Bryan: lowercasing category

2007-09-18T08:15:25Z

lowercasing category

← Older revision		Revision as of 03:15, 18 September 2007
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	[[Category:Story]] [[Category:Bob Stein]] [[Category:Mythical]] [[Category:Age ~~Regression~~]] [[Category:Animal]]{{DEFAULTSORT:Lost in Translation}}		[[Category:Story]] [[Category:Bob Stein]] [[Category:Mythical]] [[Category:Age regression]] [[Category:Animal]]{{DEFAULTSORT:Lost in Translation}}
	{{title\|name=Lost in Translation\|user=Posti\|author=Bob Stein}}		{{title\|name=Lost in Translation\|user=Posti\|author=Bob Stein}}

Bryan: fix unintended preformatting

2007-09-07T06:31:25Z

fix unintended preformatting

← Older revision		Revision as of 01:31, 7 September 2007
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	“What’s being Purified? And why does anyone have to go to school if they don’t want to?”		“What’s being Purified? And why does anyone have to go to school if they don’t want to?”

	“A lot of the races don’t want to get civilized, at least, not the way the centaurs and nymphs set things up.” The sileni plucked at the sleeve of his shirt. “They want us to wear these stupid colored bags when we are away from our herd, and learn all about history and stuff.” He snorted in disgust. “Centaur history. Nymph’s ways. They don’t bother teaching us anything about sileni, minotaurs, or any of the other races. We’re ‘inferior.’”		“A lot of the races don’t want to get civilized, at least, not the way the centaurs and nymphs set things up.” The sileni plucked at the sleeve of his shirt. “They want us to wear these stupid colored bags when we are away from our herd, and learn all about history and stuff.” He snorted in disgust. “Centaur history. Nymph’s ways. They don’t bother teaching us anything about sileni, minotaurs, or any of the other races. We’re ‘inferior.’”

	“Why? Because they are more human than you?” Zack was baffled. “That’s crazy! I mean, your face is sorta horsey, but you can’t look that much different from a centaur boy from the waist up.”		“Why? Because they are more human than you?” Zack was baffled. “That’s crazy! I mean, your face is sorta horsey, but you can’t look that much different from a centaur boy from the waist up.”

Posti at 03:21, 7 September 2007

2007-09-07T03:21:43Z

Posti: Zack finds himself in a world in need of changes - is he the one to make them?

2007-09-07T03:09:31Z

Zack finds himself in a world in need of changes - is he the one to make them?

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← Older revision		Revision as of 22:21, 6 September 2007
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	[[Category:Story]] [[Category:Bob Stein]] [[Category:Mythical]] [[Category:~~MAge~~ Regression]] [[Category:Animal]]{{DEFAULTSORT:Lost in Translation}}		[[Category:Story]] [[Category:Bob Stein]] [[Category:Mythical]] [[Category:Age Regression]] [[Category:Animal]]{{DEFAULTSORT:Lost in Translation}}
	{{title\|name=Lost in Translation\|user=Posti\|author=Bob Stein}}		{{title\|name=Lost in Translation\|user=Posti\|author=Bob Stein}}

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	Blinking, he stared at the empty air above the gate and tried again. There was no sensation of hitting anything, no contact with a wall or other obstruction. His hand simply stopped moving. Zack backed away from the invisible barrier, flexing his fingers. Even if there were a sheet of glass or plastic there, he should feel something.		Blinking, he stared at the empty air above the gate and tried again. There was no sensation of hitting anything, no contact with a wall or other obstruction. His hand simply stopped moving. Zack backed away from the invisible barrier, flexing his fingers. Even if there were a sheet of glass or plastic there, he should feel something.

	He picked up a piece of straw and tried to see where the strand started to bend. It passed over the gate without any problem until his fingers reached the gate. Then his hand stuck again. A handful of grain flew over the gate without even slowing. Whatever was blocking the opening was selective.		He picked up a piece of straw and tried to see where the strand started to bend. It passed over the gate without any problem until his fingers reached the gate. Then his hand stuck again. A handful of grain flew over the gate without even slowing. Whatever was blocking the opening was selective.

	And that, of course, was impossible. Zack looked around the stall, more than a little bewildered. He couldn’t remember ever dreaming in such detail. It was more than scents and sounds. His skin itched from contact with the fodder, the pull of mud in his hair was uncomfortable, and his pants and socks still felt damp. A quick pinch hurt. Well, dream or not, he wanted to get out of here.		And that, of course, was impossible. Zack looked around the stall, more than a little bewildered. He couldn’t remember ever dreaming in such detail. It was more than scents and sounds. His skin itched from contact with the fodder, the pull of mud in his hair was uncomfortable, and his pants and socks still felt damp. A quick pinch hurt. Well, dream or not, he wanted to get out of here.
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	A thundering bellow shook the air, and he saw one of the girls returning with a huge, two-legged bull and what looked like a stereotypical old school librarian on horseback. Bewildered, Zack tried to scramble back from the minotaur as it stomped over and glared down at him. The 'librarian' joined her bovine companion with a look on her wrinkled face that was somehow even scarier. Naturally, she wasn't on a horse at all. Below her proper gray suit jacket and frilly blouse, she –was- the horse. That is to say, a centaur. A very angry centaur.		A thundering bellow shook the air, and he saw one of the girls returning with a huge, two-legged bull and what looked like a stereotypical old school librarian on horseback. Bewildered, Zack tried to scramble back from the minotaur as it stomped over and glared down at him. The 'librarian' joined her bovine companion with a look on her wrinkled face that was somehow even scarier. Naturally, she wasn't on a horse at all. Below her proper gray suit jacket and frilly blouse, she –was- the horse. That is to say, a centaur. A very angry centaur.

	"How DARE you? Even one of YOUR kind should know better than to parade around like that in front of children?" She leaned down and hissed through clenched teeth. "Well, young man, you'll be sorry you ever disgraced MY school grounds!"		"How DARE you? Even one of YOUR kind should know better than to parade around like that in front of children?" She leaned down and hissed through clenched teeth. "Well, young man, you'll be sorry you ever disgraced MY school grounds!"

	"I'm sorry!" Zack cringed under the verbal assault. "What did I do? I was just running!"		"I'm sorry!" Zack cringed under the verbal assault. "What did I do? I was just running!"
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	The sileni picked up his shirt. “Is that what you call them? Like Darby, but with long, furred faces?”		The sileni picked up his shirt. “Is that what you call them? Like Darby, but with long, furred faces?”

	Nodding, Zack followed as the sileni started to walk again. “They are animals on my world. But I haven’t seen any here.”		Nodding, Zack followed as the sileni started to walk again. “They are animals on my world. But I haven’t seen any here.”

	“That’s because they go away. I guess it’s like the opposite of the Translation Spell that brought you here. When a person is Purified all the way, they get sent to some place where they fit in.”		“That’s because they go away. I guess it’s like the opposite of the Translation Spell that brought you here. When a person is Purified all the way, they get sent to some place where they fit in.”
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	“Sounds really confusing. Who is in charge when they live with the dam? If the colts are too small, or maybe they don’t have colts at all?”		“Sounds really confusing. Who is in charge when they live with the dam? If the colts are too small, or maybe they don’t have colts at all?”

	“Humans don’t always assign leadership to males. Females can be leaders, too. Especially in the herd. They run businesses, lead Governments. Some people think women make better leaders than men.”		“Humans don’t always assign leadership to males. Females can be leaders, too. Especially in the herd. They run businesses, lead Governments. Some people think women make better leaders than men.”

	Jahred snorted. The sileni were definitely not ready for Women’s Lib. “All those rules, and females trying to be stallions. Hew-mans sounds more like two-legged centaurs.” He blinked and then flushed. “Oh, I’m sorry!” He obviously felt he had just said something very insulting.		Jahred snorted. The sileni were definitely not ready for Women’s Lib. “All those rules, and females trying to be stallions. Hew-mans sounds more like two-legged centaurs.” He blinked and then flushed. “Oh, I’m sorry!” He obviously felt he had just said something very insulting.
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	Like most things that had happened so far, it was bitterly ironic. Honesty and kindness had been rewarded with extreme hardship and punishment. For all of its wonders, this strange world was turning out to be a cold and ugly place. Sick, twisted creatures like Dama were making life miserable for everyone, while Schlera and the rest of the sileni were persecuted for wanting to live their lives as they chose.		Like most things that had happened so far, it was bitterly ironic. Honesty and kindness had been rewarded with extreme hardship and punishment. For all of its wonders, this strange world was turning out to be a cold and ugly place. Sick, twisted creatures like Dama were making life miserable for everyone, while Schlera and the rest of the sileni were persecuted for wanting to live their lives as they chose.

	He tensed as his danger sense kicked off again. Something was out there. Maybe several somethings. The warning signals had been fading in and out all afternoon, but had gotten stronger over the past hour. There was no point in running. He doubted if he could escape any kind of predator, and he certainly wasn’t going to abandon Jahred. Once the boy was gone, perhaps he would try to backtrack by following their scents.		He tensed as his danger sense kicked off again. Something was out there. Maybe several somethings. The warning signals had been fading in and out all afternoon, but had gotten stronger over the past hour. There was no point in running. He doubted if he could escape any kind of predator, and he certainly wasn’t going to abandon Jahred. Once the boy was gone, perhaps he would try to backtrack by following their scents.

	All that kept him going now was the desire for vengeance. Against Dama, against Silvermaple. Against the whole damned system that the centaurs had set up. It was hopeless, of course. He was physically a child, almost totally defenseless against the magic and monsters that ruled this place. Dama could choose between caving his skull in with a well-placed kick or magically reducing him to a drooling infant while he kicked and bit ineffectively at her legs. And it would be years, perhaps decades, before he grew up again.		All that kept him going now was the desire for vengeance. Against Dama, against Silvermaple. Against the whole damned system that the centaurs had set up. It was hopeless, of course. He was physically a child, almost totally defenseless against the magic and monsters that ruled this place. Dama could choose between caving his skull in with a well-placed kick or magically reducing him to a drooling infant while he kicked and bit ineffectively at her legs. And it would be years, perhaps decades, before he grew up again.
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	“No!” She had to be lying, yet Zack could feel the sincere pleasure behind her words. “You threw a spell on us! I felt it! There was a big flash of light. You’re the one who cursed us!”		“No!” She had to be lying, yet Zack could feel the sincere pleasure behind her words. “You threw a spell on us! I felt it! There was a big flash of light. You’re the one who cursed us!”

	The centauress shivered again, this time getting noticably smaller. And younger. She nodded grimly as Zack’s eyes widened. “I did try to stop you with a spell. The two of you should have dwindled into toddlers on the spot. But you had already crossed over. Sphinxes cannot be spelled against their will. And once a spell is cast, it must find an outlet. Instead of regressing you and Jahred, it hit his brother and me.”		The centauress shivered again, this time getting noticably smaller. And younger. She nodded grimly as Zack’s eyes widened. “I did try to stop you with a spell. The two of you should have dwindled into toddlers on the spot. But you had already crossed over. Sphinxes cannot be spelled against their will. And once a spell is cast, it must find an outlet. Instead of regressing you and Jahred, it hit his brother and me.”

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	Zack slammed into a boulder, and sucked in water. They tumbled together for a moment before hitting the raging current at the base of the cliff. The chimera was swept up first, dragging Zack with it. Then the claws ripped out of his flesh, and he was thrown against the rock face of the cliff. Crushed and drowning, Zack was only dimly aware of a crackling light that flashed around him. Then he dropped suddenly, landing in a sodden heap in the chamber behind the river.		Zack slammed into a boulder, and sucked in water. They tumbled together for a moment before hitting the raging current at the base of the cliff. The chimera was swept up first, dragging Zack with it. Then the claws ripped out of his flesh, and he was thrown against the rock face of the cliff. Crushed and drowning, Zack was only dimly aware of a crackling light that flashed around him. Then he dropped suddenly, landing in a sodden heap in the chamber behind the river.

	He convulsed, coughing up water and blood from tortured lungs. The slightest movement brought mind-numbing pain, and he unable to do anything more than suffer. Why was he still alive? It took a long time before regret changed to grudging relief. And even longer before he could think clearly enough to come up with some answers.		He convulsed, coughing up water and blood from tortured lungs. The slightest movement brought mind-numbing pain, and he unable to do anything more than suffer. Why was he still alive? It took a long time before regret changed to grudging relief. And even longer before he could think clearly enough to come up with some answers.

	His immunity to magic had saved him from being shot up the cliff face along with the chimera. Even so, the force of the water alone would have been enough if he hadn’t been thrown clear. That the blow probably shattered any intact bones he had left was a moot point. The fact that he was breathing and conscious was testament to a sphinx’s survivability. His concern now was that the injuries he’d suffered might be beyond even magical recovery.		His immunity to magic had saved him from being shot up the cliff face along with the chimera. Even so, the force of the water alone would have been enough if he hadn’t been thrown clear. That the blow probably shattered any intact bones he had left was a moot point. The fact that he was breathing and conscious was testament to a sphinx’s survivability. His concern now was that the injuries he’d suffered might be beyond even magical recovery.
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	“The Curse is getting stronger, leeching away traces of magical energy from every creature. And as it expands, those who created it get weaker. In five seasons, perhaps less, Purification will have too much fae to control, and it will fulfill its purpose. Only those immune to external magic will survive.”		“The Curse is getting stronger, leeching away traces of magical energy from every creature. And as it expands, those who created it get weaker. In five seasons, perhaps less, Purification will have too much fae to control, and it will fulfill its purpose. Only those immune to external magic will survive.”

	“Sphinxes.” Zack swallowed. “Why don’t you just tell the centaurs? So they can stop the spell now?”		“Sphinxes.” Zack swallowed. “Why don’t you just tell the centaurs? So they can stop the spell now?”

	The big male raised an eyebrow. “An attempt was made when Purification was first cast. One of us went to their leaders and told them of the danger. They claimed it was a trick and killed her.” His eyes narrowed to slits. “But not before she took out two dozen of their cowardly fighters.” The vaguest hint of anger crept into his voice, the first emotion Zack had picked up.		The big male raised an eyebrow. “An attempt was made when Purification was first cast. One of us went to their leaders and told them of the danger. They claimed it was a trick and killed her.” His eyes narrowed to slits. “But not before she took out two dozen of their cowardly fighters.” The vaguest hint of anger crept into his voice, the first emotion Zack had picked up.
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	The survival of a world. Truth allowed no room for bitterness, no space for anger. He had been brought here to fulfill a purpose. Pain and loss had been necessary for him to fully understand that purpose, so he could make an educated decision. The sphinx nodded once, and almost smiled. Then he turned and walked off into the brush, leaving Zack alone to make the choice.		The survival of a world. Truth allowed no room for bitterness, no space for anger. He had been brought here to fulfill a purpose. Pain and loss had been necessary for him to fully understand that purpose, so he could make an educated decision. The sphinx nodded once, and almost smiled. Then he turned and walked off into the brush, leaving Zack alone to make the choice.


	That he would sacrifice himself was a given. The sphinxes had planned well. Zack wondered if they somehow manipulated events so that he would meet Schlera and Jahred. As improbable as that seemed, he could not discount the possibility. The question now was what he could do about it.		That he would sacrifice himself was a given. The sphinxes had planned well. Zack wondered if they somehow manipulated events so that he would meet Schlera and Jahred. As improbable as that seemed, he could not discount the possibility. The question now was what he could do about it.

User:Posti/Lost in Translation - Revision history

Bryan: lowercasing category

Bryan: fix unintended preformatting

Posti at 03:21, 7 September 2007

Posti: Zack finds himself in a world in need of changes - is he the one to make them?