Reprise! Act 1!

[Rezantis]

"Well, yes, I'm sure your parents told you the story about the stork . . ."

[Carthrat]

"Good grief, no, my parents were rich bitches," replies Carthrat, shrugging. "They kept trying to groom me into some perfect little girl they could show off to their neighbours and stuff. Heavens! Imagine that! Me, a dillante!"

Carthrat shudders.

<->

The growth on Ryoma's arm reddened for a moment, then.. burst into flame. "And you talk to much," says something in Ryomas head, before starting to chuckle madly.

"But keep pumpin' in that Ki! Because I'm.. a Ki-Absorbant Polymorph! Who aborbs Ki! Like a sponge. But don't cut off the arm, man! That'd be BAD! And painful. And I wouldn't be able to do this to you more often!"

A sudden feeling of incredible pleasure shot through Ryomas body.. not destabilizing his magical barrier, though, which seemed to be preventing the growth of the thing up his arm.

[Rezantis]

"No . . . I don't think I can imagine that."

Relm paused.

"You said you came from another dimension, though."  She raised an eyebrow at Carthrat.

[Carthrat]

"Oh, did I?" replies Carthrat, blinking. "Weird. Wait, I guess you're right. Hang on, uh, what's my name again?"

[Rezantis]

"Ken," Relm deadpanned.

[Carthrat]

"That can't be right," replies Carthrat, rolling his eyes. "And if it is, I ain't taking it. What kind of stupid name is 'Ken'?"

[Rezantis]

"I was sort of wondering that about Carthrat, actually," Relm continued in the same deadpan tone.

[Carthrat]

"And what's wrong with that name?" retorts Carthrat.

[Rezantis]

"What's wrong with Ken?"

[Carthrat]

"It means 'Fist' in Japanese," replies Carthrat. "And it sounds so goofy. Ken.. Ken.. sounds like the name of a nerd who's trying to be a dandy."

[Rezantis]

"So what does Carthrat mean?" Relm asked innocently.

[Carthrat]

"It's a Telgravian term of nobility," replies Carthrat, haughtily. "In ancient times, it was used to define those of extremely high birst and stature. However, as the modern era decended, it became a name given to those children who were thought to have a great future in being a pillar of upper-class statesmanship.

God knows why I still use it, really, but it's a better name than 'Ken'."

[Rezantis]

"Really?" Relm asked, mimicking the tone in which Carthrat had asked the same question the day before . . .

[Bean Bandit]

Ryoma shuddered, the pleasure blurring his vision momentarily. "T-That's almost a good reason." he admitted, breathing hard. "But not good enough."

Picking up his giant sword, he lay his arm on the ground, and braced his sword against the barrier, using the pain from the thing's flames on his arm to focus. "Last chance. Get out, and we can negotiate. Do your little trick again, and the arm comes off." He ground out, slowing the flow of ki into his arm to the bare minimum, and raising the sword. All he had to do was let go...

[Carthrat]

"Yes," replies Carthrat.

<->

"But wouldn't that be *painful*?" questions the thing. "Oh, fine, I'll negotiate.. but I ain't leaving your arm. Someone with so much mastery of their own bodily functions can surely sense any tricks I might play!

But the catch is certainly worth the effort.."