Look who’s there, a wandering adventurer looking for the Bananafish treasure! This episode is part of the interactive story/treasure hunt called “Quest In The Realms”. If you landed on this page because you’re trying to solve the mystery, don’t hesitate and keep delving in the story. If you came here through random loitering, what are you waiting for!?
1
Backstage, a thumping ba-dOnk-a-dOnk rhythm is filling the air along with the smokescreen produced by your cigarette.
"Uoooohh... Ostrich's egg! Ostrich eggs! You're just a chicken but I see ostrich eggs!"
Sitting on a broken Marshall amp, you cannot help but smile listening to the shouts of the Nihilist Hamsters, your new support act.
"They kick ass, Mendoza, huh? I like this chicken thing. I find it very anatomical and deep at the same time." Tres Culos tells you, waving the bass between his legs.
You glance at his face. It’s tense from the adrenaline and some other unspecified drugs. It looks like the skin of a drum, punctured by a dozen syringes overflowing with botox. His lusty piggy eyes point at you like joyful pins, with a lovely expression somewhere between the zany and the obsessive-compulsive.
"If you mean that the Hamsters are willingly using an allegory, then I would start worrying," you answer Tres before noticing that he has already left you to go and stir up the crowd and steal the show from the opener.
You hope it takes a while before the Nihilist Hamsters will understand their only function: that of stopgap when Machete is too collapsed to play.
When did it happen? you ask yourself while, under your buttocks, the old amp resounds to the musical assault. When did this crowd transform into a benign and - most of all - paying entity? A creature that, in a fragile truce, won’t throw dead cats or decomposed materials on us before we can steal the last beer. A being who, on the contrary, waits for us out there and simply wants to ... listen.
"Eeek! Eeeek! Eeeekkkkkk!" Beastly screams from the stage interrupt your trail of thoughts. Definitely a difficult birth, that of the hen.
Things are going strangely well for your band, the Tortillas de Pelo. You’re even getting hired for official events like this annual meeting of A.O.C.H. (Association of Coprolite Hunters).
"We play," Tio Billy's hand suddenly lays on your shoulder, kind and heavy like a cast-iron shovel.
"Your bro, Tio," you reply, turning around. With the other hand, the towering drummer is holding Machete up by his leather jacket like a puppet moving in slow motion.
"I'm here, Mendo. Let's show them who the real coprolites are," Machete mumbles, slurring his words.
You decide to postpone the scientific explanations until after the concert.
"Yeah, they’ll see."
Anyways, what a way to open up the entire QITR. I got the general drift (long time fan of the Tortillas, checks calendar for how long...) of how they rocked off the start of this crazy adventure but I was pleasantly surprised nonetheless to get my expectations met with a great degree of respect. I mean, l'Nihilist hamsters are just one of the few things that made me chuckle; especially the "eek" part from the stage. Clearly, this was meant for the faint of heart and should attract more people as, even to ignore the treasure, the absurdism that these characters are tossed into is a treasure of its own.
Welp, (as this comment warning has become irrelevant but I shall keep it here for historical's sake) I shall spoil nothing but this is a start to a beautiful adventure for the Tortillas to face all the trouble they shall meet along the way. Maybe death in their town, maybe an island, maybe meet up with something paranormal! Who knows, not me. But I ain't the one who sold the World for sure! Yet I do wonder who found out the riddle's answer by now?
Thanks so much Vic, this is most probably the best compliment I received in the QITR. Most of all, I hope that we all had fun in running this project!
Welcome ol' pally Dr. @f3nix!~
Fortnight dances are a sin, but Jevil can do anything. (Also I know it’s yah @f3nix... or maybe mój Ukochany, @calluna...)
Very interesting what you guys are doing here. This series is starting to read as a literary version of a video game.
Really bizarre plot and characters. Makes us feel like Nihilist Hamsters in the great scheme of things
Thanks for your appreciation @hlezama! We created 57 episodes and to make things smooth there's a lot of work and enthusiasm behind them. I hope that you will enjoy our game. If you like, we'll be happy to welcome you in our Bananafish Realms discord chat. Cheers!
Great opening! :-)
Thanks @raj808! The ending is my favorite.
An opening well done! Smooth as a cast-iron shovel :)
Thanks Manol! First blood to you! That shovel will dig deep, you'll see 😁
The Great(est) Gig in the
SkySewers!Heheh the skies are too noble!
Makes me wonder if I'll be needing to bring a tarp to any show by the Hamsters...
A tarp and forceps perhaps 😂
I enjoy your opener's band's name. I probably won't be listening to them anytime soon though.
If the Tortillas were shocked at their paying crowds. They must have turned into decent musicians or the people drank so much that the band sounded good.
I took the nihilist part from the Big Lebowski, one of my fav movies 😁
ixnay on the easter eggs!
There are so many that I forgot to tell you 😛
Hi f3nix,
Visit curiesteem.com or join the Curie Discord community to learn more.
Thanks @curie! I'm twice happy for your vote as this is the first episode of our unique Bananafish project 😁