December 23, 2000
Rocky - A Christmas Experience - By Tynlatye
It was cold, and the dragon flight had been a turbulent one over Crystal Lake.
I usually saved the spiced apples from Trellor in a satchel so I could lob one
out over the lake, and surprise the newbies in the area with a large splash. It
was all I could do to keep hold of the dragon's neck this time, however.
I scurried off the back of the dragon rather quickly once we had landed. A
customary cookie given quickly as a treat and off I ran towards the main gates.
I threw a passing wave at Alfred, the man who had directed me at a young level
to many adventures, and hop, skipped and jumped from the freezing gravel path
to the safety of the city.
The lighted buzz of the shield brought about a sigh from my lips, home, I
remember whispering. Hanging out at the intersection between Market and Manor
Lane I watched life rush by with a voyeuristic glee.
Wooden swords, bent wizard hats and the clatter associated with armor that is
just a little too big for the person wearing it, oh the chafing. The laughter
of heroes as the evilness begins to take over their bodies after slaughtering
janitors with a serial killer's amusement. The screams of the newbies after
biting off more than they can chew when a game of chase Scruff's tail becomes
chase the newbie.
I was not the only person waiting and staring at the going's-on of Medievia
City life. There were others who watched, laughing at the difficulties, trials
and tribulations of the average Medievian citizen. If only there was some way
to capture these exploits and mindlink them out to the masses, oh the
possibilities.
You hear Rocky, Baalzebul's pet rock shout, "Let's play Hide and Seek!"
My ears perked up, a game! I clapped my hands and hopped from one foot to the
other, and once I had warmed up again I went in search of Rocky.
You hear Rocky, Baalzebul's pet rock shout, "Ok, I'm ready! I see a sign that
says: A Gravesite"
Of course, I knew where that was as Alfred had sent me there first after I had
grown too big for the city. I ran towards the gate, the same gate I had only
moments before ran through. It was closed but I quickly fumbled with the latch
and rushed through.
I was panting as I reached the rows of graves in the graveyard. The dirt path
led in both the east and west directions and there were another two rows just
north of here too. This was going to take a judgment call, I decided. Closing
my eyes, I spun around, holding out my arm and pointing until I stopped with a
dizzy head. I found myself pointing north-west, with a shrug of my shoulders I
ran down the western row.
I saw nothing other than bats, mists and ghouls. A few puddles of blood left my
fisherman shoes a little dirty but I trudged onward. There was no sign of
Rocky, I concluded and sunk to the ground next to a rolling ball of red fluff.
What is a rolling ball of red fluff, I thought, and why is it in the graveyard?
I looked again just as it ran over my toes. Rocky?
You hear Rocky, Baalzebul's pet rock shout, "Randomer found me!"
You hear Rocky, Baalzebul's pet rock shout, "Randomer wins a green orb"
I blinked before looking up into the eyes of a hero. He glanced down as he put
the orb into his pocket, and winked at me. With a mumble of words, he
disappeared as quickly as he had appeared. Rocky had disappeared as well.
I scrambled to my feet as I felt the anger rise within me. Well, wasn't that
just great! Since when does Rocky dress in red? I mumbled a few words of my own
and was sucked back to recall.
You hear Rocky, Baalzebul's pet rock shout, "Ok, I'm ready! I see a sign that
says: The Intersection of Manor Lane and Market Street"
Just inside the gate, my hangout, I screamed. I zapped my feet with the
quickness spell and ran down Main Street. I was not going to let anyone win
over me this time. I deserved that green orb and I was going to have it!
Panting a little, I arrived at the intersection. The rolling ball of red fluff
was there in the middle of the room, as was a level one. My shoulders slumped
and a sigh escaped my lips. Beaten again, and by a level one, I berated myself.
Nwewon says, 'Hello, how do I find Rocky?'
I looked up quickly and glanced at the boy, then at Rocky. The smile slowly
returned to my lips.
"Rocky is a rock, you need to find him when he shouts where he is. There is
nothing here but you, that ball of red fluff, and me. You should go to recall
and wait until he shouts," I told the boy as I attempted to keep a straight
face. I was going to win that orb no matter what.
He smiled at me, waved then walked down the street. I rubbed my hands and
giggled. Now all I need to do is look at him..
You hear Rocky, Baalzebul's pet rock shout, "Tynlatye found me!"
You hear Rocky, Baalzebul's pet rock shout, "Tynlatye wins a lump of coal"
The red ball of fluff disappeared and I felt the lump of coal in my hands. This
was certainly not a green orb, not even a blue one. It wasn't a sphere or rock
candy. It was a lump of coal. "What do I do with a lump of coal?" I asked
myself.
"He's making a list, he's checking it twice, he's going to find out who is
naughty or nice," boomed a voice to my side.
I quickly looked around to see a large, aged man with a white beard and a red
robe standing there.
"Who are you? Are you a God?" I asked naively, eyeing up his large sack of
goodies which he had dropped at his feet. The old man simply chuckled, his
round belly shaking with the sound.
"'Tis the season to be merry, to bring goodwill to all men, and women of
course. 'Tis the time to give and to receive, and above all, 'tis a time to
help others."
I rolled my eyes as the bells in my head started ringing, signaling the
beginning of a lecture, or a moral of the story.
"Those who are nice are rewarded with gifts, and those who are naughty are..."
"Given coal," I said as I slowly started to understand the man. He nodded his
response and I sighed. "But I didn't know or else I would have helped him"
"You didn't need to know it was Christmas to help someone. You should do so all
year through. This is just the time to be especially nice, this is the time
when anything can happen"
As I listened to his words and realized the truth in them, I looked skyward. A
tiny white flake fluttered down and landed upon my nose, it was cool and wet.
"It doesn't snow in Medievia" I spoke aloud.
"It's Christmas, anything can happen in Medievia. Even people getting along
together and being nice."
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