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Kai 
Robo-Kai
Posts: 1296
(9/2/06 17:39)
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 Re: Lanterns are for sissies. >:{ And we're HAAARRDCORE!
Eve nodded her agreement with Damian, but her mind wasn't on comforting her allies right now. She had other concerns. "You don't understand. I felt it. It steals bits of your mind; I felt it. Seems to like a certain type, from what I guessed, and wouldn't you know it... There's a crowd of psionicists upstairs."
Eve put out her hands to the others. "Normal teleporting...well...maybe."
She closed her eyes and must have been trying to teleport. It didn't work. She pressed her fingertips over her eyelids and took a step back. "Okay. There's way too much interference. I didn't want to do this again, but I'm going upstairs and anyone coming with me needs to link up with me and stay that way. It's going to have to be a short jump through the plane of dreams again. Anyone who wants out of the basement for whatever reasons you've got.... get your asses over here."
Myrnal rolled her eyes and clapped a hand on Eve's shoulder. The ninja either didn't that creature going after Dawn's followers, or simply wanted a chance to get the hell out of this basement. Either reason would really have been enough.
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Archmage144 
Hyper-scientific Bishounen
Pharmacist Brian
Season III!
Posts: 4689
(9/3/06 16:12)
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Re: Ohnoes =O
James promptly brought his ass to Eve as requested, extending a hand to form whatever circle of teleportation friends was required. "I've been ready to get the hell out of here since the blood of Dawn Valerian watered her garden," spat the half-incubus. "Count me in."
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FF Fanatic 80
Imposter Brit
Posts: 2061
(9/3/06 19:48)
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Re: Lanterns are for sissies. >:{ And we're HAAARRDCORE!
"Well, we'd better get this the hell over with." Stephan commented, moving over and taking a hand himself, "The longer we stay here the longer that thing has to jump us."
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Nakibe
Mmmmm... Chaos Sandwich. ^_^
Posts: 1248
(9/4/06 1:14)
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Re: Ohnoes =O
Damian made his way over to Eve as quickly as he could. "I've had enough of this place already," he managed to growl out. "The sooner we leave the better I'll feel." And with that said, he put his hand out and hoped that this didn't go too badly.
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NebulaQueen
VACANT
Posts: 3760
(9/4/06 22:21)
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Re: Lanterns are for sissies. >:{ And we're HAAARRDCORE!
Silently, Kei went to connect to the others. The sooner they went upstairs, the sooner they could end this for good.
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Kai
Robo-Kai
Posts: 1304
(9/5/06 21:53)
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Re: Lanterns are for sissies. >:{ And we're HAAARRDCORE!
Eve pulled them out for a remarkably short trip through the plane of dreams. She led them up the side of a hill covered in a strange assortment of animal herds. To be fair, there were only two kinds of animals. There were about half a dozen bears lumbering down the hill, and the rest of the grass was covered in stampeding bulls going up, up, up, seemingly infinitely. There was a sign pointing to the left. It said, "Anthony's Pier."
Eve took a left, passing a tree that apparently seemed to bear lipstick instead of fruit. An odd creature, possibly a large variety of platypus, was shaking the tree to force the half-open canisters to fall in piles to the grass below.
She walked to the end of a dock, leading the others by their hands. As she stepped foot onto the wood, things began falling from the sky. They didn't splash when they hit the water, simply phasing through the surface. Nothing hit the party, either. They were all... the numeral five?
"Sorry. Should've warned you about the whole idiotic 'inundation of numbers' bullshit," Eve said apologetically. One more step, and.....
They were dropped unceremoniously in the front courtyard of Dawn's base. They weren't alone. Other current occupants of this stretch of land were two dozen kids and, making falcon-dives into the group of them, was the party's recent enemy.
Most of the younger kids were far in the back, some even running back up into the trees. There were about ten left, many of whom were throwing fire into the spectral nasty-thing.
(I may regret this but.... Fuck initiative. You wanna kill shit, kill shit. Go play.)
Edited by: Kai at: 9/5/06 22:56
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Archmage144
Hyper-scientific Bishounen
Pharmacist Brian
Season III!
Posts: 4694
(9/5/06 21:58)
Reply
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Re: Lanterns are for sissies. >:{ And we're HAAARRDCORE!
"Oh, hell," muttered James. There was only one solution to this. He waved his hands, invoking what little time magic he was personally able to cast, and the entire party, plus some of the nearby kids, found their movement speed greatly accelerated.
(Haste for the party and however many kids he can get. He can haste 9 people at once.)
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FF Fanatic 80
Imposter Brit
Posts: 2063
(9/5/06 23:04)
Reply
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Re: Lanterns are for sissies. >:{ And we're HAAARRDCORE!
It was entirely possible, once this thing was dead, the little rugrats would be turning the flames in his direction.
...but he'd be damned further if he just walked away from this.
"You're gonna wish you stayed in the floor, you son of a bitch." Stephan says, an almost feral smile on his face as he goes to attack the creature, greatsword in hand.
(Ze stats:
Weapon: +3 Greatsword with Ghost-Touch/Keened
Attack Bonus (Greatsword): +20/+15/+10 (+20 haste attack)
Attack Damage (Greatsword): 2d6+12 17-20/x2
Let the stabbing (hopefully) commence =O)
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Kai
Robo-Kai
Posts: 1306
(9/5/06 23:25)
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Re: Lanterns are for sissies. >:{ And we're HAAARRDCORE!
Stephan manages to hit with his first attack, fortunately for him without much bother about the incorporeal nature of his foe.
He wasn't the only one attacking it. He found himself fighting alongside a few children Joss' age, desperately trying to protect their younger friends and give them a chance to flee. The rest who had stayed were younger, but had managed to hold their ground as well. Next to him was a half-elf boy and two humans, a boy and a girl. Then a few seven- or eight-year-olds. Most were doing their best to fling fire at their common enemy. They looked a bit tired, like they'd been doing this for a while, but what choice did they have?
(Stephan deals 20 damage. Whoever's feelin' hostile can go next.)
Edited by: Kai at: 9/5/06 23:26
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NebulaQueen
VACANT
Posts: 3762
(9/6/06 2:23)
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Re: Lanterns are for sissies. >:{ And we're HAAARRDCORE!
Not only did it appear that the children had begun to escape, but it seemed like the grownups had come just in time. It looked like it just might be Kei's lucky day. Gripping her katana, she dashed in next to Stephan and started in on her own efforts to defend the children.
(-Attack Bonus: +23/+18/+13
-Damage: 1d10 +2 STR
-Critical: 19/20 x3/17-20 x3 while keen. If it's not still keen from the last attack, assume she's activated the sheath again.)
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Nakibe
Mmmmm... Chaos Sandwich. ^_^
Posts: 1249
(9/6/06 3:09)
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Re: Lanterns are for sissies. >:{ And we're HAAARRDCORE!
And they left the land of crazy raining numbers that one would expect to be at home in some deranged mathematical genius' fantasy... only to return to the waking world and find that horror from the basement, back again and attempting to do to the children what it had almost done to Eve.
At least it occured to him to try to keep his distance from the thing, no matter how much he wished it had something more neck-like for him to break. As such, he rummaged around in his pack and, upon finding his only vial of acid, tossed it at the creature.
(Ranged attack with a vial of acid... as if it'd do too terribly much. Attack +18, 1d6 Acid damage. )
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Kai
Robo-Kai
Posts: 1307
(9/6/06 11:10)
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Re: Lanterns are for sissies. >:{ And we're HAAARRDCORE!
Kei, despite having had significant trouble hitting the specter at all so far, managed to carve a bit of damage into its ethereal form. Damian had less luck with his projectile, as it sailed through the creature and scorched some grass when it hit the ground.
Myrnal threw her yellow-handled dagger again, and as it flew through the creature, it slowed as it hit some resistance. A jolt of electricity discharged into the monster, and the dagger spun back through the air into the ninja's hand.
The creature dived down onto one of the kids next to Stephan. Eve waved a hand over her face, and suddenly she was between the kid and that damned ethereal monster. This left her in front of the enemy herself, and she lifted a thin shaft of crystal toward it. From the end of it flew a spray of sparkling crystals so small they'd be invisible if they weren't reflecting the sunlight.
(Kei deals 10 damage with her first attack. Damian misses with the acid. Players do as you will.)
Edited by: Kai at: 9/6/06 11:11
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FF Fanatic 80
Imposter Brit
Posts: 2064
(9/6/06 21:29)
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Re: Lanterns are for sissies. >:{ And we're HAAARRDCORE!
Stephan was already en route towards the creature, as the psion put herself in the way of the kid.
Not wanting to waste the creature's attention toward Eve and her attack, he lays into it with his Greatsword.
(Deja Vu:
Weapon: +3 Greatsword with Ghost-Touch/Keened
Attack Bonus (Greatsword): +20/+15/+10 (+20 haste attack)
Attack Damage (Greatsword): 2d6+12 17-20/x2 )
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Kai
Robo-Kai
Posts: 1310
(9/6/06 21:38)
Reply
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Re: Lanterns are for sissies. >:{ And we're HAAARRDCORE!
Well, so far the situation with this specter has been more or less that the party stabs it with their steely knives, but they just can't kill the beast.
Stephan could, and just did. As he drove the sword through the image of that creature, everyone could see it begin to dissipate around his weapon. With a horrible brain-splitting shriek it dissolved completely.
When the creature screamed, Eve and the fleeing cultists cowered with their hands over their ears. When it disappeared there was a moment of total stillness and shock from the kids. Some took a few halting steps down out of the trees and then stopped, while the ones closest to the party seemed to realize as a group who exactly was standing so near. The only one who didn't move back was the half-elf boy near Stephan. He stood in front of the others, silent, watching the party warily.
(The specter had 18 HP left. Stephan dealt 19 damage with his first hit. None of the others would have landed, but fortunately they didn't need to anyway.)
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Kai
Robo-Kai
Posts: 1311
(9/6/06 22:55)
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TOTALLY BRIAN
James stepped forward to back Stephan up, raising both hands in the air as if to say, "don't worry, it's cool, we're not here to hurt you." The group had been united when there was a clear mutual enemy, but with that sense of greater purpose removed, this situation could quickly become very messy.
"Hey," offered James in as non-threatening a tone as he could muster. "Nice job with that thing, guys. Relax, we're here to help you."
Diplomacy was not really James's strong point. It seemed as though someone a bit better with children should do the talking about now.
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Nakibe
Mmmmm... Chaos Sandwich. ^_^
Posts: 1251
(9/6/06 23:27)
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Re: Lanterns are for sissies. >:{ And we're HAAARRDCORE!
Being watched like that made Damian uneasy. It took a deep breath and counting mentally to twenty before Damian figured he could talk to anyone about anything without anger in his voice. Even so, his voice still sounded a tad edgy when he said "Well, its nice to see you all as well. Although perhaps we should see what we can do to arrange a healer to come here or something and make sure you're all fine..."
Well, this is... awkward. Have to wonder what my own "family" at the time would've done. Would we be like this too? What do I say?
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Kai
Robo-Kai
Posts: 1312
(9/7/06 12:22)
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Re: TOTALLY BRIAN
Some of the children exchanged glances, but they didn't respond to James or Damian immediately. Apparently realizing he was to be their spokesman, the half-elf stepped forward. "My name is Eli Sheridan. The others have asked me to speak for them, and I can tell you right now I don't trust you. You come here with all your concern for us," he said with a little sneer. "You offer to get us a healer. You want to take care of us."
He tilted his head, listening to his friends. "But we know what you've done. Glinss't is gone. Danny is gone and... and even Dawn. Rendon. Rilla. You're done killing, and I'm not like Joss was. I won't believe your lies. What do you really want?"
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Nakibe
Mmmmm... Chaos Sandwich. ^_^
Posts: 1252
(9/7/06 21:48)
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Re: Lanterns are for sissies. >:{ And we're HAAARRDCORE!
"Right now, kid? I wanna go HOME." Damian said simply. "I hate this place. Its too much like where I.... " A vision of men telling him not to be scared. That he would be part of a GLORIOUS new future, where men controlled their own destinies. The memories wanted to return, and just being here... watching these kids... was one of them him? And could they also have...
It took precious moments to free himself from the memories. He sank to the ground slowly, fatigue and thoughts of clean white rooms doing what danger and a compulsion to fear could not. "...I'm... I'm tired, kid. My brother is waiting." were what little he managed after he could focus on the present again.
Few probably heard the small little whisper of "... please, let me out!" that managed to escape his lips anyway.
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Kai
Robo-Kai
Posts: 1313
(9/7/06 22:12)
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Re: TOTALLY BRIAN
Eli took a startled step backward, sparing a quick glance over his shoulder to the others. He visibly shook off a brief lapse in his anger. Damian's response was unexpected, but it apparently didn't change things.
"So? You want to go home? You hate it here? Then why did you come and destroy everything? Why did you betray us, destroying the estate and leaving us to find a new home here, and then follow us just so you could take everything away for good? Huh? Just because you hate it DOESN'T MEAN THAT YOU--" Eli broke off, pressing his palm to his forehead. A boy of about ten shook his head from the back ranks. Eli paused, listening again. He growled in frustration.
"All right. Fine. So maybe you just wanna go home and live out your life in peace or whatever. I'll buy that. Where do you fit in killing our friends? Our family? You tell me that."
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NebulaQueen
VACANT
Posts: 3763
(9/7/06 22:41)
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Re: Lanterns are for sissies. >:{ And we're HAAARRDCORE!
"Rendon and Rilla...it is not too late for them," said Kei, thinking back on Myrnal's offer to help revive Lym. Surely, the children wouldn't be too much trouble on top of that...
Kei cleared her thoughts, and continued. "If you believe anything I say," she said, "it's that I never wanted to harm either of them. As for the others...I will not lie. They had some terrible things in store for this world, and we could not let them continue with their plans. While I'm sorry you had to suffer this loss, it was the only way to stop them."
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FF Fanatic 80
Imposter Brit
Posts: 2067
(9/10/06 14:25)
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Re: TOTALLY BRIAN
"...I'm sure they'll buy that excuse Kei..." Stephan sighs to himself, assessing the situation in his own mind.
There really wasn't much they could do now, aside from get the hell out of there. And even then, these kids could come after all of them down the road. Or worse.
"...if you plan on killing us, just get it the bloody f#$k over with already." Stephan comments, with a slightly irritated look in his eyes, "Because I get the feeling you don't give a shit what our reasons were for coming here anyway. If I were you, I probably wouldn't care either."
Edited by: FF Fanatic 80 at: 9/10/06 14:26
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Kai
Robo-Kai
Posts: 1322
(9/10/06 14:46)
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Dissention in the ranks?
The boy snarled at Stephan's comment, and made a fist with his right hand. The arm covered itself in fire. "You know what, maybe I ought to. Maybe I should just--"
"Eli!" Yelled another boy. It was the boy who'd shaken his head at Eli earlier.
"You stay out of this," Eli hissed. "They killed the others. You know it, because I know you can tell. You know what they've done!"
The younger boy shrugged, with a despondent expression that showed plainly that this fact had not escaped him. "I know." He walked to stand next to Eli, looking from Stephan to Kei to Damian... then finally to James, Myrnal and Eve. He laid a hand on Eli's shoulder, which the half-elf shrugged off. "I know. But I would know if they were lying." With some distress he noted, "I don't know if they're right, but they believe they are." He pointed at James. "Him more than the others."
Eli's glance flicked over to James. He rolled his eyes and looked away. "That's your area not mine. But it's made you soft, Paul."
Paul's voice was quiet... but with every passing moment he seemed more and more certain. "Oh, gods. Eli." His expression was one of ever-growing horror. "...They're right."
"FINE!" Eli yelled. "Then you talk to them if you like them so much!"
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Archmage144
Hyper-scientific Bishounen
Pharmacist Brian
Season III!
Posts: 4701
(9/10/06 15:00)
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Re: TOTALLY BRIAN
James blinked. Of course he was right. He knew exactly why he needed to get involved in this whole situation. He knew precisely why it was necessary that he be sent back in time, risking paradox and other horrible temporal misfortune. It then occurred to him that he was speaking to a telepath, and as a result, it made no difference whether he kept quiet about the precise reasons as to why he was here, or even how he got here. There was no escaping a potential paradox, even by keeping his mouth shut, because the child could read his mind. James shuddered involuntarily at the sudden thought of breaking the entire time stream all because he had encountered some mind-reading kid.
After a moment of uncomfortable silence during which James tried his absolute hardest to think of anything but time travel, the half-incubus realized that his efforts were futile and figured that since the cosmos had not yet violently imploded that it was safe to give some sort of honest explanation.
"I know I'm right because I was sent here from a potential future in which Dawn managed to succeed in her resurrection of her dark master," announced James. "We wouldn't have come here to stop her if it weren't important. I can tell you for a fact that terrible things would have happened, and eventually Dawn and Elaith would end up fighting each other. All of Gaera would have been reduced to ashes by their war." He sighed heavily, taking the opposite strategy from earlier and trying to bring all of his memories of the horrible world in which he had grown up to the surface of his thoughts, allowing any potential telepathy to pick up a genuine vision of James's future. "Elaith Thenswick was killed for a reason, and I don't know what Dawn told you, but there was definitely one thing she was wrong about. Bringing him back would be no good, not for anybody. Not even for her."
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Kai
Robo-Kai
Posts: 1323
(9/10/06 15:04)
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Re: Dissention in the ranks?
Eli stormed back into the group of the others, unwilling to leave them alone, but definitely done with the conversation. Paul stayed, and his voice was barely above a whisper when he spoke. "Why would they fight? That's not how it's supposed to be..."
He closed his eyes, presumably doublechecking James' words with what he found in the incubus' mind. His eyes flew open wide and he took a step back. "But....why?"
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Archmage144
Hyper-scientific Bishounen
Pharmacist Brian
Season III!
Posts: 4702
(9/10/06 15:11)
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Re: TOTALLY BRIAN
"I...have no idea," admitted James. "But they did. Maybe Dawn realized that it wasn't such a good idea to have him around, either. Maybe she realized she had made a mistake. But there was no talking her out of it in this time. She was obsessed, and she was willing to do whatever it took for something she would later most likely decided she didn't actually want. I couldn't let there be as many sacrifices as there would inevitably be while she took the time to figure that out."
She should've gotten therapy instead of trying for world domination, lamented the mage internally. But they never seem to go that way, do they?
"Elaith Thenswick, no matter what Dawn told you about him, was a dangerous and unfriendly man. He was willing to do anything and kill anyone, all to convince one girl to love him. I don't think he was going about it the right way, and I don't think she was particularly fond of it, either. I don't know why Dawn was so loyal to him, but I can't imagine that he was all that concerned with her well-being. That man had one thing on his mind at all times, and he would destroy the world to get it if he could. He was a manipulator, a murderer, and an enslaver who would take away the free will of an entire race so that he could use them as his personal army. I know for a fact," noted James, "that the dragons of this world would not be pleased to know that Elaith Thenswick would ever have the chance to live again."
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Kai
Robo-Kai
Posts: 1324
(9/10/06 15:33)
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Re: Dissention in the ranks?
Eve absorbed all of this information silently, brought up a cigarette as if to light it, and then looked around at their current company and thought better of it.
Paul did what none of them had done so far. He turned his back on his one-time enemies and simply headed back to the others. He shook his head and the party could hear him say only one thing, to himself more than to the other children.
"I wish Alya was here."
Edited by: Kai at: 9/10/06 15:34
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FF Fanatic 80
Imposter Brit
Posts: 2068
(9/10/06 22:06)
Reply
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Re: TOTALLY BRIAN
"...well, at least one of them knows we're not out of minds." Stephan thinks to himself. When the kid mentions Alya, he looks puzzled for a few moments.
"...Alya... the one you were all going to sacrifice along with Joss there?" he asks the kid.
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Mekta Satak Kai
Posts: 1
(9/10/06 22:11)
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Re: Dissention in the ranks?
Paul turned as Stephan repeated her name. "Alya. Alya Fairburn. Where is she?" He demanded.
Edited by: Kai at: 9/10/06 22:28
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Nakibe
Mmmmm... Chaos Sandwich. ^_^
Posts: 1253
(9/10/06 23:36)
Reply
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Re: TOTALLY BRIAN
"The girl that Joss was with, yes." Damian said, only barely loud enough for others to hear. "They both decided to stay back at Gunnir before we left. Barring them deciding that the campus was too boring they should still be there."
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Kai
Robo-Kai
Posts: 1326
(9/11/06 11:25)
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Totally brooming.
Paul stared at Damian in astonishment. "You... you aren't lying, are you?"
Several of the children stepped closer to Paul. His gaze grew distant and he stared down into the grass absently. "It's no good. I can't reach her from here."
"How close do you have to be?" Eli asked.
"Closer than he is now, duh," replied a girl about Paul's age. "Hey you," she said to Eve. "Eva. We want to see her."
Before Eve could answer, Paul spoke for her. "No. She can't," he said with dismay. "Look at her. There are too many of us." He sighed. "She probably couldn't do it even if she weren't half-spent already."
"HEY!" Eve shouted. "First of all, you rugrats need to get out of my fucking head. Secondly, if I'm tired it's because I've already been teleporting people all over Igala chasing after you guys. I don't need to answer to some damn kid who, until about fifteen minutes ago, was following my crazy sister like a lovesick puppy!" But Paul was right. Eve was tired and she looked it. Even discounting everything else the girl had been through today, pulling them through the interference from Dawn's basement had taken a lot out of her.
"Then make trips," the girl replied.
"That would take even more energy. Didn't she teach you anything besides how to blow shit up?"
"What about that Archmagus Lee?" Myrnal offered. "Make him figure something out."
"So, what?" Eve asked. "You want me to strand you guys here while I go see if we can't open something up from the other side?" She shrugged. "If you can hold down the fort here while I'm gone." She scanned the crowd of children briefly, attempting to get a rough estimate of just how many people were going to be transported. "And, uh, guys... maybe figure out what the hell to do with these ones by the time we get you back."
With a sigh, she disappeared.
Edited by: Kai at: 9/11/06 11:27
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NebulaQueen
VACANT
Posts: 3765
(9/11/06 19:50)
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Re: TOTALLY BRIAN
Kei glanced at the children, and after clearing her throat, she began to speak. "If I was in your position," she said gently. I would stay with your friends at Gunnir. You would be able to find a home there, and your talents would not go to waste. It would be a shame to see such bright minds become extinguished."
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Kai
Robo-Kai
Posts: 1327
(9/11/06 21:04)
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OMG DRAMA
Paul glanced back to the others but said nothing. This was one decision he couldn't make for them. The girl who'd been harassing Eve spoke first. "Now that's a surprising offer. If I was in your position," the girl said, mockingly echoing Kei's words. "...my first choice wouldn't be to give my enemy a way to become stronger. What makes you think you can trust us?"
"Irulan," Eli said. "Let's just wait until we see her. If Alya's really there, she'll know. And if something's wrong, if you've done anything to her," he said to the party. "Paul will know. He knows her better than even we do. You'd better hope she's okay."
Irulan snorted. "Please. Like Joss would let anyone near her. He's like, her boyfriend or something."
Paul gaped at her. "Is not! She would have told me!"
"Oh yeah?" said Irulan. "Then why was he spouting all sorts of crap about his manly duty to her and whatever?"
"Because he does that to everyone! Doesn't mean they're dating."
"Maybe. I'm just saying. Just because your parents were married doesn't mean she comes to you with all the dirty details of her love life."
Paul's jaw dropped. "There are no dirty details in her love life! Just you wait! I'm going to ask! You're just trying to spread rumors because you're the one with a crush on Joss!"
Irulan made a noise of horror and indignation and stormed to the back of the group. Paul glowed with his minor triumph.
After that bit of juvenile drama, there was a ripping sound and a tear in the fabric of space manifested not far from the party. Either Lee had figured something out, or the bulls and bears from the plane of dreams had expanded their charging field out onto Dawn's front lawn.
But it was probably Malachi.
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Kai
Robo-Kai
Posts: 1328
(9/11/06 23:39)
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BRIAN RETURNS
James surveyed the childish bickering with some amusement. "You know, what with Joss being at Gunnir, I assure you he's being well-taken care of. And he's probably better fed than anyone else has been, ever. Gunnir is home to a culinary artisan." The half-demon salivated at the thought of returning to the Academy and having his choice of food from the kitchen. Perhaps this time he would order Nekonian seared salmon and tuna tataki and pair the stronger fishes with a rack of lamb seasoned with potent Rivan spices and hot peppersauce in a kind of warped, multicultural surf-and-turf. Or he might enjoy crab, yellowtail and avacado wrapped in nori with spicy mayonnaise and a side of lime-garnished shrimp scampi with more garlic than grew in all of western Baron. Or maybe he could eschew the seafood altogether and insist upon stir-fried buffalo with ginger sauce and lemon pepper in an array of mixed vegetables. But no broccoli or onions.
The possibilities were endless. If only it were possible to convince the kids that they were better off on their side by feeding them.
Then again, they were kids. Maybe it was possible.
The kids were wrong about one thing, at least. The kids were never the enemy, and it would not be wrong to treat them with whatever kindness it took to keep them from being or becoming sociopaths. Dawn was always the enemy. No, even that was wrong, thought James. Elaith was always the enemy, in the truest sense. And the only reason that Dawn Valerian had to die was that there was no way that she could be convinced that Elaith Thenswick should not live.
That sort of philosophical discussion could come later. Dawn had apparently taught "her" children about philosophy. James did not doubt for an instant that given sufficient explanation and reason to understand that they could. Whether they would, on the other hand, was an entirely separate matter. He would have to hope that whatever he and the others did ultimately had a lasting impression.
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NebulaQueen
VACANT
Posts: 3766
(9/12/06 23:38)
Reply
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Re: OMG DRAMA
Or maybe she thought sadly, now that you're with people who are somewhat sane -
Not that the Gunnir mages were sane by most standards, but comparitively...
- you won't be our enemies anymore.
However, her somber reflections were lightened by the interesting conversation the children were having. She couldn't help but chuckle a bit; no matter how bad things were, deep down, they were still children. They deserved a better chance, not just for their own sakes, but for the sake of the world.
After all, they are the future.
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Nakibe
Mmmmm... Chaos Sandwich. ^_^
Posts: 1254
(9/13/06 16:27)
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Re: BRIAN RETURNS
The kids' argument seemed so... small to Damian. So unimportant to the world. Their concerns were nothing like his group. Always with the training and the missions and more often than not the realization that someone was not likely to be seen alive the next day.
Damian envied these kids. They still had something normal to them. Perhaps... something great to look forwards to even now. And for once, Damian was sorely tempted to do something he'd never, ever, thought of doing while there was still someone around who might consider killing him an option.
... so tired.... I need a nap or something. Maybe...maybe later.
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Kai
Robo-Kai
Posts: 1330
(9/14/06 22:24)
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Brooming you again.
When Paul and Irulan separated over their little spat, the mood had lightened a bit. At least for a few moments it was easy to forget why they were there, why the party was there. Those few moments didn't last forever. Paul sighed and looked around at his friends, making brief eye contact with Eli. The half-elf nodded and Paul looked down into the grass, shaking his head. The other children were quiet, perhaps still waiting to be told what to do next, what was really going to happen to them.
The group started breaking into little clusters around the older children. There wasn't anyone else to follow at this point. Some of the younger ones didn't seem to understand what was going on, and insistent, questioning whispers were ignored. What explanation was there to be given?
They were kids. Most had been taken care of in some capacity by other people all their lives. Here they were finding for a second time that they couldn't rely on anybody else to do that for them anymore. Everyone who'd ever promised them they'd be okay... had turned out to be a liar.
So they waited. They waited for what must have seemed like just another upheaval, happening totally out of their control.
The portal that had manifested in the grass remained unusued for several more seconds. The children certainly had no reason to dive into another mystery ruled by strangers, and the party had no guarantee it was from Gunnir at all.
That is, until a familiar absent-minded department head stepped through into the sun. He looked around him, an expression of faint wonder playing over his features. Here were his allies, sent to stop the suffering and chaos his favorite student had caused, and would have spread over the world if she hadn't been killed. Here were over two dozen children, without homes, without any plans, without any assurance that things would get any better.
Malachi Lee looked down into the grass intensely. His frown deepened, and at the pinnacle of his concentration he jolted forward in a formidable sneeze. He pulled a handkerchief from his pocket.
"Good heavens," he said. "Lovely landscaping, but not for me I'm afraid." He blew his nose with tremendous emphasis. "Well. If you're all ready to go, I'll stay behind and make sure the children are all right and interested in checking out our little establishment." He waved the other adults toward the portal he'd opened.
As the others headed toward their exit, Myrnal passed Damian's current station on the grass and prodded him with her foot. When she managed to make eye contact with him, she tilted her head briefly, the tiny sideways flick of her chin a silent, curt signal of concern. Then again, it could also have meant, "Get your ass up."
Once through the portal, the party found themselves in an elongated room whose side walls were lined with coat racks. Damian, in his brief research foray into Gunnir's interdimensional travelling capabilities, had found it was used for the planar cartography students, many of whom choose to study abroad. In the far corner, Eve was sitting cross-legged on the floor.
Behind them, only a few seconds afterward, was a crowd of rather small people. It started with a trickle of a few older children, and then the whole lot of them entered en masse. Paul was toward the back of the group, and shoved his way roughly to the front. Eve stood up as Paul ran past her and the rest of the adults present. He was met in the doorway by a little blonde girl who threw herself into his arms and nearly knocked him flat on his backside.
At the sight of Alya, the other children rushed forward as well, their reunion surprisingly hushed and uncertain for kids who thought they'd never see each other again.
Joss stepped from the hall into the doorway. He stood aloof from the others, watching them and watching Alya. Eli found his way over and the two stood silently, seemingly sizing each other up. The tension suspended between them stretched out until it seemed that one of them must say something, anything. Instead, Joss stepped forward and grabbed Eli in what passed for a manly bear-hug between pre-adolescent boys.
Malachi spoke quietly to the party. "Eve and I have spoken briefly on the issue, and it seems that, as the last surviving member of the Valerian family, she may be coming into the resources needed to fund the various expenses involved in the children's educations, should they choose to stay on here."
Malachi watched as Joss and Eli detached from each other, the party's young friend finally taking a few steps into the crowd of his former comrades. "I have not spoken with Alya at length on the issue, but it is my impression from Joss that he will not be staying on with the others at Gunnir. Beyond that, I have no new information to relate."
Edited by: Kai at: 9/14/06 22:30
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