[ Ahem. ] [ Testing, one, two *FEEDBACK* --woah, I'd better not do that again. ] [ We Find Our Heroes rising for another morning in the Flying Couches home! They're still preparing for their summer adventure. What breathtaking excitement awaits them on this spring day? Let's find out! ] [ Session Start! ] [ Also, Gestalt Is Wai. ] (Wai!) * Istvan walks up from his forge into the common room. He looks less sooty than usual! Probably because half the time he would've normally spent in the forge in the morning was spent on fight training. * Tia is sitting on her pile of cushions, her tail vaguely wagging and scattering loose pillows across the room. * HKenji has not been seen all morning, strangely. Not even for breakfast. * Patrick is leaning back on the couch and *gasp* reading something. [ Kenji must surely be lying in wait for Istvan. He'll strike when you least expect it! ] * Istvan slows as he sees people in the common room. "Hey Tia, Pat." * Max is visible through an open door...in an outer wall...to a room that wasn't there before. He seems to be almost burried in papers, and has a inkpot filled with crimson ink by his side. * Tia suddenly stands and wags her tail madly. "Isty!" * Tia gallops over and smothers Istvan in a crushing hug. [ Istvan takes 1 subdual damage. ] * Istvan oofs, and is crushed. He may be a big tough guy, but GEEZ. "Tia... ribs..." * HKenji has, in fact, been all but absent for about a week, appearing only briefly for a small dinner each night. Oh! Sorry! Heya Istvan. ^_^ * Tia quickly releases him. * Istvan lands on his feet, and rubs his side. "S'okay. Just a bit sore from trainin' with Alci." *pauses* "She swings one helluva sword." * Tia nods and wags her tail. "Yeah, she does!" She grins. Can I train with you guys, too? I wanna train! * Tia jumps up and down. 'course she does. You didn't expect her to go easy on ya, did you? * Istvan wobbles a bit as Tia rattles the foundation. "Sure, I guess. Just gotta promise not to cave my skull in, okay?" *ruffles Tia's hair* * WillS walks into the common room and flops down on a sofa. "Good morning everybody." * Tia grins widely. "Okay! I promise!" * Tia waves. "Oh, hi, Will!" * Max clings to his book as the mountain of papers collapses under Tia's jumping-induced housequake. * Tia doesn't seem to notice the destruction she's causing. * WillS smiles and waves back. "Hi Tia." Mornin' Will. * WillS takes a look at Istvan. "You ok there? You seem awefully beat up." Heya Will. ^_^ [ Istvan is Captain Black-And-Blue! ] * Istvan stretches, trying to get a kick out of his side. "Be right back. Gonna go get undirty." Okay! Sure thing Istvan. M'okay. Nothin' broken, nothin' torn. ... might ask for a little healing before I turn in for the night, though. That okay? * HKenji comes down the stairs slowly, bare to the waist and dripping sweat. No, Istvan. Heya Kenji, what's up? * WillS nods. "Of course Ist... No healing?" * Istvan eyes Kenji. "No I can't go take a shower? Okay, but I'm gonna get pretty stinky by dinnertime..." No, don't get healed. * Tia blinks at Kenji. * Max looks from Istvan to Kenji, and pulls further into his pile of papers, watching. ... okay, I'll bite. Why not? * Tia 's wagging tail falls still. Because your muscles don't grow properly. * Max um... grades another paper! Grade grade grade...write a red number in the corner... * HKenji is literally covered in scars all across his chest and arms, showing that he certainly hasn't accepted more healing than necessary. * Istvan eyes Kenji... then himself... "I think my muscles have grown pretty damn good." You're not half as good as you could be, Istvan. When your body repairs damage, it repairs it better than it was before it broke, reinforcing the weaknesses. * Patrick shrugs. "Someone won't always be there to heal you either." Further, every scar you have is a memory, ensuring that you will never forget the lesson behind it. * HKenji points to a large scar in his side. "This is from when I learned that underestimating a man simply because he uses a peasant weapon is a bad idea." Ouch, that hurts. Okay. Kenji, that actually makes some sense. Patrick, just because I'd rather not limp around doesn't mean I can't. And Kenji, refusing healing when hurt is one thing. Refusing when injured is just dumb. Not true. Refusing healing when it is necessary is foolish. s'what I'm saying. But healing is not always necessary. And when you face no danger in the immediate future, healing is rarely necessary. * Patrick turns a page in his book. "Know your limits and operate at your limits. If you don't your limits will never go higher." I'm hurt right now. I'm sore. Your point about not taking healing to let my body heal itself is taken. Good. But if I'm legit injured... if healing's available, I'm damn well gonna avail of it. *pauses* Assuming someone else don't need it more, I mean. Duh. * WillS mumbles. "I hope nobody ever hesitates to ask me to heal them..." * Tia is sitting on her pile of cushions again. "I won't!" Her tail wags. M-me n-neither. * Istvan eyes Patrick. "Just wanna make sure I was clear on what Kenji was sayin', and that he was clear on what I was sayin'. Rather do this now than in the middle of a dungeon or somethin'." * WillS smiles thankfully at Tia and Max. * Max pushes his glasses up his nose and smiles nervously back at Will, before burrying his nose in another paper. Which gets attacked with a red-inked quill. In the middle of a dungeon, surrounded by danger, refusing healing for no other reason is foolish. * Istvan shakes his head. "No, I mean that I'd rather have this conversation here than in the middle of a dungeon." Which is why I wanna make sure I got it straight. * Patrick grins evilly at Istvan as he looks over his book. "Good." * HKenji looks down at himself. "I need a bath. Badly. That kata is extraordinarily difficult." Anyway. Stinky. Sooty. Shower. *heads for room, then shower* [ Kenji said the secret word! The furniture screams! ] [ Except not. ] Get goin' then. * Ardle is now known as Ardweden * HKenji turns, deftly angling out so he doesn't bump the walls, and heads upstairs for a bath. * Tia occupies herself scribbling doodles of her friends. [ Tia's pictures are cute! It's hard to tell what the assorted shapes are supposed to be, tho. ] * Max blinks at a paper, and snickers. * Patrick flips the page. * Tia 's version of Max looks something like a lumpy circle with glasses. * Istvan returns, with clean clothes, wet hair, and NO STINK. * Tia waves. "Hi again, Isty!" One of my students is an artist, it seems. Used sword, shield, and pointy- power-hat as variables, and has my book as an equals sign. *giggle* ...pity he should have been using greater than. *writes a note on the paper* Feel better, Istv-van? *pushes up his glasses* Well, I've got more bruise than skin. But it does feel good to get the grime off. * Alcinoe comes walkin' in from the back. She's looking sweaty and sticky and more than a little bruised and there are bits of grass and dirt in her hair and smeared on her. No armor and has some sort of (probably obscenely heavy) training longsword on her. "G'mornin'," she says as she walks right by the crew, including Istvan. Alci! 'morning. * Tia waves wildly. Hey Alci. * Alcinoe waves back at Tia with her free hand, then heads off to her room and the showers. 'morning, Alci. Heya Alci. ^_^ * HKenji stands aside at the top of the stairs, now squeaky clean but still bare to the waist, to let Alci pass. * Istvan flumps down on the couch. * Alcinoe looks Kenji up and down. "Hard ta mistake ya fer a girl when yer robeless, Kenji," she says more or less cheerfully as she walks by. * Patrick snerks. I should hope it's difficult to mistake me for a woman regardless of what I'm wearing. Don't cool down too much, Alcinoe. Just because you're training Istvan doesn't mean you don't have your own training to do. * Alcinoe snickers as she still walks. "Ah know. Just gettin' rid of this dirt." K-Kenj-ji d-doesn't l-look l-like a g-girl... What's wrong with you Max? * Tia seems blissfully ignorant of whatever is going on in the common room. Wrong? *looks up from writing a number on a paper, accidentally letting the ink bleed a dot on the page* * HKenji comes the rest of the way down the stairs. You're stuttering. Yeah. Too much coffee? S-sorry. ^^; *pushes glasses up nose* I will t- TRY to st op it. * Max looks back down on his paper, and eeps, pulling the pen off and trying to blow the ink-blot try. Not botherin' us. Just makin' sure there ain't anything wrong with ya. * WillS looks questioningly at Max. "You sure nothing's wrong Max? I can take a look at you if you wish." * Patrick snerks. "Dude, just relax and chill. It's not like anyone's actually going to look at that." * Istvan pauses. "Plus, a stuttering wizard could be dangerous." Quite. * Max hastilly turns the blot into a sun, and writes a number next to it. Then looks up. "I'm fine. I promise, no stuttering with spells." ^^; * Max pushes his glasses up his nose. Again. Cool. Good. * Max mutters, "...might slip on a gesture..." but he seems to be joking. In any case... we should be ready to leave in a week or two. * Patrick nods. "Got everythin' from me, right?" * Istvan nods. "I'll stop takin' jobs in a few days, then." No need, Istvan. I should have these graded in the next two days... Unless you believe you can show me you are ready to really come with us. Then my own paper to turn in. But I'll be ready. ... haven't we been over this already? --hey, would any of you want..to.... *trails off at the argument between Istvan and Kenji* Yes, and you still have yet to show me that you are ready to truly adventure. Until you show that, you won't be coming with us. * Alcinoe comes walking down the stairs, now clean and toweling her hair. She, thankfully or not, is wearing a shirt. She has a seat on the bottom steps and watches. * Istvan eyes Kenji from his flumped position. "I ain't got anything I gotta prove to you." * HKenji looks gravely at Alcinoe, then at Patrick, then turns his attention back to Istvan. * Patrick raises an eyebrow and glances at Alcinoe, then going back to his book. * Alcinoe keeps toweling her hair. Her eyes are on Istvan, though. BOTH EYES. You still fail to reconize your situation, Istvan. You DO have something you must prove to me. * Max is back to grading. Grade grade grade... * Istvan sits up, and, with some effort, pushes himself to his feet. "No, you fail to 'recognize the situation'. Your task for me was to show that I was willing to put in the effort and dedication necessary to be an adventurer. I think volunteering to be Alci's ruggedly handsome punching bag for the forseeable future goes a long way towards that." You are not the one that must be satisfied with your efforts, Istvan. I am. And you'll only be satisfied if I beat the crap outta you? You lack the power to do that. I will be satisfied if you show appropriate dedication. But it is up to ME to decide what is appropriate. * Istvan raises an eyebrow... then winces, because he has one hell of a bruise there. "Question." Yes? Who the hell died and made you king? I have no problem if you demand, as a member of this group, that I work harder at my training to maximize my potential. That's just you making sure I can cover your ass. * Patrick snerks. "I think we all did, Istvan." * WillS looks back and forth between Kenji and Istvan worriedly. And if you have any other suggestions on how I can improve my training, I'd be happy to listen. * Max is not paying attention. Honest. Lookit 'im grade! Grade grade grade GRADE GRADE GRADE... But I ain't playing your games. And I certainly don't need to fight you to prove myself to the group. Ain't a game, Istvan. Further, you fighting me would prove little. *muttered* carry the one... no, scratch that, borrow a three... oh, okay, he did this right... * Istvan looks over at Alci. "Adventurin' isn't. Kenji tryin' to make me jump through hoops..." Is not a game. These 'hoops' aren't a game either. ... is you treating me like I'm your subject. Same kinda hoops that made 'em decide Ah can be a paladin. And I ain't. * Alcinoe stands and stretches. "Ah'll be ready for trainin' in a bit, Kenji." If you were my subject, I would not even allow you the chance to prove yourself. I would simply shuffle you off to work under the Quartermaster, doing what you so obviously want to do. * Istvan smirks. "Which is why I wouldn't wanna be your subject. Can't see that your way ain't the only right way." The simple fact, Istvan, is that you were weak, and may still be, and until you have showed your dedication, we will not allow you to come with us. * Max pulls down another mountain of papers, and continues grading furiously. No, *you* will not allow it. Actually, I won't allow it either. Big difference. If the group asks me to prove myself, fine. 's a we, Istvan. * Istvan points back at Patrick, not missing a beat. "See? That's what I mean." Group asks it, I'll do it. *You* ain't got no right to ask it. I ain't got nothin' to prove to you. To the group... if they say so, then I guess it's so. Everything I have demanded of you, Istvan, I have demanded with their approval. ... and you decided that you would be the one to communicate this to me because of our close personal relationship? * Patrick eyes Istvan, a smirk across his face. "To be honest, I'd trust Kenji's judgment with my life." He nods to Kenji. "And I have talked to him about this too." * Max peers at Patrick, and pushes his glasses up his nose again, before going back to grading. You would not accept it from any of us, Istvan, because it does not meet with your worldview. No, I'd accept it from someone who I didn't constantly have to restrain myself from throttling. * Istvan eyes Alci and Patrick. "Him as your spokesman to me? Why not just send a troll with a headache? Less potential for conflict." * Patrick shakes his head. "You have any idea how many people I've wanted to 'throttle' and have had to deal with?" * Max mutters "...Dr. Emescriano..." * Alcinoe shrugs. "You ignored me." Already tried. * Istvan eyes Alci. "No, I ignored you when you tried to get your point across by berating me and throwing me into a wall. When you *talked* to me, we made some progress." * Alcinoe rolls her eyes. "Sure. Ya believe that. 's sad. Ah tried ta talk ta ya before that day. Didn't work." In any case, if you believe you are ready, then stop taking commissions immediately, and finish the ones you have. Why is it so goddamned hard for you people to understand that I do NOT respond well to being berated and attacked? Talk to me like I'm a fucking person, not a two year old. * Patrick turns the page in his book. * Istvan eyes Kenji. "Done'n done." * Istvan heads down to his forge. I estimate you have two days now to master this kata, Alcinoe. We should get to work. * Alcinoe watches him go, then turns to the others. "Hard ta believe, sometimes, that someone can block things out so completely. Sure." Lemme get mah sword. Ah'll meet ya out back. * WillS mutters a soft prayer beneath his breath as Istvan leaves the room in one piece. * HKenji nods. * Alcinoe twitches her ears. She glances at Will, then heads up the stairs. You needn't worry so much, Will. I will not kill him unless I must. * Max gulps. And keeps grading. * Patrick snerks and heads out back to watch. Also... Will? Yeah Kenji? If you have something to say to me, say it. * HKenji turns from the stairs and heads out the back door. * Max relaxes greatly as soon as the door closes behind Kenji. You mistake me Kenji. I just don't want to see another from this house die needlessly again. ...! Again!? * Max clasps his hands over his little mouth, eyes wide behind his glasses. * Patrick walks in from a quick detour from the kitchen. "What, adventuring is risky business." * WillS looks sadly at Max. "You've heard of Vall's folly already right?" ...oh. Yes. * Patrick grins, seeing an opportunity. "You know, many people in my family who's died has done so adventuring. Would you like to hear a story about one of them?" ^_^ N-not r-real-lly. M-mayb-be l-latt-t-er? Suit yourself. And you're stuttering again. * Istvan comes up the stairs and walks by, carrying what appears to be a 6-inch tall tower shield. * WillS shakes his head. "No Pat. I never want to hear stories of how people died." * Istvan holds it up to the light, and examines it... * Patrick shrugs. * Alcinoe comes walking back down the stairs, now wearing boots and carrying her sheathed ebony longsword. She glances at Will. "Too bad. Someone should remember 'em." And she heads out. * Istvan mutters. "Pixie dwarven defender. Whodda thunk" *heads back downstairs* * WillS looks at Alci. "I sure hope it's more than just the details of their death." * Patrick taps his head. "Who do you think remembers? The more you know about it, the more you'll know to not repeat the same mistakes." * Patrick smirks. "The ones who know are the ones who live." I-is th-that why you-u p-play with alch-chemic-cals? *weak grin under glasses slipping down nose* Why do you say that? Kaboom. Making a m-memorable d-death. P-preferab-bly for the b-bad guys. * Patrick snerks. "No. Why would I do that? I don't plan on dying any time soon." G-good. * Istvan walks back upstairs, carrying an axe... with eight blades, arrayed at 45-degree angles. He holds it up to the light and eyes it. * Max o_os at the axe. "That looks...messy." Anyways, I'm going to go watch Alci and Kenji train. Have fun guys. * Patrick heads out back, eating an orange. s'for a half giant. Made six of these, and when he gets the money, I'm gonna attach them by a chain to a really big rod and make the most fucked up flail in history. ...wow. Scary. * Max finishes grading another paper. * Patrick says idly as he walks out. "Think that's bad, you should see the plans for the bow for a griffotaur." * Max tries to picture that, and winds up picturing Tia with a bow. And smiles at the cute image. Until said image puts an imaginary arrow through an imaginary castle wall, crumbling the imaginary castle. Then he sweatdrops. [ It could happen. ] Now all I gotta do is finish up those tentacle blades for that monk who got merged with an oyatugh... *heads back downstairs* ...I just got done grading his paper... He knows his numbers. ^^ [ And so they trained for the journey! Session end. ]