A Hazy Shade of Winter

[Dracos]

Dracos sleeps until that evening...

Dracos

[Dracos]

[17:43] <Brian> Dracos!  Rez!
[17:43] <Rez> HAIL!
[17:43] <Brian> You are asleep.  And you dream.
[17:44] <Brian> You are lying on your backs on stone slabs in a room that may be a mausoleum.  It's surprisingly comfortable.
[17:46] <Brian> The walls are stone, carved with intricately detailed depictions of battles.  They look Greek in origin.  Light is shed from small hanging lamps, burning noiselessly and smokelessly.
[17:47] * Rez sits up.
[17:47] * Dracos_of_Persia blinks
[17:47] <Brian> Man.  You feel dizzy.  This feels more real than most of your dreams.
[17:47] <Brian> And it's in full color.
[17:47] <Dracos_of_Persia> Apparently I've traveled to persia in my sleep.
[17:48] * Dracos_of_Persia looks around.
[17:48] <Rez> Rez gets up.
[17:48] <Dracos_of_Persia> "Rez, you kay?"
[17:48] <Rez> "Juuuuust peachy."
[17:48] * Dracos_of_Persia shakes his head, getting up as well.
[17:48] <Dracos_of_Persia> "Rolling my knowledge random architecture, I'd bet we are apparently in a greek temple."
[17:49] <Brian> You both realize, in a vague sense, that this is a dream.  Hope the fact that you're dreaming about your friend doesn't indicate something vaguely homo-erotic.
[17:49] <Rez> "Oh . . . kay."
[17:49] <Dracos_of_Persia> "I'd also bet that this has something to do with Ayame."
[17:49] <Dracos_of_Persia> "Thirdly..."
[17:49] <Rez> "Stop that."
[17:49] * Dracos_of_Persia attempts to mentally reach out and see if he can sense anything.
[17:49] * Rez eyes the stone slab he was sitting on.
[17:49] <Dracos_of_Persia> "Why?"
[17:49] <Rez> "Because.  You have no DICE."
[17:50] <Rez> "Er.  Do you?"
[17:50] <Brian> Dracos: You can sense, in a dim sense ... that your body is lying in bed, and Ginrai is pacing across the room, muttering about not being able to sleep, though you can't actually wake up.
[17:50] * Rez looks around the room for exits, or anything else notable.
[17:51] * Dracos_of_Persia reaches into his pocket and sees if he has a dicebag.
[17:51] <Brian> What pockets?
[17:51] <Dracos_of_Persia> oh...  >_>
[17:51] * Dracos_of_Persia attempts to mentally fabricate clothes in hopes that they would appear.
[17:51] <Brian> You're both wearing (now that you look) those funky ancient greek outfits that are not actually Roman togas, but are kind of like tunics.
[17:51] <Brian> They both have brass clasps on the shoulders.
[17:52] <Dracos_of_Persia> *blinks*  "Spiffy!  My talior approves."
[17:52] <Brian> Looking closely, Rez's indicate a pair of hands clenched together, and Dracos's look like a Green Man symbol wreathed in eyes.
[17:52] <Dracos_of_Persia> "Toga Rez, do you see Exit?"
[17:53] * Rez looks around the room for exits, or for anything else notable.
[17:53] <Brian> Your belts are heavy, probably made of gold, and have similar ardonments.
[17:53] <Brian> There is a hallway, at the end of a ramp.  There's also two empty stone slabs nearby.
[17:54] <Rez> "Indeed, Dracos of the pale coloured sheet!"
[17:54] * Rez points at it.
[17:54] * Dracos_of_Persia checks the stone slabs quickly for slots, holes, things that can be taken off of them.
[17:54] <Dracos_of_Persia> "I see, Toga Rez, one second, and we shalt depart forthhence!":
[17:54] <Brian> Looking back, you also see a seal etched into the surface of the slabs you were sleeping on -- they also echo your own symbols.
[17:54] <Rez> "Now stop that before I hurt my tongue."
[17:55] <Brian> The other two are adorned with a large ring of linked chains, and an eye in a symbol neither of you recognize immediately respectively.
[17:56] <Dracos_of_Persia> "Hum... using my logic sense, there is a linkage with these.  Hum.'
[17:56] * Dracos_of_Persia memorizes the symbols for later note.
[17:56] <Dracos_of_Persia> "Shall I lead the way Rez?"
[17:56] * Dracos_of_Persia heads towards the hallway.
[17:56] <Rez> Rez walks over towards the hallway.
[17:57] <Brian> The hallway opens up into a ramp, which leads into cooler night air.  You're standing in a building thats relatively open -- no actual walls.  It does have columns all over the place, though, and the appropriate Greek architecture abounds.
[17:58] <Dracos_of_Persia> "Well, while I love architecture...I lie, I don't, Anyone here?"
[17:58] * Rez walks over and looks at one of the columns, curiously.
[17:58] <Rez> "Uncultured barbarian!"
[17:58] <Brian> It's tall, smooth, and unadorned, except near the top.
[17:58] <Brian> You can see a blonde woman with long hair leaning against a column on one end of the temple, however.
[17:59] * Rez walks over in her direction.
[17:59] <Dracos_of_Persia> "Damn skippy.  Greetings random person who invades mine dreamspace!  Introduce thineself, please?"  Dracos says, heading over as well.
[17:59] <Rez> "WHo says it's YOUR dreamspace?  Hmm?  HMM?"
[18:00] <Dracos_of_Persia> "Hush, TogaRez.  Both our dreamspaces have been invaded.  Unless you dream of greek temples regularly?"
[18:00] <Brian> She looks up at you and smiles.  Her outfit is more robe-like than yours, and somewhat thinner, too.  She's kinda hot.  "Hello, Mr. Bloom, Nathan," she says quietly.  "I had hoped I could bring you here."
[18:00] * Rez blinks.
[18:00] <Rez> "Ayame?"
[18:00] <Brian> She smiles and nods.
[18:00] <Brian> Death: You can now see two more people.  One of them is the guy with the golden gauntlet, and the other is a darkened figure, and his eyes are wells of blackness, with darkness seeping out of them.
[18:01] <Dracos_of_Persia> "Greetings and Salutations Oracle of Delphi.  How goes the sharing of wisdom?"
[18:01] <Brian> They're speaking to the oracle.
[18:01] * Rez smacks Dracos upside the head.
[18:01] <Rez> "Man. You can't take anything seriously."
[18:01] <Dracos_of_Persia> "I can, but why?"
[18:02] * Rez grins.
[18:02] <Brian> "Unwell, at the moment."  She pauses.  "I cannot reach your friend Ginrai ... and your other friend is even further from my reach."
[18:02] <Rez> "Oh, fine."  
[18:02] * Death watches silently
[18:02] <Dracos_of_Persia> "Hum...  From what I sense, he's awake and pacing most obnoxiously.  Perhaps you need us sleeping for connections."
[18:02] <Rez> "Ginrai . . . Ginrai was with us when we went to sleep . . ."
[18:02] * Rez blinks.
[18:02] <Rez> "How do you know that?"
[18:03] <Rez> (Directed at Drac)
[18:03] <Brian> "I do," she admits.  "Perhaps he is uneasy."
[18:03] <Dracos_of_Persia> "Concentrate Rez, this is a dream after all, you do still have your own body."
[18:03] <Brian> The oracle turns to you, Shade, and says, "You are all friends, are you not?  I sense that you will need to work together to succeed, here."
[18:03] * Dracos_of_Persia looks at the others.
[18:03] <Dracos_of_Persia> "Pardon, but I do not recognize these two...Introduce thyselves?"
[18:04] <Brian> Rez: If you concentrate, you are indeed aware of your own physical body, and you can vaguely sense Ginrai pacing back and forth, muttering to himself ... but not actually wake up.
[18:04] <Brian> The wolf smiles.  "I have no name," it says.
[18:05] <Dracos_of_Persia> Brian: Query quickly, what do 'we' perceive.  Other than the oracle there?
[18:05] <Death> "And with teeth that big, he doesn't need one either."
[18:05] <Brian> You see the wolf, you see the pool, and you see the temple.  To your eyes, you appear exactly the same to each other, except dressed funny.
[18:06] <Brian> You see Shade, too, of course, though he's dressed in jeans and a t-shirt, with a backpack.
[18:06] <Brian> Apparently he didn't get the costuming memo.
[18:06] <Dracos_of_Persia> "Right... And who da hell are ya with the bad 50's movie lines?"  Turns to shade.
[18:07] * Rez taps his foot pensively.
[18:07] * Death smiles "Sanity is relative, isn't it."
[18:08] <Rez> "Well, that's unhelpful."
[18:08] <Dracos_of_Persia> "Right, so I'll call you Insane-chan."
[18:08] <Dracos_of_Persia> "Greetings wolf, I assume we may consider you friend by your association with the Oracle?"
[18:09] <Brian> "I'm a friend of nature," the wolf says.  "You don't litter, do you?"
[18:09] <Death> "So tell me Rez, what the hell did you do to get the Seventh Cabal interested in you>"
[18:09] <Rez> Rez looks curiously at the wolf, fixing it's appearance in his mind to as k Ginrai about, later.
[18:09] <Rez> Apparently . . . I got born, then turned twenty.
[18:10] <Rez> "And you would be?"
[18:10] <Death> "Shade, of unsound mind and worse body."
[18:10] <Rez> "Ah."
[18:10] * Rez blinks.
[18:10] <Dracos_of_Persia> "Occassionally, but not too much.  Raised more to clean it up than to litter outside my dwelling."
[18:10] <Rez> "Shade, is that the wolf you were warning Ginrai about?"
[18:11] <Death> "For now at least, though I hope for improvements in the future."
[18:11] <Brian> The wolf comments, "While this is nice and all, we're still in something of a quandry, what with being chased.  Do you have any plans for dealing with the threat we so politely dropped on your doorstep, O Mighty Oracle?"
[18:11] <Death> "No, looks like the wolves are on our side this time."
[18:11] * Rez raises an eyebrow, but turns to look at the Oracle. Threat?
[18:11] <Dracos_of_Persia> "Right Insane-chan, because there are many many giant wolves.  Armies of them.  Why I see them e'ery day."
[18:11] * Dracos_of_Persia turns as well to the Oracle.
[18:12] <Rez> "Threat?"
[18:12] <Dracos_of_Persia> "I assume this threat is the Seventh Cabal?  Or something greater?"
[18:12] <Death> "Where is she of dark hair and darker mounted bird?" to the oracle, inquiring about the pursuer
[18:12] <Dracos_of_Persia> "IT does seem weird to witness this level of power for what seems to be a mortal conflict."
[18:12] <Brian> "You don't see us," the wolf assures you.  "But we are legion."
[18:12] <Brian> Ayame frowns at the wolf pointedly.  "I have a plan," she replies somewhat testily.  Turning to Rez, she says, "Nathan, I realize that this may be something of an imposition, as much trouble as I've caused you already ... but now that I remember who I am, and I have a single gift I can give you to aid you on your journey."
[18:13] * Death says to Dracos "There are some things you're better off not seeing, trust me on this."
[18:13] * Rez waves his hand dismissively.
[18:13] <Dracos_of_Persia> "Insane-chan, don't attempt to lecture me.  It be a worthless gesture."
[18:13] <Rez> "I'd say I've been imposing on you, more, what with all thehelp I've been asking."
[18:13] <Dracos_of_Persia> "Ayame, you have our curiousity, do continue.  You need not worry about asking of us."
[18:14] <Brian> She ducks her head.  "Then there is something I would like to give you that could help us here.  It is all I can think of that would change things....  Follow me."  She takes off at a jog down the hill, all the way to the pool, which is still lined with guttering torches in the night breeze.
[18:14] <Brian> You can all distantly hear the sound of flapping wings.
[18:14] * Death follows
[18:14] * Rez moves after her.
[18:14] <Death> "Hurry"
[18:14] * Dracos_of_Persia follows swiftly.
[18:15] <Dracos_of_Persia> "Insane-chan, do be quiet."
[18:15] * Death smiles
[18:16] * Death beckons for the wolf too, if he has not yet joined them
[18:16] <Brian> When you reach the pool, Ayame kneels, and brushes her hands across the surface of the water.  It ripples a bit, then splits open, revealing a ramp descending into the earth.
[18:16] <Brian> "This is where the greatest secret of Delphi was kept," Ayame said aloud.  "Not our greatest power ... but our secret."
[18:16] <Brian> * says
[18:17] <Brian> The wolf follows Shade leisurely.
[18:18] * Dracos_of_Persia raises an eyebrow.
[18:18] <Dracos_of_Persia> "Interesting..."
[18:18] * Rez waits.
[18:18] <Brian> Rez: She motions you to follow, and goes down the slightly damp ramp.
[18:18] * Dracos_of_Persia follows ayame if she goes down but does not proceed ahead of her.
[18:18] * Rez follows her.
[18:18] * Death goes after Dracos
[18:18] <Death> keeping one eye back for any birds
[18:19] <Brian> "Delphi had an oracle, yes, and everyone knew that.  But Delphi also had a protector.  Because without a defender, an oracle would be something anyone would be pleased to aquire."
[18:19] <Brian> She hesitates, as you pass under the ground, and lights a lamp.  The other lights in what appears to be a long hall light themselves.  "Not that it stopped people, in the end," she admits.
[18:20] <Death> "Little does, and rarely for long"
[18:20] <Brian> The wolf stops before the lamp, and turns to face the entrance.  "I'll wait here," he says.
[18:20] <Dracos_of_Persia> "Quiet, Insane-chan.'
[18:20] * Dracos_of_Persia nods.
[18:20] <Rez> Rez looks sharply at Death, "It kept the oracle for quite a long time, it seems."
[18:20] <Dracos_of_Persia> "Understood, Sir Wolf."
[18:21] <Brian> Ayame nods, and continues further in.  "The power of Delphi's defender was usually left here ... in a flame.  It spread warmth and goodwill, and protected the Cult of Apollo for some time."
[18:21] <Dracos_of_Persia> "Protected the Cult of Apollo but did not stem from it?"
[18:21] * Dracos_of_Persia asks in his curious vein.
[18:22] <Brian> "When we needed a champion, we asked ... of Apollo for someone to take up that power, and wield it in our defense."  The corridor emerges into a large room, where you see a red altar, probably a meter across, with a giant flame burning in the center.
[18:22] <Brian> "No, no, it was one of Apollo's gifts to us.  He gave us three fires."
[18:23] * Dracos_of_Persia examines the flame and altar with his eyes looking for any familiar greek mythos symbols.
[18:23] <Dracos_of_Persia> "Three?  One for each defender?  Or were there other purposes?"
[18:23] <Brian> There's a huge golden statue of apollo behind the flame, holding a shield and a lance.
[18:23] <Rez> Rez stops himself, since Dracos is already asking the question.
[18:24] <Brian> "First, he placed the fire in the earth to grant our oracle visions and wisdom," Ayame recites, as though from memory.  "Secondly, he placed the fire in our spirits, to give us the will to live, and the strength to cherish our lives and our art."
[18:25] * Chibi-Suu (Dicebot@netblock-66-159-222-100.dslextreme.com) Quit (Connection reset by peer)
[18:25] <Brian> She turns to the fire.  "Thirdly, he gave us this, the fire of protection."
[18:25] * Chibi-Suu (Dicebot@netblock-66-159-222-100.dslextreme.com) has joined #ether
[18:25] * Rez nods slowly.
[18:25] <Dracos_of_Persia> "Hum...Interesting.  This is truly the God Apollo?  Or was he merely a spirit that in legends is referred to as a god?"
[18:25] <Death> "Protection at what price?"
[18:25] <Brian> "I don't remember back that far," Ayame admits.  "I am sorry."
[18:25] <Rez> "Oh, man, this is not the time for metaphysics."
[18:25] <Dracos_of_Persia> "Insane-chan, do be quiet."
[18:26] <Dracos_of_Persia> "I'm sorry, just idle curiosity.  Does he still live today?"
[18:26] <Death> "I know my legends well enough to know that no gift came without a cost."
[18:26] <Brian> "The protector of Delphi is bound to the people of Delphi ... but we are no more, save for me."  She frets.
[18:26] <Rez> "Shade, be quiet."
[18:26] <Brian> "I cannot find him," she says, sounding on the verge of tears.  "Long I have searched, but I do not know."
[18:27] <Dracos_of_Persia> "Hum...Interesting.  Where did you last recall him, Ayame?"
[18:27] <Brian> You hear the wolf howl, though it sounds much, much further away than you think it should.
[18:27] <Dracos_of_Persia> "Hum...have we...worn out our welcome?
[18:27] <Death> "You may think this is just a dream, but we can die here as easily as in the real world."
[18:28] <Rez> "Death, I trust her.  You don't have to, so feel free to scram.  Alright?"
[18:28] <Brian> Ayame jumps.  "Ah, it would have been, centuries ago, when I had just been reborn again ... but time grows more precious with each instant."  She shakes her head.  "Nathan, if you are brave, and willing to accept the burden of protecting me, then this flame will grant you power ... maybe even enough to challenge the Seventh Cabal."
[18:28] <Death> "Rez, its not her I'm worried about."
[18:28] * Dracos_of_Persia awaits Ayame's answer, resisting the urge to smack the talkative fellow.
[18:28] * Dracos_of_Persia laughs.
[18:28] * Rez nods slowly.
[18:28] <Dracos_of_Persia> "Rezzie, time for ya ta become a warrior, eh?"
[18:28] <Rez> "Hah.  Smartass."
[18:29] * Rez grins.
[18:29] <Rez> "I can try."
[18:29] <Dracos_of_Persia> "Of course, wouldn't be me if I wasn't.  Now gets."
[18:29] * Death decides to pull out a lock, and back away from the entrance
[18:29] <Brian> Rez: She nods, and holds out a hand to you.
[18:29] * Rez reaches out and takes her hand.
[18:29] <Death> "Hurry it up, Rez."
[18:29] * Rez ignores Death.
[18:30] <Brian> You hear wings approaching, and the snarlings of an angry wolf.
[18:30] <Dracos_of_Persia> "Insane-chan, I'm lazy, do be quiet before I decide you would make a good shield."
[18:30] <Brian> Ayame reaches towards the fire with your hand, Rez, and says again, "Be brave."
[18:31] * Dracos_of_Persia watches with the curiousity of one who is rarely witness to things that can amaze his rather difficult ego.
[18:31] * Rez gathers himself, and nods.
[18:31] <Brian> When your hand draws near the flame it feels warm, and the heat grows in intensity ... but even inside the flame, it's just short of where it should burn you.
[18:32] <Brian> Ayame releases your hand as you feel ... something ... hidden in the flames, but you can't see it.
[18:32] * Rez moves his hand, trying to touch it.
[18:32] <Brian> It feels like a gauntlet.
[18:33] * Rez puts his hand inside it.
[18:33] <Brian> You do.  It fits on your hand, and the fire vanishes, as though sucked into the gleaming, gold armor.
[18:33] * Death checks, how close do those wings sound?
[18:33] <Brian> Absolute silence rings out -- not the beat of a wing, or the snarl of a wolf to stain it.
[18:33] <Brian> Then, you hear something rattle in one corner of the room.
[18:33] * Rez stretches his hand out, then clenches it into a fist.
[18:34] * Dracos_of_Persia raises an eyebrow.
[18:34] <Brian> Okay, you hear a lot of stuff rattling around.
[18:34] * Death looks at the noise
[18:34] <Dracos_of_Persia> "I'm almost jealous, Spiffy...'
[18:34] * Dracos_of_Persia turns focusing.
[18:35] <Brian> The ancient armor and shields and weaponry lying on the ground is starting to rise up, as though wielded by some invisible army ... and then starts streaming towards the entranceway that you all came in from.  You hear the wolf howl again, but it sounds triumphant.
[18:35] * Dracos_of_Persia drools.
[18:35] <Dracos_of_Persia> me want...
[18:36] <Brian> Ayame looks shocked.  "I hadn't remembered..." she mumbles.
[18:36] <Brian> A few moments later, the wolf limps in, bloodied, but alive.
[18:36] * Death repockets his lock and chuckles, "Impressive"
[18:36] * Death goes to see if he can help the wolf's injuries
[18:36] <Dracos_of_Persia> "Hadn't remembered?  I assume the army lead by the defender which eternally protects this shrine of vision?"
[18:37] <Brian> Ayame looks embarassed.  "It must be," she admits.  "There's so much I just can't remember...."  She straightens up, and turns to the wolf.  "Who sent you, friend wolf?"
[18:38] <Brian> The wolf licks a paw, and replies, "Ida-ten.  As Kanon instructed.  Ida-ten also wants him," the wolf indicates Death, "to find Ezmereth.  And that's all I know."
[18:40] <Death> "Ah, that reminds me. Who is Ezmereth?"
[18:40] <Brian> "Ezmereth," Ayame murmurs.  "He is old ... older than some of my memories, and a friend to wolves."
[18:40] <Brian> "A friend to the land," the wolf corrects.
[18:40] <Dracos_of_Persia> "Ida-ten...  hum...  That's a kami of Justice wasn't it?"
[18:40] <Death> "Druid?"
[18:40] <Brian> "Yes," Ayame replies, nodding.
[18:41] <Brian> She nods at Shade, as well.
[18:41] <Dracos_of_Persia> "Hum, Kanon...hmm... I do not recall Kanon..."
[18:41] <Death> "How do I find him"
[18:41] * Death answers Dracos "The Goddess of Mercy."
[18:41] * Rez shakes himself and looks himself over.
[18:42] <Brian> You look like Rez in a toga.  With a golden gauntlet.  A skin-tight golden gauntlet, now that you examine it.  Still allows for comfortable movement, though.
[18:42] <Dracos_of_Persia> "Rez, concentrate...do you have that now in real life?"
[18:42] * Rez tries to visualize his body.
[18:42] <Brian> Rez: Since you don't really feel it in the dream, it's a tough call to make.
[18:43] <Death> "Interesting, so that's what the dream meant" as Death looks at Rez
[18:43] <Dracos_of_Persia> Ayame, "Give us only this... what direction do you sense we need travel for this Ezmereth?"
[18:43] <Brian> "Ezmereth must be called ... he sleeps beneath the Earth, sleeping away the end times of man," Ayame replies distantly, her eyes unfocused.  "In Hokkaido, in the mountains, there is a place you will find.  Three rivers meet.  At their juncture, in the waters, a a tree rises, over a hundred years old.  Go to this tree, Shade, and dream."
[18:43] <Brian> * a
[18:44] * Death nods
[18:44] <Death> "What stands in my way of reaching this place?
[18:45] <Rez> "Wait."
[18:45] <Dracos_of_Persia> "Only your own stupidity."
[18:45] <Brian> "Nothing, if your will is strong," Ayame says, blinking some of the dimness from her eyes.  "But Ezmereth bears a key."
[18:45] <Rez> "Ezmereth . . . wasn't he listed as an escaped metahuman, or whatever?"
[18:45] <Dracos_of_Persia> "Hum, keys again?"
[18:46] <Death> "Both of you, be still."
[18:47] <Death> "Please, continue." to the Oracle
[18:47] <Brian> "The path is uncertain," Ayame apologizes.  "But Ezmereth can guide you to freeing your friend."  Her eyes widen, and she moans sofly, "Oh, no...."
[18:47] * Rez raises an eyebrow at Death, but doesn't say anything.
[18:47] <Rez> "What?"
[18:47] * Rez looks sharply at Ayame.
[18:48] <Brian> "There is more ... finding your friend is only the beginning ... I do not know when you will be free to return to your own lives.  I am sorry."  She covers her face with her hands.  "I had not known...."
[18:48] <Rez> "We didn't really think that would be the end of it, you know."
[18:48] <Rez> Rez grins.
[18:48] <Dracos_of_Persia> "It's the end of the world as we know it... and I feel fine..."
[18:49] <Dracos_of_Persia> "Hey Ayame, a thought, these markings on these toga...can you interpret them for us?"
[18:49] * Rez smacks Drac upside the head. NOT with the gauntlet.
[18:49] * Dracos_of_Persia laughs in return.
[18:50] <Death> "What about the crow woman? Where is she now?"
[18:51] <Brian> She shakes her head brushing away tears, and says, to Rez, "Your symbol is your gauntlet.  The Champion of Apollo."  Turning to Dracos, she brushes her fingertips across one of the shoulder seals.  "This symbol ... the Green Man will either protect you, or fail you.  And you will either see more, or nothing, afterwards."
[18:51] <Dracos_of_Persia> "Hum."  Dracos nodded and smirked.
[18:51] <Brian> "She ... is in ... the place where your friend is being held," Ayame says with difficulty.
[18:52] <Death> "What friend? She spoke of a partner, but I have none that I know of."
[18:52] <Dracos_of_Persia> "What Crow Woman?"
[18:52] <Brian> "Your friend," she restates.  "His name is Bjorn.  I cannot reach him from here, though."
[18:52] * Death turns to Dracos "Who do you think was chasing us just now?"
[18:53] <Dracos_of_Persia> "Insane-chan, I don't care.  I asked a question of clarification for I've seen no crow woman and know not of it."
[18:53] <Brian> "More to the point," the wolf drawls, "realize that--"  And then there is nothing ... and you wake up.
[18:54] * Dracos_of_Persia blinks
[18:54] * Dracos_of_Persia shakes his head.
[18:54] <Dracos_of_Persia> That was a bit abrupt.
[18:54] <Brian> Shade: We'll get to you in a bit.
[18:54] * Rez sits bolt upright.
[18:54] * Death nods
[18:54] <Rez> "Fuck!"
[18:54] <Brian> Ginrai is apparently snoozing (he got the cot, again).
[18:54] <Dracos_of_Persia> "Yes, yes..."
[18:54] <Dracos_of_Persia> "Hmmm...  So...
[18:54] * Rez looks at his right hand.
[18:54] <Brian> Rez: Your hand hurts.
[18:55] <Dracos_of_Persia> "There is a person of power with Bjorn in SF that we need be worried about."
[18:55] <Dracos_of_Persia> "Hmm..."
[18:55] <Dracos_of_Persia> "Now the obvious question is...  What is her powers."
[18:55] <Rez> "Ow ow fucking OW!"
[18:55] <Dracos_of_Persia> "Huh?  What's up Rez?"
[18:55] <Brian> You're wearing the gauntlet, but it's like it's bonded with your skin....  Now it's more like you have a golden right hand (all the way to just above your elbow) than you're wearing a gauntlet.
[18:57] * Rez stares at his right arm in mingled shock.
[18:58] <Brian> It still feels like skin.
[18:59] * Rez pokes it.
[18:59] <Brian> It gives a bit, like you're poking a normal arm.  Which just happens to be golden.
[18:59] <Rez> "OK."
[18:59] <Rez> "This is both freaky, and . . . going to be damn conspicuous."
[19:00] <Dracos_of_Persia> "I have gloves.  You have hands."
[19:00] <Dracos_of_Persia> "We do magic there."
[19:00] <Rez> "Oh, shut up."
[19:01] <Dracos_of_Persia> "Sorry, that's the incorrect answer after something like that.  The correct answer is trying to will it away or invisible."
[19:01] * Rez tries, skeptically.
[19:01] <Brian> It doesn't seem to do anything but be a golden hand at this point.
[19:02] <Dracos_of_Persia> "May I try something, Rezzie?"
[19:02] <Rez> Rez looks over at Drac, slightly wide-eyed.
[19:02] <Rez> "Ahh . . . sure, I guess."
[19:03] * Dracos_of_Persia pokes Rez's hand seeing if it has any effect.
[19:03] <Brian> It feels like you just poked a solid block of gold.
[19:03] <Dracos_of_Persia> "hmmm..."
[19:03] * Dracos_of_Persia goes and picks up a pillow
[19:03] <Dracos_of_Persia> "Rez, Punch"
[19:03] * Dracos_of_Persia tosses the pillow at rez
[19:04] * Rez tries to, well, punch it. o_O
[19:04] * Rez gives even odds as to whether he hits or misses!
[19:04] <Brian> Go ahead and roll 3d6
[19:04] <Rez> roll 3d6
[19:04] <Chibi-Suu> 1,0Them bones was tossed for Rez ... :1,0 3d6 --> 1,0[ 3d6=12 ]12,0{12}
[19:04] <Brian> You whap that pillow but good!
[19:04] <Dracos_of_Persia> Anything nifty happen to it?
[19:05] <Rez> It got punched.
[19:05] <Brian> It flies away from you and lands on the floor.  Ginrai wakes up a little, peeks at you to and says, "Pillow-fighting?" before dozing back asleep.
[19:05] <Dracos_of_Persia> "Hmm, no special effects on that.  Your hand feels as hard as gold to the touch though...hmm..."
[19:06] <Dracos_of_Persia> Dracos takes the pillow cover off and hands it to Rez, "Try and slip this over, let's see if it eats things on top of it away before I give you some gloves."
[19:06] <Rez> Considering I just had my hand on the bed, and the bed is still there, I'd say it doesn't.
[19:07] * Dracos_of_Persia shrugs
[19:07] <Dracos_of_Persia> "mind checkin it anyway?  Might just be for complete coverings.
[19:07] <Rez> Where's the uplink?  I think I need to ask some questions.
[19:07] * Rez sighs and checks.
[19:07] <Dracos_of_Persia> "Under the cot."
[19:08] <Dracos_of_Persia> "No more than fifteen minutes though.  Then we get out of here."
[19:08] <Rez> "Deal."
[19:08] * Rez turns his mobile on and places it on the bedside table, then pulls out his laptop and the uplink and starts setting them up.
[19:09] * Dracos_of_Persia wakes up gin and shuffles him into the car.
[19:09] <Rez> "You know, maybe I should read the fine print of these things . . ."
[19:09] * Rez grins lopsidedly.
[19:09] <Brian> Well, when you are about to set the phone on the table, your gauntled DOES, in fact, make it vanish.
[19:09] * Dracos_of_Persia then proceeds to make sure and get all the stuff that needs to be in there.
[19:09] <Brian> Or else you got the evaporating model of i730.
[19:09] * Rez looks . . . surprised.
[19:10] * Rez concentrates on wanting the damn phone back.
[19:10] <Brian> It feels very weird.  It's like you have two right hands, and one of them is holding onto the phone ... and the one you can see, isn't.
[19:11] * Rez tries to, like . . . put the phone down with the hand he can't see?
[19:11] <Brian> When you try and will it back, it's like your 'extra' right arm moves in alignment with your golden arm, and poof, phone.
[19:11] <Rez> Hm.
[19:11] <Rez> OK, that I like.
[19:11] * Rez puts the phone down, concentrating on just, you know, putting it on the table and removing his hand from it..
[19:12] <Brian> That works.
[19:13] <Rez> Hm.
[19:13] * Rez continues trying to set up the uplink and laptop.
[19:13] <Brian> This takes very little time.
[19:14] * Rez attempts to do some more experimenting while waiting for the various things to boot up.
[19:14] * Rez tries, for instance, making the phone vanish again . . . holding it, and willing it to, sorta, leave his hand.
[19:15] <Brian> That, however, doesn't quite work.  It makes the phone reappear right underneath your hand and fall to the floor.
[19:15] * Rez blinks.
[19:15] * Rez picks it up again and tries to, sorta, pass it to his other-right-hand.
[19:16] <Brian> What you discover while waiting for the system to boot, is that it'll pretty much let you hold something, but make it vanish.  And you can put whatever it is into your hand.  But it doesn't seem to come with an extended extra-dimensional pocket.
[19:17] <Brian> It's like having an extra-dimensional hand just for hanging onto stuff.
[19:17] <Rez> So I can only hold one extra thing?
[19:17] <Brian> That's what you discover for the moment, yes.
[19:18] <Brian> But now, the uplink is active, satellite signal streaming in through the window, Dracos streaming out through the door with extra luggage.

[Brian]

It doesn't take Dracos long to pack everything up, and shortly after that, the 15 minutes for the uplink are over.  Ginrai, pre-volunteering for the late-night driving shift, takes the back seat of the car and crashes almost instantly.  Somewhat worrisomely, however, is the four to five centimeters of snow on the ground as you head out.  This is really flat territory, and the streets have thawed, now salted....  But this is an abnormally cold winter, if there ever was one.

[Rezantis]

Rez drums his fingers on the window.

"Was Shade annoying you HALF as much as he was annoying me?"

[Dracos]

"Insane-chan?  Quite.  Shall we pick up something decent on the way out before we start moving?"

Dracos

[Rezantis]

"Food sounds like a plan.  I'd rather not stay too long, though."

Rez hums.

"At least the arm can do NIFTY TRICKS.  And I need a pair of gloves, thin ones."

[Dracos]

"Reach in the pocket of the back of the seat.  Pull apart the gloves inside.  The slender inner glove should be plenty."

Dracos drives to...fast food joint.  Acquires: Fast Food.  And continues driving with: Fast food.

Dracos

[Rezantis]

"Mm, it's alright for now.  I'll pick up an actual pair of thin gloves sometime later uip the road."

Rez hums.

"I'm going to say, again, that I found certain parts of that quite disturbing."

[Dracos]

"Hum?  Like?"

Chomps on his burger as he drives along heading on the road to San Fransisco.

Dracos

[Rezantis]

"Why is Shade being so damn evasive?  It's impossible to pull a straight answer out of him.  Plus . . . notice how evasive he was when I asked him about that wolf he warned Ginrai about?  And notice how vague his emails were when he got asked for specifics?"

[Dracos]

"Because he has been infected with "I'm an ass" syndrome.  Alternatively he sold out to either one of the other groups."

Dracos

[Rezantis]

"One or the other.  It's hard to tell which."

Rez hums.

"Either way, dealing with him is risky.  I told him we're heading to SF - which he knows anyway - and for him to talk to us when he gets hold of Ezmereth.  So I suppose we'll worry about him when we hear from him.  Which reminds me, according to Ayame I should pick up a bow."

[Dracos]

"A bow?  What type of bow?"

Dracos

[Rezantis]

"A bow that I can shoot people with.  Apparently, amongst other things, the gauntlet gives me the skill of Apollo's guardians when fighting with his weapons or playing his instruments.  So I'm going to assume that'd be any bow, as assumed to Apollo's own personal bow."

[Dracos]

"Oh, sweet.  FIREBOW!"  Dracos laughed.  "Well, keep a lookout for hunting goods stores and we'll pick one up.

Dracos