《Breaking Horizons: Book 1: Snared Origins》Chapter 20: Snared Origins Pt.12: The Stuffing Is All That Matters! Part1/3
Advertisement
"You can be whatever you want on the outside, but you will never be able to change what's inside."
Spoiler: Spoiler
What a short quoute?! so simple?
Hey this quote isn't like the typical inside is what matters kind of thing. It's actually a bit different. What matters for this quote is YOU.
We have a skin wrapping our goods and evils, our everything is isolated from the outside by false senses and material things. We can call them whatever you like, but what defines the YOU is that intellingent construct inside each body.
It doesn't matter if you are bad on the outside or good on the inside. Even viceversa. No one is perfectly good inside and outside. Everyone is a mix of different things. Yeah some can damage others and that's when we say that in 'this context' this person is truly bad. But apart from the context, YOU are YOU; and that's what matters the most. You can't change being yourself. You can change the way you act, but only you will be YOU till you die.
So take care YOU.
This quote will be further explained in next chap.
The morning has passed after completing the first mission and keeping the items of the list. Since they still had time, the four bunnies decided to go to the Earthen Spices Swamp without stopping. They wanted to leave the Piñata Desert and the Cheese Mountains for last. Additionally, their current spot was near the swamp, the only trouble was that they appeared to be lost.
“Hey are you sure this is the right way?” Asked Jasper towards Sweet who was holding the map.
“The map says so…” Sweet answered with a thoughtful look.
“Hey, we can use the spoons to point our direction, right?” Cinna-Buns questioned.
“In the first place, we are lost because your spoon wants to go to the Piñata Desert and Jasper’s points to the Cheesy Mountains.” Nick stared at the two troublemakers in the group while explaining that it won’t work.
As they walked forward, the terrain changed and a strange aroma of mixed spices entered the crowd nostrils. The Trees started to lose their leaves, the earth became darker and brown liquid oozed from it. The whole place looked like a swamp and the smell it gave was a stronger mix than Garam-Masala. If a person from India came here, they wouldn’t even try to taste it.
“Damn! What’s with this nasty smell? That brown liquid smells so disgusting!” Jasper shouted towards the air, he wanted to kick a rock but there wasn’t one near him.
“Calm down Jasper, take your mouth covering mask. The elder told us that this place became like this after the brown clouds in the sky appeared. We can’t even collect the earth directly and we need some kind of specific process.” Sweet showed Jasper his own mask and how to put it on.
The other bunnies looked at Sweet and imitated him, they adjusted their masks and tried to maintain a regular breathing, since it was hard to tolerate this smell.
“S-Sweet, if we can’t take the earth from this place as the quest item, and even the trees don’t have leaves; where do we find the things we need?” Nick gulped and asked Sweet with a frightened expression, this place gave him the creeps.
“Are you frightened Nick?” Jasper stared towards Nick with a smirk.
“Hey! Don’t bully Nick!” Cinna-Buns smacked Jasper in the back with her spoon, then held the smaller bunny’s hand.
“Ouch!” Jasper shouted after feeling the pain behind his ears.
Advertisement
“Thank you Cinna…” Nick grabbed Cinna-Buns arm reducing his trembling motion.
“Nick you are right, that’s why the list has a note telling us to go towards Halloween Town. In addition, the item’s name in the list will be crossed if we obtain it. If the item isn’t right we can know, so there isn’t much trouble.” Sweet signaled towards a not so far place that was visible.
“Isn’t that like magic?” Nick murmured in a low tone as the bunnies stared at a place that started to become visible.
“Eh? Why didn’t we see that place before?” Jasper questioned while massaging his ear.
The place the bunnies stared at had black buildings that seemed to hide in the spooky lands, the twisted trees without leaves were akin to those on winter but with rotten wood. The strangely shaped windows of the architecture, added to its yellow colored glass gave them a cardboard-like texture. Arriving near it, the bunnies found that the whole place had unusual decorations, which increased the gloomy feeling. Strangely though, the only scared bunny was Nick, while the others looked forward to such festivities.
“Hey there little bunnies, where are you from?” A strange creature appeared in the gate of the town, it looked like a wolf and it had pointy teeth in his mouth. For some reason, it had a nose plug clutching its nose, which made its voice particularly funny.
“G-Guys… I don’t like this place…” Nick started to tremble looking at the werewolf that howled at them from the gate. The strange howling made it creepier for him.
“We come from Caramel Falls Mr. Wolf.” Cinna-Buns smiled towards the wolf while hugging the trembling nick.
The werewolf gave a long howl and started to laugh. “Hahaha! Girl you look delicious, I would just eat you up if you were wearing a red hood.”
“…” Cinna-Buns answered the werewolf with a happy smirk.
“Is this place Halloween Town Mr. Wolf?” Sweet asked the werewolf.
“Oh, forget my manners. Yes, this is Halloween Town. You can call me Wolfie, I am the most sensitive nose of this place…” The Werewolf pointed at his nose proudly but then his pose deflated after adding. “Well, I was before the nasty rain fell from the skies. The smell of it doesn’t let me tell anything apart. The good thing, is that I can still howl towards the skies every now and then. I am a good alarm, see?” It howled again after informing.
“So this rain is affecting your town, is that the reason for food going bad in here?” Jasper exclaimed.
“Yeah, an evil thing appeared and started to make Halloween Town a place for cursed beings, as if sucking our energy out. We don’t have any spices to exchange for candy from the Piñata Desert, and our reserves are diminishing by the day. Things are dire in here you know…” Wolfie made a gloomy expression while speaking.
“Mr. Wol- Wolfie, can you tell us how to get these items?” Sweet asked Wolfie as he showed him a little list.
“Wait! Are you guys supposed to be the heroes? Quick, show me your spoons!” The werewolf asked anxiously towards the group after recognizing their identities.
The bunnies responded with a ‘yes’ in unison and showed the gatekeeper their spoons. After looking at them for a bit, the werewolf started howling again and crying with a happy smile on his face. “We are saveeddd! ~Howl~!”
Wolfie adjusted his bearing and answered the kids. “Little bunnies. Eh, heroes! I Wolfie will be your guide for your stay in Halloween Town. We weren’t allowing anyone to enter, but since you are the heroes, please allow our town to give you the best welcome!”
Advertisement
After the wolf gave a strange harmonic howl, a scream from inside the gate answered. The wolf seemed to do a knock-knock joke with howls as the scream answered in a creepy but melodious tune. Two black skeletons started to be visible after such melody. The black skeletons were camouflaged as parts of the gate, their bones started to glow and became white till they were completely visible. The bony creatures started to pull the door outwards as the whole town started to enter the bunnies’ sight.
“Wow!” Exclaimed all the bunnies, Nick included.
The inside of the town was still black, but there were decorated pumpkins and spider webs with different colors. You could see many Halloween creatures lurking in the town’s streets. There were ghosts, werewolves, vampires, zombies, skeletons and many other night creatures everywhere. You could even spot some technological costumes or superheroes that shouldn’t be in the crowd, but for some reason they seemed to fit the Halloween Town.
“Now...For you little bun-heroes... The first step for entering the town is… To change!” Wolfie howled proudly while pointing towards a strange house near the town’s entrance. More than a house it was a giant mouth in the form of a dragon or crocodile. “Heroes! Welcome to the Jawed Disguise! The place where you can become whichever or whatever you want!”
The bunnies entered the strange building through the fanged entrance. They were happy because the spices smell wasn’t as strong as it was outside the town; they could finally get some ‘fresh’ air. The innards of the creature-like building were actually clean and they looked somewhat glamorous. Although, everything kept its black color, the lights inside were white and yellow. Golden webs shined on the walls. Strangely, the golden webs were part of the walls and seemed to be incrusted decorations. If an expert saw these walls they would confuse the texture with marble. Many glasses and organized doors could be seen, they added to the multitude of corridors in the place. The whole picture resembled a high quality store, with many rooms for changing and excellent products on the most important displays.
“Okay kids you can look around and pick up a costume from the stands. The costumes can only be used inside Halloween Town. Each costume will give you kids the superpower that comes with what you choose.” Wolfie expressed to the kids about the town’s custom.
“What do you suggest we choose Wolfie?” Asked Cinna-Buns while looking at the friendly werewolf.
“Well, it is not that you can choose the costume, actually the costumes will pick you.” The werewolf scratched its cheek with a finger.
“So we need to find the perfect costume?” Asked Nick with a strange feeling, he didn’t wait for the answer and wandered towards a hallway with a thoughtful expression.
“Hahaha I know what I will choose! I want to be a firetruck, trucks are great and they have a cool sound!” Jasper went off the hallway searching for the so-called firetruck costume.
“Mr. Wolf, can you help me choose a costume?” Cinna-Buns swirled around while asking the werewolf.
The werewolf gulped and expressed. “Come with me!” It then howled while walking towards a hallway with Cinna-Buns.
Sweet was left alone in the place trying to think of the costume that better suited him, he searched through the strange passageways with expectations. In the end, he found himself in a mirror room. The strangely shaped mirrors changed his contexture. In some of them he looked fat, in others short, some enlarged his head or eyes… ‘Shouldn’t there be costumes in this place? Seems like I better get out…’
At the same moment he walked towards the exit of the current room, a large number of bandages wrapped around himself. The space between each line of bandage became dark. Two shiny yellow lights could be seen glowing inside of the slit that appeared in place of the eyes. There was another dark slit where his mouth should be. The contours of it gave birth to a multitude of creepy fangs, which made the bunny’s appearance a complete opposite of what it was before. He looked at the mirror and knew, he had become a bunny mummy.
Returning to the encounter point, Sweet found the other bunnies already waiting for him. Better than to say the ‘other bunnies’, they should be mentioned as ‘the creatures’ in which they had transformed. Sweet expected Nick to choose that costume. Even Cinna-Buns’ choice was probably obvious, since the werewolf gave his unbiased opinion. But looking at the strange thing which Jasper had become, he was stupefied. Like, he was expecting him becoming a Cars’ protagonist. Like a car or truck as he wanted. Instead, he had become the strangest thing he has ever seen.
“Oh, sweet look here! I can shoot web from my hands and I even have this technological stuff. Damn, this is the best Spiderman suit of all! I am like Iron-man and Spiderman together!” Nick jumped and climbed over to different walls using rocket shoes, spider webs and his adhesive superpowers. His bunny ears became dark as the red/dark and golden trimmed technological suit made them look like metal. Even his tail became pointy instead of the usual fluffiness. Its shape was like the torch from the Olympics, made of golden metal that resembled a fluttering flame. The best description for him would be an aerodynamic robot bunny, with a cool and shiny super-hero armor.
“Wow Nick you look so cool!” He exclaimed but found his voice different from usual. ‘Oh I sound like a mummy now, so hoarse…’ He moved his bandages as snakes and beetles crawled from the slits in his body.
“So cool Sweet you are a Mummy!” Nick’s voice sounded like a cool adolescent super-hero now. Both bunnies hugged and stared. Then Sweet looked at the other ‘people’ in the room and asked Nick. “So Nick what is that supposed to be?”
Nick answered to Sweets hidden whisper in the same secrecy. “Pss. Cinna-Buns became a red riding hood, and Wolfie seems to become her slave. Anything she says and the werewolf will do.”
“I seem to have expected that, but more than the dog tamer girl… I am talking about that animal in a suit… Didn’t he want to become a ‘firetruck’ or a transformer?” Sweet adjusted his previous statement.
“Hey there kiddos. I am your dad now.” An adult voice sounded coming from a strange creature in the hall.
“What the hell did you become?!” Sweet looked at what was supposed to be Jasper in a costume. He was a teddy bear, but the strangest thing was that he wore a suit and had a glass bottle with the words ‘beer’ in his left hand. The teddy bear’s face looked depressing like a typical overworked adult. The voice was the same type of a desk-job employee that didn’t want to work.
Advertisement
- In Serial108 Chapters
Mother of Learning
Zorian is a teenage mage of humble birth and slightly above-average skill, attending his third year of education at Cyoria's magical academy. He is a driven and irritable young man, consumed by a desire to ensure his own future and free himself of the influence of his family, whom he resents for favoring his brothers over him. Consequently, he has no time for pointless distractions or paying attention to other people's problems. As it happens, time is something he is about to get plenty of. On the eve of the Cyoria's annual summer festival, he is killed and brought back to the beginning of the month, just before he was about to take a train to Cyoria. Suddenly trapped in a time loop with no clear end or exit, Zorian will have to look both within and without to unravel the mystery before him. And he does have to unravel it, for the time loop hadn't been made for his sake and dangers lurk everywhere... Repetition is the mother of learning, but Zorian will have to first make sure he survives to try again - in a world of magic, even a time traveler isn't safe from those who wish him ill. ********************************** If anyone is interested, I have a story-related worldbuilding site that can be found here. I don't update it as often as I should, but there is a fair amount of content there already. It also contains a page with all the fanart, fan translations, audio books and the like - you can reach it directly by clicking this link. I have a patreon account for those kind people that want to give me money. It also contains info for those who want to donate via paypal. The story was originally posted on fictionpress, back in 2011. When I reached chapter 91, I started uploading the story to RoyalRoad, one chapter per day. The story will continue to be updated on fictionpress as well as here, and can be reached by clicking on this link if somebody is interested, though at this point there is nothing there that isn't also on RoyalRoad. ********************************** The cover you see on the side has been made by a fellow RoyalRoad user Sydorow. Thank you for your time and art skills.
8 118 - In Serial38 Chapters
The Mansion in the Woods
In a world of mystery with dozens of races, known and unknown, the young Priestess Glissandi sets out into the world, acccepting her sacred task as a missionary. The young, intelligent woman is accompanied by the wise and careful Paladin Lissa, the young, experienced and reclusive Knight Trista and the two over-eager and talented Squires Mira and Mina as she sets forth on a grand adventure, only to quickly run into what seems to be a deep conspiracy, stretching back to one enigmatic person. Determined to bring him to Light and justice in the Lord's name, she ignores the warnings all around her and goes chasing after a being who everyone fears, but is she really prepared for the truths she will encounter on her journey? Sanguilia, Guide extraordinaire and strange woman all around, is accompanying a trade caravan when disaster strikes. At first glance she is no more than a Guide, which is no lowborn title itself, as it represents individuals who are capable of traversing the unknown wilds and are well versed in the languages of the land and its inhabitants. As she enters a city on her way home, a new, massive problem rears its head. Accompanied by a bar wench, who is far more than she seems, the mercenary Orc, Daenan and his tiny, flying companion, Faen, all with their own plans and agendas, they seek to tackle a monster in the shape of a man who controls the city. In the depths of the woods, far away from what humanity sees as the centre of civilisation, the lone, independent city of Lanas prepares itself for war, for the Kingdom of Maldora has set its eyes on them and their wealth. A cry for help goes out and bonds long faded into obscurity are renewed. And the world quakes when their calls are answered. Melena, once a slave girl, resides happily in the Mansion and is slowly getting used to her new life, where equality seems to rule. Until a noble's son decides that her very attractive body is something he should own. When the enigmatic master of the Mansion decides to personally deal with the rulebreaker, her world is turned upside down as she stumbles upon ancient mysteries that threaten to overwhelm her. Luckily she finds support in her once-liberator, now turned friend, the happy-go-lucky Evon, who carefully hides his past, the ghost-like Khrast, Kreya and many others. It is a tale of adventure, of lies and deceit, of love lost and found, of bravery and cowardice and where every one of our heroes and villains alike strive to find the answer to the same question: who is the being behind the Mansion of the Woods?
8 87 - In Serial16 Chapters
TTWN: The Tale of Will Newbie
This series is inspired by the music of TheFatRat, please take a look if you don't know who he is here. Everyone wants to live in a fantasy world, right up until they have to face dark beings beyond their comprehension. Everyone wants to be a hero, right up until every day becomes a fight for their life. Sixteen-year-old introvert Will Newbie lives in a fantasy world. He's the hero of this story. He has been left with nothing; after a brief adventure in the mountains near his home, he returns to find his entire home missing, every person mysteriously vanishing into thin air. All that's left for him is his rather, "disembodied" older sister and the quest given to him by a rat-turned-god: Gather a team of Champions, fight back against the forces of Sin, and save the world. But if he's learned anything, it's that being a hero isn't as easy as it sounded in the books. So, he'll have to keep himself together, keep his team from tearing each other apart, and figure out just how much he's willing to sacrifice for what he believes in. Any feedback is greatly appreciated! This is my first fully written story, so I want to improve. Positive or negative, I'll take it into account! I will try to update weekly every Friday, but as I'm pretty new to this kinda grind expect some irregularities. The covers are also by moi, done in Pixel Studio. Quite proud of them, really.
8 67 - In Serial17 Chapters
Claiming New Boundaries
David Hart has been kidnapped from his world and conscripted in a war that's not his. He faces a new world and a new life, a life filled with magic and adventure without the comfort of junk food, electricity or even a toilet. He begins a journey to do more than just save that world, instead he'll change it forever. Thanks and credit to @burn_island for the cover art
8 165 - In Serial36 Chapters
Cat Kisses Are Better~ //ERASERMIC//
((Completed))((🥇Hit 1st place in the easermic tag on April 14th, 2019🥇))Aizawa decided it was time to move out of old apartment complex after the years of hearing his stupid neighbor Toshiori... Tishinori? Something like that, Aizawa didn't want to know his name after hearing several women screaming his name through the paper thin walls, Aizawa needed to get out of the place, now. He was sick of the moans he heard and the "aftermath", it always was a soap opera in his room, once he was done fucking another women would come in and yell at Whats-his-face, blah blah blah...Hizashi's old roommate, Nemuri Kayama (sorry if that was spelt wrong) left after the several years they dated, she ran off with some dude, leaving Hizashi in the dumps. He couldn't take the loneliness no more so he posted fliers saying he needed a roommate. *TIRED OF LIVING ALONE IN QUIET? GOOD!! I'VE HAVE A SPARE BED AND BATH READY FOR LIVING!! Kyoto, Japan, 1768 Sakura Varns, Room Number 38, 2nd floor, Call Number Below for more information* printed on bright yellow paper and placed everywhere in Kyoto (they both live in Kyoto) Aizawa was out to grab his ordered take out when he saw, and really couldn't miss, bright yellow pamphlets or something and headed home
8 117 - In Serial14 Chapters
Skyrim Guide
A Guide for Skyrim
8 100

