Brightness Random

After spotting the queen, Brightness ducked between parshendi and Newcago soldiers to reach her. It took a few minutes as the battlefield was continually changing, but she eventually made her way over. "Where's Winter?" she asked. Before anyone had the chance to respond, the duchess noticed what, Or rather, who, was on the queen's horse. She ran over, inspecting the still form of Winter. "Is she going to be alright?" Brightness asked, noting all the red stains in the white fur with concern. Winter seemed to be muttering to herself, even as she sat slumped on the horse. The duchess leaned in closer, but wasn't able to make anything out over the general racket of the battle. Was the wolf sleeptalking? Could wolves even do that...? Remembering where she was, Brightness turned back to queen Elsa. "I went to the DA and found Voidus," she explained, "He said something about how Winter's growing more unstable and that something must be blocking her from protecting herself. I wasn't able to get more details, since we came straight here, but from what he said, it seems that something is very, very wrong with Winter." She paused for a moment before hesitantly adding, "Do you think it has something to do with her spiritweb? I know she's had dealings with the DA before..."

When you realize that the Cosmere fandom must be the best fandom because even our plants are awesome. Stormlight Archive has the Stick and Rysn's pot of grass (Tyvnk), not to mention the rockbuds, frillblooms, and shalebark. Mistborn has had Marewill flowers and sickly brown and yellow colored plants. Warbreaker has the tears of Edgli. And... I can't think of anymore plants off the top of my head...

*Insert horneater accent* This party, it would be wonderful, no? *Back to normal now* First rate idea, Cheese, I wholeheartedly approve. I'll start writing some more root beer poetry... Sorry I've not been able to get back to any of you for a bit. It feels like I'm in a full-blown war, trying to combat homework, and losing terribly. However, I will lend any extra time I find to this most worthy cause.

That would be wonderful, Elsa. Maybe a bit later in the week? I'm planning on selling root beer AND coats of arms here, but it could take a while to get everything sorted out on this end. I don't think we're in danger of closing down immediately, but a formal proclamation would be very useful. Thanks again for the support!

Brightness blushed at the complements. "I-It's really not that hard, guys," she stuttered, "Anyone can pour root beer!" Time to change the topic, she thought to herself, "But I do know what you mean, Screwloose. Winter can be scary at times...." Things lulled into a silence for a moment, so the duchess found herself talking again, if only to fill the quiet. "So er... what do you work on over in the cave?" Thanks for the support, Elsa! I think the Bar's fine as of now, but it's visitors we need, not workers.

"Hey," Brightness Random said pulling out a chocolate chip cookie with a wide grin, "you gave me cookies, I'll keep whichever secret you want!" she averted her eyes as his face continued to put itself back together, no longer feeling up to eating that cookie. "Well, I suppose I should probably put my helmet back on now, seeing as I don't have healing powers..." she remembered who she was talking to. "Not that I want any," she assured Voidus, "I'm perfectly fine with just this bag of cookies. Not to- EEP!" She ducked behind Voidus to avoid a parshendi spear. "That was a little two close for comfort. So, um, what now?"

You know you're new to the 17th Shard when you develop a fear of posting, just out of worry that it will finally topple your post to upvote ratio. EDIT: ...and so it continues....

Brightness dismissed her Blade immediately, sheepish before Voidus' annoyance. "Um, yes, please, sir! Getting Winter to safety is my priority right now." As she stepped up beside him, watching him draw the Aon into the air, she said, "And... sorry about that cookie comment. Please don't take it personally, I just haven't been able to find non-spiked cookies since I arrived here and... Wait a minute, what do you mean, "hopefully"?!"

"Oh! You're with Winter, then?" Brightness exclaimed, pouring out two mugs of root beer, "She's great! I've actually been commissioned to make a coat of arms for you guys.... The Pack of the Cosmere, that is. Though I've not been able to do any more than sketch a few designs, what between schoolwork and all the chaos here at the Bar..." She set a mug on the table for Screwloose, then took a swig from her own mug. "Any requests on the design? It's still fairly fluid."

Brightness Random twisted her head around, looking for the source of the voice. "Snoopy? ...You guys did hear that, right? I'm not going crazy?" She looked to the others, than paused, thinking over the words. "Wait half a moment, I can't be head of the bar! I barely joined over a week ago!" she shook her head, "No! I mean, I don't think I'm qualified to...." If I take over, she thought, I can keep things from shutting down! "You know what? I've changed my mind. I'll follow Snoopy's wishes and head this bar." Having made that official declaration, she looked around at the empty room. "I suppose that really just means I'm head of an empty building... annnnnd now I'm in charge of making sure the floor gets mopped. Wonderful..."

But Cheese! I'm already procrastinating by being over here instead of doing homework. If I start procrastinating on my procrastination material... it would be really bad.

"Cave?" Brightness asked, tilting her head inquisitively, "Oh, sorry, I'm getting ahead of myself. It's nice to meet you, Screwloose," she said, extending her hand to shake his. "I'm Brightness Random. I'm the- well, I was the Bard of the Root Beer Bar. I'm not sure if that means anything now, with the Bar in danger of closing, but I specialize in writing root beer poetry." She glanced over towards the main room. "Even if this place is rather empty, it hasn't been shut down quite yet. Care to head out to the main bar and tell me about this cave of yours over a mug or two of carbonated goodness?"

Thank you plot convenience portals! I was half afraid this guild would be abandoned. Brightness looked at Screwloose in surprise for a moment before shaking it off. She was getting used to things like this happening. "Plot convenience? Yes, I would say so. You see, it's seems that Snoopy, the founder of the Root Beer Bar, is off gallivanting somewhere. I'm afraid that the Bar with have to be closed down, as Snoopy really was the center of everything happening around here." She sighed, standing up off her barrel of root beer. "The Bar's a great place, but I don't know that anyone's going to visit." After waiting the dramatically appropriate amount of time, she looked back up at the newcomer. "By the way, who are you?"

Best luck with with your adventures in real life, Snoopy! Hope you make it back someday soon! Brightness stood, staring at the door, blinking in confusion. What? she thought. Snoopy had just up and left, claiming he had an important task to be about. She was still sitting on a barrel of root beer, admiring the wall's new color. After a minute, it hit her. The Root Beer Bar. If the head brewer was leaving indefinitely, who who run the Root Beer Bar? "What now?" she asked the empty room, "I mean, I think we have like ten members in this guild, but I've never really met any of them. I thought the Root Beer Bar was set to take off, but without our founder, all the members will really need to step our game to keep this place from shutting down."

As she waited nervously for a response, Brightness examined the room around her. The building seemed high tech and well cared for, unlike the exterior seemed to suggest. Well they do seem to always talk about being scientists, I suppose it would make sense for them to keep a professional- There was giggling coming from down the hall. Giggling. She thought for sure she must have had heard wrong, but that was definitely giggling. You know what? she thought to herself, I don't even know what's going on anymore. Perhaps it would be best to give up any thoughts of understanding the DA. She tapped her foot impatiently as the giggling started another round. So much for professional... she thought with a sigh. And why did it smell like tacos? Was the Alley branching out? Did she even want to know? Finally, a voice called, "What up, emissary? You want a cookie?" The serious tone was slightly offset by a snicker, presumably by the other giggler. "As a matter of fact," Brightness said in exasperation, "I rather think I do not. Not unless you've started an actual bakery, rather than simply doing your best to make sure I cannot find a single snickerdoodle in this whole city. You've ruined cookies for everyone, and I hope you know that." she let some of her frustration boil out in her voice. It was probably a mistake to take out her irritation out on these hemalurgists, but storms, she was exhausted, Winter was in trouble, and these people had no respect whatsoever for the queen's emissary. Newcago endorsed them. Shouldn't that mean something? Frustration built inside her. She was aware that she was taking things too seriously, but she really didn't care anymore. Pulling off her helmet, the duchess regarded the room disdainfully. "I am Brightness Random, Royal Emblem Mistress of Newcago, and I have been sent by the queen to collect information." she announced, summoning her shardblade, "Winter Cloud was taken by a group of parshendi who we now suspect were working with Odium. If you care at all about your dignity, denizens of the Dark Alley, I suggest you step forward and stop giggling long enough to tell me what you know of the matter." She nearly spit out the last sentence.

When your wifi is named "Edgedancer".

That was really unexpected, she thought to herself. She would have assumed the panda would be insulted at the veiled slur at his interior decorating skills, but apparently he too knew that the room needed quite a bit of work for it to become a proper workshop for her. That or he wanted an excuse to do some forgery, she thought to herself with a half smile. "Oh, really?" she asked him, still slightly suspicious, "Alright then, I suppose the first thing we need is better lights. Really bright lights. Like, really bright, and all over the place. Secondly, I would like the walls painted apple green. Think you can handle that, master forger, sir?" I don't know why I keep insulting you, but I'll apologize anyway. Sorry for repeatedly insulting you, Root Beer guru.

As she cloud traveled, Brightness reflected on the mess she had gotten herself into. She didn't want to fight parshendi, so instead she volunteered to visit the Dark Alley? Alone? "Fantastic," she muttered to herself, "I've been in Newcago a week, and now I'm going to the DA." She felt less then qualified, but then again, she had volunteered for the task. The ice cloud began to slow, and Brightness realized that she had reached her destination. Nervous, she summoned her shardblade before allowing it to puff back to vapor. Before her, there was indeed a dark alley, though some of the buildings around her also seemed rather suspicious. And was that the smell of chocolate chip cookies in the air? "What a strange place..." she said, peering into the blackness. Just as she finished speaking her thoughts, she heard a crack and a frustrated exclamation from behind her. What had that been? A bullet against a wall perhaps? The duchess shivered, but knew she had promised to bring back news as quickly as possible. She turned to the building the sounds had come from. It was a grey, sunlight building not two doors down from the alley. Feeling glad for her armor, she walked over to the building. "Hello?" she called, nervous. The door hadn't been closed properly, and hung open a fraction of an inch. Warily, she pushed her way into the building. The front room was empty, but she could hear voices further down the hall. "Hello?" she called again, a little louder. "I'm here on behalf of Newcago's Queen Elsa Steelheart, and I need to speak with a representative of the Dark Alley. Hello?" Brightness winced internally. Why did she get so formal when she was nervous?

Hearing the queen's commands, Brightness paled. She did not like fighting, even to save a friend. "Excuse me, your majesty, but may I make a suggestion?" she asked, "The Dark Alley may have vital information. I ask your permission to find out what they know before leaping into battle. I promise to return with the greatest haste." Happy now, Snoopy?

"There's Winter!" Brightness exclaimed, leaning forward to try and catch a better view. "What... what are all these parshmen- I mean parshendi- doing?" Something about this scene seemed very wrong to Brightness. It was more than just the fact that a bloodied Winter had been placed on an alter by the army of Parshendi... there was a terrible feeling to it all. It was... Hatred. "He who hates," she whispered in realization.

I do apologize, most venerable leader. Let us redo that last scene.

"Wait!" Brightness called after him, "You can't leave! I need you to forge this room so that it was decorated tastefully!" That drove him out quicker. After he was gone, she snickered to herself, glancing around the room. "Good. Now that he's gone, I can focus on getting some real work done." EDIT: This scene is being redone, apparently.

Brightness wore a small frown as she put on her armor. She'd never been fond of fighting, and the armor made her feel restricted. You're just fine, she told herself. It's all in your head, and you know that. Armor is good! It keeps spikes out. She placed the helm on with a sigh, then summoned her shardblade. After ten heartbeats, it dropped into her hand. The duchess looked at it for a long moment, feeling unsatisfied for some reason. She'd always wondered what it would be like to hear one scream. She had never had the opportunity, though she had often wished for one when she was younger. That would've meant that she was one of them. A Knight. But that wasn't her place. The Blade felt odd in her hand. Unfamiliar. A Blade should be familiar, not... this. Oh, stop complaining. She told herself, That comes only with time. You just miss home. She dismissed the Blade, feeling foolish. As she left her rooms to meet with the queen, she had a bad feeling about visiting the DA. Parshmen. Parshmen weren't their style. Even demon parshmen. Not from what she knew of them. We're looking in the wrong places, a part of her thought. Well I don't know where the right places are anymore. she thought back, I'm just going to follow my liege and do my best to save Winter.

I shall eagerly await it. Just so you know, Brightness was going to complain about the lighting regardless of how bright it was. She's kind of fond of complaining, in case you hadn't noticed...

I suppose I'm just an insulting person. "What?!" Brightness asked, "No, no, nooooooo. If you think I'm going to run my business out of a warehouse, you are sadly mistaken, my friend." She pulled him to a halt, pointing to the ceiling. "Look at this. Look at it, Snoopy. The lighting is terrible! It's brighter during a highstorm! You expect me to make these crests in the dark?! No, there are going to be be new lights in here." Looking around the room, she pointed to the wall, then the floor. "Cold bare walls? No carpet? Do you know anything about art? I can't make a masterpiece in here. I just wouldn't feel comfortable enough. No, what this room needs is a little color."