SmithStone
-The story so far-

Due to the first 20 strips being somewhat 'disjointed' I created this page to explain what went on in between strips. Here is the recap. Errors and all, Enjoy!

Richard Raccoon and Amber Fox meet in a bar one night. After a quick discussion comprised of flirting cliche's they decide to go somewhere private.

Charles Tiger who has worked many long hours has finished his supper at his usual diner. There he knows Tiffany, a waitress in which they have shared many nights and problems of life together. Haveing worked many long nights he's decided to stay at Tiffany's once again to stave off the loneliness that he feels.

In a desert far away Cinosanap searches her lands. She contemplates her life. She is a scout for a patch of desert land spanning many miles. Being so alone she has become an internet junkie on the remote terminal hidden within her only abode.

On SmithStone Robyn_of_Woods stands over the edge of a great chasm thinking about her current situation. She has awoken to find herself traped in the body of a stylized wooden puppet. She is alone and afraid.

Robin Masquerade scowls Emily for climbing high into the lighthouse on SmithStone island. Soon something will happen and their roles will change.

With a silence that belays what happens, everything changes. Some of our characters will wake up in a strange world. Others will wake up and discover that their dreams are now reality. Despite the changes everything has become new and differnt.

Amber and Richard awaken to find themselves on the upper deck of a strange sailing ship. Looking around the strange ship they soon meet up with Tiffany and Chuck. In a quick conversation they discover they have meet the same fate. Both of their groups were traveling when somehow they were abducted and brought to the ship. Strangely no one remembers ever being abducted or even how they got to the ship; only that they woke up on the ship.

Searching the stern of the ship they find the doors to its interior are locked. Spying a set of doors to the aft they decided to check them. In route they discover that the ship is not in the water which is hidden by a fog. They discover that the ship is flying in midair. The fact frightens Amber who is comforted by Tiffany a little. Charles and Richard make their way into the forward doors to discover what looks like a computerized control bridge for the ship. Richard tries to gain access only to find that the ship's system is password protected. Not only that but the ship is also on autopilot.

Tiffany yells for them to join them outside. Rejoining the others they gasp at what they see. Even more amazing than the flying ship itself is a floating island in the sky. Its mass atop a giant stone like an upside mountain. Soon the ship 'docks' on the manmade outcroping of a artifical lake. There they are greeted by some strange people. There is a strange lady in a mask and another in a somewhat revealing teal tunic. A small child is with them standing next to a intricate wooden statue of a cat lady. The masked lady introduces herself as Robin, the child as Emily, and the young lady in the tunic as Cinosanap. Cinosanap mentions she preffers being called 'Cino'. She tells her guest that the floating island is called SmithStone. Robin also indicates that the wooden statue is also a person, somewhat frozen in place, and is named Robyn_of_woods.

Somewhat warry of their guest the girls follow Robin up to the house as Cino talks with Richard about the ship's computer. Robin explains of a 'reality shift' that occured some time before the group arrived. She explains how the house's furniture seems to appear and dissapear at random and how the memories of Cino and Emily also seem to have been altered. Soon Emily complains that her 'Clock Tower' is locked. It's her private place on the island, at least untill the reality shift occured. They soon discover that she is correct and assume that the door opens to the touch of another's hand. Everyone tries and it leave Robyn the only person left. Chuck and Robin go down to meet Robyn_of_woods where she was last frozen. When she awakens they discover that she is quite emotionally upset as she runs away from them. Later when frozen Emily removes her arm and uses it as a key. Shocked that Emily would so such a thing Chuck quickly takes the arm back to Robyn before she wakes up. Tiffany and Emily soon discover that Emily's once empty clocktower is now home to someone. It is most likely that it's home to Robyn since the door only opens to her touch.

Back inside the ship's bridge Cinosanap has broken into the computer system as Richard watches. She briefs Richard that the ship's system was striped bare and running on a 'autopilot recording'. Once the recording was finished the ship began eraseing all records. She tells him that she can fix it but it will take months and worse yet, she has no map of where they came from. Cino agrees to fix the ship's programming, but she can not fill in the map that is missing. With no option Richard agrees to her help.

A little later the group meets outside the main house. There they share what they have learned. #1. Cino can repair the ship but it will take months. #2 They all dislike the items that dissapear and reapear in the old house. #3 That Cino has offered them room and board untill the ship is fixed. They all agree on Cino's offer as the reality of the long stay settles in. That night Cino tells Tiffany of the Reality Shift that occured before her group arrived. Both Cino and Robyn_of_woods had a dream of living in SmithStone with Robin and Emily. That they were acting unlike themselves and many other things. Then they woke up but discovered that they were still on SmithStone. Cino had always been a loner and adjusted easily but Robyn_of_woods didnt. Robyn had once been a living person in her home world and now she was traped within the body of a stylized wooden pupet.

The next day Charles and Richard go to investigate the Main house to discover that it's full of furniture. Even more supriseing is that none of it ever seems to dissapear or reappear. They agree that it's stable and soon the group moves into the house. With only 3 bedrooms and Richard hardly knowing Amber the Decision is easy. Emily gets one room to herself while the men and wemon share seperate rooms. This doesn't prevent them from being themselve's at all though. Soon they realize that they are somewhat at ease with the setup except for oe of them. Robyn_of_woods is still emotionally traumatized. Emily with her teenage personality traped in the body of a 7 year old makes her mischevious known. She watches Amber pull Richard into the girls room and does 1+1=2. Since it was theroized that a slap in the face might bring Robyn out of her trauma, Emily decided to haul Robyn's frozen wooden form up in front of the Girls room. While explaining her plan to Charles Robyn walks downstairs in a much more stable state. She tells the two that what she heard comeing from within the girls room was quite suitable for a 1-900 telephone number.

Much later Robin is showing Amber the cave complex behind the house. Amber is quite suprised to find that it was built long before Emily or Robin showed up at SmithStone. Robin explains that it was built in tribute to the original owners love for his wife, his daughter, and his eastern religion. Amber ask more about the original owners whereas Robin goes silent. Mocking that someone might have died there Amber presses Robin to tell more. The resulting seriousness and silence from Robin unerves her. Returning back to the main house Amber finds Chuck and Tiffany reading a book together closely. It's obvious that they're verry comfortable around each other. She ask them if they knew about the original owner's. Tiffany interupts Amber's sentence to tell that she found a history book about SmithStone. The book tells how the original owner's (we'll call them the Smiths) daughter died of the flu in the children's room upstairs. It also tells how his second wife fell to her death trying to climb down the chasm wall. No more than a year later Mr. Smith died when he sliped on the stone bridge and fell to his death. The three listen as Tiffany reads the intersting points out of the book.

Elsewhere Richard follows the sounds of swimming. It leads him down a tunnell in the basement, across a stone bridge spanning the chasm and into a small roman styled room with a wadeing pool. There he stumbles across Cino' swimming in the nude. Startled he turns away from her while she rest's near the edge of the pool. Cino' apologizes, explaining how nudity is commonplace on her home planet, even in public. Curious Richard asks what she did on her home world as an occupation. She explains how she scouts a remote desert for people landing ilegally on the planet. Richard compares it to being a 'meter maid' and she agrees with a happy expression.

Leaving Charles to read more about the history of SmithStone, Tiffany wanders off to find Rob-wood. She finds her in her newly discovered home, the clock tower. There Robyn explains how her 'freezing up' is the same as falling asleep. She even tells that she can choose to go 'limp' instead of 'freezing' when she snoozes. Though interesting Tiffany really wants to know who Robyn really is. The person Robyn used to be before waking up on SmithStone, traped inside the wooden body. Robyn used to be a sales representative at an electronics store and a social recluse. Describeing herself as a recluse and a computer geek, Tiffany decides its time for Robyn to get out and have some fun.

Back at the wadeing pool Cino learns that Richard was once a bookish librarian on his own world. Having heard Richards and Ambers loud lovemakeing earlier in the day she cant resist asking him about Amber. He tells how he met Amber at a single bar the night of the abduction. As for true love, he simply doesn't know Amber personally enough to make a call on that.

Amber was tired. She had become board trying to find any clue of hauntings about SmithStone in its history book. Even Charles tried to help her find some but couldn't. Following the sounds of Richard's voice she finds him at the wading pool; with a naked Cinosanap. In this crazy world where she thought she could confide in Richard; he was with another woman. She became so upset she burst into tears and fled back to the bedroom.

With Richard the apparent guilty party in Ambers eyes, Cino demanded to talk to her first. Still naked she follows Amber back to her room and confronts her. Amber calls her a pervert and for a moment Cino's statment stings back. There both traped on the island, either they talk it out now or let it fester into a bitter rivalry. Cino explains how richard walked in on her, and how nothing happened. Amber points out Cino's nudity. Cino explains that she was born on a world where nudity is publicly acceptable. That she was raised that way and was too stubborn to change. Amber almost smiles as she ask Cino not to play head games with the guys by useing her nudisty lifestle against them. Cino agrees and at least hatred is advoided.

Charles was curious when he heard Amber and Cino run upstairs and didn't think much of it for a while. Hearing someone walking downstairs and curious about what happens he goes into the main hall to ask. There he meets Cino walking down the stairs tottaly naked. He is thouroughly distracted as Cino explains what happened between her and Amber. After a moment or two he tears his eyes away from Cino's body and think on what she said. He agrees with her words and is still somewhat distracted as Tiffany and Robyn enter the hallway.

Tiffany is quite suprised by Cino's nudity. She had thought that Cino was jokeing when she mentioned it the day before. She didn't expect to see Cino walking around in the buff. Even worse, she discovers that Chuck seems frozen and brainless in Cino's nude presence. With a few good reminding jabs She 'convinces' him to loan Cino his shirt.

Cino and Chuck walk back to the pool to meet with richard when a foghorn sounds. Cino explains that the foghorn was hooked up to her computer. It's sound indicates that her computer found a building block to the ships system. The ship's computer system is rather high tech and she explains that even with a good piece of the ship's system restored that it would take at least 3 monts to fix. Disaponted at having his hopes falsely risen; Chuck decides to join Tiff' and Robyn in a game of cards. Meanwhile Richard decides to join Cino to her computer system to investigate the discovery.

Chuck joins Amber, Tiffany and Robyn_of_woods in a game of Mahjongg. The conversation primarily goes back and forth between Amber and Tiffany about their love relationships. At one point Tiffany 'suggests' that Chuck leave. Alone amoung the girls, Amber ask Tiffany if she has a chance with Richard. Tiffany agrees that Amber does have a chance, but that it will take time. Chuck renters the room and ask if anyone would like pasta for dinner. Everyone agrees and the game continues.

In Cino's computer room Richard begins to get bored. Talking with Cino he learns that there is a one-way internet connection with the outside world. Unfortunately this means that they can not send any messages out at all. It does help though. With the download capability, they can download books to read, and games to play. At the mention of games, Richard challenges Cino to a one-on-one deathmatch in a 3d shooter game. After defeating Cino a few times, she realizes that Richard is quite good. She then ask's if he realizes that Amber is in love with him. He knows but remains silent. Cino points out that richard is afraid of Ambers openess. She tells him that she once had a similar offer for true love and let that kind fear take it away from her. She doesnt want Richard to follow her mistakes. Richard barks back, admiting that he is afraid of Amber but that he also likes Cino too. Cino breaks up crying and shoves Richard away. She explains that her emotions are more unstable than usuall from not getting enough sleep. That she's been working long and hard on the Ship's computer system too much. She ask Richard for some time alone to herself and he reluctantly agrees. As he travels down the hallway he realizes how hard Cino's been working. He also realizes that if theyr'e stuck on SmithStone for a long time that he really ought to apologize to Amber. That he can't advoid her forever on such a small island.

Back at the Main house Amber meets Chuck in the kitchen to inspect his pasta. She asks Chuck for a sealed bowl of Pasta for her to take to chuck. As she steps out the door with it Richard greets her at the doorstep. They apologize to each other. Amber asking forgiveness for her overeaction and Richard for not being more aware of his growing relationship with Amber. Eating seperately from the rest of the group in the kitchen they enjoy their meal. They also agree to some rather adult activities after supper.

That Night Emily is awoken from her bed by the sounds of Richard and Amber having sex. She isn't the small girl everyone thinks she looks like. She's really a 13 (or older) person stuck in a 7 year old's body. So shes familiar with whats going on and is rather upset that its too loud and that she needs to get to sleep. She pounds on the door and there are several pounds back on the wall. as if a headboard were pounding against it. She shouts a few times as Chuck and Tiffany join in the liticious noise makeing from their own room. Emily grouches as she goes to bed, planning her revenge.

The next morning Tiffany and Chuck awake beside one another in realization of their situation. Theyv'e long loved each other, but their jobs kept them apart. Now that there traped on an island together they have an oportunity. Tiffany ask Chuck to drop the subject. She believes that they will get back home, soon. The believes that if they get any closer than they normally are, that going home will pull them apart and that the pain will be too much for them emotionally.

In Richard and Amber's room the pair is startled as Robin pops in to clean up. She informs them that Emily planed a 'flying tour' of smithstone for them all. Richard chides Amber that its Emily's way of getting even for their noise makeing.

Fear, pure fear. Richard flys high above smithstone dangeling from a rope while Robyn_of_woods flys them both around the island. Amber gets a similar experience in Emilys rather tiny flying boat. A boat that has no seatbelts of any kind. While having their 'fun' Chuck and Tiffany watch below. They're so glad they overslept in comparison to Amber and Richard. As this all occurs 3 blast's of the Lighthouse's fog horn sounds. Cino has had another computer breakthrough in repairing the ships computer system.

Gathering at the stone docks near the lake Cino informs them that the computer is repaired. All they need to do is find some fuel for the engine, find home, and there gone. As they depart Chuck motions with his eyes to Tiffany. He relays a message that he doesn't want to go home because he loves tiffany so much. He wants to stay. But the message is a silent one, no one hears it, except for Tiffany.

With everyone split up looking for fuel Amber and Chuck are alone. Amber ask chuck if they will ever get back to their world, not Cino's. She also ask if he likes SmithStone, and her. He finds SmithStone a weird place and Amber attractive. Caught up in the moment of possibly going home Amber and Chuck kiss passionately. Only to space themselves from one another a moment after. They both have people they love but somehow they are attracted to each other. Somewhat uncomfortable with what just happened they split up to continue their search.

Elsewhere Tiffany continues to search rooms for fuel pods. Only finding several bedrooms one after the other. Disgruntled she begins to think of food. Back in the control room Richard and Cino check out the computer system. She explains how the system she was trying turned out to be the control pannel subsystem. Once her computer maped a door switch she tried it out. At that point the main system identified an error in the control system and fixed the entire control system. Once the control system was back and running Cino had full access to the ship's functions. Though only listening halfway Richard shows more intrest in Cino's VR sphere. Or spheres as he puts it with a slip of the tounge. At that point Cino ask if he could help the other to find any fuel pods, and of course for some food. Somewhat embarrased and 'caught' in his line of thinking he akwardly agrees and wanders off to search for fuel.

We now take you to the archives, because the story's more refined there now...

Back to Top