Alas, I missed my chance at a Christmas post. I admit, I was being lazy. But hey, it's the holidays! And Christmas time is an excuse where you get to be drunk or lazy. Or both.
Well, how did Christmas go for you peeps? Did you all have fun and enjoyed yourself? I did. In fact, Christmas is one holiday that I would never ever want to miss. Somehow it is so nostalgic for me due to the theme, with snow and the sound of choirs giving me sort of a sense of serenity.
The Pavilion, as seen above.
A merry-go-round in the mall.
A giant cake.
Tokyo Street! Nippon!
Largest lantern, ever.
Then of course, school had to start. It's sort of like an abrupt halt to the holidays (it is, actually), and somehow your holiday spirit can't settle down in time and you start to get lazy at the first few days of school. Then the harsh reality of being in Form 5 and about to take on SPM comes rushing at you, and you realize that you need to study harder, work harder, strive to be a better person for the entire year.
Why can't it remain this easy?!
I need something, some super-weapon to help me against the exams.
Yes, a shark would come in handy.
But then again, I am feeling so lazy that whenever I think of doing these things, my body goes all limp. Stupid body and mindset. Argh, no one to blame but myself. Hopefully I will be able to change my attitude before the big exam comes.
Or walk into Mordor.
On to school. It's been a week already, and I'm starting to adapt myself to it. Work is okay, I understand most of it, and I finish them in school, or at the latest, a day or two after (during the weekends, obviously). Oh yes, and recently I discovered 9gag, and from that day onwards, I have lost half of my soul. The odds are stacking against me.
9gag. The devourer of souls.
Well, there is one thing worse than SPM: the world ending just as SPM finishes. Maybe the Mayans were the first trolls to ever exist.
We were warned?
I don't see what's so scary about this. Most probably the calender guy got lazy.
Now school has started and I have less and less time to operate this blog, mostly due to the ever-increasing homework I am receiving (and 9gag). But fret not, I still shall not let this blog die! I will let it live! HUZZAH!
Here's a little something to get you through the new year.
Dalton Foxx was late for the school trip. He glanced at the clock. He had barely ten minutes left to rush to school before the bus left. Fortunately, if he cycled to school, he can make it there in five.
Unfortunately, there was a giant flaming thing standing in the doorway and blocking the path.
It was an average morning. Dalton had woke up realizing that his alarm clock's battery had died out during the night and that he was late. He was alone at home, of course. His elder brother who was taking care of them was probably at work already, and his sister at school.
Then, just as he was about to leave, that thing showed up. His mind took several seconds to comprehend what he saw. It wasn't human, that's for sure. If it was, that poor guy would be rolling on the floor and screaming in agony now.
No, this thing doesn't even have legs. Where they should be ended in a spiralling mass of fire and smoke. It had green eyes that glowed with malefic intent. Dalton was still paralysed, his feet glued to the ground. Of course, any sane man would be in the same predicament. Then, as if the day couldn't get any weirder, the thing spoke.
"Humani... hand over... the... Soul Gem!" it rasped, its voice deep and distorted. It placed its hand on the door frame and it was instantly engulfed. The thing took a step forward (or was it better described as sliding across the floor?) and Dalton snapped out of his trance.
Instantly he bolted for the kitchen, where the back door was located. It was bolted, so he didn't have to worry about finding the keys first. He could have went to his room to take some important things, but he wasn't sure if he could make it pass the flaming being if he was cornered.
As he escaped into his back garden, he was thankful that his bike was still in the garden shed. Rushing forward, he took it out into the streets and began pedalling furiously. He still couldn't believe what he saw. Looking back, his house was already ablaze, and the fire thing was moving towards him slowly. He half-expected the creature to fly towards him and shout, "Flame on!"
Then as if a thing made of fire wasn't weird enough, a creature of rock exploded out of the concrete path. Dalton managed to swerve aside just in time. The thing roared, its mouth spitting out sand and gravel. Dalton decided he would call this guy Rocky and the fire thing Hot Stuff.
Rocky looked humanoid in shape, except that he was made of concrete and dirt. It had a single eye made of ruby at the centre of its forehead, and its mouth was hanging open limply. Its legs were glued to the ground, or more specifically, were merged with the ground. It moved towards Dalton in a roller skating motion, the ground bending like putty when Rocky moved.
"Humani... Soul Gem mine! Give me!" Rocky roared. It probably wasn't very smart, but Dalton dared not take his chances. He looked around for help. Anybody, even Mr. Gleeson, his grumpy neighbour, would be a welcoming sight. Unfortunately, not a single soul was present.
Rocky was gaining on him, and no matter how much he pedalled, Dalton couldn't seem to get away from it. Then he looked down and realized that the concrete beneath him was melting and becoming something like water. If he sank, he would be a goner.
He made the right choice and jumped off his bike, just as it was sucked underground. Rocky roared with anger. Dalton briefly wondered if the only thing Rocky ever did was roar.
However, in that short time he took to jump off bike and get on his feet, Rocky had closed the distance between them. The thing towered over him, at least eight feet high. It raised its arm, and Dalton closed his eyes, expecting the worse.
Before Rocky touched him, there was a loud explosion, and Rocky roared with pain. Pieces of concrete, dirt and sand showered the ground around it. Dalton opened his eyes, and unbelievably, Hot Stuff was attacking Rocky. The small shrubs lining his neighbours' house were charred and smoking. And from one of these plants, Hot Stuff loomed over Rocky.
Dalton guessed that someway or somehow, Hot Stuff had jumped from bush to bush and caught up with them. He wasn't sure that them fighting was a good thing, but at least it gave him a chance to get away. Then he could find the police and someway or somehow convince them that what he saw in the last ten minutes was real.
But Rocky had other ideas. Just as he got up, the ground beneath Dalton's feet turned into liquid. Like quicksand, he sank quickly, until his entire leg was stuck in the cement-like puddle that the concrete has become.
The two creatures began speaking to each other rapidly in their own language. Then when they seem to come to an agreement, Rocky turned to him. "We fight. Winner gets... humani with... Soul Gem!" it said, and turned to face the fiery being.
Dalton groaned. Whoever won, it didn't matter; he would either end up as a human torch or stone. Neither choice seemed good for him. His did the only thing any normal person would do in this situation, after facing all the abnormalities of the morning: he started freaking out.
He screamed and shouted, waving his hands like a maniac. If his legs weren't stuck, he would be running around in circles too. Rocky and Hot Stuff ignored him and began circling each other, their eyes shooting daggers.
Dalton in his panic, realized that if they clashed less than five meters away from him, it didn't matter what happened at the end, he would be blown to smithereens.
He said his prayers. This was the end of Dalton Foxx, eleventh grader, teenage boy and still single, was about to die without even knowing why he was supposed to. Worse, when his brother comes back and finds out that their house was burnt down, he would say something like, "Dalton screwed up again and burned the house. Oh well, let's just forget about him and find a new one in a clean and quiet neighborhood."
Then there was a voice above them. "Hold it, elementals! You shalt not harm another soul!" a female voice shouted. It was a stern voice, one that was steely and strict, like that of a coach or instructor who doesn't care if you would die during their class.
Then, before Dalton had a chance to turn around, a beam of ice shot past him and struck Rocky and Hot Stuff in the face. Hot Stuff screamed like it had placed its hand in a pot of boiling water. Or freezing water, to be exact. Rocky on the other hand, completely froze.
A long chain shot out and stabbed Rocky--in the face, again--and he shattered like ice. Pieces of him fell to the ground before slowly thawing. Immediately, the ground beneath him gave out a rumble and before he knew it, Dalton was spat out. He flew in the air for a few seconds before landing hardly on the now solid concrete.
Hot Stuff gave a long hiss and tried to escape, its form breaking down until it became a fireball. But then, the same chains that had destroyed Rocky now slithered towards Hot Stuff and constricted around it. How a chain can wrap around a fireball, Dalton had no idea. Hot Stuff spluttered and cough, and the chain seemed to tighten.
"Foul elemental! Why does thou insist on running amok?" the voice asked. Dalton wanted to turn around and look, but his eyes was transfixed on Hot Stuff, who was slowly flickering like a candle in the wind.
"Foolish humani! You... have no... chance!" it gasped. Then it laughed, weak and soft, but confident, like it knew some other secret that they don't. "You... can't... save yourselves! The Soul Gem... it is ours! In the end... the humani boy... will die!"
Its eyes turned towards its assailants, then back to Dalton. "Do not fret... humani! Your... race... shall fall! Salfuros shall... rise!" With that last speech, it gave a little shriek and disappeared, exploding into tiny sparks that dissipated in the cool morning air.
Dalton looked behind him and saw two figures on the roof. They leaped and landed gracefully on the ground. His visions blurred. The cement must have drained his strength or something. He staggered to his feet, then collapsed to the ground.
His world went dark just as his saviors approached him.
* * *
So... That was my first story. Was not really in a mood. I'm sure you guys have a lot of questions, but they will be (hopefully) explained in the next chapter. Leave a comment, or criticism. Would be glad to take advice and suggestions :)
After much observation, I have come to a conclusion that I am getting lazy and that the blog has not seen activity in a long time. Spending countless seconds mulling over it, I have come to another conclusion that it was true and that I wasn't really paying attention to my readers and my blog. For that I apologize. Well, I hope this will be a long post that would satisfy all of you in the mean time. Note: This is a long post, and hopefully you have the patience and that your eyes can stay in their sockets.
Let's all begin with the unexciting start of the holidays. It was a wonderful thing that holiday has finally descended after the horror that is the year end exam. Now that homework was a thing of the past (for now, I regrettably add), I have been camping unhealthily in front of the computer. I could be spending time playing with the basketball or reading some of my form 5 notes, but such thoughts were unappealing when one is in the thralls of a holiday fever.
Fortunately, I have been digesting books at a fast pace during the holidays, and till this date I have already finished five books, which all proved to be delightful reads. Two of them were Warcraft books, the rest of other sources, including famous authors like Jack Higgins and Darren Shan. The latter's book, The Thin Executioner, proved to be a very, very satisfying read, and I was surprised as I was not much a fan of his previous books. The Thin Executioner gave me mixed emotions and I was quite saddened by the tragic death and fascinated by the tale told by the characters of the book, and I would recommend all to read it (The book is a little detailed on the gruesome parts though. After all, he is the "Number One Master of Horror").
Note the ugly, malefic mountain. And the skulls.
Well, I did not stay at home every single day, alright? I do go out, rarely, mind you. I just went back to my hometown at the start of the holidays, and most of the time was spent on a book my friend borrowed me, and a little time spent listening to songs and counting how many spiders had woven their webs before dying of hunger at the corner of the room as I wait for the computer to start. Yes, that computer. You know, speaking of my hate and dislike towards the computer had seemed like a parody on my blog now. Damn that @#$% machinery!
In other news, I went to Midvalley with a friend of mine to take a look at a PC fair. Or sorta. There's a different name for it I guess. After some blunder, I had to watch Tower Heist with my mum while he waited in line to buy a 500 GB portable harddisk for only RM 139. Yes, RM 139. I am not joking, it is cheap, and as much as I wanted it, I prefer the movie more, and I don't really have a use for a new hard disk. Tower Heist was one of the best comedies I have ever watched, and it made me laugh from the start till the end. At least it has a decent plot with quite a few twists.
The RM 139 treasure. NO JAMS!
I also have taken the time to watch with my cousin The Warrior's Way, and being an action movie, it lacked rather much action and was instead replaced by mild comedy and the gore and blood that was almost everywhere in the movie. Everywhere Jang Dong Gun went, somebody died, either it is through a pair of chopsticks or a frozen miniature sword fish. No, I am not joking about the sword fish. Conclusion, the movie wasn't as good as I expected, the animations were poor and the main character emotionless, even till the kissing part (which somehow irritates me). The story was also bland and the plot predictable. I would recommend a look at it, but it probably isn't worth your money to watch it in the cinema or buy it as a DVD.
As I said, it is funny. The start and end of the video might brighten your day. Shunpo, anyone?
I also watched several other movies recently. On one outing, we went watching In time. The show was epic. The plot and details put into the movie was extremely good, leaving out little or no detail, and arousing very little questions in the audience. Justin Timberlake's acting was better than I expected, and the action scenes were superb, and the show constantly left suspense to gnaw at the audience. The story had a very interesting plot and I paid for the movie happy and contented.
About to eat.
Food is coming!
Those cooks must be slacking.
We also visited Secret Garden at the roof of One Utama (Not so secret, actually. Ironic isn't it? Mmm, yes). There were many types of plants, some never before seen, some only heard of or read in books, and some entirely unexpected. We had a long tour of the gardens above and that trip ended with us getting slightly wet from all the sprinklers in the garden.
We enter to our doom.
A palm tree. Must be a real "handful".
Gourds are a rare sight.
Cacti.
If you notice, the water is actually sludge.
A new species of plant. Jokes aside, he's a good friend of mine.
I'm a real "fan" of these plants.
Roses are red, and so is this too!
A species of orchid.
For those who can't tell, it's a droplet of water on a leaf.
I have no idea what is this.
Some kind of plant that looks absolutely normal.
Passion fruit?
Blood orchid. Wonder if there are any anacondas around?
Padi!
Rice!
Porridge! Wait, no some kind of plant.
Purpley purple!
Like something out of a swamp.
A man-made waterfall!
The sludge.
It looks like a... candle. Yes, just a candle.
I was looking at the cacti.
This doesn't even look like a plant.
Next, I went out with another bunch of friends to karaoke and shoot a few arrows. Yes, arrows. Not those real, armor-piercing ones. Just a few that one can practice for archery.
There wasn't much to say; most of us sang till our throats were sore, and archery was fun but sort of a let down (no surprise... since Bryan was the only one who knew how to play!) because we can't go skating due to a condition of my friend. It's not her fault though, and I don't blame her! I was happy enough already. And speaking of skating, you should know that we are at Sunway Pyramid! Red Box and archery and a little shopping ended our fun day there...
Yes, the six of us.
Guess what song is this?
Bryan doing add maths. Actually no, he's ordering food.
Must be my song. Nobody sings my song :'(
And speaking of Sunway Pyramid, there was another outing at the very same place! It was around a week later though, and this time, we got to skate! Ice-skating was more fun than I imagined, although starting was a complete nightmare where standing straight up was near impossible. Note that I did not actually skate for more than a few inches at a time on each foot, and it was fortunate that I did not fall down, although they say falling down is the fun part. Tried falling down once. It only felt cold... and wet...
The receipt for the ice-skating.
I also watched Breaking Dawn, which was surprising. I never liked Twilight in any way, and I got extremely disinterested after the first movie (B-O-R-I-N-G, no offense of course, just my opinion), but after watching Breaking Dawn, I can say the fighting part excited me and I fell in love with giant wolves ever since. Well, not the actors, but the wolves. I just like wolves. Needless to say, the plot was rather interesting and I can't wait for part 2, even though I barely know the story of the Twilight series.
We took the bus back to KJ LRT station.
Besides that, my MSN just died on me the other day. I couldn't login, and the entire computer would freeze after the error message appeared. I tried searching for solutions, reinstalling it, and even downloading Windows Live all over again. My friend, who I believe wishes to be anonymous, told me to "Live with it." (You know who you are...). I tried to, really, but I didn't last for 2.33 hours. And so, I had to delete my computer account, and create a new one.
It was a tiring job, and if you have over 60 bookmarks at websites to remember, both for Google Chrome and Mozilla Firefox, I recommend you to not do it. It took me a lot of time an eternity, and when I was finished, I just realized, hey there are some programs, files, songs and data that I also need to move to my new account! I went to sleep while waiting for the files to transfer.
So, now I am using my new account, and is in fact typing this post with it, and I am pleased that it was much faster than the previous one (less crap in it). Unfortunately, there are several things that will be missed, such as the Remembered Passwords and Username for my Chrome... And of course, getting youtube when I type 'y' in the address bar for Chrome. Darn thing keeps popping out the website for my blog instead.
All in all, I guess changing once in a while is a good thing. I should be grateful that MSN works on a different computer account, albeit I deleted MSN Plus just to be on the safe side. Now, the computer goes much smoother and Skyrim is now much, much faster! Quote: I used to be an adventurer like you, then I took an arrow to the knee. Darn game.
As I write this, I am listening to an amazing piano play by a recently-discovered youtuber called Animenzzz, and his videos are amazing. He makes transcriptions of anime songs and plays them out emotionally and beautifully on the piano, and some of them are so nice that I was at a loss for words.
He has one hell of a talent. Just to give you a taste:
My best friend will be coming back to Malaysia soon, and for a whopping 2 months! That's right, folks! Two. Freaking. Months! I hope he would be able to come with me to KL during the next 2 weeks, and that we can have loads of fun in the meantime! Think of all the things we can do!
We can like, eat and sleep, and watch TV, and play games, and walk, and like, eat and sleep, and eat, and eat, and eat, and eat. Did I mention we were eating?
