Post by Loendal on Jan 19, 2019 13:07:05 GMT -5
Popo yawned and stretched himself awake, scratching at the remaining whisks of grey hair ringing around his head. The effect of which was to resemble a small cabbage that had been left out in the sun too long. Wrinkles and creases of the years are etched on his face as he looks into his small mirror above his washbasin.
A faint humming fills the air, and coalesces into a soft, angelic choir of voices. A singular deep voice resonates from the choir.
"Your time has come, Popo. It is time for you to rest, to come beyond the veil one last time and to stay with us for now until... "
"Who is?" piped up Popo, "Do no know who is.."
"I am known by many names.. The source, the One, the gods, and the heavenly spaces; It is I who am called when the faithful pray, when the rituals are performed, when the cries for revenge, of remorse, of joy and praise are sung.. Whenever voices are raised in pra.."
"Has gots be AWFUL busy wif all them stuffs doin'. How gots time f' it all?!"
"I am omniscient, I am omnipresent, I am..."
"Omni-whatsit? Popo do no know those words..."
The voice takes on a slight air of impatience.. "Your time has come, little Popo, you can at last find peace and end your suf..."
In the distance, the horns of war signal a call to action, the enemy has come into the Frontiers!
"Can no do, Middies n' Albies is comin'. Popo gots t'go n' help odder Hiberys."
"But your time is finally here, you can leave this all behind and know peace and comfort with me.."
"Nope, nope! Can no do! Gots Zots n' Booms t'give baddies!"
"But..."
"Has no gots TIME t'do, Biggun big-voice!" as he gathers his things together, a hitch in his old back gives him a moment's pause.
"Your mother and your father are with me, and your sister.. You can see them again!"
"Mammy n' Pappy is there?"
* with a surge of angelic voices rising, the voice proclaims * "Yes! And they are waiting for you! Join them.."
"But... Middies n' Albies.."
"Are of no consequence!" the voice booms "You must come with me.. Now!"
Popo juts out what must, for lack of a better word, be called his mighty chest a bit before his voice takes on a wheedling whine.
"But can no do! Is so many odder Hiberys t'meet n' t'teach n' give wormy root stews to! Gots friends to make n' Bigguns to talk wif! What if Popo do no WANNA go wif?"
The angelic choir falls suddenly quiet, and the voice lets out a resigned sigh.
"Are you sure about this? I mean we have plenty of space and lots of wormy root stew and other delicious things we know you'll love. Come on, give it a go! We may even have cookies here somewhere."
"Cookies?" the world holds it's breath as a momentous decision is being reached...
"Nope.. No can go wif.. No even f'cookies!"
"Tell you what... I'll make you a deal..." A bright shiny portal pops open with a 'zwoot!' sound nearby. "Through here is another place, it's another Hibernia.. If you REALLY want to do this, I'll give you this option, but you are NOT going out to fight Middies.. erm.. Midgaard and Albion, do you understand me?"
Popo creeps over to the portal and grabs the edge, peering around the side of it to the back.
"Is nifty trick! Is like is nuffin' on odder side o' it, jus' Popo's room! Can teach Popo do? Pretty pleeeeease!?"
"No! Now listen, do you want to come with me, or do you want to go to this other Hibernia I've found for you? Come on now, hurry it up.. I've got other celestial things to do, you know!"
"Um... erm.... uh... Issa new Hibery? Wif new Biggun's n' Luri's to meet n' stuff?"
"Is.. erm... Yes, yes it is.. A whole new Hibernia!"
"Can make wormy root stew n' stuff in new Hibery?"
"Of course you can! Will you please just make a decision, already!?"
"But... Middies n' Albi.."
"Oh for goodness sake!" An invisible hand picks up Popo by the scruff of his neck and tosses him through the portal, where he lands with a heavy thud and rolls to a stop against an old familiar fishing boat in dry dock, surrounded by Guardians of all races and sizes. The sounds of the water and the pathetic grumble of dying wiggle worms reaches his ears. His wrinkles are gone, his hair again returning to it's vibrant red, and as always, the ever-present bald spot gleaming in the afternoon sun.
"Hi Hi Hibery! Popo is back! Popo is back n' a lil Luri 'gain! Gots t'learn stuffs all over 'gain, n' gots lots stuffs t'show evvybody! Hey! Do no run off! Wait f'Popo! Popo is comin' wif!"
As the portal closes on the old Hibernia, the voice says very quietly.. "Oh dear.. What have I done?"
A faint humming fills the air, and coalesces into a soft, angelic choir of voices. A singular deep voice resonates from the choir.
"Your time has come, Popo. It is time for you to rest, to come beyond the veil one last time and to stay with us for now until... "
"Who is?" piped up Popo, "Do no know who is.."
"I am known by many names.. The source, the One, the gods, and the heavenly spaces; It is I who am called when the faithful pray, when the rituals are performed, when the cries for revenge, of remorse, of joy and praise are sung.. Whenever voices are raised in pra.."
"Has gots be AWFUL busy wif all them stuffs doin'. How gots time f' it all?!"
"I am omniscient, I am omnipresent, I am..."
"Omni-whatsit? Popo do no know those words..."
The voice takes on a slight air of impatience.. "Your time has come, little Popo, you can at last find peace and end your suf..."
In the distance, the horns of war signal a call to action, the enemy has come into the Frontiers!
"Can no do, Middies n' Albies is comin'. Popo gots t'go n' help odder Hiberys."
"But your time is finally here, you can leave this all behind and know peace and comfort with me.."
"Nope, nope! Can no do! Gots Zots n' Booms t'give baddies!"
"But..."
"Has no gots TIME t'do, Biggun big-voice!" as he gathers his things together, a hitch in his old back gives him a moment's pause.
"Your mother and your father are with me, and your sister.. You can see them again!"
"Mammy n' Pappy is there?"
* with a surge of angelic voices rising, the voice proclaims * "Yes! And they are waiting for you! Join them.."
"But... Middies n' Albies.."
"Are of no consequence!" the voice booms "You must come with me.. Now!"
Popo juts out what must, for lack of a better word, be called his mighty chest a bit before his voice takes on a wheedling whine.
"But can no do! Is so many odder Hiberys t'meet n' t'teach n' give wormy root stews to! Gots friends to make n' Bigguns to talk wif! What if Popo do no WANNA go wif?"
The angelic choir falls suddenly quiet, and the voice lets out a resigned sigh.
"Are you sure about this? I mean we have plenty of space and lots of wormy root stew and other delicious things we know you'll love. Come on, give it a go! We may even have cookies here somewhere."
"Cookies?" the world holds it's breath as a momentous decision is being reached...
"Nope.. No can go wif.. No even f'cookies!"
"Tell you what... I'll make you a deal..." A bright shiny portal pops open with a 'zwoot!' sound nearby. "Through here is another place, it's another Hibernia.. If you REALLY want to do this, I'll give you this option, but you are NOT going out to fight Middies.. erm.. Midgaard and Albion, do you understand me?"
Popo creeps over to the portal and grabs the edge, peering around the side of it to the back.
"Is nifty trick! Is like is nuffin' on odder side o' it, jus' Popo's room! Can teach Popo do? Pretty pleeeeease!?"
"No! Now listen, do you want to come with me, or do you want to go to this other Hibernia I've found for you? Come on now, hurry it up.. I've got other celestial things to do, you know!"
"Um... erm.... uh... Issa new Hibery? Wif new Biggun's n' Luri's to meet n' stuff?"
"Is.. erm... Yes, yes it is.. A whole new Hibernia!"
"Can make wormy root stew n' stuff in new Hibery?"
"Of course you can! Will you please just make a decision, already!?"
"But... Middies n' Albi.."
"Oh for goodness sake!" An invisible hand picks up Popo by the scruff of his neck and tosses him through the portal, where he lands with a heavy thud and rolls to a stop against an old familiar fishing boat in dry dock, surrounded by Guardians of all races and sizes. The sounds of the water and the pathetic grumble of dying wiggle worms reaches his ears. His wrinkles are gone, his hair again returning to it's vibrant red, and as always, the ever-present bald spot gleaming in the afternoon sun.
"Hi Hi Hibery! Popo is back! Popo is back n' a lil Luri 'gain! Gots t'learn stuffs all over 'gain, n' gots lots stuffs t'show evvybody! Hey! Do no run off! Wait f'Popo! Popo is comin' wif!"
As the portal closes on the old Hibernia, the voice says very quietly.. "Oh dear.. What have I done?"
