[ We find Most Of Out Heroes in the common room of the Flying Couches! It's a nice afternoon, unless you're in night classes. Istvan, Kenji, and Alci are off somewhere doing something. Session Start! ] * Max is hovering on his Book, as usual. Not so usual, he's got a bowl of that wonderful stuff called Ice Cream that he's slowly working his way through. * Tia trots in with a book in her hand, which is pretty unusual. The title reads, "Identification of Monsters II." * Tia nearly runs into a few students as she makes her way into the room, as she's reading as she walks. * Patrick walks up from his lab in the basement, carrying a very large crate of flasks filled with, to the trained eye, acid or alchemist's fire. He's got a nice grin on his face. "Hey, where's Kenji?" Huh? * Tia looks up from her book. "Oh, I don't know. Haven't seen him today." 'kay... Where's Seylin? Whatcha readin' there, Tia? * Tia grins and holds up Identification of Monsters II. "It's full of cute animals!" I'm tryin' to memorize all of them for the test! * Patrick puts the flasks down carefully near his less volitile setup in this room. * Seylin walks through the front door into the common room. "Hi, everyone!" Oh? Good luck, then! I found that class interesting, but I've probably forgotten most of it. ^^; Thanks, Max! Hey Seylin! * Tia waves. "Hi, Sey!" * Seylin has her hair pulled back, and she's wearing a loose, sleeveless tunic and loose-fitting pants. She looks like she might have been training. * Max watches Specs flutter over to perch on Tia's shoulder, and cock his owl- head at the book. "...traitor." :P * Patrick chuckles. "Hey, you've been working out and you didn't tell me?" You were busy in your lab. * Patrick wipes his brow. "Yeah, but this is finally done. And if I'm guessin' right, we'll be needing every one of these flasks." * Seylin walks over to him and sets her haversack down. "Mmmm, we're leaving soon?" * Patrick nods. "Yeah, right after finals. Great, isn't it?" ^_^ A break would've been nice, but this is very important stuff. We probably should get started as soon as posible. That's why I've been practicing. Yeah, each of those flasks is a Firebrand! Well, if I can steal them when I run out of my own. Yeah, Kenji got that inviso-thing on your halberd, didn't he? * Patrick chuckles. "Only the ones that aren't acid, Max." He grins. Yeah, it's pretty cool! It's tricky to fight with something you can't see, but I'm getting better. I've been practicing fighting blindfolded. Nice! There weren't people staring at you, were there? * Seylin giggles. "How could I have told? I was blindfolded and trying to hit the practice dummies." Invisible? It's invisible? * Tia giggles at Specs and scratches his head carefully with her index finger. Just making sure. ~_^ * Seylin looks over at Max. "Yeah, Kenji had it enchanted for me." She bends over and pulls something out of her haversack. Well, it looks like she's pulling something out, but when she stands up again, it doesn't look like she has anything. Her hands are curled as if she's holding something, but that's it. * Tia looks up. Oh, I believe you. I think I screwed up - it's supposed to be a bit translucent, but I see it like it's not invisible. Oops. ^^; I don't get it. * Tia scratches her head. * Will walks into the common room listlessly. He waves hi weakly before sitting down in the corner with a textbook in hand. Hey Will, what's up? ^^ * Seylin looks at Max. "Oh, right, you've got the ability to see invisible things!" * Will looks up. "Oh... Hi Pat." * Seylin moves her invisible halberd to one hand. "Hi, Will! What's wrong?" Yeah. Among other things. ^^ ...yeah, what's wrong, Will? * Tia blinks and turns toward Will. * Will looks a bit uncomfortable. "Umm... Nothing. Nothing at all." Pfft, you lie like a rug. * Seylin stashes her halberd back in her haversack. "Are you sure?" * Max flips over, sitting on the bottom of his Book now, and tries to see what Will's reading. * Tia pads over to join Will. * Will forces a smile on his face and puts his book on healing practices down. "Yeah. No problem. Just haven't been sleeping well lately." * Tia looks sympathetic. "Sometimes warm milk helps!" * Will nods. "Yeah. Sometimes..." Well, you gonna tell us what's bugging you? ^^ * Tia wags her tail. * Will picks up his book again. "Nothing's wrong, Pat. Thanks for asking." * Seylin pokes Patrick lightly in the arm. You're sure? What're ya reading? * Will smiles. "Yeah. Thanks, Max." * Will holds up the book he's been reading. "Oh and this is just something on herbs and bandages." Oh. Enjoy! *floats off, giving him room to read* * Will nods and goes back reading silently. Hey, Tia, that one have the pseudodragon in it? A what-dragon? * Tia starts flipping frantically through the book. Uh..I guess not. It'd be under 'p'. * Tia looks it up under the index. It's a tiny dragon-thing. But...I think it has a stinger instead of breathing nasty things. * Patrick looks over at Seylin and whispers to her. * Seylin whispers back. * Tia 's eyes suddenly fly open wide. "Oh! I know what that is!" She flips to the correct page. "Puh-soo-doe-dragon!" * Max snickers. "That would be the one." ^_^ It's my favorite. Specs does a good impression of them. * Patrick nods and shrugs. "Pseudodragons. Just cats with wings, scales, a tail, and a mouth to match." ^_^ * Tia laughs. Yeah, I suppose they would be. I've never met one. ^^; But unlike cats, they don't usually make good pets. I like the little butterfly ones. Some people would argue that about cats, too. Exactly. If you treat it like its the most important thing in the world, it'll be an excellent pet. Then again, so would anything else. Specs is the most important thing in the world, according to him. I think that's endemic of pets. THey know their place. ~_^ * Seylin laughs. * Patrick chuckles. * Max blinks, and gets an expression that should accompany a lightbulb flashing over someone's head. "Hey, Tia. If you need help studying, I could use some practice with my illusions..." 'Specially if knowing these monsters'll be important, I should brush up on 'em too. Only if you're takin' the classes she is. ~_^ Ahh. I'm gonna go wash up. I'll be right back. * Tia grins. "Sure, Max! You can study with me." * Seylin picks up her haversack and heads upstairs for a few minutes. Cool. Let me pull out a good illusion spell...think you'll need sound, or just pictures? * Tia claps. "Ooh, you can do both?" * Patrick stays and watches. This'll be good. * Will secretly moves his chair a bit closer to watch the monsters lession. (Crap, dude. I read that as "lesbian") Well, I can, kind of. But I warn you, I'll be imagining the sounds of most of 'em. HAven't seen 'em, myself. ^^; (Lesbian spells!) ( ^^;; ) (Those divine spells like OTHER divine spells!) * Max pages through his Book, until he comes to a page he seems satisfied with. "Um, may I borrow your book, Tia? I'll quiz you." * Tia seems amused anyway, and she cavorts around the common room excitedly. "I want illusions!" Okay. Um... let's start with an easy one. *gestures, and a moderately good replica of Tia appears, jumping excitedly and clapping her hands.* Well, Tia? Tell me everything you know about these! ^_^ * Will grins as he peers over the top of his book. It's a...me! Right! And? What kind of creature are you? I'm a girl. And a dragon. * Tia grins. ...riiight...and? I actually don't know this. Is there a name for your race? ^^; Sorry, maybe I shouldn't ahve started with this one. Best to start with something -I- know, maybe. Ummm... * Tia looks puzzled as the gears grind in her head. * Max 's illusion of Tia puts a contemplative finger to her chin, in mimicry of Max's gesture. * Patrick gets bored of this and heads up after Seylin. A Tia, I guess. I've never met another person like me. Oh. Hm. Well, then it's not likely to appear on the test. Hm. Let me look in there... *floats over to peer at Tia's book* * Tia passes Max the book. * Max takes it, and flips through it a bit. "How about...ooh." He gestures, and the Tia illusion morphs into something with one foot and four arms. It starts picking the pockets of an illusory Max, before vanishing. Repeat this loop. Ooh! Ooh! * Tia scratches her head and ponders. "One-Foor Four-Arms Man?" * Max chuckles. "Would that masters of nameology took lessons from you, Tia. But no. Guess again? What's it doing?" Umm. Digging in your pocket! Yeah. See how I'm not noticing? That's a rather common behavio--hey! No stealing my Rod! *the Filcher looks at the Real Max, and puts the Rod of Wonder back in illusion-Max's pocket* *ahem* Anyway, see how it keeps vanishing? * Tia nods. Ooh! Ooh! Disappearing Four-Arms Man! * Max laughs again. "Not quite. What do you know about planar travel?" [ Ha. ] * Tia shakes her head. "I think Mama talks about it sometimes, but I don't remember anything about it." Oh, okay. Ever hear of the ethereal plane? * Tia puzzles over this a moment. "Um, maybe." Think of it like...um...it's like being behind a curtain. You can sort of see out of it into the "real world", and sometimes people can see you behind it, but neither can really touch the other. Anyway, this critter jumps from one side of that curtain to the other whenever it wants. * Tia nods slowly. "How do you do that?" Well, I can't, yet. I know there're spells for it, I just don't know them. This guy just can, like you can fly and swing an axe. See how it's stealing things from my pockets then dissappearing to the ethereal plane? Wow. * Tia puts her face really close to the illusion and stares. * Will is nodding and taking notes on a notepad that he has hidden behind his textbook. * The illusion probably doesn't look nearly as good up that close. * Tia pokes ineffectually at the moving illusion. Well, that's what this thing does. It steals things, then runs away to the ethereal plane, where most people can't follow. It's called an "Ethereal Filcher". "Ethereal" because it likes to run to the ethereal plane, and "Filcher" because it filches stuff. Filch means steal, really. * Max tries to make the illusion dodge Tia's poking, so she won't actually feel how it isn't there. Think you can remember that? * Tia blinks a few times. "Ethereal Filcher." * Tia repeats the name a few times, then grins widely. "Ethereal Filcher! Got it!" Okay! And what does it do? Digs in your pocket! *snicker* Right. And then? Um. Steals stuff! ...Right? Right, Tia. It steals stuff, and then... Uh, disappears! Right! So, tell me all of that together. Tell me what it is, and each thing it does. 'Cause that's all likely to be on the test, if this critter appears there. Ethereal...Filcher! It steals stuff from your pockets and disappears! * Tia looks rather proud of herself. * Max 's illusion DING DING DING!s and a big smilie face appears where the critter and illusion-Max were. Hm. Ready for another? * Tia jumps up and down rather earthshakingly as she cheers for herself. "Yeah!" Alright! Um... *flips through the book* How about this one? *a spherical object appears. It has a big, fanged mouth, a single large eye above that, and a crown of stalks with eyes jutting from it. It glares menacingly at Tia with the big eye and 4 of the stalks* * Tia studies it from different angles, running from side to side. Big eyeball monster! * Seylin walks back into the common room. She blinks at the eyeball monster. "Still studying monsters?" Interestingly enough, I think it -is- sometimes called that. But I doubt that'll be the answer they're looking for. Know what it does? * Tia waves to Seylin. "Hi, Sey! Yeah, we're having lots of fun!" Yep! Tia's got the Ethereal Filcher down pat. Umm...looks at stuff? Bites stuff? * Patrick follows Seylin. "Nice!" He looks over at the Beholder. "Ooooh, that one." Okay. This one's a bit tricky if you don't already know what it is. First, let's tackle its name, okay? You're right, it looks at stuff. * Tia nods. * HKenji comes up from the basement, looking angry as hell. In fact, the word they like to use is it "beholds" stuff. You familiar with that word? Hi, Ken... um... ...what's wrong, Kenji? * Tia nods. "Yeah!" * Patrick glances at Kenji and whispers to Seylin. Nothing. * Tia is distracted momentarily. "Oh, hi, Kenji! Oh...uh, you're mad. Are you okay?" * Tia runs over to Kenji. * Max floats, watching. Maybe he'll tell Tia what's up. Tia, you should be studying or you won't pass your monster identification final. * Tia nods, but she still looks concerned. "Yeah, I was studying with Max just now. Is everything okay?" Yes. What made you mad? Did I do something? No, it's nothing to do with you, Tia. * HKenji reaches up and ruffles Tia's hair. "Now go study." * Max smiles. "I hope you feel better later, Kenji. You want to help Tia study, too? Or just want to go blow off steam?" * Patrick turns from Seylin for a moment. "Hey, Kenji, the rest of the acid and fire is ready. It's all in that crate over there." He points at the crate he took up earlier. Okay, if you're sure everything's okay. * Tia smiles again. * Tia tugs on Kenji's sleeve. "Did you see the cool eyeball monster that Max made? I wish I had one!" ...^^; They're nothing something you can keep as a pet, Tia. Uh...you really don't, Tia. Oh? Why not? Are they hard to potty train? ...we'll get to that, actually. It's part of what you need to know about them for the test. * Tia wags her tail eagerly. "How to potty train eyeball monsters?" * Seylin wrinkles her nose briefly. * Max laughs. "No, sorry. Why these make bad pets." Aheh... Oh, okay. So why do they make bad pets? ...we'll get to that. First, you need to know what they're called, right? * Tia nods. * Max pushes his glasses up his nose. "They like to behold things with all those eyes of theirs. So they're called Beholders." Got that? Beholders? Okay! Right. Now, beholders are powerful creatures. See how it's floating? That's not just 'cause I'm making an illusion. It's 'cause beholders really do float. Just like me on my Book, actually. So they're very mobile. * Tia nods. "Cool!" The big thing about them, though, is their eyes. Each one has its own power. * Patrick 's arm finds its way around Seylin's shoulder as he gives her a small hug with it. Yay for being taller than your tall girlfriend. Ooh, like what? * Max floats over the beholder, and points at one of the stalks. A laser-beam points from his finger to the eye, 'cause it can. * Seylin leans back against him and watches. She glances at Kenji out of the corner of her eye (provided he's still there and being quiet rather than having left). * HKenji finally catches up with reality, having seemed somewhat distracted for a moment. "Oh, yes, thank you, Patrick. It will be most useful, I imagine." This one has...*looks at Tia's book* a Charm Person effect. This one *points to another* has Charm Monster. * Patrick smirks at Kenji, then looks over all the mooks in the room (you know who you are). And... *points to each in turn* Sleep, uh... Flesh to Stone, ew - this one's nasty - Disintegrate, Fear, Slow, Inflict Wounds, and a Death spell. Oh, and this one lets them move things with their minds. Um, the big one's the really important one to remember, though. The one not on an eyestalk. It makes an anti-magic field, over everything it looks at. * Tia nods, though she seems to have somewhat gotten lost in the middle of Max's listing of the different powers. Uh...sorry. Hm. Do you have what the big one does? * Tia shakes her head. Okay. How's this? *adds an illusion of Max again, floating on his Book. It flies in front of the Beholder's big eye. And then falls, dumping a surprised illusory Max on the floor.* See? I'd be in big trouble against one of these. If it looks at you with the big eye, you can't use magic at all. Not even my Book would work. I'd go falling. Whoa, you just fell! * Max nods. It just has to look at you? That's 'cause I fly with magic. It just has to look at you with the big eye, and then all your magic stops working. * Tia chews thoughtfully on her lip. So. The big eye's power is that it makes magic stop working. Often called "anti-magic", because people like big words. Nah, then it'd be 'Supernatural-cancellation.' * Max pushes his glasses up his nose. You have a point, Patrick. I'm glad that the people who make up names are not always as clever as they think they are. ^_^ ^_^ * Tia nods again. Anyway, Tia, you got what it's big eye does? Yeah! Makes you fall! * Tia wags her tail. Uh... well. * Seylin laughs. Why does it make me fall? * Patrick laughs. Oh, uh. It breaks your magic! Right! * Tia beams. This thing would beat me in a fight, hands down. Because I use magic, and it stops magic just by looking at you. You, on the other hand, would want to stay in its big eye's line of sight. Know why? Um. I don't do magic? Right! You have some magic things, I'm sure, but this monster does magic, too. Remember that long list of things I said it's other eyes do? * Tia nods hesitantly. Well, those are all magic, too. *leans forward, and stage-whispers, conspiratorilly* And it's magic eyes can't use magic on people that its big eye is looking at. Ohhhh! * Tia grins as if she's been let in on a huge secret. * Patrick whispers to Seylin. So. While you can't use any magic on it if you're standing in that area, it can't use any on you. And it will want to. These things are really smart, and...well, hm. How do you react to undead, Tia? * Tia shrugs. "I usually hit them." Right. These things react to EVERYTHING the way you do to undead. They hate everything, and want to use their magic eyes to make them stop being. Because they're mean like that. Why? Don't know. I don't understand most of the creatures of the darkness. They can't live up here, but they want to come up here and drive us out. *shrug* For now, for the test, it is enough to understand that they do. Beholders really hate everything. I think they even hate other evil things that aren't beholders. So. What do you know about this thing right now? * Tia thinks and starts ticking off items on her fingers. "It looks at stuff. And makes you fall if it looks at you. It's mean. It's hard to potty train..." * Seylin giggles. Um, is that good? * Tia looks hopeful. * Patrick snickers. Well, it's a good start. This one...what do its eyes do, other than the big one? Just generally, not specifically. * Will chuckles behind his textbook. Um. Magic! Right! Almost entirely bad magic that hurts you. * Tia nods emphatically. "I knew that!" She grins. Oh, and it can bite. But if it's biting someone like you, Tia, you've probably already won and just need to kill it. * Tia nods. "So if I see one, should I hit it?" Well, first get in front of it and make it look at you with the big eye. Then hit it. Okay! Got it! So. What's it called? Eyeball monst--! Uh...not look. Not stare... * Tia scratches her head again. Starts with a B... Be...Oh! Beholder! Yeah! * Tia roars triumphantly. The walls shake. Right! Ever heard the phrase "Beauty is in the Eye of hte Beholder?" * Tia nods. "Oh, I think so!" * Seylin manages to keep her balance, though having Patrick there probably helps. * Patrick is steady like something that's steady! Okay. Think of that phrase when you see this creature. That's how I remember it's a Beholder. * Tia nods. "Okay!" Now. Tell me what it is, what it does, and what the big eye does. * Max has illusory Max repeat his falling performance, just for amusement sake. Beholder! It makes you fall! * Max nods. "Keep going..." Um...it looks at stuff and is mean! And why's it make me fall? Oh, oh! It breaks magic with the big eye! Right. Remember that. I fly with magic, so it makes me fall by breaking my magic. * Tia nods cheerfully. And it's other eyes? Do bad magic! Bingo! *claps for Tia* * Tia claps too and bounces excitedly on all four paws. Do another one, Max! More! * Istvan comes up the stairs, and walks slowly and unsteadily towards his room. He's shirtless, covered in soot, and bandaged, with the bandages stained red in a diagonal line on his back. * Max sweatdrops and is very glad that he's not standing on the ground. Hey, Max, make an icecream elemental. ...Istvan? What happened? * Tia turns. "Isty! What happened?" * Patrick raises an eyebrow at Istvan. Kenji slashed me in the back. I'm gonna go sleep now. * Tia runs over worriedly. * Tia 's jaw drops. "What?" * Seylin blinks. "What?" * Istvan opens the door to his room, goes in, and closes it behind him. W--WHAT!? o_o * Will drops his book upon hearing what happened. * Patrick looks over at Kenji. "Why?" * Max would have fallen off his book if it didn't fall with him. His illusion vanishes completely. He told me to. ...wha? Well, technically he told me to stab him in the back. He... *told* you? * Tia stares at Kenji. "Huh? Why?!" * Max makes a few more incoherent sounds. * Patrick rubs his head. "Okay, I want to hear exactly what happened down there. Okay?" Because he is a stubborn fool who is incapable of learning from his mistakes, or seeing the truth about himself. * Will blinks at Kenji's statement. "Huh?" And I will not let him continue to endanger all of you simply because he doesn't want to address his own shortcomings. ...and so...y- you SLASHED him? *swallows, pushing his glasses up his nose, nervously, again* What do you mean? Endanger? What do-- what Tia said. But you attacked him? * Tia fidgets agitatedly, wings quivering. * Patrick looks over at Max and smirks. Yes, smirks. "That's what he's like. If you ask him to do it, he *will* do it." Makes it tough to be sarcastic with him. ... Actually, the first two times he told me to do it, I refrained. * Alcinoe comes up the stairs from the forge, repaired armor in her arms. She seems calm. Anyone who knows her particularly well notices the angry spark in her eyes. I will...remember that. *something unpleasent crossed the halfling's face with that* I am learning to interpret your... "sarcasm", Patrick, but even I have limits. By endangering the lot of you with his ineptitude, he has pushed me past them. Okay, this sounds more like Istvan's fault than Kenji's, despite Kenji laying the smack-down on Istvan. Because, quite honestly, asking someone to stab you in the back multiple times will end with a stab. To the back. ...what? Ineptitude? What do you mean? He seemed perfectly competant to me. *is standing on his Book now, hovering high enough to look down on Kenji* I-I don't understand. * Patrick looks over at Alcinoe and smiles. "Were you there for all of what happened?" * Will keeps silent as he waits for Kenji to answer Max's question. * Alcinoe looks back, steadily. "Ah started it." What happened, then? * Tia glances over. "Alci?" ...What? No. You after Kenji. Kenji explains first. Now. ...please. * Alcinoe smiles a little at Tia. It so doesn't reach her eyes. "Howdy." * Seylin looks confused and distraught. * Tia waves with a weak smile. As for his ineptitude... he's constant refusal to commit to anything, and more to the point, his inability to take anything but path of least resistance in any situation, is too great a threat to the safety of my companions to allow it to continue. * Patrick nods. * Tia doesn't seem to understand much of what Kenji just said. ...elaborate, Kenji. You just said almost nothing with a great number of words. He's saying Istvan's wussing out when we need him up in front, pretty much. I find myself hard pressed to elaborate in your language. He is like water, always taking the path of least resistance, always taking the shape of whatever container holds it, but now the container is too big, and he is not growing to fit the container. * Tia blinks. "Isty's wussing out?" Hm. What is he...inadequate in? * Will tilts his head. "But Isty is always in the front. And getting hurt doing it too!" * Alcinoe shakes her head. * Alcinoe goes to put her armor away, unless someone decides to stop her. If it is easier, explain it in your own language, Kenji. * HKenji sighs. * Seylin finally speaks again. "But there have to be better ways of motivating people than *slashing* them!" Istvan does not put himself into what he does. He adventures, but he does not put all of himself into it. He does it halfheartedly. * Tia glances around nervously, then runs off to knock at Istvan's door. "Isty, are you okay? Maybe Will could help you fix it!" * Alcinoe returns! She passes by Tia, glancing at her, but doesn't say anything. * Will nods thoughtfully at Kenji's words. * Tia keeps knocking. "Iiiisty?" * Alcinoe has a seat on a couch. Because he does not try with everything he has, he will fail when he is most needed, and damn us all. * Alcinoe glances at Will, then looks to Kenji. What makes you think that? * Istvan calls through the door. "M'okay for now... well, no, I'm in a shitload of pain. Maybe later." And how does cutting him change it? That depends on if he learns anything from it. * Tia calls back. "Are you sure you don't want Will to help you?" She sounds very worried. * Max mutters something about not turning his back on Kenji, but says aloud, "What lesson were you hoping this injury would teach? If he doesn't heal up, he might not even be able to go with us." * Patrick nods. "It showed that if he lets himself get kicked around, that's what's going to happen. Now I *know* more went on down there than just him telling you to slash him across the back." * Alcinoe twitches her ears. "He asked, Max." ... ... ... *pauses* ... If he does not dedicate himself, he will not go with us. Pleeeease, Isty? Enough, Tia. * Istvan falls silent for a moment, then comes to the door and opens it. Okay, your turn. Please explain, Alcinoe. You're a paladin, now. How could you let him do that? --so. Rather than being of questionable use in your mind, you'll make him of no use at all? Wha? * Will speaks softly. "Still doesn't mean he should be slashed though. It's just...not right." * Tia is standing at Istvan's doorway, looking much paler even than usual. * Istvan limps out of the room, past Tia, towards the others. "Here's what happened." * Patrick grins at Will. * Alcinoe shakes her head. She looks up to see Istvan, and the anger flares in her eyes again. * Seylin sits and looks pensive. * HKenji looks at Istvan and a scowl almost immediately comes over his face. * Tia plods after Istvan, though she seems puzzled by Alcinoe and Kenji's expressions. They came down to my forge, insulted me, called me useless and a danger to the party, and expected me to listen to them. They told me they ddin't want me adventuring with you guys. I told them to go fuck themselves. * Patrick pauses. * Tia cringes. Kenji said he'd kill me if I tried. I told him that if he wanted to do that, he might as well do it now. So he did. In my back. While I was unarmed. But you were stupid enough to ask for it. ...and failed, apparently. As you still live. * Tia huddles miserably at the back of the group. I didn't want to kill him. * Max looks to Kenji, a question he's not sure he wants to ask in his eyes. * Seylin whispers. "But if Kenji wanted to kill you... you'd be dead..." * Alcinoe says, with that oddly deceptive calm she's had, "He didn't want to kill 'im." * Patrick nods. Because I stupidly thought that being a samurai meant not stabbing people in the fucking back just because you don't think they're motivated enough. From what I gather, his code also requires him to be honest. And it sounds like he was honest and to the point with you. Because you have not paid attention. To anything. You don't listen, you don't learn... you just take the path of least resistance in anything. Well, I'm motivated now, you sanctimonious son of a bitch. I'm coming on the hunt for the next altar piece. And if you try to stop me, you'll fail. But, Patrick. He did not say he would injur him. He said he would kill him. So. Either-- *bites his tongue, not liking what he was saying* Because you may be a prick, and Alci may be the anti-Kardos, but I'll be damned if I'm gonna let the rest of you down. * Patrick gives a slight grin in Max's direction, then continues talking to Istvan. "Why do you want to go on the hunt?" He wants to go because Alcinoe and I will not allow it. He would endanger all of you simply to cross us. * Alcinoe actually growls. But she stays right where she is, glaring at Istvan. No, I wanna go because I don't want that bitch in the blue armor getting her hands on it. * Alcinoe speaks up now. "That is NOT what you want!" Endanger. You keep saying that. b-b-but h-h-h-h-ow c-c-c-c-c-an -ccan he end-ddang-ger us-sss-ss j-jus-tt-t b-by g-g-going? Max, how strong is a chain? * Will looks at Alci apprehensively. It's a side of Alci he's not seen before. * Istvan eyes Alci. "Did you get mindreading powers when you became a paladin?" * Patrick chuckles. "No, she actually had them before that." * Max takes a deep breath, and turns away from everyone else. "As strong as the weakest link. So your solution is to remove the 'weak link' you perceive. What happens, Kenji, when the chain loses a link?" * Alcinoe gets to her feet, storms over to Istvan, and pushes him with one hand. It doesn't matter how big or tough he is; she shoves him away, into the wall, and *ouch*. "That is not what you want, Istvan! Stop lyin' ta everyone, and stop lyin' ta yerself, before someone gets killed!" * Istvan screams with pain as several of his stitches bust open. Alcinoe, stop it! * Tia jumps up. "Isty!" The chain is shorter, naturally. In this case, the chain is still quite long enough to perform the task ahead of us. * Tia starts wailing. * Will runs over to hold Alci off of Istvan. "Alci! What are you doing!" The chain is cut in the middle, Kenji. * Patrick folds his arms. "Don't get in her way!" * Istvan leans hard against the wall as blood starts dripping down his back from under his bandages. * Seylin turns and looks at Patrick. "But... he's hurt!" * Alcinoe snarls at Istvan as Will pulls at her arm. "Ah could snap ya like a twig," she growls. "It wouldn't be right, but Ah could do it, and right now Ah want to, because Ah'm feelin' like it's the ONLY way you'll listen to me." * Tia runs up and tugs on Will's sleeve. "You'll do something, won't you, Will?" It took Rian ten years ta get through to me. We don't have the time for you. Not severely, Seylin. *voice dropping* Not enough for it to make a difference. * Alcinoe spits on the ground, tears herself from Will, and storms off. Out of the house. ... so much for calm discussion. *coughs violently as his back spasms, and more blood drips out* * Will sighs and puts a hand on Istvan's shoulder. A white glow spreads across the wound as it gets patched together. * Max huddles over on his Book, staring at his lap, back to the party. ... * Istvan stops bleeding, and his spasms stops. "Thanks Will." * HKenji spits on the ground at Will's feet and walks out after Alcinoe. * Patrick shakes his head. "I can't have that happening in the house, and Alcinoe and Kenji are more valuable to the team than you are Istvan. So, either shape up or ship out. Got it?" They have also proven themselves to be right on these things on more than one occasion. ... excuse me? You heard me. I'm in my forge, minding my own business, and they come down there, insulting *me*. I restrain myself, they threaten me, Kenji fucking SLASHES me, Alci refuses to heal me, then shoves me into a wall and busts my stitches, and *I* have to shape up? * Will stands up as he finishes tending to Istvan. I've been out front in every single battle we've been in! I've never refused to do *anything*! I've never run, I've never hid, I just did my goddamn job! They have no fucking right to accuse me of not pulling my weight! * Will looks at Istvan funnily. "Kenji I sorta understand. But whatever did you do to get Alcinoe so mad at you?" * Tia whimpers. * Patrick walks up to Istvan and gets in his face. He's *not* smiling. "The people in this house do the things they do, they put their lives on the line for this place we all love. You, apparently, have different priorities, and until proven otherwise, aren't fit to be with us. It's not about your abilities. It's your potential." (By the way, with Kenji and Alci leaving like that, you can bet the door needs repairing again.) * Istvan turns to Will. "She came down there angry at me, and expected me to instantly accept what she was saying. When she didn't, and when I got mad at her lecturing me, she got mad." You have said multiple times that you'd rather have a normal job. You'd rather lead a normal life. And, quite honestly, if you get Kenji and Alcinoe that *pissed* at you, something is wrong. ... right. They come after me, and I'm at fault. That makes sense. * Will pulls over a chair and sits down in front of Istvan. "What did she say?" * Seylin is pale and quiet, and is obviously very deep in thought. * Istvan rubs his head. "By Moradin's beard, I don't even remember. I stopped listening after they started insulting me. If they'd just wanted to talk... and if Kenji hadn't been there... but they didn't wanna talk. They were there to lecture me, and weren't leaving 'till I agreed with them." And I will be *damned* if anyone's gonna march up to me, start insulting me and yelling at me, telling me how to lead my life. It don't work that way. Approach as a friend, offering advice, I listen. * Patrick smirks. "Fine. I'm not telling you how to lead your life, they're not either. But I am telling you that if you don't take their advice, you are not part of this team." They didn't offer advice. They gave orders. Either I did what they said, or Kenji killed me when I tried to come along after the altar piece. And I'm sorry, Patrick, but they have no right to give me orders. ...perhaps this is the reason. The gods do not help, because their servants are inadequate. Either this is not what your gods want, or your gods are no better than the others. Does the madness of the dark creatures extend to those of the light, as well? *sobs, mutters somthing, and vanishes* * Seylin looks at where Max was. "No... I don't think that's it at all..." No, they don't. But they do have their lot in the house. Yeah. Which gives them the right to come, talk to me, give advice, and have me honestly listen and consider it. Istvan? Not to berate me in my forge. * Istvan turns to Seylin. "Hmm?" How much have you been training lately? Plenty. Less than I was before, because I'm concentrating on mastering these dwarven forging techniques, but I'm still improving. And forging itself is goddamn amazing exercise. Are you going to practice more once we're away and you don't have access to your forge? 'course I am. I just think that I can be most useful to the group if I can make any equipment we need myself, at a fraction of the cost of what buying it would cost. * Patrick looks over at Seylin, then back at Istvan (He's definetly backed away from Istvan a bit by now). But we haven't had any problems with money so far. We're fine on equipment. Sure, we'll need better things as time goes on, but what we really need are very, very good fighters. * Patrick shakes his head at Seylin. "It's not that." And I'm good. Have I been getting my ass kicked lately and not noticed it? (Well, you have, and you *did* notice it...) * Tia obviously doesn't understand anything that's going on, except that her friends are fighting. * Seylin bites her lip. * Patrick looks at Istvan. "Why do you want to be there? Seriously." * Istvan rubs his temples. "'cause I'm part of this team, even if Alci and Kenji don't want me to be. 'cause if the bad guys get their hands on this altar thingee, we're all fucked. Do I need to be doing it in the name of some God, or honor?" Screw Alcinoe, screw Kenji, and screw the altar. Why do you want to do this *other* than the fact that you 'feel' you have to? And, to be honest, you're not convincing in the slightest. * Istvan throws up his hands, wincing as his back is still tender. "What is this? All of a sudden, my word's no good with anyone." By Devera, do you *want* to be here dammit! No! But I am, and I have the skills. With power comes responsibility, and I don't shirk my responsibilities. (A FYI, that's the first time Pat's ever used *any* deity's name like that.) Then why aren't you where you want to be? Because that's not what's expected of me. * Tia hides timidly behind her wings. If you don't want to be here, I don't want you here. You kicking me out? If that's what it takes to put you where you belong, then yes. If you don't want to be here, then I cannot trust you to do what you need to do. Simple as that. * Istvan rubs his temples. "So are you gonna try to kill me too when I show up for the altar piece quest?" I won't try. I will. Well then, this'll really be a party. * Tia whimpers again. "Why is everyone fighting? I thought we were all friends!" Three on one murder... thought better of you, Pat. * Will shakes his head and sighs softly. "Why all these threats of bloodshed..." Well then. I'll gather up my stuff. I'll expect a refund of the money I put down to put in the forge by tomorrow, Patrick. * Patrick grins. "Of course, and I will be expecting all the equipment that is owned by the house to be returned in the condition it was found." Ain't nothing I got that's owned by the house. Istvan. Nobody is making you leave if you truly wish to stay with us. He is. Alci is. Kenji is. Can't trust them not to kill me in my sleep. * Will shakes his head. "Well, I don't know about Pat. But Kenji and Alci would never murder in cold blood." Will's right. You are welcome to stay. But only if you truly want to stay. They've promised to kill me if I try to come along, Will. What do you call that? * Seylin glares at Istvan. "Istvan. Go follow the path you *want*. Not the one that's expected of you. Because trying to mold yourself to people's expectations ends up with things like this." * Istvan glares back at Seylin, and throws his hands up. "None of you fucking *get* it!" * Patrick clears his throat. None of us get the fact that you don't want to be here and feel forced to come along. * Seylin starts to say something else, then stops and looks at Patrick. Is that right? Because I think we understand it better than you yourself do. Actually, that's almost completely wrong. * Patrick grins. "Then enlighten us." I didn't want to come here. But I did. I'm here. I've accepted it. This is my life. Now that this is my life, I want to live it a certain way. My preference is that said way includes adventuring with my so-called friends. People I thought I could trust. This is my life. I didn't want it to be this way. But it is. I've accepted it. Now that this is my life, I wanna try and do some good with it. I have the skills. I don't like people trying to kill me. I don't think any sane person should. But if that's what it takes to do some good, so be it. This ain't the path I would've chosen when I was young. But it's the path I'm on, and I'm not going off it. * Istvan glares at Patrick. "And Moradin help anyone that tries to take me off it." There is no path. Because I don't see any path in front of you, or me, or anyone else. ... that's because it's... what's the word... figurative. We each make our own choices, and abide by them. The only way we get hurt is if we hurt ourselves, or let ourselves get hurt. It's called free will. You didn't want to come here and yet you did. And you say you've accepted it. If you've accepted it, then why the HELL did you say you don't want to go adventuring? When the hell did I say that? You said you don't want to be here. Your own words. You asked if I wanted to be here. In an ideal world, no, I didn't. But this isn't an ideal world. And I've accepted that. I asked if you *want* to be here. Not if you wanted, not if you want to be here later, but now. If I could go back in time, change the forces that forced me onto this path? I would. But I can't. So my choices were to fight it and be miserable, or accept it and try to carve out the best life I could. I chose the latter. You know what? Those forces are bullshit. * Will nods at Isty's words. Does it matter? I'm a fucking adventurer. I want to go with you guys. It's you guys that, for some reason, don't want me to come with you. Yes, because if you don't want to be here, when you finally open your eyes and see you don't have to, you won't be. I'm ready to kick all your asses if that's what I hafta do to prove it. But I'd rather it not come to that. I would like you to come along, Istvan. * Istvan nods at Will. "Thanks." * Tia trails along behind Will like a sad puppy. * Seylin sighs. "I believe you should think about things rather than being stubborn for the sake of being stubborn. But I don't think you'll listen to me now, or anyone else. Take care of yourself, Istvan." * Seylin heads upstairs. * Istvan mutters. "I think I'm being pretty reasonable for someone who's been attacked twice today." * Patrick shakes his head. "You just want to come along because they don't want you to." And I hope that you don't feel that this adventuring thing with us is that dreary. There's some good things here still. And worth protecting or fighting for. ... You want to come along because you want to try and prove us wrong. Patrick. I've come along on every quest this group has gone on, long before this went down. And every single time you've bitched and moaned about it. I was all ready to come with you guys BEFORE this happened. Because I don't like getting maimed! Is that such an unreasonable position? Have I ever, ONCE, in battle let you guys down? Run away? Slunk back to the back lines, letting the rest of you take shots for me? There was the time you tried crawling through that corridor. Remember, the one with the automitons with crossbows? Yeah, because I figured we could sneak up behind the robots and get the jump on them. Being smart is a crime now? No, but being a tool is in this house. And remember that, by doing so, I was going to be in melee with ALL of them, vastly outnumbered, taking their attention so you guys can get free shots. My statement still stands. Either move out, or get Kenji and Alcinoe to accept your coming with us. * Tia whimpers. * Patrick turns his back on Istvan and walks over to Tia. He smiles at her. "You okay Tia?" * Istvan rubs his head. "Cripes. And I thought I had friends around here..." * Istvan heads back to his room. * Will stands up and walks with Istvan. "Just do what you're heart tells you and it'll all be fine." * Tia runs up after Istvan. "I'm still your friend, Isty." * Istvan ruffles Tia's hair. "I know, kiddo." * Istvan heads back into his room, and closes the door. * Tia sits in the hallway and looks stunned by the entire event. * Will stops and puts on a smile. "Let's go Tia. Istvan will need to sort this out by himself now." * Patrick shrugs and smiles at Tia. He takes his cloak and steps outside. The cloak turns into his wings, and he easily flies straight up and out of sight. * Tia nods and smiles back a little, reluctantly. "Okay." She gets up and follows Will out. [ Session End. ]