Sime~Gen Roleplaying: Householding Naros Scenario
Episode #90: Gens are Like a Box of Chocolates (12/31/98)
Lucia rides up to the gates of Naros.
Lucia looks back at Rapol.
Lucia: We're here!
Rapol rides after, unsteadily.
Rapol eyes the sturdy gates nervously.
Eliza watches the people riding in from her hiding place near the front gates.
Eliza thinks that one of them looks sort of familiar.
Riyyh had heard that Lucia and Rapol were on their way in and dropped everything he was doing in favor of feverishly making sure he looks his best.
Riyyh of course always makes sure he looks his best, but in this case he's making sure in triplicate, just in case.
Lucia: How are you doing?
Lucia hasn't stopped worrying about Rapol since she first was told about him.
Rapol rises up in the saddle, wincing.
Xenus has given Eliza enough time to hide. When she played "hunt the Gen " with her friends they only allowed ten minutes.
Lucia stops inside the gates and swings down from her horse.
Rapol carefully gets down from his horse before leading it in the gate.
Lucia locates a kid to hand off her horse to.
Lucia: You can give your horse to Memm, Rapol, he'll take care of it.
Xenus zlins around the side of the kitchens for Eliza.
Lucia: You might want to keep your stuff, though.
Rapol just stands looking around, holding the reins.
Eliza is trying to keep her nager as quiet as possible as Shoni taught her, while still being madly curious about the familiar looking figure.
Eliza is also freezing her butt off.
Rapol nods after a moment, and goes to take a small bundle from the horse.
Riyyh flies out of the Administrative building in a perfect tizzy.
Riyyh has, if the truth be told, been fantasizing about a life with Rapol ever since their transfer.
Riyyh has been having a hard time concentrating on anything.
Xenus sneaks around the front of the building and zlins some people at the front gate.
Rapol hands the reins to Memm.
Lucia smiles in relief.
Lucia: How about we go inside and get warm, now?
Rapol: Warm!
Xenus is distracted from her "game" as she zlins the two new Gens with fascination.
Riyyh hurries to the gate.
Riyyh had been biting his tentacles for 4 days, worrying that Lucia wouldn't succeed in bringing Rapol back, etc.
Eliza sees Xenus and quickly ducks back behind the substantial gate.
Rapol is a brownhaired male Gen who would be tall if he stood up straight.
Rapol: ~~ strong field ~~
Riyyh rushes up to Lucia and Rapol.
Riyyh: Lucia! And Rapol... I am so glad to see the both of you. ~anxiously~
Rapol turns to Riyyh. ~~ open and unresisting ~~
Riyyh zlins Rapol to make sure he is undamaged - well, at least, not further damaged.
Riyyh is concerned by Rapol's reaction to him.
Rapol: ~~ cold ~~ ~~ chafed in embarrassing places ~~
Xenus tries to get closer without being seen or zlinned.
Riyyh is even more concerned by Rapol's temperature and er, surface friction difficulty.
Riyyh: Please, come inside. You too, Lucia.
Riyyh hovers about them like a mother hen.
Eliza peeks through a knot hole, her teeth chattering as she slowly freezes.
Lucia notices Xenus and thinks the Sime is just curious, having been out of town long enough to have missed the bit about Xenus' "Gen Hunting"
Rapol, hearing Riyyh's voice, looks at him directly.
Rapol: ~~ recognition ~~
Xenus: ~~ innocence ~~
Riyyh smiles kindly at Rapol.
Xenus: Ummm...
Riyyh is looking about 300 times better than before, being groomed and dressed in his usual style rather than in Road House Grubby.
Rapol looks at Riyyh's eyes, about the only unchanged part.
Eliza stamps her feet to try to get warmer.
Lucia starts to say something to Xenus, then frowns, puzzled, and goes to look behind the gate.
Riyyh touches Rapol's arm gently.
Xenus ducks out of sight.
Riyyh: Come along, let's get you inside and warmed up.
Xenus follows the Gen's attention, and zlins the gate.
Riyyh notices Xenus dart away as he turns toward the Admin building, and frowns, wondering if Tictoc is going to expect him to report that.
Riyyh: Oh dear. [to himself]
Rapol nods and turns to follow Riyyh.
Riyyh: This way. [to Rapol]
Lucia: Hi! [to Eliza]
Lucia assumes Eliza was hiding there to watch the arrivals.
Xenus zlins Eliza and augments to the nearest tree.
Eliza: Shuuush!
Eliza: Oh shen! She's seen me now!
Lucia is surprised.
Lucia: What?
Lucia looks about for "she".
Eliza takes off at a stumbling run.
Lucia: Where are you... ?
Lucia: Aren't you cold?
Rapol catches augmented movement out of the corner of his eye. ~~ startled ~~
Eliza yells over her shoulder "She's hunting me!!!"
Eliza dives behind the building.
Rapol hears "hunting". ~~ fear ~~
Lucia: ~~astonishment~~
Rapol hunches down as he looks wildly around and contracts his field.
Xenus zlins the fear and freezes in her spot.
Eliza: ~excitement ~
Xenus has no idea what has scared the Gen.
Riyyh is surprised by the reaction and turns to face what Rapol's frightened attention is on.
Lucia hears Eliza's excitement and realizes it's a game. In rather poor taste, but a game.
Lucia shakes her head and goes to help Riyyh with Rapol if required.
Lucia has learned, in the last two days, that Rapol can be quite the odd bird.
Eliza decides to hide somewhere warmer and heads inside.
Xenus looks around for a way to get around the back of the building without being zlinned.
Riyyh: Xenus... come out here. [calls after her]
Xenus peeks around the tree.
Xenus: ~~ nervous ~~
Riyyh: Yes... [encouragingly] Come on.
Riyyh blocks Rapol's field with his own.
Riyyh tries, anyway.
Xenus hesitatingly goes over to Riyyh.
Xenus: I was just playing with Eliza!
Rapol ~~ worries ~~ that these two Simes will fight over him.
Riyyh: Didn't you notice you startled somebody when you ran past? [gently]
Xenus: No. I wasn't doing anything.
Riyyh: I know, but you must always stop and apologize, and make sure the person is all right.
Riyyh: This is Rapol. He's been through a very traumatic experience and is easily frightened.
Xenus looks to Rapol.
Xenus: I'm sorry I startled you. I didn't mean to.
Rapol tries to spot the hidden meaning in what Xenus is saying.
Xenus twiddles her fingers and tentacles.
Riyyh: Rapol? Are you all right?
Rapol considers the question. "Yes."
Xenus looks around to see if she can spot Eliza.
Riyyh feels Xenus' attention wandering and realizes there may be something to Tictoc's complaints about her... but still, children are children and First Month changeovers are First Month changeovers.
Riyyh: Xenus, go and find her, but please... [kindly] try to play in the fields, rather than amongst the buildings. There are too many people here.
Xenus: Yes Sectuib.
Xenus: I am sorry I scared you. [ to Rapol ]
Rapol nods. "Thank you."
Xenus moves slowly as to not scare the Gen again, and then heads inside to see where Eliza went.
Rapol hopes that is the response they wanted.
Riyyh: She is very young. [to Rapol, apologetically]
Rapol relaxes his field.
Rapol nods.
Eliza is sipping hot chocolate next to a fireplace in the lounge of the visitors center.
Rapol looks over at Riyyh again.
Riyyh: Come on. We can go in where it's warm, and relatively private.
Riyyh smiles at Rapol.
Xenus: Eliza!
Rapol after a moment ~~ offers support to Riyyh ~~
Riyyh is more than a little reluctant to trust in Rapol's field after what he just witnessed, but he would like to foster the Donor's trust.
Riyyh accepts the support.
Xenus goes through the lobby, zlinning for Eliza.
Riyyh: Thank you.
Lucia: Sectuib? Should I...?
Rapol remembers a promise. He tugs at Riyyh. "Warm."
Riyyh: I'm sorry, Lucia, yes, go on. I'll speak with you later.
Riyyh: Certainly. [to Rapol]
Riyyh leads Rapol to the Admin building.
Lucia nods and walks off.
Rapol follows after Riyyh.
Xenus goes from room to room.
Lucia is immediately mobbed by Narosians who just have to know all about the big strapping hunk of a Gen she came in with.
Rapol keeps looking around at all these strange buildings.
Xenus finally zlins Eliza and goes to the lounge room.
Xenus: Eliza?
Eliza has a second cup of cocoa next to the fire for when (if) Xenus finds her.
Eliza: About time you found me! Here, have some cocoa.
Xenus goes and sits beside Eliza.
Riyyh brings Rapol to his office.
Eliza smiles at her and wonders if that got it out of her system for a time.
Xenus: Thanks. Sectuib Riyyh said we had to play out in the fields and not around the buildings.
Rapol looks around the office.
Eliza: But there is snow out there!
Xenus looks anxiously at Eliza.
Eliza: ~ cold just thinking about it ~
Xenus: He also said that I scared that Gen that was with him.
Eliza giggles.
Xenus: But I don't know how, I wasn't anywhere near him.
Rapol stops as he looks at the painting on the wall.
Rapol: ~~ happily contemplative ~~
Riyyh notices Rapol's stare.
Riyyh: She's beautiful, isn't she? ~regret~
Riyyh: That's Ruby, my former Companion.
Rapol: ~~ emphatic agreement ~~
Xenus is confused by Eliza's reaction.
Riyyh: [the picture shows a beautiful woman clad only in her nager]
Rapol looks over at Riyyh. "Companion?"
Eliza: Oh, some Gens are just scared of Simes that's all.
Xenus: Have you ever been scared by Simes?
Eliza: Not really. Gens are worse because you can't stop them. I can stop a Sime.
Eliza: ~ self satisfaction ~
Xenus: Even if they attack at full augmentation?
Xenus: How?
Eliza: Yep!
Eliza: Well, why do Simes attack?
Riyyh: Yes, she was my Companion for 15 years.
Riyyh: But she's gone, now.
Riyyh: Please, have a seat. May I take your coat?
Rapol: Gone?
Xenus: They attack when they are need.
Rapol: ~~ sorrow and sympathy ~~
Xenus: But I wouldn't attack anyone.
Riyyh: She isn't dead... thank goodness. But she works for the Tecton now.
Eliza: I know you wouldn't. But I've meet Simes who would!
Rapol: Took Away?
Xenus: But the Channels look after them, don't they?
Xenus: To make sure they don't have to.
Eliza: Not way deep in Gen Territory where I come from. There, when they change over they kill - if they aren't put down first!
Eliza: There are no channels there yet.
Riyyh: May I have your coat? [gently] I can hang it up for you.
Riyyh: Well, we had already broken apart before she left, but yes, the Tecton has been pressuring Naros for people.
Xenus: Why not? They could help the Gens and the changeovers.
Rapol: "Certainly"
Eliza: They just haven't yet. They will eventually. But the world is a big place and it takes time.
Rapol shrugs off his coat. It is rather dirty and has clearly seen hard use.
Xenus: So, how did you stop a Sime?
Eliza: Well, you try to attack me and I'll show you.
Riyyh takes the coat diffidently.
Xenus: I couldn't do that, I don't kill.
Eliza: ~ amused ~
Eliza: You can't kill me!
Riyyh: May I arrange for you to be fitted for additional clothing? [hopefully]
Xenus: But....
Eliza: Just try to grab me then.
Eliza: Go on, I won't hurt you.
Xenus: That's because you're a Donor, right?
Rapol lets go of it and looks around the room for something to eat.
Eliza: Yeah.
Xenus takes Eliza's arms.
Eliza sets her nager to "stun", well, repel.
Riyyh sighs and goes to hang up the coat.
Riyyh: You must be famished.
Riyyh can zlin that he is.
Xenus: ~~ Ochhh ~~
Riyyh: I'll arrange for something to be brought.
Riyyh pokes his head out the door and asks somebody to bring by a large meal for a Gen and a little something for himself as well.
Xenus retracts her hands quickly and stares stunned at Eliza.
Eliza: See?
Eliza: I can do that much harder too - but that might hurt you.
Rapol nods. ~~ hungry ~~
Xenus rubs her arms as the sensation fades.
Riyyh returns.
Riyyh: It'll be here shortly. Would you like some tea, in the meantime?
Eliza: It's not polite either.
Xenus: So, why didn't that Gen do that?
Rapol: Tea? Yes.
Riyyh: Please, have a seat. [ushering Rapol over to a couch]
Eliza: I don't know. Maybe he didn't know how. [maybe he had manners]
Xenus is thankful that he didn't however.
Rapol goes over and sits down carefully, wincing a bit at his saddlesores.
Xenus: And you could hurt a Sime by doing that?
Eliza: Oh yes! You could kill them!
Xenus: ~~ fear ~~
Xenus: Oh?
Eliza: That's why I'm still here. I don't think that Snake wanted me with her any more.
Eliza: ~ sad ~
Riyyh fetches some tea and brinks it back to Rapol, then sits down on the couch also.
Rapol takes the tea. ~~ thankful ~~
Riyyh adjusts his field to encourage Rapol's body to heal.
Xenus wants to comfort Eliza, but hesitates.
Xenus: Are you all right?
Eliza: Yeah, I'm fine.
Eliza: But you see why you really shouldn't go hunting Gens without their permission don't you?
Xenus: Yeah, I guess.
Eliza: ~ drink your cocoa ~
Rapol responds to Riyyh's healing need projection.
Xenus: I didn't think playing would hurt anyone.
Rapol looks at him. "Need?"
Xenus takes a sip of her cocoa.
Riyyh: Not now. [gently]
Riyyh: I'm helping your body to heal.
Eliza: It might, like that Gen before. If he had slammed you....
Riyyh thinks Rapol certainly is an enigma.
Rapol: Oh.
Eliza jumps up, spilling cocoa.
Eliza: Shen!!!
Riyyh: Does it disturb you?
Eliza: That was Rapol!
Rapol just leans back and sips at his tea.
Riyyh smiles reassuringly at him.
Eliza leaps past Xenus and out the door.
Xenus: ~~Aghhh ~~
Riyyh: I only mean the best for you. In fact, I hope that... I hope that you can be happy here, and I hope that you will want to stay.
Xenus jumps in fright as Eliza jumps up.
Riyyh: [sincere]
Eliza looks out the front door and around to see if they are still within sight.
Xenus follows Eliza out the door in case she's hurt.
Xenus: Eliza!
Eliza: Where did they go? That Gen?
Eliza: Do you know?
Xenus: No! They went somewhere to get warm, I heard them say that.
Rapol: Stay? Cook?
Xenus: What's wrong?
Eliza: Maybe the Sectuib's office?
Eliza: Maybe his house?
Xenus fears that Eliza will be angry now that she knows the Gen she scared.
Riyyh: You could cook if you like, of course. [kindly] But I would hope that you might also consider....
Riyyh hesitates.
Eliza hesitates, then turns towards the office because it's closer and doesn't involve going out in the cold.
Riyyh: You see, I have no Companion.
Rapol looks into Riyyh's eyes. "Channel?"
Xenus follows Eliza.
Eliza signals at Riyyh's office door.
Riyyh: Yes, I am a channel, and the transfer with you was... I cannot describe it. It was wonderful, it was more than wonderful. You are a magnificent Donor.
Rapol is a bit ~~ flattered ~~.
Riyyh's intense stare into Rapol's eyes is broken by the signal.
Riyyh thinks, of all the timing!!
Riyyh: Oh dear... I had better get that. [sighs]
Eliza signals again.
Riyyh: Do think on it, would you? [helplessly]
Riyyh gets up and hurries to the door.
Rapol: "OK."
Riyyh opens it.
Riyyh: Eliza? Er,
Eliza: Sectuib Riyyh, that Gen you had with you before... [sees Rapol behind him]
Rapol watches him go.
Riyyh was about to ask her if she could come back another time.
Eliza runs over and throws herself on Rapol in a bear hug. "Rapol!!!"
Eliza: We thought you were dead!
Riyyh flinches.
Riyyh: Oh, dear.
Eliza squeezes him tight.
Rapol is ~~ surprised ~~ but not frightened.
Xenus stands at the door and watches Eliza "attack" the other Gen.
Eliza: What's wrong? Don't you recognise me? It's Eliza!
Rapol hugs this strange Gen.
Rapol looks at her. "Eliza?"
Eliza: Yes! Remember? Back in Bender Cove? The banana thing?
Riyyh sighs and looks at Xenus.
Xenus: She just jumped up and ran here, I wasn't chasing her.
Riyyh: He used to travel with Wise Snake, as Eliza did. [explains]
Riyyh zlins the truth in Xenus and nods, placing a reassuring hand on her shoulder.
Xenus: Oh!
Xenus: ~~ relief ~~
Rapol furrows his brow. "Bender?"
Riyyh goes over to Rapol and Eliza.
Eliza: Bender Cove - remember the Ferry Building? What's wrong with you, Rapol?
Riyyh: Eliza, he's been through a lot. [gently]
Riyyh: Please, take it slowly with him.
Rapol: Ferry?
Eliza looks at Riyyh in annoyance.
Riyyh of course has no idea what it was, but Rapol has obviously had something very traumatic happen to him.
Riyyh flinches back from her annoyance.
Riyyh: Please.
Rapol starts to tremble in ~~ fear ~~.
Eliza: Rapol - what happened? Remember, after Snake left?
Rapol: Snake?
Riyyh thinks this is a bit much to be submitting Rapol to only minutes after arriving at Naros.
Xenus waits at the open door. She doesn't want to move in case this Gen startles again and tries what Eliza showed her.
Eliza: Do you want a drink? [to Riyyh] Do you think we could have some porstan or something?
Rapol looks around. "Snake?"
Riyyh: Snake isn't here, Rapol. [gently]
Eliza: She isn't here at the moment Rapol.
Eliza sits down next to him and hold his hand tightly.
Rapol looks tragically at Riyyh. "Not here?"
Riyyh: I'm sorry. [to Rapol, sincerely]
Riyyh is sincerely sorry for Rapol, not sincerely sorry that Snake is absent.
Rapol: ~~ Loss ~~
Eliza: ~ enthusiastic ~ Maybe we can find her Rapol!
Rapol: ~~ devastation ~~
Eliza: [to Riyyh] What happened to him!
Riyyh: We don't know yet. [to Eliza]
Riyyh: I brought him back here in the hopes of healing him. But it will not be a speedy process.
Riyyh: Give him time.
Riyyh finds Rapol's devastation heartwringing.
Eliza: [to Rapol] You do remember me though, don't you?
Rapol hangs his head down.
Xenus feels staggered by the feelings she's zlinning from this Gen.
Eliza squeezes his hand. "Well, don't you worry, I remember you."
Rapol looks into Eliza's eyes, searching for memory.
Eliza looks into Rapol's eyes.
Rapol's eyes have loss/fear/pain swirling deep inside them.
Xenus steps just inside Riyyh's office.
Xenus: Is he all right?
see note 1
Mostan comes out of his room, combing his damp hair.
Mostan saunters over towards the dining hall.
Povkhia is scrubbed pink after a filthy morning of repairing gardening tools.
Povkhia is waiting in the Dining Hall for her friend Mostan. Her very good friend Mostan.
Mostan zlins around as he goes in the door.
Mostan zlins Povkhia and brightens.
Mostan hastens over to her.
Povkhia: ~happy~
Povkhia: Hi Mostan!
Povkhia: You look nice today.
Povkhia notices he looks extra nice today.
Povkhia: ~curious~
Mostan: Why thank you!
Mostan: You look lovely, as always.
Povkhia grins, her nager blooming with delight.
Povkhia: ~fresh, youthful, pretty~
Mostan zlins in her nager.
Mostan sits down. "Has your day gone well?"
Povkhia: Well... [laughs]
Povkhia: I was in the tool shed! It's cold in there.
Mostan: Oh dear!
Mostan takes her hand in his to warm it.
Povkhia smiles.
Povkhia: Ooh, you're always so warm.
Povkhia: ~pleasure~
Mostan smiles as he massages her hand. "You always make me feel warm inside."
Povkhia: ~glowing~
Povkhia: Oh Mostan, you're so sweet.
Mostan: Just your own sweetness reflected back at you. That's how it is with us Simes. [smiles]
Povkhia: You're reading my heart.
Mostan: If you insist.
Mostan puts a hand to her chest.
Mostan: Have you eaten? I wanted to talk with you.
Povkhia: Well, I....
Povkhia is ~thrilled~ by his touch.
Povkhia: I would love to talk with you, Mostan.
Mostan leans over to whisper in her ear "Not here. Come with me?"
Povkhia: ~intrigue and delight~
Povkhia: OK. [whispers back]
Povkhia takes his hand eagerly.
Povkhia likes surprises.
Mostan lifts her up.
Mostan: Bring your coat.
Povkhia: Oh!
Povkhia takes up her coat and slips it on.
Povkhia: Where are we going?
Mostan: You'll see.
Mostan leads her out of the Dining Hall.
Povkhia follows, increasingly curious.
Mostan leads her out away from the buildings toward the orchards.
Povkhia: ~~bursting with curiosity~~
Povkhia almost asks again, but manages to hold her tongue. Barely.
Povkhia squeezes Mostan's hand instead.
Mostan winds them through the aisles of trees. He stops at a point where the aisles surround them, receding towards the vanishing point.
Mostan stops and turns to face her.
Povkhia looks up at him, her face surrounded by a halo of fur from her hood.
Povkhia: ~mystified but deep-down excited~
Mostan: Povkhia.
Mostan: It's winter here.
Mostan: But in the Spring, there will be beauty and life here.
Mostan: Because of you.
Mostan: You take care of these trees, the plants....
Mostan: Povkhia....
Povkhia: ~~deep, radiant joy~~
Mostan takes her hands, and puts them on his chest.
Mostan: There is Winter here, too.
Mostan: Bring Spring to my heart.
Mostan: Bring beauty to my life.
Mostan: Marry me.
Povkhia: ~~surprise~~
Povkhia gasps.
Povkhia: Mostan! [shriek of delight]
Povkhia jumps up and hugs him around the neck region.
Mostan catches her and swings her up sitting in his arms.
Povkhia: Of course I'll marry you.
Povkhia: ~love~
Povkhia: ~excitement and bliss~
Mostan breaks out in a beaming smile.
Mostan: ~~ joy and relief ~~
Mostan snakes two ventrals into a pocket.
Mostan squeezes Povkhia as he passes something from one set of ventrals to the other.
Mostan twines tentacles around her hand, and then removes them, revealing the ring he just put on her.
Povkhia gasps again.
Povkhia: Oh Mostan, it's beautiful!
Mostan: Only because it's on you.
Povkhia: ~~love~~
Mostan: ~~ love ~~
Mostan: Can I have a kiss now?
Povkhia bends down and kisses him slowly, firmly, on the lips.
Mostan returns the kiss.
Notes:
1) This scene was never finished. [return]