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Michale CS

Ignorance of grammar is not an excuse.
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Evenings, Pacific Time
Writing Levels
  1. Intermediate
  2. Adept
  3. Advanced
  4. Prestige
  5. Adaptable
Preferred Character Gender
  1. Male
  2. Female
  3. Primarily Prefer Female
Genres
Urban Fantasy, Sci-Fi, Modern, Horror, Magical... pretty flexible.
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There are a lot of cities on Earth.
Lots of them are pretty much devoid of things like Superheroes, conspiring villains, invasions from other planets, Gods walking among men, or even half-crazed detectives who wear dirty socks over their faces.
This place was one of them.

Prior to recent events, well... not a lot happened in Flippin Arkansas. Just a bit over 2,000 people in a county of less than 10,000. Everyone knew everyone else, the rivalries between the local schools were friendly, and everyone could have a laugh and a beer out at the lake at Bull Shoals. In fact, a few internet memes and a few stand up comedian comments were the most exciting things about Flippin, and everyone kinda liked that.


That was until IT appeared.

A rift between the worlds. And it appeared in what the residents thought was a mildly inconvenient place.​
fe8454ea7b0f84a07808ea273c5ed7e1.jpg

In the Flippin Wal-Mart. Way in back in dairy, where they used to keep the drinkable yogurts and kefirs.
At first, it was hard to notice. Just a ripple in the air. Then, Joe from overnight disappeared through it. They got it on camera. Only looked for him when his truck was still out front the next day. No one's seen Joe since.

So, they did what they thought was the logical thing.
They put warning cones around it with caution tape and wrote "Door to Nowhere, please do not cross or take any merchandise inside" on some nice signs they glued to the cones.

Now, they wouldn't have to call the Home Office with that awkward call. Locals knew to avoid the area, and travelers, well they could read couldn't they? If they went through that was on them. They was warned.

After awhile, people started coming out of the rift too. Now, this could have been on the high end of supremely bad, but everyone who came through had one thing in common. They all were shopping at a Wal-Mart when they went through whatever rift they came from at that end.

Now, this was hard to react to. The management thought long and hard about it, and decided.
They simply had to become a 24 hour location, because they had to be ready for whatever shopper rolled in with merchandise.

Oh did I neglect to mention that often these people come through with shopping carts full of Wal-Mart goods? Adjustments had to be made, and UPC codes that gave the cashiers a way to ring up items that don't even exist in this reality were come up with.

The best asset so far has to be Mister Cubbins. Mister Cubbins was the co-manager of his Wal-Mart in his home reality. Everyone adjusted to the fact that he was a talking lion who wore a monacle soon enough. Well, some people give him ribbing about the monacle and say he should get the lazer surgery, but that's all in fun. He's a very efficient manager and all he has to do is smile in just the right way to 'coach' some of his employees.

Of course everyone in Marion County knows about Flippin, as does A.R.M.O.R., who set up an office down the way, just across from the Sonic Drive-In.
But pretty much everyone else hasn't a clue. Now, since the trips through the rifts seem to be one way, Flippin has had to adapt to all the new residents or tourists. It's really been a blessing to the economy. Why, they're talking of opening up that old Smorgasbord that's been closed for five years now.
To sum it up... It's pretty Flippin wonderful up here. Besides, we're only an hour's drive from Branson, Missouri. Less, if you speed a little. We won't tell.
Come on down and see us, won't you?


 
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She had only been in town a few weeks. It had taken the woman some time to learn the customs of this strange place. She was only shopping for rice and soy sauce when she went into the Wal-Mart in Tokyo, but when she emerged in this new world where everyone spoke English - around here she was assured there was indeed a Japan here as well - it concerned her. She would have immediately returned through the portal but no one knew if she would go back home or somewhere else entirely.

And the people seemed nice enough here. It was fun to expand her English knowledge - the strange accent was a good challenge. But the small town had no need of her primary occupation, so she settled in by doing a few various things - tutoring a few interested people in Japanese, styling and cutting hair at the local beauty salon, and what she was doing now.

Sitting in a bar, moving from place to place in it and smiling a lot. That last was quite hard for her. Smiles were celebrations to her, not things to be given to everyone for simply being in the same room as you. And if trouble ever arose, she was supposed to remove any offenders from the bar.

@Ms.Ezra @ whomever
 
Lincoln had started off his day shopping in a random Walmart in the middle of nowhere and then before he knew it, he was in a new Walmart. He didn't understand what Flippin' happened, but he decided to figure out where he was after he got some food and got his stuff. He wondered how they had the right code. After a few moments, he walked into a bar and quickly backed out.

He was not going back into Vodka addiction. Never again. He hoped no one saw him.

@Michale CS
 
Lincoln had started off his day shopping in a random Walmart in the middle of nowhere and then before he knew it, he was in a new Walmart. He didn't understand what Flippin' happened, but he decided to figure out where he was after he got some food and got his stuff. He wondered how they had the right code. After a few moments, he walked into a bar and quickly backed out.

He was not going back into Vodka addiction. Never again. He hoped no one saw him.

@Michale CS
Oh. He looks lost. I think I should help him. She walked over to her boss and spoke quietly to him. He just nodded. "You never ask for time off, so go. It's a slow night anyway."

She walked swiftly and silently after the man, and before he knew it, Lincoln had a woman walking in lock step with him. She couldn't have been more than 5'4". "You look... lost. I may be able... to help you."

The voice was barely above a whisper yet very easily to understand regardless.

@LuckycoolHawk9
 
Lincoln took a deep breath once he exited that bar. He wasn't going to fall off the wagon again, it was kind of dangerous and h didn't want that to happen. He bit down on his lower lip.

He had barely noticed that there was a woman who was following him until after she had practically fallen into exact step with the man. He looked over at the woman rather curiously when she asked if he needed help

He could tell that her voice was more than a whisper. " That would be great to be honest."

@Michale CS
 
Lincoln took a deep breath once he exited that bar. He wasn't going to fall off the wagon again, it was kind of dangerous and h didn't want that to happen. He bit down on his lower lip.

He had barely noticed that there was a woman who was following him until after she had practically fallen into exact step with the man. He looked over at the woman rather curiously when she asked if he needed help

He could tell that her voice was more than a whisper. " That would be great to be honest."

@Michale CS
She smiled briefly and nodded. "My first question would be then... are you physically lost... or spiritually?"

Her head cocked toward him as she awaited her reply.

@LuckycoolHawk9
 
Lincoln paused when he was asked that question. He wasn't certain what the answer was.

" I am going to guess both, mostly physically though," he said.

@Michale CS
 
Lincoln paused when he was asked that question. He wasn't certain what the answer was.

" I am going to guess both, mostly physically though," he said.

@Michale CS
She nodded. "I am Shigure. I was once lost too. There are reasonable places to stay in town, and there is a temporary employment agency for outsiders downtown."

@LuckycoolHawk9
 
Lincoln looked at her and nodded. He was fine with some temporary employment for now. " Thanks for the help. I'm Lincoln Campbell," he said, introducing himself.

@Michale CS
 
Lincoln looked at her and nodded. He was fine with some temporary employment for now. " Thanks for the help. I'm Lincoln Campbell," he said, introducing himself.

@Michale CS
She nodded deeply, almost a bow. "I had just been released from work for the day. I was going to go to a place to eat. You are welcome to join me if you like."

@LuckycoolHawk9
 
Lincoln looked at her and smiled when she offered to join him for dinner. It was nice and he did hate to be lonely. " Yeah, I would love to join you for dinner," he said. He wouldn't mind some food and company.

@Michale CS
 
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A small crowd gathered around the window of the restaurant, looking inside and loudly talking to themselves.

"What is it?"

"What is it doing!!?"

"What do you think it wants??!"

"Wait, what? Why did she do that?" someone else answers and laughs. Gaining for themselves angry stares "Well, I thought she was funny...sorry"

Inside, the blue alien woman was getting increasingly agitated as she sampled every liquid in the place: the coke, the beer, the ketchup, even the hot sauce. The alien, angered after tasting the hot sauce threw that on the ground. She looked at the staff incredulously as if wondering what was wrong with them as they stood in defensive posture. One reached for a cooking knife.
 
Lincoln looked at her and smiled when she offered to join him for dinner. It was nice and he did hate to be lonely. " Yeah, I would love to join you for dinner," he said. He wouldn't mind some food and company.

@Michale CS
A small crowd gathered around the window of the restaurant, looking inside and loudly talking to themselves.

"What is it?"

"What is it doing!!?"

"What do you think it wants??!"

"Wait, what? Why did she do that?" someone else answers and laughs. Gaining for themselves angry stares "Well, I thought she was funny...sorry"

Inside, the blue alien woman was getting increasingly agitated as she sampled every liquid in the place: the coke, the beer, the ketchup, even the hot sauce. The alien, angered after tasting the hot sauce threw that on the ground. She looked at the staff incredulously as if wondering what was wrong with them as they stood in defensive posture. One reached for a cooking knife.
Just then, Lincoln and Shigure walked into the restaurant. She immediately saw that the woman was agitated, and moved quietly toward her, arms lowered and slightly in front of her, palms up.

Whispers of "It's the bouncer from the bar" and various other comments floated around as Shigure closed in. "Please, do not worry. I can tell you are lost and confused. Many in this town come from afar, and it is one of the most accepting places on this world." Shigure's emotions, were they to be detected, would be of extreme serenity and genuine concern, directed at the blue alien, with a mild hint of curiosity.

@Kingof192 @LuckycoolHawk9
 
The alien smiled a smile of relief and gratitude, patting Shigure's shoulders and nodding once.

With a bit of flourish for the benefit of anyone watching, she put her arms lowered and slightly in front of her, palms up.

After this, she walked behind the counter and moved slowly with her hands up toward the kitchen area, eyeing a bottle.

Still catching the agitation of the others, she turned awkwardly to show them all her arms lowered and slightly in front of her, palms up posture and pulled out a cork.
 
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Lincoln wasn't shocked by the callousness about the man in the bar. He had come to expect that of the people. Everything that was new and strange, they either mocked, praised or was terrified of or worst yet, a combination of the three. He looked over at her and turned to the alien woman. " Those men are idiots, what is your name? I'm Lincoln," he said to her.

@Michale CS @Kingof192
 
After sampling the contents of the glass bottle, the alien looked at Lincoln for a little bit, eyes glassing over in thought as her hand tapped the counter. In a second, she moved again.

Recorcking the bottle, she gently tossed the glass bottle over to Lincoln and commenced to uncork a new one.
 
After sampling the contents of the glass bottle, the alien looked at Lincoln for a little bit, eyes glassing over in thought as her hand tapped the counter. In a second, she moved again.


Recorcking the bottle, she gently tossed the glass bottle over to Lincoln and commenced to uncork a new one.

"I do not think she speaks. She seems to understands body language." Shigure said.

The woman pointed to Starr then to her own eyes, indicating she wanted her to watch.

Shigure went through a pantomime with Lincoln, exchanging money with him for the bottle the alien had tossed him.

Then she went to the proprietor of the restaurant and handed him a $100 bill, and pointed to Starr. "I'm running her a tab. If she goes over that in what she drinks, see me at Jessie's and we will work something out. Since she seems not to have a big preference for what she drinks I suggest you get her water and sodas, the cheap stuff."
@Kingof192 @LuckycoolHawk9
 
Lincoln looked over at her and back at the glass bottle that had been handed him. He ha just barely caught it. He hoped that it wasn't an alcohol bottle, he didn't ever want to touch that stuff.

He watched her and wondered if she had ever understood a thing that he said or for that matter, if she could at all.

Lincoln nodded, understanding what she meant. It was interesting to say the very least too.

Lincoln watched as she seemed to gesture to watch what they were doing at the moment.

He took the money from her and gave her the bottle. He also paid the employee for the bottle that she had tossed him

Lincoln looked over at the two woman and wondered what he could say to them. He bit down on his lip and was happy that they were only going to give her soda and water, that was stuff he could have. He didn't want to think about how he had nearly killed his girlfriend when he tried to kill himself. He silently pushed that thought to the far back of his mind.

@Kingof192 @Michale CS
 
The alien focused her attention, on the paper money and what was happening, trying to take in the complicated thing and the meaning of passing it.

All of the thought was penetrated by one word, which as soon as she heard it, resulted in great energy and excitement. She clapped her hands.

The proprietor caught her intensity but not her intent, and exuding a sense of urgency the alien pulled out a small pad and one with finger painstakingly spelled out the word on her tablet for everyone to see.

WATER
(erroneously, the time on her tablet read 4:59)
 
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Stirring up a different sort of commotion, a human man entered the place with a sense of urgency and a little bit of a loss of breath. Taking the scene and the transaction in, he had to laugh.

"Komichiwa, Sugar Shigure. Congratulations on being the first to make friends with the newest Starr in town."

The alien stood up tall, beaming confidence and happiness in her silence at the newcomer, who responded with voice.

[BCOLOR=#333333]"Well, I suppose you did allright for yourself Starr, but if you had just slowed down a little you wouldn't have had to drink the ketchup, mustard, and barbeque sauce first. "[/BCOLOR]
 
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