>>5281459https://youtu.be/jt3zmsVAakQ<span class="mu-g">Squinting to try and spot Syb in the increasingly cloudy water, you continue the conversation with uh… ‘Darby.’ So, you cough, FAERIES.
“Yes…” The voice coos, “You’re very interested in FAERIES, aren’t you, Stan? You and your purple-haired friend sure do talk about them a lot…” For a brief moment you catch a glimpse of Sybil’s silhouette in the fog… right before a massive, gnarled appendage creeps up behind her. Just when you’re about to dart towards her, the shadows disappear.
“Yes… FAERIES are interesting.” Adds Darby’s voice. “VERY interesting… but we know you, Stanley Parble, and we know that you’re… useful. You ARE useful, yes?”
Traipsing through the green fog, you give the RADIO a nod–it’s practically your middle name, yea!
“Course you are, Stanley Parble… course you are…” The voice laughs. “And we’re positively MAD about how useful you are, so we will give you some assistance… pro bono, of course.”
You blink as you feel an icy finger run down your spine. Pro WHAT?
“For free, dear… As a token of…” Darby’s voice catches for a moment. “... As an INVESTMENT. Are you ready for your assistance?”
Before you can respond, you feel the word ‘YES’ escape your lips.
“Grand.” Laughs the voice. “The truth is, love, you don’t WANT to know about FAERIES. Not really.”
Your head subconsciously cocks to the side. R-really?
“Really really.” Darby coos. “And neither does Sybil Castellanos. Or Professor Darby. Or Mitzi Muldoon. Or Arthur Berry. Or Talbot Schumer. Or Mister, Misses, and Sue Parble. Not really.”
Your heart lurches into overdrive. Wha-
“What you really want, kitten, is your FINAL PROVISIONAL TASK. Doesn’t that sound lovely?”
Yes, your mouth replies, that sounds great!
“Yes it does, doesn’t it? One more job, Stanley. One more task and you’ll GET THE JOB.”
Wait a second, you counter, regaining control over your lips, what about that shitty CONTRACT? You-
“No contracts.” The voice interjects. “No agreements. No obligations. One more task and you’ll GET THE JOB.”
The job, huh? Hold on, you sputter, is this SHANNON? She sounds, like, a LOT different!
“Bad reception, kitten.” Darby croaks. “We’ll talk more once your task is done.”
Before you can ask, you feel a gossamer object flutter into your outstretched palm. Glancing downwards, you find yourself in possession of a GLOWING LEAF–its surface dotted with countless pinpricks of green dew!
“Take this with you.” The voice explains in a calm tone. “We can’t go where you’re going next, but you’ll know what to do when the time comes.”
You feel yourself stuffing the LEAF deep into your pockets as the voice from the radio whispers into your ear.
“You CAN’T lose it.”
Err, you mutter, you lose stuff all the time, th-
“You CAN’T lose it.”
Kay…</span>
>CONTD. 