Orso Fiction 013

Orso Fiction 013-A Little Different (Part 1 of 3)
“Excellent work, Ricky.”, Bradley said.

“Thank you, sir.”, Ricky Wilhide replied. “But…”

“What is it?”, Bradley asked, beginning to spin in his chair.

“Well, you see…I don’t feel right about this success. We should have lost that metal.”

“What do you mean?”, Bradley asked, still spinning.

“Well, Kristen told me there six members present. Even if these weren’t fighters at our level, a numerical advantage like that would nearly secure our defeat. In addition, they had everything they wanted, and a hostage to boot. Fleeing without losing any of that would have been easy.”

“Go on.”, Bradley prodded, no longer spinning, and feeling a little nauseous.

“To conclude, the Seven Roses had no reason to meet us, to inform us they had beaten us to the prize. There was a plan, there. They wanted us to win, this time.”

“What are you suggesting?”, Bradley asked, playing with some of the action figures he kept in his desk drawer.

“Well, that we exercise extreme caution in future missions regarding these metals until we know exactly what’s going on.”

“I see. Well, then I shouldn’t tell you that the usual method for selecting members is first come, first serve over Facebook.”, Bradley said, deciding that the samurai would beat the centaur. It was an unusual choice for him. He usually favored the centaur, but he had thought a lot about it, and decided that this time, the samurai just WANTED it more. Today felt a little different. While the centaur’s greater agility and skill with the bow was superior to that of the samurai’s, he made the fatal error of underestimating his human opponent, and entered the samurai’s sword range. And this time, Bradley had thought of a cool name for a move for the samurai, the “Heaven’s Roar”, and wanted to try it out. With a huge sound effect, Bradley threw the centaur across the room. He paused to regard his choice. What would this mean, regarding human-centaur relationships? Would one victory against the centaurs be enough for man? No, they would keep coming. They would continue to invade these lands. And why? Because he MADE them fight. He dropped the samurai as he realized this. The fighting only continued because he made it continue. War, suffering, sadness…They all only existed in the action figures’ world because he introduced a conflict. And for what? A few minutes of entertainment? No. He would not let this centaur’s (and countless samurais’) lives be in vain. He would change his ways. He would walk a path of peace and harmony from now on, when it came to the world of the action figures. Their lives were too short, from the point he opened their boxes, to the point he lost them behind the couch and forgot about them for a month and a half, to be spent in constant warfare. If he was an action figure, he would wish his master would do him the same kindness.

Wait.

What if Bradley himself WAS just an action figure, in the hands of a higher power? Was the entire family the result of some decision between greater authorities?

No. He couldn’t think that. If he did, he would come to doubt his entire free will. And he liked the concept of free will. He decided to compromise. His will was his own, and the will of the action figures was also his own. Any change from the beginning of the game could be nullified at his desire. Perhaps this WAS the first encounter between the samurai and the centaurs. Anything he wanted to erase from their minds, he erased. Any damage to the actual action figures could be written off as preexisting injuries. This thought calmed him. He would not be a cruel god to these innocent plastic creatures. But from now on, in honor of this change of heart, the samurai and centaur races would forever be allies. Yes, this was best. Sushimaru the samurai general, and Bighoof, the centaur chief, would be blood brothers, in a war-torn world. No, not war-torn, he remembered, because he didn’t want to be a cruel god. A FORMERLY war-torn world! Perfect! The wars were over. And now, all the fights they engaged in would be sparring. Perfect! He felt good about this decision. But now he was getting hungry. Sushi! That’s what he would eat. In honor of the newfound alliance between the samurai and the centaurs. Sushi and…centaur food. Whatever that was. Oh, hey, Ricky’s almost done talking! Gotta come up with a good response!

“Right, I agree, Ricky. I’ll make sure we change our strategy to adjust for your report.”, he said, very calmly. The voice of a man who had just declared everlasting peace, in his imaginary world.

“…Right.”, Ricky said, unwilling to tell Bradley that he hadn’t said anything for a solid page of introspection. “Well, that’s the end of my report. I’ll be on my way.”

“Good work, Ricky. Keep it up.”, Bradley said. “Oh, and, on your way out, could you toss me Bighoof?”

“Bighoof?”

“The centaur. I threw him by the door, when Sushimaru defeated him. That was before I decided the samurai and centaurs were at peace.”

“Of course. I think understand.”, Ricky said, tossing the centaur figure back. Their eyes locked, and Bradley felt a deep connection.

“Maybe you do...”, Bradley said, trailing off.

---

The call came as Laura was at her desk, writing. She answered the video call, already anticipating who was on the other end. Sure enough, Bradley’s face was on the screen.

“Yes, Bradley?”

“Just thought you should know, that last team came back. But they noted to me that something seems wrong with the results, and that…something something. World peace between samurai and centaurs. He was mumbling a lot, or something. That wasn’t my fault. Because I wasn’t listening.”

“Understood. “, Laura lied.

“Good. Also, we have the next letter from Ferraro. Looks like it’s Japan, this time.”

“I see. I’ll begin putting together a team immediately.”

“Oh! You reminded me! This team should be specially handpicked, not thrown together over Facebook.”

“Bradley…I don’t put teams together off of Facebook. Only an idiot would do something like that.”

“Oh. Well now MY feelings are hurt.”, Bradley said, his face betraying how deeply the emotional pain cut. Laura sighed.

“But, I’ll put together a team immediately.”

“Good. Keep it up, Laura! Oh, has today seemed…different, to you?”

“Not especially, no.”

“Ah. Alright, never mind. Today just feels a bit odd to me. Also, what do horses eat?”

“I’m hanging up now.”

“But I need to know so I can eat it with sushi to celebrate the new peace between-“, Bradley called, as Laura hung up. She sighed again, but then smiled. It was time to redeem herself. Sure, the last team had succeeded, but it wasn’t HER team. Her exhaustion had led her to picking the wrong members. But this time, she would put together the perfect team. And this time, she would go with them, to ensure their success. Six, seemed like a good number, if she should be more careful with this set. This left her with five members to pick. Instantly, she knew the team she would assemble. She smiled. This mission would be a success, no doubt.

---

Alex Carroll sat at his desk, revising old records he had taken an interest in that morning, when the call came. He picked up the phone.

“Hello?”, he answered.

“Alex? Alex Carroll?”, asked the voice on the other end.

“Yes. Who is this?”

“Oh, good. I was hoping I’d reach you.”, the increasingly familiar voice came. “This is Zeke. Do you have a moment to chat?”

---

Cortni O’Hara’s call came as she was laying on her couch, rereading Zach’s novel’s rough draft for the second time that day. She reached over and picked up the phone.

“Hello?”

“Cortni, this is Josh. Josh Wells.”

“Oh, hey, Josh!”

“Listen, I just overheard something, passing by Laura’s room. They’re setting up a new team, to go get the new package for the Primo Guardians.”

“And?”

“’And!?’ We should go! We’ll go bug Laura to let us in!”

“But…but why do we need to go?”

“Cortni, you’ve been so glum since Zach left! Finishing this mission brings us a step closer to bringing them back home! Let’s do it!”

Cortni smiled.

“Alright, let’s go! Let’s find her! Thanks, Josh!”

---

Cody was already standing up when the knock on his door came, so it didn’t take long for him to open the door and see Laura.

“Oh, hello there.”, he said, pleasantly surprised. “You could have just called, if you needed something.”

“Well, I thought about that, but I decided to do something a little different this time.”, she said. She considered what she had just said, thinking it familiar, but couldn’t remember where she might have gotten it from. “The new package has revealed itself, and I was thinking that you should come get it with me.”

“I’m not doing anything with the rest of the day. Let’s do it.”, Cody responded with a smile.

“Good. Now, let’s head out and get the rest of the team together.”

“Hold it one second!”, a voice called from across the hall. Tori Walls stepped into the office. “I want in.”

“Tori?”, Laura asked, a bit stunned. “But…I already made up my team.”

“So? I’ve done nothing all month. I want to go do something exciting!”

“I’ve got no problem with it.”, Cody said, knowing it would bother Laura.

“Grrr…..Fine. Come along. We’ll scratch the second person off this list.”, Laura said.

“Yes!”, Tori shouted, excited.

“Haha, Laura’s plan’s going astray already…Today does feel a little different.”

---

“Nick, get what you need for the next two hours, and let’s go.”, Alex said.

“Huh? What?”, Nick asked. “I did nothing of the sort! Those chicken wings stole themselves, I watched them do it!”

“Nick, we all know you stole those wings from the kitchen. Tatsu literally wrote ‘Tatsu was here. Vulcan is a loser’, in Buffalo sauce on the wall.”

Nick’s eyebrow raised in that curious way that made Alex sure he was a maniac.

“That proves nothing.”

“I see Tatsu gnawing at a chicken bone right now. Your fingers are covered in Buffalo sauce. Also, you’ve been eating off a plate of chicken wings on your desk the entire time I’ve been here.”

“All inconclusive proof.”

“Nick, I bet you an invisible intangible nonexistent dollar you didn’t steal the chicken wings.”

“I did steal the chicken wings! Ha! I’m one invisible intangible nonexistant dollar richer, sucker!”

“Yes. You must be so proud of yourself.”

“I am. I outsmarted Alex Carroll today. I knew today would be a little different.”

“Yes…Your wisdom surprises and astounds me. Now, shall we go?”

“Can’t you see I’m eating chicken wings right now?”, Nick said, beginning to bite the meat off of a particularly tasty looking wing.

“What if I told you that I just got a call from Zeke?”

Nick bit the bone in half, something that Alex wasn’t sure human teeth were able to do.

“Let’s go.”, Nick growled.

“Not so fast, gentlemen.”, a voice from around the office’s door rang. Cara Lundgren entered the office, and Alex realized he had made a fatal mistake in not closing the door.

“Oh…Hello, Cara.”, Alex said, trying to smile.

“Hello, you two. I just thought I’d join you on your little trip.”

“Oh? And why’s that? You don’t want to go…and…get…chicken wings. With us.”, Alex said, trying to lie.

“It’s true.”, Nick said. “Who wants to go get chicken wings? I certainly don’t. Never could stand the things. Too much chicken on them, for my taste.”

Cara rolled her eyes.

“Tatsu…”, Cara cooed, walking over and petting the animal. “Are these two planning to do something exciting without me?”

Tatsu, the ever-mischievous mongoose, nodded to Cara, and rubbed his head against her leg.

“Tatsu, you traitor!”, Nick shouted. “Though I can’t blame you, I suppose. Cara did trick you with her feminine wiles.”

“Yeah…That kind of willpower around feminine charm reminds me of a boss of our’s…”, Alex snarked. “Alright, Cara. Why are you here?”

“Well, I’ve noticed that interesting things tend to happen to you around here. So I’ve been following you for the past week, to see if I couldn’t get in on that.”

“That’s incredibly creepy.”

“Yeah, it happens. So, are we going, or not?”

“Why not? Just, both of you keep in mind, we’re dealing with Zeke here. Don’t do anything stupid.”

“Anything stupid?”, Nick asked, trying to get a crumb out his toaster with a knife. “Nonsense.”

Alex stopped and watched for a second. There was a “zap”, and then the toaster exploded. Nick sighed, tossing it into the corner.

“Third one this week.”, he sighed. “Alright, let’s go!”

---

“I don’t believe this…”, Laura moaned. “I had this all planned out…”

At her side were Cody Cooley, Tori Walls, Cortni O’Hara, Josh Wells, and Katherine Murray.

“Yeah! Let’s go kick some ass!”, Josh shouted.

“I don’t even know why I’m here…”, Katherine murmured to Cody. “They just saw me walking past, and grabbed me to come along with them.”

Cody patted her on the head.

“Yeah. That kind of thing happens around here. That’s totally normal, unless you’re really new. Oh. Right. You are. My bad.”, he said. “Alright, Japan, here we come!”

---

Dangerously close, but at an inconspicuous distance, the Apostles of the Sky sat in the woods, waiting.

“Malachi…Does today feel…different, to you?”, Zeke asked, as a butterfly landed on his outstretched finger.

“A little bit, yes.”, the Cloud Apostle replied.

“Ah, then it’s not just me.”, Zeke said, using his other hand to crush the butterfly. “Good. I can’t wait for Alex to arrive. I wonder how easy it will be to…stain him our colors.”

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