[You've been traversing the cactus forest all day. You haven't had much trouble since that fight with the hackers and cactus; you've come across a hacker or two, but they caused no injuries to the group, and if any cactus are moving, you didn't notice (and they didn't attack you).] [The sun is well on its way to setting, and no ending to the forest is in sight. It has thinned considerably, however, and stayed fairly thin, making you considerably less worried about pricking your butt or something.] [Session Start.] * Suzunosuke seems to be enjoying this immensely for no good reason. ( That's a lot of considering ^_^ ) * Millie 's walking along, not really affected much physically by the scratches. She is looking down at her vest though and poking her finger through the cuts, frowning. * Tairan does his tracking thing at the front of the group, staying silent for the most part. (Yeah, well. I just ate. Addles my brain. ;P) * Mikoto is looking a little less paranoid now, at the very least, walking with his duster tied around his waist and his arms crossed behind his head, glancing around. (Obviously. :P) * Millie sighs and stretches her back, raising her head back up and looking at the terrain out in front of her. "Tracks still fresh, Tairan?" Same as before. Not especially fresh, but I can follow 'em. That's a good sign, isn't it? Should mean they couldn't've gotten too far off. * MaryAnne walks along, her bamboo umbrella down to her side and held by her right hand, as well as her hand bag, and in her right hand is her travel bag "My goodness, I do hope we come across them soon." Though with those flyin' freaks back there, I can't blame 'em for bein' slowed down. * Jinx rides along wearily, picking a needle out of his jacket, having had far too many close encounters with Cacti, the non-moving kind, for his tastes. Just means we haven't lost 'em. Though we can only hope they've managed to anger the cacti somehow. * Millie gives Mary Anne an odd look for a second, raising an eyebrow but not saying anything. Yeah well...Millie's never lost anyone yet. And she doesn't intend to. * Mikoto sighs and breathes out. "I have to say, I really just don't want to look at any more *cacti*. Any other reason for leaving this place is gravy, as it's said." Be content to follow. We will catch them, or we will not. * John rides as well. He keeps an eye for anything suspicious. * Tairan looks back at Millie, eyebrow raised. "You have experience tracking?" We're here to do a job, Mikoto. Those cactuses are...weird I admit. But there's worse things out there.. (Man, I'm feeling descriptive. ^^;) * Millie smiles slightly at Tairan. "I wish. But I've paired up with 'nuff trackers ta know a little of what's what." Though..I s'pose you could say I've a different type of trackin' skill all t'gether. Ah. Trickle tracker. Gotcha. *returns to tracking* * Millie stretches her neck high overhead and gives it a good crack, rolling her shoulders. [Did I mention the sun was setting? Because it is! You're steadily getting less and less light to see by.] * Millie eyes Tairan. "An' jus' what's that s'posed ta mean?" Trickle tracker? Term for people who ain't had formal training... just picked it up from others who've been trained. Trickle-down knowledge. * Mikoto shrugs at Millie and keeps on the watch. "A job is a job. It does not mean I have to *like* an endless field of prickly plants." * Jinx continues scanning for any signs of opposition. "Lovely, evening time. Although it'll be easier to make an attack by night." * MaryAnne seems tired "I was rather hoping we would come across them before sundown. It seems we'll have to camp out in the wilderness. How dreadful." * Millie blinks then laughs a bit, rubbing her head slightly. "Oh. I thought ya meant I tracked trickles or somethin' like that." * John shifts uncomfortably in his saddle. He looks up to the setting sun. "Even if we did catch up to them, we'd have to spend some time under the stars tonight. We're not getting back before nightfall." * Millie turns over to Mary Anne. "We could press on if ya'd like a bit more.." Nope. And who said anything about camping? *slight grin* * Millie digs through her pack, reaching for one of the torches she bought. "Not sure how much light these things give..better be a good amount for the bundle I paid for 'em." * John chuckles. "We could always burn some cactus." "Well, I was rather hoping that they had a cabin or something of the sort that we could make use of after we encountered them." 2d6 * Dicesuke throws the bones for John (2d6) and gets 9. I am not tired, yet... and we make up no ground as we sleep. [John swears he sees something staring at him.] * Mikoto smiles embarassedly at Mary Anne. "I somehow don't feel that's very likely, Miss Pippin." * John pauses. "Bah, must be my imagination." He continues along. * Millie raises an eyebrow at Mary Anne. "You thought we'd camp out in a bandit cabin?" I think we had best... leave the cactii alone. * Tairan gets back to tracking. "Suzunosuke's got it. They prolly don't know they're being tracked, so they won't be hurryin'. Less time we stop, more ground we gain." "Well, after securing them, of course." * Millie sighs over to Suz. "Like it or not, we make no ground if we can't see the tracks..." But traveling at night is a risky thing to do outside the forest. It would be nearly impossable in here, espically with all these cactii. * Millie pulls out a match and holds it in her teeth as she pulls the backpack off the rest of the way to get out a torch. Not impossible. Just don't walk into the cacti. * Jinx squints a bit and looks out over the cactus. "If we have tourches lit, they'll probably see us coming. Although, they're campfire may well be visible at a greater distance." [Congratulations! You come across a clearing. Whatever cacti were there are stumps now, and you can see the makings of what used to be a campfire in the center. The cacti ahead, from what little you can see, are a bit thicker than previous.] * Millie frowns a bit. "I didn't think of that..." Mmm. * Tairan makes for the campfire, trying to get a feel for how long it's been since it was lit. How long? * Millie waves it off slightly. "But they've got a few days start on us. I can't see 'em bein' THAT close unless they're waitin' for an ambush. An' if they're doin' that, then we're not gonna sneak up on 'em no matter what." * Suzunosuke turns around and eyes the scenery, amused. * Mikoto blinks at the surroundings, then sighs in aggravation. "This bodes poorly." (Tracking roll, Tairan.) 2d6-3 * Dicesuke throws the bones for Tairan (2d6-3) and gets 5. ...my countrymen write no poems about deserts, it seems. And I don't think I've ever seen a cactus mentioned in one. * Jinx glances around. "Well, I'm no tracker, but I'll bet they broke camp a morning or two ago." * Tairan hrms. "A few days old. Can't tell exactly." * Millie grins at Suz. "There's a first time for everything. Cactuses ain't exactly "pretty" though." * Millie turns to Mary. "How long ago was the train robbed again?" * Tairan goes looking for tracks leading out of the camp. I wouldn't want... to get too friendly with one, but they seem a pleasant enough form of vegetation to look at. * Mikoto hums thoughtfully. "They went into the 'deep cactus', though?" He glances around. "Unless they went back the way we came." * John nods. "They are if ya see'um blossom. Only if it rains though." * Jinx rides around the camp, looking for any forgotten items. * Millie looks for a rock to sit on. [Millie finds a rock!] * Millie sits on it! [Roll perception, Jinx.] 2d6 * Dicesuke throws the bones for Jinx (2d6) and gets 11. (dr) 2d6 * Dicesuke throws the bones for Jinx (2d6) and gets 8. * MaryAnne pauses a moment and puts her finger to her chin "Umm...Let's see now...I believe it was 4 days ago now." (You notice... your toes.) * Millie pulls off her pack and scans the area casually as she looks around the area. * Mikoto walks around, giving the campsite a onceover also. So Jinxy's probably right...2 days ago I'd say...unless they made real good time. [Roll soul, Jinx.] 2d6 * Dicesuke throws the bones for Jinx (2d6) and gets 6. [Jinx finds... nothing! Ha!] Wouldn't have much reason to hurry. Nobody but us'd be stupid enough to follow 'em into here. *keeps looking for the tracks* ( That's what YOU think! :P ) [Tairan, I'd like a perception check at +2] Yeah...but they strike me as the careful type...not wantin' ta take any chances, y'know? 2d6+2 * Dicesuke throws the bones for Tairan (2d6+2) and gets 6. [Tairan can't find the tracks.] * Millie pulls out a small book and a wrinkled old paper then looks through her pack, and grumbles. "Dammit." * Tairan curses. * Mikoto frowns. "I wish we knew a *motive*." He glances about the area around him. "Somehow, I think if we knew why they stole it, reclaiming it would be a lot easier." * John rides over to Millie. "What's wrong?" I forgot somethin' ta write with...knew I'd forget somethin'... ( "They plan to sell it to the Shogun." You're right, that does make things easier. ) [It's now past twilight. The stars twinkle overhead. Pretty!] * Millie looks up at the sky and nibbles on her lip slight as she's thinking, starring at the stars. I got nothin'... * Jinx chuckles. "Don't know how knowing the motive would help find those tracks, maybe if we knew the employer. ..." How can we know a motive? We still don't know what "it" is... or did I miss that? * Mikoto nods at Jinx. "That's what I mean. The motive wouldn't tell us where they've been, but instead where they're going." * Suzunosuke scratches his head bemusedly. What we need are visible tracks. And I'm finding nada. * Jinx nods at Mikoto. "True enough, so shall we make camp here? Have a go of it at first light?" "Oh, well, I guess we could stop here for the night." She looks up a comfortable spot finds a comfortable spot and sets her travel back down as well as herself. * Tairan nods. "I'll take first watch..." * Mikoto smiles at Tairan. "I'll join you, if you don't mind." I would like first wa- do you want comp- hmph. 2d6-2 * Dicesuke throws the bones for Millie (2d6-2) and gets 5. Sure. More the safer, safer the less bleeding, less bleeding the merrier. Wake me up when you get tired. * Jinx dismounts takes a blanket off Lightning, and throws it on the ground without really looking scouting out a place. * Suzunosuke somehow makes his sword disappear, and he pulls a thin blanket from his rucksack. * John eyes the two. "I'll take second watch as well." He dismounts and pulls a blanket off of Hazel. * Millie shakes her head and frowns a little as she picks herself up off the rock and stuffs her stuff back in her pack. * Mikoto half-salutes. "We'll wake you in a few hours, then." * Tairan draws his katana from his left side and starts wandering the perimeter of the camp, getting a feel for the terrain and such. [The terrain is, uh, sandy.] * Jinx sits down on his blanket and takes off his boots. "Suppose that leaves me the last watch." * John recogonizes it with a glance, and gets his sleeping pad ready. * Millie blinks and looks at the rest of them. "Oh. Kinda went spacy there for a bit. What's the watch order?" * MaryAnne removes a blanket from her travel back and spreads it out in a flat area in camp You're on third watch with Jinx. * MaryAnne sits there. * Millie smiles a little. "Well, at least he'll have the cards to pass the time.." (Okay, watch order is as follows: 1. Mikoto and Tairan. 2. Suzunosuke and John. 3. Millie and Jinx. Mary Anne's gonna be lazy and sleep through the whole thing.) * Jinx grins a bit and lies down. "I aim to please." (Yes?) (Far as I know) * Mikoto steps to the opposite edge of the clearing from Tairan and, shaking out his arms, drops into a fighting stance and shifts from foot to foot, stretching. (Who would want MaryAnne to take watch - that'd be stupid =P ) * Millie lays out some sleeping stuff and lays on top of it, not bothering to cover, using her pack as a makeshift pillow. ( Go away, you bad bad monsters you! Or I shall get very irate!) (Yup =P ) * Jinx suddenly jolts up, puts on his boots and ties up Lightning, then he goes back to his blanket. * Tairan goes through some light sword katas as he patrols, holding his katana in one hand. * Jinx shuts his eyes and prepares for sleep. "If anyone would like, they're welcome to some dice or a deck of cards. Just don't play anything distracting." * John takes the saddle off of Hazel and uses it as a sort of pillow. He pats his horse a few times and gets ready for some sleep. * Suzunosuke is already drowsing, knowing the middle shift is going to seriously mess up his sleep cycle. [First group: Tairan and Mikoto. No doubt the most talkative pair of the bunch. Give me perception rolls!] 2d6-2 * Dicesuke throws the bones for Mikoto (2d6-2) and gets 4. 2d6 * Dicesuke throws the bones for Tairan (2d6) and gets 4. ( I made it even if Heightened Awareness doesn't apply. I forget when it does and doesn't. ^_^;; ) [You heard some noise, but are fairly sure it's just some animals of the forest. Amazingly enough, nothing comes to attack you. Time passes, and your shift ends.] ( Yay! *scampers off for a Diet Dr Pepper* ) * Tairan goes and wakes up Suz and John, then sheathes his sword and lays down to rest. * Mikoto wearily makes himself comfortable on his oversize coat, and gets some sleep. * Suzunosuke looks up at the desert sky as he wakes up. "At the great sky / I gaze all my life: / For the rushing wind, / Though it howls as it goes, / Can never be seen." * John grouchingly wakes up, but gets up easily after he realizes what's going on. He grabs his rifle from it's holster. [Settle in, second shift, then give me the same rolls.] * Suzunosuke stretchs and takes a brief stroll around the campsite. * John looks over to Suzunosuke and smirks. "You do have a bit of a poet in you." He starts patroling the campsite. 2d6 * Dicesuke throws the bones for John (2d6) and gets 8. No, I just have read a lot. 2d6 * Dicesuke throws the bones for Suzunosuke (2d6) and gets 10. ( John gets hit in the face with a pie. Suzu too! :P ) (...) ( Clowns! Shoot to kill! ) [You guys don't notice a thing. It's all quiet. Maybe ignorance really is bliss.] [Shift over. Next!] * Suzunosuke wraps himself in his blanket once more as he silently moves to wake the next shift. * Jinx yawns, tips his hat to the previous watch, shakes out then puts on his boots, and draws his shotgun. * Millie lets out a little grunt as she's all sprawled out over her bedding, arms and legs spread wide. Doesn't seem to want to get up. * John tips his hat to Jinx and makes sure Millie's up. Hey, get up. * Millie snorts and picks herself up, rubbing her eyes and grumbling. "I'm comin' I'm comin'..." She yawns and stretches her arms wide before picking up her pack and Greenpeace. * John nods, walks over to his sleeping area, and crashes. ( I'll take this opportunity to remind John and Millie that they're not in great condition. You are getting a bit of healing from the night's rest, however. ) * Millie doesn't bother slinging it as she walks over to Jinx, rifle on her shoulder. "Looks like it's you an' me, Jinxy." (Oh yeah, John knows that already from when he was ridin' his horse. Dang needles.) * Jinx tosses a pair of dice in his off hand. "Yup, and I know a few simple games for passing patrol time, just enough to keep you awake without taking too much attention." (Millie just hides it well. ^^;) (It's not just needles, John m'dear. You hurt all over. Millie, too.) (But yes she knows it. :P) (Good. ^_~) * Millie grins ever so slightly. "Well, that's good. Think our attention's needed elsewheres." She peers out at the surroundings. [Third shift! Ready for rollin'?] 2d6 * Dicesuke throws the bones for Millie (2d6) and gets 6. 2d6 * Dicesuke throws the bones for Jinx (2d6) and gets 11. (dr) 2d6 * Dicesuke throws the bones for Jinx (2d6) and gets 12, a CRITICAL FAILURE!!! "The gods giveth, and the gods taketh away. This time, they taketh away." (dr) 2d6 * Dicesuke throws the bones for Jinx (2d6) and gets 10. [You don't notice much of anything. Pretty peaceful, in fact. And oh look, the sun's rising.] * Millie watches the sunrise and smiles a bit. "Whatsay I start up a fire for breakfast?" * Tairan rises like clockwork as the sun comes up over the horizon, gets himself together, and starts scouring for tracks wordlessly. * Mikoto quietly snoozes away, resisting attempts to wake him. Deepish sleeper. (Because I have to AFK. Be RIGHT back.) * Jinx nods. "That'd be quite pleasant, I'll keep watch til you've got one going, then get everyone else up. Hmm.. Looks like Tairan got himself up." * Millie nods and walks over to the campfire, looking for useable materials to light. * MaryAnne sleeps quitely * Suzunosuke wakes badly. Bleah. "Standing there, / The morning's cold / Startled me! / Soft dew: piled..." * John gets up after just about everyone else. "Man, remind me not to take the middle shift next time." ...wait. * Millie chuckles. "Rise an' shine, pretty boy...what say we...?" She glances over at Suz. "What?" * Suzunosuke wonders what poem he was thinking of, 'cuz that sure wasn't it. Oh, just not thinking straight. *looklooklookadjusthatlook* * Millie chuckles. "Nights on the trail'll do that to ya. Sometimes I think Millie's been wanderin' too long..." * Millie shrugs and goes back to firebuilding, striking a match to get her started. * Jinx notices most everyone rising and satisfied that his watch his over, takes a minute to appreciate the sun rise. We've been travellin' so hard, we forgot ta eat last night..I'm famished. * John looks around and finds Hazel almost where he left her. He feeds her some feed and starts to work on saddling her up. * Mikoto yawns and sits up, rubbing his eyes. "Aiyah. Good morning." * Millie looks around the site. "That everyone up now?" * Tairan pulls some rations out of his pack and starts eating as he searches. * Suzunosuke munches on some travel rations. There's a couple days worth left in his bag, but maybe he should have bought some more before leaving. [Millie, give me mind -3 (just to make this easier on all of us)] 2d6-3 * Dicesuke throws the bones for Millie (2d6-3) and gets 0. (Would have made it without the mod! Hah!) * John checks the supplies and gets some rations out for himself. [Millie notices that everyone's up! Except Mary Anne.] ( I woulda made that without the mod. Ha!!! ) (Now THAT'S something.) * Millie blinks and looks around. "Where's Miss Mary?" She goes up from her fire and searches. [Mary's where she fell asleep the night before. So peaceful and cute and wouldja look at that, she's fading away. Don't see that every morning.] * Millie 's eyes widen. "Um...fellas?" * Jinx smiles wistfully at the horizon for a moment, then turns back and looks at Mary Anne. (Boo!!) Yes? * Millie points at Mary. "That's...not normal, is it?" * John looks over from Hazel. "What is it?" * Suzunosuke blinks. * Tairan looks over. "... no, definately not normal." [The sun continues to rise, and Mary Anne continues to disappear.] * Millie reaches out towards Mary's arm. * Mikoto finishes flapping his duster to clear dirt off it and blinks at Mary Anne, stopping in the middle of tying it about his waist again. "..." * Jinx also walks over to the disappearing Mary Anne and attempts to rose her. [Jinx's hand goes straight through her.] * John quickly finishes saddling Hazel and runs over to Mary. (Millie's hand too I suspect?) (Yup.) What the hell? * Jinx stands between Mary Anne and the sun. [Jinx makes a shadow, but that doesn't seem to stop her disappearing act at all.] * Millie looks a bit spooked as she looks at her hand, then at Mary. "Gawd, this is...what the hell's wrong with this forest?" Is this normal in the West? * Tairan walks over, uncorks his canteen, and tries dumping a bit of water on MaryAnne's head. * Millie turns towards Suz and almost yells. "Ya think we'd be freakin' out if this were NORMAL???" * Jinx scratches his head. "I doubt this is the forest." He looks around for Mary Anne's umbrella. * John looks at Suzunosuke. "No." I guess... not. [The water goes straight through her head. Which is almost completely faded away, by the by.] ... damn. * Suzunosuke kneels down. "MAAAAAARYYYY!" * Mikoto sighs. "Magic of some sort, I'm guessing... but I only know a very tiny bit about magic." He glances around. "I don't guess anyone here is actually a magician of some kind?" * Millie kneels down and screams. "Dammit, Miss Mary, snap out of it!" She impulsively goes to grab her by the shoulders. [That doesn't wake her up, either. And Millie's hands go straight through her.] * Millie looks over at Mikoto, her hands still through Mary. "Bleh, Magic's jus' for those who don't knows how ta shoot proper." [Mary completely vanishes!] * John nods. "But it seems to be... well shit." * Jinx actually doesn't look particularly shocked or broken up, although he have a sad expression as he continues to look for the umbrella. * Millie pounds the sand. "Shait..this ain't good." * Mikoto raises an eyebrow at Millie. "That's a matter of opin... damn." He sighs at where Mary Anne used to be. (Jinx, give me a perception roll. -2, if you would.) ... right. 2d6-2 * Dicesuke throws the bones for Jinx (2d6-2) and gets 8. * Tairan goes back to looking for tracks. ( So how much is a disadvantage worth if it kills you in the fourth session? ) [Jinx finds the umbrella.] (Tairan, tracking roll.) 2d6-3 * Dicesuke throws the bones for Tairan (2d6-3) and gets 6. [Tairan finds no tracks!] * Millie gets up slowly off the ground. "How the hell we gonna know any more 'bout this tablet if we don't have our expert with us? Hell." * Jinx opens it. "She was always using this to shield her from the sun, who knows." And no tracks I can find... (Now, everyone! Perception rolls! All together now!) 2d6 * Dicesuke throws the bones for Millie (2d6) and gets 7. 2d6 2d6-2 * Dicesuke throws the bones for John (2d6) and gets 8. * Dicesuke throws the bones for Mikoto (2d6-2) and gets 8. 2d6 * Dicesuke throws the bones for Suzunosuke (2d6) and gets 8. 2d6 * Dicesuke throws the bones for Jinx (2d6) and gets 10. 2d6 * Dicesuke throws the bones for Tairan (2d6) and gets 8. [... Well. Nobody finds a clue.] * Mikoto glances at Jinx, and there's every indication that he really expects the umbrella to work, and is disappointed when it doesn't. "A sound theory, but sadly, it didn't hold." There's somethin' 'bout that umbrella though...it ain't normal, that's for sure. ( With no paying boss and no clues, the group disbands. Game Over. ) * Millie carefully reaches up her gloved hand and rubs her chin. * Jinx sadly puts the umbrella down, blocking Mary Anne's previous position from the sun. "Oh well, least the bounty is high enough to make continuing the job worthwhile." * Millie glares at Jinx. "How can you even think 'bout money at a time like this??" Dammit, this is important. This tablet's important, Ol' Millie can feel it in her bones...you're jus' gonna...you're jus' gonna stay bein' a NOBODY! Because he likes to eat, mayhap? (Everyone not distracted by the arguing, give me another perception check.) * Mikoto chews on his lower lip. "I don't think it's possible to keep working on the job without Miss Pippin. And... really, I want to help her." He smiles a little. "Call it misplaced chivalry if you want." 2d6 * Dicesuke throws the bones for John (2d6) and gets 5. 2d6 * Dicesuke throws the bones for Tairan (2d6) and gets 7. * Jinx looks over at Millie, and for a youth of less than twenty, his expression is more than anything, old. "I've seen a lot of people die, including friends, and largely in far worse ways than just vanishing. Life goes on, if we can help her, great, but I've done what I can." Will we even know what it looks like if we find it? You think I ain't? You think I'm jus' some prissy little girl straight off her daddy's lap? * Millie starts stomping her way over towards Jinx. Like a tablet, most likely. * Mikoto eyes Suzunosuke and rubs the back of his neck sheepishly. "I suspect a large tablet will be recognizable." He starts looking around again. * Suzunosuke shrugs, then snags Millie by one shoulder. * John looks near where Mary's former form was. "Hey... Tairan!" Calm... down. * Millie doesn't turn around, trying to push Suzs hand off her shoulder. "Stay outta this." She continues to glare at Jinx. * Jinx doesn't back down. "Hardly. I said no such thing. That you care so much probably means you're a better person then I am." * Tairan looks up. "Hmm?" * John points to some tracks on the ground around Mary's former resting position. "Get over here, I think I found something." * Tairan blinks, then jogs over. * Millie chuckles gravely. "I'm not so good a person as you may think...but we'll go over that later." * Mikoto blinks at John, and decides to walk over too, even though he wasn't asked. * Jinx nods and shrugs, he walks over to see what John found. [Now that John's pointed them out, they're easy to see: tracks, just like he said. Some look like they're made by children, while others by birds - oversized birds, anyway.] * Millie swivels her head towards John. "Ya find somethin' J.J.? (Chocobo's!) * Millie smiles sheepishly. "I mean John." ( ...chocobos and moogles. She was kidnapped by chocobos and moogles. ) (^_^) ... this is gonna sound very odd. Children's tracks. And birds... very large birds. * Millie raises an eyebrow delicately. 'Children?" Either that or small people. Wait...like...forest nymphs? No. Like children. * Jinx grins. "Who cares what they are, it's a lead, let's go before they get too far away!" It's kind of the same thing..little spirits of the forest, wanderin' 'round...little people. * Mikoto puts his hands on his hips and leans forward, blinking. "But what kind of children OR giant birds would be found in the middle of a cactus forest?" He tries to follow the tracks into the cacti with his gaze. * Millie grins. "You jus' wanna change the subject. Fine by Millie." Strange ones, Mikoto. * Millie heads for the tracks. * John looks over at Millie. "They just don't want to believe in forest nymphs." He winks and goes off to mount up. * Tairan starts following the tracks. "How the hell did I miss those..." * Mikoto laughs, smiling at Tairan. "I cannot argue with that kind of logic." * Jinx runs over to Lightning, unties her and mounts up, he laughs at Millie's comment. "The subject in question has changed, from a death to a kidnapping, you can't pin that on me." * Millie smirks a little at John and tips her hat. * Millie pouts and shifts her hips as she puts her hands just above them, getting a haughty look. "I can pin what I want on who I want, when I want..." * Millie shifts to a grin. "I jus' might not be right is all." [Tairan can follow the tracks without much trouble.] Yeah, but no one's going to listen to you. * Jinx laughs. "C'mon, we'll argue later, for now we have a rescue expedition." You think these... things have taken MaryAnne? * Millie grins at John. "Don't make me poke ya with cactus needles, 'kay Johnny?" She runs after the expidition. * John tips his hat. "Yes. Let's go." He rides after Tairan. We're in a forest with living cacti, following a woman with a lightning-spewing umbrella that just faded away. Children and giant birds are not so odd by comparison. * Suzunosuke shakes his head, and pats his belt where the sword should be. Ol' Tairan there makes a good point. * Jinx is now riding along behind Tairan. "That reminds me, someone grab that umbrella, could come in handy." My father would never believe this tale. Sure we're in for much more.. * Mikoto shrugs and starts walking, trying to keep pace with Jinx and his horse (presuming they're not suicidally galloping off through cacti). * Millie looks at Jinx, then shakes her head, picking up the umbrella. "Might as well, since it's a lady's umbrella an' I'm the only one here." * Suzunosuke take up the rear guard. ( No it's not. It's a bamboo umbrella :P ) (But a lady uses it so therefore it's a lady's umbrella ^_~) ( The umbrella is made of ladies! Ladies! or not.) ( c.c ) [You walk! Yay! And walk, and walk, and Tairan, give me another tracking roll.] ( It's the Umbrella of Vecna. Made from the Skin of Vecna and the Femur of Vecna. ) 2d6-3 * Dicesuke throws the bones for Tairan (2d6-3) and gets 7. [Tairan doesn't notice anything else, though he can still follow the ones he's got.] * Mikoto sighs and glances over at Jinx. "I have to wonder if we'll ever find the tablet, with all of these distractions." We're not going to find it without her. I'm a bit curious 'bout how Jan got to know this place well enough in the first place ta get through her first time.. * Jinx switches to his pistol as he rides along. "Oh, I don't know, we could find it without her, we just couldn't get the money without her." * Mikoto rubs the back of his neck embarassedly. "Isn't that a little cold- hearted?" Though we've made good progress..it ain't much more than half a day to the other side I reckon. I'd save her for free. How so? * Millie looks at Jinx and shakes her head slightly. "Yeah, but I think we know your main reason for comin' 'long now..." I think that was most people's main reason. I'm not here sightseeing. * Millie eyes Tairan and just sighs, rubbing her brow. "Ya jus' don't get it at all..." * John nods. "The money is one of the main reasons. The other is I happened to be going through at the time." Let's jus' find her an' get out of here. Let's concentrate on that. * Jinx glances at Millie as he rides. "I'm no scientist, never claimed to be." He then listens to Millie's advice and starts scanning the cacti ahead of Tairan, looking for trouble. [You reach another clearing. This one's much larger than the one you camped in, and in the center is a small, crude fort: and by crude, I mean it's four stone walls with no roof to speak of. There's also no door, just an opening. You can see smoke rising from inside.] What an odd building. * Mikoto just... blinks. * Millie looks at the fort oddly, walking forward a bit, cautiously, towards the side away from the opening. * Jinx stops at the edge of the cacti. "I'd say this day couldn't get any weirder, but the odds are rather against that statement being true." Seconded. * John scratches his head as he reaches the edge of cacti. "Yeah, weird." * Millie stops a bit of ways away and unslings her rifle, still not saying all that much. She eyes the entrance and the fort very very carefully. * Tairan narrows his eyes, and starts slowly circling towards the fort, trying to approach from an angle so as not to be visible. * Millie looks at the other and gestures with the barrel of her rifle, then walks slowly around the edge of the clearing, keeping her eyes on the fort. * Suzunosuke pulls out his sword, and tries to follow Tairan's lead. * John draws his rifle. * Jinx dismounts and ties up Lightning out of sight of the entrance. He then follows Tairan, with his revolver still drawn. * Millie tries to look and see if there's any debris piled up around the edges of the fort. * Mikoto sighs and shakes out his hands. At least being the unarmed type has SOME benefits. * John gets off of Hazel and follows Jinx. He slings his rifle accross his back as he follows. 2d6 * Dicesuke throws the bones for MaryAnne (2d6) and gets 5. * Millie backs up a little, sideglancing at John and whispering very quietly. "Ya wanna go for cover fire or rather we all go in together?" * John backs up as well. He whispers back. "I'll cover. What about you?" * Millie smirks and pats her rifle, still keeping her voice low. "Best for those with the longest range go for cover. * Mikoto bravely, or potentially stupidly, takes a step forward, trying to think of a way to sneak in. * Suzunosuke bites back a pointed comment. * Tairan makes his way to the side wall of the fort, and starts edging his way around to the corner. [There's some yelling from small voices as small, brown creatures (that, yes, almost look like children) burst from the gate, riding what look like... oversized chickens. Seriously. Those chickens are awfully fast.] * Millie nods to the rest and finds a position along the edge of the clearing to give her the best view of the entrance while still staying out of range. She sets her rifle sights towards the entrance. ( ... ) ( Really ugly children :P ) * John nods. He unslings his rifle and positions himself likewise, but away from Millie. (Yes, they have faces only a mother would love.) ( Gimme init rolls ^^ ) * Millie grins to herself, whispering. "Yep. Forest nymphs." ( Utinni! ) d6+5 * Dicesuke throws the bones for Jinx (d6+5) and gets 10. 2d6+7 * Dicesuke throws the bones for Millie (2d6+7) and gets 16. d6+6 * Dicesuke throws the bones for Mikoto (d6+6) and gets 9. (Oops ^^;) d6+7 * Dicesuke throws the bones for Tairan (d6+7) and gets 8. d6+7 * Dicesuke throws the bones for Millie (d6+7) and gets 10. d6+7 * Dicesuke throws the bones for Suzunosuke (d6+7) and gets 8. d6+6 * Dicesuke throws the bones for John (d6+6) and gets 8. * John blinks. "Never thought I'd see those." What are they? (Heh - guess it could be a climactic cliffhanger as they party holds their ground from the charging large chicken riders! =P ) * Mikoto also blinks, taking a step back in surprise. "So much for stealth." * Millie whispers to whoever can still hear her. "No shots till we know they're agressive, a'right?" * John acknowledges that with a nod. [Order: Jinx, Millie, Mikoto, Mugh1, Tairan, Suzu, John, Mugh2 - 5] (Mugh? O.o) [Jinx's turn!] ( Yeah. They're mughs! ) * Jinx blinks, he keeps his revolver out but doesn't point it at any of the riders. "We've come looking for a friend of ours, perhaps you could help us." [hold] [Millie's turn!] * Millie backs a bit more towards the cacti, keeping silent since Jinx already spoke, her barrel pointed slightly downward as she watches the kiddies warily. [hold] [Mikoto's turn!] * Mikoto falls back to the group and nods. "A woman in a gown. Maybe you've seen her?" [hold] [The first mugh rides up close and stops. "Is our foodings! Yous go away, wes no killings yous." [Tairan's turn!] ( FINE. We kill the Jawas, save Mary Anne, and EAT THEIR CHOCOBOS. I'm good with that, how about y'all? ) (...) (Let's waste them.) ( "Is our foodings now. HAHAHAHA. Utinni! ) (Mmm... Chocobo) ( Give me biology (zoology) checks, too :P ) * Millie blinks a bit. "Foodings?" 2d6 * Dicesuke throws the bones for Jinx (2d6) and gets 5. 2d6 * Dicesuke throws the bones for Millie (2d6) and gets 12, a CRITICAL FAILURE!!! "Sorry, I don't take bribes. No, not even chocolate. No, not kinky sex acts, either." (So much for trying the seduction check on Dicey :P) * Tairan steps out from behind the fort and plunges his sword into the ground towards the group of 4 thingees that haven't gone yet. 2d6 * Dicesuke throws the bones for John (2d6) and gets 4. 2d6 * Dicesuke throws the bones for Mikoto (2d6) and gets 4. ( HOOYEAH. I am teh smartstest. ) 2d6-2 * Dicesuke throws the bones for Tairan (2d6-2) and gets 1. ( Shouldn't have argued with Jinxy Millie, you got his luck. ^_~ ) [Ok, everyone who made their biology roll realizes the name for the giant chickens is simply "Chikins". Millie thinks they're legendary cockatrices who'll turn her into stone if they peck her.] ( [...] ) (...) ( [[...]] ) (^^;) ( [[[...]]] ) ( {[[[...]]]} ) ( ... ) * Tairan steps out from behind the fort and plunges his sword into the ground towards the group of 4 thingees that haven't gone yet. [The ground rumbles beneath Tairan, towards the mughs. They don't even have time to react before wicked, jagged rocks spring from the earth, nearly as tall as they are, causing three of the four to scream in agony. They fall off their chikins, which seem quite skewered by now. The last was lucky enough to be out of the way of the attack. Barely.] * Millie blinks a bit as she looks at the mounts and curses. "Damn it, how'd they find those things?" [Ok, Mikoto first.] Find what? Chikins? * Mikoto takes advantage of the confusion of Tairan's... whatever... to lunge at the lead Mugh in an attempt to just knock him flat. What are you talkin' 'bout? Those things turn ya into stone if they touch ya! Ain't ya read ANYTHING?? 2d6-4 * Dicesuke throws the bones for Mikoto (2d6-4) and gets 6. ( ...*twitch* Succeeds. Barely. Meep. ) ... Yeah, and I distinctly remember those being called 'chikins.' C-H- I-K-I-N-S. [Mikoto knocks him off his chikin, but not much more than that.] [Jinx, go.] * Millie stares at John like he's an idiot. "No. Them things are 'trices, Millie's sure of it." Don't say I didn't warn ya. * Jinx takes a shot at the one Mugh unaffected by Tairan's attack. "Yield, or there will be chikin for supper tonight." 2d6-6 * Dicesuke throws the bones for Jinx (2d6-6) and gets 0. [Jinx shoots it between its beedy yellow eyes. Ouchie!] [Millie, go!] * Millie takes advantage of the situation to avoid the cockatrice-chikins, trying to get around the edge of the clearing to search the fort for Mary Anne while the mugh's are distracted. * John stares at Millie like she's an idiot. "They're Chikin's. And if they were cocktrices, wouldn't they be flying and look a lot less... chikin-like?" ( *sobs* Do we have to use that word? ) ( Yep :P ) (Yes.) ( Are there any left? ) [There are 4 very hurt mughs, one very dead mugh, and probably more in the fort.] [Oh, and one live chikin.] * Mikoto lets out a sigh. "I wish it hadn't have had to come to that." He glances around, looking for signs of more mughs, or Mary Anne. * Tairan sheaths his sword, and heads over to the rest of the group. * Millie turns around at the entrance as she reaches it and points her rifle barrel right in. "Don't nobody move!" * Suzunosuke sticks his head in the entrance as well. * John slings his gun over his shoulder and walks torwards the entrance. * Jinx switches to his shotgun and walks in, the barrel pointed to the ground. [Millie holds the fort up! The inside of the fort is much like the outside: crude. There's a pen with chikins, some old, makeshift tents lining one side, and a small crowd of cowering mughs. (more)] [They're cowering from her rifle, by the by. Near the center is a bubbling pot of... something, and farther in back is Mary Anne, tied to a post sticking out of the ground. Next to her stands a mugh, but this one's different from the rest: he wears a helmet of a horse's skull and is carrying a staff: wooden, with a smooth, round stone head and feathers.] * Millie eyes the mughs carefully, narrowing her eyebrows as she sights down the barrel of Greenpeace, then gestures over towards Mary Anne. "Let her go." [Unlike the others, he isn't cowering.] * Suzunosuke eyeballs the staff-Mugh, turning on the intimidation. * MaryAnne hears Millie's voice and looks that way. * Mikoto pipes up from behind Millie, "We're sorry it came to this, but she's quite important to us and you can find food elsewhere. Let her go and we can all move on." * Tairan saunters over towards the entrance, drawing his katana for effect. [He speaks! "I be Ugh of mughs. I smarts. I much good shaman of lightings and darkings. Talkings with me, yes?] * Millie turns her eyes just for a second towards Ugh, but her barrel doesn't drop for a second. "Talking is over. She goes free." * Ugh moves behind Mary Anne. "No more killings! Is unnicing!" * Jinx walks in, shotgun pointed to the ground. "Not so quick Millie, we'll trade you food for our friend and information about others in the forest." * John walks in. "She'll shoot. I've seen her do it before, and that's just cuz', well, you don't want to know." He smirks. * MaryAnne looks on concerned. I didn't kill anyone. An' I didn't intend to, neither. But y'all will tick me off if she stays tied up like that... An' it's not good ta tick off Millie Reinhart. * Tairan sheaths his sword and steps aside. "Let the more diplomatic among us handle the diplomacy, Millie." First things first, Tairan. They let Mary go. * Millie glares at Tairan. "They weren't so diplomatic with takin' 'er in the first place, now were they?" * Jinx keeps his shotgun pointed down and walks closer to the pole. "So, we trade, we get her and shamen wisdom for food." * Suzunosuke keeps his sword out. This is just too weird. He moves over to where MaryAnne is tied. Mughs is just hungries and... Yous stay backs! * Mikoto grimaces at Millie, stepping forward. "There's no harm in talking when we have the advantage." He steps forward and smiles at Ugh. "We don't want to hurt anybody. Maybe we can help each other." ( I continue to step forward! I'm a freakin' chess rook. ) * Ugh points his staff at Suzu. "You stays backings or Ugh killings foodings raw." If that's all this is 'bout, ya jus' have ta ask nicely. We don't take kindly ta our comrades bein' taken for breakfast. * MaryAnne smiles weakly "Heh." Get back, Suz. * Jinx stops walking he leaves the talking to Mikoto but does softly say. "Try to get info about Calamity Jane if you can, they may know where she is." Mughs is only hungries! Only spinyplant and cuttyfly and featherbeak to eat. And no killings featherbeak. * Suzunosuke takes one step back. One. * Millie raises an eyebrow. "Featherbeak?" * John keeps his hands by his hips. He constantly eyes Ugh. * Mikoto nods at Jinx with a smile. "My thoughts exactly," he says softly, before turning back to Ugh, keeping that smile on. "I know how you feel. I get tired eating the same thing over and over. But I think we can make a trade." ( Let's just hope they, er, taste like chicken. ) * Jinx smiles at Mikoto, he keeps his voice low. "I'll go get some bartering supplies, seems the situation is well in hand here." He briskly walks out and goes to do just that, on Lightning. * Ugh rubs his very wide chin. "Tradings..." Wish I'd thought ta bring some more gator meat...ah well, we've more than 'nuff yes. * Millie wipes her brow slightly and pulls back her rifle, grinning at the rest of them, then leaning on it slightly. * Mikoto nods encouragingly. "We'll take our friend, and one of the, er... 'featherbeaks' that's already passed away. In return, we'll give you some different things to eat." Ya gonna get venom from the 'trices? That's nasty stuff.. They're Chikins. ( ...har. ) What sorts of foodings yous is givings to wes? * Millie looks at John offhand again and shakes her head. "Fine. Just be glad they can't peck ya." ( That's a damn good question. What do we have? ) (Bread, dried fruit, gator meat if you thought to get it.) * John snickers. "I'll be sure to keep their beaks far away from you." (Millie'd bring at least some ^^) [Jinx returns!] * Mikoto hmms, then looks and ahs at Jinx's return. "Well, we can show you, since my friend's brought some." * Millie rubs her chin with one hand, using the other to hold her rifle upright. "Shaman you said...is that how ya pulled that vanishin' trick?" ( I have to pack it in now. Early (earlier) day tomorrow. ) * Jinx rides Lightning up to the fort, he dismounts and ties her up. He takes a bag off Lightning and walks hands it over to Mikoto. * Ugh nods. "Is be very smarts." Is it a transport or an illusion? Is darkings. * Millie raises another eyebrow. "Darkings?" * Ugh nods. * Mikoto takes a bit of bread and fruit out of the bag and shares it with Ugh. "To see if you like it." He smiles. "While you're eating... since you're such a wise shaman, Ugh, you must know many things. Yes?" [Lightning has more bags on her than usual, but that's only really noticable if you're familar with how much she normally carries. The bag contains about 10% of the parties food supply.] ( If I'm trampling people saying stuff, feel free to smack me one. >.<) * Ugh nods in approval. "Ugh be very smarts. Smartses of mughs." * Mikoto breathes a sigh of mock relief. "I'm very glad. Wise shaman Ugh, some people we have been trying to meet came into this forest recently, and we've lost them. Have you seen them?" * Ugh nodnods. "Ugh sees foodings, but no try eatings. Ugh be waitings for foodings to leave spinyplace." * Ugh realizes he's been given food and eats it. :P * Mikoto blinks, processing that. "Does that mean they're still in the 'spinyplace', wise shaman? And how is your, er, 'foodings'?" * Millie eyes Ugh and gestures with her head towards Mary. "What about your part of the deal?" ( Inexplicable desire to read the Black Cauldron now. o_o ) ( Clearly, this party needs an oracular pig. ) Foodings leave much darkings ago. Mughs no troublings. * Ugh blinks twice at Millie and gestures to one of the other mughs, who cuts Mary Anne free. * Jinx leans against an interior wall of the fort near the entrance, he doesn't even bother to look threatening. * Mikoto grimaces. Not the news he was hoping to hear. "Do you know which way they were headed, wise shaman?" * MaryAnne rubs her wrists "Oh thank goodness." * Ugh nods. "To place of much brown foodings." * MaryAnne makes her way over to the others. (Mikoto: Should've gotten the ability to summon that instead of the falcon. ^_~) How many "darkings"? * Mikoto blinks. "Much brown foodings..." His eyes suddenly widen, and he smiles at Ugh in a highly genuine fashion. "Your knowledge has given me terrific insight, wise shaman. Please take the foodings with our thanks." ( Clearly. ) * John nods, making a mental note of Ugh's comment. * Ugh blinks at Millie. He scrunches up his face in thought. "... Much darkings." * MaryAnne goes about gathering her belongings from those that have them "Thank you all very much. I certainly do appreciate your timeliness." ( Oh god. Gully dwarves counting. TOO MUCH FANTASY NOVEL NOSTALGIA. My head's gonna crack. ) * Ugh grins toothily at Mikoto. "Ugh eat foodings." ( Gully dwarves? Thought they were more like goblins. ) ( Oh, not that these guys remind me of gully dwarves, just remembered gully dwarves being totally unable to count. ) * Mikoto laughs. "I hope they were enjoyable." He glances back at the party. "I think I know where Jan is headed... or at least, a general idea." * Jinx stands up, he looks confused but that's mitigated by his belief that Mikoto will explain things shortly. Yeah, let's get going. * Jinx walks out. "You can ride Lightning back to camp if you like Mary Anne. I don't envy the morning you just had." [And so, they go back to gather their stuff and hopefully get out of this stupid forest. Will they succeed? You don't know yet!] [Session End.]