A Continued Story
Hallencia did not have much time to ponder her situation before her captor opened the massive door before them, threw her into the room, and closed the door, leaving her in the room alone. Hallencia straightened indignantly. The room was dark, only a few dim lights accenting alcoves in the walls showed the dimentions of the room. She thought she was alone - she couldn't hear any breathing or movement. Then came the voice.
Welcome, Hallencia Holdoyen.
Hallencia nearly jumped out of her skin. The voice wasn't precisely audible... but she was fairly sure that she heard it, or at least part of it. How very peculiar.
"How do you know my name?" she demanded, hiding her confusion under a not-entirely false mask of anger. "I haven't told anyone."
I know many things, Hallencia, the least of which is your name. I hope you have been enjoying your stay? The voice returned smoothly. Hallencia wrinkled her nose in bemusement. He was a fast talker, whoever he was. She was about to reply when the not-quite voice continued.
Arrangements have been made for your return to your own universe. You will, of course, not remember any of this. In addition, you will be returned to the real universe, not that travesty you were pulled out of. Was there a tinge of anger in that earthy voice? It was hard to tell.
"But I don't want to leave!" She piped up before the stranger could continue. "I like it here. It's clean, and there is real food, and..." she hesitated. She had the strong feeling that those wonderous devices she had been playing with weren't exactly playthings.
You like the machines. It was a statement of fact, not a question. Hallencia blushed, and nodded. There was a deep, rumbling sigh. After that, a silence so deep, Hallencia wondered if the stranger had somehow left.
Before you agree to anything, I suppose you should see what you are getting into. Before Hallencia could agree or disagree with that, the overhead lights slowly turned on, illuminating the room. Halley looked around expectantly for the stranger, but saw no one. There was a huge desk, and behind it a massive flower, but no other person was in the room.
There, that's better. Hallencia started, then stared wide-eyed at the plant.
"You... you're..." she spluttered, disbelieving.
The Sunflower Official, yes. I... oversee operations here.
"Operations?" Hallencia wrinkled her nose again. Now that she thought about it, she had no idea what they did here.
Yes. Welcome, albeit a trifle belatedly, to the Protectors of the Plot Continuum. Our primary purpose is to hunt down and eradicate the Mary-sue infection that is bent on destroying every dimention of the multi-verse. The SO explained. Hallencia stared blankly. Most of that explanation went straight over her head.
"Mary-sues?"
The resulting conversation took quite some time, since the SO was not used to dealing with uneducated girls from the Shades, but eventually Hallencia came to understand the disturbing truth about the neferious creatures called Mary-Sues, and the damage they could cause. Once she realized that the SO was very obliquely attempting to offer her a job, she leapt at the chance. Back in the Shades, the only chance she'd have at a decent life was to become a Seamstress, and she hadn't been looking forward to it, to say the least. The SO seemed pleased, if a flower can seem pleased, and summoned her captor back to take her to central processing to get a badge and some training.
"Name?" the matronly-looking woman didn't look up as Hallencia stood before her, newly washed and clothed in one of the ubiquitous black jumpsuits, a cactus badge on her shoulder. She looked quite different than she had when she had escaped from Fictional Psychology - she had discovered that she could get her hair styled as well, and had ordered the barber to cut most of her hair off, and dye it blonde. She hesitated, then grinned.
"Agent Halley of the PPC." she stated boldly. Hallencia was the name of a grubby girl who hid in the dark. She was an assassin now.
Welcome, Hallencia Holdoyen.
Hallencia nearly jumped out of her skin. The voice wasn't precisely audible... but she was fairly sure that she heard it, or at least part of it. How very peculiar.
"How do you know my name?" she demanded, hiding her confusion under a not-entirely false mask of anger. "I haven't told anyone."
I know many things, Hallencia, the least of which is your name. I hope you have been enjoying your stay? The voice returned smoothly. Hallencia wrinkled her nose in bemusement. He was a fast talker, whoever he was. She was about to reply when the not-quite voice continued.
Arrangements have been made for your return to your own universe. You will, of course, not remember any of this. In addition, you will be returned to the real universe, not that travesty you were pulled out of. Was there a tinge of anger in that earthy voice? It was hard to tell.
"But I don't want to leave!" She piped up before the stranger could continue. "I like it here. It's clean, and there is real food, and..." she hesitated. She had the strong feeling that those wonderous devices she had been playing with weren't exactly playthings.
You like the machines. It was a statement of fact, not a question. Hallencia blushed, and nodded. There was a deep, rumbling sigh. After that, a silence so deep, Hallencia wondered if the stranger had somehow left.
Before you agree to anything, I suppose you should see what you are getting into. Before Hallencia could agree or disagree with that, the overhead lights slowly turned on, illuminating the room. Halley looked around expectantly for the stranger, but saw no one. There was a huge desk, and behind it a massive flower, but no other person was in the room.
There, that's better. Hallencia started, then stared wide-eyed at the plant.
"You... you're..." she spluttered, disbelieving.
The Sunflower Official, yes. I... oversee operations here.
"Operations?" Hallencia wrinkled her nose again. Now that she thought about it, she had no idea what they did here.
Yes. Welcome, albeit a trifle belatedly, to the Protectors of the Plot Continuum. Our primary purpose is to hunt down and eradicate the Mary-sue infection that is bent on destroying every dimention of the multi-verse. The SO explained. Hallencia stared blankly. Most of that explanation went straight over her head.
"Mary-sues?"
The resulting conversation took quite some time, since the SO was not used to dealing with uneducated girls from the Shades, but eventually Hallencia came to understand the disturbing truth about the neferious creatures called Mary-Sues, and the damage they could cause. Once she realized that the SO was very obliquely attempting to offer her a job, she leapt at the chance. Back in the Shades, the only chance she'd have at a decent life was to become a Seamstress, and she hadn't been looking forward to it, to say the least. The SO seemed pleased, if a flower can seem pleased, and summoned her captor back to take her to central processing to get a badge and some training.
"Name?" the matronly-looking woman didn't look up as Hallencia stood before her, newly washed and clothed in one of the ubiquitous black jumpsuits, a cactus badge on her shoulder. She looked quite different than she had when she had escaped from Fictional Psychology - she had discovered that she could get her hair styled as well, and had ordered the barber to cut most of her hair off, and dye it blonde. She hesitated, then grinned.
"Agent Halley of the PPC." she stated boldly. Hallencia was the name of a grubby girl who hid in the dark. She was an assassin now.