"Now if both me and Shark felt it, then surely for Kai's sake you psychics in the group must have felt something more?" Sabre added, looking towards Rain and Snake. "Tell me you felt something too?"

Rhellys' expression, who had been gazing in the void for a moment, turned over Swift Fox as she spoke, and she shook her eyes, her answer respectful.

"No, Lady Fox, I didn't see any girl enter the inn. Do you think we should just move to the Spyre and organize a search for your missing companion? Or do you wish to wait for her some more?"

There was nothing in her voice nor in her emotions to indicate that she wasn't as completely at ease as before in Swift Fox's presence.

Swift nodded slowly.
"Perhaps.  Time is getting short.  I just wanted to make sure she hadn't arrived yet and gotten distracted by something out here.  Also I needed a break from Sun Snake and his talk of politics.  I swear he should have been a diplomat instead of a Kai."
She chuckled at that, using the excuse to lighten the atmosphere a little.

"Anyway, I'll ask the others if we should move out soon.  I'm worried about Dusk Rat, I don't like the idea of leaving her out there alone.  A friend asked me to keep an eye on her you see, make sure she doesn't get hurt.  I don't think I've done a very good job of that though..."
She sighed and stood up.
"Sorry to keep you waiting on us" she added, turning to head back to the gardens.


OOC: Unless Rhellys says or does something else that catches her attention, she'll rejoin the others in the garden...

Sun Snake gave an odd look back to Swift Fox when his fellow Kai seems to be insinuating something again, but shrugged it off to deal with Rain Feather.

I'll answer Sabre/Shark's point here assuming Rain calms down, and will edit my post if Rain Feather is going to be less mollified. Though if she isn't calmed, the answer might be given to them in a different manner. :)

"Shark, not everyone has the luxury of an alcoholic haze when they share one or their darkest secrets," said Sun Snake to Laughing Shark's comment. However, his tone was almost light, and he even gave a partial smile to the woman as he said it. He looked to his two fellows. "Unless you tell me otherwise, you can forgive Rain Feather's emotions from echoing around this place."

Sun Snake seemed to hesitate a moment before turning around, as if there was more he could say - or more he was looking for. He did look to where Swift Fox had gone, and across to Alyne as Shark spoke to his student.

After a minute, she would lower her spear and sit down.  Of course- she always had her screen up- but she'd been so focused on herself that she had neglected to put it up.  That had meant her emotions were like a bonfire in the middle of the night.

"I-I apologize.  I think Sabre was sensing me, of all people..."

She set the butt of Breakwater on the floor and leaned heavily against it.

"It has been so long since I have walked around or even done anything without my screen up... it must have slipped my mind."

She would weakly laugh, but kept her feet.

"If you'll excuse me, I think I'm going to sit in the garden and try to relax.  If you get any news of Dusk Rat, please let me know."

She would nod to her companions, and walk out, intent on finding a quiet spot to meditate at.

"You are a Master Superior, your screen will be there the moment you need it. As a Kai, around us, do not worry if you let it slip from time to time."

Sun Snake again stood back a little from Sun Snake, as if to allow the other Kai to be visible to Rain Feather. Sun Snake tried not to show it, but the mention of Dusk Rat of course made him feel nervous for their missing member.


He also shot an eyebrow to Swift Fox as he saw her return, trying to make it subtle so as not to draw Rain Feather's attention.

Swift Fox wandered back into the garden area, noticing Sun Snake's look.
She glanced back towards the door to make sure either of the two mages hadn't followed her back.
"Taolor seems ok.  You know him better than I do I suppose, but he strikes me as being far too naive to go listening in.  Rhellys is harder to read, but I don't think she knows anything either.  I don't have the mental focus needed to go poking around in their minds without being detected though."

She glanced towards Sabre Fox and Alyne and back to Sun Snake.
"Something happen?  You all look a bit on-edge..."
She looked towards Rain Feather sitting apart from the others, but chose to leave her alone for now...

Shark laughed at Snake's retort, "I dun't need any liquor to confess I'm a bastard child'ov Naar and a Giak whore. Can't ye tell by me good looks?" the woman flirtatiously fluttered her eyelids at Sun Snake, "but ye sure at was Rain? I'm not totally convinced, though I suspect maybe. . ." Shark sighed. "Mayhaps I jus be paranoid s'all. . "

Shark trailed off as Swift Fox approached the group, "Ahoy there cap'in" She said waving at the returning Kai, "Nothin major. Saber an I was jus talkin 'bout an odd feelin when Rain was givin us'er familiy history. Snake'ere says s'nothin ta worry'bout. M'not convinced but I aint know no way ta find out at'a moment"

I think sun Snake will have the tact - for once - to leave this lesson until Rain Feather leaves the area, though Rain is welcome to still be around and overhear and offer further advise. Perish the thought I'm looking to giver my fellow players a +1 on a Sixth Sense roll somewhere down the line :p

And perhaps this reminder of how mental defenses work might aid his learning of Psi-screen somewhere dwn the line :D

"You've been neglecting your lessons, or we've had different teachers," said Sun Snake, apparently relaxing given Swift Fox's comments. "Mental defenses can at least scatter or diffuse incoming or outgoing mental activity." Sun Snake looked around to everyone, making sure Alyne was listening. "If you get an ill feeling around someone, but the source does not seem to come from them, do not let your guard nor suspicions drops. It is a method of distraction employed by those who could otherwise not hide their nature. Or in this case, the result of a slipping defense and overwhelming emotion."

Speaking of tact, Sun Snake won't remind Alyne that this is how her Mindshield used to work, acting as a diffuser rather than a full block, until she learned her discipline :) Something to do with the horrible thigns happening at the time she was using that half-Mindshield!

Sabre Fox just shook his head at Snake apparently shrugging off both his and Shark's concerns. If it had just been him, then he would have understood, as he knew he was no psychic, but since even Shark felt it, he was not going to accept that as a pure coincidence.

"Well dont come crying to me to save you if Shark and I turn out to be right. A little show of faith would have been nice you know"

For the first time in a long while, Fox felt anger in his voice as he shot back his response to Snake. He remembered times where Sparrow had shot down some of his ideas, and normally he felt nothing. But there were times that he knew he was right........ like the outpost, and he felt angry that he had been shot down like nothing.

Fox didnt mind the fact he wasnt a scholar, but he wasnt stupid, and he wouldnt be called as such. Not by Sparrow, not by Snake and not by anyone. Gathering himself he strode away towards Rain Feather, and took a steady seat down next to her

"You ok?" He asked gently

Sun Snake looked surprised at Sabre's anger, unaccustomed to the man being anything other than both obedience to a chain of command, and light in tone. "I am not telling you that you are wrong, I felt Rain's emotion. Now I know it was this that you all felt, I am letting you know that you have just witnessed the effect that a powerful psychic, with powerful defenses, can still generated even when distracted and emotional. You are not wrong, but you are wrong to fall for the diastraction of it. Were this a Helghast, and the emotions were less...pleasant...you would be looking elsewhere, convinced any accuser was wrong. That is all I am saying."

Sun Snake gave Sabre an odd look as the man walked off.


Nice character beat Sabre!

Swift Fox watched calmly as Sabre walked off after his sudden outburst.
"Actually, I'm no psychic, and I sensed something too" she said quietly.  "Not that I knew what it was, I assumed it was simply Rain's mind expressing her emotions.  Then again if the ones who are after her were the same ones I saw.  That robed man definitely had some considerable psychic power.  He almost sensed me after all, and I've spent years training to hide myself from normal eyes..."

She looked back at Sun Snake for a moment, her eyes peering into his in a rather disconcerting way.
She seemed to be thinking something over, debating something within her mind.
Then she looked towards the others and turned back to sit at the table with the scratched lines on the surface where she had been sitting before.

Leaning her head on her hands, she looked down at the drawing of the three stick figures again, her gaze occasionally flickering towards Rain Feather or the door to the inn...

"You need to develop your mental defenses too to remain truly hidden, though the ability to track you psychically meant I could co-ordinate Sabre Fox with your position during the Vordak encounter, so I will not complain."

If Sun Snake noticed anything else in Swift Fox's comments or gaze, he did not show it. He appeared to be retreating in to himself again, looking to the main inn and out to the Spyre.
This message was last edited by the player at 23:16, Mon 05 Mar 2012.

"Mabye was somethin so faint ye fancy psychic types blocked it with out narry a thought?" Shark offered, "yer walls be too high ta pick up such a subtle flow, or some such." Shark shrugged, it didn't make much sense to her either. She was also a bit shocked at Sabre's response, although she couldn't blame him.

Ah tense situations, how Shark loathed them. The stress of the missing Rat was certainly bringing out some interesting characters in her fellow Kai. "so a'truth comes out, is it Snakey?" Shark asked, smiling to lighten the mood, "ye like travelin wit us simple folk so ye can track us, s'at it? Well feel free ta go fishin in me brain, m'sure I can come up wit some material ta keep ye entertained fer an evenin'"

"I think so.  It's just this town, and this magic... It's getting to me.  I half expect the Guildmaster to recognize me when we meet him as Masari, instead of Rain.  You don't know how long I had to run from that name, Sabre.  Or how thrilled I was when I could simply introduce myself as Rain, and not have to worry about someone looking at me strangely and me having to bolt somewhere else.  I think I can trust the six of you... you, Swift and Shark, most of all."

She would give Sabre a shy, tired smile.

"I'm surprised you didn't make a comment when I mentioned the rumor of me carrying on with some other Kai- you're starting to slip, you know?  Or were you jealous?"

Rain would blush for a second at her own joke- and then compose herself- at least, as much as the bottle of whatever she'd drank would let her.

"But I'm happy you're not looking at me like I'm going to start kidnapping people and trading them away to increase my powers- though I think I could pull off the outfit she wore much better."

"Oh please" Fox said with a smile. "You give me too much credit! I mean, if I mentioned about your carrying on, then would automatically assume it was me anway.......... Tis the burden of being such a catch" He added with a wink.

Giving her a wry smile, he continued on.

"Well you know none of us would give us up. And you know, I remember a story I read once, it was about a man who's romantic dream it was to be a Soreress's Knight. She was plagued by a tattered past, but in the end, everything turned out all right for her as she had her Knight to protect her"

Looking around, he smiled

"Maybe you should hire a Knight?" He asked

Sun Snake looked evasive, but shrugged off the comment. "I have no significant shielding, a failing I intend to correct under Rain fetaher's guidance during the mission. I think you are underestaimating exactly how much of a primal fear she had pent up, how much a matter of life and death this has been in her eyes. I do not think she has fully revealed it all to us yet. There was..." Sun Snake trailed off. "At least Sabre seems to taking an interest in  her, I am sure all will be well." Sun Snake then looked to Alyne. "And I am sure she will be glad of your support for her to," he said, happy to highlight the woman's compassion.

Sun Snake then addressed Laughing Shark's other comment, looking to Swift Fox too. "It is as Swift Fox said - you do not know who might detect such an intrusion. It is a good way to keep one honest and not invade a person's privacy. Our gifts are to combat evil, not for our own amusement."

Sun Snake then shifted the subject. "Don't underestimate how much we give away to those with the skills, even if they do not look for you. We are dealing with unknown foes, we should not be too arrogant in the assumption of our superior powers." Sun Snake then looked to Shark. "Which brings up an important point. I would leave it to Swift fox to ask if you had gone alone, but as you took Rain Feather too - where exactly did you go just now?"

Shark put on a mark look of misery at Snake's initial comment, "an'ere I was invitin ye ta take a look at me most intimate thoughts." when he further inquired about what she'd been up to, the woman leaned back and smiled, "I jus went ta check in on'a lead I picked up from me colorful friend at'a gates s'all. Didn't find much'ov note, one I was lookin'fer wasn't thar, said I should come back s'evenin." She shrugged, "I suppose's a lead ta be'ad there, just need ta talk to tha right person."

Sun Snake lifted up his hands and shook his head as if in mock surrender at the mention of attempting to navigate Shark's thoughts. His gave turned more serious when Laughing Shark mentioned what her activity had been, but whatever comment he was about to say died on his lips, and he shook it off. "I am sure you and Swift Fox can work out the best way to manage this lead. Just be careful. As I say, it might be best to assume such people will know who you are, especially if there can be rogue mages walking in this place unbeknownst to the guild." Sun Snake pointed to the cursed sword. "Perhaps that might serve some use as a distraction itself, even without being drawn. It radiates an ill energy that might mask your own to a casual contact with a psychic."

Sun Snake then excused himself, closing his eyes as if trying to sense something in the air.

"You offering?"

Rain grinned and shook her head, setting her hair to waving.

"I think Snake would have a fit if I hired someone, anyways.  It might be fun for that reason, but at the same time, well... I'd prefer another Kai, if I could have one. Preferably one who's good with a sword, already pulled me out of danger once, and someone I might be spending time around anyways."

She would sigh.

"I think I read that book- but if you think I could pull off that dress from the illustration in the last chapter, I might have to think about sticking you in one of those big, bulky suits of armor that the king's knights wear. It'd only be fair, right?"

Shark shook her head as Sun Snake departed, turning her attention on the other Kai leader, "got a bit'ov a grudge goin wit'at table, mate?" She asked, observing Swift Fox's carvings, "or pretending it'at mage from earlier taday?"

"Well as long as im paid in good health and keeping me alive then I can take up the mantle easy" Fox said with a smile.

However, the mention of armor made Fox shrivel up his face

"No way! I need to be all springey and flexible! Able to dart about and such! I cant come running to your rescue with a heavy set of armor to weigh me down can I?"

"Yeah... you lo- work better out of armor, anyways."

She would blush, and then stretch, working her arms and legs to get the tightness out.

"Sometimes I get jealous.  Everyone else can relax, but the second I show up, it's like the party dies. I don't get a look from anyone- is it wrong that an ice queen would desire the company of others occasionally?  A chance to let her screen down, as it were, and indulge herself?"

"I wasnt aware the party died?" Fox said suddenly looking around. "Here we are having a good time and all" He smiled. "And you never see me not having a good time! Shark and I have been thrown out of the Monastary bar many a time. Usually Sparrow gives me a few slaps before sending me off to bed" He said with a grin

And on this note, I feel like we can stope here; you should expect for the Thread II to be opened at some point in the next eight hours, likely after I've heard from Ameena and decided a couple details with her on what's going to happen.

I think I've left you enough time for character interaction and development, don't you think? Time to get back to the main plot now! ^_^

And with that, we're done for now. Thread I Closed.

This message was last edited by the GM at 09:21, Tue 06 Mar 2012.