[Last time, on Rising Sun Pioneers! You cleared out vamps. GO YOU! And you found Fanfan, who staked a vamp or two, for she is Fanfan the Vampire Slayer.] [Now you are in a dust-filled room ('cause that's what vampires turn into: dust), and you have a chance to loot the place blind! Assuming there's any loot to be had.] [Oh yeah, and Kojiro's here, too.] [Ready? Set? Session Start!] * Jinx goes to look over the alter, prodding it for secret drawers or the like. He keeps his torch out for light and in case there's more of 'em hiding somewhere. * Kojiro heads for the door. "I believe I shall check the rest of the den, and see if any are left." * Millie lowers her rifle barrel. Now with the heat of the battle over, she seems to be somewhat hyperventilating. * Jinx nods and gives a backhanded wave to Kojiro. "Good working with you." * Tairan nods at Kojiro. "I'd ask if you needed any help... but after seeing you fight, I kinda doubt you do." * Mikoto has a seat on the floor somewhere and collects himself. He looks beat. [Jinx finds a depressing lack of secret drawers. The altar itself is a fairly crude design. On each corner of the altar is a small, upraised holder upon which an orb is placed, about the size of a baseball. Well, should be: two are missing.] * John takes a look around the area for stuff, too. * Millie tries to take deep calming breaths. "There's nothin' left in there right? Please tell me there's nothin' left in there." * Kojiro nods to Tairan as he leaves. Whether it meant "I'll call you if I do," or "Yes, I am awesome," is anyone's guess. [John sees the some guns on top of piles of ashes! Including the rifle that lady was firing. Also, the dagger the greasy-haired vamp was holding.] * Fanfan takes a few deep breaths, then cuts away any bindings she has left and removes her gag. She bows to the assorted peoples. "I apologize for my abduction. They caught me unawares." [Fanfan is polite, even after screaming death and vamps. Go her.] * Jinx examines the remaining orbs for anything noteworthy. "Keep an eye out for two spheres, would fit in the palm of your hand. There seem to be two missing." * Tairan turns back towards the others. "Everyone basically in one piece?" ( She is THE FANtom. <.< ) * John takes the dagger and rifle. "Hey, Millie! You might be interested in this." He throws the rifle, muzzle pointed up, to Millie so it's easy to catch. Nobody feeling the urge for sweet, tasty blood? (Nobody wuvs Fanfan. ): ) [Jinx finds one of the orbs absorbs all torchlight that goes near it. The other swirls a sickly, murky gray color.] Nope. Just sweet, metallic, gold. Or the like. (These orbs are smaller than that earlier orb, right?) Ah, good. *turns to Fanfan* Don't worry about it. Not exactly something you shoulda been on the lookout for. * John picks up the guns and checks the 'munitions. He also keeps the guns, of course. (Which earlier orb, Jinx?) * Jinx keeps looking closely at the orbs. "Huh, these are probably expensive. And yeah, just don't make a habit of it." * Millie takes a pause from breathing to catch the rifle. "What are ya--" Her breath catches in her throat as she look sit over. Well, chokes is more like it. (The one Mikoto used.) (Same size.) (There was just the one, right, or did John use one too?) * Fanfan steps down off the altar and looks around. (John did but that was way back in the day.) Oh, and before you ask, Fanfan... Sakura's not with us anymore. * Jinx examines the orbs thoughtfully for a while, but doesn't pick any up. * Millie starts looking over the rifle but winces a little at Tairan's statement. She looks up at Fanfan as if noticing her for the first time. * Mikoto yawns and stretches as he looks over Jinx's shoulder. "Find something interesting?" * Jinx nods. "You ever get a handle on what happened with that orb when it broke? Looks like we got two more here." * Fanfan blinks and pauses. "She left the group? But I was on Horse...he ran off when they attacked me, though..." ... not quite. She went nuts... nutser than usual... so we had to shoot her. Repeatedly. . . . * Millie sighs and rubs her forehead muttering mostly to herself. "I know it's disrespectful considering her condition and all, but that's *still* the stupidest dangblooded name for a horse I've ever heard." * Mikoto tilts his head, then hmms and looks at the orbs. "I think they have some sort of... how to put it. That ice spell? I've never studied water magic, but suddenly I wanted some sort of water effect and it came into my mind. I think the orbs contain, for lack of a better word, 'spell knowledge'." ( I *like* Horse. ) .....you....shot her? Well, not me personally. * Jinx nods and looks them over. "Well, I shot her, twice. Although the second was with a shotgun at close range, so depends how you count it." But yeah. What Jinx said. * Jinx takes a closer look at the cloudy one. Any sign of activity in the clouds. * John nods and puts forth his hand, a globe of light appearing in it. It dances around and changes colors at random times. "It'd probably explain me bein' able to do this." [They swirl! No faces come up and talk to Jinx, if that's what you're looking for.] * Jinx looks over at John. "Damn, a gunner mage. Who'd have thought. That how you escape the jail?" I...do not understand. Hated to do it, but she put the entire group in a damned tight situation. Why did you do this? Is it some sort of Western custom? * Mikoto finally seems to register the Fanfan, and gives her a slight wave from behind Jinx. "Hello." * Tairan tilts his head. "Do I look Western?" * John motions again and the light vanishes. "It could be. I wouldn't plan it that way, though." He grins. *ting!* She was going to kill a defeated adversary. She failed to head our warnings. I cared more for the adversary than for her. [The *ting* from John's smile is absorbed by the black orb. Oh, no- sold!] And by doing that, she was putting the entire group in danger. * Millie mutters low and softly. "Ain't no western custom where I'm from..." * Fanfan backs away slightly, looking confused. "Because Jinx cared for the enemy?" No, no, not like that. * Jinx looks to Mikoto. "'ey, this death magic you think?" He points to the light absorbing sphere. Sakura and the person... forget her name, but it was that polearm- wielding woman you've encountered before... insisted on dueling. * Millie sighs and walks over to Fanfan. "Look. She woulda killed someone who already defeated her. An unsuspectin' opponent. I thought your Shomuran honor teaches against that. Even in Teck, that's underhanded." * Mikoto mmms. Orbs are more interesting than culpability for Sakura's demise, lalala. "It's hard to say. The line between 'darkness' and 'death' seems to be a little too fine, to me. Of course, there's always one way to find out, but I'm not sure I like it." Was supposed to be a non-death duel. Sakura insisted on making it a death duel, and we needed her alive, because she and her friends were going to give us important information. Sakura wouldn't listen to reason, threatened us when we tried to intervene... so we hadta do what we hadta do. * Fanfan glanced at Millie. "Sakura had made it a death duel. Eri could hardly have been unsuspecting." Sakura was already knocked unconscious if I recall correctly. Mikky healed her. So why did you intervene? Why was it not Eri who killed her? * Tairan nods at Millie. "It wasn't supposed to be a death duel." ... * Jinx looks at Fanfan. "Eri was down. She didn't particularly give a damn about the death duel and neither did I. So.." That's the point. It was supposed to be 'till one couldn't fight. Eri won. * Jinx looks over to Mikoto. "Air you think?" He points to the other. We healed Sakura, she got up, and then tried to kill Eri. So Eri reneged on the duel. * Mikoto closes his eyes a moment and takes a breath, then goes back to examining the orbs. "I don't know. Possibly. Or it could be death while the other is darkness. I've noticed the few wind spells I know tend to be greenish in color." ... wha? No. They agreed to a non-death duel. How is that renegging? * Millie sighs and turns off to the side. "Anyhow, I didn't intervene. Can't say I wouldn't have. Can't say I'm completely sorry. But..." She shrugs. "I give up." * Millie walks around and does her own searching of the area. [Millie finds what's already been found!] * Jinx looks over to Fanfan. "Look, it's not complicated. She was a nut, at least her sense of honor directed her violence to fairly evil people. Eri's in the same line of work as we are, call it professional courtesy, call it mercy, call it dishonor, she didn't deserve death and Sakura wouldn't listen." Bottom line: Sakura went nuts, and tried to kill someone that was going to help us. We tried to reason with her, we tried to stop her, she went nutser, threatened us, and we killed her. ( When did they agree to a non-death duel specifically? I can't find that in the logs...) ( I dunno, but that was the impression Tairan got. Or maybe he's lying. =P ) * John stands, listens, and looks cool. All at the same time. (He may be lying. But it's still dirty to use other people healing you as an excuse to go after someone again. That's Millie's general take, agreement or not) * Jinx then looks to Mikoto. His voice hasn't risen in all of this. "We should probably protect these and take them to a shaman. Well, darkness is probably a safe bet, but death magic is not to be toyed with." () ( FLAME ON!) Bottom line, part 2: She lost a duel. We healed her. She went after her injured opponent again. * Mikoto nods slowly. "And you can't tell which is which... sadly, that empty case is on the horses." He tilts his head at the orbs. "I wonder if it's safe to pick them up." I knew Sakura better than any of you ever cared to. If she dueled Eri, she would not have agreed to one unless it was to the death. Yet you killed Sakura. If Eri was a coward, she would have deserved to die. Bottom line, part 3: Much as I defended her, and wanted her ta be part'a this group, 'cause I thought she was basically a decent person... she was fucking nuts. If she truly had lost the duel, there would have been nothing to heal. * Millie looks over at the globe and kneels down, inspecting it. "Actually, given the nature of the recent outbreak, is it really far off to assume that it's death magic?" * Tairan scowls. "'course she wanted a death duel. We forced her not to, 'cause we needed Eri alive. Then she went back on her word." * Jinx shakes his head. "Might be, might not. Probably both aren't, the other is quite valuable. We'll get the case." ...if you forced her not to through duress, her word was never truly given. * Mikoto nods at Millie. "Yes. And it's particularly nasty..." He gets a sort of glazed expression. "But it's also terribly powerful, and by extension terribly *useful*, if you're willing to use it to begin with." * Millie then comments offhand to Fanfan. "So it's being a coward not to kill everyone jus' for breathin' wrong. You Shomurans sure got a twisted sense of honor." Durress? We asked her not to, for the good'a the group. She agreed. * Fanfan almost snarls at Millie at that last line, then her face goes back to blank. "I suppose I shan't agree with you. I would not want to be slaughtered off as well." * Fanfan walks out. "I will go look for Horse." ( That went well! ) Try not to get kidnapped by a vampire on your way. * John shakes his head. * Millie sighs after she goes out. "I knew she'd take it bad." She stands up suddenly. * Tairan mutters as Fanfan walks outta earshot. "Why is every woman I meet fucking insane?" * Millie turns around and walks after Fanfan. * Jinx keeps looking. "Yeah, definately cases. Hell, I'll put some of my share to destroying the death orb if there is one. I do draw the line at death magic. And Millie, please bring back the case if you make it out to the horses. * Millie does call over her shoulder as she heads out. "Ya wouldn't understand. It's a girl thing." (Definately case rather.) It's not just you, Tairan. ( Tairan: That's not what you said last night! <.<) * Mikoto lets his glance drift over the orb. "I'm against destroying it, but I suppose that's an argument for another day." Actually, I'd like that argument resolved now. ::Jinx removes a potion bottle from one of his pockets:: Willing to make a deal? * John already pocketed said knife. SUCKER. * Mikoto raises an eyebrow. "What kind of deal?" Energy potion, you get it, use it now, use it later, don't care. If one of these is death, I want it destroyed once we find out. * Mikoto chuckles. "I'll make a counteroffer, then. Keep your potion. Whatever orbs turn out to be benign, let me keep. I'm rapidly becoming our dedicated magic user anyway." He suddenly yawns pretty widely. "And I have to say it's taking quite a bit out of me." * Tairan wanders over to John. "Anything interesting about that knife? Or is it just a big knife?" * Jinx frowns and looks them over. "These aren't my thing anyways. John's snagged the knife, Millie the rifle, Fanfan's throwing a fit so she get's left out, Tairan, you object to that deal?" * John takes it out and flips it. Is it shiny like his teeth? * Jinx does put the potion away. [It looks like a ceremonial dagger. So, yeah, pretty shiny. And sharp.] * Jinx coughs. "Okay, Tairan or John. Any objection to letting Mikoto get the non-death orb exchange for destroying the death one?" I have no objection here. What am I gonna use an orb for? (Escaping from jail?) * Jinx nods. "Good, think we got a deal Mikoto. Oh, and it's probably the coward in me, but if it comes to it, I have no intention of dueling Fanfan to the death. As I rather suspect she'd slaughter me and that's an outcome I'd prefer to avoid." * Mikoto chuckles and slips off the priest's coat he's been wearing, trying his damndest to wrap the orbs up in it without actually touching them. "I think she's just in shock. Vampire kidnapping, finding out a companion has been killed... it's a lot to deal with." ( Wait, Sakura had a magic sword with crazy insane attacks and he thinks *Fanfan* would slaughter him? O_O ) ( He killed Sakura while she was weak. :P) [Mikoto succeeds! They're slippery little guys when handled that way.] Good, just thought I'd let you know know. Give you more time to adapt if it would shatter your glamorous image of me. * John chuckles. (Heh.) * Mikoto ties up the coat sleeves for a makeshift bundle. Woo. "With all of that out of the way, I suggest we leave in case there's some sort of, uh... what's the Injun saying? 'Pow-wow'?" That'd be it. Is that Injun for 'females plotting our deaths'? Close enough. * Jinx starts heading out. "Think Millie likes me enough to restrict it to serious bodily harm, but I could be overestimating my charm." Could be. * Mikoto says, with a faint smirk, "I guess it depends on if you're into that sort of thing." * Jinx holds out the torch as he walks out, taking an extra moment to scan any side passages they didn't explore on the way in. "To be honest, I really wasn't concerned with the type of duel, just of the two, I'd rather have Eri alive. And I'm not, get that shit enough in day to day life." * Jinx said the last sentence in response to Mikoto's comment. (I suspected so. ;) Wasn't thrilled that we did it, but it hadta be done. * John nods. [You people head out, retracing your steps. Eventually, you reach the stairs to above ground.] ( Yay. ) * Jinx walks out holding the torch fairly high. He glances around for signs of the girls or Kojiro once he gets out. (I see the grail-shaped beacon!) [Jinx gets out! Go ahead and perception roll.] Can I also state, for the record, that I really am starting to get creeped out at the amount of undead we're running into? (Just him, or all of us?) 2d6 * Dicesuke throws the bones for Jinx (2d6) and gets 7. (As you leave, feel free.) * John follows. 2d6 * Dicesuke throws the bones for John (2d6) and gets 6. * Mikoto trundles along behind Jinx, trying not to swing the improvised sling/coat too much. 2d6-2 * Dicesuke throws the bones for Mikoto (2d6-2) and gets 2. * Tairan also steps out into the open air. * Jinx shrugs. "About what I normally run into. Not vamps though. I actually am surprised we got off that easy based on what I've heard." 2d6-2 * Dicesuke throws the bones for Tairan (2d6-2) and gets 6. [You guys exit. There's no bugs, no vamps, no Fanfan, Millie, or Kojiro.] [Mikoto and John do note that the horses are alive and okay, in the distance, and grazing.] * Jinx looks around. "Where is everybody?" Well, let's look at the evidence. We have female members of this group missing. Obviously, they've been kidnapped. * Tairan says that with no small amount of sarcasm. ("What about Kojiro?" "He's pretty." "Ahhh.") Of course. That could be the only explaination. I doubt it. If the horses are grazing they can't have been too recently spooked, and kidnappers would most certainly not take either of them without a dust-up. Sarcasm Mikoto. Sarcasm. I'm thinking they're off talking. * Jinx snickers. "In Millie's defense, she was only captured the once I think. And that wasn't alone. So, is it just me or does it seem like the vampires have their part in this conspiracy. Suppose the magic spheres could have been a coincidence, but..." * Mikoto glances at John. "I've learned to take nothing for granted given our past experience." Maybe Millie rode off after Fanfan, or rode off to look for Horse? * Tairan looks around for horse tracks leading away. Or human tracks, for that matter. Horses are grazing? I didn't see those. Okay, that's good to hear. * Mikoto points horseward. "Did Fanfan explain *why* she happened to be in the clutches of vampires?" He taps the ground with the toe of his shoe. "Out of curiosity." Got nabbed. Didn't get much else. *pauses* Y'know, I really need to learn to keep my big yap shut. * Jinx looks. "No, probably just that she was alone in this area. Now, why she wandered off, that's a good question, but not like she was contracted to stay with us, so her life. * John snickers. ( Hey! I was actually on task! ;-; ) We killed her friend. People tend to be touchy about that. Anyways, if Millie and Fanfan are talking, I'd prefer not to interrupt all told. May as well get the case from the horses though. * Jinx wanders over to do that, stopping if he sees Millie and Fanfan on the way. [He doesn't.] * John walks over to Hazel, pettin' her on the head and bringing her a bit closer to the group. He takes the case and opens it in front of Mikoto. * Jinx lets John do that. He checks on Lightning while bringing her over as well, although not too near the graveyard itself. (*winces* Man, characters suck.) * Mikoto glances at the case, then frowns and slowly unties the coat sleeves. "This... is not going to be easy." Just be glad we still have a case for'em. Try putting them down in the case then just carefully and slowly removing the coat. Not like it's all that bulky of a covering. * Mikoto nods. "That *sounds* easy, but I'm doing more work than it looks like just to keep them from rolling off the..." The orbs sway around on the fabric a bit and he makes a jerky little motion. "...sides." Okay, John, lift the case so Mikoto can put the coat into it without having to bend over. * John was holding it up. I guess I should have been more specific. ^^; (Just say he puts it right under I guess, saves retconning. :P) * John puts it right under them so Mikoto can just drop them in without any fuss. [Luck roll, Mikoto!] * Tairan stands back a bit. "Y'know, I thought I heard glass breaking at some point during that fight. Maybe someone's shot went astray and knocked out the other orbs?" (Jinx notice any signs of glass on the alter?) 2d6 * Dicesuke throws the bones for Mikoto (2d6) and gets 7. Could be. [One of the orbs falls safely into the case. Mikoto overbalances, though, and the other tumbles out!] (Atom: You missed them telling Fanfan the Sakuradeath news.) ( Woohoo! I get her sword! ) (HA, yes. That wasn't taken well.) (No, Fanfan went "WAH YOU KILLED MY ONLY FRIEND AND SHE WAS A PC HOW COULD YOU!") (Yeah. LJkizn basically says it all. ^^ ) * Mikoto blinks, then curses and makes a dive for the other orb on reflex. (Y'all thought I was joking, didn't you? ;P) [Body roll Mikoto, -4] 2d6-4 * Dicesuke throws the bones for Mikoto (2d6-4) and gets 2. [He grabs it! Soul roll.] 2d6 * Dicesuke throws the bones for Mikoto (2d6) and gets 5. * Jinx gets an Oh shit expression. However, he doesn't make his own dive attempt. d2 * Dicesuke throws the bones for Ardweden (d2) and gets 2. * John moves the case a little, but stops before anything falls out again. That'd be bad. [As Mikoto raises the orb, it shatters with the sound of tinkling broken glass. What looks like fine gray dust swirls around Mikoto's hand and is absorbed into his skin.] * Jinx switches to an appraisal look. Well... Better hope that doesn't get you in trouble. ... which orb was that? * Mikoto just has a sort of dazed look, and then he kinda... not so much falls over as crumples. "I don't think that... was the right thing to do," he manages, a little breathlessly. But he sounds like he means it. 2d6-1 * Dicesuke throws the bones for Mikoto (2d6-1) and gets 4. Aww hell. * Jinx hasn't changed his expression yet. 2d6+1 * Dicesuke throws the bones for Jinx (2d6+1) and gets 8. (dr1) 2d6+1 * Dicesuke throws the bones for Jinx (2d6+1) and gets 8. (dr2) 2d6+1 * Dicesuke throws the bones for Jinx (2d6+1) and gets 7. (dr3) 2d6+1 * Dicesuke throws the bones for Jinx (2d6+1) and gets 4. [Right about now, Fanfan, Millie, and Kojiro come up the stairs to the scene.] [Jinx, reroll.] 2d6+1 * Dicesuke throws the bones for Jinx (2d6+1) and gets 8. (dr4) 2d6+1 * Dicesuke throws the bones for Jinx (2d6+1) and gets 9. (...gawdamn, man.) (No) (Hehehe.) * Mikoto stays right on the ground where he is a sec. He actually looks a little spooked. * Mikoto actually looks a LOT spooked, but with him this sort of comes out diluted. ... I'm guessing that was the bad orb? * John closes the case. "I'm thinking yes." * Jinx frowns. "Unlucky that. What did you learn?" (HOW TO KILL YOU ALL!) * Kojiro arrives! He gets out of the ground and stands near the hole, silently. But offering to help Millie and Fanfan up. * John glances at the new arivals. "Said they'd be fine." * Mikoto says, slightly hoarsely, "Something I'm not sure I wanted to know." After a minute he pulls himself standing (he looks even MORE exhausted now) and turns to Jinx. "I appear to have reneged on my offer. My apologies." * Fanfan bows to Kojiro in thanks and starts to say something, then turns and sees Mikoto on the ground and pales. "MIK--" * Fanfan stops and closes her mouth, her face going blank again. (HA. She thought they killed me.) (<.<) (This is really quite humorous from an OOC standpoint. "They're systematically eliminating Shomurans! I'm the only one left!") He's okay. Kinda. Accident with one of those orb thingees. ( Hey! Tairan's a Shomuran! ) (Todd: How'd you guess? ^^) (He wears a cowboy hat. How can you tell? <.<) * Millie looks over at Mikoto and her face twists as she hurries over. "Jus' what the hell'd you do, Mikky?" ( By the KATANA BLADE he wields? =P ) * John nods. "He's fine, or should be. Just an... accident." (Hee.) * Jinx nods. "Serves my dumb ass right for not shooting it then and there." Acted without thinking, I guess. ( He's next, you see. ) * Jinx seems to strongly believe that statement. * Fanfan bites her lip and turns away, looking into the forest. * Mikoto gives Millie a faint smile. "I submit myself to whatever denegration you feel appropriate for the situation just as soon as the imagery stops being visible when I blink." * Millie looks at Mikoto sternly and scowls. "In Teckian, Mikky." You can smack him when his head stops spinning. 2d6-3 * Dicesuke throws the bones for Jinx (2d6-3) and gets 8. Pretty much. An' why would I do that? Mikoto, in a particularly deft maneuver, managed to touch a spell orb containing death magic. * Millie looks at Jinx. And becomes dead silent. No pun intended. Or evil, or that dark one, damn, I don't think they referred to it by name much. That or the, uh, liquidy one. Anyways, bad shit. * Millie then grips Mikoto by whatever convenient torso garment holding he happens to have. "You WHAT?!?" * Mikoto says, somewhat pointedly, "It was assuredly death magic." He doesn't seem particularly bothered by Millie's grip, probably because he still seems a bit dazed. "An orb was falling so I grabbed for it on reflex." And....great Mikky. Just great. * Jinx rubs at his forehead. "Knew I should have paid more attention back then." He walks Lightning off a little and just pats her side. * Millie lets go and rubs her forehead, pacing frustrated. What's the big deal? It's not like he's gonna use the magic. (Of course I am!) (Not! Am not.) I would hope not. And what if the magic can use HIM, hmmm? Then do what you need to do. * Mikoto glances at Millie out of the corner of his eye. "You'd expect the same of me." S'the same thing as if he read a book that had a death magic spell in it. Sure, you'd rather nobody knew that shit, but unless he uses it... yeah. * Millie eyes Mikoto. "Yer not serious, Mikky. Tell me yer not serious." * Fanfan winces and crosses her arms, shivering a bit. I...well...but...that ain't the point! He ain't sayin' to kill him now, Millie. He's sayin' that, if he turns evil'n undead-raisin'... * Millie flails a bit and...pales. Which he won't, mind you. * Mikoto shakes his head. "That's not what the spell does." ...well, at least, I assume not. * Millie stops and responds, back turned to Tairan. "...don't you say that, Tairan...don't you even start ta say that. Ever." * Jinx calls out from Lightning. "You assume?" * Mikoto rubs his forehead. "Can we just get back to civilization? I suddenly feel in dire need of a cup of coffee." (Do it or he'll turn you into a zombie.) * Tairan blinks. "Say wha- ah, that. Sorry." * John mounts up. "My take on the matter: I don't plan on shootin' Mikoto even if he does use it. It ain't his fault." I've got...I've got enough experiences with the u-u...those things. Now and ever..." * Mikoto climbs on the back of Hazel, presuming Millie is still using his horse. "Don't make a promise you don't know you can keep, John," he mutters. Long story short: Mikoto's a good guy, but know he knows some bad, bad stuff. Which he won't use, 'cause he's a good guy. End of story. Let's get back to Millie's dad's place and sleep. * Millie gulps and nods. "...yeah." ... too many damn long stories today. * John glances at Mikoto. "I don't make promises I can't keep." Death magic isn't all undead Millie, it's all bad, but it's not all undead. And Mikoto, I'd try to see someone about getting that out of your head, because depending on the spell... * Mikoto grins faintly. "Then don't make promises that would be foolish to keep." * John smiles. "We'll see." *ting!* * Millie sideglances at Mikoto before heading towards the horse. She doesn't seem to be listening to Jinx or well, anyone now. * Jinx mounts up. He seems to be muttering to himself. "It is death, right, or was it wasting... There was this circle, opposite of life... yeah, death. Or decay." ( Mikoto can now... RUST METAL! THE HORROR! ) * Mikoto clears his throat. "Do what you will with the other orb, obviously... I broke my part of the bargain, intentional or no. And at least now you know that one is safe." (It's funny 'cause he actually broke it. <.< ) Don't see the point of not giving it to you. Not like we want me castin' spells. ... now there's a freakin' terrifying thought. * Jinx nods. "Well, Millie, you want it? Night, err, shadow. No, dark... shadows. Look, whatever, it isn't evil. That's where most of the undead dwell. Might give you a leg up next one you meet." * Mikoto glances at Millie. "It's 'darkness' magic... not evil, just about actual shadow as opposed to light. At least, that's my semi-informed opinion." Shadows? Mmm, that'd make me damn sneaky, maybe... no. Definately no. No good can come of magic-using Tairan. * Millie isn't listening. She totally isn't listening. ... why don't we hold off on that until tomorrow? Such magic is utilized by a certain class rather frequently. * Jinx speaks up. "Millie! This is important. Do you want it? I think it'd help you." * Mikoto blinks at Kojiro. "You mean ninja." * Millie mounts in a daze. Sorry Jinx, the line is busy. Please hang up and try again. * Kojiro nods. * Jinx rides over to Millie and snaps his fingers in front of her face. "Millie!" Jinx, let it drop for now. I have the orb right here. * Millie looks over at Jinx wearily. "Huh? What...?" She looks very weary/tired/out of it/all of the above. (Oh! Oh! *circles D*) It's not going anywhere, let's just get back to town now that the vamps are, you know, dusted. * Jinx shakes his head. "Things break." He then looks to her. "How would you like an edge in the darkness?" We killed a whole buncha vampires, and saved Fanfan from being... sacrificed? Something like that. I'd say that's a full day's work. Let's get some rest, do this tomorrow when we're all thinking a bit clearer. * Mikoto nods slowly. "In the daylight." * Millie just stares at Jinx, then wraps her arms around her, looking aside then shaking her head. "No." She then repeats half deliriously. "No no no no no..." * Millie shakes her head with each no. * Jinx frowns. He gives Millie a definate. 'We're going to talk about this later.' look. "Alright, won't force it on her. You got it John? Let's go." * Millie doesn't meet Jinx's look because she's not looking at him! ( If Tairan were a bastard, this would be his cue to yell "Hey, look! Zombies!" But he's not a bastard, so he won't. ) * Jinx rides over to pick up Tairan. "Ever seen an orb like that before Kojiro?" * Tairan hops up onto Lightning. Once safely on, he removes his hat and rubs at his temples. * John nods and rides off! * Kojiro nods. "On occasion. They are left over weapons from the war." * Mikoto tilts his head at Kojiro as the riding goes on. "Weapons?" That is, you could call them weapons. * Jinx rides along making sure to listen to the followup. He casts the occassional glance to make sure Millie hasn't fallen off or something. (If Tairan were a true bastard, Millie would have shot him a long time ago.) In what respect? * Fanfan starts a little and blinks before turning back to the group and staring. * Fanfan walks, too. * Jinx nods. "Easier to have one ready for a special situation than to have a trained mage there?" Legend has it that after suffering a heavy defeat and losing a great many of its spellcasters, the Fujimaki clan sought a quick way to train new magicians for the war." They discovered a way to harness spells or raw mana into such crystalline artifacts, which could then teach spells instantly to anybody. * Jinx nods. "So, once someone touches one, they know the spell, what it does, and how to use it?" * Mikoto blinks, then nods his head slowly. "I see..." He furrows his brow. "They don't seem to react simply to touching. There's some sort of trigger condition, but I don't know what it is." (Well, *I* do, but you know.) (We all know.) Most often, although sometimes one is unable to comprehend the spell. You see, when you use one of those, you are absorbing the knowledge someone else put into it. But not everyone is capable of... * Jinx nods. * Kojiro searches for a word. "... deciphering, this knowledge." Ah. * Mikoto nods slowly. "Still, these aren't the first ones we've encountered, and even John was able to assimilate a Fire spell of some kind..." He lets that dangle. Fill in the blanks at your leisure! So, someone is apparently trading them to vampires. * Millie slowly looks over at Kojiro. She might almost look like she's snapping out of it. And the vampires wanted to do something with them and a dead Fanfan. Perhaps my words are the wrong ones. It takes more than an intelligent mind to understand the magic. * Mikoto can't resist looking at John with a faint, teasing smile. "Imagine that." (Hee hee slash.) Ah, so the glass won't break until someone is able to truly comprehend it, if not in a mental way? * John smirks. "I'm just talented." ( So slash. x.x) ( Only the appropriately beautiful can absorb the spells. Well, we're out.) ( STOP FLIRTING HE'S MINE wait I'm mad at the world. Dammit!) * Kojiro nods to Jinx, "So says the legend." * Mikoto tilts his head. "Magic isn't just about intelligence, though. It's as much about force of will as it is about quickness of thought. At least, that was something I had to master learning to control Mira." * Millie blinks and turns to Kojiro. "There's a legend?" * Jinx nods. "Thanks. Well, looks like someone has a cache of these things. Wonder what they're buying with them." * Mikoto glances at his hands for a moment. "I suspect they were intending to make Fanfan a vampire." * Kojiro nods. "It certainly goes far beyond my ability to describe, whatever the case." And where there's a legend there's a... (Ellipsis!) * Kojiro looks to Millie, "Well, there certainly seems to be some truth to it." * Millie looks thoughtful for a moment and narrows her eyes at Kojiro suspiciously, something registering in her mind. "Wait. Why are you telling us all this?" (*rimshot*) * Sifle is now known as Atom (Funny. Except that'd be an, not a. ^_~) * Kojiro looks at Millie blankly. "... You asked." (The n was eaten by the ellipsis.) (THE ELLIPSIS WAS HUNGRY.) Why would he hold it a secret? Encryptic speaking is... so droll. * Millie looks at Kojiro, then over at Mikoto pointedly. He probably can't read minds but it sure carries a sense of pointedness to it. * Mikoto keeps looking at his hands. "I don't know what the Darkness orb was for, but... the Death orb seemed to be something about feeding on the life force of others..." He makes a face. "It's all very slippery. I can't focus on it too much or my head aches." * Jinx nods at that. "Suppose it's appropriate for vampires then. Oh, and Kojiro, out of curiosity, you seem to have no love for the undead, what do you think of slavers?" I've never had the misfortune to come across one. * Millie doesn't respond to John. I'm sure John's crushed. She's staring at Mikoto with a "gotta talk" expression that he probably doesn't catch because he's brooding. * Mikoto does the aforementioned brooding! * Fanfan broods too! It's a brood party. * Jinx nods. He seems satisfied with that answer. He's content to ride in relative quiet for a while, occassionally arguing with himself over which of several synonyms describe the schools of magic best. [And so, they head back to the town. For horses! And sleep. Lots of sleep.] [Session End!]