* Ao-Lang stalks towards the exit. Despite saying she was going to talk, she doesn't seem to be saying much right out. * Mariah just follows along, looking a bit resigned. * Ao-Lang finally asks, after a long while, "What the hell is *wrong* with you?" .. you keep asking me that like I know. Think it's because I don't? Look... all I know is that you act like something's wrong, like I'm offending you somehow. I don't know what it is, and every time I guess, you say it isn't that. So I don't know what it is. * Ao-Lang sighs. It's quiet, but it's there. She keeps walking. * Mariah stays still, watching Ao-Lang go. "Whatever else I do, I don't read minds." * The halls themselves are pretty much deserted, and the yard even moreso, now that it's dark. * Ao-Lang stops, then turns. Her mismatched eyes look at Mariah. Not glare, not mock, but look. "What do you care, anyway?" * Mariah looks back evenly, even a little solemnly. Like I said... we have to live together and we have to fight together. It bothers me that things are so strained. Things aren't that strained. I don't like you, and you don't like me. If Hope takes the leader thing back, that means we don't have to take orders from each other. We just have to live together, and I know all about living and dealing with people I don't like. * Ao-Lang snorts faintly. "Not that she should be leader." There's a pause. "She's awful at it, but I'll let her have it if that's what everyone wants anyway. Can't have things being 'strained'." I had hoped that we could at least come to an understanding... but if you'd rather leave it this way, that's fine. * Ao-Lang smirks. "Rather have it which way? Come on. I could go for some scenery." Some scenery? Yeah. Besides these halls. -- oh. Well, all right. Where to? Mmm. How about the first fight I was in here. * Ao-Lang goes back to walking. * Mariah follows. "All right.": How'd you know how to fight, anyway? Self-defense magic, or what? I started taking martial-arts lessons in sixth grade. My parents thought it would be good exercise, and they were right. Sixth grade? * Ao-Lang sighs again. "Damn." Well... .. well, I don't know. That's just the way things were. Yeah. The way they were. * Ao-Lang is silent a moment longer, then, "I've been training since I could walk." .. and so you're a better fighter than I am. So I *should* be a better fighter than you are. And you are. * Ao-Lang shoves open a door. "Knock that off. If you think everyone's a better fighter than you, you're gonna lose before the fight even started." * Mariah keeps on following Ao-Lang. "... it's not the attitude I'm going into the fight with. It's just... it doesn't matter because we're fighting together, so it's not worth being prideful over." We're fighting together right now, sure. Do you watch your teammates and think about how you can beat them? Sometimes, but not often. Better than I thought. * Ao-Lang pushes another door open and ends up in the room with the pool, though said pool's been drained and the place is in various stages of disrepair. It's standing now, though. Am I supposed to? I think about it all the time. It's a fight, like anything else. If it comes to that, I want to win. * Ao-Lang looks at Mariah. "And if I want to win, that means my teammates have to win. Knowing how to beat them helps that." All right. I suppose I'll start thinking about it, if you think it's valuable. * Ao-Lang takes a few paces forward and looks into the empty pool before deciding to walk around it. "You don't like me, right? I'd hate to be wrong about that." ... you know, I don't know if I like you. I've hardly had a chance to tell. Why don't you figure it out now. * Mariah peers down into the pool. "It depends." Yeah? * Ao-Lang climbs up one of the diving ladders and has a seat at the top. You're a strong fighter, I can't deny that, and you've got good ideas... but it's hard to be friendly when someone's convinced that you're -- well, whatever you're convinced I am. * Ao-Lang grins. "Uh huh. Anything else?" What else is there to say? I respect you. As a fighter, not a person. I don't even feel like I *know* you as a person, so what could I say? * Ao-Lang shrugs. "I don't expect anyone to like me as a person. Don't really care." I'd like to know you better... but there's only so much I can do. You want an understanding? I'll be honest. That's why I don't like you. Because you do care. You try so hard, you get so upset, and it's *annoying*. * Mariah is silent for a long moment. "... but..." But what? Why do you really care if people like you? Everyone's here to learn to beat everybody else up, anyway. If you try so hard, they don't even like you, but something you're changing yourself to be. .. if you don't care, and think I'm silly for caring, why are we having this conversation? We've talked a lot just to come to that you don't care about any of this. * Ao-Lang gets to her feet and jumps down. "So you can have your understanding, because you care." I know what it takes to get me to live with somebody. But I'm not gonna have a roommmate drag me down just because she's confused. * Mariah nods. "All right. I think I understand as well as I'm going to... so I'm going to go do some homework, if you haven't got anything else to say." * Ao-Lang studies Mariah for a moment, then says, "You can be a good fighter. Maybe the best in the school. If you ever want, I'll help train ya some more." I'll ask if I need it. * Mariah picks up her staff and turns to walk out. * Ao-Lang stays where she is and lets Mariah leave. [Session End.]