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19th Nov. 2005

So Well Soon: Part II

Chapter 7


The larger the cloud became the faster it expanded; the further it expanded the taller and larger the cloud was. Within minutes all of Greater Towz was enveloped. Upon closer inspection it would appear none of the buildings of Towz were being damaged, none of the citizens of Towz physically harmed.

Upon closer inspection, were anyone there to observe, the city would merely appear to be in midst of a transformation. Though the cause of this and the end result would be known by a scant few within the city.

Of course this transformation had been in the planning stages for ages. A transformation of a city and society, right on schedule. What had failed to be planned around was Northern Towz. When the plans had taken shape there was but on city and all rather similar in thoughts and philosophy. Since this unforeseen wrinkle had not been planned for, Northern Towz was merely shelved; frozen in time until such as something could be figured out. Unfortunately this also had a fundamental flaw: once the transformation was complete there was no one left to contemplate such things.

Eventually the mushroom cloud finished enveloping the entire city of Towz, and continued until even all of Northern Towz was within it. And, as planned, the cloud dissipated when the transition had completed. Greater Towz was now a much different place than it had been. The citizens had been frozen during the transitional period and began to wake up as the transition period ended. So transformed was the city and the society any passage of time was now impossible to read. In this new Towz time was a much different concept.

Society was now simply happy. So happy, in fact, the smile had become obsolete. Everyone was happy on such a level that expressing as much would simply be redundant. As time passed this emotion became the default, assumption of emotion.

So time went by, how much is impossible to tell, and something unexpected happened. A group of people from outside the city arrived. This new group had not be present for the transformation of Towz. The Towzians, having never faced such a situation, had trouble figuring out what to do with this new group. The new arrivals, having their own reasons for entering Towz, felt like aliens on a strange planet. Both populations were experiencing their own form of culture shock. Eventually, through long attempts at communication and understanding, it was decided a group of north Towzians would be revived to bring a fresh perspective to the situation and try to bridge the to groups.

Among this group of Northern Towzians were three independent minded characters known as Cogil, Vincent and Ryan.

Found still frozen outside a hospital in Northern Towz, Cogil, Vincent and Ryan were taken back to Greater Towz for re-animation. The process was not very complex, though how long it took no one had thought about. Eventually, Cogil came back to life.

"...and run away!" Cogil said. He then stopped and took a look around. He saw some rather festive wall decorations and some rather strangely dressed individual around him, most of which had rather neutral looking facial expressions. After several minutes the details of his surroundings started to make more sense. He started to look all around him. He then noticed he was naked.

"I say, where am I? And why am I naked?" He asked, feeling rather exposed.

"Naked?", started one of the faces, "I am unfamiliar with this term. Please, have a seat and we will try to explain what has happened." he continued.

Cogil was still feeling exposed and his mind felt as if it had a fog over it he couldn't quite see through. He sat down on a nearby chair and continue to try and comprehend his surroundings.

"What...what is going on here?", he began, "Last thing I remember there was a large blue light covering the city. We were trying to run away and...hey where are the others?"

"Ah. You must mean your friends. They are in another room, also recovering. We have determined we should explain concepts gradually so as to not overwhelm your mind. You've been frozen in time for a while. All of Northern Towz was actually. And so you would have remained but we are facing...a problem. This problem required your immediate input. But rest for now, we will discuss more later. When you awake your friends should fully awake and able to join you."

With that Cogil started to feel groggy.

"What, what's going on?" He started to ask.

Several of the other individuals walked over and helped him to a nearby bed. Within moments he was in a deep sleep.

Vincent and Ryan were having similar experiences. Vincent also awoke still thinking he needed to run away, and also very confused. He too was eventually escorted to the nearest bed and fell asleep rather abruptly.

Ryan, though, knowing more than the Towzians could have guessed went a bit differently. Ryan seemed to awake and become aware of his surroundings with astounding speed. He knew he was naked nearly immediately, and almost as quickly asked for a set of clothes. The same suggestion of sleep that worked for the other two didn't seem to phase him. Eventually he agreed some rest to help offset the effects of the suspended animation.

The next morning the three of them awoke easily to find a generic set of clothes at the foot of their beds. After dressing, Cogil, Vincent and Ryan made thier way into the next room where they met and sat down to a meal. The food was one of the most bland, unflavored foods known to exist to the Towzians but had an almost overwhelming amount of taste to Cogil, Vincent and Ryan. Each bite was like a new experience in eating. Cogil, Vincent and Ryan were starting to hope this would never end when before they knew it they were done with breakfast.

Almost as if on queue a new figure walked in and greeted each one of them.

"My name is Utep, a designated representative of Towz to guide you through Towz. I am sure you have many questions. All your questions will be answered one way or another in good time. For now, however, we have planned a brief tour of the city to re-orient you to the world." Utep said.

"Yes, I wish someone would explain what is going on. I mean are we prisoners or something? What is going on?" Cogil asked.

"In time, in time. For now just follow me." Utep answered.

Cogil, Vincent and Ryan followed Utep out of their breakfast room and into the street. All the people were walking in a very similar but still unusual way, and all were dressed nearly identical to that of Utep. Everyone Cogil, Vincent and Ryan saw had an identical facial expression to each other.

Utep lead them down the street past several buildings. Utep described each one with all the enthusiasm of a Minister Neutrality describing the neutral embassy on the planet Neutral. The four had walked several blocks when Cogil had finally had enough and decided to ask Vincent what he thought was going on.

"I am not sure what has happened to us", Vincent began, "but I think we should play it low key, try not to attract too much attention until we have a bit more about where we are what is really going..." Vincent stopped mid-thought staring at something over Cogil's shoulder. Cogil, seeming confused, turned to see what Vincent was looking at.

"Woe, look at the fun bags on that hose hound!" Vincent exclaimed.

"Ya, real low key Vicnent." Cogil said.

"What are you three looking at?" asked the naked woman riding a horse.

Cogil, Vincent and Ryan continued to stare, mesmerized.

"You three are a little odd. Haven't you ever seen a woman happily riding down a street a top a highly decorated horse?" she asked. Cogil, Vincent and Ryan just continued to stare.

Utep seemed confused by this.

"I forget sometimes you three are from another time. You'll find society has a bit different concepts of behavior these days. But please, keep your funbag commentary to yourself as best you can" Utep explained, "and now I will take you to our hall for further explanation."

Cogil, Vincent and Ryan and Utep walked a few more blocks to a large building, unmarked and seemingly unremarkable. The inside of the hall had many colorful banners and flags, but were hanging in such a way one had to wonder if any enthusiasm were left in the world.

"Ah, Cogil, Vincent and Ryan, I get to meet you at long last." Said a new figure, "We have much to discuss. Please, come with me to the meeting hall." This new figure was a bit taller than anyone Cogil, Vincent and Ryan had seen up until now. He also, as Cogil noticed, was completely bald. This entire experience seemed to all be designed to disorient and confuse Cogil, Vincent and Ryan, or so it seemed to Cogil.

Upon entering the meeting hall yet another figure appeared at the far end of a large, round table. This figure was yet taller than the first unnamed figure. When Cogil, Vincent and Ryan entered the meeting hall this new figure stood up as if to welcome them. With a gesture Cogil, Vincent and Ryan all seated themselves around a table.

"Welcome to you all", the new figure said, "I hope this new Towz hasn't been to overwhelming? Well lets get to it shall we? We have a problem which only the three of you may be able to fix. You see Towz has existed in this new form for an unspecified amount of time. And certain...changes have been made to all the citizens. We were set in our way, programmed to feel do certain things on time. Then a new group of people arrived. A group of people different from us all. This new group simply perplexes us. Their language sounds similar but we can't seem to understand or communicate with them. We are hoping the three of you having elements of us Towzians as well as the independent mindedness of a Northern Towzian can help us translate who they are, where they came from, and what they want."

"Uhhh, ok. Perhaps you would like to tell us what's going on around here? I think there's still a few things that are confusing the three of us. Ryan for instance. He hasn't said anything since before breakfast." Cogil said.

"Whah? eh? Oh, ya I'm paying attention. This is just confusing is all." Ryan said at the mention of his name.

"Ah yes, Ryan. We found your book and started reading it. Lots of spelling mistakes and plot holes but makes you seem smarter than you do in person..." the figure started to say.

"Ah, son of a bitch. Who said you could it anyway? People have layers, ya know. I mean. God." Ryan responded, a bit irrationally.

"Yes, well. We enjoyed it to some degree in any case. Alright, so let us bring the visitors. The out of Towzers, if you will..." the figure said.

"Oh, Hah-hah. What is it with you people anyway?" Cogil interrupted.

"Yes, well, here we are." The figure continued.

Just then a several new people filed in through a door on the other side of the room. These individuals looked much different than the Towzians Cogil, Vincent and Ryan had met so far. When all the figure finished coming they all sat down at the round table opposite Cogil, Vincent and Ryan. Cogil counted five in total. All five were about the same height as Cogil and were wearing strange hats. Their clothes were an identical black set of long sleeve shirts and pants.

When the Towzians, unnamed individual and Cogil, Vincent and Ryan had all sat down at the table the black clad individual in the center finally stood up and began to speak. Clearly, this individual was the leader of the five. As this leader spoke Cogil suddenly knew why these new Towzians had such a hard time comprehending these individuals.

"We are individuals from outside of Towz", the leader said, "our historical mythology had always said we had originated from a single city in a far away land, but we never believed it. Then, through break through in technology, we discovered this city of Towz. Some how we were able to understand enough of these Towzians to realize you three might be able to translate between us. Do you understand the words that coming out of my mouth?"

"Yes, I believe I do." Said Cogil. "Your ancestors originally came from Towz, but through one circumstance or another were outside the city when the transition happened. Trapped outside, these few became outcasts and formed their own society. How am I doing?" Cogil asked.

"Ya, that's about covers it. These people though, the Towzians, they don't seem to comprehend outside the city or living any other way then they do. Or believing something other than they believe. As soon as I try to start explaining it they just get this look on their face like I'm speaking another language." The leader in black explained.

"OK, well, why don't we skip that part for now and just cover why you're here and what you want? How does that sound?" Cogil asked.

"I suppose that is a better idea.", The leader in black started, "You have just been re-animated so perhaps you do not know: this city is now a perpetually happy city. It is in a particular state and will remain so indefinitely. There is some power somewhere in this city that is maintaining this status quo. When we ask for the location of this power we again get blank stairs."

"I see", said Cogil, "and why would you want to know the location or source of this power?" he asked.

"Well there are a number of reasons I won't go into at this time just yet, but needless to say outside this city the world is a very different place.", the man in black said, "if such a power could sustain an entire city in perpetuity perhaps it could be molded into other, more useful purposes...that is why at the very least we would like to bring in some scientists and at least study the magic, or power or whatever it is." he said.

"At least you are being fairly honest here. Did you under stand that uhhh, Towzian guy?" Cogil asked.

"Well, parts of it. You did understand all of it then, did you?" He asked

"Oh yes, every word. So you can't understand. Perhaps it's some part of the city's power over or maybe the accent is too strong for you as compared to my ears. Whatever the case I think I can explain what they want." Cogil explained.

"Oh, this is wonderful news. We were right then. The re-animated Northern Towzians will bridge gap!" the Towzian said.

"Well translate anyway. The gap bridging will be up to you.Do you notice an accent in how I speak, by the way?" Cogil asked.  ¶ 9:37 AM