"Sounds right to me," Brother Miguel said. "Even with the wagon, we'll have one night on the road, but there are some small towns on the way that should have inns. I don't know much about them, though."
"Maybe I can help with that," Sister Rose interjected. "I used to have i-- relatives in some of those little towns. It's been a while since I talked to them, but if they're still there, some of them will probably be willing to help with accommodations, or at least with some recommendations. Most of the towns are comparatively welcoming to travelers, although there are a few to steer clear of."
They rode on in silence for a while, passing through the intersection with the main Saus-Emerylon highway and then onto another side road a short distance west that headed south toward Fort Lorenzel. A small town lay not too far off the main road. "That is one I'd steer clear of," Rose said. "It doesn't have the best reputation. No personal safety concerns, mind you, but we might have problems with stuff being pilfered overnight, or even in broad daylight. If we stayed the night, we'd even have to take steps to secure the wagon itself. Fortunately, we still have several hours of daylight before -- hello, what's this?"
A large bird was approaching the wagon from the northeast, in the direction of the military base. It circled, revealing the form of a parrot, before settling on a tree along the side of the road. Once settled, it spoke (more or less) in the harsh Phidelphian accent. "RAAWK. Message for Captain Monterio and Major Nuria-Lucas, GOLDENROD. Say the word."
Miguel winced and quickly said "JUNIPER," as Rose swore quietly under her breath.
Saus
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Drannin
- Prince of Space
- Posts: 1350
- Joined: August 15th, 2008, 2:46 pm
Re: Saus
Argus actually took a moment to take this in. At first the names didn't really register with him. Then he remembered the whole one-name thing that the Veracian priesthood thing had going on. Then it clicked, and he wondered why it hadn't occurred to him before.
"Oh," was what he said, looking at Brother Miguel and Sister Rose, both looking more than a little bit awkward at this point. "Fair enough..."
"SQUAWK! Shaddap, foo'! I'm talkin' here!" One of the parrots screeched at him in an accent he couldn't quite place (although it wasn't quite Phildelphiel) and Argus fell silent. He was curious as to what the message was from the base. But equally interested in his suddenly fascinating traveling companions.
Well, we all have our secrets...
Brother Miguel was about to say something when the parrot began to speak...
"Oh," was what he said, looking at Brother Miguel and Sister Rose, both looking more than a little bit awkward at this point. "Fair enough..."
"SQUAWK! Shaddap, foo'! I'm talkin' here!" One of the parrots screeched at him in an accent he couldn't quite place (although it wasn't quite Phildelphiel) and Argus fell silent. He was curious as to what the message was from the base. But equally interested in his suddenly fascinating traveling companions.
Well, we all have our secrets...
Brother Miguel was about to say something when the parrot began to speak...
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Graybeard
- The Heretical Admin
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Re: Saus
"RAAWK. Code word GOLDENROD," the parrot repeated, then kicked up a leg so that Brother Miguel could remove the message capsule tied to it. The bird accepted some manner of edible (cracker? probably) as Miguel put it in the cage. From the sound of it, some manner of quarrel immediately started over the food item, but stopped when the cage's cover was replaced.
As Miguel started to read the message, Sister Rose looked nervously at Argus. "Argus, we'd really appreciate it greatly if you forget that that exchange happened. It's not exactly a secret that many of the people in the mission are ex-military, but we still don't advertise the fact any more widely than we must. I think you also know that once we've taken orders, we no longer use our last names. I apologize for the swearing --" ironic, that, thought Argus -- "but that fool birdkeeper should have known better. We'll have to scold him in the next message we send back."
Miguel was done reading the note by now, and handed it over to Argus and Rose. "This one's not too informative, and it looks like the birdkeeper wasn't the fool. I'm disappointed..."
TO: CPT Monterio, Miguel; MAJ Nuria-Lucas, Rose
FROM: COL Bogiel, Bernard
SUBJ: News from Kiyoka
FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Good to see you folks again. Consider this a test of the parrot communications system. We appreciate the opportunity; we don't get to exercise these things very often.
One news item from Kiyoka. Your colleague LTC Mabian says that the 'thaumato-pathology' report, whatever that is, has been completed on the Kiyokan who died at the mission. Apparently it contains nothing of much interest. The man died of sudden cardiac arrest that they call 'idiopathic,' which is the phrase they use when something fatal has happened but they can't find a cause for it. No unusual magic was reported. I gather that that came as something of a surprise to Margaret. The Kiyokans have requested that their lifemage talk to the novices who were in the room when the man died. She is still deciding whether to comply, but they are Tsuirakuan, after all, so she probably doesn't have much choice.
Good luck in your search for COL Kankaniel. I remember him not fondly, but we must take care of our own.
(s)Bernie
Bogiel, Bernard, Colonel, Army of Veracia and Our Lord Luminosita
As Miguel started to read the message, Sister Rose looked nervously at Argus. "Argus, we'd really appreciate it greatly if you forget that that exchange happened. It's not exactly a secret that many of the people in the mission are ex-military, but we still don't advertise the fact any more widely than we must. I think you also know that once we've taken orders, we no longer use our last names. I apologize for the swearing --" ironic, that, thought Argus -- "but that fool birdkeeper should have known better. We'll have to scold him in the next message we send back."
Miguel was done reading the note by now, and handed it over to Argus and Rose. "This one's not too informative, and it looks like the birdkeeper wasn't the fool. I'm disappointed..."
TO: CPT Monterio, Miguel; MAJ Nuria-Lucas, Rose
FROM: COL Bogiel, Bernard
SUBJ: News from Kiyoka
FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Good to see you folks again. Consider this a test of the parrot communications system. We appreciate the opportunity; we don't get to exercise these things very often.
One news item from Kiyoka. Your colleague LTC Mabian says that the 'thaumato-pathology' report, whatever that is, has been completed on the Kiyokan who died at the mission. Apparently it contains nothing of much interest. The man died of sudden cardiac arrest that they call 'idiopathic,' which is the phrase they use when something fatal has happened but they can't find a cause for it. No unusual magic was reported. I gather that that came as something of a surprise to Margaret. The Kiyokans have requested that their lifemage talk to the novices who were in the room when the man died. She is still deciding whether to comply, but they are Tsuirakuan, after all, so she probably doesn't have much choice.
Good luck in your search for COL Kankaniel. I remember him not fondly, but we must take care of our own.
(s)
Bogiel, Bernard, Colonel, Army of Veracia and Our Lord Luminosita
Because old is wise, does good, and above all, kicks ass.
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Drannin
- Prince of Space
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Re: Saus
"Not too informative," Argus agreed, "but interesting nonetheless... if this fellow caught a more intense version of what I saw... well, it's entirely possible that shock alone did him in." The other two looked a bit skeptical. "Look, I'm serious. Divination is not what I'm good at. Examining that drawer did a number on me, and at the time I thought is was just mana exhaustion and strain. But looking back, I caught a glimpse of something. Very briefly... but that glimpse did a number on me psychologically. Enough to exhaust me."
"So... what the investigator saw literally scared him to death?" Brother Miguel looked more than a bit disturbed by the notion. Argus was silent in turn. What in blue blazes had he seen?
"Speculation really won't get us anywhere," Sister Rose pointed out. "Unless someone has something to write back, let's keep moving. And, Argus seriously... please try to forget what you just heard."
Argus waved it off. "Don't worry about it. We all have our secrets. I know that as well as DAMMIT!!!" Argus certainly keeled over, clutching his head, which was suddenly pounding in agony. "What's going..." 'On' would have been the final word, had Argus not passed out, tipped over the side of the wagon, and executed a dive quite spectacular given the circumstances, complete with spin and twist. Sadly, the effect was somewhat ruined by the falling-on-his-head part.
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Some ways away, a small figure was having a very bad time as a wolf decided to treat it as dinner. Which was better than the alternative, honestly. But near-indestructibility had its advantages. As did a powerful set of teeth. A certain wolf was about to have a very, very bad day...
"So... what the investigator saw literally scared him to death?" Brother Miguel looked more than a bit disturbed by the notion. Argus was silent in turn. What in blue blazes had he seen?
"Speculation really won't get us anywhere," Sister Rose pointed out. "Unless someone has something to write back, let's keep moving. And, Argus seriously... please try to forget what you just heard."
Argus waved it off. "Don't worry about it. We all have our secrets. I know that as well as DAMMIT!!!" Argus certainly keeled over, clutching his head, which was suddenly pounding in agony. "What's going..." 'On' would have been the final word, had Argus not passed out, tipped over the side of the wagon, and executed a dive quite spectacular given the circumstances, complete with spin and twist. Sadly, the effect was somewhat ruined by the falling-on-his-head part.
*************************************************************************************************************
Some ways away, a small figure was having a very bad time as a wolf decided to treat it as dinner. Which was better than the alternative, honestly. But near-indestructibility had its advantages. As did a powerful set of teeth. A certain wolf was about to have a very, very bad day...
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Graybeard
- The Heretical Admin
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Re: Saus
"ARGUS!!"
Fortunately, the wagon wasn't moving too rapidly, and Sister Rose quickly reined the horses to a stop as she saw Argus fall. The carrier parrots were instantly forgotten and Rose and Brother Miguel leaped to his aid. Somewhere in the not-too-great distance, a wolf was howling in agony; for just a moment, Miguel had the absurd thought the two events might be connected somehow.
Rose mumbled a quick prayer as Miguel did a quick examination of the fallen man; he'd been the medic back during his military days, after all. Argus had taken a sharp blow to the head, and that was going to have to be handled carefully, but he was still breathing, at least. Rose and Miguel joined hands and summoned all the mana they could muster to focus a Heal on his head and neck. A number of superficial lacerations vanished, and there was no obviously life-threatening trauma, but they both knew that head injuries were tricky to handle with Healing magic, so they let Argus stabilize without motion while they considered what to do next.
"Did you see it happen?" Miguel asked.
"No, I was concentrating on the horses. Did you?"
"Not really. It seems like he was just sitting there talking to you, and then all of a sudden ... boom." Miguel paused, noticing that the distant, blood-curdling howl had reached a crescendo, then faded out in a loud gurgling sound that, if anything, was even more disconcerting than the howl. "Whatever that is, I don't like the sound of it. We're going to have to try to get this guy mobile again and get out of here. You recharged yet?"
"I think so," Rose said. "Here goes another Heal..." She muttered the spell, in the process letting her polymorph magic fade away, so that what remained was her "natural" form, that of the Veracian nun who'd appeared at the mission earlier. In a corner of her mind, she hoped incongruously that the shock wouldn't add to whatever was wrong with the man when he regained consciousness ... but he was resolutely refusing to come around, so it really didn't matter.
"I'm pretty well used up," she panted. "Go on, you're the medic here." Miguel nodded and cast another Heal, then swore a most un-priestly oath. "I am too, and this isn't taking. We've healed everything I can see that's wrong with him, and he still isn't coming around. I'm starting to get seriously worried here. I --"
He broke off, realizing that the obscene gurgling had stopped, and that a small, upright form was running in their direction from the forest where the sound had come from.
"When it rains, it pours," Rose said. "Are we dead?"
"Probably," Miguel said grimly, "but we're gonna go down fighting." There wasn't a real weapon at hand, but Rose fished a small dagger out of her robes. Miguel saw an opportunity: Argus wasn't using his staff, obviously, and Miguel had been pretty good with a kon, once upon a distant time ... But then they saw what was coming at them, and simply stood slack-jawed for a moment.
"What in Luminosita's Name is that?" Rose gasped, as the small figure drew closer.
Fortunately, the wagon wasn't moving too rapidly, and Sister Rose quickly reined the horses to a stop as she saw Argus fall. The carrier parrots were instantly forgotten and Rose and Brother Miguel leaped to his aid. Somewhere in the not-too-great distance, a wolf was howling in agony; for just a moment, Miguel had the absurd thought the two events might be connected somehow.
Rose mumbled a quick prayer as Miguel did a quick examination of the fallen man; he'd been the medic back during his military days, after all. Argus had taken a sharp blow to the head, and that was going to have to be handled carefully, but he was still breathing, at least. Rose and Miguel joined hands and summoned all the mana they could muster to focus a Heal on his head and neck. A number of superficial lacerations vanished, and there was no obviously life-threatening trauma, but they both knew that head injuries were tricky to handle with Healing magic, so they let Argus stabilize without motion while they considered what to do next.
"Did you see it happen?" Miguel asked.
"No, I was concentrating on the horses. Did you?"
"Not really. It seems like he was just sitting there talking to you, and then all of a sudden ... boom." Miguel paused, noticing that the distant, blood-curdling howl had reached a crescendo, then faded out in a loud gurgling sound that, if anything, was even more disconcerting than the howl. "Whatever that is, I don't like the sound of it. We're going to have to try to get this guy mobile again and get out of here. You recharged yet?"
"I think so," Rose said. "Here goes another Heal..." She muttered the spell, in the process letting her polymorph magic fade away, so that what remained was her "natural" form, that of the Veracian nun who'd appeared at the mission earlier. In a corner of her mind, she hoped incongruously that the shock wouldn't add to whatever was wrong with the man when he regained consciousness ... but he was resolutely refusing to come around, so it really didn't matter.
"I'm pretty well used up," she panted. "Go on, you're the medic here." Miguel nodded and cast another Heal, then swore a most un-priestly oath. "I am too, and this isn't taking. We've healed everything I can see that's wrong with him, and he still isn't coming around. I'm starting to get seriously worried here. I --"
He broke off, realizing that the obscene gurgling had stopped, and that a small, upright form was running in their direction from the forest where the sound had come from.
"When it rains, it pours," Rose said. "Are we dead?"
"Probably," Miguel said grimly, "but we're gonna go down fighting." There wasn't a real weapon at hand, but Rose fished a small dagger out of her robes. Miguel saw an opportunity: Argus wasn't using his staff, obviously, and Miguel had been pretty good with a kon, once upon a distant time ... But then they saw what was coming at them, and simply stood slack-jawed for a moment.
"What in Luminosita's Name is that?" Rose gasped, as the small figure drew closer.
Because old is wise, does good, and above all, kicks ass.
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Drannin
- Prince of Space
- Posts: 1350
- Joined: August 15th, 2008, 2:46 pm
Re: Saus
A haze of supreme pain. Head spinning...no. The shock (was it shock? Not pain?) was fading. But his right shoulder... Oh no. His shoulder. The exact wrong place to feel pain.. And knowing the issues he'd had with it in the past... Dammit. It was going to take time for that to heal up. And then the calcification would spread even farther...
The tingling of a heal spell. Is body healing, even with flakes of rocky tissue screwing thing up. How...? "You're sure this will work?" Miguel's voice. Concerned, confused... bemused? Where did that fit in? He'd just taken a nasty tumble, so...
"Hey, leave it t'me! B'lieve me, I knows whut I be doin'!" Another voice... loud, bombastic. Slightly aggravating. And very familiar... "Mm'kay. That oughta do it. Hey! Uncie Argie! You there?!" A voice yelling into his face. Breath smelling of pine... not too unpleasant, but still right in his face. Argus opened his eyes.
There was a beaver staring right down at him, about two inches from his face. With very prominent teeth. Stained with blood.
"SWAMP BEAVGAHHHHH!" Argus sat bolt upright in a panic, reaching for magic to blast apart the swamp beaver that had doubtless just slaughtered Rose and Miguel (this far from a swamp?), but the sheer, roiling, spikey pain in his shoulder prevented any plan of action. And then the pain suddenly subsided to tolerable levels. Argus looked down at his shoulder.
Two small, dextrous, furry hands were gripping it gently but dextrously, holding the stone and rocky flesh into place. Those hands were attached to...
Years of memories assailed Argus.
Two and a half feet tall. A beaver. A humanoid beaver. Barefoot (paw) but dressed in complex coveralls festooned with a dizzying array of tools and measuring devices. Argus knew that this small stocky figure could manipulate them with dizzying speed and uncanny precision. Small brown eyes looking at him with the familiar unending mirth still in place, tempered with concern. And joy at seeing him again.
Then there were the teeth. A huge mouth, spreading wide in a smile full of more teeth than should reasonably fit into a jaw that size, but somehow did anyway. First and foremost, the huge, buck, beaver teeth that could chomp through damned near anything. The blood flecks were... odd... but even so... It was him.
"...Harker?"
(OOC: Aaaand enter Harker, Argus' old familiar)
The tingling of a heal spell. Is body healing, even with flakes of rocky tissue screwing thing up. How...? "You're sure this will work?" Miguel's voice. Concerned, confused... bemused? Where did that fit in? He'd just taken a nasty tumble, so...
"Hey, leave it t'me! B'lieve me, I knows whut I be doin'!" Another voice... loud, bombastic. Slightly aggravating. And very familiar... "Mm'kay. That oughta do it. Hey! Uncie Argie! You there?!" A voice yelling into his face. Breath smelling of pine... not too unpleasant, but still right in his face. Argus opened his eyes.
There was a beaver staring right down at him, about two inches from his face. With very prominent teeth. Stained with blood.
"SWAMP BEAVGAHHHHH!" Argus sat bolt upright in a panic, reaching for magic to blast apart the swamp beaver that had doubtless just slaughtered Rose and Miguel (this far from a swamp?), but the sheer, roiling, spikey pain in his shoulder prevented any plan of action. And then the pain suddenly subsided to tolerable levels. Argus looked down at his shoulder.
Two small, dextrous, furry hands were gripping it gently but dextrously, holding the stone and rocky flesh into place. Those hands were attached to...
Years of memories assailed Argus.
Two and a half feet tall. A beaver. A humanoid beaver. Barefoot (paw) but dressed in complex coveralls festooned with a dizzying array of tools and measuring devices. Argus knew that this small stocky figure could manipulate them with dizzying speed and uncanny precision. Small brown eyes looking at him with the familiar unending mirth still in place, tempered with concern. And joy at seeing him again.
Then there were the teeth. A huge mouth, spreading wide in a smile full of more teeth than should reasonably fit into a jaw that size, but somehow did anyway. First and foremost, the huge, buck, beaver teeth that could chomp through damned near anything. The blood flecks were... odd... but even so... It was him.
"...Harker?"
(OOC: Aaaand enter Harker, Argus' old familiar)
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Graybeard
- The Heretical Admin
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- Joined: August 20th, 2007, 8:26 am
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Re: Saus
Brother Miguel and Sister Rose watched the exchange between mage and familiar with growing astonishment.
"I've heard of these things before, but I've never seen one," Rose told Miguel sotto voce. "Most Tsuirakuan mages have familiars, but they're usually of one or another generic type -- black cats or toads or owls or micro-unicorns, that kind of thing. To have a personalized, occupation-specific familiar usually means the mage is of very high status. I had no idea that Argus qualified."
"But then ... what is he doing here?" Miguel pointed out, quite sensibly.
"Dunno, but this 'Harker' is doing a better job of putting him back together than we were," Rose said. "Let's go with it and sort out the questions later. Ummm ... Harker, is it? Is your friend stable enough that he can ride in the wagon?"
"I've heard of these things before, but I've never seen one," Rose told Miguel sotto voce. "Most Tsuirakuan mages have familiars, but they're usually of one or another generic type -- black cats or toads or owls or micro-unicorns, that kind of thing. To have a personalized, occupation-specific familiar usually means the mage is of very high status. I had no idea that Argus qualified."
"But then ... what is he doing here?" Miguel pointed out, quite sensibly.
"Dunno, but this 'Harker' is doing a better job of putting him back together than we were," Rose said. "Let's go with it and sort out the questions later. Ummm ... Harker, is it? Is your friend stable enough that he can ride in the wagon?"
Because old is wise, does good, and above all, kicks ass.
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Drannin
- Prince of Space
- Posts: 1350
- Joined: August 15th, 2008, 2:46 pm
Re: Saus
"Yeah, just a second there, doll!" Harker quipped cheerfully. Argus was too stunned to correct the saucy fool. Sister Rose was thankfully too bemused to respond to this irreverent little comment. He did, however, manage to squeak out "What are you doing here?"
"Looking for you," Harker replied, missing the point, as was usual. "Listen, Argie," (Argus hated being called that) "Ya got some calcified tissue in your right shoulder... highly fragmented... varies in size from five millimeters to a biggun about four centimeters across. I'll hold, you stitch." Too stunned to argue, Argus numbly placed his left hand over his shoulder blade and began re-integrating stony fragments beneath his skin. Harker expertly felt around and maneuvered the rocky fragments back into the proper alignment. Harker's touch was so deft that it only caused Argus intense pain, rather than screaming pain.
"What happened?" Argus asked blankly.
"Magical backsurge, partially calcifying part of your body."
"I mean just now."
"You fell outta the cart."
"Dammit, Harker!"
"What?" The beaver looked genuinely confused, before cluing in. "OH! Right! I picked you up via the old mental link a while back. Couldn't believe it! Been zeroing in ever since! Kinda hard though. You'd think no one ever saw a bipedal beaver before!" Miguel and Rose glanced at each other at this.
"So that's why my head's been acting strange..." Argus realized.
"Yeah, I been sending out sensory probes looking for ya," Harker confirmed. "Little too strong. Wolf attacked me, and I guess you picked up on that. Don't worry though, I've closed the link down so it won't happen again." Harker rubbed a bit sharply. "Micro-frags. Better reattach them. Don't matter where they go... So, yeah, you got dizzy, fell outta the cart, hit yer head, and broke apart the rocks in your body. That was what took you down. Screwed with their healin' efforts, least till I came along..."
"Sorry to interrupt," said Brother Miguel, "But what's all this talk about tissue calcification? And rocks in the body?"
"Argie's dyin'," said Harker, matter-of-factly.
"Looking for you," Harker replied, missing the point, as was usual. "Listen, Argie," (Argus hated being called that) "Ya got some calcified tissue in your right shoulder... highly fragmented... varies in size from five millimeters to a biggun about four centimeters across. I'll hold, you stitch." Too stunned to argue, Argus numbly placed his left hand over his shoulder blade and began re-integrating stony fragments beneath his skin. Harker expertly felt around and maneuvered the rocky fragments back into the proper alignment. Harker's touch was so deft that it only caused Argus intense pain, rather than screaming pain.
"What happened?" Argus asked blankly.
"Magical backsurge, partially calcifying part of your body."
"I mean just now."
"You fell outta the cart."
"Dammit, Harker!"
"What?" The beaver looked genuinely confused, before cluing in. "OH! Right! I picked you up via the old mental link a while back. Couldn't believe it! Been zeroing in ever since! Kinda hard though. You'd think no one ever saw a bipedal beaver before!" Miguel and Rose glanced at each other at this.
"So that's why my head's been acting strange..." Argus realized.
"Yeah, I been sending out sensory probes looking for ya," Harker confirmed. "Little too strong. Wolf attacked me, and I guess you picked up on that. Don't worry though, I've closed the link down so it won't happen again." Harker rubbed a bit sharply. "Micro-frags. Better reattach them. Don't matter where they go... So, yeah, you got dizzy, fell outta the cart, hit yer head, and broke apart the rocks in your body. That was what took you down. Screwed with their healin' efforts, least till I came along..."
"Sorry to interrupt," said Brother Miguel, "But what's all this talk about tissue calcification? And rocks in the body?"
"Argie's dyin'," said Harker, matter-of-factly.
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Graybeard
- The Heretical Admin
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Re: Saus
"Argie's dyin'," said Harker, matter-of-factly.
"So are we all," Sister Rose replied smoothly. "At least except for the elves. It just comes with the territory. But ... oh." The line she'd used with others scared of death, usually without immediate reason, wasn't working here. She subsided while Brother Miguel, who'd blinked and opened and shut his mouth a few times, tried to regain his usual good humor.
"Well, you can't die yet, we have a mystery to solve," Miguel said. "If you die before we figure out what happened to Father Egbert, you'll never forgive yourself, will you? ... Oh." That wasn't going over well, either, but it did at least buy time for Rose to rally enough mana to fire up her Empathy capabilities before Miguel continued.
"Is it something you want to talk about?"
"So are we all," Sister Rose replied smoothly. "At least except for the elves. It just comes with the territory. But ... oh." The line she'd used with others scared of death, usually without immediate reason, wasn't working here. She subsided while Brother Miguel, who'd blinked and opened and shut his mouth a few times, tried to regain his usual good humor.
"Well, you can't die yet, we have a mystery to solve," Miguel said. "If you die before we figure out what happened to Father Egbert, you'll never forgive yourself, will you? ... Oh." That wasn't going over well, either, but it did at least buy time for Rose to rally enough mana to fire up her Empathy capabilities before Miguel continued.
"Is it something you want to talk about?"
Because old is wise, does good, and above all, kicks ass.
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Drannin
- Prince of Space
- Posts: 1350
- Joined: August 15th, 2008, 2:46 pm
Re: Saus
Argus sighed, long and hard. "It was something I really didn't want to bring up. So much for that plan." He cast a glare at Harker, who naturally ignored it. "Look, I think I've got the damage repaired. Why don't we talk along the way?"
Sister Rose nodded solemnly. "Whatever you like, Argus."
Argus rose and started for the cart, and damn near fell to the ground again as Harker clambered onto his back. "Gah! Harker... off!"
"But all the other familiars ride on THEIR bosses' shoulders!"
"The other familiars don't weigh as much as you!"
"Hey! I'll have you know I'm very well fed!"
"I can tell!"
Brother Miguel and Sister Rose were treated to the surreal sight of Argus struggling with Harker, and arguing quite vociferously. It was almost cute, in a very warped sort of way. Sister Rose thought she noticed, just for a moment, an expression on Argus' face, but it was gone before she could say for certain.
But she could have sworn Argus was smiling.
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Argus nodded. "So you sensed a problem, came running, and freaked out Brother Miguel and Sister Rose by your very appearance." They were under way again, and Argus was painfully aware that he was the center of attention. "The calcified flesh, being shattered, was interfering with healing efforts, so you held it together long enough for them to cast some healing magic."
"Yeah, pretty much," Harker confirmed. "Also told 'em to arc the magic around your rocky innards. Pretty easy, once ya know how." Harker gave a knowing wink to Brother Miguel, who really didn't know how to react.
"And the wolf that attacked you found an indestructible familiar with very sharp teeth. I'll bet it isn't feeling too well right now."
"Actually, Boss, it ain't much feeling much of anything right about now." Harker smiled, showing teeth that he had just finished washing the blood flecks out of. It was simultaneously very cheery and somewhat frightening. "But how's about we tell the assembled about the TAP, huh?"
Brother Miguel blinked, and Sister Rose started. "The TAP?" asked the former.
Argus sighed, remembering. "What was meant to put me in the history books. With my own volume. The TAP. The Tsuirakushiti Awakening Project."
Sister Rose nodded solemnly. "Whatever you like, Argus."
Argus rose and started for the cart, and damn near fell to the ground again as Harker clambered onto his back. "Gah! Harker... off!"
"But all the other familiars ride on THEIR bosses' shoulders!"
"The other familiars don't weigh as much as you!"
"Hey! I'll have you know I'm very well fed!"
"I can tell!"
Brother Miguel and Sister Rose were treated to the surreal sight of Argus struggling with Harker, and arguing quite vociferously. It was almost cute, in a very warped sort of way. Sister Rose thought she noticed, just for a moment, an expression on Argus' face, but it was gone before she could say for certain.
But she could have sworn Argus was smiling.
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Argus nodded. "So you sensed a problem, came running, and freaked out Brother Miguel and Sister Rose by your very appearance." They were under way again, and Argus was painfully aware that he was the center of attention. "The calcified flesh, being shattered, was interfering with healing efforts, so you held it together long enough for them to cast some healing magic."
"Yeah, pretty much," Harker confirmed. "Also told 'em to arc the magic around your rocky innards. Pretty easy, once ya know how." Harker gave a knowing wink to Brother Miguel, who really didn't know how to react.
"And the wolf that attacked you found an indestructible familiar with very sharp teeth. I'll bet it isn't feeling too well right now."
"Actually, Boss, it ain't much feeling much of anything right about now." Harker smiled, showing teeth that he had just finished washing the blood flecks out of. It was simultaneously very cheery and somewhat frightening. "But how's about we tell the assembled about the TAP, huh?"
Brother Miguel blinked, and Sister Rose started. "The TAP?" asked the former.
Argus sighed, remembering. "What was meant to put me in the history books. With my own volume. The TAP. The Tsuirakushiti Awakening Project."