Snippet #2675022

Aloft a large strip of land floats above the deeper unknown levels of Nod, defiant to all forms of gravity and physics. The land mass is green, lush, with a waterfall flowing down from high into the sky, out of crack in a blue moon. The stream runs down from a series of mountains, leveling across the land, through stony tunnels, gathering into a small lake, then off the edge into the abyss. Strange ruins and half-built structures are littered about the sides of the river, among the center is a a massive clock tower in the middle of a small lake, mostly submerged and leaning yet still ticking quickly, and backwards at that. The clock face is pitch black, lacking numbers yet has two glowing yellow hands.

The clock hits 12, both hands lining up perfectly and freezing in place with a loud snap. The whole tower begins to shake, the lake rippling in small waves and then a light cuts through the center of the face, in the shape of a door. Suddenly it pops open and light shoots forth, a platform springs out, like cuckoo, but instead of the cuckoo bird, a tall figure, around seven feet, stands on the edge, holding an odd girl in its arms.

The figure in question, a long thin male from what can be assumed, dressed in a black suit, white undershirt and a red tie, wearing white like a butler. Folded red and black wings runs down his back. The long lanky arms,in fact, are red, ending in yellow clawed hands, and his face, a long black beak, birdlike with large unblinking yellow eyes that are green nearing the center. A crest of white feathers runs down the back of his head like hair. A bizarre creature to behold. The girl in his arms, however, appears human, pale pinkish skin, dressed in an odd hoodie that obscures half her face with three yellow eyes decorating it, the sleeves much too long. Aside from the hoodie she wears no shoes or socks, and what is visible of her hair is two long strips of hair down the sides of her face against her cheeks.

"Time t' rise Nuelle, ya lazy ditz," the birdlike man squawks, in contrast to his appearance sounding rather crass. He shakes the girl then drops her into the grass with a soft thud then kicks water into her face causing her to stir and snap to, sitting up and facing the strange creature. "No time t' sleep, no time t' lounge about, get up, get up, get up!"

"Wha-, who are y-ou," Nuelle asks in near incoherence, unable to form even a complete sentence just wobbles in a daze.

"Wh-wh-what!? Ya crack yer head, girl!? Surely you know me," the bird responds in a huff, a tone of indignation permeating his words. He puffs out his chest, closes his eyes and raises his head looking as dignified as he can. "I am Abdown, th' lord of time, th' partitioner of space, and on top of it all... ruggedly handsome." On his last statement he pulls forth a mirror and grooms his crest. He then notices Nuelle had nodded off during his spiel, causing him to to kick water in her face again snapping her awake again snapping to her feet, soaking wet, a bit lock kneed, and wobbily. "I said, rise and n' shine, Nuelle!"

"S-sorry," she apologizes softly, shaking her sleeves and wringing out her clothes as best she can. "Where am I?"

"Why the Fields of Overlake, girl," he responds narrowing his right eye, straightening his tie.

"Why... am I?"

"Why are ya what? Silly questions, girl, so many silly questions, questions, questions, questions!"

"I just..."

"Enough of this, ya go greet the guests and get the party started, it is a big day, big, big, big, day! Must prepare, yes must prepare f'sure," he squawks, before the clock shakes once more, snapping back in a rush with the door slamming shut with a resounding bang, disappearing once more within the abyss of the clock face. Then suddenly, silence, aside from the clicks of the clock as it begins to turn once more.

Nuelle stands there, her mouth agape and her arms hanging limp. All she had learned from this whole fiasco was her name, a place, and that bird men are very loud and rude. Another thing she has learned, is that she is quite so very... utterly alone now. She slumps to her knees and stares at the clock then down into the water at her reflection.

"Nuelle," she says softly, in an effort to confirm her own existence in some way.