NationStates Jolt Archive

The rest of the class passes without incident, and when the last child has left, Vedt turned to Cougar.

"Care to tell me what happened?"

You guess is as good as mine. Flashbacks is the only way I can describe it

If the ordinary flashback can make you do that, we might have to wipe your memory. Be more specific.

Recent... very recent. Less than seventy-two hours old. Snake Eater Prime, The River, the ending... can I be anymore specific? I know she'll have told you

She did. However...this pattern of behavior seems highly irregular. *Vedt takes a seat and conjures two drinks, handing one to Cougar and taking a sip of the other*

Thanks*sips at his own drink*I don't think anything can truly be regular when you've had to destroy your parents and be disowned in the process

I'll take your word on that. However...you did your parents a favor. Dead spirits should not have to linger long...you gave them peace, even if you only wanted vengeance for being disowned.

Maybe I did... and maybe I didn't. Traitors, liars... that's what they were. And who ever said I wanted vengence for what they did to me? No... it went deeper than that. He told me I wasn't a true Cougar, something I've never heard before. I just wanted to prove the arrogant SOB wrong

A good start...go on.

Warfare and Arianna shook themselves, and got up from the rock they were sitting on.

"It is time for your domain test. Each Diety has two minimum, and the most I've ever known was Kajeenith, and he had five or six. Tricky god to bring to complete and utter destruction, but, I did it, and I only have four: War, Creation, Destruction, and Slivers. You are going to be tested. A domain is simply an area you have more control over than other Gods. For example, I have the War Domain, there are about 50 Gods of War, I am the 51'st, and the most powerful. We all have increased skill in War, fighting, fighting techniques, and all the other acrutments that go with War. Peace is our weak point, while we can grant peace, it just isn't easy for us. You follow?" Warfare said.

"So far, yes." Arianna said.

"Good, now what we're going to do, is we're going to go to random places in creation. Your going to exercise your will upon mortals. A mortal is any being that is not a God." Warfare said.

"What do I do?" Arianna asked.

"It'll come to you, there are 10 tests. Ten diffrent situations."

Warfare waved his hand. They were somewhere near Mithdelmar, at least they could see the top of the tower in the distance. There were random trees scattered about, and sitting under one of them, was a Drow man. This Drow man was truely dumb, for he had no mind. He was never able to learn to walk, talk, or even think. In a final act of giving up, the ones who had taken care of him had left him there to die.

"Tell me, what would you do?" Warfare asked.

Arianna spotted the poor man, walked over, and exercised her will upon him while whispering something in his mind. Within seconds, a tear fell from his eye as for the first time ever, thought passed through his mind. Arianna gave him the gift of brilliance, and if anyone bothered to listen to the suddenly clean presentable genius, they would find that he would be able to shed new light on many diffrent problems. He had been given a second lease on life.
He jumped up, and ran off.

Warfare and Arianna disappeared.

OOC: THAT IS A GODMOD. YOU CANNOT SAY THAT I LEFT SOMEONE OUT TO DIE, B/C THAT'S NOT HOW WE RUN THINGS IN KAYMIRIL. WE TAKE CARE OF THE SICK, AND IF THERE ISN'T HOPE WE LET THEM DIE OR WE KILL THEM. WE DO NOT 'LEAVE THEM OUT THERE TO DIE,' ESPECIALLY NOT IN AND AROUND MITHDELMAR.

Do you follow?

OOC: I never said it was real, did I? Do you really think I that I think that you would do that to someone? I wrote it that way on purpose, to make one wonder, is this happening? Or is it something more? To tell you the truth, this is really a convincing illusion used to test for Domains without actually interfering with whats going on in the mortal Realm. The fact that Arianna didn't catch on that it was an illusion speaks to the fact that she does not have Domain over Magic. There is a chance she might figure it out sometime around test seven, but that will be because she has Domain over knowledge. The whole purpose behind not telling that it is an illusion is to make the subject think it is real. If they know it is an illusion, then they can seize control over it, and make it do what they will. If you like I will add the line that Warfare cast an Illusion on Arianna, but the rest of it stands, because it is not real, it never actually happened. How am I to know whether or not you actually have people in that condition? For all I've seen, I would think that they would be under watchful care in Mithdelmar, not actually left to die under a tree. OOCly, She's, going to come accross a child on SEP playing on a river bank when the side of it will collapse, and its either save the child or let it die, She'll run accross a gigantic Civil War in the Empire of Balrogga, Go to the ancient world of Ephseus when Magic was starting, and run accross a derlect ship with a lone survivor in space. From there, she will be tempted by the Dark Gods on the last five. After that, she discovers she was only sitting on the rock staring off accross paradise all along. Warfare will tell her that she has domain over Knowledge and peace, with a focus on Magic and healing.

A good start...go on.

Cougar didn't know what he was feeling at the moment... he supposed anger, but also sorrow at what he had to do,"I thought they'd been laid to rest twenty one years ago today. Twenty one years. Do you know how long that is to a human? Then I find out how long they're still around... and trying to destroy me. What am I supposed to do? I left, that's what I did... and now she's got every reason in the world to hate me!"

"You need to learn the difference between anger fueled by worry and genuine hate. She will never hate you...but there will be times when you invoke her wrath. As to your parents...there is very little to be done except accepting the fact that they needed to be put to rest. They have done you harm...and you'd rather have thought them dead. There's nothing saying you can't still do that. From what she has told Renor and myself...there were odd things happening along that river. This was quite possibly one of them."

Maybe... god, I'm such an idoit. Look at me, warbling on to a man who, lets face it, isn't exactly my greatest fan in the universe of time and space.

It is not my job to be your 'fan,' Cougar. But it is also not my job to be your enemy. You are a student here, and I am a teacher. A teacher is more than someone who teaches children arithmetic and literacy out of books. Teachers listen, teachers guide, teachers are the ones who make you take another look at your life and choose right...whether or not you think of them that way.

Interesting outlook on life... where have I heard this lecture before?

He nodded slightly, taking in the words, despite having heard them many times before, or words with a similar meaning. He smiled slightly, remembering the teaching methods of the Master. That was the only name he was known by. A SHADOW instructor when Cougar was learning, he used to kick the crap out of them to a certain degree, whilst demanding they fight back. It took time, but eventually all cadets noticed something about the way the Master was positioned. This window let them knock him to the ground, and thus their training really began.

"I've heard similar messages before, from many people... but it always means the same thing in the end"

As he was talking, the voice returned to his mind Ihave no son... I have no son.... He closed his eyes, and breathed in deeply, trying to rid his mind of it

Expulsion and repression do not work, ultimately, Cougar. Acceptance does.

Acceptance that I was disowned? Easy enough to theorise about... more difficult to implement

You were disowned by a traitor. He disowned you before you disowned him. What is there to feel shame for?

Because for twenty one years, I fought to honour my parents memory. Now what is left to fight for?

OOC: Regrettably, I must temporarily take a break from NS. RL has reached the point of no return. I have to take a break from our fantasy world, and take care of my life for now in the Real one. I might be able to read up every now and then, but for now, I must step out of the world of Teenagehood, and into Adulthood. You may have noticed my sporadic appearences of late, this is due to the fact that I am trying oh so desperatly to get a job and a place to live before School shoves me out the door. I will return, this I promise. But for now, I must go. Until we meet again,

The Eternal Dominion of Warhaven.

ooc:
You will be missed, any idea when you will be back?

OOC: You are to be sorely missed Warhaven. I wish you the best of luck until you return... which you shall, understand me boyo? In any case, gd luck my friend, I know you'll do just fine

OOC: Catch ya lata Warhaven. Don't worry...I'll keep the council in one piece for you.

IC:
"To fight for the memory of shades of your past? You ask what you have to fight for now? I'll give you an answer...look at your left hand."

Cougar did so, gazing at the sapphire set into the band. He smiled as the memory of that day came back... good memories all round that and the month afterwards,"Seems she does more fighting than I do"

That wasn't the question you asked. You basically asked what your purpose in life was now that you know the truth...it seems to me you've got at least one.

As to the years you lived under that lie...it was truth until you found out three days ago.

Lies are truth until proven otherwise... truth is relative. Theres one truth that isn't though

And?

Love... at least in my case

And if it is a good enough truth for you, then so be it.

Cougar thought he heard an icyness, but then dismissed it as a figment of his own imagination,"It is enough"

Vedt nods and stands. "If it happens again, inform me immediately." He teleports out.

Inform you immediatley? Depends on how severe it is Vedt, depends on how severe it is

He sat there for a moment, then left the room, going about his buisness until the end of the day, when he returned to the room and began reading through the latest news from Snake Eaters', some of which did not make for happy reading

Vedt walked through the halls silently. Coming to an intersection, he took a left, then opened a wall. He soon found Rhenmet, hard at work on some project or another.

"Do you not believe it time to face him again?"

Rn -- "What I do in my marriage is none of your concern, Vedt."

V -- "It is when your emotionally shattered husband is my emotionally shattered pupil. He is also not willing to share the entirety of what he needs to get out of his system with me. He doesn't like me, and that apparently has some sort of affect on what humans can and cannot say to you."

Rn -- "I will speak with him when I so decide."

V -- "How can you abandon someone you claim to care about?"

Rn -- "How dare you talk to me about abandoning him?"

V -- "This conversation is not about Laressa."

Rn -- "I get the feeling it isn't about my relationship with Cougar."

V -- "You aren't taking care of it. Put aside your anger...he needs someone to listen. And maybe you need the same."

Rn -- "Listen at how you talk. You haven't spoken to anyone."

V -- "This conversation isn't about Cherin, either." Vedt's tone gained an edge.

Rn -- "Of course it's not."

V -- "You are the one with no room to talk. I only knew about her existence for a month. You've never had a child, and never lost one. I had one for a month, but didn't have one. I have never been a father, only a teacher."

Rn -- "And yet it eats at you...eats at you that you abandoned her before she was born, eats at you that you couldn't take care of her."

V -- *voice very soft now* "What happens then, Rhenmet, in the inevitability that you have a child? You will have to give it up before it can even crawl. How can you speak of me abandoning a child when you will see your child's face and then have to send it out into a world that will never accept it for what it is? At least I had no knowledge of Laressa's pregnancy, or Cherin's birth. How dare you lecture me?"

Rn -- "How dare you lecture me on how to behave as a married woman when you only married for convenience's sake? Your marriage was a sham...a mockery...a deception."

V -- "Leave. Make amends with your pathetic human pet or not, let your marriage disintegrate or save it, your domestic affairs are of no concern to me. Just get out of my sight."

Taken aback, Rhenna leaves, returning to the main part of Rendelmar.

Still hidden in the "shadows," Vedt slams his fist against a wall.

Cougar didn't have a clue what was going on, but was engrossed in the last story he was reading.

Mystery Disease Sweeping Halon I, Authorities Unable to Comment
During the last few weeks, increased numbers of cases of a disease, previously unencountered in Snake Eaters', have increased dramatically in the Halon system, most pressingly on Halon I, the main medical research facility for Snake Eaters'. Doctors at the Kings' Hospital, in the state captial of Halon City, have been swapmed with ever-growing numbers of the mysterious disease, and the mortality rate is said to be far higher than offical figures are admitting. The head consultant, Dr John Radbourn, refused to comment on this, merely fuelling the ever-growing rumours that this is the worst medical crisis to hit Halon since the Phage over fifty years ago

He shut the site down, and started to think about what this story could mean.

The door slid silently open and closed as Rhenna stepped into the room.

He'd been looking through something from his pack, a file of papers that seemed to be a methodical collection of photos, transcripts, and other such things. It read on the front 'Operation: Cold Front'. He looked up, raised an eyebrow, then looked back down at the photo in his hand, as if studying it intently

Rhenna's eyes flash as she turns away. The door opens to let her out.

"Wait"

She pauses, looking over her shoulder.

Time is limited

Bugger off!

Alright

He closed the file, and sighed,"I'm sorry... I didn't mean that. They asked me to look over this before they send a team in, and I've had a bad day thus far. I didn't mean to do that"

"Save your excuses, Cougar. I don't need them."

He could be seen to shrug slightly,"Can't blame me for trying"

The door closes behind her as she steps out.

He shook his head, more a gesture to hide his hurt than anything else.

Even my own wife doesn't care anymore.

He tried to return to his work, checking over if Echo Team should be sent in, but he couldn't do it. After a while, he closed the file, left it on the bed, and left the room. He quickly found a training room that wanted CQC, and he used it with a viciousness not seen before, simply smashing his opponents into dust

After time has passed, Shan and Jovin stand in the doorway, observing what he's doing.

What they saw was Cougar in full solider mode, as it where. Using his own holographic projectors, he had set up combat with multiple opponents. Having felled all but one, he waited till the 'man' struck, before grabbing, twisting and breaking the arm, followed by his knife coming out, plunging it behind the windpipe of the person, and ripping outwards with a savage fury. The Helghast solider collapsed to the ground, before the simulation shut down. He looked at Shan and Jovin, and put the knife back in it's sheath,"Yes?"

The boys just stand there a moment, before Shan shakes his head.

"You're in here, doing the same thing you've done all your life, and she's in the library, doing the same thing she's done all her life, and you're both angry. The library's on the other side of the city. You're not any nearer to solving the problem than you were this morning."

"She comes in, I f**k up, I try, and she doesn't want to hear it. What am I supposed to do, Shan? This IS me, who you see before you, seeing what you just saw, that's who I am. Not mage, not a decent fecking husband, but a bloody good solider"

Jovin and Shan look at each other.

J -- Nau uss' dro cas jala alur hwuen nind xun. Xun dos inbal jalbyr ssussun ul'hyrr?

S -- Usstan inbal natha waele uss.

J -- Lu'?

S -- Usstan g'jahall ukta a ukt ehmtu nibele.

J -- Dos ph' viggtu!

S -- Usstan zhaun.

Shan steps into the room and assumes a defensive stance. Now, if I only remember anything...

Cougar couldn't hide a smile,"Interesting idea Shan, and an insane one. The mood I'm in, if I didn't exercise control I may end up seriously hurting you... yet another reason for her not to come near me through anger alone. Still, if you think you can..."

He went into his stance, knowing where his weight was, where his feet where, his every sense tuned to this,"Come on!"

Little tinges of red flickered through Shan's eyes. "Forget control...seriously hurt me, if you can...I don't care."

That said, he launched himself forward, into an attack, then at the very last instant, dodged left, spinning around and hooking his foot around Cougar's ankle, then pulling hard and fast.

Interesting... am I fighting Haldosir, or Shan?

Cougar felt the foot hook behind his, and began to fall backwards. He grabbed the front of Shan's tunic, pulling him with him. Classic move, using their own momentum against them. He rolled with the blow, instantely on his feet,"Which one am I fighting?"

Shan launched a punch to Cougar's wrist before hitting the ground, allowing him to push off into a flip, setting him on his feet.

"You're fighting Shan. Haldosir is his own entity...the ability to use his abilities is genetic."

"Then let me let you in on something Shan. You've been learning, what, six months? You're fast, I'll give you that, and you learn quickly, but I've been doing this for years. I'm not going to hurt you, much."

With that, Cougar moved, his hand closing around Shan's wrist, and twisting it into such a position as just to move it was painful

Shan closed his eyes and then sent a wave of electricity through Cougar, after which he teleported to behind the human and sent a blow to the plase where the skull and the spine meet.

Interesting move, not one you would normally see on a battlefield... but then again, is anything in this place normal

The combined shock caused him to physcially jump, although it was high and somersaulting. He landed softly behind Shan, driving his knee into Shan's, making it buckle beneath the blow,"What EXACTLY are you after, Shan? I don't get it"

Shan used his other leg to launch himself forward and whip himself around. He stood somewhat shakily, but steadied, and he looked at Cougar defiantly.

"You'll have to beat me first...and I'm not beaten until I yield"

"Then I don't want to know," said Cougar, dropping his hands to his sides,"i've no wish to have to risk hurting you to find out something"

"Why not me? You hurt people you care about, intentionally and not. How am I any better than they are?"

The strike hit him hard, but he didn't yield. His voice was soft, edged,"You think I'm proud of it? You think I want this? Of course I don't, but I'm at a loss as to what to do Shan!"

"Find the heart of the problem...and solve it."

Shan turns squarely away from Cougar and walks to the door.

Cougar thought about this, and then spun, his hand crashing through the nearest piece of equipment,But I'm the heart of the problem? How do you solve that?

At the door, Shan turns his head. "Does it always have to be about you? Fix what was broken, find what was lost. I've never seen a large problem solved from a first person perspective."

With that, he and Jovin leave.

As they left, he sat down, deflated. He buried his head in his hands, and rubbed his temples, thinking about what to do...fix what was broken... what was lost... ah hell, one of us is going to have to do it, it may as well be me

With that, he got up, and made his way to the libary. As he walked, he ran over what to say in his mind, but nothing came at him. He came into the room, and found her, reading through a book, as always. He couldn't help smiling, but stayed in the doorway, unsure of what to say, what could be said to do what he knew had to be done

She's rearranging books on a shelf. A few moments pass before she finally breaks the silence.

"Yes?"

He breathed in,"I know you're angry with me, I'm not that stupid. I spent some time thinking, a rarity these days, and a friend helped me realise something. I've got to fix this, otherwise it's only going to get worse and worse, and I know neither you nor I want that. I just wanted you to know that I'm sorry for being such a bloody fool these past days, for everything I've ever put you through, and whatever other sins I've put on you without realising it."

She pauses, her hand still on the book she had just put up.

"Why didn't you come tell me? Did you realize that you weren't in any condition to go anywhere?"

She had an unspoken question...he may or may not pick it up, depending.
Do you have any idea what I went through that month, and that day?

Why? Because I'm a fool. A stupid, ignorant fool. Did I realise? Of course, I knew how bad my condition was and still is, but I've never backed down from a challenge before, and I didn't intend to start now. What I put you through was easily enough to make you hate me, and you had every reason to. Not just that day, but the month preceeding it. I held out, and do you know wha? Just so I could see your face one more time. It was that singular thought that kept me going, all the way through that time, all the torture, the beatings, the white noise. Yours was the only face I ever wanted to see again, even if it was a brief, fleeting glimpse

The book slams into its place.

"No, I didn't and don't hate you...but I was...afraid...all that month, and that day...I thought I was going to lose you. Death doesn't frighten me...but I was very afraid that you would never come back."

By this point in time, Cougar had moved away from the door, and his face was obscured in shadow as he sat down in the chair,"I was afraid too you know. You've seen me scared, but never like this"

She doesn't say anything, merely continues putting books away. Her back is still to him.

The silence was uncomfortable, but Cougar didn't know what to say to her, to try and soothe her... it was like she was scared to let him in. But he wasn't going anywhere until this was sorted, however long it took.

In his mind, he knew what he had to do... actually doing it was another matter entirely. He stood up, and walked softly over to her, putting his hand on her shoulder,"Please. We need to do this"

Putting the last book in its place, she turns her head to look at him.

This entire situation is tearing us apart, and I can't stand it anymore. I've never felt this far apart from you, and I know you feel the same thing. Please, help me to sort this problem out... I can't do it alone

I'll try, James. I don't know everything you're going through...and I can't understand some of it. I don't know exactly how to help you...but I'll try.

Not just that Rhenna, but us as a pair. That comes above all else

She nods, and takes them over to a set of chairs. "No one else comes into the library at this time of day."

He sat down, and looked at her intently,"At least we're guaranteed privacy for a time anyway"

I just hope it's enough... the damage is extensive

She puts her head in her hands. "I don't know if I'm thinking clearly enough to be talking about anything, let alone this..."
From his new vantage point, he can see that some of her scales have cracked very badly...and at least one has broken.

He winced at the damage in spite of himself, knowing full well what it meant,"You're shattered, look as if you haven't slept in days... and that can't be helping. Now's not the time, you need to rest."

His eyes and voice were soft, a sharp contrast to how hard they had been with Shan not fifteen minutes before

And I need to figure out a way to calm her down enough, and also if that damage can be repaired by her, or by other means

"What, you mean this?" She traces along a broken scale. "This is nothing that hasn't happened before."

Losing battle. Retreat from that front

Good plan

He nodded a shade,"Alright, if you say it isn't a problem, then it isn't a problem"

In all actuality...I'm putting off yanking the broken ones out.

Again, he winced,"Here's an understatement for you: that's gotta hurt. No wonder though. Is there anything..."

He trailed off, the question hanging in the air

She nods. "Come to our room with me...and get something to stop the bleeding. The sooner I yank these things out, the sooner new ones will grow back in."

He nodded mutely, his mind quickly going through what he had in his field medipack,bandages... antispetic... styptic... hell, Curlex would be among the best for this

He motioned with one hand,"Lead on"

She leads them to the room, then goes to a drawer and takes out a large pair of tweezers. She sits on the bed and grips the one on her face, then yanks hard. The scale comes out, and blood begins to rush down the side of her face.

He had the styptic ready, and brought it to her face quickly, stemming the blood flow. A styptic is basically a highly absorbant pad, used in triage medicine on the battlefield. He'd used it many times before, and now maintained the pressure, knowing it was the best way to stop the flow

It'll take a few minutes for it to stop bleeding. You can tape it down, if you like.

He didn't reply, as he was busy with the tape in his hand. The idea had already occured to him, as a bandage was large and impractical in this type of operation. He looked up, smiled, and taped it down, making sure it was secure before removing his hand

The second one is on her side, and removed similarly. "The last one's on my shoulder blade...I can't reach it." She turns the tweezers to him.

The second one could be bandaged, which he did quickly but not sloppily by any standards. He then took the tweezers, found the damaged scale, shook himself slightly, and got ready,"Brace yourself

She does so. This scale is broken particularly badly...the other two had broken along a vertical and horizonal fracture line, respectively...but this one had fractured jaggedly...and broken so.

She sets her jaw. "Go on."

"Alright, here goes"

He took a deep breath, and pulled as quickly and as smoothly as possible. In his other hand, the styptic sat ready

The scale breaks yet again, leaving most of it in his hand...and a little still embedded in the skin. Blood begins to trickle...but that fragment is still in there.

S**t

"Hold still, and brace yourself even further. Use my shoulder, or something similar, because what I have to do now is really going to hurt. There's a small section of scale still in there, and I need to get it out. I need a smaller pair of tweezers"

If this is anything like human anatomy, and I suspect it is... more blood than we've seen thus far. Definatley going to need Curlex for this one

"This happens sometimes, too. I hate it when they don't break cleanly." Her voice, while pained, was steady. She reaches out and levitates a smaller pair of tweezers to him, then braces herself again. "Whenever you're ready."

He took the tweezers, not liking the pain in his wifes voice, but he knew he had to detach himself emotionally. Basic training, they drilled it into them. They are always just a dummy. Lifeless, inert, no feeling, whatever they tell you or you hear to the contray!

"Alright, here goes". He gripped the small section, and with a similar action to before, pulled it upwards

A soft sound of pain escapes her, but she remains still as the fragment comes out.

He heard the cry, and wanted to wrap his arms around her. Instead, he gritted his teeth, and forced himself to finish the procedure. Styptic, tape, bandage. He took the tweezers from between his teeth, and laid them down. His hands were coated in a layer of red blood, and for a change in recent times, it wasn't his own,"There. That's done"

She nods, remaining where she was.

He stood, and washed off his hands, before returning to his equipment, packing it away,"How long did you say you should leave those for?"

The first and second one should be ready to come off within five more minutes...the last one...I'd leave it a day.

Alright, five minutes, and twenty four hours respectively. Times like this, all that training seems worth it

She gives a strained laugh. "Times when you actually use it."

He smiled, lines crinkling at the side of his eyes,"It's worthwhile to know it... you never know when it can come in useful"

True enough. *She touches the pad on her cheek* That's going to hurt until a new one grows in.

I could give you something for it, if you wanted

She rubs her forehead. "It'll be all right."

He noticed the motion, and recognised it,"You only do that when you are exhausted. C'mon, you haven't slept in nearly four days."

There was an undertone to his voice, one of concern for her, above all else

What time is it?

He glanced at his watch,"About two thirty in the morning"

All right. You win.

It's not a battle, Rhenna. It's a request. But in any case... I'm glad you're back

She nods.

After a few minutes, he checked his watch again, and said,"Let me take a look at those first two. Your side first"

"Go on."

He carefully removed the bandage he had placed, followed by easing the tape away, along with the styptic. It was swollen, and felt warm as he passed his hand over it, but at least the bleeding had stopped. Her skin tone meant that it didn't change colour, but had she been human, he knew that it would have been extremely red and sore. No doubt it was hurting her, but she'd refused painkillers. He seriously considered giving her one anyway... he knew she never used them. He decided to give her one on the next check,"Looks alright. Bleedings stopped at least"

She nods. "It won't start back up, so there's no need for a bandage anymore."

"Alright"

As he moved round to check on the first one he had done, his hand slipped into his pocket, taking out a hypospray filled with anestezine, the best painkiller that Snake Eaters' had to offer. He eased the styptic away, and was greeted by a similar scenerio to the first one,"Same here"

She nods.

As her head came up, he pressed the hypo to her neck, and released the painkiller into the bloodstream,"Sorry to go against your wishes, but this is going to help no end"

What is it?

It's anestazine, a painkiller developed in Snake Eaters by the guys on Halon I. Trust me, this stuff works wonders

All right. I'm too tired to argue it at this exact moment.

I know it hurts at the moment, but it should subside soon.

God, I want to hold her so much... but now I'm unsure of how she'll take even that

She nods. She could already feel it starting to work.

He knew from expierence how fast the drug worked. As he let it get on with it's job, he took his own hypospray with the suppressent, not wanting any bad dreams tonight, and held in his hand. As he sat there, his eyes roved over the visible skin, and saw a number of scales that were close to breaking.

She looks over at him and attempts a smile as she notices where his gaze is going. "I've looked better, no? These can still be repaired...I'll start that tomorrow after my morning class."

I wasn't going to put it quite like that

But I suspect I know why you look this bad

She shrugs. "It's true. I wasn't raised to be vain...I can admit I look bad." She lies down carefully, avoiding putting too much pressure on badly cracked scales, or any pressure where the scales were broken.

He smiled,"Well, vanity is a bad thing in any case" He seemed to hesitate, then kissed her forehead,"Sleep as well as you can"

She nods slightly, closing her eyes.

He couldn't help but smile as she did this,A year ago, she wouldn't have even considered that.

As she drifted off, he sat there, his back against the headboard. He knew he should sleep, if only to not cause her anymore stress. In the end, he gave himself an hours dose of the drug, and then he would wake up. He stayed sat up as he slept, his arms crossed over his chest, one resting lightly, as if by instinct, on the grip of his pistol

She woke after an hour, feeling more exhausted than when she'd gone to sleep. The scales. I couldn't ever even get my half hour when this happened. An hour...looks like an improvement.

She turned her head to look at him. It doesn't look like he's sleeping well...I've never seen him hold his gun while asleep...at least, not since we were married.

A few minutes after she woke up, the effects of the drug wore off, and his eyes snapped open, small amounts of light emanating from them, a little more than normal. He looked around him,"Can't sleep either?"

She shakes her head. "Scale damage causes too much irritation." She turned over, onto her back, then puts one hand on his shoulder to help pull herself into a sitting position. "Are you all right?"

He nodded,"I'm fine. Why wouldn't I be? Just can't sleep, it's not exactly a new thing"

As he did this, his hand withdrew from the grip of the weapon, but there was something about how he was holding himself that suggested that he could draw and fire almost instantly, as if he was tense, keyed-up

Slowly the feeling spread, a feeling of loss, as though something important was misplaced. All of Warfare's followers, Slivers included, came to the realization, Warfare was missing. The searched over hill and under dale, through the trees and by the sea, everywhere they could go they went, searching, searching for Warfare. The went to Kaymiril, the recent country of his birth, and couldn't even find him there, the ancestor spirits were chatting up a storm with the other ancestors. One thing was clear, Warfare was missing beyond Mortal Means of location. Not even Arianna could be found. They were missing without a trace. All over the question was raised, Where's Warfare?


OOC: As it turns out, I am free on the weekends, so, I would like to do my Grahf Rp over the course of the weekend, if you don't mind.

He nodded,"I'm fine. Why wouldn't I be? Just can't sleep, it's not exactly a new thing"

As he did this, his hand withdrew from the grip of the weapon, but there was something about how he was holding himself that suggested that he could draw and fire almost instantly, as if he was tense, keyed-up
"That's not true, James, and you know it."

Slowly the feeling spread, a feeling of loss, as though something important was misplaced. All of Warfare's followers, Slivers included, came to the realization, Warfare was missing. The searched over hill and under dale, through the trees and by the sea, everywhere they could go they went, searching, searching for Warfare. The went to Kaymiril, the recent country of his birth, and couldn't even find him there, the ancestor spirits were chatting up a storm with the other ancestors. One thing was clear, Warfare was missing beyond Mortal Means of location. Not even Arianna could be found. They were missing without a trace. All over the question was raised, Where's Warfare?


OOC: As it turns out, I am free on the weekends, so, I would like to do my Grahf Rp over the course of the weekend, if you don't mind.
OOC: Okay. I'm not going to be on until late tomorrow, and I prob won't have Anna crowned until next week sometime b/c my other rp ISN'T MOVING, and I need Dora' back.

IC:
Anna noticed the recent increase of slivers in Kaymiril. Going to find one, she asked it, "What's wrong?" Instinctively, she tried to locate Warfare through the mother/child bond that she had with him...but she wasn't sure if it would still work.

ooc: I'm up for it.

He gave in, seeing no point in arguing,"No, I'm not alright. Not by a long shot. But I don't know how to sort it... no-one does"

Talk to me.

He paused,"Where to start..."

At the beginning. It's the easiest place to start from.

The sliver she found was a muscle sliver. All muscle sliver's slurred the s sound.
"We can't find Warfare anywhere, he ssssudenly went misssssssing. The ansssessstor ssspiritsss cannot find him. It isss asss though he sssuddenly ssstopped exissting." The Musssscle ssssliver ssssaid.

Anna felt no location, but could feel he was fine and dandy and hunting something, or someone.
OOC: You know, sluring an s in written form is actually kinda hard.

After a third post here, I'm going to make a thread for this.

"Well... I suppose the best place to start is right there, twenty one years ago. I thought I lost them on that day, and for the next twenty and more years I worked to avenge them, to fight for what they had believed in. But it was lies... all lies"

Not all lies. They were killed...they were expecting it. At the time, their only thoughts were for your safety. If you had been on that river for twenty-one years, how different from them, as you saw them then, would you be?

The sliver she found was a muscle sliver. All muscle sliver's slurred the s sound.
"We can't find Warfare anywhere, he ssssudenly went misssssssing. The ansssessstor ssspiritsss cannot find him. It isss asss though he sssuddenly ssstopped exissting." The Musssscle ssssliver ssssaid.

Anna felt no location, but could feel he was fine and dandy and hunting something, or someone.
OOC: You know, sluring an s in written form is actually kinda hard.

After a third post here, I'm going to make a thread for this.
Well...I don't know where he is...but he seems to be okay.

Not all lies. They were killed...they were expecting it. At the time, their only thoughts were for your safety. If you had been on that river for twenty-one years, how different from them, as you saw them then, would you be?

Bloody fine way to keep me safe, making me go through that. Their intentions were honourable, no doubt, but they were traitors, plain and simple.

Sometimes the evil workings of a few turn into the best for the many. You now have a chance to keep Kaelis Ra away from your country indefinitely...had you died when they had, your nation would have been easily overthrown. Not to mention everything else that you've done to keep your friends and country safe. Yes, people may have died needlessly from that time period's perspective...but you've saved more people than your parents caused to die.

Sometimes the evil workings of a few turn into the best for the many. You now have a chance to keep Kaelis Ra away from your country indefinitely...had you died when they had, your nation would have been easily overthrown. Not to mention everything else that you've done to keep your friends and country safe. Yes, people may have died needlessly from that time period's perspective...but you've saved more people than your parents caused to die.

Maybe so... trading the lives of the few for the many. It's been done before. I've only done what I did, and still do, because I turned out to be good at it. The Leviathan Project chose me as the Alpha subject, because I was good at it. I sometimes lie awake you know, not through nightmares or anything else, but just because I'm thinking of how different life would have been. I haven't done it since before we got married

She nods, listening.

Without warning, Anna's bond goes silent. She cannot feel or sense anything about Warfare. A small feeling of pain that can be ignored replaces it. Arianna appeares and a cold wind and blows for unrelated reasons.

"Gotta....Save.....Warfare.....Grahf the Destroyer." Arianna says as she collapses at Anna's feet.

Anna catches Arianna and teleports her to Mithdelmar. Mith gives Arianna a Wizard's Potion, and Anna sits and waits for it to take effect. Meanwhile, she calls Renor quickly.

"Find out any and everything you can about Grafh the destroyer."

R -- "Siyo, Qu'essan."

I mean, how much can one person change the world? When you get down to it, a hell of alot. Offically, I don't exist. If some rogue general or big druglord is becoming a nuisance, and suddenly winds up dead, 'oh what a happy coincindence' say the public, going around with their lives as if nothing happens.

You spend your whole life fighting for something, and then find out that people lied to you. And then, when you question why they did it, they deny that you are one of them. Do you know what that is like Rhenna? To be disowned by those who you thought would watch over and care for you your life, in life or death?

Actually, yes. I had a number of instructors tell me to basically go to whichever Hell I chose to believe in as soon as my dragon blood manifested itself. I wasn't much older than you are now.

Instructor's aren't parents... as a general rule

The wizards potion slowly takes effect. Renor finds very little, save for the fact that he lived on Ephseus before it was destroyed, and had some mental problems.

OOC:http://www.forums.jolt.co.uk/showthread.php?p=8917552#post8917552

The offical thread, I suggest we take it there. Snake, I'm going to need you in a few minuets as I'm going to go after Leviathan.

They are here. My second closest instructor...she was almost like a mother to me...wouldn't even look at me as soon as my scales started growing in. The only three older than I was that would even look at me were Renor, Menalth -- who was Renor then --, and S'gart. However, to be specific as you are, my mother was murdered before my eyes, and Tellryon didn't count as enough of a father for me to do much more than laugh when he disowned me. So no, I don't know how it feels. I don't know what it feels like to suddenly discover that your entire life, the goal you've been striving for has been a lie. It's not a discovery that's generally made all of a sudden around here.

He sighed,"Oh what a tangled web we weave. Anna said that to me on Snake Eater Prime nearly a year ago now, and it's still as true now as ever"

Old sayings become old because they're true.

But of course. I just prefer the motto: 'Above all Others'. Strive for excellence in everything I do... but that's just taken a knock and a half

You have to find a way to accept what's happened...your new knowledge...and let it change you...for stronger or weaker.

At least now I can stop living in the past, move on from what I was then. I'm the same person, but with more freedom to do what I want

She nods. "If your acceptance allows you to move on, then do so...and only look ahead."

He looked at her, his eyes soft in the light,"At least I've got someone to look ahead with me"

She smiles. "All your life...if you can handle me for that long."

I made a promise, didn't I? I don't break promises... not ones of that nature anyway

Good.

Hows that painkiller working out?

Pretty well...the places where my scales were pulled feel like my foot does when the circulation's been too poor for too long (aka, foot falls asleep) but no pain.

It'll be like that for sometime, I guarntee you. If you find you need more, it doesn't take long to create, and even less to administer

She nods. "I'll keep that in mind."

He kissed her forehead,"Good"

She tilts her head up to kiss his lips. "I said I'd think about it, Cougar...but I made no promises."

He was mildly surprised, but hid it as he kissed her back,I've missed her so much,"That's all I ask"

Costh decided to take a short brake from his training and visit the Tower, as he neared, he saw a few slivers, and knowing that slivers weren't a normal occurance headed over to see what they wre there for.

"Have you seen Warfare or Arianna?" An overlord Sliver questioned.

"The last time I saw either they where in the library, why?" Costh asked

"We checked their not there, its as though they've disappeared entirely, and we fear the worst." The Overlord hisses.

The Slivers freeze.

"To Kaymiril." They shout. The ancestors take them all to kaymiril, including Costh. Costh would feel like he was ripped apart, and sown back to gether with a very dull needle and barbed wire.

Once there, they see Arianna in undefinable Werebeast form taking off after Anna. They slither along in pursuit.

OOC: Go to the new thread now.

He was mildly surprised, but hid it as he kissed her back,I've missed her so much,"That's all I ask"

She gets up and goes to a table, then grabs something and starts working to repair the worst of the damage to her scales.

As she worked on repairing the damage to herself, he took out the file he'd been browsing earlier, and continued to work, making notes, drawing on photographs, and making occasional mutterings such as,"Who planned this.... no, they go there they get killed... oh, this is a good position"

It took a couple of hours to take care of the worst damage, but the minor damage was almost completely taken care of in the half hour before she had to leave.

OOC: That may have sounded confusing so here's the translation: she took care of all the badly damaged scales first, and the 10-12 of them took 2 + hours. She then started on the minor (but visible) damage, and got almost all of that taken care of by the time she had to get moving.

He'd finished his analysis sometime before she finished, and had since sat there still, engrossed in a book he'd been reading

Rhenna comes back after her class is done.

He was looking at the news reports when she came in, and smiled as she did,"How was your day, and hows that bandage holding up?"

It went okay...and the bandage seems to be holding up pretty well.

Do you want me to take a look? Or leave it longer?

Leave it longer. Broken shoulder scales are more trouble than they're worth if you try messing with them too soon. *She sits down and leans back against the headboard.*

He shut off the news, and put his arm round her waist, as he couldn't risk hurting her shoulder,"You'll be fine in a few days... made of tough stuff"

She lays her head wearily on his shoulder. "As soon as the new ones start growing in."

He kissed the top of her head, and smiled slightly.

Glad we got that sorted

He seemed to stare into the middle distance, as if not truly focusing on anything

She closes her eyes.

He followed suit not long after, sleep threating to take him, but he resisted.

"Tired?"

"Very...as are you."

Very true.... maybe we should get some sleep

That sounds like a good idea.

A very *yawns slightly* very good idea

She turns his head slightly to kiss him, then cuddles in closer.

He kissed her back, and smiled as she cuddled closer to him, responding in kind,"I missed this"

She nods.

You going to be able to sleep?

I should be. I repaired the worst of the damage this morning.

He lay down, making himself comfortable,"I'll do my best, but not making any promises on this one"

She lay down next to him. "I know...if you're not here when I wake, I'll know the reason why."

He rolled on his side to face her,"Thanks for understanding. I'll do my best though"

She nods. "I know you will...you look even more exhausted than I feel." She kisses him, then lets her head drop to the pillow and her eyes close. She's asleep in a matter of minutes.

He kissed her back, then watched her drift off to sleep. He knew he should as well, but tonight looked like another sleepless night. Still, he found himself drifting into the world of grey... He was asleep quickly, peacefully. It might last longer than normal, but not much longer

D'anthe woke her after a few hours, reminding her that she still had an afternoon class to teach. She tries to wave him away.

Cougar, who hadn't been sleeping well anyway, was awakened by D'anthe trying to rouse Rhenna, and failing. He looked at his watch, saw the time, then gently shook her shoulder,"I know you don't want to go, but do you want a bollocking for not being there?"

"All right, I'm getting up."

He kissed her cheek, and smiled,"Sorry"

I know. I'll be back after this class is done...three hours or so. *SHe leans down to give him a quick kiss, and goes.*

As she left, he took his pistol from it's holster, checked the clip, and then went to spend some time with it. Having not fired in a while, he felt he needed the practice. Finding a training room that was empty and suited his needs, he immersed himself in the range

She finds him there, but decides not to disturb him. She goes to the room of sand, and just sits there.

He joined her after fifteen minutes,"Sorry about that, was just perfecting something I learned recently"

Don't be sorry. I know you need to keep in practice with your skills...even Renor practices magick and weaponry.

He sat down next to her,"Everyone needs to practice and expand their ablities. I managed that today"

Oh? *She looks over at him.*

It's more like a trick than anything else. I've tried it before, but cracked it today

Well, tell me.

He reached inside his cloak, and brought out three revolvers, along with a single round. He loaded the bullet into one gun, spun the chambers, and then said,"Watch carefully. One of these three guns has a single bullet in it. I'm going to pull the trigger six times, and the last one will be the round"

He started juggling the pistols, occasionally pulling a trigger, causing a 'click' to emanate from the weapon, before he reached the sixth one. As predicted, the weapon exploded, the bullet zipping out the end. His eyes flashed, and he snatched the round from the air, causing it to drop to the floor

Impressive...I can't see how it would do you much good in combat, but impressive nonetheless.

It's not for combat as a rule. It's best to use when interrorgating people, but obviously with a blank round

I see...

He laughed at the look on her face, and secreted the weapons back about his person. He put his arm round her waist,"How was class?"

Class went a little worse than expected...half of them got it, half of them didn't, and when working with children, when some can do something and others can't...it gets messy.

He had to stifle a laugh, and instead hugged her,"Times like that, I'm glad I'm not a teacher"

"It's more rewarding than not." She kisses him. "It's just trouble sometimes."

As you will know when we have children...if, by some miracle, we should manage to keep them...

OOC: Private thought.

He kissed her back,"I'm sure it is"

She rests her head on his shoulder. "The last bandage should be about ready to come off. If it sticks, don't force it, though."

He nodded slightly,"All right. But I don't think here is a good place"

No, it really isn't.

He took her hand, and led her back to their room. He sat her down on the bed, and then took away the bandage, easing the styptic away easily enough. As he predicted, it was warm, he could feel it from some distance, and also swollen like the others, but the blood flow had ceased,"Looks alright to me. No problems getting the styptic off"

Good...this one shouldn't give many problems healing.

At least I won't have to reapply a new styptic, I'm running out.

She nods.

How long before all your scales are back to normal?

A week before the new ones start to come in, a month before they've grown back in...a month and a half for the shoulder one.

Sounds similar to normal skin regeneration, timewise at the very least

Scales, skin...very little difference to me.

He smiled, and kissed her softly,"Well, it doens't matter to me. Scales are part of who you are... and I love you, so I love your scales"

She kissed him back, then laughed. "That's a random thing to say."

I'm in an odd mood. Expect random things

Well...*She kisses him again*...that explains whatever odd things you may say, then.

He kissed her once more, putting his hand softly on her uninjured cheek