The View From Here

[Halbarad]

Tim lets out a sigh, smiling a bit as he recognizes the landing. "Finally, I know where I am. We've arrived, gentlemen."

[Brian]

Everyone stops and looks around.  Finally, Sterling opines, "So ... this is kind of desolate for someone to live in."

"Are we looking for a person?" David asks, raising an eyebrow questioningly.

Walker and Carlos look around.  Ryan just sits down -- he still seems tired from that earlier teleportation.

Kyle snorts, and Phae shoots Sterling a smirk before glancing uphill.

"Aw, you mean we get to walk up even more stairs," Sterling grumbles.

"At least it's only boring," Mark says.  "It could be hard.  Or painful."

Sterling rolls his eyes.  "Pain and difficulty don't mean much to me, but yeah, I guess my friends aren't being hurt."

[Halbarad]

"Yeah. Pandora should be just at the top of the next set of stairs," Tim confirms. "I'd guess it's about another half a mile, roughly."

[Ebiris]

"Well, let's get hiking, then," Daniel announces, hefting his bag once more and starting up the next batch of stairs.

[Brian]

"Good times," Wallace murmurs, as the trudge begins.

Or would.

Daniel and Tim zip straight to the top of the staircase in a handful of steps.

Everyone else apparently has to walk the hard way.  And wouldn't you know it, it actually becomes strenous (mildly) for once.

[Ebiris]

"Huh." Daniel stops, rather surprised. "Practice makes perfect? Guess we should go back and try to keep pace with the others..." he comments, very carefully trying to make his way down without falling and tumbling down the mountain at impossible speeds.

[Brian]

It's not clear if Daniel could fall if he wanted at this point.  It's practically as though only five of the hundreds of steps on the staircase actually even exist for him, the rest simply stretching out of the way.  It works the same way for Tim, though both discover that with concentration, they can restrain themselves to mortal speed.

[Carthrat]

"I love walking," mutters Tom, trudging up the steps. "I don't need no superfast teleportation trick, no-sir. Walking uphill half a mile is *fun*!"

Continued 'witticisms' are a constant as he steps onwards.

[Halbarad]

"Who's teleporting?" Tim asks, zipping into 'existence' next to Tom with a grin. "Come on, it's only a few dozen steps, what are you grumbling about?"

[Carthrat]

Tom eyes Tim. "A few dozen steps- of pain and torture!"

[Brian]

"Aw, man, I missed that," Sterling says, sighing.  "Remember when we were in the E-Tournament?"

Walker shakes his head grimly.  "These things have not happened.  The memory erasure was successful," he says.

"That was the game you guys played in before all this happened, right?" Mark asks.  "The one you got the 'Bigfire' name from?"

"Actually, we got it from an anime," Carlos says.  "But yes.  Brian liked the name, and got everyone else into it, so we named ourselves that in the game."

"And then in the real world once normality went on vacation," Jim supplies.

Ryan nods wordlessly.

"Anyway," Sterling continues.  "The point is, I missed the precious gem that people like Tom are.  He reminds me of Brian, actually."

"Ah," Walker says nodding.  "The smart one."

Sterling shrugs at that, and says, "Well, I was going to say chronic whiner, but really, I guess Brian was way bitchier."

This elicits a snicker from Wallace.

[Halbarad]

"Yeah, Mr. Rat definitely fits that description," Tim says, giving Tom a smirk. "Although in his case, it was usually bitching at Dune to post."

[Carthrat]

"I have you to blame for that," grouses Tom. "There was a time when it wasn't necessary for me to prod him. But nooooo! He had to run multiple games!

Anyway, maybe you and Dan could go on ahead. See what's what, you know. For all we know, this could be an endless staircase that never ends unless you have permission, or something stupid like that. Hell, even if it's not, just get to the top and stop mocking me with your continued presence."

[Halbarad]

Tim smirks at Tom. "But your company is just so much more enjoyable, Tom. Are you saying you don't WANT me here?"

[Brian]

"You're like a beam of sunshine on a cloudy day," Carlos says, patting Timon the back.  "Also, we're now at the top.  I believe this qualifies for a Nelson?"

Jim then points at Tim and immitates a familiar laugh: "Ha-hah!"

Mark rolls his eyes and looks around.  The top of the staircase leads to a small auditorium, almost.  It's only about two steps down, and roughly circular, lined with pillars and supporting the framework outlining the shape of a roof without actually being a roof.

In the center is Pandora's floating silver sphere, though she herself is not currently visible.  The orb appears to be filled with smoky mist of some sort.  "Finally," Kyle sighs.  "Dragons and stupid wizards, and then a hike up all this mountain."