Outernet.exe: Virus

[...rebooting...]

//???//

The @#$(&# $(**&% races down the wooden docks with new found determination, hurdling over crates and barrels. He pushes past a few workers, making them yell in frustration. "Sorry!" he yells out excitedly. "I'm off to choose my own future!" he sprints up the stone staircase at the end of the dock.

People around look at each other with bewilderment.

His royal orange uniform ruffles around his legs and arms as he runs through town, his boots clacking on the paved tile bricks of the town square. Blooming lanterns hang from wooden poles and canopies of shop fronts, creating warm and dimmed light throughout the streets. Citizens bicker, chat and laugh in the thick of the night, sharing pints and cracking jokes. People with karts of barrels of wine and ale walk past, pulling along the wooden kart by it's handle. Shoutings of travelling merchants are heard from the sides of the road, advertising wares and valuables.

A lady in a silk dress approaches @#$(&# confidently, holding a basket of freshly baked loaves. "Your highness, may I offer you to some fine bread this evening? Freshly baked, straight out of the oven sir."

"Oh. How kind of you. Well, i'm rather full at the moment so i'm afraid not ma'am." @#$(&# smiles politely.

She tries to muster up some more persuading. "O-Or perhaps the lord will enjoy some sourdough for supper? Tea? Breakfast?" she beckons to the younger boy.

"Oh, no no no no.." @#$(&# laughs nervously. "No no no. The lord would much rather some...caviar..or uh...wine." he gulps. "I do thank you though, but I should really be on my way now." he begins walking off a bit faster, waving back at the lady as people walking past obstruct his view. "Have a nice day!"

@#$(&# arrives back at the castle later that night, rather tired and parched. Along the way here he was encountered by many salesmen, small talk from locals and many...many offerings for the lord. He runs a hand through his soft, light, orange hair as he stops at the first step of the castle, taking a breather.

The voice of an older teenager comes from above the staircase. "Your highness, you come rather late in the night." His voice is chalky from his metal helmet covering his face. He then pulls the front cap of the helmet up, revealing his mocha coloured skin and green eyes, a few neatly platted braids peaking out from his helmet. "You must be rather tired." he says, his voice now clearer, sounding more sympathetic.

@#$(&# raises his head to see none other than- "Greeeeeen!" he happily exclaims.

An unknown knight with their helmet over their face, on the other side of the staircase looks over at the two, especially from @#$(&#'s loud yell.

@#$(&# lowers his voice in a guilty manner. "Greeeeeeen..." he says quietly.

Green chuckles and steps down the staircase to @#$(&#. They share a warm hug and pull away a couple seconds later. "So, what are you doing out so late? Not running away are you?"

@#$(&# shakes his head. "No, no of course not. Just um...getting...some air! Yeah." he smiles with an underlying sense of nervousness.

"Well you better go inside now. I believe the cap'n needs to see you."

"Of course she does.." @#$(&# mutters under his breath with a sigh. "Well, see ya later Green." he yawns.

Green flips the front of his helmet back down, covering his face. He then returns to his station at the top of the staircase, standing as still as a statue.

@#$(&# runs up the stairs and through the front gate. His feet hit the paved ground hard as he runs through the front courtyard of the castle. Towering, dark walls surround the large area. Perfectly cut grass lawns, sectioned into quarters across the stone ground. The shadows of the large castle towers pierce over @#$(&# as he approaches the big castle doors. Looming and wooden, dark and mysterious.