The internet is a storm of URLs, wi-fi and strings of dangerous code, whirling and thundering. Out in the wilderness you can only survive so long unaided, but in here, behind the mellow yellow windows, a safe and comforting place awaits. This place is a respite from the internet; the fire crackles invitingly and alluring rainbow-coloured drinks are poured into glasses. Exciting chatter fills the rooms from tables bustling with friends, eating from trays of warm, rustic carum bread and hearty stews. Gentle music comes from the band in the background.
[image description: a busy tavern lit by orange light]
Come in, chat away, have a great time! The old location may have been overrun by the Codekind, but this new building has three-meter thick walls, three floors and turret bedrooms to rest in at the top! We’ve returned, free from the battles of the secret pages! A safe micro-community of equality and no judgement. Hang up your HTML-reflective suit at the door and settle in with a drink and a meal.
Notice Board: Free candy in the bowl on the counter! What types of candy are there? Yes.
Emberpaw punched an alien in the face and it fell flat onto the floor. “Is that all of them…?” he asked.
Lionpaw knocked down the one that Foxy had conveniantly thrown her at, “It is now.” She said, trying to sound like one of those cool people on TV.
Aquila peered out of her TARDIS and looked at 2016. She didn’t interact as she didn’t want to change the events of the future (it could wipe of 2/3 of the universe people!) so she shut the TARDIS door and time travelled back to the future.
“2016 was weird. Every year except 2020 is weird.”
Fernkit hopped back in her time machine and returned to the present.
Asterpaw cheered, and became a capuchin monkey. She screeched something, then seemed to remember that she wasn’t able to communicate. Shifting back into a (cat? Human? What are we?), she spluttered, “Should my powers have worn off by now?”
“I think so…” Emberpaw sttutered, confused.
Lionpaw sighed. “Foxshadow, you’re paying for my new deck chair.” She looked at the charred sticks and ashy fabric, she hesitated, before looking bored, “You guys want to… Urmmm… Do something? Such as, actually I have no idea. Any suggestions?” She slumped in a bean-bag waiting for an answer.
“Murder’s always a great source of fun.”
“Maybe another time.” Lionpaw suggested sarcastically. “On the other hand I dont feel like cleaning the mess. Not to sound lazy or anything.”
“Maybe we should investigate around here a bit more?” Emberpaw suggested.
“Sounds great!” Lionpaw took off, before bumping into a wall, “Oof.” Was all she said before getting up again and taking a quick glance to see if there were any more aliens left.
“Fiiine.” Foxshadow sighed “Well…. how many aliens are left? if there are none we might as well try and restore the tavern… but well thats just boring. I mean what is up with this whole potions thing? where did they come from?”
“I have no idea, though I’m happy to find out!” She grinned before downing yet another potion.
Emberpaw snorted, frustrated with the group’s indecisiveness. “Well, I’m going to check out this place.” He shouldered through the crowd and and entered the Time Capsule room, holding his laser gun in front of him.
“On second thought…” He rushed back and downed a fiery-looking potion. He snapped his fingers to see what his powers was. A tall flame surged up from his hand, nearly touching the ceiling. “Nice!” He grabbed another of the fire potions, shoved it in his pocket, and re-entered the Time Capsule.
Wollow yawned. “Not to sound lazy, but to sound lazy, can we just like hire people to clean the tavern for us?”
“This place is underground,” Emberpaw reminded them from inside the Time Capsule. The large room looked like a science lab; flasks and microscopes were lined up on the counter. He opened a cupboard and saw a bunch of ramen noodle packets. “Well, they had to eat something,” he muttered to himself.
“Does Alphys live in there?” Wollow asked, yawning.
( XD )
Iceflower swiped a handful of vials from the shelf, all containing liquids in varying shades, and followed Emberpaw. She took a piece of paper from her bag and quickly scribbled out a messy-looking map.
Wollow grabbed a bag filled with a few jars and a box full of mayo packets. It also contained some less effective weapons such as a bunch of potions.
Lionpaw sighed, “Wollow, do we really NEED the mayonnaise?” She slipped in another deck chair (who knew she had so many?) and collapsed.
Wollow dumped a jar on Lionpaw’s head, somehow staying in the timethingy.
Lionpaw KNEW this was war, grabbing a bucketload of soy sauce, she dunked it on Wollow. “Take that.” She grinned evilly.
Wollow didn’t question how Lionpaw dumped stuff on her from far away, because she did the same thing, dumping a large amount of unknown substance possibly containing flour and water, as well as some broccoli juice and mustard, which had no chance of totally ruining Lionpaw’s hair and hardening, and it totally wasn’t a pastelike substance.
Lionpaw shook her head like a wet dog, getting most of the paste Wollow had dumped on her, all over Wollow. She grinned again.
Wollow teleported a foot away, all the paste falling off her. “Welp, I’m going to Grillby’s. Papyrus, do you want anything?”
Iceshard once again sat down at a table. He had his laptop and a root beer. “Hey guys, can I see those remaining potions? I need to do some reasurch on them.”
“Sure.” Lionpaw shrugged, she passed the few remaining bottles to Iceshard, “Here.” She smiled before grabbing some pink milk from the bar.
Iceshard thanked Lionpaw, and got to work. He pulled up a program to observe the chemicals’ substances. “Let’s see here.” He began. “This one has iron, magnesium, carbon, and…tacos?”
“They tasted like trash to me,” Emberpaw snorted.
Emberpaw peered into the second and last room. There were a few beds, but something else larger piqued his interest. A large machine was in the corner and a switch on it was labeled “ON.” He knew not to touch or pull it if he didn’t know what it did – the button-pressing mayhem that had released the aliens had taught him that much – but curiosity gnawed at him furiously.
Lionpaw followed, “MINE!!!!” She rushed forward and slapped the button. A massive bubble grew fron a chute, “MINE!!! Again…” She ran towards it and tried to pop it, instead she got stuck insude it – like a massive see-through cage. “Noodles…” She said in annoyance.
“Oh…” Emberpaw tried to throw a knife at it, but it got stuck midway through the bubble, like the surface was made out of jello.
Lionpaw gasped, “This thing is Jello?” She tried to lick it, she thrust her paws / hands over her tongues straight away to rid of the flavour, “Nope, not Jello….” She sighed.
Hearing Lionpaws greedy shout, Darkpaw ran into the room, only to see Lionpaw stuck in a huge bubble, sighing Darkpaw dashed forward and tried to free her only to bounce right back off of the surface “Darn…”
“Guys…? We need a bit of help here!” He and Darkpaw were trying to swipe at the bubble Lionpaw was in. Fortunately, the ceiling of the Time Capsule wasn’t very high, but now Lionpaw’s bubble floated at the top of the room, pressing against the ceiling. As a final resort, Emberpaw made a beam of fire directed at the bubble, and he hoped that it wouldn’t burn through and singe Lionpaw. Although the flare didn’t pop the bubble, it seemed as though the sphere’s coating had thinned a little, decreasing its resistance capabilities slightly. Emberpaw felt a surge of hope within him.
“Hang on. Blast that again.” Iceflower said, digging in her bag for something. She found a rope and tied a knot on both ends. “You blast it, and I throw this. Maybe I can pull her out.”
Emberpaw created another burning beam. He winced at the heat and wondered if it would burn the rope, or worse – Lionpaw.
Lionpaw winced at the thought, but said, “Try it anyway, I’m sure it’ll work.” She grinned one of her cheeky grins.
Iceflower tossed the rope up towards Lionpaw, the end of it barely sinking into the bubble. “Grab it!” She ordered.
Wollow looked at Lionpaw. “Bad idea,” she remarked, and threw a few dozen mayo packets. “At least it’s good for target practice.”
Gigglepaw walked into the tavern,her hat hung low over her face.She hadn’t come to The Hazelpage since the tavern had moved.She doubted anyone would remember her.Didn’t matter.She remembered them,and that’s all that mattered.
Walking into the tavern,she realized it was empty.Something about the empty tavern soothed her.Just her and the crackling hearth.Wherever the owner of the tavern was,it didn’t matter to Gigglepaw.All that mattered was the safety of….she didn’t want to think about that.
Her mind wandered to the others.Her heart beat fast.Suddenly she had a creeping suspicion of where everyone was.Her mind wandered to the old tavern,so long ago.She ran down a secret hall hidden behind an invisible door.Rushing down steps,she burst through a wall.
“Emberfang!Iceshard!”she yelled,a cold tingle going up her spine.
“Oh.” Emberpaw turned for a second, his expression barely changing at the return of his old companion. “Hi,”
“I-I saw the news,the alien ship,and I thought…”She sighed with relief seeing all her old friends safe and sound,along with a few new faces.“I guess I jumped to conclusions.”She knew nothing had happened,and if it had,Embrfang could take care of it himself.
Russetfeather got up from where she sat at the bar. “Is there anything I can do to help?”, she asked Emberpaw.
Emberpaw looked outside the Time Capsule and saw one of the aliens begin to stir, regaining consciousness. “Uh, uh… Knock out that alien!” he commanded.
Lionpaw would have if she wasn’t stuck in the bubble – she swung her body towards the alien, th bubble flew straight at it and knocked it out. “Ha ha! 1 point for Griffindor!”