City of IF

[Crunchyfrog]

*PLEASE READ ALL EXCERPTS IN THIS THREAD BEFORE VOTING.*






Nominations -
The Asylum Directed by Idea Master
Justice Has Eyes by Half Empty Hero

[Crunchyfrog]

The Asylum for Storyless Characters - Directed by Idea Master


Quote: "Hmm, well, I see you've listed the types of security you offer to keep some characters confined, but I'm not sure that this place is best for our old ones."

King Key placed the pamphlets back on the desk and looked back at Dr. Crooked, the insufferable large, toothy grin of the man staring back at him. The doctor was dressed in a large white lab coat and had long gray hair falling to his shoulders. Dr. Crooked removed his glasses, polished them, and replaced them on his face.

"My dear King," The doctor said, "We understand. And many of the characters that are sent our way who have shown they are reasonably sane continue to lead healthy lives here on Grimmore Island. Our most notable achievement is the successful treatment of several of the Grimm characters. Puss in Boots runs our security department."

"Yes, well, some of our old ones most assuredly are not sane or safe to be near. How would you handle them?"

The doctor pushed a button, revealing a man in green sitting in a cell, tied up, whispering something about 'The rats, the rats...'

"This was the Pied Piper. Ordinarily, he'd be doing pest control. However, he showed that his kidnapping children streak still ran strong in him, and as such, we couldn't rehabilitate him. Eventually, as more restrictions slammed down around him, he broke, and we were forced to contain him. We have several facilities for draining magic from people and keeping them in check. Indeed, allowing him near any sort of wind instrument would prove most unwise."

The King nodded and got up. "Well Dr. Crooked, you've shown me all I need to see. Good day."

Dr. Crooked nodded and pushed a red button. Two lumbering security men walked into the room. "Please follow these two to the front door, there is a bit of a problem in one of the wings. And I most certainly wouldn't want you to walk into it when it is at such a delicate state."

The King nodded again and wobbled out of the room. When the door had closed behind him with a soft click, Doctor Crooked said "Well?"

A magus in fine blue robes walked out from a dark corner of the room. "He bought it. It will take time for him to agree to give you our old characters, but when he does, I'll see to it that some new ones are sent your way as well. Maybe some of the original authors."

From another dark corner of the room, there was another person revealing themselves. He was just as round and portly as the King, but far more smooth and white. "I don't like this arrangement, Dr. Crooked. It's far too convenient for me. This man shows up with all this knowledge, and he hasn't asked for anything in return. It stinks of trouble."

The magus chuckled. "My dear, dear Mr. Dumpty. I only want one thing, and you all will learn of it in due time, believe me. Now then, good doctor."

Dr. Crooked looked at the magus. "Hmm?"

"I do believe that I will be needing some way to let the populace at our city know of this place. I was thinking a tournament announcement. I will be needing to know when the first boats will arrive at our city."

The doctor smiled. "Ten days from now, we'll send our boats to your city. For those characters that are genuinely supposed to be here, we'll escort them right here to the Asylum so that they may be studied and treated. But for those that you lure here...They shall be free to roam."

The magus grinned. "Through forest and wasteland, through gorge and bluffs, over wall and over moat, eh?"

The doctor kept smiling. "Indeed. And should any find their way into the asylum...the chance of them ever leaving is rather small."

The magus smiled as well. "Dear doctor, I'd have it no other way. I'll get our first victims ready now."

The magus vanished, leaving Humpty Dumpty and Dr. Crooked alone. The doctor merely said, "Well?"

"He bought it."

[Crunchyfrog]

Justice Has Eyes, by HalfEmptyHero



Quote: It Starts


It was raining that day, not a heavy rain trodden with divine wrath, but a soft, gentle rain carrying with it a sympathetic warmth. It was one of those all too rare moments in life, where the sun and rain work together to create a truly majestic scene. My father sat on a wooden porch spring with his arms spread wide and a faraway look in his eyes. It was my mother’s favorite chair, a gift from her husband so many years ago. It was not the most stable in the world, and it creaked with every movement. But my mother loved it nonetheless, for my father had made it.

On many a clear night, I would catch them out here on the swing, cuddled together gazing at the stars. Often I would watch them, observe their tranquility and love. Never would I venture too close, lest they should see me. I would stay back and leave them to their piece, and had they known of my presence, not once did they tell me. On this day my father sat alone, his eyes staring at something I could not see. His face was empty and blank, and his usual joy-filled eyes were replaced with two lifeless glass orbs. No matter how much I tried I could not see what he saw, it was as if he was looking past the sky, into the world beyond it.

I watched him from afar, saw his hair sway with the wind and his still body swing back and forth ever so gently. My father was a talk man with broad shoulders and a bulky frame. He was the kind of guy men looking for trouble would turn away from, but today he seemed somehow smaller.

I slowly crept forward, not wishing to disturb him, and sat down next to him on the swing. It was the seat my mother used to sit it. My father remained motionless, not turning his head to acknowledge my presence, not putting his arm around me, not caring. We simply sat.

And so we remained in silence, until my father finally chose to break it. He did not look at me, nor did he move at all. His sight remained transfixed on a ghost. “Men don’t cry. I want you to remember that. We move as we will and do as we can. The fates are our real masters. When it is time to act, we act.

“Do not fear death, nor be sad for anyone who dies. It is nothing to fear, just a new journey to be welcomed with open arms. Only a fool fears death.” He paused for a few seconds. “Fools have it easier. They don’t hold the weight of the world in there hands.” His voice was suddenly rising with passion and he jumped out of his seat. He shot his hand towards the sky and closed his fist as if he could grasp be. And yet he opened his hand and there was nothing. “And yet our fates do not allow such things. We much bear the burden of sight and sound, of love and hate.

“And we can't close our eyes, we can't plug our ears. You mustn’t ever do so. It is our job to envy those who can, knowing full well it will never be. Perhaps you can do what I could not. Maybe, just maybe, you can save the world. You’re a special boy, always have been. You’re too late to save me, but for the rest of them there is hope. You must become a hero, you must give the world hope.”

Without warning his passion was gone again. He turned his back to me to turned his head back to the clouds. “Me and your mother met when we were young, and the world was at our disposal.” The monotony was back in his voice. “It started out as a childhood friendship but what blossomed from it was a love too rare in this world. God how beautiful she was. But it was far more than that, it was an indescribable event as random and as miraculous as the birth of humanity.

“You must understand why, that is the only reason I am telling you this. You must stop it from happening from other people. Nobody deserves it, nobody.” He paused. “It's time now. I’m going to see your mother. Never forget what I have told, this is my only request. You must save them, you must become a hero.”

That was it. He stood up and left, no hug, no kiss, no goodbye. I left down the road not looking back once on the suburbs behind me. The rain had stopped; maybe it would be a great day after all.

[Crunchyfrog]

There have been only 3 votes received in this category so far, and just 3 days to go before the polls close!


Anybody can vote in the 2009 IFYs, you don't have to have played the storygames. Check out the excerpts from the two nominees posted above before voting, or if you're not familiar with the storygames, take in a chapter.

Polls close on the 21st September! :)