The Road Not Wanted

[cyfor.livejournal.com]

[A massive, primitive-looking creature appears on the Plane, vaguely resembling a snow leopard, but bigger. Stockier. With longer, shaggy fur. It's paws are huge; its teeth long enough that a half-inch of fang protrudes down from its upper lip. Its tail is a long gray plume.

A glint of metal peaks from the nest of hair on the crown of its head. A spark plug, embedded in its skull. Cy shakes herself, the smell of snow and thick musk rolling off of her. When she speaks, her voice is deep and rich and wild.]

I fell in. Fell in? The pool should be covered, the Road should be blocked. How could I just fall in?

Comments

[cyfor.livejournal.com]

[Confused.] I ran.

[contract_star]

Ran...where? How does running do...[Gestures wildly,] this?

[cyfor.livejournal.com]

[Scratches behind her ear.] I dunno. It's the gray wind and the Old Way that does it. Should've gone away by now.

[contract_star]

[Folds his arms and frowns, trying to process this.]

So this happens normally--but it's taking longer to go away than normal. Has this happened before in your world?

[cyfor.livejournal.com]

The coming, or the staying?

[contract_star]

The...staying.

[cyfor.livejournal.com]

Nuh-uh. It drifts away like a passing breeze, soon as you leave the Road.

[contract_star]

The Road, right. What exactly is the Road? Why does it make you so...big and, ah, fierce-looking?

[cyfor.livejournal.com]

It's... The Road. The Wild Road. The first way--it's the beginning of everything, the first steps and the first wind. It's the pulse of the world, Bee-Kay.

[contract_star]

And you can use this Road? Is it something only you can do?

[cyfor.livejournal.com]

All the ones with the world's blood in them, mouse and mare, bird and bear.

[contract_star]

Animals, then. Not humans? Or are there no humans in your world?

[cyfor.livejournal.com]

[She hunkers down, growling.] Not humans. Not humans. But the Half-and-Half wants it just the same.

[contract_star]

[OMFG enormous snarling cat. Quickly,] Okay, not humans. And that Half-and-Half...is the same human who killed all those cats before? The same one who hurt you?

[cyfor.livejournal.com]

[The snarl subsides.] Same, same, takes all the blame.

[contract_star]

...I can see why you hate him.

About your, ah, shape. You might actually return to normal as soon as you return to your own world. A lot of us have had strange things happen to our own realities, but things tend to sort themselves out eventually.

[cyfor.livejournal.com]

[Worried face.] Thassa problem, Lightning Lord. The Old Road shouldn't run through the city. It did and now I'm touched by the old ones in three-lane traffic, see?

[contract_star]

Oh...oh. I see how that could be a problem.

Maybe wait here awhile then? You will have to go back eventually, but maybe if you wait it out you'll change back.

[cyfor.livejournal.com]

But you know that time don't fly in the other world, Bee-Kay. What if it doesn't go away in this one?

[contract_star]

[Looks thoughtful for a moment.]

Has your reality merged with anyone else's?

[cyfor.livejournal.com]

[Headtilt.] I can smell the beach from where I shouldn't.

[contract_star]

The Doctor, huh? I have an idea. Why don't you try going into the Doctor's reality from here. I don't know if his world has a Wild Road, but it's worth a try--and you'd be away from anyone who would panic at the sight of you.