Duckgrades - Chapter 4

"Yahtzee!" - Kim triumphed.
"Parzival!"
"No, Yaht.. oh Parzival!"

The majestic crow spread its wings for the landing approach on Zorsira's forearm, carrying a message from Ducky. The crow was excited and announced it loudly. Zosira stripped the purple ribbon from the tiny scroll of parchment. Parzival helped by holding the beginning of the scroll with his magnificent black beak while Zosira uncoiled it with her free hand and began to read:


Hey you two, I got your letter from that crow, you called for backup, is all I know. Take this scroll and read it out loud, some stuff will appear, I hope you are proud. The items may look like random rubble, you will know how to use them when you're in trouble!

The scroll disintegrated into purple fog that engulfed the two friends. "Smells like vanilla and strawberry.", Zosira commented as the fog lifted. "Geeze!!! That silly duck! I told you it would be ridiculous!" ranted Kim. Zosira chuckled "Knowing her, it could be a lot worse, she could have given us feathers and a beak, or worse cat suits....", looking down on the armored dress. Kim blew air through her nose and continued: "These clothes look like...OUCH!". Kim hit her shin on a crate, almost fell over it. Inside were two fine crafted leather backpacks, one decorated with a crow and a scroll, the other one carried the symbol of infinity and a clock.


Zosira crouched down to open her bag: "Okay, let's see what we got here: Cookies for Parzival, a bookmarker, a bottle of ink and a stopwatch."
"I got, one half of a dusty crayon ...with tooth marks..., a holy grenade, a miniature Delorian toy car and a ...rubber ducky launcher!?!", Kim iterated down, "Neat".
Both exchanged a bewildered look. color=Green]"She said we will know how to use it, when the time is ripe" Zosira commented.

"Do you know already? Because that troll is about to wake up!", Kim alerted, while she casually inspected the duck-launcher and rotated the drum into position, after making sure the tin can thick barrel was clear. "Let's try this one first, you better step back! Let's see what the blue button does..". Meanwhile, the troll got up on it's feet again, ready to attack.

*thud*

A little yellow rubber ducky fell in front of their feet. The heroine of time looked at the launcher in disbelief, not so sure of herself anymore. In the meantime Zosira grabbed the bags and threw one to Kim, who was about to chamber another duck into the barrel. Suddenly a bloodcurdling croaking echoed through the long, dark corridor, so loud that the walls shook and even the troll seemed to reconsider confronting the two heroines.

With a deafening squeak, the rubber duck grew larger by the second and came to life as it began to run, beak tilted downwards, and darted towards the troll, gradually growing in size. The rubbery duck grew so fast that it brushed against the walls while running and got stuck, but continued to grow faster and faster. Finally the corridor was blocked, the bashing of the troll against the duckling could be clearly heard, albeit muffled, the rage and anger was audible by the basketball like sounds it made, almost drowning out it's screams.

Trump is infallible! The Earth is hollow! Squirrels steal our dreams!

In disbelief, Kim threw the launcher on the brown leather strap over her shoulder, but not before setting the safety.... Zosira also got up "Let's disappear before the troll breaks through, it's still a long way to go". So the two set off in opposite direction, down the dark corridor. They passed many openings in the wall, an army of chairs, a screenshot from a mobile phone telling cryptic things, an igloo. After a short walk they came to a crossroad.

What direction, dear reader, will the two heroines take? Left or right? Follow deeper into AboveTopSecret or leave?
The first three answers will seal their fate.

a reply to: TDDAgain

I like your use of color to distinguish the dialogue of the characters. I've thought for a while that too often, "publishing" on the internet does not exploit the tools offered by the technology. Using color for dialogue is something I've on and off considered for a couple of years.



Cheers

a reply to: TDDAgain

As for the fate of the characters, I think one should whisper,

XYZZY

And see what happens

Cheers

a reply to: TDDAgain

To the right!

a reply to: zosimov

Soooo.... if there's no 2nd and 3rd vote to avoid a tie, it's going to be outside ATS

a reply to: TDDAgain

We need voters; come one, come all!

Outside of ats may have to do it

a reply to: TDDAgain

Aaannnddd,

Which direction did they go ?

And you thought we had forgotten.

Cheers

a reply to: F2d5thCavv2

The Muse left me in winter, I had no creative power since then and a lot of work and life changes, things to learn in my new job. That's why I did not participate in any of the contests either...

Your inquiry for sure is anspornend, currently I have to descend on some final work on the current and probably last project car, though. Tomorrow is a holiday and, hopefully, nice weather. This means I maybe get the tires on temperature for a bit longer than last time, so I can refine the last map adjustments. If traffic allows it on the Autobahn...

I have yet to test the full potential of the nitrous system, on the dyno where there is no air resistance, I don't do shots, it's already responsive, no need for rpm boosts.

After I finished all that I have a big burden off my shoulders and then I can relax a bit more and turn my attention to more creative than constructive things.