Reprise! Act 1!

[Bean Bandit]

"Yes, it would be painful." Ryoma agreed. "But over the long term, the pain is meaningless. I don't play host to parasites." he said shortly, letting the sword drop until the razor edge pressed hard against his skin, the flesh parting as a weal of bloodbroke through the cut. He stopped the blade again, hissing slightly with the pain, using it as a mental barrier. "Get out now, and I'll see what I can do for you. Stay, and not only does the arm come off, but I'll kill you with a fire spell."

[Rezantis]

"What an amazing thing."

Relm kept walking.

OOC: So unless you have somehting more to add . . . :P

[Carthrat]

"You don't play host to parasites?" complains the parasite. "That's a pity. But do me a favour, if you make me get out, I'll die within the hour!"

[Bean Bandit]

Ryoma shook his head. "You won't. I can project ki outside my body. Are you willing to deal, or do I have to go through the trouble of re-growing my arm?"

[Carthrat]

"I'm not just living off ki," replies the parasite. "There's a very physical relationship occuring here. The ki is more of a bonus, really."

[Bean Bandit]

Ryoma growled, pressing his sword down a little, opening a wide gash in his arm. On the parasite's side, blood flowed freely from the wound, but the mana barrier kept the blood in on his side.

"Stop stalling." he hissed, pain sliding up his arm, but still in a managable amount. "Get out, and we can deal. Stay there, and die."

[Carthrat]

"So you're offering me two choices; either die, or die. Thanks. Really. I appreciate it. Never mind I can't even talk to you when I'm not where I am now."

Ryoma gets the distinct impression that the thing would be rolling its eyes, if it had any.

[Carthrat]

Carthrat hmphs, but dosn't reply.

About fifteen minutes later, Relm and Ginn both get the distinct impression that they're being followed (while Carthrat trots along merrily, victim to no such sense of alertness.)

[Bean Bandit]

"You refuse to prove you're not malevolent, and the first thing you did was try an obviously addictive trick on me. Sorry, but I have no intention of becoming your slave, and you're not trustworthy. Forgive me if I won't shed tears over your death."

Ryoma closed his eyes, bracing himself, and pushed slowly. He hissed in pain as the wound opened deeper, blood spilling rapidly from the infected half and onto the soil. The sword hesitated at the bone, and Ryoma gritted his teeth, and prepared to finish severing his own arm, his eyes watering...

[Carthrat]

The parasite snorts. "You're just too good for me, obviously," he says sarcastically, before Ryoma's arm drops off..

Ryoma can't see clearly, but he thinks he sees the growth on the severed appendage slither off, mutating into some kind of snake as it leaves..

[Bean Bandit]

Keeping the barrier in place, Ryoma picked up his sword, and closed his eyes, hurriedly leaping in a random direction, summoning up all the mana he could spare for the barrier and the regrowth spell, wondering dazedly if he could find a place to lie down for the day or so it would take to grow his arm back...

[Ginnezumusha]

"So, if I fart, do you think someone behind us will catch a whiff of it and run away?"

[Carthrat]

"Maybe," replies Carthrat. "What did you have for breakfast?"

[Rezantis]

"It might annoy them, at least, but unless you're holding something quite spectacular I doubt they'll flee."

[Ginnezumusha]

Ginn holds up a familiar looking knot of herbs.

"What about something really explosive?"

>=D