Young Writers Society

Damon

The man who had greeted me frowns a little, but moves away. From behind me, someone calls out, "Is there anyone here who can make sense of this writing?" I turn around and stroll over, unclasping my sword's sheath from my belt and tossing it onto the man's table. The two men and a woman stare at me, but I ignore this.
"May I?" I ask, looking across at the note.
From here, I can see the writing anyway,and it looks familiar. There are dots and dashes, something I remember faintly from my days in Enthir.
"Elven Runes!" I exclaim triumphantly, "When I was ths Crown Prince, I had to learn them. I'm know as the Dark Shadow now, because I am a bandit, see? These things tend to slip your mind when you are fleeing soldiers and knights."
I give a small bark of laughter, then take a seat opposite the man. They are still staring at me.
"I'm not entirely sure, but they certainly look Elven. But I don't know this Korean of yours."
I look down at the table, wondering if I should give my name. I decide yes and say,
"My name's Damon, and I don't know what a restaurant is or what that is you're drinking, sir."

Dean

I hadn't expected such a group of volunteers to rush over so quickly, although I do suppose there are others seeking answers. But a note in my wallet that I can't read? What else does the cosmos have in store for me.
After a couple ladies come up and look at the paper, wincing at the text as if attempting to understand. One said that it was Korean, other said it wasn't. Until that soldier came up and claimed them to be Elven runes. Now I was even more confused, as I haven't heard of elves since I read that book by Tolkien. But I suppose it's best to believe in the unexpected future, now that I have a reason to believe in it.
That soldier came and sat down at my table whilst asking permission to sit. The restaurant stays looking for a moment, then returns to their business. Though the two ladies still seemed to be shooting glances.
"My name is Damon," said the soldier, "and I don't know what a restaurant is or what that is you're drinking, sir."

I was slightly taken aback, as the only people I knew who came up to you and wanted to be friends in a matter of minutes were car salesmen and bookies. I took another drink, finishing the glass, called for two more.

"Uhm, ok." I started, "This is going to seem odd, but I think we've been placed into the future, from looking at you I can relate to my own universe before my generation as a hired-blade. Now to answer your questions as simply as I can. Now a restaurant is like an inn, except without the rooms, people come in and out within the hours of service and pay to consume food and drink, where I come from they are very common. Now, what I'm drinking is about the best scotch-brandy that I've had in my life."

A waitress came by and put down two drinks.
"Try it, it's the best." I said, wondering if Damon would pull the same event as he did at the Dish of the Day. "

Korina

"Not just the future," I told the man with the note. "Have you looked out the windows yet?" I strode across the room and yanked a curtain to the side, which exposed a gray barren wasteland and a dark sky. No stars. Not a single one. But anyone could see from the contour of the ground and it's horizon around a mile or two away that this planetoid, meteor, whatever was not Earth.

From the frowns and confusion on their faces, I got they didn't exactly know what I was showing them. I sigh. "It's not Earth. Wrong shape and size, and there's not much that can do that to a planet. We haven't just been moved temporally, we've traveled spatially, too."

"Now, elf, or whatever you are, can you tell us what the writing is? They're language technology must translate speech and their menus, nothing else. Actually, their sign too, or can anybody here not read that?" I added, "Now, let's see how badly out of time we are. I was born in 1992, and I'm twenty-one. What about you guys?"

I think for a moment. The man's answer makes a bit of sense, but the woman's confuses me.
"So, a restaurant is like a tavern? I get that. But what's Earth?" I say.
I have no idea what these people are talking about, and by the look of shock on their faces when I said Elven Runes, they don't understand me either. The man calls for two glasses of that "scotch-brandy", and tells me to try it. Warily, I pick up the glass, and sip the liquid. I cringe in distaste. What a vile drink! It's nothing like the wine or mead I was used to. The woman asks when we were born, and how old we were.
"I was born in the Year of Shadows, and I have fifteen years of age." I answer.

Dean

Ah! He cringed! I gave out a small laugh and replied to his question.
"Yes, a tavern more or less. But Earth is a planet that I'm sure a few of the customers here have come from. The name's Dean by the way."
I look towards the window, sure looks like I'm on the moon, but Earth isn't out there...

"I was born in 1932, Earth years. I'm 23 years old and missing my fiance."
She must be worried sick, I never meant to leave out of the blue... I bet I'm part of a mysterious disappearance theory now, kind of like Glenn Miller when he disappeared over the English Channel.

"So, Damon," I say back over to the swordsman sitting across from me. "what can you tell me of these 'runes', and, tell me of where you come from. Back on Earth we have all these books on fantastical lands of magic, dragons and knights of things but I have never met someone who could come from such a land. I am intrigued to know more about you."

I consider my answer carefully. Gods, I wish I listened to Thomas a little more.
"Runes...are a little hard to explain. The Elves know magic, powerful nature magic. They lock it into their runes, and then they can only be translated. No human, or any other species can use the magic; we can only read them. I'm not the best, and I can't translate very well, but these mention fire, that's all I can say."
Dean frowns and looks down at the note. Drumming my fingers on the table, I wonder about what he said before. He had spoke of dragons, knights and magic. He said they were fantasy where he came from. I say;
"I come from Isria, it is a beautiful kingdom, the finest out of the four. The King is my father, Matthew. I'm the Crown Prince but, ah, I...ran away. I had no desire to sit around and expect everyone to provide for me, no, I am a bandit. I don't kill though. And dragons? Just one. A terrible creature, as black as night. It's imprisoned under Harnsin, a mighty castle."
I fall silent, reminiscing over my life before I found myself in this strange place.

Korina

"Damon, you sound like a character in one of the fantasy novels my little sister reads all the time. Of course, we're in a situation most sci-fi authors would write about, so..."

He gaped at me and I shook my head. "Never mind. I'm Korina, youngest professor at University of Florida, by the way, and it's nice to meet you."

I turn to the other man (I think he was called Dean) and say, "You know a lot for a man born in 1932, but the way you say Earth years makes me guess you don't normally use that unit of time. Not that I wish to pry. I'm just pointing out it must have taken enormous amounts of resources to transport us all here. So why would they? My history is impressive for a woman my age, but there are many other people who know, or knew more. We're all relatively young. At the very least, you'd think they'd take us in the peak of our intelligence but before we start going senile. It doesn't make sense."

"Professor? Sci-fi? And novels? Gods, I can't make sense of any of that. I'm starting to think you're not from any of the Four kingdoms. But as long as you're not from Isria, I think I'm okay," I say, burying my head in my hands with confusion.
Korina stares at me for a while, and then turns to Dean. I groan, wondering what nonsense they say next. Truly, trying to remember all of Isria's history is easier than keeping up with these people.

(Ok hopefully the second time of trying to interact works :/)

Ky:

As I slapped the "Dish of the Day" for the thousandth time, I realized the small clusters of humans huddled around a table, the two men each had a vile smelling drink. They were talking about the place, I noticed, but somehow...they were talking in my native language, which was not something I was used to humans doing. I jumped off my table. Dodging the feet, blobs, and tentacles of waiters and "customers" alike, I headed to their table with my long ears held and fluffy tail raised high.
"It doesn't make sense," the female stated.
"You're right," I meowed up at them and tried to figure out how to get onto their table before somebody steps on me. Yeesh.

Lucas

I groan as I awake, rubbing my head. There's an awful pounding in it, like I've been knocked unconscious. I've had that experience far too many times. As I try to sit up, I realise I was laying on the floor. Again. Gods, no. I haven't been arrested, have I?
"Whatever it is, I didn't do it!" I shout for the benefit of my gaolers.
Then, the murkiness lifts and I can see my surroundings clearly. Definitely not a dungeon. Well, certainly one I haven't been thrown in yet anyway.
"Now, now, boy. I'm sure you're confused, but, please, do not shout, it irritates the customers."
The voice belongs to a girl, but when I look at her, she seems to be a ghost. At the very least, she doesn't seem solid.
"Welcome to the Restraunt at the End of Universes, now, pull up a chair. By the way, there is a restroom over there, you've filthy."

( Taylor's a dude )

Taylor

Korina said something about her age and so did the others, but I was day dreaming so it took me awhile to figure out what was happening.

"Sorry," I said finely, "I'm 18 and I was born in 1995."

A few of them looked puzzled about when I was born. Though that didn't last long, because soon there was a cat jumping up on our table. It sat down and looked at us, purring loudly to itself.

"Hello," I said, reaching out to pet the kitty. It gently batted my hand away, and it's eye brows knitted together...similar to the way a person might. Could we understand animals, too, here? I thought to myself.

"I'm so sorry!" I said, smiling at the feline. "Can you understand what I am saying?" The others where staring at the cat with interested looks on there faces.
The cat gave its coat a quick bath, and glanced back up at us,

"Yes."

Korina

I stare at the talking cat for a moment and sigh. "At this point I'm not surprised at anything this place throws at me, although I do have to wonder if this is just a particularly strange dream. It's never that easy, though."

A loud crash sounded from the other side of the room, and we looked up to see a small group of men, armed and dangerous. One seized a waitress's arm. "Girl, we need the contents of your cash register, or your patrons won't be leaving!"

"Great. Space pirates. It's times like this I wish I had my laptop."

Taylor gave me an odd look and Damon asked, "What's a laptop?" I just shook my head. No point in explaining.

The waitress rolled her eyes. "Sir, the Restaurant is a non-profit organization dedicated to expanding people's viewpoints of the universe around them. We don't have a cash register."

"Oh, yes you do. I know what you people do on the side."

My attention was diverted for a moment by Taylor whispering, "You do realize your laptop wouldn't have internet, right?"

"Of course I do. I built the thing. It'd be for comfort. Of course, Isa, my sister, convinced me no matter how often I play the eccentric genius card, I'd still get weird looks."

"Your laptop's a security blanket?"

I blushed pink. "Shut up!"

Our whispering had attracted the attention of the space pirates. The leader stalked over and I paled in fear.

Ky:
I refused to let the female human pet me, though she seemed friendly. CRASH!! "Give me all your money!" A group of large human males had enter the restaurant and were now threatening people and creatures alike. Everyone panicked, and in the panicked I detected the fact that maybe this wasn't a Darkside trap at all. "I wish I had my laptop." the female started whimpering to what I guess were her friends. One of them called it a comfort item, not that I needed to know. One of the men started stomping hastily towards us in a way that exposed his evil intents. Oh no, I thought, my fur rising in anger, Not today. Instantly I stood up, let my fur puff out to an extreme, pull my ears back and tail up, and put on my best don't-mess-with-me face of slit eyes and tooth exposing snarl. "GO AWAY," I hissed. Darn Darksiders, panicking people when they pleased. Besides me one of the friendly female's friends stood up and pulled out an unfamiliar weapon. The man just smirked at our attempt to look threatening and continued to approach us.

Dean

Eh, these guys ain't tough at all. Just a few bad-boys trying to make a buck. I stood up fast and took the mans arm.
"Say-a buck-o, You won't get anywhere like that."

He looked back at me sternly, trying to weasel his way out of my grip. "An' who do ya think you are, huh? You're funny lookin', outta my way before I knock out your squak-box."

"Aw shucks chum, All you gotta do is be a little friendlier around these parts and service comes to you. What's money worth when you got good food and hot conversation?" I said to him, trying to de-fuse the situation.

"Get outta the way or I'm gonna blast ya to oblivion!" He shouted, reaching for his blaster.
I acted faster and fired a jab to his kidney, stunning him for enough time that I could disarm the blaster at his fingertips coming out of the holster. I pointed the barrel at him, stating in a firm voice. "Brother, can you spare a dime?"

The brigand reached inside his cloak and produced a sum of currency. He turned tail and ran off, along with his comrades. I place the blaster in my inside coat pocket and sit back down.

Taylor

These guys were tougher than I thought. And the one who had put a stop to one of the pirates, I think, was Australian.

Korina had proven to have more then one comfort object, by pulling a gun from her belt....Which had caused me to have mixed feelings; it made me laugh a little, and I was relieved, but it made me wonder where on earth she had come from that she needed/used one... Of course, maybe she hadn't come from earth in the first place.

We all slowly got comfortable again, trying to finish food or drinks that we might have had - though that didn't last long before the door swung open again, and a huge burly man stomped in, following him was the young pirate who had threatened us. the restaurant stilled.

"Is this the man, son?" The huge guy asked, nodding at the guy I thought might be an Australian... I think his name was Dean.

"Yes, father." The pirate replied, his jaw set.

"Well then, what do you say would be an appropriate punishment for his... Crime."

I looked over at Dean, his face was sheet white.