Things really get interesting for Wildfall & Mary and it gets rolling here!

 
The day inched along moment by moment with no progress being made on the force field surrounding the mansion and the buildings around it.

Little Gem was so busy dodging adventurers that were rushing to the barrier. With all hubbub around her, she would be the only one to notice if she got trampled and certainly no one would hear her tiny little voice calling for help. She was just barely able to get out of the way when a big, ugly, strange looking green troll came lumbering into the crowd.

"Lumber sorry!" the troll yelled out. "Lumber has clumsy troll feet!"

"Just try to watch where you are stepping, you almost got me there. There are other little people around and you can't see us for all the people around," squeaked Gem, as Lumber lumbered on closer to the barrier, never hearing what she had to say.

Gem scurried to the side of the crowd to spot by a huge boulder where she felt she would be safer. She was just getting settled in when she saw two unfamiliar adventurers coming closer, one of each gender. The male flipped some kind of wooden weapon in his hand as he spoke casually to the younger looking girl, saying, "I'm telling you, Mary, I don't think magic is gonna do us any good here."

"Well I don't think your wooden shillelagh is going to knock it down either," replied Mary.

"First," Wildfall quipped back. "It's solid oak. That's a big difference. And second, I am gonna use it to sneak past the barrier. Somehow."

Little Gem, feeling brave, squeaked, "I'll help with my skullbuster."

Wildfall jumped back from the sound, startled. "Eep! Talking rock, Mary!"

Mary heard the sound and looked around and finally down. There stood a little three-foot tall street urchin, with the tiniest voice she had ever heard. "What are you doing here, you better get out of here before you get hurt," Mary said to the little creature as she bent down to the smaller girl's level.

Gem stepped out from the boulder and responded to Mary, saying, "My name is Gem and I want to help, I have my skullbuster here and I know how to use it. I might look little but I can fight."

"Sounds good to me," Wildfall said, not really looking at the little thing. "Ain't nothin to fight here though unless you know how to fight a force field."

"Why don't we walk closer to the barrier and take a look at it to see what it looks like. Maybe we can find a way thru or around it," said Mary. "By the way, Gem, my name is Mary and this is my man Wildfall. We are pleased to meet you."

Gem moved as fast as her little legs could move and stopped at Mary's side and said, "I'm going along too. I'm getting tired of being kicked and shoved around like a sack of beans. I can help fight and I can get into small tight spaces too." She looked at Mary with a look of pleading in her eyes.

"It'd be nice to have another helping hand," Wildfall admitted. "Thing is, as much as she likes doing it on her own, I'm still the gal's mentor so I got me an obligation to watch after 'er. So it'd be a bit hard to also keep an eye on you. We don't wanna put you in harm's way needlessly. . . . but like I said, it'd be nice to have a helper, too."

A familiar voice answered Wildfall. "Sounds like a good entrance line to me."

As Wildfall was talking, Bristle walked up and headed straight for Wildfall. "It's me, Bristle. I have been looking for my friend, Gem, and am very happy to see you found her and that she is safe. I couldn't help overhearing that you would like some help. I would like to offer my help and that of Gem, if you will take it. We both can fight and Gem can get thru tight places if you need that," Bristle said, very relieved at finding her. He turned to Gem and gave her a hug.

"Great," Wildfall said. "Yeah, been awhile. Since the whole thing with the demon in the forest, I think, but we never properly introduced ourselves."

Gem spoke up and said, "My name is Gem and this is my friend, Bristle."

Mary replied, "Nice to meet you both. I'm called Mary and this is Wildfall."

"Before we worry about fighting," Bristle said with a nod, "we need to figure out how to get in first."

"Good point," Wildfall said, lost in thought.

The four sat in silence for a moment or two. Finally, Bristle spoke up. "Shame we can't find Sassy. She usually knows just who to talk to in these situations."

"Wildfall, I think you, Bristle and Gem should go check it out and I'll bring up the rear. I wouldn't know magic if it jumped up and bit me," said Mary.

Wildfall shrugged. "Sure, let's go see what we can find."

'Well if we're going to do this let's get it done before it gets any later. Don't know how we are going to get close to it with that crowd there," said Mary as she slowly turned to start heading to the barrier expecting Wildfall, Gem and Bristle to lead the way.

While Mary was waiting to see what the rest were going to do, her mind went back to the events of earlier that day. She really wanted to talk to Wildfall and try to patch things up with him but it looked like she was not going to get that chance. Mary let out a big sigh and felt even worse.

Meanwhile, Wildfall looked the force field over, feeling a growing sense of trepidation. The way this was going, he was sure they'd find something extremely dangerous on the other side of the force field, and the way things had been going lately, that would probably mean a big battle, too. Hopefully Wildfall could put the worry to good use. "However we get in, we gotta make sure we get out too. We'll have to find a meeting spot once we get in."

"If need be," Mary said.

"If we get in there to begin with," Bristle answered. He let out a long "Hhhhmmm" humming noise.

Mary turned to the group and said, "You know it was a lot easier when I was out to see with my family and the Capt'n. There were no force fields or barriers to deal with there."

Wildfall and Bristle laughed and nodded as Bristle ran his hand over the force field. "Let's see," Bristle said. "Definitely not an illusion."

"Didn't think it was," Wildfall answered. "I mean, even if it convinced people it was real, all you'd have to do is throw a garbage can at it. Not like garbage cans can be convinced to believe in an illusion or something."

Mary reached out to touch the force field and felt a sudden shock shoot thru her and heard a cracking noise. She looked at the force field and saw a crack beginning to open. "What the hell is that and what just happened? All I did was touch it! What is going on?" yelled Mary as she jerked her hand away from the force field. Mary sat on the ground shaking and trying to figure out what just happened.

Gem and Bristle ran up to the crack and tried using their weapons to make the crack larger. "Gem, you're not strong enough to do much good so let me and Wildfall try while you go check on Mary and make sure she is ok. Wildfall, I could use a little help here," yelled Bristle as he was prying at the crack with his weapon and anything he could get his hands on.

Wildfall glanced over Mary, hoping she was okay. Not sure of what else to say, Wildfall told her, "You did good, Mary. Now let us take a crack. Heh, get it? Like the- yeah nevermind." With that, Wildfall twirled his shillelagh in the air dramatically.

"What are you doing, showing off?" Bristle asked. "Come help!"

"Buildin' up me mojo," Wildfall answered. "Nevermind, I'm comin, aren't I?"

"I don't know," Bristle asked, fidgeting with the crack. "Are you?"

"I just said I was, didn't I?!" an annoyed Wildfall answered, walking over to take a crack at the crack.

 
While the guys were busy dealing with the crack, Gem ran to check on Mary who was still visibly shaking from the strange feeling she had just experienced. "Mary, are you okay?" asked Gem as she cradled Mary to try to help her stop shaking.

Mary looked at Gem and burst into tears. "I...I...I think so." she sobbed, "What happened? What is wrong with me?" Mary was terrified and just wanted to get far away from that crack. Mary staggered to her feet and moved a safe distance away from the object of her terror. She felt really bad about showing fear. She had been thru bad weather and all sorts of things in her adventures, but never had she experienced this and she did not like being part of something she could not explain away. Mary turned to Gem, who had followed her to safety, trying to smile, and said, "Thank you for checking on me and for your kindness. I appreciate your comforting me. I feel so foolish but that has never happened to me before."

Gem did not know how to respond, so she just hugged Mary and smiled.

Mary smiled and said, "Thanks I needed that hug. Gem, What do you think happened to me back there?"

Gem looked at Mary and asked, "When you touched that force field, did it hurt?"

Mary shook her head and replied, "No, it was like a lightning bolt went thru me and scared me half to death and then the crack appeared."

Gem looked at Mary, hesitated and then asked, "Do you think you caused that crack to appear?"

Mary's eyes got very large and she shook her head violently as she said, "No way, I am not a mage! I don't know the first thing about magic. Maybe we should go back to the force field and examine it again. It might just have happened as a result of someone on the other side trying to get out."

Gem appeared deep in thought and suddenly she looked at Mary and said excitedly, "Yes, we better hurry! I think I know who is on the other side. My friend, Mole, is missing and he could be the one trying to get out. We have to get back and try to save him." Gem grabbed Mary's hand and dragged her back to the force field.

With Tomato and McGuffin out, we got Gem and Bristle now! Gem was cited as the reason Wildfall and Mary won runner up for Best Use of an NPC! The voter noted Gem "enhanced the pieces she was a part of like no other NPCs." We won't have to wait long; we're coming right back with Mary and Wildfall, joined by Koumori for an exciting story and after that - Iris debuts!