Jojo and the Magic Jacket

I love words, I like the way you can rearrange them to form interesting ideas. I like logic too.

Anyways, while I was having these daydreams, I remembered I won a prize in class when I was really young for writing a short story entitled "Jojo and the Magic Jacket"
I can't really remember much about it now, just that it was titled that (or Jo & the MJ?) and it was written in the vein of Enid Blyton's fantasy novels which I was probably reading at the time. I'll try to recall it or find it if that's still possible.

There was a girl of course, her name was Jojo. So one day she was bored, (because it was raining?). She went up to the attic and saw a chest. Curious she opened the chest and found a strange and old jacket belonging to her mother.

Apparently the jacket took her places and she has wild adventures, eventually she returned and told her mom. Her mom smiled and just said "Yes Dear"

I can't remember much, but I don't have an attic, and I seldom have a story where all the characters are female. But this is a glimpse to my lost past I welcome.

A Date with Death Chapter 1

It was an ordinary day in an ordinary street.
Edmond was there with his friends, Jim and Damon. They were just hanging out at the mall listening to music in the stores, reading the magazines in the stands and checking out the girls that walked by.

Then he sees her, dressed in black and carrying a red umbrella, she was a cute gothette just sitting across the street on a bench and reading a book. Suddenly, as if she knew all along, she looks up and catches him looking at her and then she gives him slight smile, the edges of her lips going up by just the tinest. He instantly feels like he has known her for a very long time and he that he has no choice but to go over and talk to her.

The street is not particularly crowded, occasional cars speed by, most pedestrians look before they cross, but he is distracted at this moment. Edmond crosses the street, he hears a screech and sees a car approaching at a high speed. Instincts kick in as he raises his hands in front of his face however, the car manages to stop inches away from him.

"Hey watch it kid!" A grizzled old man leans out of the window and shouts.
"Sorry!" Edmond thanks the driver and jogs over to the bench.

By now she was looking straight at him, her eyes were dark and her pupils were so deep that they looked like an endless abyss. "That was dangerous" she casually mentions while he approaches her slightly out of breath. Her voice was smooth and mature, mellow yet cheerful at the same time.

Taken aback, he smiles and decides to take a risk and step out of his usual shell
"Hi, I had a life changing experience a few seconds ago, but all I can think about is how I really need to ask you out now" he gaspses out quickly.

She was fair with the darkest hair, even in the sun, they seemed to absorb the light filtering through the leaves of the tree. She had a cheeky look about her, but when she smiled, it was sincere as if it was an old family friend.

She smiled back at him, and at that moment, he finally calmed down.

"Do you eat?... erm I mean... would you like to have lunch with me now?"
She puts away her book and picks up her umbrella, "Well, shouldn't you at least
introduce yourself?" She leans forward and gives him a sassy look.

"Edmond" he puts out his hand
"Well you may call me Dee" she says and shakes his hands.
"Oh cool, is that short for something? An unpronounceable goth name perhaps?" he jokes,
"Don't make fun of my eyeliner, you hurt a girl's feelings!" She sticks out her tongue at him.

"There's a cafe nearby, they have great coffee, would you like to talk there?" Edmond asks,
"Alright then, what are we waiting for?" She says and walks off in the direction he pointed.
Edmond is stunned, he had never picked up a girl so quickly before, especially not one so beautiful. He finally remembers how to walk and starts off after her.

At the entrance, he stops her "Hey, would you consider this a date?" He looks at her with a wicked grin. "Yes, I guess" She smiles again. "Alright, just wait here for a moment OK?"
He runs off, but returns 5 seconds later, "Gimme your number in case I lose you". She does. He then dashes off, and returns 5 minutes later with a rose. "Hi, you look great today," he says cheekily before handing her the flower. "Oh, thank you" She bursts into girlish laughter.

They have a great lunch, there is chemistry. They talk about movies, music and art.

Edmond gets a strange feeling, that if the date ended, he would never get the chance to see her again. He doesn't want this to end today, so he decides to try something, anything. He sees a poster for "Orpheus" performed by an amateur club as they walk past a theater.

"Hey you know what? I've never been to a concert or an opera before, since we're not dressed like bums, do you want to go see one? That is if you're not too busy or anything..." The lie is apparent in his face, anyone can tell that he just wants to spend more time with her. But to his surprise she agrees easily. They go to the "opera".

"Ha, I feel so out of place right now, honestly" he says as they finally walk into a grand
looking theater. "Oh relax, just enjoy it, new experiences should be fun right?"
she says as she gently jabs his ribs with her elbow.

The opera was great, it was an exhilarating performance featuring several action packed sets though it was unlikely that the original writer meant for it to be that way.

The sun was setting as the people streamed out of the theater, "I had a good time" She said "Yeah me too" He wasn't sure what to say next. They stood there for awhile as the sky darkened and as people walked past on their way to different places.

"Lets go to the beach, it's been awhile since I've been there." She suddenly exclaims.
"Yeah, it's not very far away," Edmond replies, secretly glad that it wasn't the end yet, he had run out of ideas halfway through the show. "I used to surf you know?" He brags. "Yep, bet you were the macho man" she takes his ego down a few notches, but brings it up again when she slips her hand into his.

They finally reach the beach, there are few ships in the horizon, just sitting there waiting for their turn at the port, the sky is already filled with stars. They sit on a bench facing the sea, staying together as the cold sets in.

Finally, he looks at her and says "You know? I'm starting to like you" he says half-seriously.

They kiss, and at that moment, he realised that he was dead and she was the grim reaper.

Somewhere, Nowhere

"Most of the places are Nowhere you see?" he explained patiently
"Only a few places are truly Somewhere and the rest," he said "are just roads."

A Fable

The Great Emperor Alexander had conquered most of the known world. His army now waits at the edge of India, the last great landmass to be captured. Thousands of tents spread out against the great plains and all the way up some mountains. The biggest army the world has ever seen. But yet, he was not happy.

"I have anything I want, If I so ask of it, men will die at my feet to deliver what I desire. I have the company of the most beautiful women in all of Asia, the most fragrant wines in all of Greece and the most precious treasures of the world." He thought to himself. "What else could I possibly be missing?"

That night as he slept, he dreamt.

Alexander was standing atop a hill surrounded by fog, he patiently waited for something to happen, for he knew that dreams do not often end in waiting. Soon, a dark skinned man appeared through the fog, he was old and walked with a stick. "Interesting," Alexander thought, "I have in all my travels seen many different people, yet this man is not Nubian though his skin be dark, his eyes and skin are different and he has strange markings on his face and hands. He must be one of those Indian Yogis my spies have mentioned."

Classy Broad

"Let me go!" Milleu screamed at her captors as they dragged her kicking into the room.
"What, ya think you're some classy broad eh?" Greg, the more apelike looking of the thugs said as they threw her to the corner of the room.

"Let her alone Greg, would you kindly" came a voice from the shadows. "I am sure you have somewhere else to be now." A tall and well dressed man stepped out from the dark. "I pay you for doing other things, no?".

"Sure, Guv." the brutish man replied with a grin. He gave her one last lecherous look before taking off the way he came. Millieu shuddered and shrank back slightly into the corner.

Prince of Persia 2

CUT SCENE:
Inside an Arabic brothel or 'house of pleasure'(A luxurious setting). There are flowery drapes and ornate carvings along the interior, The Prince, walks along the path as alluring voices call out to him, he is enticed, but chooses to follow the corridor as if greater treasure await him the deeper he goes. The edges of the scene are blurry. You don't actually see anyone else but the Prince. Shadows of feminine shapes may appear behind the drapes.

Sample female Voices: "Prince, come here" "We've been waiting for you" "Hey, Handsome" "Come on in, we have everything you desire" Soothing music plays in the background.

PLAYER CONTROL:
The control is given to the player. Note: There is only one path for this tutorial mission.

Players will move the Prince down a corridor, on either sides are flowing drapery indicating openess, however the Prince will gravitate towards the paths, More walls will appear as he walks further and the voices and music will become quieter. It also becomes darker as the rooms are lit by lanterns and it becomes apparent that it is at night. The path has several right angle turns aimed at getting the player used to camera and character control.

Second Checkpoint: a shoulder height ledge. [Press X to Jump]
Onscreen notes (The Prince will hang on to any ledge, press up to climb up a ledge)
A few other obstacles block the Prince's way, another ledge, a beam, a pole. Finally he reaches the Wall Run section

Third Checkpoint: Wallrun section, [Press X to jump towards a wall]
Onscreen notes: (The Prince will wall run on any suitable surface when you jump towards it) At this section, the Prince is already well away from the 'brothel' section
The walls are slightly more bare, but clean, indicating that it belongs to someone wealthy. Small details of luxury like ornate lanterns or tapestry may appear. Finally the Prince approaches and faces a ledge against a wall. [Press R2 to release and Gripfall] The Prince finally lands near a doorway that leads to a garden.

OSN: (The Prince will grip and fall safely on any suitable surface)

CUTSCENE 2: The Prince walks into the Garden, it is raining heavily and windy but there is no lightning yet. There are several tall trees in the garden. The Camera pans towards one of the trees, the height is just right for it to be next to a balcony with an open window. This can be seen as the curtains are blowing out of the room.

The balcony looks strangely familiar to the Prince and he is drawn to it. He climbs the tree(pillar) nearest to it and leaps into the balcony. This scene is reminiscent of the first time 'Sands of Time Prince' meets Farah.

Camera points out from inside the room from a bed, in the shot is a sleeping figure on the bed and the shadowy figure of the Prince standing at the balcony (his scarf is flying with the wind) while the storm rages outside. The sleeping figure stirs...

Prince: Elika?

A bolt of lightning streaks across the sky, everything brightens up and the camera zooms into the Prince's eyes as they widen.

CUTSCENE 2A: The Prince opens his eyes widely
Prince (screaming): Elika!!

Scene: it is a dark dungeon and the Prince is in a cell, there is only a cot in the cell, The cell is longer than it is wide, and several of the rocks are portruding from the walls, there is also some old and destroyed woodwork above the high ceilings of the cell. The Prince is wearing different clothes, but his scarf has been cut and it is frayed at the end. The Prince has also lost his Gaunlet and is without the ability to Gripfall or gain height as he jumps towards a wall.

The Camera cuts to the outside, there is some fighting going on, the Corrupted soldiers are fighting some Human soldiers out side the Fort/Castle. A flamethrowing Corrupted simultaneously takes out a group of Persian? Soldiers while setting much of the place on fire, arrows shot into any of the Corrupted get absorbed and shot back as flaming arrows. The Human side is slowly but steadily being pushed back, the place is burning to the ground. Some of the fire manages to burn part of the wall off the high part of the opposite cell, a hole appears giving the Prince a chance to escape.

PLAYER CONTROL:
Either allow the player to climb up through the several ledges around the cell or introduce a Walljump mechanic for the lower part of the the cell before expanding to a wider ceiling area where the Prince can perform the Roofrun. The Prince can then move across to the opposite cell to access the hole.

END OF TUTORIAL SECTION

I have some more ideas about the general outline of the story and where it goes, although I have no doubt that Ubisoft has already got a pretty solid outline for PoP 2, this is just a fun thing for me to do.

This is the world a few years after the Ending of PoP1, at this point in time, the Prince and Elika have been separated for sometime but unknown to them both, they are in the same city, one of the last few cities that have withstood the Arihman's invasion. The Prince as his usual dastardly devil self has finally been caught for stealing/tomb raiding/fighting. Elika appears to have joined the harem of the Sultan of the land or is a guest/prisoner of the King. Her powers as an Ahura are greatly appreciated and she is used as a weapon or kept as a prisoner to trade with Ahriman.

The Prince will find his Gaunlet, throw away his scarf, rescue Elika, they will have a tense but respectful relationship, they will hold each other more and in one of the boss fights, Elika will be separated from the Prince, guess the right Elika through clues and you get the Good Ending, guess the wrong one and you get the Bad Ending. They still won't kiss. They will travel around the massive city and heal the fertile lands thereby making it a safe haven for people. The Prince is still a charming rogue in PoP2 but more open and vulnerable around Elika. He also helps enough people in the city that they actually recognise him and wish to reward/assist him again in the future. In PoP 3, they go into the heart of Arihman's twisted new capital and seek to defeat him and heal the fertile lands again. Will Elika die again this time? Or will Orzmand finally show up and grant the Prince a boon?

Where have you been all my life?

Scene: They are at some place, He can't remember where, it isn't important, some mall or something, a convenience store maybe all he knows is there is a door that you can see through, not an automated sliding one, a normal one where you have to push or pull to open. His buddy is standing over there, the charming, sociable person who knows everyone, The buddy is slightly taller than him but much better looking, he is getting some sort of food from the cashier, a hotdog or popcorn? Maybe they were outside the cinema.

The bell tinkles and someone walks in through the door, she is amazingly graceful, with some sort of ethereal quality about her. Her hair is brown, shoulder length, recently cut, and that's why he noticed her neck first. It was smooth and almost dainty. He wonder's how it supports her head. But it was the eyes that got him, he knew he had seen her somewhere before, maybe not in this life, maybe in dreams, but he knew he had seen her before.

Girl: "Hey you," she calls out towards the buddy
Buddy: " Hey, small world." He waves and walks towards her
Buddy: " Hey this is my friend Jack, Jack this is Kate"

Buddy get's called by the Cashier "Sir, your change"
Kate holds out her hand and Jack takes it and holds it gently

Jack: "Where have you been all my life" He whispers

She blinks at him, still smiling, her perfect teeth. She looks slightly stunned, or it could be that she hadn't heard him the first time. They hold eye contact the whole time.

The door opens again and a guy walks in, he's tall and athletic but not overly so, he wouldn't fit the jock stereotype, more like the regular Joe who somehow manages to overachieve.

Joe: " Hey dude, great to see you man!" He shouts towards my buddy while putting one arm around her shoulders. Emilia and Jack are still gazing at each other.

Joe: "Hey babe, I'm done, lets go"

He doesn't notice the exchange between Kate and Jack.
Joe gently pulls Kate back out the door, he gives Jack a cursory nod and turns around. Kate walks backwards towards the door, she let her hand drop. Now she doesn't look stunned anymore, her face is a mix of surprise and worry.

The door closes.
Camera is pointed at door, from the door to the camera is,
1)Jack (Facing towards door),
2) Buddy facing Cashier, Cashier and Cash counter.
3) Row of snacks and consumer stuff.