Oh dear, yet another celebration.
Very well then...
I shall humour myself.
A good morning to you, my dear reader...
A good morning indeed.
And a jolly one I do wish unto you.
Do say, how is your cold day going?
... (Why do you have to remind me?)
Oh?
A bit frustrated, I say...
Oh-ho-ho-ho...
Do forgive my being cheeky, my dear reader.
'Twas simply a joke, I would say.
All the same, do I ask...
How do you do, my dear reader?
... (Pretty good. What's up with the title?)
Well, that shall have to fall to those with open eyes and open ears, I say.
... (Huh? Oh... oh yeah...)
All the same I say...
Do find it in yourself when it does to do something with your life.
'Tis most ashaming for a reader of mine to be oh-so weak in the eyes of mere cold.
... (Easy for you to say. You can't feel the cold.)
Oh?
Oh-ho-ho-ho!
A marvellous thought, I say.
A marvellous thought indeed.
Why, I must say...
The very words...
Truly...
... (Uh huh...)
Well, to myself I should say...
That while you do indeed carry truth upon your shoulders...
That the very words I speak fall not only for the very cold...
Why, I mean to simply say...
That there is far more trouble in life than mere cold.
... (But don't you live inside of Jake?)
Why, of course...
The very nature of my person is indeed as so.
... (And therefore, aren't you like... protected by him or something?)
Hmmm?
Would that be your third question, my dear reader?
... (Well...)
Yes, yes, if you are willing...
And therefore, I say...
Fail to assume that I fail to understand your query.
Yes...
... (Sure... why not?)
Very well then...
The simplistic question you are asking is not merely the very question concerning...
How I am within the very lad, but also, the very nature of my person within him.
... (Yeah, something like that...)
Hmmm...
No, no...
That simply won't do.
... (But...)
I apologise...
Why, it did simply a moment later occur to me that that explanation would take quite a while...
... (But isn't this day... an anniversary... the best possible time to do so?)
Hmmm...
A good point.
Why, I must say that you are quite good at arguing...
Even so, do I worry...
Why, the many tales of who I am, I say...
They find themselves to be long and unerring in the eyes of man.
... (Are they boring?)
Boring?
Why, how dare...?
Well...
Never mind you that much.
'Tis not as you would believe, I would say.
All the same would such a tale require many an explanation.
The very sorts of which would have me divert from the tale we are speaking of now.
... (But... but... it's a special day...)
Oh bother...
You really are something of a handful, I must say...
However, even under such massive temptation, I must sadly decline.
... (Why not?)
Why, such an explanation I say...
'Twould take me a mighty time to cover it all.
From massive hills to deep valleys...
Why, how it is that I and the young lad are connected...
'Tis a short story of its own, I would say.
All the same...
... (No fair!)
Well, yes...
I do suppose that you carry a point...
Very well then...
I suppose I may dabble a bit on the topic...
But not too far.
Such a thing...
'Twould be utter foolishness.
... (Ok. So... do you feel pain? Have you ever felt it before?)
Well, most obviously yes.
'Tis the end of the question, I may say...
... (Wait! Wait! Can you feel pain inside of Jake then?)
Hmmm...
How do I answer that query?
Allow me to simplify it all with a no.
The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.
However...
Hmmm...
... (So then... when do you feel pain?)
Oh dear...
Such and such an explanation...
Why, beforehand I was fully willing to allow this be a mere question and not attach it to the third, however....
Even so, now...
... (It's cool. I'm good with it.)
Well, I'll have you know that being "cool" is a sort of insult where I come from.
However, worry not...
I do understand your position...
Yes...
Very well then...
I shall get on with it.
Hmmm...
I worry at times that this tale will end up being about myself.
'Twas never my intention.
... (Don't sweat it. It won't happen.)
Yet another phrase.
An odd one I say.
Even so, knowing you...
Very well then.
I shall begin.
First and foremost is the very answer soundly no.
I do not feel pain when the young lad does so.
Even and so as it may sound strange to you, my dear reader.
However, as they do say...
There are certain scenarios...
Where the thing fails to be so.
... (Like when?)
Oh...
That is yet another long explanation...
... (Uh huh...)
Fail to assume I do not see what you are doing.
Even so, as you may assume...
Indeed.
I feel no pain when the young lad feels pain...
Absolutely none...
Save for certain situations...
... (Like when?)
Oh, dear...
Yet another long set of tales, I would say.
Why, I do believe that one such scenario will find itself upon the road that this tale is.
Even so, does there remain yet another scenario where I may feel pain.
... (Really? When?)
Well, to explain all that I shall have to ask you...
Do consider what I taught you of my masters...
Theo and Luna...
Consider this all...
Before you answer my question.
... (Ok?)
Very good then...
And thereof, I say...
When would I feel pain?
... (Errr... Uh.... I don't get it.)
Well, perhaps the blame falls to me for not seeing...
... (Wait! Wait! It's when you're not in a person, right? One of the fire... one per generation or something... right?)
Why...
My, my...
How astute of you, my dear reader?
Why, I was just about ready to drop yet another long-winded explanation to ensure that you remembered it all?
... (Or you could just tell me...)
Oh, dear reader...
Where is the fun and learning in that?
All the same, moving along...
Ah, yes...
The very state of things outside of a person.
Indeed.
'Tis in that state, my dear reader...
That state and that state alone...
Where I find myself capable of being...
Harmed in a more, how you say, usual manner.
Indeed.
... (Wait... so what are you exactly?)
Yet another long explanation, I'm afraid...
... (Oh, ok. Wait... can Jake harm you?)
Hmmm...
Why, I do suppose if I were to be manifested into the physical plane...
Why, most certainly...
... (How does that work?)
Oh, many, many a way, I tell you.
Why, oh-so many...
Be it a spell...
Or perhaps a place of great elemental...
Wait!
I have been tricked once more, haven't I?
... (Don't blame the player. Blame the game.)
My word, you really are a handful...
You know that?
Dear...
All the same, I may as well...
Now then, put shortly...
Should I enter a place of high elemental...
Hmmm...
I shall refer to them as "energies"...
Then...
Indeed...
Shall it be so that I will manifest in the physical plane...
Yes...
... (How does that happen?)
Well...
Now wouldn't that be creeping into yet another question, my dear reader?
... (Oh, c'moooooooon. It's just one teensy question.)
Oh, bother...
Very well then.
But merely one more.
Indeed.
Ahem...
A good example would be when two elementals meet...
... (Wait... oh... that happens?)
Why, 'tis destined to happen in most every generation, I would say.
Why, 'tis of the many things of destiny...
Yes...
That a thing as such is as such...
A certainty I would say, to say nothing more of...
Hmmm...
Well, moving along...
... (What?)
Oh, never mind you that...
All the same, I would say...
That it is a most certain thing of elementals...
That they shall all meet...
Eventually...
... (Like how? Is it some kind of meeting place? Can they sense each other?)
More questions, my dear reader...
... (Oh, come on. You can't leave me hanging.)
No, no...
I'm afraid I've already gone far too far with all this.
Why, I really must get going.
... (Fine. But at least tell me more about getting outside of Jake's body. What's it like?)
Oh bother.
You really are persistent, aren't you?
... (Hey. Can't blame a guy for liking a good story, right?)
Oh, bother...
Well, I suppose I really can't.
Very well then...
I shall simply say this...
That when I do take my physical form, it does vary...
Why...
I may come forth in many a form...
Even so, as a bird upon the young lad's shoulder...
... (Really?)
Yes, yes, really...
Of the very same, does it fall to me and many other specifics as to how and what...
Why, getting into all that...
... (I know, I know. "'Twould take a long time. A very long time.")
Indeed.
Fail to assume I missed what you did there.
All the same, must, should and will I...
Go on.
Indeed.
All the same now...
Where did I leave the very two of us?
Ah, yes...
At the very request of the young lad...
As he took the wheel from the man by the name of Fren Chavalier...
Indeed.
Assuming the position, falling under it...
Well, I should say that Fren Chavalier had enough foresight to suddenly pull the string...
Warning them all of what was to come.
Fren: My good friends, I say. Why, the young lad would like to have a go at taking us to our destination.
Yes...
This was all after yet another coiling, I would say...
Yes...
Fail to assume that any one of them failed to realise...
What the very mention of such a thing would mean.
Indeed.
Reginald: Why... My word... Dear lad, you require not to...
And thereof, did his friend quickly halt him...
Fren: No need. Why, 'twas his suggestion. Even more, have I already tried to dissuade him and thereof, have I failed.
... (Well, he could have tried harder.)
Oh, bother...
Hmmm...
Well now...
I actually am quite curious...
Do say, what could he have said to change things?
... (He could have said it was complicated... or that it required some sort of understanding of machinery...)
Well, yes...
However, would that fail to be the truth?
... (Well...)
Oh, nevermind...
Moving along...
Ah, yes...
Reginald: Wh... what...
The very pride of the man, his honour as well...
Indeed.
Why, one could see it in his face, I say...
The sheer look of shock and the very destruction of that which brought him up.
... (Huh?)
Hmmm...
Why, I may as well say...
That every man has something they pride themselves upon...
Why, to lose that pride...
... (Ohhhhhh! So he's proud of his honour.)
Indeed.
... (That makes sense. Same as Fren, huh...)
Indeed.
Moving along...
Ah, yes...
Reginald: I... see...
The very man did slowly put his hand to his hat...
Lowering it to his chest...
Before...
Reginald: Very well then...
And in the sight of them all...
Men and women...
Reginald: Take care as you do so, and worry yourself not about rushing yourself. Should we fail to make it in time, should the responsibility fall to us and not to you, my dear lad. Also, should your require a break or even so, feel the need to halt yourself, simply ask and it shall be done.
Yes...
The very man by the name of Reginald Walterson...
Do say, dear reader, what is your opinion of him?
... (He's... he's just so honourable...)
Yes, yes...
Wait.
Are you crying?
... (Mine eyes. They have never beheld such honour.)
Oh, dear...
You really are quite the handful, I say...
Even so, do I get on with it.
... (Reginald Walterson. Mine eyes have never perceived such...)
Oh dear...
Very well then...
I suppose I should get along with it...
Lest you desire that I say some more things about Reginald Walterson...
... (Yes. Please do.)
Oh, very well...
Hmmm...
Now let me see...
Ah, yes...
The very man is the son of the very famous and famously wealthy Walterson family...
Yes...
One famous for many things...
One being their very sale of meat and also dairy.
... (Huh. Kinda like Fren?)
Yes...
To say nothing of the very many caves they own wherewith they hold large amounts of gold, silver, diamonds...
Hmmm...
'Twould be better to say that it was from there that they did indeed buy these things...
To say nothing of their connections to royalty...
... (Really?)
Yes...
Really...
... (Wow. Rich and honourable. What a guy!)
Yes, yes, what a guy, you say...
... (Come to think of it, Fin...)
Yes?
... (How do you know all this?)
Now, now, we all have our secrets, don't we?
... (Oh, come on!)
Oh, worry not...
I am sure some day I will tell you...
Some day...
... (But...)
Moving along...
... (Oh, fine...)
Ah, yes...
'Twas as that solemn speech was made, why...
Did Madam Thornberry follow pursuit...
Her attempt as well...
Even and so, as it was far briefer...
Nancy: 'Tis of no concern to us, my dear lad. But are you sure you would like to do this?
Why, did the young lad merely nod...
Not a word...
Nancy: Very well then...
She herself crouched in an way and form...
As though her very body lowered itself...
... (Lowered itself?)
Hmmm...
Do imagine a tortoise...
Yes...
... (Ohhh... Like a tortoise head entering its shell?)
Yes...
Indeed...
... (Wait, your world has tortoises too?)
Why, of course...
... (Seriously?)
Yes...
Seriously...
... (Wait! How... how do they survive?)
Hmmm?
Do forgive my lack of understanding...
Why, survival...
'Tis a thing they do better than most...
... (Really?)
Yes, really...
... (Wait! Even amongst things like Bastions?)
Why, of course...
... (Wait!)
... (Describe one to me.)
Hmmm?
A tortoise?
... (Uh huh)
Hmmm...
Let me see...
Ah, yes...
It has four legs and a body well able to carry the very shell that surrounds its person.
... (Uh huh...)
It can pull its very legs, the very appendages outside its shell as well as its very head inside its shell...
... (Uh huh...)
And also, it is full and well able to close this shell, allowing itself to be properly hidden...
Seeming as though a stone...
... (I knew it.)
Hmmm?
... (I knew there just had to be some kind of wacky thing about that tortoise.)
Hmmm?
The ones in your world can't close their shells?
... (Yeah. They can't)
Hmmm...
A pity...
Why, the very ones in this world survive by that mechanism...
Why, for it, do many monsters often hesitate to hunt them...
... (Why so?)
The very beast is most difficult to digest...
Why, should one swallow it, shall it remain there...
As though a stone swallowed...
Leading to a very unfortunate death at times...
... (What?)
Did I not say that they excel at survival?
... (Yeah, but sheesh. That is insane.)
Yes, yes...
The very beast does then simply sit and wait in the remains of its devourer...
For the very thing to slowly rot away...
All the same, or even so, for the very devourer to cough it out...
Should it be able to.
... (Can monsters break its shell?)
Some can... and some fail to.
'Tis of the many things of this world, I must say.
... (Wow.)
However and even so, I must say...
That a great tale is to be told of that beast...
Why, the very nature of it...
To simply sit down and wait for oh-so long...
Truly, I say...
A masterful example of a deadly beast...
Bearing patience as a blade...
... (Patience?)
Why, of course...
The very creature is known to be able to wait hours...
Even days...
All the while inside its shell...
Hmmm...
Time is up, I'm afraid...
Very well then...
I shall see you...
Hmmm...
No, no, no...
We have yet more to say today.
