Sime~Gen Roleplaying: Two Roads Diverged Scenario
Episode #58: Dick's Surprise (8/10/98)
Wise Snake is lost.
Wise Snake tries to zlin Nick... somewhere.
Wise Snake is afraid it's actually her fault this time.
Wise Snake had left Nick in the public restroom at the hotel's lobby, but became distracted by a man with a back condition walking down the street outside.
Wise Snake didn't manage to convince the man to accept channel's healing until she'd followed him 2 or 3 blocks.
Nick is quite zlinnable, but unrecognizable in his new suit, clean, shaved, and hair combed neatly.
Wise Snake: Ah! There he is, that foolish Gen.
Wise Snake disgruntled.
Wise Snake hurries back into the hotel lobby.
Nick emerges from the restroom, and discovers Snake missing.
Wise Snake quickly arranges herself on a lounge as if she has been waiting the whole time.
Nick: ~~ OH NO, NOT AGAIN!!!~~
Wise Snake winces at the projection.
Nick looks again, and sees Snake.
Nick: ~~ monumental relief ~~
Wise Snake remains frozen in the wince.
Wise Snake: Are you quite done?
Nick: Snake, where did you run off to?
Wise Snake: I was right here the whole time.
Wise Snake: [lying]
Nick frowns.
Nick: Snake, you shouldn't run around without me.
Wise Snake: I'm not running around on you, Nick.
Nick has never had any trouble reading Snake's face.
Nick: Yes, you were. There's mud on your dress.
Wise Snake looks down.
Wise Snake: Shen!
Wise Snake rushes into the ladies' room.
Nick stakes out the door to make sure Snake doesn't slip past him on her way out.
Wise Snake checks the size of the window in the ladies' room, then eases the window open carefully.
Wise Snake squirms out the window.
Wise Snake hurries around to the back entrance of the hotel.
Richard walks back into the lobby from outside, pleased at the way the meeting went.
Wise Snake nips up to the rooms for a change of clothing.
Nick gets paranoid at the long wait and asks a woman to check on Snake.
Richard checks the time, and realises that he is going to have to hurry to get ready for his dinner appointment with the yet unknown Farris Channel.
Nick starts pacing back and forth in the lobby.
Woman stares at Nick incredulously.
Woman: You want me to check for a what?! In the bathroom?
Woman isn't sure if she wants to go in there now.
Nick: Look, my date wasn't feeling well, and she's been in there for over five minutes.
Richard takes the stairs two at a time.
Nick: I just want to know if she's all right.
Woman: Oh. OK.
Woman clutches her purse and advances into the restroom with some trepidation.
Woman is still expecting a large scaled creature to drop onto her from a bathroom stall.
Wise Snake sees Eliza in the rooms.
Richard nods to the staff who have his evening clothing laid out ready on the bed and undoes his tie on the way to the bathroom.
Wise Snake: Eliza! Aren't you ready yet?
Eliza has her nose buried in "The Way of the Nager."
Eliza: Ready? Ready for what?
Wise Snake hurries past hoping to distract from her disheveled attire.
Wise Snake: Dinner with Richard?
Eliza: Oh shen! I forgot!
Wise Snake grabs her bag and starts throwing clothes this way and that, finally locates something semi-presentable.
Wise Snake: Good grief, where did this come from?
Wise Snake throws the semi-presentable clothes in the ashbin.
Eliza jumps up and puts the book reverently down on the table before running over to check the clothing.
Nick learns from the woman that there is no Snake in the bathroom, and that the window is open.
Nick: SHEN!!!!
Nick rushes from the building, frantically searching for the missing reptile.
Wise Snake finally takes the muddy dress to the bathroom and tries to scrub it clean, cursing and flinching at the wet sensation on her hands and tentacles.
Eliza pulls out the clothing that she had "gleaned" from the Tecton Center and tries to smooth out the wrinkles.
Eliza decides that there is nothing better anyway and puts them on.
Wise Snake emerges from the bathroom wearing the same dress which has now shrunk to be obscenely well-fitting.
Wise Snake: ~~grouchy~~
Wise Snake: I should make Nick wear this, he'd love it.
Richard comes out of the shower glowing, shaves, and dresses in the immaculate 5 piece dinner suit.
Wise Snake looks at Eliza's jeans and wrinkly shirt.
Wise Snake: Do you want to trade?
Eliza looks Snake up and down.
Eliza: I don't think it will fit me, Snake.
Eliza doesn't think it fits Snake either.
Wise Snake sighs and rips off the shrunken dress.
Wise Snake pulls out some of her plain clothes, which Linn seems to have washed, and puts them on.
Wise Snake: Come on, then.
Richard puts on shoes so polished he could have used them to shave in.
Wise Snake leaves the rooms and heads towards the lobby.
Eliza hops along after her, pulling on her shoes.
Wise Snake pauses to check her look in some glass doors.
Wise Snake: [weasel wearing a black fireball on its head and with darting, paranoid eyes]
Wise Snake hurries into the lobby, zlinning for Nick.
Wise Snake is flabbergasted when he isn't there.
Richard checks his appearance in the full length gilt mirror.
Wise Snake: That shenned Gen! Where did he run off to now?? ~frustrated~
Richard: [tall sophisticated handsome well dressed - rich - gentleman]
Eliza doesn't want to look.
Eliza: Where did you tell him to wait?
Wise Snake: He was waiting right outside the restr... [suspicious pause]
Wise Snake: It's the restrooms, isn't it. This always happens when somebody tries to go to the restroom.
Wise Snake: Eliza, go in there and see if he's in the Men's.
Richard, pleased that he looks to be a suitable dinner companion for any Tecton Channel, leaves the room to meet his guests in the lobby.
Eliza: All right, Snake.
Eliza walks over to the door marked with the classic little male figure (understandable in any language) and opens it.
Eliza: Nick? You in there?
Eliza takes a step inside.
Choobie lets out an unmanly shriek as Eliza barges in.
Eliza quickly covers her eyes.
Eliza: Sorry, just looking for Nick.
Choobie runs in a small circle, flapping in the breeze, arms waving hysterically, then jumps out the window (head first)
Choobie: [shrieking the whole time]
Eliza: Good grief!
Eliza backs out.
Eliza: ~ nervous ~
Eliza: He didn't appear to be in there
Wise Snake jumps up from where she was looking behind a couch to see if Nick was there.
Wise Snake: Shen it. We don't have time to wait. Richard will be here at any moment.
Wise Snake is going to have a talk with Nick about going to the bathroom.
Wise Snake: [If he'd simply gone to the bathroom instead of wherever he's run off to now, they'd have found him by now and everything would be OK.]
Richard waits in the middle of the lobby, looking cool and controlled and totally at home
Wise Snake realizes Richard is already there, and jumps about 2 feet.
Wise Snake: Richard!
Wise Snake: ~heart failure~
Richard: Snake? Snake!
Richard: ~ likewise heart failure ~
Wise Snake: I didn't realize you were already here. [weakly]
Richard: Is it really you?
Richard: But you are dead!
Wise Snake: Er... no?
Eliza giggles at the reaction and melts into the background to give them time to get over it.
Wise Snake: [uneasy]
Wise Snake: I mean, I am?
Richard: We were told, after the Ferry Building burnt down, that you had been inside it!
Wise Snake looks shocked.
Wise Snake: The Ferry Building burnt down???
Wise Snake sits down suddenly.
Wise Snake: [fortunately there was a couch there]
Richard: Yes. Oh god, didn't you know?
Richard: I'm so sorry.
Richard: The outside is fine, I've arranged for the inside to be rebuilt.
Wise Snake presses the back of her hand against her forehead.
Wise Snake: And... Rapol and Sky? [whisper]
Richard: I'm so glad that you are all right!
Richard takes Snakes other hand and squeezes it tight.
Eliza wonders if she should be in support of Snake or not. She decides maybe a little won't hurt.
Wise Snake: They're... gone?
Richard: I'm not sure. We assumed that they, and Nick, were in there also. Now, I'm not so sure.
Wise Snake shudders.
Eliza: ~ gentle support ~
Wise Snake lets her hand fall.
Richard wonders if he could get away with putting an arm around her - in comfort of course.
Richard tries it.
Wise Snake: Ah, well... I shouldn't be surprised.
Richard: There, there.
Wise Snake finds Richard's and Eliza's competing fields to be almost as disastrous as the destruction of the Ferry Building.
Wise Snake: I'm fine... I'm fine. Thank you, Richard.
Wise Snake weasels out of his grip and gets to her feet.
Wise Snake puts Eliza between them.
Eliza feels almost flattered.
Wise Snake: Richard, have you met Eliza?
Richard: ~ down ~
Richard: I'm sorry to be the one to bring you such bad news.
Richard: Of course, the damage was minimal as the building was almost entirely stone.
Wise Snake looks pained.
Wise Snake: Please... let's not talk of that at the moment.
Wise Snake isn't sure what point there is, when she doesn't dare go back there and Sky and Rapol are either dead or lost.
Eliza nods. "We met briefly once or twice."
Richard: Of course, I'm pleased to see that you are well Eliza.
Eliza smiles at him, totally lost in his healthy dark eyes.
Eliza blushes.
Wise Snake jiggles Eliza slightly to break her concentrated stare.
Wise Snake: Focus [whispers]
Eliza focuses strongly on Richard.
Wise Snake gives up and goes back to lie on the couch.
Richard smiles at Snake
Richard follows her.
Richard: Are you all right?
Wise Snake maybe isn't handling this as well as she thinks she is.
Richard: Where is the other channel, Hajene Tanzarra?
Richard: Will she be joining us?
Richard: Would you prefer to eat here rather than go out?
Wise Snake glances at Eliza.
Wise Snake: Where is Tanzarra?
Eliza shakes free of the spell and ~ supports ~ Snake
Eliza: She is still with that guy who stabbed himself to get her attention. Griff is with her.
Richard looks amazed at the stupidity of what males will do to get a female's attention.
Wise Snake: I see.
Wise Snake seems puzzled; Tanzarra had seemed really gung-ho on going out with Richard, earlier.
Eliza: ~ support ~
Wise Snake is also pretty sure the guy was stable enough to be left without a channel monitoring him. At least, stable enough physically.
Wise Snake: So she will not be coming?
Wise Snake thinks Griff will be having a field day with the idea of a guy who'd stab himself with a mechanical cleaning apparatus.
Eliza: I guess not.
Wise Snake nods.
Richard waits patiently.
Wise Snake says to Richard, "Then it looks as if it is just the three of us."
Wise Snake stands.
Richard: That's splendid. Are you all right to eat out? Or would you prefer to come up to my rooms and have something brought up?
Wise Snake starts to agree to the latter, then remembers Richard's eagerness to touch her and thinks maybe a restaurant would be better.
Wise Snake: Out will be fine. Thank you.
Wise Snake attempts a smile.
Richard: Excellent. Then shall we go?
Wise Snake: Certainly.
Wise Snake positions Eliza carefully between them.
Richard holds out his hand to Snake
Wise Snake is surprised to notice the copy of "The Way of the Nager" is stuck in Eliza's jeans back pocket.
Wise Snake graciously declines Richard's hand.
Wise Snake is starting to think it's a good thing Nick wasn't along for this.
Richard turns it into a guiding gesture. "I have a carriage waiting."
Wise Snake nonetheless zlins about anxiously, on the off chance that her Companion might stage a fortuitously-timed return.
Wise Snake: Great.
Richard doesn't have to look to see, he arranged it and it will be there.
Wise Snake follows the guiding motion.
Eliza takes her place in support position proudly.
Eliza: ~ support ~
Richard leads them outside to where the carriage is, indeed, waiting.
Richard opens the door for them himself and sees them safely inside before stepping in himself.
Richard: This is really amazing, meeting you here like this Snake!
Wise Snake: Ummh.
Richard: Tell me, what are you doing here at this time?
Wise Snake scratches herself as the fabric on the seats starts to make her itchy.
Wise Snake: [distracted]
Wise Snake: Oh? Ah, we were doing some healing work and so forth at the public concert event.
Eliza looks around the beautifully decked out carriage.
Wise Snake scratches herself in various other places as the irritation spreads.
Richard: It was the concert that brought me here too. I have a lot to thank Torn by Tentacles for, apparently.
Wise Snake: Oh? Really?
Wise Snake scrabbles at the flap of the medical kit, which she is wearing.
Wise Snake: How so?
Eliza wonders what on earth to do about the itchy channel beside her. She is sure there is something a Donor can do to help, but has no idea what.
Richard: Well, other then the obvious financial situation, they have brought me to your side once again.
Wise Snake: Ah... I see.
Wise Snake is not up to wit of this er, caliber.
Wise Snake fumbles through the various vials and bottles while scratching herself desperately with her other arm and the tentacles of that arm.
Eliza scratches her leg unobtrusively.
Richard looks at the scratching channel in concern.
Richard: I say, are you all right?
Wise Snake realizes she has to get away from the chair surface, which she is clearly allergic to.
Wise Snake climbs into Eliza's lap.
Richard: ~ concern ~
Wise Snake: Fine, fine, perfectly fine. Do go on. You were saying, financial benefit?
Eliza: Errrk.
Wise Snake clings to Eliza while drawing some liquid into a syringe.
Eliza: ~ slightly squished feeling ~
Richard watches in consternation.
Richard: Yes....
Wise Snake thinks Richard isn't doing a good job of holding up his end of the conversation.
Wise Snake: Hold still, Eliza.
Wise Snake tries to get the needle aimed at a vein.
Eliza: [small buried voice] Yes, Snake.
Richard watches in amazement as Snake attempts to inject herself with some unknown fluid.
Wise Snake: So, ah, I hadn't realized the band was publicly owned... or is it? [fffftttt... ah...]
Wise Snake manages to bulls-eye a big juicy one.
Richard feels faint.
Wise Snake: [while hanging onto Eliza in the rocking carriage, scratching herself frantically all over, and engaging Richard in conversation]
Richard: Errr yes, no, not exactly.
Wise Snake stops scratching as the emergency allergy medication quickly takes effect.
Richard: I owned a fair share of the band until today.
Wise Snake sighs in relief and slides off Eliza to sit beside her once again.
Wise Snake: Oh really? But not anymore?
Wise Snake carefully retrieves the medical satchel and puts everything back in order.
Eliza sighs in relief too.
Richard swallows.
Richard: Errr, no. [deep breath] I have just sold my shares in the band for a tidy profit.
Wise Snake finally notices how uncomfortable Richard is.
Wise Snake looks between Richard and the satchel.
Wise Snake: Oh! I'm sorry, I was experiencing an allergic reaction.
Richard: ~ relief ~
Richard: Oh, I'm terribly sorry.
Wise Snake: I am sorry for the public display of drug use, but I had made a snap assumption that you would prefer that to my falling dead before we arrived at the restaurant.
Richard: ~ concern ~
Richard: Is that a possibility?
Wise Snake: Not so long as we get there before this wears off.
Wise Snake: I seem to have an adverse reaction to this fabric.
Richard knocks on the divider. "Driver! Faster!"
Wise Snake is mashed into said fabric as the carriage accelerates.
Wise Snake: MMfffgg!
Richard makes a mental note to ensure a different carriage, with different fabric, for the homeward journey.
Eliza: ~ support ~
Eliza: Nice carriage though.
Eliza feels a bit shy to be talking.
Richard: Are you free to tell me why you left Bender Cove like that? With no warning? No message?
Wise Snake isn't sure.
Wise Snake had been convinced that to be associated with her at all would mean coming under attack by the foreign drug dealers who had burned the Ferry Building. Now that Richard has apparently had work done on the building with no problem, she has no idea what to think.
Wise Snake: Ummh.
Richard: Please Snake, remember, if you are in any sort of trouble you can always trust in me to help you.
Richard: ~ honest concern ~
Richard is worried that she might feel that his assistance puts her under obligation.
Wise Snake: Uh... thanks.
Wise Snake nods indecisively.
Richard: Here we are. [carriage pulls to a stop]
Richard: Let me get the door for you.
Richard opens the door and steps out, holding out his hand to help Snake and Eliza down.
Wise Snake thinks that between Muryin and Richard, she has more help that she doesn't know what to do with, than she knows what to do with.
Wise Snake jumps lightly down, avoiding the hand.
Wise Snake turns to offer Eliza a hand down as well.
Wise Snake realizes too late that Richard has already offered Eliza a hand.
Eliza looks from one to another, quickly decides, and takes both offered hands.
Eliza: Thank you.
Eliza: ~ shy ~
Richard smiles at her and shuts the carriage door and goes to arrange with the driver to have a different carriage ready to pick them up. One with "Farris safe" lining.