* Cara looks around now.
 * There's nothing much to see, unfortunately.  Ceiling, floor... that about
sums it up.  Both are worked and pretty much featureless.
* Daphne frowns.
* Cara looks around for Amy plush.
* Shiho looks for an exit!
 * There are plenty of directions to go.
 * Unfortunately, being in the light as you are, it's hard to see anything
beyond the light.
<Shiho> So much for checking those other rooms.
<Cara> Somebody help me find Amy?
<Daphne> That'll be a bit tricker now, yes.
 * As the torch flares up, the light reveals Amy-plushie at the edge of the
torchlight.
* Daphne points. "There she is."
* Cara picks the plushie up and clutches it to her chest. "This is scary..."
* Cara walks closer to the torch, peering at the plushie.
<Daphne> Yes, you could say that.
* Shiho nods. "Well, we can't just stand around waiting for something to
happen."
<Daphne> Sure we can. It'd just be a terrible idea.
* Rocky scurries around at the edge of the light. "Let's go!"
* Cara shrugs and goes back to hugging the plushie. "These rings are really
cool, but this whole melting thing is creepy."
<Daphne> Go where?
<Rocky> Somewhere?  What're we standing here for, anyway?
<Daphne> What, you think there's a reason?
* Shiho shrugs and points in a random direction. "That way will do."
* Daphne picks a random direction and heads off. "This way's as good as any, I
guess."
* Rocky runs back and hops onto Shiho's shoulder.
* Shiho follows Daphne.
* Cara walks after the other two.
 * You all walk for what must be at least fifteen minutes, judging from the
torch, and then you come to a wall.
<Cara> Wow...this place is huge now...
<Daphne> A wall. That's nice.
* Daphne checks the wall for doors or anything else that might get them out of
here.
<Cara> Guess we follow the wall then.
* Shiho nods.
<Daphne> Works fo rme.
 * The wall is just as featureless as the ceiling and floor.
* Daphne looks both ways, then heads to the right.
 * The torch is almost burned out by the time you reach the next wall, but from
here, you can see, barely, a square of light a short distance away in the
ceiling.
* Shiho keeps watch on the floor, because falling into a pit, or off the edge of
the world, would be bad.
<Cara> Hey!  Look!
<Daphne> H'llo.
 * it looks rather like the hole you came down to get in here.
* Daphne heads t'wards the light.
<Shiho> Looks like we found the way out.  I wonder what happened...
<Cara> So that's it.
* Rocky looks up and his tail brushes Shiho's back. "That's convenient."
 * Once you get near it, yes, it does seem to be the hole you came down. 
There's no trace of the passage you came in through, though, just the hole to
outside.
* Cara looks up at the hole.
<Daphne> Hm.
* Daphne passes the torch to someone else without really bothing to think, and
then gives exiting a shot.
 * Daphne makes it out into the daylight.
 It's very bright.  And hot.
* Daphne squints in the light, frowns, shakes her head, and reaches down to help
the others out.
* Shiho gets pulled out?
* Rocky clings to Shiho as she's pulled out.
 * Shiho and Rocky make it out.
* Daphne helps Cara out, then.
 * Cara makes it out.
* Cara hands Amy up to Daphne, then clambers up with Daphne's help.
<Cara> Weird...
* Daphne rolls her neck. "So, how do you guys feel, now that we're out of
there?"
<Cara> Tired.  But better.
* Cara takes this oppurtunity to take a closer look at the plushie.
* Shiho blinks. "Well, I can't say it was fun crawling around in the dark."
<Rocky> Hot.
* Daphne looks herself over.
<Daphne> Well. I'm feeling a whole lot better. And I think I know at least part
of the reason.
 * Daphne's wounds are gone, as are Cara's, and the little scratch that Shiho
recieved.
<Cara> You do?
<Shiho> We still didn't find what we came for, though.
<Daphne> Yup. It's 'cause I'm not beat up anymore.
<Cara> ...oh.
<Cara> We dunno if what we came for even WAS here for sure, though.  Maybe the
rings were it.
* Daphne sighs. "That's true."
<Cara> And...you can't really complain about getting something like that. ^_^
<Shiho> I'd have rather found a way off this place.
<Cara> ...something's wrong with Amy.
<Daphne> Ditto here, but it's not like this was our only possib... what do you
mean, Cara?
<Cara> She's all...faded.
<Shiho> She... what?
<Cara> Look.
<Rocky> Faded?
* Cara shows the plushie to Shiho.
* Daphne looks over Shiho's shoulder, frowning.
 * Indeed, the plushie looks rather faded, the colors nowhere near as... real...
as they once were.
<Daphne> Well, that can't be good.
* Shiho scowls. "Get the animals. We're heading back to the city immediately."
She goes off to do what she just told everyone else to do :P
* Rocky stays on Shiho's shoulder, looking back at the plushie.
<Cara> But...it's only been a few days!  What if we get back in the middle of a
battle?!
* Daphne sighs. "C'mon, Cara. Nothing more we can do here. And it'll be another
few days before we get there."
* Cara 's shoulders slump. "Oh, alright."
 * The erdlu and kank respond well to the idea of leaving, since grazing is
getting a bit thin.
* Daphne goes and helps get everything ready for leaving.
<Cara> Um.  Where's Ichi?
* Daphne stops and frowns. "Ichi? Uhm..."
* Daphne checks her backpack for PlushIchi
<Shiho> ... Don't tell me Amy was carrying him.
 * Daphne has the Ichi plushie.
<Daphne> No, here he is.
<Cara> How's he look?
* Daphne looks the plush over.
 * Ichi, too, looks rather... faded.
<Daphne> Shit.
<Cara> ...the same, huh.
<Daphne> Yeah, about.
* Shiho comes back with the animals. "Mount up and let's go."
<Rocky> Getting back to the city is good.
* Cara clambers onto the back of one of the mounts.
* Daphne smirks. "If you say so, Rocky."
* Daphne gets on one of the mounts.
* Shiho is presumeably already mounted, and takes off for the city.
 * And so what's left of the group sets out in the middle of the day for the
Free City-State of Tyr.
 * An hour or so later, the erdlu pull to a stop and refuse to go any further.
<Cara> ...what's going on?
 * It's hot, Cara.
<Daphne> ...prolly the heat?
<Cara> Oh.  Right. ^^;
* Shiho scowls. "Damn. I guess we have no choice but to stop."
<Daphne> Prolly should've waited a bit. Ah well.
<Cara> Too bad we don't still have the belt...
* Daphne looks around for anything that the critters might be able to graze on.
<Daphne> ...damn. The belt.
 * There is a fair bit of scrub available.  Letting them graze and rest would be
a good idea.
<Shiho> We've got the tent.  That should do.
<Daphne> It'll keep the sun off, yeah.
* Cara hops off her mount.
* Daphne hops off her mount and lets it graze. She then gets the tent out.
* Shiho does that too, and gets the stuff from the kank.
* Cara helps Daphne with the tent.
 * The tent goes up fairly easily, and the mounts graze mostly happily now that
they don't have to run in the heat.
<Cara> Who's gonna watch first?
<Shiho> I'll do it.
* Daphne shrugs.
* Daphne lets out a long breath and rubs her face. "Uhg."
<Shiho> Brian had better be able to fix this.
<Cara> I hope so.
* Daphne nods.
<Cara> But...he's super powerful and stuff, so I'm sure he will. ^_^
* Daphne smirks. "Heh."
<Shiho> IF he will.
* Daphne frowns. "Don't see why he wouldn't..."
<Cara> Yeah!  Why wouldn't he help us?
<Shiho> ... Nevermind.
<Cara> How come you don't like Brian, Shiho?
<Cara> Did he, like, bug you to date him when we were all back home, or
something?
* Daphne snickers.
* Shiho shakes her head. "Think about it. He sent us to this place, saying that
we might find a way home. Instead, the place melts and something goes wrong with
Ichi and Amy."
<Cara> But why would he have anything to do with something happening to them
while they were plushies?  Wouldn't that have more to do with that woman Ichi
saw?
<Daphne> That's true. But why should he go through all that bother?
<Cara> And the melting wasn't really that bad, just a little creepy.  It got rid
of all the traps...
* Shiho sighs. "Forget it. I'm probably wrong anyhow." She doesn't sound very
convincing.
* Cara frowns as she peers at Shiho. "But you didn't like him even before he
sent us here. Why didn't you trust him then?"
* Daphne shrugs. "If you say so. I actually wanted to hear what you thought
about it, but if you don't wanna talk about it, that's fine."
* Daphne has a sip of nectar and lies down.
<Shiho> I'd rather not.  Let's just say I have my reasons.
* Cara pouts a little, but goes and lies down in the tent as well.
* Daphne sighs. "Eh, fine."
* Rocky gives Cara and Daphne a pleading look.
* Cara looks at Rocky. "What is it?"
<Rocky> You should talk about it.
* Shiho eyes Rocky.
* Daphne catches the look and frowns. "You *sure* you don't wanna talk about it,
Shiho?"
<Cara> See, even Rocky agrees.
* Cara sits back up.
* Daphne sits back up, too.
* Rocky glances at Shiho and scratches behind his ear.
<Cara> C'mon, you're the smart, serious one.  It doesn't help us if you don't
tell us anything. ^_^
* Daphne chuckles.
* Shiho considers.
* Cara smiles encouragingly at Shiho.
* Shiho shakes her head. "I just don't like the way he acts. I don't trust him,
and I don't think you should either."
* Daphne frowns, and shrugs. "Any speciffic instances, or is this just a gut
feeling?"
<Shiho> The way he acts towards others.  Especially Ichi and Cara."
<Cara> Huh?  How does he act towards us?  He's always so nice to me, and he's
impatient with Ichi...
<Shiho> Exactly.
* Daphne just listens, for now.
* Cara suddenly blushes. "D'you think, maybe, he..."
<Shiho> In a sense.
* Daphne chuckles.
* Rocky swishes his tail along Shiho's back and watches.
<Shiho> But he doesn't love you, if that's what you think.
<Daphne> If you're askin' what I think, then prolly, yeah.
* Cara blushes deeper. "I didn't think he -loved- me."
<Shiho> No, he's...
<Daphne> I wouldn't say 'love', no.
* Cara taps her fingers together. "But, maybe, just...liked, just a little..."
* Shiho thinks. "I guess the easiest way to put it is that he's using you."
* Cara blinks. "Using me?"
* Daphne frowns.
* Shiho nods.
<Cara> ...how?
<Cara> For what?
<Shiho> For his ego.
* Cara looks completely befuddled now. "Huh?"
<Shiho> It's like he's living in a daydream.
* Daphne frowns. "Hmmm... yeah, I think I can see something like that being the
case."
<Shiho> He has the power to do pretty much anything. Including punishing people
from the school who iritate him, like Ichi, and being able to get any girl he
wants, like you.
* Cara 's eyes widen. "Y-you think...that...that's what he's like? That's the
kind of guy he is?"
* Daphne frowns.
<Shiho> I could be wrong, but I don't think I am.
* Daphne glances at Cara, then turns back to Shiho, still frowning.
* Cara looks at the ground.
<Shiho> From what I've gathered, he's tried it on both of you, and Amy as well. 
But since Cara responded the most favorably, he decided to pick her.
<Daphne> Alright. You don't trust him, you have reasons for it, and they sound
like really good ones. Anything you propose we do about this?
* Shiho shakes her head. "Maybe I'll come up with one by the time we get there."
* Cara looks sulky. "Why can't a nice guy just like me?"
 * An arrow flies into camp and embeds itself in the ground right next to
Shiho's leg.  A half inch closer, and she'd have a nasty cut.
<Shiho> Right now, all we can do is play along.
* Cara stares.
* Daphne shrugs. "Maybe. If not we should just play... shit. And shit again."
<Daphne> I move to continue this conversation later.
* Shiho stands up, drawing her own bow instantly.
<Cara> Uh, yeah.
* Daphne moves to get up, while she's at it, and puts her knuckles on.
 * There's a scorpion right next to where Shiho's leg was resting, with an arrow
through its carapace.
* Cara gets out of the tent, brandishing her sketchbook and pencil as she does
so.
<Daphne> ...
* Shiho lowers her bow.
* Cara blinks.
* Cara looks around for the shooter.
<Daphne> Since I don't think scorpions are popular as arrowheads, I'm gonan take
a guess and say someone just bailed you out, Shiho. Prolly that elf of yours.
 * There is no shooter in evidence.
<Shiho> Probably.
* Shiho looks around too, however futile it might be.
<Daphne> How long do you suppose he's been keeping an eye on us?
* Shiho picks up the arrow, too.
 * The shooter probably hid while you were busy drawing your weapons.
 * The arrow has an obsidian head.
<Shiho> Might have been what that dust cloud was that I saw before.
* Cara mumbles something about Shiho being lucky she has a boyfriend.
* Daphne nods.
* Shiho inspects the arrow. "And it looks like you're right."
* Daphne winces.
<Daphne> Hm. Alright, now that we know this, what can we do with what we
know?... I don't supposed he'd be willing to come in and talk shop?
* Cara turns around an crawls back into the tent.
* Shiho sits back down, stowing the arrow for later use, since her extra ammo
was with Amy's belt.
<Shiho> I doubt it.  What would we do?
<Shiho> Like I said, right now we can only play along.
* Cara nods unhappily.
<Shiho> Although if he hurt Ichi and Amy, I'll take my chances.
<Daphne> Eh? Oh. Actually, I was talking about the elf. I agree with playing
along, tho. 'Specially you, Cara.
<Daphne> And if he hirt Ichi and Amy, I'll be right there backing you up.
<Cara> I don't understand why he would hurt anyone.  If he was like that,
wouldn't he have done it to Shiho first?
<Cara> It doesn't make sense.
* Cara 's mediocre brain churns. No smoke coming out of her ears yet, though.
<Daphne> A point. I'd say that it was because she was the only one suspicious of
him, but I doubt it'd really matter.
<Shiho> Or because I wasn't a plushie at the time.
<Daphne> Or that.
<Daphne> I don't like it. We have next to nothing to go on and little enough we
can do in any event.
<Shiho> I can hypothesize, but that's it at best.
<Daphne> Heh. We can all hypothesize. Won't do anything for us, tho.
* Rocky swishes his tail some more. "Maybe it'll help you be careful."
* Cara draws in the dirt with her finger.
<Shiho> I want to hear what he has to say about this.
<Shiho> And more importantly, what he can do about it.
* Daphne shrugs. "We all do."
* Cara squeezes Amy plushie with her free hand. "Yeah."
<Daphne> Especially the 'what he can do about it' part.
<Cara> I want Amy and Ichi back.
* Shiho nods, face grim. "Me too."
<Shiho> I'd better like the answer he gives.
* Daphne smirks and lies back again.
* Cara lies back down, hugging the plushie tightly.
* Shiho yawns a bit and looks at the nice, senic desert.
* Cara slowly drifts off to sleep.
* Rocky hops onto Shiho's lap and curls up.
* Daphne tries to sleep for a bit, fails, and gets out her sketchpad instead.
 * Eventually, Daphne dozes off, totally against her will.
 * Shiho is left all alone.
* Daphne dozes off. z.z
 * Shiho dozes off for a moment, but starts back awake quickly as she starts to
fall over.
* Cara mumbles a bit in her sleep.
* Shiho looks around warily.
<Cara> ...zzz...no, Brian, don't do that...zzz...
* Shiho looks down and pulls the wreath of flowers from under Rocky. Without
waking him, hopefully.
<Cara> ...don' like you anymore...meanie...let em go...
* Rocky stirs a little, but realizes it's Shiho, so he adjusts his position and
falls into a deep sleep again.
<Cara> Mmm...
 * Shiho falls asleep again, and this time doesn't wake up until it's dark.
 * It is dark.  You are likely to be eaten by a Grue.  I'd get moving, if I were
you guys.
* Cara slowly opens her eyes. "Mah. That sucked."
 * Cara feels MUCH BETTER NOW, THANK YOU.
* Daphne remains asleep. z.z
* Cara slowly sits up, still hugging the plushie. "Shiho?"
* Cara sees Shiho sleeping there, and shakes her shoulder a little.
* Shiho wakes up, blinks, and sits upright. "Gah! I can't believe I fell
asleep!" She looks around to make sure the equipment is safe.
 * Everything is quite alright.
* Cara looks at Shiho with a pout. "You made me have a bad dream about Brian."
* Rocky awakens at the noise and hops off Shiho's lap.
<Cara> Was being all nasty, and he had Amy and Ichi...
<Shiho> Sorry.  Maybe we'll get lucky and I'll be wrong.
* Cara gives Shiho a serious look. "But...I promise I'll be careful."
* Shiho nods. "Good. I'm glad."
* Cara breaks out into a grin. "Now I have to think of some nasty way to wake
Daphne up."
* Rocky pads over to Daphne and peers at her.
* Cara turns around. "Hmm...hey, Rocky? Does that cold nose in the back thing
work for racoons?" ^_^
<Shiho> Cold nose in.... what?
<Cara> Well, y'know, when a dog comes and wakes you up with it's nose...
* Rocky hops onto Daphne's chest and peers at her more closely. About an inch
from her face.
* Cara watches Rocky and giggles. "Nevermind." ^_^
* Rocky leans forward. Wet raccoon nose!
* Daphne frowns, not opening her eyes. "Off, Rocky."
* Rocky grins. "Why?"
* Cara giggles some more.
* Daphne sits up abruptly.
* Shiho chuckles.
* Rocky tumbles down, rolls to his feet, and scampers to behind Shiho.
<Cara> Aw.  How cute. ^_^
* Daphne grins. "That's why."
* Cara crawls out of the tent and gets to her feet.
* Rocky peeks at Daphne around Shiho's legs. "You're no fun."
* Cara looks around and takes a deep breath of the night air.
* Daphne gets up and puts her stuff away, still grinning. "Aww, sure I am."
<Rocky> You like to *think* that.
* Rocky hops back onto Shiho's shoulder.
* Daphne sticks her tongue out at Rocky. :P
* Shiho goes about preparing the equipment, trying not to laugh.
* Rocky sticks his tongue out at Daphne.
* Cara is still giggling to herself, a bit.
* Daphne gets stuff ready to go, and then gets some rations out of her backpack
for a sort of breakfast.
* Cara shoulders her pack after putting the plushie in it.
<Cara> Ready? ^_^
* Shiho nods.
<Daphne> Yup.
* Cara walks over to her, uh, Erlu? She forgets what it's called. But whatever
it is, she gets on.
* Daphne tosses a bit of dried fruit Rocky's way. "Think fast, Rocky."
* Rocky ducks, and the fruit flies over him. He jumps down and snatches it.
"Breakfast!"
* Cara blinks. "Oh, right. Food."
* Daphne grins and gets on her Erdlu.
* Cara takes her pack off and starts digging through it. "Ah!"
* Rocky hops back onto Shiho's shoulder and starts happily nibbling away. ^^
* Cara takes out a little something to eat and re-shoulders her pack. "What
about you, Shiho? Aren't you hungry?"
<Shiho> A little, I suppose.
* Rocky stops eating his fruit and holds it to Shiho's nose. It's... well,
half-eaten, and really small at that.
* Shiho rolls her eyes. "I have my own food, you know." She proves it by taking
some from her pack.
<Shiho> Let's not spend too long here.
<Shiho> I want to be back in Tyr by morning.
<Daphne> Dont' intend to.
* Cara nodnods.
* Rocky shrugs as only a raccoon can and goes back to eating.
<Cara> Let's go! ^_^
* Daphne gets her Erdlu going. Hopefully.
* Cara starts her Erdlu-thingy on it's way, preferably without falling off.
 * And so goes the rest of the trip back to Tyr.  The group arrives just before
dawn, getting a small case of deja vu.  The gates are just being opened as you
come over the last hill and the templars are getting ready to start taking
names.  The Inverted Inix beckons.
* Shiho does that too!
* Shiho goes towards the inn!
* Cara follows after Shiho.
* Daphne follows, too.
* Rocky doesn't. He gets a free ride. ^^
 * Since you already know the rules, getting through the gates is fast and easy,
and soon you're on your way to the Inverted Inix.  Strangely, the city doesn't
look like a city in the middle of a war, or even one preparing for war.
* Daphne frowns.
* Cara smiles happily at the guards this time, since she's not scared that
they're gonna kill her this time.
 * The templars smile back.  That's unusual.
 * It doesn't take long to get to the Inverted Inix, and the inn is just opening
up.
* Bartender spots Shiho as she approaches and quirks an eyebrow.
* Cara waves to the bartender. "Hi! We're back!"
* Bartender nods and holds the door open. "Just head back to the room, I'll
notify the lord."
* Daphne nods back and does that.
<Bartender> Just remember to close and lock the door behind you.
* Bartender signals for the stableboys to take your mounts.
<Shiho> How'd the war go?
* Cara watches Shiho.
* Bartender smiles. "Ask the lord."
<Cara> Maybe he managed to make peace with them, like he said he was gonna...
* Daphne frowns.
* Cara walks over to Shiho and whispers something.
* Bartender walks over behind the bar and crouches down, probably doing whatever
it is he has to do to summon Tithian.
* Shiho shakes her head and whispers back.
 * The room itself is pretty much as it was when you first appeared in it.  The
door has a sturdy, well made lock ready for you to use.
* Daphne looks at Shiho and Cara, then shrugs.
* Daphne closes the door behind everyone and starts to lock it, stops, frowns,
and then locks it anyways.
* Cara nods, and puts a pleasant smile on her face.
<Cara> So, shall we go?
* Rocky digs his claws into Shiho's shoulder a little.
* Daphne continues frowning. "I ...guess so."
* Cara 's smile dims a little bit at Daphne's expression.
* Tithian appears suddenly from thin air, in one of his less flashy
teleportations. He's dressed only in loose pants, not the high necked shirts
you'd grown accustomed to him wearing. He's quite sweaty, and his hair is
mussed. Most importantly, though, you can see that he has a tattoo around his
neck, much like your own, save that his pendant, instead of being a lock, is a
golden key.
 [Session End]