"I've been warned the same about being chipper all the time," Mittens answers with a shrug as she follows along, "If I were to take a wild guess, she probably won't take kindly to a lecture right now about such.  If anything may make up her mind all the more to be grumpy.  At least... if she's anything like me when it comes to people lecturing me about my personality.

"I agree that communication is essential.  I agree that extremes should be avoided.  But for now she chooses to communicate with actions more than words, I've noticed.  Callie seems to have made a lot of progress given that Kitau actually hugged her.  A gift sounds like a wonderful idea, actually.  It's talking her no-talking language.  I'ma go shopping to see if I can find something she'd like."

She motions in the direction of the town shops.

  Mittens agrees with Terdisas, score for partial agreement percentage across party.  Or course, this means Two people want to leave Kitau some personal time and two want to not leave her alone.  This would make Kitau the tiebreaker then.  How fitting.  Terdisas would feel a scalping knife while a practical and appreciated gift for Kitau, would only lead to frustration with near constant inability to ever use the thing.

 "Callie seems to have that pleasant effect on most even partially sane people."

Dido eyebrow-twitched at the mention of "make up her mind all the more to be grumpy". But he puts aside that pet peeve in favor of progress.

Dido calms down, even smirks, and says, "I did say everything has its place, didn't I? And as you said, the time and place for lecturing Kitau is not now. But maybe you're right about the gift."

He goes to the shops with the others.

Mits follows along with the others, looking for something fun to give Kitau.  She finds something mildly amusing, challenging, and excusably functional to give the combat obsessed gnome: http://gallery.nen.gov.uk/gall...27/cup__ball_mid.jpg

"Whaddya think?  Helps develop that all-important hand-eye coordination without her having to swing axes around on our road trips!"

  Terdisas considers getting Kitau a monogrammed oilcloth, but he would need to know her last name for such, and his player has never decided on such for Terdisas.  So nevermind that idea.  "Add some spikes, and you have something more traditionally to her taste."  "Chirp, a Rubix cube with retractable blades if you screw up will teach you real fast."

  Hmm... Rusty pliers?  No.  Pet Rock? No.  Step ladder so she can reach her enemies faces? No.  Eventually, he decides on a *BLANK* because Kitau will actually like it.

  Copout? What's that?

Dido has fearlessly faced off with Kalarel, various undead, and even a dragon. He finds himself more scared of Kitau than any of them. Probably because he can't lob Kitau's head off due to caring for her. Well that and even if he were to fight her one-on-one, Dido would worry for his life. Not that he'll admit this. Ever.

He walks up to Kitau, having gotten his gift for her and is holding it behind his back. He clears his throat. "Kitau?" he says, to grab her attention.

Callie looks over at Dido curiously.

Kitau shoots Dido a quick glance but resumes staring at the prisoners like she expects them to phase through the bars if she stops watching for any longer than 2 seconds.

"I think that means she's listening," Mittens guesses, "And judging from Callie...  Thing's have been going relatively well?  At least, better than bad?"

(( The carpenter suggested a wooden warning whistle for Terdisas to buy for his silent friend.  The leatherworker suggested a pair of gloves to prevent splinters from wooden hafted weapons.  The blacksmith suggested either a fine dagger, or a quality sharpening stone, or a camp shovel. ))

  Terdisas was somewhat hazy on the sharpening stone usage on a scourge, and he's not trying to Marry a leopard Lady when it comes to the Fine Dagger, so LOUD WHISTLE IS LOUD it was.  It doesn't leave any marks on the prisoner if you blow it crammed upside their ear either.

  "If looks could kill... That phrase is significantly flawed considering there are looks that can indeed kill.  Were most of the prisoners clearly not foolish, the mere thought of Kitau coming back for them should they step out of line alone should be enough deterrence."

  She can hide under your bed too.  Or the overhead luggage compartment.

Dido walks around to be in front of her and presents the bouquet. "If you recall, I mentioned I had something to give you. I hope you find these favorable. Didn't know what flowers you liked most, so I got one of each."

Callie ohs and covers her mouth. She's happy for the cute scene, but keeps quiet.

Kitau's focus on the villains is fully broken by Dido's gesture.  She stares in surprise and accepts his gift.

"Not as pretty or fancy," Mittens says, offering the toy she got, "But fun and somewhat practical.  Good for practicing hand-eye coordination on long trips."

Kitau's face his turning red as it's sinking in.

  Terdisas shrugs, "I must admit, I had little insight for anything one could consider a proper gift.  So, I went with something loud." WHISTLE! WHISTLE IS LOUD! Or at least take out word for it, it's not like Terdisas is demonstrating.  "Though sometimes, a small gesture is better than none at all."

  "Chirp, and if you think this makes you look soft in front of the prisoners, we can make a quick trip to pick up a scalping knife."

  The Sorcerer facepalms.  Superbird wingflaps "Tweet, What? That was your first idea."

Dido says, "Kitau, we want you to know you are appreciated."

Callie jumps on the chance to side-hug the gnome. "You already know you are loved, so... what Dido says is a nice add-on, wouldn't you say?"

She looks at Terdisas and Superbird. "No need... Kitau has plenty on her for doing whatever need be done." she could carve their skulls open with her eyebeams anyway. OK, so MITTENS is the one with eyebeams, but Kitau's gaze is still scarier.

Kitau is overwhelmed with emotion and bursts into tears!  She sets the flowers and gifts aside to weep into her hands!

Mittens is frozen in place.  "What... they... said..."

She clears her throat.

"Ya know...  It's possible she has a darn good reason for being grumpy.  Boy that sounded insensitive.  _Sorry."

  "Squawk! Who made caring so traumatic to you?  So we can find them, and light them on Chirping fire!" Superbird is going with the tiny 'cosmetic purposes only fire' Phoenix look right now.

  Terdisas kneels down, though won't hug tge little lady unless she clearly desires such (personal space and sharp objects along with wild emotions are a funny mix like that).  "I do not know what may have caused our current situation, but I feel it is to safe say for all of us that we never meant to cause you such duress, and hope only to help you as much as we can.  So far as our own personal beliefs may limit those efforts at times."
This message was last edited by the player at 04:30, Sat 30 Apr 2011.

Callie just pets Kitau.

Dido does the /panic emote of a Tarutaru when Kitau starts crying.
OK, so he doesn't. But it would have looked cute. :p Instead, Dido walks closer and says, "Kitau, what's wrong?"

Kitau keeps her face hidden and continues to cry, shaking her head, her little pony tail swishing from the movement.

Mittens steps over to the cage full of goblins and such.

"I'm about to demonstrate to you that magical fire can knock out enemies," she says to the guards in a serious tone, "I'm not going to kill them, but I can't stand for them to see my friend crying.  So don't distract me."

She fills the cage with a huge fireball that knocks out several prisoners!  Those still conscious scream and panic, running into each other in a desperate struggle to escape!  Mittens follows up with more fire, knocking a few more out!

"Save us!" the prisoners plea, "You can't let her do this to us!  Let us out!"

The guards stare in shock, unsure what to do.  "Um... make her stop, please?" they ask the heroes.

Kitau's mood doesn't seem to improve.  As she weeps, her face twists between utter grief and berserker rage.

  Superbird headtilts at Mitten's fireballorama "...not my fault? chirp."

  Terdisas says to the guards "I will see what I can do."  Somehow, he doubts 18 CHA+ bluff bonuses will sway events much.  "Mittens, please stop committing war crimes." He'll attempt to gently lead the rampaging Wizard away from the area, with the questionably sane positioning of 'stand between them and cage'.

  Stupid conscience.
This message was last edited by the player at 05:20, Sat 30 Apr 2011.

Callie looks up, sees burning goblins, but Mittens said she was only knocking them out. "I trust you not to permanently injure them on the off chance some might actually be innocent, unlikely though that may be." She looks at the guard and says, "She's telling the truth and I trust her. She won't kill them." she looks at Mittens, "But Terdisas is right. What you are doing could be seen as illegal."

Granted, this isn't America. Most people will look the other way when you beat up a prisoner that the town has no love for. Such as goblins.

Dido seems as unsure as the guard. On one hand, he considers what Mittens is doing to be un-necessary. On the other hand, he can't stand for the prisoners to see Kitau cry either. When he sees it not making a difference, he says, "Mittens, it won't make a difference. Not only have they already seen Kitau cry, Kitau's mood isn't improving from the goblins' burning."
This message was last edited by the player at 05:31, Sat 30 Apr 2011.

"Kill them!" Kitau screams desperately, curled into the fetal position!  "Kill them all!"

A guard or two rush to the scene, weapons drawn, but are confused when they arrive.

"Are they... Are the prisoners turning undead?!" one guard ventures nervously.

Mittens sighs at Terdisas trying to stop her.  And succeeding 'cause she stops for a moment.  "Help me out here," she mutters to him through her teeth, "She doesn't need to be here if they're knocked out."

She readies another fireball.

"Not to mention Kitau won't feel the need to skewer them with her javelin.  Help me keep these prisoners alive."

One guard ahas.  "Right."  He whacks a prisoner upside the head with the butt of his spear, knocking it out.  The other guard that was there and the new arrivals aren't so sure.  Mittens doesn't resume with the fireballs until it's apparent Terdisas will allow her to.

  Terdisas sighs,  "You would think that by now, I would be used to how wide the range of problems solved by explosions could be."  He steps out of the way.  Though will stick around with the Wizard and let Kitau's fellow short people deal with her directly for now.

  He gets the feeling that juuuust maybe, the scene of the crime will be in the most need of the guy with the jacked up social skills.

Callie stays with Kitau, holding on to the gnome while Mittens and guards deal with the prisoners. But she lets a hand free and holds it forward. It doesn't matter Terdisas is in the way. In fact, in many a battle, she wanted him and other allies to be in the blast. With a massive light, Callie finishes KO-ing the prisoners while making Ter, Mitts and a couple guards feel invigorated. She goes back to using that hand for hugging without a word.

Dido combs his fingers through his hair, trying to figure out what to do.

Mittens lets out a sigh of relief when the last prisoner drops. "Thanks, Callie."

Lord Padraig shows up with about a dozen guards.  "What going on here here?!" he demands.  The guards already on the scene stand at attention and salute, but give no answer other than, "Sir!"

"Tsh," Kitau sneers, wiping away her eyes.

"I blew up the prisoners for personal reasons," Mittens confesses, "But they're all still alive.  I think."

The guards check vital signs.

"She tells the truth, sir.  They're all still alive, sir."

"'Personal reasons?'" Padraig asks skeptically, "Am I to assume that means 'don't ask?'"

Mittens nods.

Lord Padraig looks at the other heroes to see if they have anything to add.

  "Somehow, I feel a proper description may not be something that can be put to words.  Perhaps the next time a gateway to the Shadowfell opens up and we are in the area, we can bring you along and you might experience the feeling of it actively attempting to drag you through itself like Kitau has.  I did not hope to spend some time to ourselves before out next journey because of mere physical exhaustion."

  OOC Style:+13 Diplo with a Take Ten Diplo= 23, if that matters.

Callie stays in her seated position to keep her arms around Kitau. "I assure you, sir, Mittens and I were only acting in the interest of my friends. I partook in knocking them unconscious. Our reasons are not to take out frustration so much as helping a friend to be calm. My apologies for the disturbance. I take full responsibility for Mittens' actions as she is under my command."

Dido almost objects, but... well Callie appointed herself the leader when they met and nobody objected then. Or since then. Dido salutes Padraig and says, "Sir, Kitau is unable to rest until she sees these goblins sentenced and then serve that sentence. As a team, we suffer together. So when she suffers, so do we. When she can not rest, neither can we. The sooner the courts can get a sentencing, the better."