[Last Time, On El WHAT?!: Our heroes, if heroes they be, woke up in the middle
of a large forest that can convienently be labeled "nowhere."  They followed a
plume of smoke to a cottage in the woods, which can conveniently be labeled
"somewhere."  There was a strange emblem on a door of the cottage, which is
definitely "something."  What precisely that something is remains to be seen.]
[Session 2... START]
* Sophie gestures to it. "Well, shall we?"
<Nick> ..Shall we what?
* Emmet takes a step backwards and scans the cottage quickly for signs of modern
living, or a hostile occupant for that matter.
* Fadi scratches his head. "Whoever puts their house out here has got to be
nuts."
<Sophie> Knock, say hello... do something to get the occupants' attention?
* The cottage shows no signs of activity save the plume of smoke threading its
way out of... nowhere.  There's no chimney for the smoke to come from.
* Tiffany turns to the group but only slows her pace a little, "It's
civilization, so let's do the civilized thing and... impose as little as
possible. We're already trespassing."
<Harold> ... I don't think smoke rising from nothing is very civilized, in my
experience.
<Sophie> Of course I don't mean to impose, but it's not like we have much of a
choice.
* Fadi looks up at the lack of chimeny. "Where I come from, that's not natural."
<Tiffany> Well, the place is either on fire, or it's some... new...
technology... I guess.  I'm sure we can use their phone to get ourselves out of
here.
* Sophie peers at it too. "I say..."
* Emmet sniffs.
* As you watch, the smoke stops threading its way up, and slowly what remains of
the smoke that brought you here dissipates.
* Tiffany begins to make her way across the clearing to the house, walking at a
steady pace with a proud saunter.
<Emmet> At least the house isn't on fire.  Probably.
* Tiffany yells back, "it's easiest just to ask."
* As you approach closer to the cabin, the symbol on the door resolves itself
into a pair of entwined snakes, one black, and one white.
* Nick doesn't seem to mind terribly as he watches Tiffany walk over.
* Sophie follows Tiffany. "Well, we jolly well can't wait here all day..."
* Fadi nods.
<Nick> ..Eh?
<Harold> Nnn...
* Emmet follows Tiffany, watching the house and the clearing around it
suspiciously.
* Nick seems to snap out of his trance, nodding quickly and following the group.
* Harold follows the others toward the door. He's clearly very nervous and
frightened, and seems to be trying as best he can (which isn't very well) to
suppress it.
* Fadi follows. He's not shaken at all, but he keeps a level head.
* Tiffany pulls back out her trusty mirror and makes sure to have every hair on
her head in place and her makeup as fixed as possible before she reaches the
door.
* As you approach still closer to what appears to be a door, it becomes clear
that there is no doorknob or handle for opening it.
* Tiffany walks right up to the door. A bit perplexed by the lack of handle, she
simply knocks twice and puts on her warmest smile.
* Fadi stands to the side and looks like a punk, which isn't too hard for him.
* There is no answer.  The door does not open.
* Nick rummages in his pockets, pulls out a pair of sunglasses, and crosses his
arms. The attempt to look fairly badass is offset by the large grin on his face.
* Tiffany looks at her palms, a startled look on her face.
* Emmet watches Nick with a raised eyebrow, then looks back at the door. "How
does it open?"
* Sophie makes no attempt to look badass.
<Fadi> How about you push.
<Emmet> Okay.
<Tiffany> UUUMMM... GUUUUUYYYYSSS....
<Sophie> Yes?
* Emmet walks up to the door, careful not to shove anybody, and--stops, looking
curiously at Tiffany.
* Fadi turns to Tiffany. "Yeah?"
<Emmet> What's wrong?
* Nick winces slightly at the aural barrage. "Yeah?"
* Tiffany continues to stare at her palms, her eyes filled with shock and fear.
"Ummm... I..."
<Sophie> ...Yes?
<Harold> Tiffany? Are you alright?
* Tiffany turns her left palm to the party. "I don't remember getting that..."
* Emmet examines the presented palm. "Getting what?"
* Tiffany has the same symbol as on the door tatooed on her palm.
* Sophie peers. "What on earth...?"
<Nick> ..Whoa, cool tattoo.
* Fadi starts for an instant. He takes his left hand and puts his right hand to
it.
<Tiffany> I dont... know... feels really... funny... kinda pulsing to my
heartbeat.
* Nothing happens to Fadi.
<Sophie> How strange.  I wonder if the people who gave you that tatoo are
inside?
<Emmet> Looks at the door again. "That's weird.  All you did was knock."
* Fadi takes a good look at his left hand. "Weird."
<Tiffany> Well, if so that was quite rude!
<Sophie> Agreed.
* Tiffany bangs loudly on the door. "Hey, if you're in there, open up! This
isn't my idea of a warm greeting!"
<Fadi> If they were going to do body-art on me, I wish they'd ask first.
<Harold> ... hnnngah!
* Emmet studies the door for some sign of wet paint, or maybe very small
needles.
* Nick turns his hands over and examines his palms.
* Nick has the same design tattooed on his left palm.
<Nick> *blink*
* Harold is looking down at his left palm, and lets out a short scream. "It's on
me, too! Augh! This is terrible!"
* The door does not respond to Tiffany's righteous beating.
* Fadi smirks and walks over to the door. He tries to push it open.
* Emmet straightens and looks back at Harold.
<Emmet> But you didn't touch...
<Nick> Eh, it's just a tattoo. Not like I *wanted* one, but not the end of the
world either.
* Sophie looks at her own palms.
* Emmet turns his left hand over and looks at his palm.
<Harold> THIS IS NOT NORMAL!
* Tiffany backs away from the street thug trying to open the door. "My had
started feeling odd when we entered the clearing, but I ignored it until it
started feeling really odd nearer the door. Thought it was adrenaline or
something..."
* Harold begins rubbing at his throbbing left hand with his right hand, as if
trying to wipe the design off. "I can't go back home with this, I'll get thrown
out of _school_..."
<Fadi> Teachers don't give jack if you have a tatoo.
* Nick waves dismissively at Harold and turns back to the door. "I don't think
pounding on it will work."
* Sophie frowns. "I seem to have one as well. I'm very.... displeased."
* Fadi pushes on the door again, this time more forcebly. "If you're pissed,
just say so."
* Tiffany moves over to Harold and puts her right hand on his shoulder. "I'm
sure it'll be ok. I'm sure." She seems somewhat unconvinced.
* Sophie walks up and nudges Fadi aside, peering at the door. "I say... Perhaps
this is a burn mark? They're almost the same size..." She puts her palm to the
symbol.
* Harold calms down a bit, but his breathing is still heavy. "I hope so...
nnn..."
* The door swings inward with little effort from Sophie.
* Fadi moves to the side. "Well, if you think it'll work. Only place that stuff
ever works is in the movie's."
* Emmet glances at Fadi.
* Tiffany redoubles her efforts and this time gives it a winning smile. "I'm
sure."
<Emmet> Maybe we're in a movie.
* Sophie peers. "Well..."
* Nick looks at the door. "Damn, I'm a movie star."
<Sophie> That was easy.
* Fadi blinks a few times. "If we are, I hope it's not one of the new kinds of
crap they put out."
* Sophie heads on in. "Hello? Is anyone here? I have a great deal of questions I
must ask you."
* Inside the door you can see a small person, sitting with their back to you. 
Behind the person are shelves upon shelves upon shelves of books, all with the
same silver-white binding, and the same entwined snake design adorning their
spines.
* Nick walks in after Sophie, shrugging to himself.
<Harold> ... sir! Excuse me, sir!
* Tiffany looks up, but appears unwilling to move if Harold is still shaken.
* Fadi walks in when there is enough room for him to go thru the door.
* Harold glances back at Tiffany, then forward. He obviously wants to speak with
this person, but doesn't want to be rude and jerk free of her.
* Tiffany nodds and follows Harold inside at whatever pace he sets.
* Harold 's dashing fairly quickly. "Sir! Can you tell us what's going on?..."
* Emmet frowns as he looks around the outside of the cottage. After everybody
else has gone inside, he follows them.
* Sophie spies the person. "Excuse me sir. I don't mean to be rude... well,
maybe I do. What in blazes is this mark on my hand?"
* The little old man stands smoothly and turns to face you.  His long white
beard reaches nearly to his waist, and the rest of his hair is even longer.
* Fadi grabs a pair of shades from one of his pockets and puts them on as he
walks in.
* He turns his eyes on the lot of you, not seeming to focus on any one person,
raises an index finger to his lips, and says loudly, "SHHHHH."
* Nick , out of respect, removes his sunglasses and tucks them in a pocket.
* Fadi folds his arms.
* Sophie eyes the man. "Good sir, I apoligize for my conduct, but I must insist
you explain."
* Harold reflexively goes quiet and stops running.
* His voice lowers to what must be its normal tones, feather-light and scratchy,
and barely audible.  "Welcome to the Library."
* Emmet stands nearest the door, quietly watching--and listening to--the old
man.
<Sophie> Library.  In the middle of nowhere?
* The librarian gestures and the door swings quietly shut behind you.  On its
back is a map.
* Fadi stands. Weather he's surprised at all is hidden behind his shades.
* Sophie glances back for a sec, then back to the man.
<Librarian> We are hardly in the middle of nowhere, young lady.
* Harold starts, and whirls around with all possible speed to look at the
closing door. He will probably notice the map once he calms down a little...
* The librarian moves forward towards the door, and you all find yourselves
backing out of the way, however unwillingly, to get out of his way.
* Fadi glances over at the map. "So where's the 'You Are Here' sticker?"
<Sophie> Oh? Is there a town nearby, then?
<Harold> ... nnn! Gyah!
* Emmet stands aside for the old man, and out of instinct more than conscious
effort straightens as if coming to attention.
* The old man reaches out with a long, scrawny finger and taps a star in the
middle of the largest forest on the peninsula.  "We are... here."
<Nick> Never seen anyplace like that on our geography maps..
* Harold has another panicky reaction as his body moves himself out of the
Librarian's way of its own accord.
* Fadi nods slowly. "Riiight."
* Tiffany keeps her voice quiet, and without letting her annoyance shine through
says, "Well, perhaps you could explain these marks for us." She holds her hand
out toward the man.
<Librarian> Aaaaah, the mark of heroes.  The Auryn.  Of course you have it, or
you would not be here.
<Harold> ... h-hero?
<Tiffany> Well, I'm afraid we're not sure why we are here... could you
elaborate?  Auryn?  Mark of heroes?
<Sophie> Yes, it would be nice to find out.
* Fadi smirks. "That's a fancy thing to call a tatoo."
* Emmet looks at his palm again. "Somebody put these on us before they left us
in the forest?"
<Harold> Something unnatural did it...
<Librarian> Walk around.  Look at what you see.  Each volume on these shelves
appears the same, but they are all different.  On the outside, the Auryn, the
mark of heroes.  There are more volumes here than you could ever read in your
lifetime.
* Emmet turns his attention to the shelves and shelves of books.
* Sophie rolls her eyes. "You've got to be joking..." Nevertheless, she browses,
if only to humor him.
* Emmet walks over to one of the shelves, as he was invited to do, and takes a
book down. He opens it and scans the pages.
* Tiffany continues to look at the librarian, and appears deep in thought. "Go
on. What does the mark have to do with our apparent abductions?"
* It is as the old man said.  You can see no limit to the number of shelves.  In
fact, the cottage appears much larger inside than it appeared from the inside. 
And all the books look exactly alike.
* Fadi glances over the books, but doesn't take any off their shelves. "So tell
me *why* we're out here?"
* Nick shrugs and selects a book at random, opening it from the first page.
* The pages of Emmet's book appear to concern someone named "Sebastian."
* Sophie pulls out a book too. Maybe it'll say something useful.
<Emmet> Hmm...
* Fadi shrugs and gets a book. "Whatever." He flips to the first page.
* Harold edges toward a nearby shelf almost fearfully. He eyes for a minute, as
if trying to see if it would suddenly jump him...
* Sophie's book, strangely enough, recounts the tale of someone named
"Sebastian."
<Fadi> The books aren't going to attack you.
* Emmet returns his book and, out of curiosity, takes the one to its right.
* Sophie reads a bit, grumbles and puts it back, and gets the next one over.
* Harold takes a deep breath, then reaches up to pull a book off from the end of
the shelf. Once he's convinced it isn't going to bite, he hesitantly opens it to
the first page...
<Librarian> Reading the books will do you little good.
<Emmet> Oh.
* Emmet puts the book back.
<Emmet> Are there any for us?
<Harold> ... if they aren't for reading, then why are they here?
* The librarian points to the bottom of the foremost bookshelf, where there is
room for six more books.  "Your stories are still being written."
<Tiffany> Pardon?
* Sophie rubs her forehead. "Do you have a phone I could use?"
<Harold> ... uwaah?
* Fadi glances over at the librarian as he puts his book back on the shelf.
"Okay... Now you're just getting weird. Why would someone want to write a story
on *me*?"
<Tiffany> Umm.. yeah.  If you're not sure how these marks got on our hands
either, then we do need to use your phone.
<Librarian> I have no phone for you.  And there is only one way for you to
return whence you came.
* Emmet walks around to the indicated shelf and looks down at the empty space.
<Harold> -- wait! He said we were heroes! And heroes go on adventures in
books...
<Sophie> Great.  By plane, right? I don't think I have my credit card on me.
* Fadi cracks his knuckles. "What would that be?" His voice sounds more like a
demand than a question.
* Harold sounds like this revelation makes him mildly ill.
* Tiffany nodds, "So you do know what's happening to us... what do we have to
do?"
* Nick returns the book, looking puzzled at the situation. "Wha?"
<Librarian> The books that you see all around you are known, collectively, as
the Neverending Story.
<Harold> I don't _want_ to be a hero...
<Tiffany> Then why is there only room for six more books?
* Harold sighs as he puts the book back up on its original shelf.
* Emmet turns away from the partially empty shelf and regards the old man
thoughtfully.
* Sophie looks around. "'Neverending Story'? Fitting. Whoever's writing this
must have a lot of time on his hands..."
* Nick shrugs. "Well, neither do I, but if they *need* a hero.."
<Emmet> What do we have to do to get home, sir?
<Tiffany> I can't say I'd make much of a hero, but I will do whatever I have to
do to get back.
* Fadi scratches his head. "So let me get this straight. We need to finish this
'Neverending Story' so we can go back home? What are you, nuts?"
<Harold> Is this like one of those video games, where we have to kill an evil
monster or rescue a princess or... something, before we can go home?
* The librarian smiles.  "You must finish your story.  When you find the answer
to the Neverending Story, you will be home."
<Harold> ... that'd take _forever_!
<Sophie> 'And they lived happily ever after. The End.' Now, where's the nearest
pay phone?
<Nick> ..So, you want us to *end* a unending story? How's that possible?
* Fadi takes a look at a book, and reads parts of the first page and the last
page. "It's not. He's asking us to fulfill our part."
* Harold 's exclamation is half weak protest, and half outright whine. "I'm  not
supposed to have a story! I'm supposed to graduate with a 4.0, then go to a
prestigious law school before I get ordained! I had it all planned out!"
* Emmet wears a bit of a blank expression as he looks at the librarian. "Sir.
How do we start?"
<Harold> Nice and boring and _normal_!
<Tiffany> I'm afraid I have to second those sentiments.  This is a hard story to
believe... tatoos that just appear, us being heros.  I'm more likely to believe
that alien story we were kicking around earlier.
<Nick> Hey, the books have the abducting aliens all looking like humans.
* Harold emits a long, frustrated sigh.
* Fadi puts the book back on the shelf. "What do we need to do to finish this?
It's not like I have much to go back to anyways."
* The librarian takes in all your comments without changing his patient
expression a bit.
<Librarian> Every story is different.  The only way for you to discover the
answer is to seek it.  I cannot give it to you.
<Harold> ...alright. How do we get started? Can you tell us that much?
<Sophie> This is ridiculous.
<Harold> I agree completely. So let's just get it over with!
<Tiffany> So reading the books is pointless.  You have no phone.  And you can't
help us as to what we have to do.  I'm with Sophie.  Ridiculous.
* Emmet turns a level look on Sophie and Tiffany. "Do you see any alternatives?"
* Fadi glares at the librarian, although it's impossable to tell. He walks up to
him and says forcebly:
<Fadi> I think you do.  Now are you going to tell us, or am I going to *make*
you tell us?
<Sophie> Yes. We can go find someone who's not out of his mind.
<Tiffany> Yeah, if the man's telling the truth, then there's a town or...
something... along a path to the southwest.  Let's go there and look for help.
<Nick> Can't you guys just *calm down*?
<Harold> -- no! No violence, that won't solve anything!
<Nick> Yeah, we're stuck in some backwater place, but it doesn't mean you need
to flip out over it.
* The librarian looks calmly into Fadi's face, but does not respond.
* Sophie eyes Nick. "Maybe YOU can afford to waste your life away in the middle
of nowhere, but I'm a very busy woman."
<Nick> ..Woman? *snort*
* Emmet looks relieved at even the suggestion of some sort of task. "Let's go
find the town, then."
* Fadi eyes the librarian and turns away. "He's telling the truth. Let's get
going." His voice goes back to it's normal range.
* Sophie glares at Nick. "How rude. I was wrong about you. I suppose that's what
I get."
<Librarian> The Auryn is the mark of heroes.  If you follow the path of heroes,
you will find your way to the Answer.
* Harold seems relieved that a fight was averted. "Good..." 
<Harold> ... now, we just need to figure out what a "path of heroes" is.
<Emmet> Excuse me, sir?  Do you have an extra one of those maps we could borrow? 
Have?
* Fadi glances over at Harold. "You didn't think I'd actually beat him up, did
you?"
<Nick> Look, ma'am, don't mean to be rude, but whatever your problems were
before, they kinda take a backseat to now's.
<Librarian> The town to the southwest is a small fishing village, and home to a
number of former adventurers.  You will find help there, if you seek it with a
pure heart.
* Sophie glares at Nick.
* Nick responds with a cheerful smile.
* Tiffany walks up to the old man and reaches out to shake his hand. "Thanks for
the help... could we impose for a little food at least? I don't know when it was
that we last ate or how long it will be again."
<Harold> I don't know! I didn't think magic tattoos would appear on my hand
before today, but that didn't stop it from happening!
* The librarian's skin is papery and dry, and he looks amusedly at Tiffany.
"There is always help, if you are not afraid to ask.  Wait here."
* The librarian shuffles off into the library with strangely fast steps.
* Sophie looks away from Nick. "Common swine."
* Tiffany returns a toothy smile, "Thank you kindly."
* Fadi looks calmly at Harold. "What's done is done. Now I say we go find the
people who did this to us and show them what it's like to have their intestines
in their mouth."
* Tiffany turns to everyone else as soon as the man exits the room. "STOP IT! We
can fight outside, but for the time being we need to get some food and get to
that town. Let's not fight while we're guests."
<Harold> ... I just want to go home.
* Emmet winces a little at the raised voices of the others here with him.
Libraries have rules about that sort of thing.
* Harold sighs. "And attacking people isn't right. I will have to stop you from
it if I _do_ catch you doing it, you know."
* Tiffany did raise her voice, but now presses her suit firmly with both hands,
more out of frustration than because it needs it. She turns to one of the
shelves and begins to look at the books.
* Fadi smirks. "Relax. Few things are worth real bloodshed. A few threats can go
a long way though."
* Nick grumbles. "Stuck-up cow."
<Harold> ... alright.
* Harold looks a little embarrassed that Fadi saw through him so easily.
* Tiffany returns to a quieter voice, "Sophie, he's not worth the breath. Don't
let him get under your skin like that." She picks up one of the books and begins
to page through it, reading chapter headings (if they are there).
* The books appear to have little in common with each other, save for the
covers, which are all the same.  A strange, silvery-white material, with the
Auryn on the spine, worked in two equally strange materials, one silver, and one
black.  Occasionally, the contents of several books together will overlap,
telling the same story from different perspectives, but most of the books are
individual stories.
* Fadi walks over to the map and studies it.
* Several minutes later, the librarian emerges from the depths of the library
carrying a pair of bags.
* Sophie sighs heavily and nods to Tiffany. "You're right."
<Harold> -- ah, wait, why didn't I think of this before?
* Harold takes off his backpack, withdraws a notebook and a pencil, and begins
quickly sketching a copy of the map on the wall. Probably not a very good copy,
but he'll try to at least get the relative locations of things right.
* Fadi glances up. "Good idea."
<Nick> That *is* a good idea.
* Tiffany turns her attention back to the old man and places the book back where
it came. "Thank you very, very much for your hospitality. Those appear to be
very gracious gifts... how far is it to that town, if I may ask?" Tiffany points
to the aforementioned town.
* The old man lowers the bags gently to the floor and sits down next to them.
<Librarian> I imagine it should take you perhaps a day of walking to get
there... if your feet hold out.
<Tiffany> Oh... is it a difficult walk?
<Librarian> No, merely a long one.
* Fadi turns to the old man and takes off his sunglasses, putting them away.
"Thanks." He walks over to one of the bags, picks it up, and starts rummaging
thru it.
* Harold finishes up his crude sketch. He tears off the piece of paper with the
map drawing on it, neatly folds it, and slides it into the back pocket of his
slacks. Then he puts the notebook and pencil away, and slings his backpack back
over his shoulders.
* The bag is full of food.
* Emmet watches and listens to this dialogue without comment.
<Sophie> Wonderful.
<Librarian> The other bag contains a small amount of money donated by travelers
who sought shelter.
<Nick> What kind of money do you use around here, anyway?
<Tiffany> Oh, I don't think we can take your money.  The food is a gracious
enough gift.
<Harold> Um... here?
* The old man reaches into the second sack and withdraws a handful of gold,
silver, and copper coins, and slowly dribbles them back into the bag.
<Nick> ...Oh, that kind. O_O
* Sophie walks over and peers. "How strange..."
* Tiffany 's jaw drops, but she quickly resets it.
<Sophie> What country are we in, anyhow?
<Harold> ... nothing wrong with accepting charity, we're giving this kind man a
chance to do a good deed....
* Fadi raises an eyebrow. "Okay, so you use precious metals as currency. Who
woulda thought."
<Librarian> Solars, Lunars, and Commons, they're called.
* Harold sounds... less surprised than he'd obviously like to be.
* Emmet blinks at the coins and listens to the man's explanation, but says
nothing.
<Harold> Lunars... Lunies? ... Canada?
<Librarian> You'll find that little about this place is the same as the one you
left behind.
<Tiffany> wow... Well, I still don't think we should take this money... it's too
much.  If they're really precious metals, imagine what they're worth... where on
Earth are we that they use precious metals as currency?
<Sophie> That's becoming more and more apparent.
* Fadi nods. "I think Harold has a point. Hey, we could probably pay it back
later as well."
<Harold> Er... maybe make it a trade?
* Harold pulls out his wallet from his other back pocket, and proffers the five
dollar bill within to the Librarian.
<Tiffany> Yes!  Make it a trade.  I'm sure we could... do some housework or
something for you to pay it back... I'm sure we don't have enough cash on us.
<Librarian> I am long past the need for food and money.  Keep your currency. 
Perhaps it will become useful in the future.
<Nick> I dunno, by the time we did enough housework, we'd have beards like his.
<Tiffany> And speaking of needing some house keeping, what was the smoke that
was coming from your chimeny earlier?
<Harold> Well... if you're sure.
* Harold puts his money away.
<Emmet> Thank you, sir.
<Tiffany> Well... lack of chimeny.
* The librarian smiles a little.  "There was no smoke.  After all, I have no
chimney."
* Fadi eyes the librarian. "Don't push the issue."
* Tiffany looks at the librarian thoughtfully. "If it wasn't smoke..." Tiffany
shakes her head.
<Sophie> Yes, perhaps we should simply thank him and be on our way.
* Fadi puts the bag down and goes back to studying the map.
<Tiffany> I suppose so.  We are so sorry for the inconvenience, but thank you
very much for the gifts.  Do you have an address or something so I could wire
you repayment when we reach town?
<Fadi> He doesn't have a phone.  What makes you think they have a service like
that?
<Tiffany> Well... a P.O box?
<Nick> Looks like the closest town would be the only place with one.
<Librarian> It seems as though you will have some difficulty adjusting.  Your
stories will be most interesting, I think.
<Sophie> I'm sure they will.
* Fadi smirks. "Yeah, just make sure you keep the soda stains off of them."
<Harold> I think we might be best just not bothering the poor man anymore. ^^;
* Tiffany decides not to push the issue, but instead picks up the bag with the
food (hopefully it's lighter) and moves toward the door.
* Emmet smiles faintly and picks up the other bag.
* The door swings open at Tiffany's approach.  Strangely, it swings outward, the
opposite direction it did when you came in.
<Librarian> There is one last piece of aid I can give you before you leave, if
you are willing to listen.
* Tiffany stops and turns back to listen.
* Fadi finishes studying the map and goes to the bag-o-currency. He picks it up.
"I think we should split this up first... Or not." He looks up at the librarian.
* Nick perks up. "Hm?"
* Harold gives his full attention to the Librarian.
* Emmet watches the Librarian.
* The old man settles into a meditative position and closes his eyes.  "Remember
always that your strength is in each other.  And further..."
* Tiffany raises her eyebrows, somewhat cynically.
<Harold> ... my faith?
* Tiffany nods, "Thank you again, good sir. May we meet again," and then turns
and begins to stroll out into the clearing.
* Harold twitches, and seems to be responding to... well, no one, apparently.
<Nick> Hmm.
* The old man finishes speaking and settles further into what appears to be
sleep.
<Sophie> Hmm. Indeed.
* Emmet blinks, and then nods to the librarian. "Thank you again, sir." He turns
and follows Tiffany out into the clearing.
* Nick grins, waves to the librarian, and exits the house. "Well, that was
great. Now we know what to do!"
<Tiffany> What about your faith, Harold?  You're not still worried that that
mark'll cause you excommunication, are you?
* Fadi salutes the librarian and exits. "Thank you."
* Sophie follows suit. "Well, thank you, sir." She says to Fadi as she goes,
you're right, we should divide the money once we leave. Might be a good idea to
divide the food, as well."
* Harold eyes the Librarian warily, then turns and skedaddles out of the Library
as quick as he can. "... ahhh... ehehheh, yes, I guess that could be a
worry...."
<Harold> I'm really more upset about what my parents would think, though. ^^;
* As the last person steps out into the clearing, the door closes.  The sun is
now much further along in the sky than it was before, it is nearing sunset, in
fact.  The clearing is no longer circular, and it has a road running through the
middle, which you have just stepped onto.
* Fadi nods.
* Tiffany stops in her tracks.
* Sophie looks up. "I say, has it really been that long?"
<Tiffany> There's... a road here now.
<Nick> ...Well, there's a change of scenery. Awfully nice of him.
* Emmet stops beside Tiffany and looks down. "Odd."
<Fadi> I wonder how much it costed him to build this road in a few hours.
* Sophie looks down as well. "You're right. Hmm..."
<Nick> I know. Labor charges can be hell.
<Fadi> Okay, let's split the money.  Does anyone have a sheet or something we
can pour it onto?
<Tiffany> I... don't know.  Normally I'd suggest we camp the night in the
clearing here, but honestly.. I'm a bit creeped out.  Let's get going for at
least a little while.
<Nick> Why bother splitting the money?
<Harold> I think I'd be more comfortable moving at night than sleeping out in
the open, yes.
<Nick> Just give it to someone trustworthy.
* Fadi looks at Nick like he knows nothing. "Having all the money on one person
means that person is more likely to be robbed or assaulted than anyone else. And
furthermore, if that person looses it, what do you do?"
<Sophie> We'll split the money so that in case something happens to one of us,
the others won't be out of luck.
* Sophie nods to Fadi. 'Cause she basically just said that at the same itme.
* Tiffany sets down the bag with the food and waves her purse around a little.
"I don't have much room to do any carrying..."
<Nick> Eh, I guess.
* Emmet slides his backpack from his shoulders and onto one arm. "I can carry
some of it."
* Fadi takes off his jacket and puts it on the ground. On his right arm is a
large number of scars, most likely caused by knife wounds. He pours the money on
the back of his jacket, making sure it all lands on it.
* Harold twitches a little at the scars on Fadi's arms, but tries not to stare.
* Nick possesses a number of small injuries himself, so doesn't flinch at the
sight.
* Tiffany notices the scars and files the information away in her head.
Outwardly she pays very little attention.
* Sophie does stare, and even asks. "Fadi, were you involved in a knife fight?"
<Fadi> *A* knife fight you ask?  I wish I were that lucky.
<Harold> Ahh, let's just focus on dividing the money so we can get going...
<Sophie> Oh dear.
<Nick> Well, look on the bright side.
<Nick> He seems to have won most of them.
* Sophie scratches her arm and says awkwardly. "I apologize; it's not really any
of my business, but I couldn't help but ask."
<Tiffany> Yeah, and if we really want to divide the food too, then I suggest you
all take what you can carry out of this bag and I'll take the bag with what's
left.
* Fadi pulls out a calculator and starts counting the money. "Nah, it's okay. I
know how most of you are. Probably never had to fend for yourselves on the
streets."
* Sophie shakes her head. "Can't say I have."
<Nick> More than once. Not often, though.
<Harold> I don't like fighting. Eheh.
<Nick> ..Or for that long. But that's OK.
* Emmet grunts. "You're right. Just like you probably never had to fend for
yourself in the wilderness."
* Fadi continues counting, but smirks. "You'd be surprised."
<Emmet> You're right, I would.
* Emmet watches Fadi, unimpressed.
* Sophie turns to Tiffany. "I don't think dividing the food is necessary; the
crazy old man did say the town was only a day's walk away."
* Tiffany grunts and smiles at the boys. "What a testosterone filled
conversation." ^_^
* Sophie shrugs. "I like fighting, and I've had to fend for myself in the
wilderness."
* Fadi looks up. "Okay, we got 120 of each kind of coin."
<Nick> Well, glad you guys are all such hardened veterans. I'll just stand
behind you.
* Harold looks a little bit embarrassed at Tiffany's comment. He knows there's
nothing much manly about being a bit of a chicken.
<Sophie> 120? Well, that divides nice and evenly.
* Tiffany turns back to Sophie, "Ok. I was only proposing it, but I guess five
of us can make it if the fooodbearer has problems. I myself don't appreciate the
wilds... unless they're in a pen or behind glass."
<Fadi> Yeah.  Take 20 of each.
* Tiffany opens her purse and counts twenty of each into it.
* Sophie nods to Tiffany. "Well, I can't say I enjoy it either, but I can do
it..."
* Fadi takes 20 Commons, Lunars, and Solars and puts them in one of the many
pockets in his pants, which he then zips up.
* Harold takes his share, and stows it in one of the smaller pouches in his
backpack.
* Sophie grabs twenty of each and puts a few in her pockets, a few in her
backpack.
* Emmet takes his share and dumps the coins unceremoniously into his backpack.
* Nick takes 20 of each, putting 15 Commons, 10 Lunars, and 5 Solars into his
pocket. The remaining 20 coins go into the backpack.
* Tiffany picks back up the bag with the food and waits for a hasty (she hopes)
move by the party.
* Fadi puts his jacket back on when they're all done, pulling out a pair of
leather gloves and some shades and putting them on as well.
* Emmet eyes Fadi.
<Emmet> And you can see in the dark?  I *am* surprised.
* Harold pulls out the map from his pocket, unfolds it, and starts off down the
path. He doesn't move too quickly, studying it as he goes.
* Fadi smirks. "Gotcha." He takes his glasses off and puts them away.
* Sophie starts walking once she's ready. "Well, no time like the present."
* Emmet smiles faintly and heads southward down the path.
* Tiffany follows at a brisk pace, the bag slung haphazardly over her right
shoulder, her body bending gently under the weight.
* Fadi catches up to Harold, keeping pace with the leader.
* Nick trails along behind them, taking a moment to check the construction of
the road.
* Emmet matches pace with Tiffany. "Would you like me to carry that bag?"
* Harold folds the map and picks up the pace a little as he realizes he's
somehow ended up in charge. But that also seems to relax him a bit, too. "It...
doesn't look far. Let's hope there's a good full moon tonight, in case we get
off the path somehow."
* Tiffany turns to Emmet, hiding her difficulties by pacing her voice, "Well,
yes. But I'm already getting a rep here as incapable in the wilds. I'd hate to
build on it by not doing something useful."
* The road itself is a well-worn dirt road, with wide wagon tracks going both
ways.
<Sophie> Oh, let him carry it, Tiffany.  It's nice to see some chivalry for
once.
* Fadi smirks as he says to himself. "Chivalry isn't dead. It's just stupid."
* Sophie rolls her eyes.
* Nick looks at Fadi with a quizzical expression. "You're never getting a
girlfriend, man. Ever."
* Tiffany hefts the bag off of her shoulder and hands it over, "Thanks. And for
the record," Tiffany whispers the rest just to Emmet, "Girls really like
chivalry."
* Emmet smiles brightly at Tiffany, for once, and shoulders the bag much more
easily than she had. "I'll keep that in mind," he replies quietly.
<Fadi> Maybe, maybe not.
* Tiffany keeps pace with Sophie, and gives her a significant look before
returning her eyes to the road.
<Nick> Uh-huh.
* Sophie grins at Tiffany and nods.
* Our heroes travel on, into and through the night.  As they travel on, they
slowly begin to smell what must be the ocean, and just as the sun breaks the
horizon, they crest a hill and see in the distance a small town.  Even from this
distance, they can see that there are no paved roads, not even with cobblestone,
and the short piers that extend out into the ocean are certainly not
particularly modern, and the buildings are equally primitive.
[Session... END]