Lithaladhwen: (Anyway. For Ishmas Card and Farida got a delivery of several plates of good spicy Indian food. There was a stuffed elephant for the baby. Farida also got a pair of dangly sparkly gold earrings.)
PapatymisonN: (... two bottles. OLD. 900s.)
PapatymisonN: (... no, three.)
PapatymisonN: (One will be from somewhere else.)
Lithaladhwen: (I see. Shakti makes a point to get nice things for Farida, y'know.)
PapatymisonN: (Cool.)
PapatymisonN: (I'll start.)
Lithaladhwen: (Okay.)
PapatymisonN: *within the walls of the Villa Pascha, there is a room which houses its greatest warrior... the offworlder Shakti, named for a destroyer of worlds...*
Lithaladhwen: (*laugh*)
PapatymisonN: *and at her door, there is a knock...*
Lithaladhwen: *Shakti answers, her hair still dyed black from Silvar's efforts. She's wearing her red pajamas with the little yellow ducks on them.*
PapatymisonN: *her brother stands there, smiling... bravely? He's in a black cloak today, his light blue roots showing under his also-blackened hair...*
PapatymisonN: *in his hands, he holds three bottles* Merry Ishmas.
Lithaladhwen: *smirk* Hey Sal. You brought a lot of booze. Am I expected to drink all that?
PapatymisonN: ... In small portions. Feel free to share.
Lithaladhwen: *waves him in* Care to assist?
PapatymisonN: ... not a problem. IM: Alcohol will help.
PapatymisonN: ... here. Read the labels. I have good taste.
PapatymisonN: *puts them on her dresser, two obscuring one in back, and he takes a seat, head slightly bowed...*
Lithaladhwen: So. Why all the wine? I mean, it's good wine and wine is always nice, but uh... what? You having trouble with the wife or something?
PapatymisonN: No. Go ahead, read, read...
Lithaladhwen: It's good wine. I believe you. *grabs the bottles and starts reading labels*
PapatymisonN: *the first she grabs is a Theician blend, 992, with, of course, a little blood mixed in... sure to be tasty...*
PapatymisonN: *the second is a Ka'thalar wine, 1011, playful and even a bit minty...*
PapatymisonN: *the third... ...*
PapatymisonN: *the label in written en Espanol*
PapatymisonN: *it's from La Palma, 1220, and is a very deep red...*
Lithaladhwen: Yeah, I see. I can tell that ...*little hairs rise on the back of her neck*
Lithaladhwen: ...
Lithaladhwen: Sal, where did you get this?
PapatymisonN: *heavy sigh* You may want to get hysterically angry NOW. Get a headstart.
PapatymisonN: I went home.
PapatymisonN: ... to see our parents.
Lithaladhwen: ..
Lithaladhwen: ...
Lithaladhwen: ....
Lithaladhwen: You did, did you.
PapatymisonN: ... I let them see my son.
Lithaladhwen: *blinks once*
Lithaladhwen: *blinks again*
PapatymisonN: ... they deserve to know he EXISTS.
PapatymisonN: Nothing past that, yes, but THAT at least.
Lithaladhwen: ...*seems to be struck totally speechless*
Lithaladhwen: *her door slams shut*
PapatymisonN: !
PapatymisonN: ...
Lithaladhwen: ...Sal.... Sal are you stupid or something?
Lithaladhwen: You took your-- You...
Lithaladhwen: You took my infant nephew back to the people who would have seen me dead.
Lithaladhwen: You took him... *voice falls to a whisper* You took him back to see THEM?
PapatymisonN: I was in THE AREA for TEN MINUTES.
PapatymisonN: I saw THEM for 30. SECONDS.
Lithaladhwen: *puts her head in her hands, digging her fingers into her hair*
Lithaladhwen: *her bedroom window cracks*
PapatymisonN: ...
PapatymisonN: IM: Hysterical? A mild term.
Lithaladhwen: You treacherous son of a bitch.
Lithaladhwen: It wasn't enough what happened there last time? It wasn't enough that you nearly got your own family killed the first time around. You had to take our dead brother's namesake HOME to the people who just.... just....
Lithaladhwen: *whispering again* ....who just let him die.
Lithaladhwen: You son of a bitch!
Lithaladhwen: (Ahem.)
PapatymisonN: (Ahem?)
Lithaladhwen: *Shakti's hand sweeps out in front of her, and one of the wine bottles flies off the bedstand toward her brother. Sal, make a missile evasion roll.*
PapatymisonN: //roll -dice 1 -sides 20
PapatymisonN: (Nuts. Had hoped.)
Lithaladhwen: (I almost did that, too.)
PapatymisonN: (Ack. I still transmittin'?)
Lithaladhwen: (I just rolled mine in chat. And yes, you are.)
PapatymisonN: (28.)
Lithaladhwen: *Card attempts to dodge the bottle, but it came too fast and it broke over his arm. You got! Nine damage from flying impacting glass! And my doesn't that alcohol sting!*
Lithaladhwen: Treacherous bastard!
PapatymisonN: ... what else do you have, huh?
PapatymisonN: You know me. Mr. "Let It All Out". Well, let it all out!
Lithaladhwen: *clenches her fists so hard she's shaking* Don't you tell me that. You have no idea what you're asking me to do. I will, and I swear to your god I'm not lying, I will kill you. You took him back there.
Lithaladhwen: Are you trying to destroy what's left of your family, Sal? Are you trying to finish the job you started?!
PapatymisonN: ... you think I'd let my own SON see harm? For a SECOND?
PapatymisonN: I CHERISH my family. YOU and HIM are ALL I truly have.
PapatymisonN: ... I... just had to let them KNOW what they were MISSING.
PapatymisonN: What they GAVE UP.
PapatymisonN: I don't know HOW they feel.
PapatymisonN: I left before they could say a word.
PapatymisonN: ... I just had to do my half. The rest is up to them.
Lithaladhwen: *shakes her head* I can't.... I can't believe how full of shit you are! We're all the family you have? Then WHY WOULD YOU TAKE HIM BACK TO PEOPLE WHO WANTED YOUR FAMILY DEAD?
Lithaladhwen: Yeagh! *throws the mirror from her bedstand through the windowpane*
Lithaladhwen: Son of a bitch!
Lithaladhwen: IM: Calm down.
Lithaladhwen: IM: Shakti, calm down. Calm down. Think. Think a moment. Be calm.
Lithaladhwen: IM: Calm the fuck down. Just calm down.
PapatymisonN: ... I would never let him near anyone who'd harm him.
PapatymisonN: I left immediately.
PapatymisonN: ... and anyone who touched him WOULD die, and you know it.
PapatymisonN: I'll... I did it for me.
PapatymisonN: And now the obligation is over, and it'll never happen again.
PapatymisonN: ... ... I hate them.
PapatymisonN: I do.
Lithaladhwen: *is quite visibly shaking with anger*
PapatymisonN: And I let them know they made their OWN lives terrible.
Lithaladhwen: IM: So full of shit. Liar. Treacherous lying bastard.
Lithaladhwen: IM: Liar.
Lithaladhwen: I don't care why you-- *her hands twitch like she can't quite stop them* I don't care. I don't.
Lithaladhwen: But if you so... so...
Lithaladhwen: IM: Calm down. Calm down. Just speak. Don't do this. Just calm the fuck down, Shakti. Don't.
Lithaladhwen: If you... had such a powerful obligation to them... if you... if you just had to go back... you don't hate them enough.
Lithaladhwen: Your... your.... obligation... endangered your family again.
Lithaladhwen: I owe you nothing. All I have to do is not kill you right now and we're even.
Lithaladhwen: But you need to get out before I change my mind.
Lithaladhwen: Go.
PapatymisonN: ...
PapatymisonN: Contact me. *exit.*
Lithaladhwen: (Not sure where to go from there. She can hold a grudge for a long time.)
Lithaladhwen: (I'd say that's enough.)
PapatymisonN: (Yeahkay.)
PapatymisonN: </rp>
Lithaladhwen: </RP>
PapatymisonN: ... she doesn't think much of his abilities, does she?
Lithaladhwen: She doesn't care. She knows she'd be way more motivated in that fight than him.
PapatymisonN: But that brings it down to one question: What's the better motivator, hate or love?
Lithaladhwen: You asking me, or asking Shakti?
PapatymisonN: You. I know Shakti's answer.
Lithaladhwen: I can go both ways.
PapatymisonN: .... hurh hurh. She said "I go both ways." :F
Lithaladhwen: Heh.
Lithaladhwen: But yeah. It's a good thing Card left. He's more powerful than she is, but she really would have tried to hurt him.
Lithaladhwen: She'd have burned as much MP and TP as necessary, without even thinking about it.
PapatymisonN: Cardinal is, of course, not a creature of hate.
PapatymisonN: It's kind of a way that makes them... such wonderfully opposed opposites.
PapatymisonN: It's like the- OH. Hawk and Dove!
Lithaladhwen: Heh.
Lithaladhwen: Pretty much.
Lithaladhwen: That's why I asked you if his PS sheet was up to date.
Lithaladhwen: He was going to need it, but because he left he didn't really really need it.
PapatymisonN: Her killing him is detrimental to their relationship.
PapatymisonN: He knows she'll do it, and won't let her have the chance.
PapatymisonN: Cuz he's FAIRLY sure she'd regret it.
Lithaladhwen: She would regret orphaning his kid and widowing his wife.
Lithaladhwen: But only afterward.
PapatymisonN: ... she'd never ever regret killing him?
PapatymisonN: You don't think?
Lithaladhwen: Well...
Lithaladhwen: She does owe him her life.
PapatymisonN: You do a wonderful little dance...
PapatymisonN: Around the core issue. :P
Lithaladhwen: That's my way of politely saying that she probably wouldn't. She'd just harden herself against it like she does everything else. Sal is still effectively the one who killed Juan. But he saved her life, so that cancels. He saved her life more recently as well. By not killing him now, she considers them even.
Lithaladhwen: She doesn't want one more thing to try and not think about. So she didn't do it, more for her own good than his.
Lithaladhwen: But she would have if pressed any further. She's really not a stable woman.
PapatymisonN: Sad, but understandable. ... but more sad THAN understandable.
Lithaladhwen: She was less shy about her opinion this time around, but she did her best to protect him from herself. It's a bad thing in principle to start fights without thinking, and that helped keep her from launching a double-cast supernova at him.
PapatymisonN: Also: Jeri'd be pissed.
PapatymisonN: She'd be angry that she was out one wall.
Lithaladhwen: She'd make Shakti pay for it, but eventually she'd probably be... nearly satisfied by the explanation.
PapatymisonN: Kay.
PapatymisonN: ... also: THERE'S a murder rap that'd be harder to shake.
PapatymisonN: She'd be killing the guy who's best suited to get her off...
Lithaladhwen: Did she care last time?
PapatymisonN: True.
Lithaladhwen: She'd just tell Hakaril, the judge, the jury, and whoever wanted to know that Sal could not be trusted. He'd betrayed her and had endangered his family again. If that wasn't good enough, she'd be cool with it, because that's a damned good enough reason for her.
Lithaladhwen: You should assume that she will not be contacting him any time in the near future.
PapatymisonN: Then you should assume in two weeks, he'd come calling again, even if it was a "You calm now? No? OK, I'll be back later."
PapatymisonN: And thus the cycle would begin.
Lithaladhwen: If he comes back, Jeri won't let him past the foyer.
Lithaladhwen: Can't even go in the parlor in case Shakti is in there playing the piano for the girls or something.
Lithaladhwen: Jeri doesn't want to see Shakti upset, and she doesn't want to see Cardinal hurt.
PapatymisonN: Then he'd ask for parchment, scribble out a message, and ask her to deliver it.
PapatymisonN: And he'd show up with parchments every two weeks, then every week, then every day, then twice a day, till she either killed him or talked to him.
Lithaladhwen: We need to roleplay that sometime. Too bad Brian isn't online.
PapatymisonN: For great Hak-y goodness?
Lithaladhwen: Oh, hell. We don't need Hakaril. I'm sure we can get around it.
Lithaladhwen: (Jeri font!)
PapatymisonN: (What time we doing it? 2 weeks after? Or the point of saturation?)
Lithaladhwen: (Point of saturation.)
PapatymisonN: (Which would be....?)
Lithaladhwen: (Month and a half.)
PapatymisonN: (Let's do it.)
PapatymisonN: *Cardinal arrives at Jeri's desk again, his blue hair, with black tips, a little shaggy, his face a bit overgrown with hair*
PapatymisonN: *... he's been telling his superiors he's growing a beard*
PapatymisonN: *sighs, parchment in hand* Is she willing to see me TODAY? e_e
Lithaladhwen: *doesn't even look up from her ledger* Cardinal, you look like hell. This has to stop.
PapatymisonN: I know. But I'm not really in control, am I?
Lithaladhwen: Yes you are. *looks up* Go home. You need a shave, you need a bath, and you need a nap. You also may or may not need to take up smoking.
PapatymisonN: ... I'm going to let my hair and my beard touch my toes, thank you.
Lithaladhwen: Lovely. *holds her hand out for the parchment* You can either give that to me, or you can go take it upstairs.
Lithaladhwen: I'm too busy to keep you out of my house right now.
PapatymisonN: .... I'll take it.
PapatymisonN: ... if you hear an explosion, call for a white mage.
Lithaladhwen: I may.
PapatymisonN: Thanks.
Lithaladhwen: *writewrite*
PapatymisonN: *heads up*
Lithaladhwen: *she whips out an abacus as he's leaving*
Lithaladhwen: *busy madame!*
PapatymisonN: *stands at the door for a while...*
PapatymisonN: *under the door, or put it down by hand?*
PapatymisonN: (Is there a table or SOMETHING next to the door? A shoe rack will do...*
PapatymisonN: )
Lithaladhwen: (The way is shut. It was built for those who live inside. And those inside keep it. The way is shut.)
Lithaladhwen: (AKA, the door is closed.)
Lithaladhwen: (Nothing in the hallway.)
PapatymisonN: (And locked, then.)
Lithaladhwen: (Not locked.)
Lithaladhwen: (Just closed.)
PapatymisonN: (Is there a table just INSIDE the door?)
Lithaladhwen: *When Cardinal opens the door, he finds that it's empty. The bed is made, the stains from their wine-bottle-fight have been cleaned up, the window is fixed, and her shoes are in a neat little row in front of the closet. Because he's a law enforcement sort, he notices that one pair is missing. Shakti ain't home!*
PapatymisonN: ...
PapatymisonN: *heads over to her bed, and lays the note on her pillow*
PapatymisonN: ...
PapatymisonN: *sigh*
PapatymisonN: *heads out...*
Lithaladhwen: You really can just leave them with me. I have a drawer.
PapatymisonN: I know. ... ... I know.
Lithaladhwen: She'll get them when she comes back. When that happens, if she wants to talk to you, she will contact you. So please. Go home and get some sleep. You must be driving Farida crazy with this.
PapatymisonN: ... *rubs the back of his neck* Yeah, I am...
Lithaladhwen: Then go home. Shakti. Is not. Here.
Lithaladhwen: She hasn't been here for three days.
PapatymisonN: ... what?
PapatymisonN: Where'd she go?
Lithaladhwen: She's on vacation, and I'm not telling you where this time. Before you even go bother him, the General won't tell you either. Her employers have been notified of her whereabouts, but that is a matter between us and Shakti.
Lithaladhwen: She's fine. She needs some time alone. Let her have it, or you'll make this worse.
PapatymisonN: ... alright...
PapatymisonN: Can you at least let me know when she'll be BACK?
Lithaladhwen: If she doesn't contact you, you'll be able to tell she's back by her employers' increased productivity. But I strongly suggest that you give her some time to recover from this. She didn't even tell me everything, and I can see that much.
Lithaladhwen: She's going to do something regrettable if you push her too hard. I see it a lot with my girls sometimes. They get upset and they stop thinking. Next thing you know, somebody's hurt and nobody can really say why or when it all started.
Lithaladhwen: I don't know what she'll do, but she's worse than any of them. We both know that.
PapatymisonN: With ease.
PapatymisonN: ... ... I'll see you later, Jeri. >_<
Lithaladhwen: Take care, Cardinal. I mean that.
PapatymisonN: ... *exit.*
Lithaladhwen: *continues writing*
Lithaladhwen: </RP again>
PapatymisonN: </rp>
Lithaladhwen: This becoming another Becoming the Blackwells epic IM RP.
PapatymisonN: It is.
PapatymisonN: ... ... OK. Card can only take so much Catholic guilt.
PapatymisonN: If guilt were Air Miles, he could crisscross the globe.
Lithaladhwen: I can imagine.
Lithaladhwen: He's pretty good at grabbing as much guilt as he can.
Lithaladhwen: What'll he do when he finally pops?
PapatymisonN: I'm actually gonna say he starts cracking.
PapatymisonN: Takes more and more dangerous missions...
PapatymisonN: Cuz it's the only way to commit suicide without sinning.
Lithaladhwen: He and Myrnal could go bowling.
PapatymisonN: Oh, Myrnal's HEART'S not in it.
PapatymisonN: If you wanna go kamikaze, you gotta be STUPID. No help, no weapons...
PapatymisonN: You can't WANT to win.
Lithaladhwen: Myrnal wants to fight and lose.
Lithaladhwen: I think Card would just want to lose.
PapatymisonN: EXACTLY.
PapatymisonN: Her problem is she's leaving it up to FATE.
PapatymisonN: BAD call.
Lithaladhwen: She's made assumptions that some things would finish her off that didn't.
PapatymisonN: Cardinal's aware of how powerful he's become, and thus KNOWS he needs to drop his game in order to die.
PapatymisonN: It's like Jesus. Gotta be a man before you can die for sins.
Lithaladhwen: *smirk*
PapatymisonN: He'd even tell Farida to go stay with her folks "for a while".
PapatymisonN: I doubt the news would not catch Shakti's ears eventually.
PapatymisonN: She could set up a false crime to draw him in and smack him around/some sense into him.
Lithaladhwen: Hold on, responding to Koss.
PapatymisonN: Kay.
Lithaladhwen: Back.
PapatymisonN: Neat.
PapatymisonN: Before you respond...
PapatymisonN: For some reason, I got OUT OF AFRICA on DVD for Christmas.
Lithaladhwen: *snicker*
PapatymisonN: BOGGLES MY FRIKKIN' MIND.
PapatymisonN: When in my LIFE have I given an indication that I enjoy sweeping romantic epics?
Lithaladhwen: Heh.
Lithaladhwen: You know what I'm going to say.
Lithaladhwen: Look into my eyes for my racist remark.
Lithaladhwen: o_o
PapatymisonN: ... I'm... an Oreo?
Lithaladhwen: I don't know. But there's a racist joke in there, I just have to find it. I'll get back to you.
Lithaladhwen: I have a question, though.
PapatymisonN: I'm listening.
Lithaladhwen: When is Cardinal going to realize how fucking selfish his sister is?
PapatymisonN: Never.
PapatymisonN: She's got the benefit of him being blinded by his guilt.
PapatymisonN: He thinks that he'll never repay his debt to her.
Lithaladhwen: He needs to actually talk to someone about this mess.
Lithaladhwen: You do realize he is as crazy as his sister.
PapatymisonN: ... I guess so.
Lithaladhwen: No. Seriously.
Lithaladhwen: Talk about delusional episodes.
Lithaladhwen: This is some serious maladaptive behavior, and even Shakti isn't truly maladaptive.
PapatymisonN: Well, he's the cause of his brother's death, and the indirect cause of his sister's condition.
PapatymisonN: .... he's just more SUBTLE about his insanity.
Lithaladhwen: Heh.
Lithaladhwen: Here are three words that should scare you.
Lithaladhwen: *fingerwag* Holly will worry.
PapatymisonN: ... perfect. *casts him and her in the JD*
Lithaladhwen: Now?
PapatymisonN: Is it too late?
Lithaladhwen: No, I just wasn't ready to think in Holly mode after that. =P
PapatymisonN: Holly = Counselor Troi.
Lithaladhwen: She is an empath when she wants to be.
Lithaladhwen: But I think we should do it another time.
Lithaladhwen: If we do this really really self-contained like we did with the Blackwells stuff, I think it'll be less rewarding.
PapatymisonN: Alrighty.
PapatymisonN: ... oh, but I'm gonna crack him good.
Lithaladhwen: He needs it. I think he's long overdue.
PapatymisonN: Yeah.
PapatymisonN: Let's see what we'll get.
Lithaladhwen: I have an idea.
PapatymisonN: Yes?
Lithaladhwen: What makes you think I'm gonna tell you?