Chapter 1: Hunger for Strawberries

[Hilja Kukkanen/Sasha Pisarev]

There is quite a commotion of people now in Helsinki. I pick up some potatoes with my labor card and some cash I have, then decide to see what all of this is about. I scamper through the city, coming across a tangle of large vines and people trapped inside of them. They are the Manalist police who earlier had gone after the fox fellow that others talked about earlier.


"Who are you?" I call out to nothing, hoping that maybe he is still around. "Who are you?" I call again. I run past the vine tangled police men, and look around wildly.

[Dinari Dollar]

Everyone teleports to Genetech's lab in Dublin. It is a vast white building with many windows and many scientists rushing around, working like a colony of ants. They all wear white. Some have white hair to indicate that they were created by Genetech themselves. Dinari had never been to the lab before.

"This place is pretty cool. Can you show us some dinosaurs and stuff."

[Jack Kruschev]

“No, better,” Anthony immediately replies. “I could make one right in front of you. All I have to do is inject it with a gene to make I grow quickly and within hours, I can be fully grown. Hoe does that sound,” Anthony says, smiling.

[Dinari Dollar]

"That would be even more cool. Just like when I was a kid and my mom gave me some pills that I put in the bathtub. They dissolved into dinosaur sponges." Dinari explains to him.

"Just like that."

He follows Dr. West to his lab to watch how he does his work. "So what are the main projects that Genetech is working on right now."

[Jack Kruschev]

“Can’t tell you the main ones due to contracts and secrecy and crap,” Anthony says as they com up to a thick, steel, bolted door. “But I can tell you we’re working on cloning. Originally, you’d have to grow a clone from scratch, and the baby would develop adult disabilities at an early age and die. Now, we can make them grow quickly without many problems. We’re currently attempting to clone on into a full adult without any growing at all,” Anthony explains as he types in a code for the door. The door opens and Antony lab is there. Various vials of unknown substances line the walls. Monitors are everywhere, lab tables litter the ground, and Father Manala knows what is seen here and there.

"Come on in," Anthony gestures. "We have a lot to talk about."

[Dinari Dollar]

"How cool. Man, I was just telling Tuvi that I want a clone so that I can have more fun and don't have to go to my stupid meetings all of the time. I hate going to the Economic Council to discuss stuff."

Dinari's eyes grow wide as they approach the large, heavy door. Dinari walks inside and is enthralled by the colors, noises, animals, and unusual things. He picks up a jar of ooze off a shelf, He wiggles it a little then accidentally drops the jar on the ground.

The green ooze slips onto the floor then crawls up his leg!

"Ah! Ahhh!!!"

[Jack Kruschev]

Anthony sits down and relaxes. “Just pick it off!” he laughs. “That’s an ooze creature I created, the most harm it CAN to do you is crap in your hair. I designed it to get into enemy pipes and clog them. It's completely harmless."

[Dinari Dollar]

Dinari calms down then and picks the green ooze off of his leg. He holds onto it with both of his hands and feels somem relief that it wasn't anything dangerous.

"Oh, I was just joking. Seeing how you guys would react." He says to Tuvi and Peter. He isn't sure where to put the creature, so he just places it on the floor where it slithers away.

He looks around the room and sees something which looks like a cute, large eyed lemur. He puts his hand in the cage.

"This one...I think this one would be popular in the pet section."

[Jack Kruschev]

“I bet it wouldn’t,” Anthony says and pulls Danari’s hand out of the cage. “Watch," Anthony says as he tosses a chip from a nearby bag into the cage. The lemur-like creature changes into an undead-like chimp and devours the chip before screaming and banging it’s hands against the cage. “I designed it to look cute so the enemy will not fear it. Also, Mr. Dollar, please ask me before reaching into any more cages or touching anything else,” Antony says, breathing heavily. It wouldn’t be good for business if Mr. Dollar had gotten eaten in his lab.

[Dinari Dollar]

Dinari crosses his arms so that his hands are tucked away. He nods his head. "Sorry, it is just sort of like visiting a zoo or something. Well, just show me some of your best creations." Dinari suggests. He is already feeling antsy. He just wants to touch something. He puts his hand on Tuvi's back side. "Thanks Tuvi, I just need to occupy my hands. I could get hurt in here."

[slowpoke]

Charon worked in his garden watering his plants. His hard work had finally began to pay off and many of the flowers were starting to bloom. He smiled a simple smile as he emptied his watering can. "Hmm" Charon spoke softly, "I think I might need another set of hands to help me with this garden" He turned to his fairy companion Asphodel. "What do you think my small friend? Could we benefit from another member?"

Asphodel seemed enthusiastic to the idea "Another person would be nice" Charon put down his watering can and wiped off his hands "So it's settled I'd better put up some fly-" Charon stopped mid-sentence, a very familiar feeling came to him and a grimace appeared in his face. "Is everything alright" Asphodel spoke worriedly. "It seems an old foe has appeared, I must be going now"

Charon began to walk away quickly and Asphodel spoke to him "Correct me if I'm wrong sir, but it seems you have more enemies than friends" Charon opened the door and turned to face Asphodel "Well when you're as old as I" he spoke with a smirk "your enemies began to outnumber your friends" With that the door closed and he was off "Attis" he whispered "what possible reason to have to be in my city?"

[marsatacker]

Stepping out from behind a corner where he was hiding behind just enough to let her see him but not the manalist police down the street, he watches the girl who was obviously calling for him as she ran down the street, although he wasnt sure whither or not he wanted her to know where he was. Taking one last glance at the police and deciding they were too far away now to hear any conversation he followed her out a bit further before saying anything

"Quit causing a scene... they'll find us"

[Hilja Kukkanen/Sasha Pisarev]

I look at the fox person and back in the distance now at the vines. "Did you do that? You created those vines?" I asked him. The only people who can use Manala energy are Manalists and their allies.
Yet, he seems concerned that they will notice us. "I'm sorry. You aren't a Manalist, are you then?" I ask more to myself than to him.

"How did you do that?" I ask him with childlike curiosity. He really is a peculiar fellow. He seems vaguely familiar too.

[marsatacker]

Sighing at her familiar child-like behavior he glanced her over, a slight frown touching the corner of his lips as she asked him questions which she should already know. She seemed just like her old self, although the fact that she now seemed to not even know him made him wonder what happened to her.

"Obviously that was done with manala energy, and no Hilja, Im not a manalist. I am Attis, Son of the forest demon Leshy and a human mother. "

[Hilja Kukkanen/Sasha Pisarev]

My eyes almost pop out of my head when he calls me by my name. All of this is making me feel a little confused and even a tad light headed. I take a step back and squint. He seems very familiar. He is a nice looking guy. I think I would remember someone like him.

"Oh, I'm sorry. Do I know you?" I ask him dumbly. I feel a strange longing for this person, but since he is a stranger, I of course dismiss it. What a peculiar person.

"I wish I knew you.." I say quietly to myself. Everything has a dream like quality.