Sime~Gen Roleplaying: Two Roads Diverged Scenario
Episode #52: The Poetry of Badness (7/31/98)
Axe: Do you have the backing to start a Household?
Wise Snake: Of course.
Nick stands beside Snake, face beet red with mortification.
Wise Snake being a Farris is immune to embarrassment even when projected by a Farris-grade Donor.
Wise Snake has actually been embarrassed upon occasion, but not in situations like this.
Nick wonders what would happen if he melted into a little puddle on the floor.
Nick can't remember reading anything in the Donor books about fatal complications of embarrassment, but there's a first time for everything, especially when Farrises are concerned.
Nick: Dad, don't you think it's a bit early in your acquaintance to be asking such questions?
Axe: It is?
Nick: You met Snake barely ten minutes ago.
Axe: Well son, if you and littl... Hajene Snake here are working together doesn't that sort of make us family?
Wise Snake smoothes back her hair again. [it resembles deep, dewy grass that many cattle have pushed their way through recently... only black]
Nick sneaks an appalled look at Snake, hoping that she isn't too offended.
Picc screws up her nose.
Axe: About that building you have in Bender Cove... you aren't using it, you said?
Axe: Are you planing on selling it?
Axe: Have you considered leasing it?
Wise Snake: Ummhh... unnh??
Nick isn't about to admit to his parents that they are so busy running away that there has been no time to deal with what they left behind.
Wise Snake: Er,
Wise Snake: Not really.
Wise Snake is not 100% sure the building still stands.
Axe: Can't just leave it sitting there, devaluation.
Axe: Vandals will get in, squatters.
Axe: You need someone to look after it for you.
Wise Snake wonders if anybody told all those people that the restoration was not to go forward.
Axe: I'm certain I can arrange for it to be looked after.
Wise Snake: No!
Wise Snake: No, no.
Wise Snake: Thank you, but no.
Wise Snake: There are others who can handle that.
Nick: Snake is very good at handling business arrangements.
Wise Snake thinks if Rapol, Sky and Richard are unable to see to that, then she has no reason for the building to be preserved anyway.
Axe: ~ strong disappointment ~ [Nick gets his nager from his father's side of the family]
Wise Snake winces.
Wise Snake edges backward so Nick's nager of embarrassment can at least help block his father's.
Wise Snake: Uh, so, Nick has been doing an excellent job as Donor.
Wise Snake: I think you can be proud of him.
Nick pulls himself together out of habit, and puts a shielding hand on Snake's shoulder.
Wise Snake signals Nick to block his father particularly.
Nick adjusts his nager as indicated.
Picc wonders if they are ever going to offer them refreshments after their long trip
Nick wonders how long it will take his parents to get hungry and leave.
Axe: Ah excellent, excellent news.
Nick can't help feeling just a bit of pride at that.
Axe looks at Snake's scruffy, unimpressive appearance.
Wise Snake sees Axe's look and stiffens proudly.
Wise Snake: [Farrises are good at looking arrogant anyway]
Picc: ~ thirsty ~
Nick has long since learned to overlook Snake's unsavory appearance.
Axe sits looking uncomfortable.
Wise Snake zlins Picc's annoying projection despite Nick's presence.
Nick is blocking his parents' fields almost completely.
Wise Snake: Ummh... do you want something to drink?
Wise Snake: [slightly sarcastic; the woman has to be doing it on purpose for Snake to be able to detect it at all through Nick's best efforts]
Picc: Thank you [I thought you were never going to ask] That would be most refreshing after our long, hard, dusty trip to see our dear son after all these years.
Nick: Mother!
Wise Snake: Nick... please.
Nick: ~~ annoyance at the hyperbole ~~
Picc: Yes, Nickywicky?
Wise Snake puts a hand on his arm.
Wise Snake: The kitchen is in there. [points the way to Picc]
Nick obediently subsides.
Wise Snake: I'm sure there's water, or, something.
Picc: Well! I never!
Nick: ~~ grumble, grumble ~~
Picc looks at her husband for support.
Axe goes white.
Axe puts out his hand to stop his wife getting up [as if she had any intentions of doing so]
Axe: I'm sure Nick will make you some tea, dear.
Nick: ~~ surprised vindication ~~
Axe: Won't you Nick?
Axe looks at his son in the tone of voice that says "my belt is waiting behind the shed".
Nick looks pleadingly at Snake.
Nick: I'm afraid I'm required here, Dad.
Wise Snake's eyes change dangerously as Axe's nager threatens Nick.
Wise Snake moves past Nick and stares Axe down.
Wise Snake: I'm sorry, we're not equipped to handle guests.
Wise Snake: We are guests in this house ourselves.
Wise Snake: Perhaps we should go elsewhere if you require complex refreshment?
Wise Snake thinks, perhaps they should go elsewhere
Axe: Perhaps we should just go.
Eliza is torn between two channels.
Nick sighs.
Eliza likes Tanzarra and would prefer to help her.... but she promised Bumanuel, and he is junct after all.
Nick: It was very nice of you to visit.
Bum Bum clutches his stomach as Eliza's attention fidgets between him and Tanzarra.
Sapis trails along after the Caring Tentacles of Love, humming her "poetic" hymn.
Axe stands up and helps his wife to her feet.
Bum Bum, however, is not going to let on any discomfort, because the fact that Eliza is riding next to him makes him the "winner"... sort of.
Sapis: "My cat is fat, imagine that!"
Picc lips are white and thin with strain
Picc: Nick, I had hoped that things would be different.
Picc: I can see now that you haven't changed.
Picc: All I can say to you is good luck, although I think we make our own luck in this world.
Wise Snake transfers the snake-eyes to Picc.
Nick: ~~ guilt ~~
Eliza: [on the other hand he has just had transfer, and Tanzarra is further down the cycle.]
Picc: Remember, there is always a home for you with us, when things don't work out.
Nick has always felt guilty when Picc starts on him, even when he's completely innocent.
Bum Bum zlins Snake's nager up ahead and grimaces, slouching down farther in his saddle.
Wise Snake: Out.
Picc turns and walks out with her head stuck in the air. Pity the wobble of her backside ruins the effect.
Tanzarra focuses on where they are going and tries to ignore Bum Bum and Sapis's hummings.
Wise Snake grabs Picc and shoves her the rest of the way out.
Wise Snake: You too. Sorry.
Wise Snake takes Axe by the arm and pushes him out the door also.
Eliza sighs.
Nick: ~~ misery ~~
Nick: I'm sorry, Snake.
Tanzarra: There it is. This is the place.
Axe: How dare you!
Picc squarks.
Wise Snake: I dare anything I please and you, sir, are annoying.
Wise Snake: Good bye.
Wise Snake slams the door.
Nick: ~~ misery ~~
Nick: I'm sorry, Snake.
Nick: My parents shouldn't be inflicted on anyone.
Wise Snake thinks its a good thing she had popped those tranks.
Wise Snake: It was so nice to meet your parents at last.
Wise Snake: Do they travel much now?
Nick grimaces.
Bum Bum: ~~trepidation~~
Nick: Only when they know the destination. How long were you planning to stay here?
Tanzarra sees several people being hustled out the door.
Eliza just hopes that Snake will feed her first and ask questions later.
Sapis: "My dog is soggy as a frog!"
Wise Snake: Well, unless we duck out on that school contract, at least a day and a half.
Bum Bum: Why not "my doggy is as soggy as a froggy" for good measure?
Bum Bum: ~~disgusted at Sapis~~
Nick winces.
Nick: You need the work, though.
Sapis adds an artistic yodel.
Eliza also wishes that Sapis would just shut up.
Bum Bum is sure he is about to be murdered, and then Sapis will be yodelling over his dead body.
Tanzarra goes over to the two disheviled people.
Sapis pauses.
Sapis: ~~ inspired ~~
Tanzarra: Hello. Do you know if there is a channel called Snake staying here?
Bum Bum tries to repress the ~~gloom, trepidation, and despair as well as disgust~~ from his nager.
Sapis: "My doooooogy is soooooogy as a frooooooogy!"
Sapis: I like that!
Sapis repeats the variation.
Eliza gets off the hired horse and ties it to the fence.
Eliza likes the look of the little wooden house. It looks like it has food and beds inside.
Sapis then goes on.
Bum Bum follows Eliza like a well trained (or at least well-cowed) cur.
Sapis: "I washed his knees to bag the fleas."
Axe is helping Picc back into the wagon.
Tanzarra ties her horse with Eliza's and turns to Sapis.
Axe: Don't know about "living", but she is certainly in there and you are welcome to her.
Tanzarra: Could you refrain from singing for a little while?
Axe: Aught to be arrested.
Tanzarra: ~~ strained patience ~~
Axe: ~ incensed ~
Bum Bum perks up at the mention of Snake getting arrested, then remembers last time that almost happened.
Axe: ~ angry ~
Axe: ~ murderous ~
Tanzarra: Oh, Thank you. [I think]
Bum Bum hides behind Eliza.
Picc: ~ depressed ~
Picc: ~ devastated ~
Picc: ~ murderous ~
Eliza takes Bumanuel's hand [in case he tries to run away]
Tanzarra takes a step back from these two.
Eliza: Everything will be fine.
Tanzarra: Has something happened?
Bum Bum jumps
Tanzarra: ~~ anxious ~~
Bum Bum: Oh sure... I'm about to be murdered in front of hostile witnesses... at least she'll be arrested later on.
Bum Bum: [nervously]
Eliza pats his hand absentmindedly.
Eliza: I'm sure she won't do it in front of hostile witnesses.
Eliza: Ooops! I mean, I'm sure she won't.
Tanzarra: Will you stop worrying about being murdered?
Picc gets into the cart at last.
Axe jumps in and slaps the horses hard. They take off rather quickly.
Tanzarra: Let's just go in and see what all that was about.
Tanzarra goes to the door and signals.
Eliza leads Bumanuel up the stairs, encouraging him with her nager.
Bum Bum moves with Eliza like her shadow. Only maybe closer.
Eliza doesn't want to discourage him, but wishes he would stop stepping on her heels.
Eliza: ~ Snake? ~
Sapis floats behind the group.
Tanzarra wonders if Snake had sneaked out the back door or something.
Tanzarra signals again.
Sapis can't wait to see this mysterious Snake person, and how she treats this obvious sinner, who is separated from the Caring Tentacles of Love.
Nick turns, looking at the door.
Nick: Was that the signal?
Wise Snake: Yes.
Wise Snake: It's Tanzarra and Eliza!
Wise Snake: And.. er.... [zlins the rest of them]
Wise Snake jumps up to open the door.
Nick: Who?
Sapis beams at Snake.
Wise Snake stands there looking down at them all and blinking in some surprise.
Sapis: Have you heard about the Caring Tentacles of Love?
Sapis: ~~ earnest inquiry ~~
Tanzarra lowers her head and slowly shakes it.
Wise Snake's attention skids over Tanzarra and Eliza, ascertaining that they are all right, more or less ignores Sapis, then locks onto Bum Bum.
Tanzarra: Hello Snake, look who I found.
Wise Snake: ~incredulous~
Wise Snake looks quickly back to Tanzarra.
Wise Snake: Ah... I'm glad you were able to reconnect with us.
Eliza: ~ slight transfer burn from a few days, skinned knee [healing] and elbow, and a vertical bruise all the way down her body from having a door slammed on her ~
Wise Snake zlins Eliza again, frowning, then her stare comes to Bum Bum once again.
Eliza smiles in relief.
Eliza: See, Bumanuel? I told you she would be pleased to see you.
Wise Snake was, of course, talking to Tanzarra when she said that
Eliza: ~ oh yeah STARVING! ~
Tanzarra: Yes. I found Eliza with [points to Bum Bum] him and she wouldn't leave him.
Tanzarra: He says he knows you.
Tanzarra: ~~ curious ~~
Bum Bum looks in another direction, as his skin lubricates Eliza's hand well with sweat.
Sapis holds her breath, waiting to see how Bum Bum will be won to the Caring Tentacles.
Wise Snake: Yes... he does.
Wise Snake's "yes" sounds more like "Yes-s-s-s-s"
Wise Snake: ~~hard to read~~
Nick comes up behind Snake.
Nick: ~~ firm support ~~
Eliza: I promised him that I would stay with him until he got someone else. He doesn't want to have to kill, do you Bumanuel?
Wise Snake: That he won't. [under her breath]
Bum Bum: Ooh, I have a very bad feeling about this. [under his own breath, still looking somewhere up the street]
Sapis is awed by the firmness in Snake's answer.
Eliza: Are we staying here?
Wise Snake thinks this isn't the time to remind Eliza that wasn't Eliza's promise to make.
Sapis had actually been a bit disappointed by Tanzarra's failure to convert Bum Bum during their journey.
Wise Snake: Just for tonight.
Wise Snake: Perhaps tomorrow night, no later.
Tanzarra: So, can we come in and discuss this?
Wise Snake: Ah... yes.
Wise Snake: Come in.
Eliza looks doubtfully around the small house. "It's not very big for all of us, is it?"
Wise Snake hopes Carmikel or, worse yet, the actual owners of the house, don't come home and nag her again too soon.
Eliza drags Bumanuel in with her.
Tanzarra: I think Eliza could do with some food as well.
Bum Bum: ~~I'm gonna die~~
Eliza: ~ relief ~
Wise Snake: OK... why don't you all just sit here and have a nice chat while I go out and buy some groceries?
Wise Snake: Yes, yes I think this house isn't set up for receiving guests.
Sapis stares in utter, abject awe at Snake.
Sapis: ~~ UTTER ABJECT AWE ~~
Wise Snake glares at Sapis.
Wise Snake: Who are you?
Eliza is devastated by the thought of having to wait longer.
Wise Snake: Shen, I have to get out of here.
Eliza: Can we come with you?
Tanzarra is glad Sapis's attention has turned from her.
Sapis: It's not her at all! It's you!
Wise Snake: What! [to Sapis]
Wise Snake: No! [to Eliza]
Sapis: You are the Caring Tentacles of Love!
Sapis: Let me follow and serve you!
Wise Snake feels like this situation is getting out of control.
Sapis: ~~ pleading servility ~~
Wise Snake: No! [to Sapis]
Wise Snake: What? [to Eliza, having already forgotten Eliza's original question]
Sapis: I will follow you to the end of the earth!
Eliza: Snake, I haven't eaten much for days!
Tanzarra: I'm sorry Snake, she won't believe you.
Eliza: ~ hungry ~
Sapis: I will sing poetry in your honor.
Wise Snake: Poetry?? No!
Eliza: No! [to Sapis]
Sapis draws breath to sing.
Wise Snake has managed to work up a fine sweat, nearly matching Bum Bum now.
Eliza covers her ears, dropping Bumanuel's hand to do so.
Tanzarra is trying to suppress a laugh, now it's not her coping the attention.
Bum Bum: ~~loss/fear~~
Bum Bum: ~~stab of alarm as he realizes why Eliza dropped his hand~~
Sapis: "My cat is fat, imagine that!"
Wise Snake: Ucccgh.
Sapis: "My doggy is soggy as a froggy!"
Wise Snake: Please. Put a sock in it.
Sapis pauses to explain to Snake.
Sapis: Your penitent there came up with that line.
Wise Snake struggles to find a path to the door.
Sapis considers for a few seconds, then improvises.
Wise Snake: Please... no poetry.
Sapis: "I'll walk your sock around the block!"
Wise Snake: Eliza, can you try to control your hunger? And put a leash on Bum Bum.
Wise Snake: No poetry!
Wise Snake's eye whites are showing.
Tanzarra moves closer to Bum Bum and projects a safe field.
Sapis points at the white eyes.
Sapis: The sign!
Bum Bum doesn't know Tanzarra from Klyd Farris but he figures any port in a storm.
Wise Snake: What!
Sapis: The sign that the Caring Tentacles of Love will wrap us in their kindness!
Sapis: The white!
Wise Snake starts pushing and shoving under augmentation to clear a path through to the door.
Sapis: The white of purity in your eyes!
Wise Snake: Let me out.. I have to breathe! Let me out.
Sapis: You are the Savior!
Eliza takes Bumanuel's hand and pulls him up.
Sapis tackles Snake.
Wise Snake: Aaghh!!!
Eliza: I'm going to go look at the kitchen, there has to be food in this house somewhere!
Wise Snake falls on the floor.
Sapis: Hold me in your Caring Tentacles of Love!
Sapis: Allow me to serve you!
Sapis: I will follow you to the ends of the earth!
Wise Snake: Get your hands off me, you idiot!
Tanzarra jumps up to grab Sapis off Snake.
Eliza steps over Sapis and Snake and heads for where the kitchen should be.
Wise Snake: ~~fury~~
Sapis: ~~ fanatical devotion ~~
Tanzarra: Let her go. Come on get off her.
Sapis: ~~ obsessive slavishness ~~
Eliza: [dragging Bum Bum with her.]
Bum Bum escapes gladly into seclusion with Eliza.
Wise Snake: I don't want to have to hurt you.
Wise Snake actually really does want to, but not in front of all these people.
Eliza finds the neat clean kitchen and pulls out a chair for Bumanuel.
Tanzarra holds Sapis firmly by the shoulders.
Eliza: Sit there and let me see what they have.
Bum Bum sits down glumly.
Eliza starts going through the cupboards.
Wise Snake crawls out from under Sapis.
Tanzarra: She is NOT the caring tentacles of love, just as I'm not.
Sapis: The Savior is here!
Sapis: ~~ raptly ecstatic ~~
Eliza finds 1/2 a loaf of bread and some jam and, pulling out a big bread knife, returns to Bum Bum and the table.
Wise Snake: Look, Sapis, could you see your way to treating the Savior with a little respect?
Wise Snake: Please?
Sapis collapses to her knees and wraps her arms around them.
Sapis: With all my heart!
Eliza starts hacking at the bread, farmwife fashion, knife cutting towards her as the bread is held against her chest.
Bum Bum watches her with increasing alarm.
Sapis bends to the floor and starts kissing Snake's grubby shoes.
Eliza: I'll make us some sandwiches for now.
Tanzarra looks at Snake and shrugs her shoulders.
Bum Bum's tentacles tremble pathetically as he envisions her murdering herself in front of his eyes.
Eliza: We can have something more solid later.
Wise Snake: OK that's a start, but don't touch me OK? The person of the Savior is not to be, er, handled in day to day life OK?
Eliza puts slice after slice of bread on the table until it's all cut, then proceeds to use the oversized knife to jam them.
Tanzarra: I think she is refering to Bumanuel, or at least whatever work he has been doing here.
Wise Snake wonders which of her people she is going to have to throttle for having allowed this menace to get attached to the group.
Wise Snake: Oh, I see.
Wise Snake is accustomed to thinking of herself as the Savior.
Sapis: ~~ negation ~~
Sapis: No, not him.
Wise Snake rather likes the idea of Bum Bum being tormented by this person and wishes she'd followed him into the kitchen.
Sapis: He cares for no one.
Sapis: He is the opposite of the Caring Tentacles of Love.
Eliza hands Bumanuel a piece of bread covered thickly in jam, and takes a huge bite out of another one.
Sapis: He and his like are the reason the Word must be spread.
Wise Snake: Oh, ah, well how about if you take this money and go down to the grocery and pick us up some food?
Sapis: ~~ evangelical fervor ~~
Wise Snake: And buy yourself some paper while you're at it.
Wise Snake: You'll want to write down all these thoughts.
Wise Snake: Saying them out loud too soon just wastes them.
Wise Snake thought she had given up dealing with lunatics when she left Bender Cove.
Tanzarra: So, has anyone else seen the saviour?
Sapis: I shall!
Wise Snake wonders when she is going to learn that small towns have nearly all the same problems as big towns, only in different proportion.
Sapis takes the money and rushes out the door, forgetting the market basket in her haste to win new converts.
Wise Snake watches Sapis leave, then turns to Tanzarra.
Wise Snake: ~~~ok what's the deal with THAT?~~
Nick points towards the kitchen.
Eliza quickly demolishes 4 slices of bread and jam.
Nick: Eliza's got him in the kitchen.
Tanzarra: I had to give her transfer and she has been like that ever since.
Eliza gets up and goes to the cooler where she finds a big jug of cool milk.
Wise Snake opens her mouth, closes it, then opens it again.
Wise Snake closes her mouth.
Wise Snake: I see.
Tanzarra: She thought I was this "saviour", Until she zlinned you of course.
Eliza pours two glasses and hands one to Bumanuel.
Tanzarra smiles a little.
Bum Bum looks at the milk, then downs it with an obedient, if sad expression.
Bum Bum looks like he thinks this will be his last meal.
Wise Snake: Were you planning on keeping her?
Wise Snake: If so, do you plan on being responsible for keeping her off me?
Wise Snake: Because I can't tolerate that kind of physical attention unless I'm... in a very good mood.
Wise Snake: If not, then please get rid of her before she gets a chance to grab me again.
Nick is glad that Snake defined the exception.
Tanzarra: I couldn't get rid of her. She even climbed in Bumanuel's window to get to me.
Tanzarra: Maybe we can send her on a mission. For the saviour that is.
Bum Bum: Is there any chance we could... you know... sneak out the back way?
Eliza: That feels better, doesn't it?
Bum Bum: Maybe go and join a Householding?
Bum Bum: Just you and I?
Eliza: Why would you want to do that?
Bum Bum: To escape!
Eliza sighs. "I told you before, I won't leave Snake."
Eliza: You are safe here Bumanuel, why won't you accept that?
Bum Bum wilts.
Bum Bum: [further]
Eliza: With Snake's help, you won't have to kill again.
Tanzarra: Now that she thinks you're the Savior, I doubt she'd listen to me.
Eliza slips an arm around his shoulder.
Eliza: Don't worry about anything.
Tanzarra: So where do you know Bumanuel from?
Eliza: I have to talk to Snake sometime soon, do you think you would feel safe enough with Tanzarra?
Eliza: Or do you want to stay with me?
Sapis bursts into the room, arms piled high with assorted foodstuffs.
Sapis: I come with food, obedient to your command, O Savior!
Sapis lays the food at Snake's feet.
Sapis unfortunately failed to consult a list of Farris-safe foods before making her purchases.
Sapis starts singing.
Tanzarra: Ok. No singing.
Sapis: "I'll walk your sock around the block!"
Nick moves closer to Snake to shield her from the confusion.
Tanzarra again takes Sapis by the shoulders and pulls her back, gently.
Wise Snake: Bumanuel?
Wise Snake: Oh, Bum Bum.
Wise Snake: He and I grew up together. He's somewhat older.
Wise Snake's nager doesn't bother to hide all the dislike and contempt for him.
Wise Snake looks at the food.
Wise Snake: Very good, uh, what did you say your name is?
Sapis wriggles on the floor like a puppy waiting for someone to acknowledge the slobbery ball it's dropped.
Sapis: Sapis, O Savior!
Wise Snake: Hmmm OK.
Eliza cleans up the kitchen and washes the knife.
Sapis: Bless me with the Caring Tentacles of your Love.
Wise Snake: Look ah, huh?
Wise Snake: You're going to have to earn that, Sapis.
Sapis zlins Snake to get the full effect of the Caring and Love.
Wise Snake glances toward the kitchen.
Wise Snake: ~~hard to read~~
Sapis: Shall I recite a poem?
Eliza dries it and puts it back where she got it from.
Wise Snake: NO!
Tanzarra keeps a firm hold on Sapis so she can't go leaping all over Snake again.
Sapis: ~~ eagerness ~~
Wise Snake: Er, no.
Wise Snake: No poetry.
Sapis: ~~ hurt ~~
Wise Snake: Write all your poems down and keep them. They are very valuable.
Tanzarra: She likes to recite poetry.
Wise Snake: Don't waste them, do you understand me?
Eliza: Shall we rejoin the others?
Eliza: Or stay here?
Bum Bum glances at the back door again.
Bum Bum: I don't know.
Sapis: A poem must be shared to know its worth.
Eliza is a bit doubtful about going back into the crowded sitting room, but she does want to talk to Snake.
Sapis: ~~ confusion ~~
Wise Snake: Trust me.
Wise Snake: Did you buy paper?
Sapis's confusion turns to blind faith.
Sapis: Yes!
Wise Snake: Great. Now, find yourself someplace really quiet.. like maybe a park.
Wise Snake: There's a good one about 2 miles to the West of here.
Sapis shoves the Farris-allergen groceries around until she finds the paper.
Sapis hangs on Snake's words.
Wise Snake: Write down everything and ah, well, come back and find us when you have finished your meditations.
Wise Snake: That will take at least 3 or 4 hours.
Sapis nods.
Sapis stands and augments out the door, in search of the park.
Eliza looks across the table at Bumanuel and tries to remember the dashing and debonair man who helped her out of the taxi wreck those months ago.
Tanzarra barely has time to let go before Sapis takes off.
Tanzarra: Wish I'd thought of that.
Bum Bum zlins Eliza then looks ashamed.
Bum Bum: I'll go out there if you want me to.
Eliza smiles at him.
Eliza: ~ pleased ~
Nick: Do you think she'll actually stay away?
Nick bends over and begins to pick up the groceries before they trigger an allergic reaction in Snake.
Wise Snake: Let's hope so.
Nick doesn't want to have to deal with one, with the Farris medkit so slow.
Wise Snake looks at the groceries and sighs.
Eliza takes his hand and leads him back into the sitting room.
Nick: Well, at least the rest of us can eat this.
Eliza looks at the groceries.
Tanzarra: Well, looks like another trip to the shop.
Wise Snake: I'll be fine.
Eliza: ~ not hungry now thanks anyway ~
Nick: You have to eat, too, Snake.
Tanzarra: If we're lucky she'll find a new saviour before she returns.[smiles]
Wise Snake: I'll be fine.
Wise Snake hopes Tanzarra's prediction comes true.
Eliza: Snake? I was wondering, if you had a moment, if I could talk to you alone, as a, you know, channel?
Wise Snake looks at Eliza.
Wise Snake: You mean right now?
Eliza: ~ concern ~
Eliza: Well, whenever you can.
Wise Snake looks at Nick, Tanzarra, Bum Bum, and the pile of food.
Wise Snake: Is it anything urgent?
Eliza: I'm not sure.
Wise Snake: I see.
Wise Snake: Well, what is it?
Eliza looks at the others.
Wise Snake: Ah... fine, I'll talk to you alone.
Wise Snake: Tanzarra, Nick, would you please keep an eye on Bum Bum?
Eliza: ~ relief ~
Eliza: Thank you.
Wise Snake: Where?
Eliza smiles reassuringly at Bumanuel.
Eliza: The kitchen maybe?
Bum Bum looks alarmed.
Eliza: [to Bumanuel] I'll be back soon.
Bum Bum looks between Eliza and Snake, then at Tanzarra.
Tanzarra: I won't hurt you.
Nick me is unsure about the wisdom of letting Eliza and Snake be alone, but Eliza's control has improved, so he goes over to Bum Bum.
Wise Snake doesn't think of the kitchen as particularly private, since anybody could zlin into it and anybody who tried could hear through the door, but....
Wise Snake nods, and walks into the kitchen.
Eliza follows her.
Eliza: [softly] Snake, can you please check me and see if there is anything wrong with me?
Nick gives Bum Bum a "don't give me any trouble" look.
Tanzarra: Just sit and relax.
Eliza: Lately I've been ~ embarrassed ~ hearing voices.
Eliza: ~ concern ~
Wise Snake: Voices? What kind of voices?
Wise Snake: Here, sit down over here.
Eliza: Well, little buzzy voices, in my ears.
Eliza: One on each side of me.
Nick: So, Bum Bum, how did you manage to turn up again?
Eliza sits down.
Wise Snake: Do they say anything, is it just a little buzzy noise?
Wise Snake has to know if they are dealing with tinnitus or delusions.
Wise Snake zlins Eliza carefully.
Eliza: Oh yes, they talk.
Eliza: They tell me to do things, and argue about it.
Wise Snake finishes, then nods.
Wise Snake: I see.
Eliza: ~ healthy except for the transfer burn, the bruising and the scuffing ~
Wise Snake: And when do you hear these voices?
Eliza thinks.
Eliza: Well on and off sort of.
Wise Snake: What kind of things do they tell you to do?
Tanzarra sits and relaxes as Nick seems quite capable of handling Bumanuel.
Bum Bum: I'm going to die.
Bum Bum: She's going to murder me.
Eliza: You see I went to this Tecton Center to donate, I needed the money, and they thought I was someone else, can't remember her name.
Bum Bum: Eliza's going to try to talk her out of it and she's going to do it anyway.
Eliza: And they gave me this room, and then I heard voices.
Bum Bum chews on his nails.
Nick: We'll all die eventually.
Eliza: I thought someone was in the room with me, but there was no one there. No one I could see anyway.
Nick: Don't do that, Bum Bum. It gets Linn upset.
Wise Snake: Go on.
Nick: ~~ sedation ~~
Wise Snake starts digging in her pockets.
Eliza: And I needed a shower and clean clothes, and one voice told me to take the clothes, and the other told me not to, and they fought about it.
Nick: You wouldn't want Linn upset with you, would you?
Tanzarra: What makes you so sure Snake is going to murder you?
Bum Bum: Well, she told me she was going to.
Tanzarra: ~~ relaxes more ~~
Bum Bum stops biting his nails and his tentacles start squirming over each other instead.
Nick sighs impatiently.
Nick: ~~ RELAXATION ~~
Bum Bum's fear starts to lapse into despair at their calming effects.
Bum Bum: I guess it doesn't matter anyway.
Bum Bum sits down on a couch and leans back, closing his eyes.
Wise Snake finds what she's looking for.
Eliza waits for the diagnosis.
Nick shrugs and sits down next to Bum Bum.
Wise Snake: Do you always hear the voices when you're doing something unbelievably stupid?
Eliza flushes.
Wise Snake puts the pills in her mouth, looks around for something to drink, sees nothing after some search, and swallows with a grimace.
Eliza: I have heard them before, but not recently.
Bum Bum moves nearer to Nick without realizing it.
Wise Snake: It is possible these voices are a stress reaction.
Nick: ~~ calm ~~ ~~ relax ~~
Wise Snake: They could be manifestations of your own subconscious, letting you know what your choices are.
Eliza thinks that sounds possible, she has been stressed now for about, lets see, 16 years.
Tanzarra is close to dozing under Nick's relaxing influence.
Eliza: So I'm not going mad?
Wise Snake: The fact that they argue could be a sign that you are unsure of the direction that your choices have been taking recently.
Wise Snake: Well, I didn't say that.
Wise Snake: Some people would say that what I just described is madness.
Wise Snake thinks, 'some people would say that I am mad'.
Wise Snake: But I think that as long as you make the right choices, it doesn't matter how you come to the decision.
Eliza: ~ worry ~
Wise Snake: What would be alarming is if the voices "convinced" you to do things that were against your morals as you believe them.
Wise Snake: Has that ever happened?
Eliza: Well, once, with Jirelle, when we went into the shiltpron parlor.
Eliza: I dragged her in because I was sort of made to.
Bum Bum falls asleep and slides sideways until he falls in Nick's lap.
Nick looks down with a grimace.
Wise Snake: You'll want to watch out for that kind of thing in the future. If you ever catch it happening again, tell me right away.
Wise Snake: Until then, though, don't worry about it too much.
Wise Snake: Worrying will just give you more stress.
Wise Snake speaks from experience on this.
Eliza: ~ relieved ~
Eliza is glad that she has Snake's support with this "problem"
Tanzarra can't fight it any longer and goes to sleep.
Eliza leans forward and gives her a quick hug.
Wise Snake stiffens, then permits it gingerly.
Eliza: Thank you Snake. I missed you!
Wise Snake: Well, ah, [disarmed]
Wise Snake: You're back safe and sound, that's what's important.
Nick is so into this relaxation bit that he starts snoring too.
Eliza: What are we going to do about Bumanuel?
Wise Snake: Not so fast, Eliza.
Wise Snake: Now tell me what this was about a Sime Center?
Wise Snake: And you were going to donate?!
Eliza: Well I followed you when you ran out of the bar. I got lost [admits ruefully].
Eliza: I didn't have enough money for food, and when I couldn't find anyone I was a bit desperate.
Eliza: So I thought I could donate some selyn for money to buy food.
Wise Snake: So you and Tanzarra were separated for how long?
Eliza: She found me yesterday, so it was 5 days.
Wise Snake zlins Eliza again.
Wise Snake: I saw you were lower field, but I thought you had served Bum Bum in transfer.
Wise Snake: And how did you get transfer burned at a Sime Center?
Eliza: I did. But I didn't mean to.
Wise Snake: Oh, you did?
Wise Snake: You didn't?
Eliza: No, I ended up not donating.
Wise Snake: You didn't?
Wise Snake tries not to let on that she is confused.
Eliza: They thought I was someone else. I can't remember who.
Eliza: I had to sort of leave in a hurry.
Wise Snake: They thought you were somebody you couldn't remember?
Eliza: Yes. That's right.
Wise Snake: I see.
Eliza nods.
Eliza: Then I bumped into Bumanuel in a perfumery and we got perfume all over us.
Wise Snake: So how did you get burned?
Eliza: Well that was when the renSime wanted transfer.
Eliza: Bumanuel said he didn't have enough and asked me to lend him some.
Wise Snake: What renSime? Sapis?
Wise Snake had thought Tanzarra had given Sapis' transfer.
Eliza: No, another renSime, a man.
Wise Snake thinks this story has a lot of loose ends.
Wise Snake: I see.
Eliza: So I said okay if he fed me, so he gave me a potato and....
Eliza: then he made contact, but I felt it, you see, and I never felt it when you took down my field so I knew he was doing more then taking down my field.
Wise Snake is glad she was good and mellow for this story.
Wise Snake: Ummh.
Eliza: So I tried to stop it, but it hurt so I just let him cause I didn't want to damage him.
Eliza: I thought you wouldn't be pleased if I hurt him too much.
Wise Snake: I'm glad you told me this, Eliza.
Nick starts to snore.
Wise Snake: What in shen is going on in there?
Wise Snake zlins over in the direction of the living room
Eliza: Then Tanzarra found us and he picked me up and ran cause he thought it was the Tecton... in where?
Nick: ~~ relax ~~ ~~ sleep ~~
Wise Snake goes over and whips open the kitchen door, revealing Nick, Bum Bum and Tanzarra in a heap on the couch.
Eliza peeks out over Snake's shoulder.
Wise Snake: Egads! A nageric accident.
Eliza: [whispers] They are asleep.
Wise Snake: I thought Nick had better control than that.
Nick's nager responds to Snake's presence automatically by linking with her.
Nick: ~~ SLEEP ~~ ~~ RELAX ~~
Wise Snake backs into the kitchen again.
Wise Snake: Eliza, go wake them up.
Wise Snake: Nick first!
Wise Snake blinks trying to shake off the effect.
Nick: ~~ SLEEP ~~
Wise Snake opens the back door and steps out as a precautionary measure.
Eliza: But they look so peaceful.
Eliza: Well, all right Snake.
Wise Snake: Fine... stay here with them then.
Wise Snake: I have some business I needed to attend to alone, anyway.
Eliza goes over and shakes Nick's shoulder.
Eliza: Nick, Nick, wake up!
Eliza shakes him harder.
Nick pushes Eliza away, vaguely.
Eliza: ~WAKE UP~
Bum Bum: WHA!!
Nick's eyes open.
Bum Bum responds to Eliza's "wake up call" and scrambles for purchase on Nick's person.
Bum Bum: ~~nagerically confused~~
Tanzarra snaps awake.
Eliza: You were all asleep.
Tanzarra: What?
Nick absentmindedly wraps his arms around what he assumes is Snake.
Bum Bum: ~~panic~~
Nick: It can't be time to get up...
Bum Bum tries to squirm out of Nick's arms, until he gets a better feel for that field.
Bum Bum subsides.
Nick: ~~ groggy ~~
Eliza: Nick, Snake wants you I think.
Bum Bum thinks there are worse things than to be cosseted in the nager of a Gen like this.
Tanzarra: Oh.
Nick finally comes awake at the mention of Snake.
Nick: She does?
Nick rubs his eyes.
Nick: Where?
Eliza: I think she went out the back.
Nick stands, absentmindedly dumping Bum Bum on the couch.
Bum Bum: Oooumphhh.
Bum Bum wrestles the cushions briefly.
Nick: I'll leave Bum Bum here to your tender mercy, then.
Bum Bum: ~indignant~
Nick hurries out the back door in search of Snake.
Bum Bum claws his way up into an upright position again.
Eliza: Yes, I'll look after him.
Eliza: ~ support ~
Nick thinks he's spent far too much time doing that, lately.
Bum Bum: Ah... Eliza.
Bum Bum: I don't know what happened.
Eliza: You went to sleep. I guess Nick was tired
Bum Bum shudders.
Eliza: Zarra? You okay?
Tanzarra sits up against the arm rest.
Tanzarra: He was trying to settle your nerves and went a little too far.
Bum Bum: Brrr.
Bum Bum reaches for Eliza's hands.
Tanzarra: Yes, I'm fine.
Eliza lets him take her hands, feeling strangely reluctant, but trying not to show it in her nager.
Tanzarra steels herself from instinctively reaching to stop Bum Bum from taking Eliza's hand.
Bum Bum pulls her closer and leans on her, trying to feel safe in her field.
Eliza: ~ support for him ~
Eliza: See? I told you Snake wouldn't murder you.
Tanzarra frowns at Eliza.
Tanzarra: Are you all right?
Bum Bum: Not yet anyway. [whispers to himself]
Eliza: I'm fine, thank you Tanzarra. I just wish everything was settled.
Eliza hears that, considering that he is leaning on her.