey, you never know). With 5 pens in her bag, she finally jumped into the portal. 

Emekittycon K picked up her laptop, which was currently displaying a Minecraft world she had made. She closed the lid and tucked the laptop into her black bag. (decorated with an outline of a kitten face made with diamonds) Then she put her phone into the bag and raced downstairs. She didn't want to miss the portal, not after she had the first time! Stupid distracting phone game… well, at least the letter had re-appeared. She shook her head out of her thoughts and entered the kitchen. Luckily, a portal appeared as she watched. With a whooshing noise, a bit of gravel flew past her face, scraping her nose and getting sucked into the portal. She scowled and then adjusted her tiara. One little bit of gravel wasn't going to mess up her time! She smiled and jumped into the portal.

[This is before they meet up with Pygmy and Abcde] 

Dolphin grabbed her suitcase and shoved her extra dagger into it. She called for Shaow, who was probably packing more carnations, and then waited approximately four hours (JK, it was four seconds) until Shaow came downstairs. Dolphin grinned at the carnations peeking out of Shaow’s bag and then waved her AE over to the door.

“Cmon, we’re going to PygmyOwl’s house to go through the portal together.” Dolphin said. [Note-Everyone lives in the same ‘CB Neighborhood’] Shaow nodded and they walked outside. 

Zahava Shira tucked a lock of black hair behind her ear and picked up her bag. She made sure she had a pencil (she didnt-Zahava Shira spent six minutes searching around her room for her special pencil and finally found it stuffed behind her bed) and then went downstairs, into the kitchen. There was a gray swirly thing slowly fading right in front of her. Without hesitation, Zahava Shira jumped into the portal.

Each CBer tumbled out of the sky and landed with an OOMPH on the rocky ground. NoOneKnows sat up, letting go of Zahava, and turned to examine the rocks. She realized they had been dumped on a courtyard made of gravel-which hurt.
“Ahhh! HEY AMINA!” HeroesOfOlympus shouted, barreling into NOK with a surprise tackle hug.

“Hey! I didn't know you were coming!” NOK said, grabbing a bit of gravel out of Zahava’s mouth. Realizing there were probably other people, Heroes looked around. She spotted several other shapes either falling through the gray clouds or sprawled on the gravel.

“Hey everyone!” she called, grabbing Tomru’s hand.
“Hello! Why did we land on gravel, does anyone know?” PygmyOwl asked, getting up. Abcde came over, picking a piece of gravel out of her hair. Dolphin was behind her, Shaow grumbling about rocks squashing carnations or something like that. 

“I have no idea.” Luminescence said, Kiwi perched on her shoulder. Blaze trotted behind them.
“Lumi! Ello!” Heroes said, petting Kiwi’s head.
“I think a gravel thing pierced my brain.” Arithmancy grumbled, coming over to the assembled CBers. She waved hello. Suddenly everyone heard an OOF-they turned to see Alex sprawled on the gravel groaning.
“Gosh that hit hard… Oh, hello everyone! Nice to see you here!” Alex said cheerfully.
“Hey Alex!” Strawberri called, falling right in front of them. After choruses of Hello! Hello!, everyone finally calmed down-right on time. Another person fell from the sky, landing on their feet. Emekittycon K grinned, obviously pleased with her perfect landing. Everyone chatted amongst themselves for a little until they all heard a loud, shrill shout. A dark blob rocketed through the misty clouds, landing out of sight over a hill. The CBers shrugged and waited for the new arrival to find their way over to them. Finally, Zahava Shira came staggering over the hill, rubbing her head.
“Hello! At least you didn't land on gravel!” someone shouted, and the AEs snickered softly.
“Yeah… but I landed in a duck pond.” Zahava Shira responded.
“OHHH… so that's why you're so wet!” NoOneKnows said, and Zahava barked. Everyone giggled and then stopped abruptly. The gravel on the floor was rising, parting in two curtains, making a tunnel. A dark shape appeared at the far end and came toward them. Tomru squeaked softly, and Kiwi buried her face in Luminescence’s hair, then yanked it out, her curiosity getting the better of her. The shape grew clearer, revealing a lumpy woman carrying a staff made of gravel. The lady came toward them. She rapped her staff on the ground and the gravel tunnels fell down, showering the CBers in rocks.
“Hello, hello, my wonderful guests. I am Queen Agabba.” the lady paused, her stone-gray eyes studying each of them in turn.
“Hey.” Heroes finally said.
“Yes, indeed, ‘hay’. The horses will need some, I think. Thank you for reminding me.” Queen Agabba said solemnly. One of the AEs snickered.
“No problem. Uh, where’s your palace thing?” Heroes said, squeezing Tomru’s little hand.
“Ah… let me have a moment real quick.” Queen Agabba turned her back on the assembled CBers and waved her gravel staff around. Like a curtain dropping, the CBers could suddenly see a giant castle made entirely of gravel. There were a few gasps, then Queen Agabba turned around, the hem of her gray (everything about her was gray-her hair, skin, eyes, clothes…) dress kicking up dust.
“If you will all follow me, I can show you around.” Queen Agabba said, and everyone nodded. 

Five minutes later, they were all standing in the ENORMOUS entry hall of Queen Agabba’s palace. There was a podium in the center of the hall that held up a slowly revolving piece of gravel that was shaped like a six-pointed star. The guests were staring in fascination as a team of horses made entirely from stone thundered past the doorway. (chased by a young man with gray hair) The horses made so much noise that whatever Queen Agabba said about the gravel star was lost, never to be heard. The CBers, disappointed that they weren't going to follow the horses, trailed after Queen Agabba past the podium, through a set of gigantic doors into a cavernous room with towering ceilings. A pile of gravel dominated the space, two pillars of stone reaching up and entwining above the pile. Queen Agabba shut the doors behind them and took a seat on the pile of gravel.
“This is the throne room.” she announced. Within a second, something in the CBers’ brains clicked and they realized the pile of gravel was actually a carefully sculpted throne, gravel twisting out in arms, a base of large pieces, and a back that twisted up at the top to form another six-pointed star. Once the guests had studied the throne closely, Queen Agabba rose up and twirled her staff around for a moment. The doors flew open and the CBers and their companions could see a staircase forming at the side of the main hall. Queen Agabba led them across the hall, pointing to doorways and talking.

“...that's the dining room, the kitchens, the lounge, the pool, meeting rooms 1, 2, and 3…”
They finally reached a corridor on the second story, after scaling the ginormous staircase and walking past doors labeled in fancy writing. Queen Agabba pulled a list out of her pocket and read it aloud:

“In the Granite Room, we have HeroesOfOlympus and Tomru, NoOneKnows and Zahava, Arithmancy, Luminescence and Blaze and Kiwi. In the Marble Room, we have PygmyOwl and Abcde, Dolphin and Shaow, Alex, Strawberri, Zahava Shira, and Emekittycon K.” Queen Agabba gestured to two doors side-by-side: one light gray and one white. There was a piece of granite embedded in the gray door right above a sign that said Granite Room. Same was for the white door, except the rock wasn't granite; it was marble (and the sign said Marble Room). Queen Agabba opened the gray door and led the first group inside a nice, gray walled room with three bunk beds painted gray. Gray gray gray… was there anything not gray? In fact, yes, there was a wooden coffee table and a TV in one area, as well as several speckled bean bags clustered around the table. There was also a door with BATHROOM carved into it. Tomru dove onto a beanbag and kicked off their rain boots, while Kiwi scrambled into a small hammock hanging from the ceiling. Luminescence climbed into the bunk right below the hammock and started to unpack, while Blaze found her lower fish half encased in a shimmer gray bubble. Queen Agabba waved her staff and the bunk below Luminescence turned into a stable-like thing, which Blaze trotted into happily. NoOneKnows was petting Zahava (the CAPTCHA) in the corner while Arithmancy placed her things into an ornate chest at the foot of her bunk.
“I want the top!” Heroes squealed, racing NOK to a bunk bed. Tomru looked up, grabbed their rainboots and followed. Zahava settled into a plush dog bed. Soon, the sleeping arrangements were made-Heroes and NOK were sharing, with Heroes getting the top; Luminescence was sharing with Blaze while Kiwi slept in the little sugar-glider hammock; Arithmancy was sharing with Tomru (not their choice, Tomru had stolen Arithmancy’s lower bed and wouldn't move); and Zahava was sleeping at the foot of NOK’s bunk in the dog bed. 

Meanwhile, in the Marble Room, Queen Agabba had led the second group into a white-walled room with several beds clustered against the walls. There was another wooden coffee table and a TV, also a door labeled BATHROOM. Strawberri and Alex were arguing over who would get the bed under the window, but eventually Queen Agabba got tired of them and made a second window above another bed. After a while, each guest had their things in trunks (one at the foot of each bed) and were talking, leaning back on the unimaginable number of pillows that formed a (rather fluffy) couch. 

Eventually the CBers heard a bell ring, loud and clear, one piercing note. They all scrambled up and raced out into the hallway, where the two groups met up and started discussing what the bell meant. Then a rather heavy woman raced down the hall next to them grumbling about being late for dinner and so the CBers shrugged and followed her. 

In the dining room, the guests spotted Queen Agabba, who was waving them over to a long rectangular table in the corner. Everyone sat down, then seconds later a wonderful four-course meal appeared on the table.
“Just like in Harry Potter,” Heroes remarked to NOK, stuffing her face with chocolate cake. (dessert had arrived first, yey) After a rather surgery start, they started to eat, nomming on roast beef and mashed potatoes, corn on the cob, everything they could imagine. (In fact, Tomru was inhaling a lobster leg) Strawberri sneakily took Luminescence’s ice cream and within seconds, a food fight of epic proportions broke out. Carrots, beef jerky, pudding, and pancakes were slapping CBers faces, smearing across the CAPTCHA’s noses, and smashing into the AE’s legs. Queen Agabba just sat there talking pleasantly with an extremely skinny man sporting just three strands of charcoal-gray hair. The food fight came to a sudden halt with the arrival of a new course-this time, actual dessert. Abandoning their edible missiles, the guests dug into a not-so-healthy assortment of ice cream, cupcakes, cake, pudding, chocolate, candy, etc. 

Half an hour later, the assembled CBers and their companions got up from the low couches in the lounge and staggered upstairs, complaining of stomach-aches. They certainly ate more than was expected, for the wooden table was now home to an incredible collection of empty plates, ice cream stains, and not a crumb left. 

In the granite room, Heroes said (or rather, grumbled) good night to NoOneKnows before hiding under her blanket. Zahava (who had eaten ten dog bones and a pack of treats in five minutes) curled up in her dog bed. Kiwi jumped off Luminescence’s head and stretched out in her hammock. Arithmancy put down the half-eaten cupcake she had brought along and fell asleep immediately. In the Marble Room, Alex was stubbornly finishing her tenth piece of ice-cream cake and refused to stop. (she gave up after two bites) Zahava Shira had abandoned her pudding and was sleeping quietly, her blanket pulled over her head. PygmyOwl took a last bite of her cheesecake bar and flopped into bed. Dolphin coaxed the frozen yogurt out of Shaow’s hands and replaced it with a carnation, which they gave to Abcde with a small blush. Abcde then swapped her pudding for the flower, tucking it behind her ear. (no, she was HOLDING the pudding, it wasn't behind her ear, are you crazy?!?) Emekittycon inhaled her last piece of chocolate and fell back onto her bed, groaning. 

Just five minutes later, when a servant peeked into their rooms, all the guests were asleep, Tomru snoring, Arithmancy stretched out rather awkwardly, and Shaow’s arm stretching across the gap between their bed and Abcde’s, their fingers brushing hers. (Very cutely, if I may say) 

Well, one guest was awake. They scowled at the ceiling, doubting themselves. There was something they needed to do… but could they do it? Only time would tell.

-=-

WOOOO
and btw thanks for topping!

ill try and post once a week, so keep up the tops!

submitted by Queen Agabba, North Gravelah
(June 30, 2020 - 2:26 pm)

Strawberri, why did you take my ice cream?! XD

And who is that mysterious skinny bald man- oh excuse me, you're not bald, you just have exactly three hairs- talking to Queen Agabba?

AND WHO IS THE MURDERER?! For some reason, I feel like it's me... oh no. I really hope not. But if Strawberri dies, I will definitely think it's me.

We know it's not Tomru, Arithmancy, Shaow, or Abcde, because they were all asleep. Unless they were just pretending... AHH MY BRAIN HURTS ALREADY!!!

Kiwi, you seem to have grown very fond of my head! That's so cute...

*grumbles*

*giggles* 

submitted by Luminescence, age XI, California
(June 30, 2020 - 8:20 pm)

Holy. Cow.

 

This is so funnnnyyyyyy XD

 

Keep up the good work!

submitted by Alex
(July 1, 2020 - 12:33 pm)

XDDDD

I will! 

submitted by Queen Agabba, North Gravelah
(July 1, 2020 - 2:05 pm)
submitted by New part!
(June 30, 2020 - 2:27 pm)

Wow, I love watching myself eat...

submitted by Arithmancy
(June 30, 2020 - 7:11 pm)
submitted by TOP
(July 3, 2020 - 11:41 am)
submitted by TOP
(July 3, 2020 - 11:41 am)