The Insurrection Day Three: And Suddenly Everything got Terrible Again

[alexthewhite]

Spoilered for your convenience.

Everything is the same, except for the shiny new summary and some new flavor text.

ORIGINAL FLAVOR TEXT

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It had been a terrible, terrible idea. No empress would have ever approved of such an ill-fated plan in a thousand sweeps. But that all changed on planet Orve.

The Orveans stood no chance against the fleets of Alternia. Their simplistic defenses were quickly shut down, their capital captured, and their citizens placed into slave labor. Another total victory for the forces of the mothergrub.

Yet where the Orveans lacked in military genius, they made up for in manipulation. The Orvean military was laughable, but Orvean spies were some of the finest mercenaries in the known universe. A popular saying in certain sectors was "If you set an Orvean aflame, he'll convince the fire to burn you instead." So when their intellectual culture was set upon by the brutish Alternian legion, the king came up with a simple plan. He would make Orve too useful to lose.

He requested a meeting with the empress, a young and ambitious troll. He informed her of a new school of thought, one that had never appeared on Alternia before. It was called "Behavioral Psychology". While psychology existed on Alternia, it was only in a state of infancy. By contrast, psychologists were some of Orve's most revered and intelligent citizens.

The Orvean king informed the Alternian empress of an experiment they had drawn up. A way to test the thresholds and effects of blood color, to see the viability of mixing troops by blood color. The empress was intrigued. For as long as Alternian history was recorded, hives and ranks were divided among blood lines. It was perhaps the largest weakness of the Alternian army, and the empress was all too aware of this.

The test would be simple. Eighteen trolls, all of a different blood color, placed in a community. A wall of natural barriers to prevent any from leaving. These trolls would grow up together, become friends, enemies, lovers. And it would prove whether or not trolls of a different blood color could co-exist.

A deal was reached, and the Orveans were freed from their captivity of the desolate fields of their planet. Instead, they were put to work optimizing the Alternian military. But this is not the story of Orveans. This is a story of what Orveans wrought.

The experiment went well, for its first six sweeps. The trolls lived like any other group of trolls, although in a more enclosed enviroment. But dissent began to cloud the judgement of several of the trolls.

Is it in the nature of high-bloods to seek to oppress and belittle low-bloods? Is it an evolutionary standby for low-bloods to resent and eventually despise high-bloods? There are exceptions to this, too many to make it universal. But regardless, something has snapped. Eight trolls, all of the "lesser bloods", band together to fight their eight self-appointed high-blooded overlords. Two trolls, both with blood green, remain unswayed by either the rebels or the aristocrats.

Battles shall be fought. Friendships, forged. The victor is uncertain, as is the price both sides shall pay. But while we do not know the color of the blood that shall be spilled, we do indeed know that blood shall be spilled.

RULES (Subject to Alteration)

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1. Your character is not immortal. This may be a roleplaying game, but what is drama without the possibility of death? So some of you may be kicking the bucket, and I hope for a mature response. If I believe your character's death will be the best way direction for the story as a whole, it may happen. Rest assured, I will PM you beforehand, and if you disagree, I'll be happy to hear your case. But the possibility exists.

2. Please do not god-mod. This is actually three rules.
2a. Your character only has what you say he has in his opening blurb, powers wise. If he has a psychic ability, expressly state it. Don't pull powers out of your ass.
2b. Your character cannot be head-over-heels more powerful than everyone else. Oh, no doubt will there be powerhouses among the players, which is fine. But if your character is an obscenely powerful nigh-immortal, it makes them invincible, and as a result, boring.
2c. Your character cannot own or have access to anything that isn't something they could logically own. Simple. If you want to give them, say, an extra powerful weapon, please give an explanation BEFORE you use it.

3. This one is something I know someone would try. (Ahem) THERE IS NO WAY FOR ANY PLAYER IN THIS GAME TO ACCESS ANOTHER CHARACTER OUTSIDE OF THE EIGHTEEN IN THE COMMUNITY. DO NOT ATTEMPT THIS. IT'S NOT HAPPENING.

4. No mutant blood colors, and no empress purple. There will be sea-dwellers, however.

5. This sort of game encourages players to engage in something beyond "I'm on this team." You may have friends on the other team, and you may even sympathize with them. There could even be defectors. This is fine. However, please tell me about this in advance, through a PM. Do not put it in your blurb.

6. Most of the conversation shall be through memoes, on this board. If you want to have a private conversation with another player, you do that over pesterchum, unless you have a computer that is INCAPABLE of running pesterchum, in which case tell me right now. Furthermore, you may NOT post on any memo started by a member of the other team, barring some sort of extenuating circumstance. Oh, and until they pledge allegiance to either side, green bloods can post on both sides memos.

7. When writing an action scene, you cannot influence the actions of another player. You can only write what your own character does and says. Period.

8. Take steps not to ninja. Before you post, make sure no one has posted between your writing and your posting. If you ninja by mistake, YOU are the one who fixes it.

9. No memos for both sides. I'm serious. A memo with 7-9 posters is hard, let alone 16. Don't do this unless there is an essential reason.

10. Remember the purpose of the RP is that it's a REBELLION. The low-bloods and high-bloods by default dislike one another. Do not ignore this aspect. I'm not saying shun members of the other team, but recall that sooner or later, everyone ends up fighting.

11. If you are going to take a long hiatus, don't. If you are, I'd like it if you PM me. This is a very fast moving RP, so if you stay inactive for too long, I might have to cut you from the RP.

PARTICIPANTS

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Team Rebels (Still needs a better name):
Corny's Tettra Sedect (teemingProngs)
adamantRevolutionary's Phidal Unismo (adamantRevolutionary)
Cevaztyen's Acroto Portis(armlessFighter)
Dragongirl30894's Magnea Sulpha (roboticBlacksmith)
Gecky's Kimio Paracelsus (crushingAlchemist)
Panzerbear's Maleno Coggle (affableTinker)
Purple Mask's Rashei Kahmet (sandstoneSentinel)
Veriama's Riotte Norquel (xanthicInsignia)

Team Overlord (still needs a better name):
Jervous' Zillie Partea (sizzlingFirecracker)
amnesiaDinosaur's Revyss Ycroda(aluminumKing)
Alexthewhite's Argead Hyllus (encroachmentArchitect)
Momatoes Raelis Sepius (serpentMedic)
eruditeScholar's Amazar Lutoben (superiorInstrumentalist)
Thunder Reign's Csetje Zsebet (varicellaMalaise)
Alyss' Salvia Datura (lucidHallucinogen)
ZDG's Ithlena Isthesis (mythicalEngineer)
Team No-Team
Chaos Wolf's Likllu Pont'caa (vocalOvertone)
hurlingPagan's Cesaro Romano (culturedGodfather)

DAY ONE RECAP (Oh god, so many words)

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The Insurrection’s roots are unknown. But it seemed that in the course of his nightly escapades, Argead got the idea in his head the low-bloods of the valley were “rebelling”. In truth, it was only Phidal who at this point seriously wanted a rebellion. While Argead argued with Phidal, Acroto, Zillie, and Revyss over a memo he opened, Likllu tried to defuse the situation by proposing a party. In the end, Argead split the memo off into two, one for “high-bloods”, and one for “partiers.”

Meanwhile, Likllu contacts Zillie, Revyss, and Amazar. Her attempts to pacify them only served to annoy the high-bloods. Tettra, however, agreed that there should be no fighting. Zillie keeps trying to defuse the rebellion in her own way, telling Tettra to pacify Phidal. Meanwhile, on the party memo, Zillie arranges it at her hive, with Kimio, Likllu, Magnea, Tettra, Acroto, Raelis, Revyss, Maleno, and Salvia attending.

Argead opens a high-blood memo, but Revyss and Zillie want to find peace through the party. In addition, when Argead nominates Amazar as the leader of Team Overlord, Revyss and Zillie protest.

Kimio starts his own memo, for low-bloods. They all agree (except for Phidal) that a war is not a good idea, and a party is a much better idea.

Acroto immediately teleports to Zillie’s hive. Zillie, who owns a rather large supply of fireworks, was shooting them as the guests arrived. After some convincing from Revyss, Riotte decides to crash. Zillie heads upstairs while the guests mingle. Likllu proposes a game of Truth or Dare, which she really just uses to get trolls to kiss (namely Revyss and Salvia) Argead, realizing that he could use the party to his advantage, gate-crashes as well. Raelis shows up, with the bright idea to drug the cans of TAB. To make matters worse, he accidentally puts in a depressant, instead of a stimulant. Salvia takes the opportunity to ask Argead who he has red feelings for, but Argead replies “no one.” As the last trolls arrive (that being Maleno with a cake,) Amazar observes the party from afar.

Likllu dives headfirst into the cake, causing Maleno to justifiably flip the fuck out. Riotte invites Argead to do something “fun” with her, meaning ruining the party. Argead, after consulting with Amazar, sees his opportunity and accepts her offer. He decides that the two of them should get upstairs and mess with Zillie’s fireworks. However, Zillie initially refuses to give Riotte the fireworks, until Argead (pretending to be on a sugar-high) and Raelis join the request. Zillie takes the three trolls upstairs.

Meanwhile, Tettra got her horns stuck inside Zillie’s cabinet. Maleno pulled her out, causing them to collapse into one another. Salvia and Raelis decide to create a medical organization called the Rainbow Cross while Maleno heads back to his hive to change his shirt that was dirtied.

Argead tries to get Zillie to leave him and Riotte alone with the fireworks, but she refuses. Argead pesters Amazar to come to the party to distract Zillie while Zillie invites Tettra to use her recuperacoon because Raelis had inadvertently drugged Tettra earlier. Sure enough, Amazar’s arrival causes Zillie to run downstairs and argue with him. Argead scares off Raelis and convinces Riotte to launch some fireworks with him.

Tettra manages to get her horns stuck again, this time in a wall. Again, Maleno helps her out. Argead tells Riotte to launch her firework at the roof, but as she does this, Argead launches his own firework at their feet.

The explosion causes Revyss and Zillie to run upstairs, Acroto to teleport away, Ithlena to fall over, and Kimio to fall down the stairs, a piece of shrapnel separating his finger from his hand. Ithlena immediately (and correctly) assumes Argead is responsible, but she got hit with a piece of shrapnel too and is bleeding from her forehead. The explosion also freed Tettra, and Maleno requests they both flee from the hive. In the process of freeing her, Maleno cuts his arm up on Tettra’s horns. When Raelis shows up, Maleno shouts at him for drugging Tettra earlier. To add to the collective misery, Salvia’s leg was crushed by a falling chunk of ceiling.

Acroto teleports Ithlena, Kimio, and Salvia out of Zillie’s hive. Maleno, Tettra, and Amazar all leave by foot. Raelis works with Zillie to put out the fire blocking the room where Argead and Riotte still are. Magnea and Raelis work to put out the fires while Acroto returns to the hive and tells Raelis about Salvia’s injury. Raelis requests they meet at his house and Acroto teleports himself and Salvia to Raelis’ hive.

Argead regains consciousness, with two badly-burnt legs. Riotte comes over to help him, but Argead begins to shout about how Riotte tried to kill him with the fireworks. This ploy works, as Zillie is convinced that Riotte is an assassin sent by Phidal. Meanwhile, Kimio messages Argead, telling him he knows about Argead’s plot. Argead pretends not to know what he’s talking about. Argead then messages Demens, telling her to bring Raelis to Zillie’s hive to treat his legs.
Tettra treats Maleno’s arm wound as best she can. Maleno invites her into his hive. While they eat dinner, the two of them talk about movies, their futures, etc. Things eventually go from friendly to romantic. Finally, Tettra kisses him on the cheek.

Magnea invites Kimio into her hive to give him a robot finger. They discuss the plan, and in the end, Kimio decides to replace his entire hand with a robotic appendage.

Argead’s red feelings for Riotte give him the urge to allow her to escape Zillie’s wrath. He tries to provide a distraction by “accidentally” falling into Revyss, who takes the opportunity to start a brief fist-fight with Argead. While they scuffle, Zillie moves to grab Riotte, but the balcony they’re standing on collapses.
Argead manages to grab Zillie’s bat-lusus, which then floats him to the ground. Riotte uses her psychic powers to levitate and avoid injury. Revyss and Zillie, however, were not so lucky. Revyss falls and breaks his arm badly, and Zillie takes a deep injury to the chest. Raelis arrives at the hive to treat the injured high-bloods. Acroto and Demens also show up to help Raelis. Raelis uses Zillie’s lusus to transport her to his hive.

Meanwhile, Likllu is freaking out after finding out what happened on the balcony. She resolves to help the only way she can, by singing her heart out at the top of her hive. Maleno and Tettra get increasingly intimate, finally falling asleep in one another’s arms. Phidal sets out from his hive for the first time that night to see what all the commotion is about, and he arrives at Zillie’s hive.

Revyss, somewhat delirious from the pain, admits he has black-rom feelings for Argead. Moments later, Ithlena sends Argead a message, threatening to kill him. Argead, overcome with guilt for what happened, agrees that he should die, causing Ithlena to change her mind. She instead decides to Argead takes the threat very seriously, and decides to kill himself before she can arrive. Argead tells Phidal to shoot him.

However, at the last moment, Argead changes his mind and kisses Phidal, admitting his black-rom feelings for his rival. Argead then pulls them apart, and tells Phidal to take him back to Argead’s hive before Ithlena shows up. Unfortunately, Ithlena shows up, and she is pissed.

However, Argead took her threats a little too seriously. All Ithlena really meant to do was slap him several times and kiss him, making her the third person whose black-rom feelings for Argead came out in the last couple minutes. Argead politely rejects her, causing her to slap him again and run away crying. Phidal picks up Argead and carries him back to his hive.

Likllu sings for too long, and catches hypothermia on top of her tower-like hive. She falls to the ground, hurting her knee. Revyss, having just finished a conversation with her, tells Argead to get over and help him help Likllu. Argead and Phidal get on Argead’s beetle lusus, Beetulphalus, and they go to her hive post-haste.

Phidal (carrying Likllu,) Revyss, Argead, and Acroto all climb on top of Argead’s lusus. Amazar also accompanies them to Raelis’ hive. Raelis, meanwhile, is hard at work performing surgery at Likllu. After he finishes the intensive surgery, Raelis passes out.

Ithlena returns to her hive in quite the bad mood. She accidentally drops a rocket from Zillie’s party into a crate of explosives, causing her hive to explode. She survives, though badly injured. Before the explosion, she messaged Maleno asking for help, but he was too embroiled with Tettra to help her. Maleno instead contacted Magnea, who went to help the injured sea-dweller.

Acroto falls asleep from teleporting too much. While Phidal, Revyss, and Amazar head inside Raelis’ hive, Argead sits outside and messages several other trolls to help. He first tries to talk to Ithlena, but she is offline (because of aforementioned explosion.) He then asks Demens to check on her. Finally, he contacts Maleno. This turns out to be a mistake.

When Maleno refuses to come and aid Likllu, Argead threatens him and Tettra (which at the time, Argead only had suspicions about their relationship.) Maleno takes the threats extremely seriously.

Inside Raelis’ hive, Phidal sets out bandaging Likllu while Revyss searches for the doctor troll and Amazar plays some melancholy music on his violin. Likllu messages Tettra and then Maleno, despite barely being able to type. In the course of their conversation, Maleno refuses to help Likllu and insults her several times, although she isn’t aware of this.

Argead heads into Raelis hive and reads Likllu and Maleno’s conversation. After reading his insults, Argead silently swears to kill Maleno. Kimio shows up at Raelis’ hive as well. Together, the high and low-bloods work together to keep her spirits up.

Maleno refuses to let Tettra go to Likllu because of Argead’s threats. In addition, Maleno decides to burn down Argead’s hive. Maleno fills Tettra in on what Argead said, and the two of them decide to go to Argead’s hive and burn it down together. Maleno plans to attack Argead’s hive while the sun is out, to maximize stealth potential.

Raelis wakes up, and runs to the kitchen to help Likllu. Acroto wakes up, and runs in as well. Raelis begins to treat Likllu while Acroto explores his hive and Amazar and Argead return home. Revyss and Phidal decide to spend the night. Zillie wakes up, and tries to strangle Phidal, as she still thinks he tried to ruin her party. Raelis, to stop the fighting, jams a syringe full of sleeping drug into his neck. At this time, Likllu reveals Phidal's red feelings for Zillie.

Demens slips into her alter-ego, Anathema. Anathema arrives at the lake, where Ithlena is floating face-down. Finding the sea-dweller attractive, Anathema rescues her and puts her in Demens’ recuperacoon. Phidal wakes up from his drugging and slips out of Raelis’ hive, heading to his own hive. Everyone but Maleno and Tettra goes to sleep.

Maleno and Tettra put on hats to protect them from the rising sun. They set out for Argead’s hive, triggering a proximity alarm he has set. Argead suspects shenanigans, just before Maleno launches a chemical attack on his hive.

Argead flees into the smoke created by Maleno’s attack, while Argead’s lusus Beetulphalus sneaks to the side of the hill the aggressors are standing on. Maleno starts to walk down the hill just as Argead deploys a series of pit traps he has around his hive. One of these pits traps Tettra. Acroto, hearing the commotion, decides to investigate. Amazar observes from his hive, offering Argead help, but Argead refuses.

Maleno catches Argead at the bottom of the hill. The two of them engage in a vicious, no-holds-barred fist-fight. While Argead takes a physical pounding (Maleno cuts his lip and smashes his arm with a hammer,) Argead manages to deliver a verbal berating of him for refusing to help Likllu (short version: “she’s innocent and you would have let her die.”)

Acroto sees Tettra at the bottom of the hole and is about to help her when Beetulphalus shows up, menacing Acroto. Acroto fights the enormous beetle-lusus to a standstill, his powerful headbutts canceled out by its thick shell. Maleno looks up to realize that Argead had set the pit-trap, but while his back is turned, Argead throws a javelin into his leg. Maleno pulls the javelin out and throws it back at Argead. It cuts him fairly deeply, but Argead is able to return it to his sylladex before it causes anything but a flesh-wound. Maleno then throws a flask of acid at Argead, but Argead breaks it with the javelin, splattering the acid everywhere.

The acid splatters the javelin (disintegrating it), Maleno’s many layers of clothes (damaging them,) and Argead’s chest (burning him badly.) Maleno charges up the hill to try and save Tettra from Beetulphalus. Beetulphalus kicks at him and Acroto, and while Acroto is knocked out by the shot, Maleno dodges and digs his pliers into the lusus’ soft underbelly. Beetulphalus collapses on top of him, but Maleno pulls the wound farther and farther apart, pushing himself inside the armored beetle and surviving the crushing attempt. Needless to say, this gaping wound is fatal.

Argead calls for Amazar to come help him, and gives Beetulphalus one last command: to roll into the pit. The lusus does this, but Tettra manages to dodge. Maleno pulls himself out of the dying beast, only to find Amazar has a gun trained on them. In addition, Argead threatens to kill Acroto if the low-bloods don’t surrender. They do surrender, but on the condition that Amazar read the conversation that started all the fighting.

After he reads it, Amazar decides that the two low-bloods will return to Tettra’s hive, under house arrest by his lusus Birddad. Argead will be taken into custody by Amazar himself. Acroto’s lusus Liz takes his unconscious body and returns it to his hive. Thus the day ends.

LINKS

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Insurrection Day One

Insurrection Day Three

Insurrection OOC Thread

Insurrection Wiki Hub

MAPS:

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Jervous' Map

Momatoes' Map

A battleship of the empire stood at the ready. Its sights were aimed at a small, insignificant valley with less than twenty trolls within. Preparations to fire were in progress.

On the other side of the galaxy, two monarchs bickered. The Alternian empress snarled that his plan had only ended in violence. Half of the trolls had nearly died. A lusus had died. Most likely, trolls would die. And those who survived would be ruined.

The Orvean king disagreed. The fighting only showed which of the trolls could show talent and initiative. It would help her select who would be the leaders and who would be the followers when these trolls joined the Alternian crusades. And besides, wasn't a few dead better than many dead?

The empress hated it when her subordinates were right. She decided to give the valley more time. But she would be watching very carefully. THis could end in eighteen lives wasted. And, she threatened, if this experiment was a waste, the people of Orve would pay a blood price a million-fold.

The Orvean king silently agreed to her terms. The Orvean sociologist who was in charge of the experiment decided now would be as good a time as any to deliver his report.

"As you ordered, my empress, we have compiled the logs and events. I have a brief blurb to deliver on all the trolls within the experiment.

Riotte Norquel, red blood. Too trusting, not as smart as she thinks she is. Keeps a cool head under pressure.

Magnea Sulpha, dark red blood. Brilliant roboticist. Somewhat lacking in people skills.

Kimio Parcelsus, light brown blood. An unwitting pawn of others. Mutilated himself with scissors. A possible culling candidate.

Maleno Coggle, brown blood. Originally, we thought him to be a moron, but looks can be deceiving. Physically strong and good with his hands.

Rashei Kahmet, dark brown blood. Utterly insane, believes the dead comes back to life or some such nonsense. Powerful psychic, though.

Tettra Sedect, yellow blood. Incredible regeneration powers, smarter than she lets on. Allows herself to be manipulated by others.

Phidal Unismo, dark yellow blood. Loud, barking, passionate type. Sharp as a whip, but lets his emotions impair his judgement.

Acroto Portis, yellowish-orange blood. Lost his arms long ago. Definite culling candidate, but is a powerful psychic and a great fighter.

Likllu Pont'caa, light green blood. Utter pacifist. Physically and mentally vulnerable. Culling candidate.

Cesaro Romano, dark green blood. Hoarder of weapons and goods, considers himself a "business-man." Some sort of personality disorder.

Argead Hyllus, light blue blood. Brilliant strategic mind. Smart as they come, but still not as smart as he thinks. Obsessed with being remembered.

Raelis Sepius, dark blue blood. Excellent doctor and surgeon. Blood is apparently toxic. A well-liked if somewhat reclusive pacifist.

Amazar Lutoben, bluish purple blood. Acts like an aristocrat, and has a tendency to look down on others. Master violinist.

Demens Vomica, dark purple blood. Another medic, but she has a severe split-personality disorder. Alter-ego is dangerous and should be culled.

Zillie Partea, deep purple blood. Perpetually, violently angry. Tends to jump to conclusions. Explosives expert, fittingly enough.

Salvia Datura, muted purple blood. Another pacifist, weak-willed and easily pushed around. Also a medic.

Revyss Ycroda, light purple blood. Somewhat smug, but loyal. Prone to get into fights.

Ithlena Isthesis, very light purple blood. A minor split personality, between a violent, angry troll and a passive, gentle one. The latter, the dominant personality, has trouble controlling the former."

The queen's hand came to rest on her fin. What an odd bunch. And yet, she could see them fighting for their lives against one another. A few in particular piqued her interest. Only time would tell if they could transcend being one line of text on an official document.


Meanwhile, in the valley...

[alexthewhite]

encroachmentArchitect [EA] opened the memo 1. Read but do not respond to this.
EA: 2. Hello everyone.
EA: 3. My name is Argead Hyllus, but I think you all already knew that.
EA: 4. I am here to tell everyone the events that occurred at my hive last night.
EA: 5. Unembellished by personal bias as best I can.
EA: 6. Last night, as many of you know, Likllu was injured.
EA: 7. Myself and several other trolls set out to help her as best we could.
EA: 8. One of my attempts to help was to contact other trolls to help us.
EA: 9. This included the troll named Maleno.
EA: 10. Maleno refused to come help Likllu.
EA: 11. I lost my temper with him, and threatened him and his girlfriend Tettra.
EA: 13. Maleno took my threats as a provocation to attack my hive along with Tettra as the sun rose.
EA: 14. After much fighting, and the involvement of two other trolls, Amazar and Acroto, the dust settled.
EA: 15. Maleno had injured his leg, and Acroto had been knocked out.
EA: 16. I had taken several injuries, including a deep cut to the torso and acid splashed on my chest.
EA: 17. The chemical attack left my hive virtually uninhabitable.
EA: 18. And my lusus, Beetulphalus, was killed by Maleno.
EA: 19. I am currently in the custody of Amazar, who was unhurt in the battle.
EA: 20. Maleno and Tettra were returned to Tettra's hive.
EA: 21. Acroto was returned to his hive by his lusus Liz.
EA: 22. I have decided to mention neither personal opinions nor threats nor assertions, or anything subjective at all.
EA: 23. This is simply what happened.
EA: 24. If you would like to talk to me, with questions, comments, threats, whatever, feel free to do so via chat client.
EA: 25. But I am going to keep this memo open, so that it will be prominent on your screen.
EA: 26. That is all.

[adamantRevolutionary]

Phidal stretched within his sizable recuperacoon, feeling much better than he had when we woke up in Raelis's operating room... He left the comforting embrace of sopor slime and grabbed a crisp uniform and beret, glad to be in clean clothes for the first time since all this nonsense started.

He had left his PDA on, and there was a memo still unfinished upon it's screen. Phidal saved it for the time being and browsed over his Trollslum... Tettra's trolltag jumped out to him immediately, this having been the first time they'd both been available since before the revolution began... He had opened a chat before he even realized he was typing out a concerned inquiry.

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-- adamantRevolutionary [AR] began pestering teemingProngs [TP] --
AR: wHERE hAVE yOU bEEN, tett-RA?
TP: ...busy phidal
TP: really really busy
TP: itt's been a rough nightt
AR: bus-Y? wITH wHAT? wHAT cOULD yOU poss-IBLY bE pre-OCCUPIED wITH dur-ING a rev-OLUTION?
TP: oh, um, y'know... tthere was tthe partty
TP: which didn'tt go very well att all...
AR: i did-N'T sEE yOU aT rae-LIS'S hIVE oR aT tHE ru-INS oF zil-LIE'S, tett-RA.
TP: I, uh, leftt early
AR: wHAT wAS iT tHAT kEPT yOU fROM com-ING tO ass-IST lik-LLU? mUST hAVE bEEN im-PORTANT.
TP: um, well, maleno gott hurtt and I had tto bring him home
TP: and pattch him up
AR: aH, wELL
AR: yOU hAVE mY tHANKS. hE'S tOO val-UABLE tO hAVE lOST iN sUCH a cow-ARDLY att-ACK.
AR: how-EVER
AR: you-'VE lEFT a para-DOX iN yOUR sto-RY, tett-RA.
TP: ...oh?
AR: aN equa-TION tHAT is-N'T tRUE, let-'S sAY.
TP: :^I
AR: hOW cOULD hIS in-JURIES hAVE bEEN ser-IOUS en-OUGH fOR yOU tO ig-NORE oUR re-QUESTS fOR hELP
AR: bUT min-OR en-OUGH tHAT yOU wERE ab-LE tO tREAT tHEM your-SELF, with-OUT an-Y med-ICAL supp-LIES oR train-ING?
TP: well, uh, um...
AR: i was-N'T hATCHED lAST nIGHT, tett-RA
TP: :^<
AR: hOW dO yOU tHINK yOU cAN lIE tO mE, aS moi-RAILS nO lESS?
AR: i pASS nO judge-MENT oR ridi-CULE
TP: ...I haven'tt lied... justt haven'tt ttold tthe whole ttrutth
AR: hMM
AR: i tRUST yOU, tett-RA. mORE tHAN i tRUST an-Y oth-ER tROLL... sO i wILL nOT pRESS in-TO mat-TERS iF yOU dO nOT wANT mE tO
TP: tthank you
TP: because itt's, well, kind of privatte
AR: aff-IRMATIVE... i tHINK we-'VE aLL dONE tHINGS lAST nIGHT tHAT we-'D lIKE tO kEEP pri-VATE.
TP: yeah... as I said lastt nightt was pretttty rough
AR: i jUST wISH yOU wOULD tRUST mE en-OUGH nOT tO lIE lIKE tHAT, a sim-PLE "itt's privatte and i'd ratther nott say phidal sorry :^<" wOULD hAVE suff-ICED
TP: ...I'm sorry phidal... you're rightt
TP: tthatt isn'tt fair tto you
AR: tHINK noth-ING oF iT, tett-RA. i wOULD nOT fORCE some-THING up-ON yOU tHAT iS un-FAIR aS wELL
AR: sO
TP: tthe reason I didn'tt come is because maleno wouldn'tt lett me
TP: because argead was tthere
AR: i aM ask-ING fOR yOUR ass-ISTANCE iN tHIS rev-OLUTION, ev-EN aS a non-COMBATANT... wE aRE nO lon-GER try-ING tO over-THROW tHE hemo-SPECTRUM, oUR on-LY gOAL iS tHE er-ADICATION oF ar-GEAD
AR: oH?
TP: and... and argead tthreattened tto kill me tto gett tto him
AR: ...
TP: um
AR: tHAT iS iT
TP: and we... may... have attttacked argead during tthe day
AR: ?!
AR: yOU? att-ACKED ar-GEAD?
TP: itt didn'tt go so well...
AR: tELL mE yOU did-N'T kILL hIM?
AR: uH, be-CAUSE
TP: he's sttill alive
TP: but maleno killed his lusus
AR: je-GUS...
AR: i-'VE sEEN tHAT beet-LE, tett-RA. tHAT iS nO sMALL fEAT.
TP: yeah... maleno gutttted itt
AR: hEH, im-PRESSIVE.
AR: wHERE iS mal-ENO, any-WAY? i fEEL hE des-ERVES a med-AL.
TP: he's hurtt :^(
TP: he's sttaying att my hive for now
AR: i sENSE a patt-ERN hERE, bUT i wILL nOT in-QUIRE
AR: hOW dID ar-GEAD gET aw-AY?
TP: amazar sttepped in and... hm I should have ttold you tthis partt sooner
TP: we're under house arrestt.
TP: all tthree of us
AR: tHEN tHAT guar-ANTEES tHAT wE hAVE tIME tO mOVE ab-OUT with-OUT be-ING iN dir-ECT dan-GER fROM ar-GEAD...
TP: I guess... I'm sttuck obviously :^<
AR: you-'VE dONE mORE tHAN i ev-ER ex-PECTED, tett-RA. i ass-UME yOUR att-EMPT tO kILL hIM along-SIDE mal-ENO ans-WERS mY ques-TION ab-OUT be-ING oN bOARD fOR tHE rev-OLUTION?
TP: yes.
TP: no questtion aboutt itt.
AR: com-PLETELY just-IFIED aS wELL... tHAT'S gOOD. per-HAPS see-ING yOU tURN tO fav-OR oUR bat-TLE wILL con-VINCE sOME oTHER con-SCIENTIOUS ob-JECTORS
TP: maybe
AR: gO gET sOME rEST, tett-RA. you-'VE def-INITELY earn-ED iT.
TP: tthank you phidal
TP:
AR: i sHOULD bE thank-ING yOU, tett-RA!
AR:
-- teemingProngs [TP] ceased pestering adamantRevolutionary [AR] --

Phidal felt a bit of pride for catching her lie so quickly... He was amazed that Tettra and Maleno had killed Beetulphalus, though - they were the two he would have never guessed would become combative on their own, and yet they had made the largest impact out of anyone so far. Tettra and Maleno, though. Phidal wasn't at the party, so he couldn't have picked up on anything previously between them... He didn't even know Maleno's name until Tettra mentioned it, and he could only hope this would turn out well.

Phidal reserved his judgement for when he could speak to Maleno himself. For now, he reopened the unfinished memo and got back to work...

adamantRevolutionary [AR] has opened the memo att-ENTION!!!

AR: rec-ENT ev-ENTS hAVE cHANGED wHAT wE fIGHT fOR aND wHO wE fIGHT ag-AINST
AR: tHIS iS nO lon-GER ab-OUT bLOOD col-OR oR cASTE, tHIS iS ab-OUT sur-VIVAL
AR: i wILL bE tak-ING cHARGE, aS i sHOULD hAVE ear-LIER wHEN i de-CLARED a sTATE oF rev-OLUTION
AR: tHERE wILL bE nO neg-OTIATIONS ab-OUT thIS - i hAVE pUT yOU aLL iN ar-GEAD's cross-HAIRS, aND yOU aRE aLL nOW mY res-PONSIBILITY
AR: oUR mAIN miss-ION iS nOW tHE dEATH oF ar-GEAD aND tHOSE wHO sTAND bY hIM, tHE per-PETRATOR wHO hAS cAUSED sO mUCH suff-ERING aND pAIN
AR: hE hAS bLOWN uP a hIVE aND in-JURED near-LY aLL oF uS, shout-ED death-THREATS aT uS fROM tHE beg-INNING, tRIED tO fRAME oNE oF oUR oWN aS be-ING aN ass-ASSIN aND fRAMED my-SELF aS be-ING tHE master-MIND be-HIND iT
AR: wELL, hE cAN rEST eas-Y know-ING tHAT hE iS rIGHT ab-OUT tHAT lAST oNE fROM tHIS mom-ENT oN

[momatoes]

-- encroachmentArchitect [EA] began pestering serpentMedic [SM] --

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EA: 1. Raelis?
SM: yes?
EA: 2. What is the best treatment for acid burns?
SM: oh;
SM: hmmm...lotss, of cleaning and bandagess;
SM: if, the acid isn't poisonouss or anything...that, is the only thing that can be done;
EA: 3. Cleaning?
EA: 4. You mean like soap?
SM: dependss, on the acid;
SM: some, of them are rather difficult to wash away;
EA: 5. Oh.
SM: um, not...that, i'm prying or anything...um, do you have something to tell me?
EA: 6. I assume you mean why I'm asking about acid burns.
SM: yess;
EA: 7. I wrote a memo.
EA: 8. Read it.
SM: oh;
EA: 9. Yeah.
EA: 10. It's a funny feeling, you know.
EA: 11. I can see my hive, it's right there.
SM: um, the acid?
EA: 12. But it's not my hive anymore.
SM: you're, acting differently...mister, argead... B?
EA: 13. I feel different.
EA: 14. I think I'm...depressed?
EA: 15. Also, don't call me mister.
EA: 16. It's just Argead.
SM: okay; i, have a question...i, guess;
SM: doess, this mean war with the lowbloodss?
SM: i, just needed to know...
EA: 17. I don't know, Raelis.
EA: 18. It means war.
EA: 19. It means war with Maleno and Phidal and Tettra and Kimio.
EA: 20. It means I'm going to spend a lot of time fighting.
EA: 21. But I don't know how much help I'll have.
SM: okay, thiss is just an observation of mine;
SM: but, most of the qualified medicss are not on phidal'ss team;
EA: 22. Yes, I know.
EA: 23. Tettra is the only medic on their side.
SM: also, that i am more or lessss...bound, to give help to anyone;
EA: 24. Oh no.
EA: 25. Raelis, please tell me you aren't going to say what I think you're going to say.
SM: um; it, dependss on what you think i'm going to say; BS
EA: 26. You're going to remain neutral, aren't you?
SM: salvia, and i...thought, it might be good to be...um, unpolitical;
EA: 27. Oh, lovely.
SM: pretty, much;
EA: 28. Not only are we all badly injured, we're outnumbered, too.
EA: 29. Do you know how I look right now, Raelis?
SM: no;
EA: 30. I'm a mess.
EA: 31. I feel worse than I've ever felt in my entire life.
EA: 32. I'm bleeding from maybe a dozen places, all over Amazar's floor.
SM: i, don't know what to do...argead; it'ss, not ass if we can just refuse them medicine;
EA: 33. No, you can't, can you?
EA: 34. You're sworn to help anyone who comes to you.
SM: i, really want to help you;
SM: ...
EA: 35. You still can, Raelis.
EA: 36. Let me tell you how.
SM: ?
EA: 37. A doctor is a healer, right?
EA: 38. He fights death.
SM: yess?
EA: 39. I can think of no better way to get to know someone than commiting your life to stopping them.
EA: 40. You know things, Raelis.
EA: 41. Dangerous things.
EA: 42. Ways to kill I could never imagine.
EA: 43. Tell me.
EA: 44. If you can't fight, at least give me the tools I need to fight.
SM: ...thiss, iss...um, rather difficult for me;
SM: i...can, help; but, i don't want you to tell anyone that you got help from me;
SM: iss, this okay?
EA: 45. My lips are sealed, Raelis.
SM: ...
EA: 46. Okay, let me give you an example.
EA: 47. Last night, I fought Maleno.
EA: 48. I'm pretty proud of how I did, considering he's way bigger and stronger than me.
EA: 49. But, he lived, and he came out of it looking much better.
SM: ...
SM: okay; i'll, help;
SM: ...thiss, is...a, secret i think nobody else knowss;
SM: the, um...reason, why i don't want to think about romancess...is, that my blood and saliva are highly toxic;
SM: so, iss my lususs';
SM: i, don't think there'ss an antidote;
SM: i, won't ask where you're going to use them; but, i can give you a few vialss;
EA: 50. How toxic are we talking?
SM: um, corrosive neurotoxin;
EA: 51. That will...kill them?
SM: at, dosagess of more five dropss...yes;
EA: 52. How quickly?
SM: it, can quickly overload the nervouss system and shut down internal organss;
SM: if, it reachess the blood vesselss...
EA: 53. So, like a minute, 30 seconds, what?
SM: maybe, five minutess;
SM: but, it'ss going to be a painful five minutess;
SM: um, like searing hot needless kind of pain;
EA: 54. And there's no antidote.
EA: 55. Sounds like exactly what I need.
SM: if, it only reachess the skin...it, just actss like a strong acid;
SM: um; i'll, only do thiss if the war endss quickly;
SM: please, promise me that at least;
EA: 56. I can end it quickly enough.
EA: 57. I think that perhaps one troll will have to die.
SM: ...phidal?
EA: 58. No.
EA: 59. Phidal is, at heart, a good troll.
EA: 60. He only needs to be defeated.
SM: don't, tell me you want to die again...
EA: 61. It's not me, either.
SM: ..?
EA: 62. Okay, I suppose you can know.
EA: 63. It's Maleno.
SM: oh, well; that, was my third guessss;
EA: 64. That was obvious enough, I think.
SM: i...won't, ask; i'll, just give you a vial; that, should be enough for two dosagess;
EA: 65. Sounds good.
SM: but, you have to allow uss to practice medicine without affiliation;
SM: i'm, sorry if i'm asking too much;
EA: 66. I can agree to that.
EA: 67. But one more caveat.
SM: ?
EA: 68. If anyone else asks you for this sort of help, you don't know what they're talking about.
SM: ...understood;
EA: 69. That includes Phidal, Maleno, Amazar, Zillie, whomever.
EA: 70. It's our secret.
SM: i, understand the necessity;
SM: um, presumably...you, also don't know what they're talking about if they ask you;
EA: 71. But of course.
SM: i, don't know what else to say;
SM: i'm, heading to your hive anyway to bring you some medicine for your injuriess;
EA: 72. Great.
EA: 73. Also, could you do me a favor?
SM: ?
EA: 74. It's kind of a lot to ask.
SM: okay; go, ahead;
EA: 75. My lusus is lying at the bottom of a pit on the hill overlooking my house.
EA: 76. Could you...bury him for me?
SM: ...i'll, do my best;
EA: 77. The hole's already dug, you just need to fill out.
EA: 78. You're a good friend, Raelis.
SM: alright; ...i...wish, we'll never have thiss kind of transaction again;
SM: i'm, sorry to everyone in advance;
SM: see, you in a few minutess;

-- serpentMedic [SM] stopped pestering encroachmentArchitect [EA] --

Raelis slowly closed his husktop. He expected this to happen, but he dreaded it. Since he knew of the brewing war, he pushed the possibility to the back of his mind and concentrated on helping out as a medic. It was one of the only two things he was very good at.

He ascended his hive to the top floor, where his lusus slept. Sitting down at the grass-littered floor, he stared at her as she slept. "It's all your fault" was the thought that swirled endlessly on his mind as he absentmindedly touched his arm. It was mutilated with endless puncture marks, the result of six sweeps' worth of envenomation.

No use in moping. He went downstairs and prepared his items, and left a note by the door leading the recovery room. "went, out for a while; don't, overexert yourselvess! also, there's food in the refrigerator;"

Taking care not to wake up his guests, Raelis left his hive, heavy bag in tow. It contained more medical supplies, to help Argead heal from his burns and the acid, as well as a few equipment. Above all, it carried, wrapped in a thick layer of cloth, a vial of dark blue liquid. It sloshed around with his every step. The moons were barely starting to revolve around Alternia when he finally reached the remains of Argead's hive.

There were craters, holes, everywhere. Beetulphalus' corpse lay at the bottom of one of the pits, blood and organs spilling out into the ground. Taking off his jacket, Raelis rummaged around in his bag until he found the shovel. He stabbed it into the ground, and began the long process of burying the dead. ...maybe if the war starts, it won't just be dead lusii he would be burying. The shovel made dull metallic noises as it hit the ground and was emptied over the white shell of Beetulphalus.

It was an hour before Raelis could continue his way. The night had fully begun, and Amazar's hive was thrown into shadows as Raelis ascended the hill. Reaching the top, he took a deep breath and knocked on the door.

[ChaosWolf]

Likllu's eyes fluttered open, and she made a small, wheezing noise. With a squelching sound, her hand slowly raised from the sopor slime to her throat, massaging it tenderly. Her throat hurt so much. Her memory was blurry, and she was sore all over. She tried to sit up, and succeeded only after a few minutes of struggling. She was shaking slightly, her hand still massaging her throat. What had happened last night? She remembered... a party.... cold.... oh, yeah, singing, she had sung louder than she ever sang before. That explained her throat. She strained her memory again. There was... blood. Lots of blood. Oh, yesterday was horrible, wasn't it. She groped for her PDA on the desk next to her, and noticed two new memos, one from both spectrum's. It was times like these she was glad to be a green blood. She read them both, and her eyes grew wide, and her wheezing became for rapid and hoarse. No. It-it couldn't be. Not Tettra. Tettra was her friend. And-and Mister Cake. She had expected violence from Agread, but not so deadly, not so determined to kill. She-she had to do something. She tried to get out of the bed, but her shaking had increased, and her legs felt like jelly. She didn't even pay attention to anybody else in the room, she just... had to do something. She had to... Had to see Tettra. Thirsty. Likllu was thirsty. She looked around. Where was she again? Oh! Yes, Raelis' hive. The man who had so bravely helped everyone, who helped no matter who it was.

Likllu made a wheezy moan. She slumped down, her arms hanging over the side, still clutching her PDA. She felt so weak and pathetic...

[Panzerbear]

That incessant buzzing. Always the buzzing. It was his own personal nightmare at this point. Not sharp enough to cause horror but just enough to make him miserable. Amazar may have kept their weapons, but the stupid PDA that had been returned to Maleno was determined to deny him any sense of peace and quiet. A wry thought considered that maybe that had been the intent. He finally cracked open one eye, scanning around the room. Dark. Maybe he'd actually managed to sleep for a few hours? He wasn't sure. He'd barely been able to drag himself into Tettra's recuperacoon after she'd finished bandaging him. Oh, right, that's why it was dark. He was still inside the thing. But the space next to him was empty. The warm body that had taken the place of Number 64 (the official name for his woolbeast plush) had vacated the premises. A twinge of panic hit the mechanic's stomach as he tried to think of what could have happened to her.

The steady clicking of keys was all he needed to hear to settle down. Already, she was up and about, messaging someone. Maleno closed his eye again for a moment, trying to remember. That's right, his leg felt bare because they'd had to rip off a hefty portion of the pant leg so that he could remain decent while she patched him up. The bandages on his arm had been changed, too. Didn't matter as much as it could, though, as both sets of wrappings were now soaked with sopor slime, as was the only set of clothing he had on hand. But he didn't even want to leave the recuperacoon in the first place, so it hardly mattered.

And the PDA buzzed again, reminding Maleno of why he'd woken up. With a quiet groan of annoyance, he brought the device to bear, still laying on his back in the recuperacoon. Phidal had messaged him at some point. A little surprising, truth be told. He didn't want to think about why he was surprised to actually get a message from someone he had trusted his life with for so long. Two memos had been opened. He didn't even have the energy to blush when he realized that Argead had announced to everyone in the valley that he and Tettra were together. Or at least that he thought they were together. Ahh, who was Mal kidding? Everyone would believe it anyway.

And then it buzzed again, while he was browsing Phidal's memo. Apparently, Argead wanted to have a chat. Maleno wasn't sure why he even bothered to respond. This was probably just going to devolve into a pissing contest like last time. But he was too tired and sore to even bother fighting with the blueblood.

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-- encroachmentArchitect [EA] started trolling affableTinker [AT] --

EA: 1. Hi, Maleno.
AT: What, is this s0me kind 0f attempt @ pretending 2 be civil?
EA: 2. No.
EA: 3. It's a moment of weakness.
AT: Fine.
EA: 4. The parts of my brain that are in charge are telling me this is a terrible idea.
EA: 5. But for some reason, I have something I have to say to you.
AT: If this is an0ther g0ddamn caligin0us yankfest...
EA: 6. I don't want a romance with you.
AT: G00d
EA: 7. Just, hear me out.
EA: 8. I think I've earned at least that much.
AT: Yeah, I'll give y0u that.
EA: 9. Okay then.
AT: S0rry ab0ut the lusus, but it was kinda being a pr0blem.
EA: 10. It's fine, really.
EA: 11. I would have done the same.
EA: 12... I can't believe you just apologized.
AT: Well, carri0n bugs are a bit less, uhh
AT: Vi0lent
AT: I'm tired.
AT: S0 friggin' tired
EA: 13. He was just doing what I told him.
AT: 2 the p0int 0f n0t caring anym0re.
EA: 14. Well then, maybe that's lucky for me.
AT: 2 tired 2 be angry, @ least.
EA: 15. So just give me a moment here.
AT: Fine.
EA: 16. When you attacked my hive last night, I felt something that I had never felt before, not like this.
EA: 17. I was scared and angry like I had never been.
EA: 18. I was scared, because I thought you were going to kill me.
EA: 19. And I was angry, because I wanted to kill you.
AT: 0kay.
AT: Justified.
EA: 20. But it hit me just a few minutes ago.
EA: 21. Fear and rage.
EA: 22. The same two reasons you attacked me.
EA: 23. You were afraid I would hold up my threats, and you were angry that I made them in the first place.
AT: Pretty much.
EA: 24. So when you attacked me, in a way, I became like you.
EA: 25. I had always prided myself on acting logically.
EA: 26. But here I was, fighting for my life in front of my sanctuary, and I became nothing more than a savage.
AT: 0h, I see what this is really ab0ut.
AT: Fine, call me primitive.
AT: I d0n't care.
EA: 27. No, I'm not accusing you of being a savage.
AT: Then what's the p0int 0f this?
EA: 28. But in a way, we were just two animals, weren't we?
AT: That's what survival b0ils d0wn 2, yeah.
EA: 29. There was a moment when I stopped caring about Likllu, and you stopped caring about Tettra.
EA: 30. We just both wanted to kill the other so we could live.
AT: Well...
AT: When y0u get d0wn 2 it.
EA: 31. But I think that's why you won, Maleno.
AT: The 0nly pers0n wh0 will always l00k 0ut 4 y0u, regardless 0f what's g0ing 0n
EA: 32. You beat me last night, you know.
AT: W0n is a str0ng w0rd.
AT: I turned my back.
EA: 33. Thoroughly.
AT: It was stupid.
AT: I really d0n't kn0w h0w l0ng this is g0ing 2 take 2 heal.
AT: Tettra's n0t a d0ct0r.
EA: 34. Your injuries are no worse than my own.
AT: Eh. Y0u g0t a few burns.
AT: N0thing deep, if I'm n0t mistaken.
AT: Bruised ribs, maybe.
EA: 35. I'm not going into my injuries, that's stupid.
EA: 36. Stop telling me about yours, too.
AT: Fine, fine.
AT: I'm just trying 2 remember what all is the pr0blem.
EA: 37. The point is, we'll both recover.
EA: 38. But I lost something that I can never get back.
EA: 39. No matter what anyone does, I will never get my lusus back.
AT: He was scary, h0nestly.
EA: 40. He was, wasn't he?
EA: 41. Best lusus a troll could ask for.
EA: 42. He was willing to die for me.
EA: 43. And he did.
AT: Better than m0st friends a tr0ll will ever have.
EA: 44. In his last moments, he was still doing what I told him.
EA: 45. I couldn't ask for any more.
AT: Well, if y0u want s0mething a little, uhh, cliched...
EA: 46. Hmm?
AT: @ least he died an h0n0rable death in battle.
EA: 47. I'm not so sure there's such thing.
EA: 48. But it's irrelevant.
EA: 49. You beat me last night, because even though it was my hive, we were fighting on your terms.
AT: Fine, m0re threats.
EA: 50. You're the one who triumphs in the arena of emotionally charged combat, no?
EA: 51. I told you, the feeling was completely alien to me.
AT: 0nly if they d0n't get in the way.
AT: Fear's a str0ng em0ti0n.
EA: 52. On the contrary, they helped me.
EA: 53. You would've killed me for sure if I didn't want to kill you so badly.
AT: & why are y0u telling me this?
EA: 54. I'm getting to that.
AT: L00king 4 insight int0 the wh0le deal?
AT: 0kay.
EA: 55. Emotions are a simple thing, aren't they?
AT: Haha, n0t @ all.
EA: 56. Anyone and everyone feels them, though.
AT: Yeah. But they're c0mplicated.
EA: 57. Complex emotions, sure, but they're a constant.
AT: Always s0 c0mplicated.
AT: Presence is c0nstant.
AT: Balance, n0t really.
EA: 58. Logic comes and goes.
EA: 59. Logic is my weapon, Maleno.
EA: 60. Stronger than my spears, tthan my traps, than Beetulphalus.
AT: Heh, well, @ least 1 0f us has l0gic.
EA: 61. But I didn't, don't you get it?
EA: 62. Last night, I let emotions overcome my logic.
AT: S0... y0u're trying 2 say
EA: 63. I entered your world and I lost because of it.
AT: That next time, y0u w0n't let that happen?
EA: 64. It's deeper than that.
EA: 65. We live in a culture of cold logic, don't we?
AT: We like 2 think s0.
AT: But... n0t really.
EA: 66. If you aren't fit, you get culled.
EA: 67. There's no compassion there.
AT: Hate is the base em0ti0n. Everything else stems fr0m it.
AT: Pity is a privilege.
EA: 68. If you aren't useful, you get sent to some far-off world to die.
EA: 69. We're the supreme species in the galaxy because we never let our emotions distract us.
AT: If y0u say s0.
EA: 70. Which is why I'm going to beat you, Maleno.
EA: 71. Because logic trumps emotion.
EA: 72. Always has, always will.
AT: I'd give y0u s0me c0rny shit ab0ut h0pe, but meh.
EA: 73. You took me out of my comfort zone.
EA: 74. Now I will take you out of yours.
EA: 75. But you won't be able to adapt, like I did.
AT: 0kay.
EA: 76. I told you before that I'm adaptable.
EA: 77. It comes with the territory.
EA: 78. Maleno, you attacked my hive with a one-step plan, didn't you?
EA: 79. "Burn it."
AT: It was simple, yeah.
EA: 80. Doesn't matter that it was made of rock and steel and it wouldn't burn.
EA: 81. You decided to wing it in terms of what I or my lusus could do.
EA: 82. It worked, don't get me wrong.

[alexthewhite]

Argead continued his conversation with Maleno.
It was oddly liberating, talking to his worst enemy like this.

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AT: What d0 y0u want fr0m me?
EA: 83. But if it were the other way around, it would have been a total victory.
EA: 84. If I was Maleno, with every advantage in the world, attacking Argead, then Argead would be dead.
AT: Yeah, well, I let em0ti0ns get in the way.
AT: Like y0u said.
EA: 85. Don't fault yourself, it's your nature.
AT: Sh0uld've just t0rched y0u while y0u were laying 0n the gr0und.
EA: 86. Your girlfriend could have shot me, I think.
EA: 87. She was at the top of the hill.
AT: She's... n0t a fighter.
AT: N0t really.
EA: 88. Good range.
EA: 89. But you could have made her.
AT: I'm n0t like that.
EA: 90. It would've ruined her, but you would've won.
EA: 91. Beaten me, killed me, destroyed me.
AT: That's n0t winning.
EA: 92. To you, it wouldn't be.
EA: 93. To me, it would.
EA: 94. But I saw a flash, Maleno.
AT: 0h?
EA: 95. I saw a flash of logic peeking through the raw instinct.
EA: 96. You brought her, Maleno.
AT: I sh0uldn't have.
EA: 97. "Not a fighter", but you brought her regardless.
AT: Really & h0nestly, I sh0uldn't have.
EA: 98. Saved you, you know.
AT: Maybe.
EA: 99. If she wasn't there, me and Beetulphalus would have double-teamed you and you'd be dead.
AT: Which w0uldn't be as bad as y0u think.
EA: 100. That's the bridge between logic and emotion.
EA: 101. Fear for your safety met a tactical advantage.
AT: If y0u say s0.
EA: 102. And all it cost you was the safety of your girlfriend.
AT: That's why it's n0t g0ing 2 happen again.
EA: 103. What if I told you it was your only hope to beat me?
AT: Y0u tell me a l0t 0f things. I'm really n0t sure which 0nes are really all that h0nest.
EA: 104. If you embrace it, Maleno, embrace the cowardly but smart, the cold but sound logic, you might actually have a chance.
EA: 105. And you know what else?
EA: 106. If you actually managed it, I'd deserve to lose.
EA: 107. You'd deserve to go on and become one of the best damn commanders the mother-grub has ever seen.
AT: @ the expense 0f, well... me.
EA: 108. Yeah, might not be worth it.
EA: 109. I might not be the monster you think I am, you know.
EA: 110. I mean, I am a monster, but Likllu's safety was all I cared about last night.
AT: M0nster is a str0ng w0rd.
EA: 111. Feel free not to believe that, but it's the truth.
AT: 0h, I d0n't d0ubt it.
AT: Every0ne else practically w0rships the gr0und she walks 0n.
AT: Every0ne wants 2 help her.
EA: 112. Like I told you last night, some things are off limits.
EA: 113. But that was emotional Argead talking.
EA: 114. And with this conversation, emotional Argead is dead.
AT: N0ted.
EA: 115. He had one blaze of glory, but now he will be destroyed and used to make logical Argead stronger.
AT: I'm s0rry 4 y0u.
AT: It's g0ing 2 be an empty existence if y0u detach y0urself like that.
EA: 116. I think, in a way, this conversation is a great victory for me.
AT: If y0u say s0.
EA: 117. Think about it.
EA: 118. It's going to do one of two things.
EA: 119. Either I kill you, and I win, or you kill me and you win.
AT: It's never that simple.
EA: 120. But if you kill me, then you're just a stronger version of me, so I win in that case too.
EA: 121. Argead Hyllus lives on as one of the greatest commander of the mother-grubs forces ever.
EA: 122. Even if he isn't being called Argead Hyllus.
AT: Can I stick with my 0wn hairstyle? Y0urs is kinda g00fy.
EA: 123. Heheheheh.
EA: 124. That was pretty damn funny.
AT: Well, y0u watch en0ugh, y0u s0metimes pick s0mething up.
EA: 125. That's all I wanted to say, really.
AT: 0kay.
EA: 126. I was wrong last night when I said I didn't respect you.
EA: 127. I didn't then, but I do now.
EA: 128. But I think I earned some of your respect too.
EA: 129. Why don't you decide.
EA: 130. What's your last name?
AT: Eh. It's n0t imp0rtant, but C0ggle.
AT: Names d0n't really mean anything, y0u kn0w.
EA: 131. To me, they do.
EA: 132. It's what goes in the history textbooks.
AT: If y0u call s0me0ne s0mething else, it d0esn't matter if they still answer.
AT: W0uld y0u think differently
AT: 0f the pers0n in the textb00k
AT: If their name was different?
EA: 133. You're right.
EA: 134. Argead Hyllus is a way cooler name than Maleno Coggle.
EA: 135. Guess I have to beat you, now.
AT: There y0u g0.
AT: It's like
AT: Wh0 came up with this name?
AT: S0me retarded wiggler?
AT: C0ggle
AT: Seri0usly.
AT: Sh0uld just cull him n0w & save 0urselves the tr0uble later.
EA: 136. Oh, that'd have been nice.
EA: 137. Or maybe not.
AT: W0uld've made things quieter.
EA: 138. Easier for me, at least.
AT: N0t just 4 y0u.
EA: 139. Between you and me, I don't think Phidal would have a chance if he didn't have someone like you.
AT: Eh.
AT: Magnea's m0re useful.
EA: 140. Ability isn't everything.
EA: 141. Magnea's machines are a problem, but they can never challenge me as much as you can.
AT: If y0u say s0.
EA: 142. I have a thousand ways to counter a robot.
EA: 143. But only one way to counter you.
EA: 144. This is it.
AT: What, talking 2 me?
EA: 145. Telling you how it is.
AT: 0h, y0u kn0w me. I'm n0t a very g00d listener anway.
AT: Always daydreaming.
AT: 0ff in my 0wn little w0rld.
EA: 146. I don't think you did, during this conversation.
AT: I think
EA: 147. I think you were hanging onto every word I said.
AT: Y0u 0verestimate my mental faculties when I'm tired.
EA: 148. Maybe.
EA: 149. I certainly won't be underestimating you anymore.
AT: Yeah, I guess it was really the 0nly advantage I had.
AT: Kinda squandered it.
AT: 0h well, hindsight's 20/20.
EA: 150. Won the battle but lost the war, how many times have I read that?
AT: Hell if I kn0w.
AT: An0ther tired 0ld cliche.
EA: 151. Getting my books back is going to be a bitch.
EA: 152. And my plans, and my spears.
AT: Sh0uld've kept electr0nic c0pies.
AT: Eh. Weap0ns are cheap.
AT: & if y0u can remember y0ur plans, y0u sh0uld be fine 0n that c0unt.
EA: 153. They're fine.
EA: 154. Still in my hive.
EA: 155. The tricky part is getting inside.
EA: 156. I think you melted my door shut.
AT: Just needs a little extra heat.
AT: & a sh0ve.
EA: 157. Wow, long conversation.
AT: Sh0uldn't be 2 hard.
AT: Is it?
EA: 158. Nearly an hour.
EA: 159. I'm expecting company, so I should go.
AT: Alright.
EA: 160. Take care of Tettra, will you?
AT: I'll try, but these days, I think she's m0re capable than I am.
AT: Just has a clumsy m0ment n0w & again.
EA: 161. You're lucky to have a girl who is so devoted to you.
EA: 162. See you.
AT: Bye.

encroachmentArchitect [EA] ceased pestering affableTinker [AT]

Argead sat at the desk for a long time, deep in thought. A few minutes later (or perhaps it was several minutes, he didn't know,) there was a knock at Amazar's beautiful door. Argead limped downstairs to meet his guest.

"1. Raelis. 2. So good to see you."

[Corny]

Tettra slipped out of the recuperacoon as she heard the familiar quiet beeps of Trollian from her computer. She took care not to disturb the still-sleeping Maleno, wriggling her way out as best she could. With light steps, she crept over to her computer. Phidal had began to troll her in a conversation that has already been read. Tettra couldn't help but feel bad about how secretive she had acted. It hadn't felt right.
Then, Likllu began to troll her. She hoped desperately that it wouldn't be as confusing and frightening to read as last time.

Show Pesterlog (bluh bluh colors later)

show spoiler

hide spoiler

-- vocalOvertone [VO] began pestering teemingProngs [TP] --

VO: Tettra!!!!
VO: Is it true?
VO: Did you....
VO: Did you be violent?
TP: well
TP: yes
VO: }]{:'(
VO: I'm sooo sorry!
TP: no itt's ok likllu
TP: itt isn'tt your faultt
VO: No, it's not okay, I was hurt, and I... think I tired to help me...
VO: It's kinda fuzzy now
VO: But, I kept calling you and asking for you
TP: I know
VO: And I didn't realize you were doing other things
TP: and I wantted tto come
TP: butt I couldn'tt
VO: You and Maleno are flushed now, right?
VO: I think I
VO: remeber that...
VO: When I talked to him
TP: :#^I
VO: It's okay
VO: He obviously needed you
VO: I should never have tried to get in the way of love
VO: Love will conquer all
TP: :^)
TP: I sttill wish I could have been tthere for you
VO: I think...
VO: I think Maleno said something
VO: I don't think he likes me
VO: I want to come see you, but...
VO: Maleno probably wouldn't like it...
TP: we're nott allowed tto have anybody visitt, I tthink
VO: I can be persuasive!
VO: I can get any of the blue bloods to let me do what I want
VO: And, probably most of you guys too!
VO: I dunno about Maleno though...
VO: He makes great cakes, but
VO: I get the feeling that people who don't like me aren't as willing to listen to me
TP: well
TP: he justt feels like you kind of ttry tto gett your way ttoo much
VO: Oh no!
VO: Never!
VO: I just want people to find their maresprites and live happily!
VO: See, you found your matesprite, and so did he!
VO: So now, I won't be all bugging you two about it!
TP: I guess...
VO: Oh Tettra...
VO: You can tell me anything, you know that?
VO: If it's angry talk, or any other kind of talk, I'll listen
VO: I'll be your diary!
VO: And I can keep all your angry thoughts, so you don't have to bottle them up!
TP: well... I'm ttired of feeling useless
VO: You're not useless!
VO: Useless people don't get matesprites!
VO: And guess what yooouuu goooot~~~~
TP: tthatt isn'tt really whatt I meantt...
TP: like att tthe partty
TP: I keptt getttting my head sttuck in tthings
TP: and att tthe fightt I fell intto a pitt and couldn'tt help :^(
VO: Well, did the head stucking result in something else?
TP: resultted in sttabbing maleno in tthe arm :^<
VO: Ah! So Maleno was there!
VO: And he helped you~~~
VO: So, in a way, your headstucking got you close to him!
VO: That doesn't sound useless to me!
VO: Sounds convieeentient~~~
VO: I bet you panned it~~~
VO: I bet you "accidentally" got stuck
VO: Then, big strong Maleno came
TP: :#^I
VO: His face next to yours, his muscles flexing to help out the damsel in distress
TP: I almost wish itt was like tthatt
VO: Heeheeheehee~~
VO: I'm just teasing, Tettra
VO: But still, even though you didn't plan it
VO: Some good came out of it
TP: itt'd be less embarrassing
VO: Oh, but that is the best way!
VO: You're all emberrased, and not at your best
VO: And he still loved you anyway!
VO: You know it's true love when they love you at the point you think is your lowest
VO: I'm so happy you two can be together!
TP: :^)
TP: tthatt did make me feel betttter
TP: tthanks likllu
VO: Heeheeheeheehee~~~
VO: Mwah!
VO: See?
VO: You just gotta look at the positives!
VO: Everything has a bit of positive!
TP: yeah
TP: tthatt's a good way tto look att itt
VO: }]{:)
VO: That's the spirit!
VO: Oh Tettra, I still want to see you...
VO: Maybe I'll talk to Amazer!
VO: And, you can talk to Maleno!
VO: Don't wanna step on your flushy's toes
TP: okay... if amazar says itt's okay tthen I wouldn'tt mind seeing you again
VO: Yay!
VO: Prepar for my SUPER HUGS!!!
VO: Oh, but, uh...
VO: I probably won't be able to talk a lot
VO: My voice is a little....
VO: Um...
VO: Broken....
TP: awww :^(
VO: I shouldn't have sung so loud, and so high.
TP: why did you do tthatt?
VO: Well.....
VO: Everyone was hurt
VO: And, I kinda ran off...
VO: And, I'm no good at medical stuff
VO: So, there was no point in going back
VO: My voice is so beautiful, I thought it would lift some people spirits!
VO: Give them something to hold on to!
VO: I really don't know if it helped...
VO: But, it was all I could think
TP: I'm surprised I didn'tt hear itt...
TP: or att leastt I tthink I didn'tt
VO: Well, you were snuggled close to your flushy, no doubt!
VO: I bet you were too busy staring into his eyes, and listening to his strong heartbeat!
TP: :#^) well... maybe
VO: }]{;)
TP: well, I'll see you when I see you, likllu :^)
VO: Buh bye!
VO: Mwah!
TP: bye

-- teemingProngs [TP] ceased pestering vocalOvertone [VO] --

Tettra sat back from the computer, just staring at the screen. Why was it so much easier to talk to Likllu than anybody else? She had let out so much more to her than her own moirail. She rubbed her eyes and shut her laptop. It took her a minute to realize that she'd invited Likllu over, assuming Amazar would allow it. She glanced over at the recuperacoon, wondering how Maleno would feel about that.
Probably not all that excited...

[ChaosWolf]

Likllu pulled herself up with as much strength as she could spare. She decided that it would be best to make sure everyone was alright. Wheezing slightly, she began a conversation with Tettra that we have already seen. After that, she felt much happier, and her wheezing had died down. She decided that, since Amazer wasn't online, and probably still sleeping, she would call Agread. Maybe she could distract his from all this grumpy fight with romance talk~~~ Yessss~~~ She refused to let anyone remain not happy! If she could cheer up Tettra, then surely she could cheer up Agread!

-- vocalOvertone [VO] began pestering encroachmentArchitect [EA] --

show spoiler

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VO: Agreeeeaaaaaad!!
EA: 1. Oh.
EA: 2. Hi, Likllu.
EA: 3. How are you feeling?
VO: I'm fine, fine, but forget about me!
VO: You're not hurt toooo bad are you?!
EA: 4. I'll live.
VO: Yay!
VO: So, this fighting nonsense stuff
VO: I think we should stop being all hatey
VO: Buuuut, I know you won't listen to me
EA: 5. I don't think it's nonsense anymore, Likllu.
EA: 6. I want you to imagine something for me.
VO: Hmm?
EA: 7. You're sitting at your hive, alone, comfortable.
EA: 8. Then, a few people who you know don't like you attack you when you aren't looking.
EA: 9. They ruin your hive.
EA: 10. They hurt you, badly.
EA: 11. They kill your lusus.
EA: 12. And you're lying there, and even someone as good-natured as you would have to think.
EA: 13. "How can I get back at them for this?"
VO: Noooo
VO: I think I would think
VO: "What did I do to deserve this? I should think for a bit and apologize, and have someone give them a stern talking to."
VO: "Then put them in time out"
EA: 14. Well, I guess that's how different we are.
EA: 15. I can't expect you to understand, just as you can't expect me to agree.
EA: 16. But I want you to know something.
VO: Mmm?
EA: 17. It was for you, Likllu.
VO: Daaaaawwwwww!
EA: 18. I fought and nearly died because of you.
VO: No, wait, no!
VO: That's bad!
EA: 19. Don't take that the wrong way.
VO: Don't worry about me!
VO: Nobody should fight for me!!!
EA: 20. I'm not blaming you for any of this.
VO: Nonnononononono
VO: STOP!
VO: ENOUGH
VO: No more talking about this
EA: 21...
VO: I am now changing this subject
EA: 22. But it's important.
VO: To the reeeaaaal reason I called you
EA: 23. Oh...yes, the romances.
VO: Which is waaaay more important than any fighty poopy stuff
VO: YES!
VO: You
VO: Ribbon Girl!
VO: The Scooop!!
EA: 24. I don't think that's happening.
VO: NO!
EA: 25. She hates my guts, I think.
VO: Romance must happen!
EA: 26. I fucked up real bad.
EA: 27. Nothing I ever do will make her forgive me.
VO: Well then, let someone else do it for you!
EA: 28. I refuse.
VO: Wrong
EA: 29. It would get in my way.
EA: 30. Romance is so...it's such a waste of time.
VO: Unless you find yourself flushed with someone else, I am going to match you with Ribbons
VO: !!!!!!
VO: WASTE
VO: OF
VO: TIME!!!!!
EA: 31. For me.
VO: BAH!!!
EA: 32. Not for you.
VO: Not even for you!
EA: 33. Look, we're the same way.
EA: 34. I'm about fighting how you are about romance.
EA: 35. And vice-versa.
VO: But fighting can get people killed!
EA: 36. It's all I think about, all the time.
VO: Don't we get enough of that with culling!
EA: 37. Maybe that's what you're for.
EA: 38. I'll be culled if I don't get two partners.
VO: All the death we have to face, every day, why do we have to have make it worse!
VO: This fighting!
VO: It's just going to keep going and going!
EA: 39. It's our way of life.
EA: 40. What do you think happens when we go off-world?
VO: Sure, I understand fighting OTHER species
EA: 41. Do you?
VO: They would totally mess our stuff up
EA: 42. They're not so different from us, Likllu.
VO: All their, wierd, not-romance romance
EA: 43. They have wants and needs and loves and hates and fears and strengths and weaknesses just like us.
VO: Our species is born to fight, so we fight others
EA: 44. So you'd be just fine with it?
EA: 45. Going off, killing someone?
VO: But, how we claim to be superior if we can't even stop fighting among oursleves?
EA: 46. Someone with friends and family and hopes and dreams?
VO: Rrrggg
VO: That's not the point!
VO: The point is
EA: 47. The point is neither of us looks at this the right way.
EA: 48. We need each other.
VO: We should focus on problems with ourselves before we deal with the problems of others
EA: 49. You need me to teach you about fighting, and I need you to teach me about romance.
VO: Okay Agread
VO: Here's the deal
EA: 50. Because we need both.
VO: I know that you and Melano intend to fight each other
VO: Really hard
EA: 51. Until one of us is completely destroyed.
VO: well you know what?
EA: 52. And not anything anyone ever says to me will change that.
VO: I will
VO: Neither of you will die
VO: I will get in both of your way
VO: I will DIE in that crossfire if I have to!!
EA: 53. This is really, really painful for me.
VO: IF ANYONE IS GOING TO DIE IT WILL BE ME!!
EA: 54. It's the hardest thing I've ever had to say.
EA: 55. But that would mean that I win.
VO: No, because you wouldn't have your matesprite
EA: 56. Haha, you think I want you as a matesprit?
VO: You would loose, because despite your fighting skills
VO: Not me
VO: Anyone
EA: 57. I want you as a moirail, Likllu.
VO: You will lose yourself
VO: You will lose yourself in this death
VO: In this cold calculation
VO: You will lose feeling
VO: And you won't be able to pass your fighting skill
VO: Your determination
VO: When you die
VO: Your passion
VO: Your ways
VO: Will end
VO: And you will be nothing more
EA: 58. This is hard for you to imagine, because everything you do is emotionally-charged.
VO: Than a footnote in history
EA: 59. But I could go on.
EA: 60. Fighting is all I care about, really.
VO: *sigh*
EA: 61. I want you to teach me about romance so I can keep fighting.
VO: I can't teach it
EA: 62. I want to beat Maleno because he wants me to stop fighting.
VO: No one can teach romance
VO: It's in all of us
EA: 63. You know more about it than anyone else I know.
EA: 64. I know next to nothing.
EA: 65. Like, I only have a faint idea what black romance is.
VO: we feel ourselves drawn to someone, whether from pity or hate, we bring ourselves to another
EA: 66. I would just make it into one of my strategies, you know.
VO: We discover, that there is more to us than just...
VO: Us
VO: There are others who know how we feel
EA: 67. Yesterday, I felt romance for the first time in my life.
EA: 68. You know what it cost me?
EA: 69. My legs, my hive, and my lusus.
VO: Did you give up on romance when you lost those things?
EA: 70. If I had remained as detached as I did up until that point, none of it would have happened.
VO: Did you think
VO: "Because of this, I am weakend"
EA: 71. Yes.
VO: Then you don't know
VO: Romance would be worth it
VO: To lose everything
EA: 72. It's a waste of time, and if I didn't need it, then I wouldn't even try it.
EA: 73. I don't think it was worth it.
EA: 74. I think I showed weakness and paid for it.
VO: Then you really did lose
EA: 75. Never again.
EA: 76. I will never be so weak again.
VO: Love conquers all
EA: 77. If you're right, then I'm dead.
EA: 78. Maleno will kill me, the horrible loveless beast, in the name of love.
VO: Only if you've really given up
VO: Don't shut yourself out
VO: You were there, next to me, when I was weakest
VO: You still feel, I know you do
EA: 79. But you weren't there, when I was at my weakest.
VO: Don't throw it away because it made your life harder
VO: Keep feeling
VO: Because if you do
VO: It will make you stronger
EA: 80. And in that moment, when I thought I was going to die, I didn't consider Riotte or you or Phidal or anyone else.
EA: 81. All I cared about was winning the fight.
VO: Then find someone damnit!
VO: Listen to me
VO: You know you are really, truly strong, when you are at your weakest, when there is absolutely nothing left for you
VO: And you keep going
VO: I don't remember all of last night
VO: But I remember singing
VO: And I remember the cold
VO: And I remember the fear that people I cared about were dying
VO: I could have died
VO: But I kept going
VO: And now, here I am
VO: Talking to you
VO: The weak little girl, who refuses to fight
VO: The weak little girl, who is stronger than you
VO: Agread
VO: I'm disappointed in you
EA: 82. But when I think of the fear I felt that night, Likllu, you don't undrstand.
EA: 83. I was only afraid that Maleno was stronger than me.
VO: And you were right
VO: Because he was fighting for something
VO: What were you fighting for?
EA: 84. At first I was fighting for you.
VO: And you were even
EA: 85...Ah.
EA: 86. But when I thought of myself, that was when I lost.
EA: 87. True, true.
VO: Which is why this fighting is pointless
VO: The only way you could win, is if you took away what he fought for
VO: And I will never allow that
VO: Tettra is my friend
EA: 88. But therein lies the problem.
EA: 89. It's not about Tettra, anymore.
VO: But it will be
VO: When he is weak
EA: 90. I lost last night not because I stopped fighting for you, but because I began the fight fighting for you in the first place.
VO: I won't pretend I know how fighting works
VO: But I will pretend to know how emotions work
EA: 91. It's the greatest feeling in the world, I think.
EA: 92. Beating someone so thoroughly that everyone turns and says "He just beat him."
EA: 93. Maleno tried to do that last night, but he failed.
EA: 94. Because he was worried about her.
EA: 95. And I could have achieved that last night, but I failed, because I was thinking about you.
VO: When you are weak, when you have nothing to turn to, when it's just you, you decide not to fight for yourself, and you no longer care what happens to you, only that you make goddamn sure that the one you love will be able to live in a world that they will never be threatened again
VO: That is when no one can beat you
VO: That is when you become
VO: Invincible
EA: 96. History is on my side.
VO: *sigh*
EA: 97. The great conquerors all fell to emotional weakness, to the drink, to a woman distracting him.
VO: It's obvious I won't be able to convince you
EA: 98. I am as single-minded in my victory as I can possibly be.
VO: I'll just say a few last things
EA: 99. No, wait.
VO: Those conquerors
VO: Those who didn't die
VO: Were they happy?
VO: Living a long, lonely life with no one but death?
EA: 100. All the worlds riches, all their opponents cowering at their feet?
EA: 101. That sounds like happiness to me.
EA: 102. You know what makes me unhappy?
VO: That sounds like pride and security to me
VO: Not happiness
EA: 103. Losing makes me unhappy.
VO: Fine
VO: One last thing then
EA: 104. Being beaten makes me unhappy, nothing else.
EA: 105. Maleno beat me because I showed emotion for the first time.
VO: If anybody dies, whether it be you, Maleno, or anybody else
VO: I will not be far behind
EA: 106. I lost as soon as I embraced emotion, a coincedence?
EA: 107. Likllu, don't say that.
VO: I will
VO: So
VO: You better make damn sure you don't die
EA: 108. You don't understand Likllu, that won't stop me.
EA: 109. You'll die for no reason.
VO: And you better make damn sure no one else does too
VO: Then it'll be on your hands
EA: 110. I care more about winning than I do about you or anything else, though.
VO: Will you be happy then?
EA: 111. And if losing you means winning...
VO: Knowing that you won?
EA: 112. Maybe it'll be worth it.
VO: At the cost of one more life
EA: 113. I can't say for sure.
VO: Goodbye Agread
VO: I'll talk to you again
VO: And I will never bring this up
VO: Ever
EA: 114. No, don't.
VO: Mwah

-- vocalOvertone [VO] ceased pestering encroachmentArchitect [EA] --

Bright green tears fell from her eyes and into her sopor-soaked skirt. Goddamn it Agread. How did you get so lost. How did you get so cold.

She sat there, wheezing. Come on, Amazer, wake up. She wanted to see Tettra even more now. She didn't even consider the fact she could barely move, much less walk. She just... she just wanted to see for herself that there was still some love for her to keep going for. She missed her voice already...

[momatoes]

"1. Raelis. 2. So good to see you."

Raelis saw Argead's injured body and stared in surprise. So it was true. The Argead he'd once thought of as impregnable had now been physically reduced to maimed limbs and scarred skin. Composing himself, Raelis nodded in reply. "i've, buried your lususs; i...didn't, put an epitaph;"

He entered Amazar's hive and set down his bag. Amazar must still be asleep. "i'll, try to be quick about thiss; my, patientss will wake up soon and i don't like leaving them unsupervised;" Rummaging through his bag distractedly, he continued. "let'ss, have a look at you first;"

Raelis took out a roll of bandages and vases of opaque, amber liquid. He did it as business-like as he could, deftly avoiding meeting Argead's eyes. Raelis concentrated on the medicine he handled. It was all that could matter right now, the only allowed avenue of thought.

"you, need to replace your leg bandagess every day; i've, brought a crutch to help you walk...and, these medicine here should be drunk...both, one tablespoon dosage at three timess a day;" Raelis pointed to the two bottles beside him. "i'm, going to leave this vase of ointment to help with burning painss...and, this bottle of antiseptic for cleaning woundss; please, be prudent with them;"

There was nothing left in the bag but the covered vial. Nervously, Raelis took it out and held it gingerly in his hands. He closed his eyes. Confused images ran in his mind, of the various permutations of events that could unveil themselves this very second. He was promised a quick end to the war, and permission to achieve true neutrality. Just for this.

Opening his eyes, Raelis bit his lip and stared Argead straight in the eye.

"tell, me; why, shouldn't i just throw thiss in your face and end the war before it even beginss?"

[alexthewhite]

Argead had been staring intently at the wall as Raelis worked. What Likllu had said put him in a difficult spot. He believed her threat, but he couldn't stop, not now. Could he convince her otherwise?

Argead hesitated. He could convince anyone to hate him. Would it really be so hard to convince someone to unfalteringly trust him? Phidal could, and Argead envied that. Maybe he should talk to Phidal. Learn how to motivate, instead of instigate. Maybe he could-hold on.

Argead turned to look at Raelis. A quick glimmer of surprise was replaced with a cold neutrality.

"1. It wouldn't end the conflict, Raelis." Argead said softly. "2. Amazar and Zillie and Revyss wouldn't throw their hands in the air and surrender because I wasn't around. 3. They'd fight, and Phidal would kill them. 4. They need me."

[momatoes]

His hands shook as Argead told him the truth. He had no choice, didn't he? The war's going to fucking erupt anyway.

Raelis stared at his hands. They were still cradling the cloth-lined vial. ...Argead shouldn't have told the truth. He should have lied. He should have allowed Raelis to at least do something, anything to stop this lurching feeling.

"i...wass, this what you really wanted from the beginning? trollss, are going to die! friendss, are going to kill each other!" Raelis shouted. "...and, you know the really twisted thing? the, only thing i can do to stop thiss is hand thiss to you just so you could kill more trollss!"

[alexthewhite]

Argead nodded slowly.
"1. It is, I'm sorry to say. 2. Trolls will have to die, Raelis. 3. But-" and Argead was sure to make eye contact, "4. But it's necessary. 5. One day, we'll all go off-world to fight, and we won't be ready. 6. None of us FLARP'd, none of us have been in a real fight before. 7. We'd be slaughtered." Argead put his arm on Raelis' shoulder. "8. You're a doctor, so you're set. 9. What about Revyss? 10. Or Zillie, or Acroto, or me? 11. We'll be on that front-line, and if we don't get ready now, we'll be killed. 12. But if I succeed, if we fight one another until we're the best we can be, then we all can go on to live long, successful lives." Argead silently put his hand to his chest, his wind-chute blocked temporarily, as it was now prone to doing. When he spoke again, his voice was pained but no less determined. "13. I'm sacrificing one or two lives now to save sixteen later."

[momatoes]

Raelis shook his head.

"that'ss, a lie and you know it;" he whispered.

Brusquely, he thrust the vial into Argead's hands and was out of the door in two strides.

The twin moons of the sky welcomed him into the hilly fold. He walked briskly at first, but before long he was running, feeling the wind whip the air across his face and whistle in his ear. The night air felt sharply cold. He gasped for breath, and his lungs soon accommodated, expanding to allow his sprint to continue. He wanted to fly with the wind but his feet never left the ground.

Before entering his hive, he stopped and wiped his eyes. He took a deep breath. Yeah. He, he didn't feel good. He needed his lusus, needed to feel her sting again to bring him back into focus. And then maybe check on the others. All right.

Tiptoeing upstairs, Raelis stopped as a ray of light exited from the crack of the ward. Someone was awake? Looking in, he saw Likllu, obsessively staring at her PDA. "likllu?" he asked, surprised.

[ChaosWolf]

Likllu looked up and saw Raelis. She wheezed a bit, but gave him a smile. "H*hah* hi." She put her PDA down and tried to wipe away as much of the sopor as she could from her torso. She wanted to thank him, and she tried to do so, but her voice wasn't ready for such talking. She gestured to her throat. "W-*hah-hah* water. Plea*hah* please." She kept her smile, but looked down. She felt so pathetic. Despite all the things she said to Agread, she felt so weak. She couldn't even move. Her legs felt like jelly made out of lead, and her throat felt like she had eaten nothing but sand and warm coals. Her beautiful voice, reduced to this. She wiped away her tears as fast as she could.

[alexthewhite]

Argead watched Raelis run. He was slow, and awkward. Argead shook his head.
"1. You can't run forever." He muttered. But for now, Raelis could live in his peaceful world.

Argead eyed the two vials he had been given. He doubted he would get any more. He discreetly deposited them in his sylladex and walked over to the medicine he had been given. First thing was first.

Argead reached into his sylladex and pulled out his horn. He set about sharpening the tip to the crutch to a fine point. Now it too was technically a spear.

Only then did Argead realize how much pain he was in. He let out a soft cry, before attacking the creams Raelis had given him. It was bliss, the shackles of constant pain lifted, if only for moments. Argead felt like he could take on the world.

But before that, rest. Argead collapsed into another fit of exhaustion. When he awoke, he would win this war.

[momatoes]

"oh, right!" Hurrying to a sink, he let the water flow into a glass flask and ran to Likllu. Taking a powdery substance from his pockets, he handed the water and the medicine to her. "drink, these together;"

...that's right. She was still far from alright. Regular intake of drugs and fluids would cure her of hypothermia and shock, but her powers couldn't ever return to normal if they were indeed damaged. Raelis couldn't bring himself to tell her. Instead, he just watched her gulp down water.

"you're, crying; he said softly. He took his handkerchief and silently offered it to her.

[ChaosWolf]

Likllu gulped down the water greedily. It was the most blissful thing she had ever tasted, that goddamn feeling going down her throat. She couldn't stop the new wave of tears. She finished off the water quickly, putting it down next to her PDA. She saw the handkerchief she held out for her. He... He was... She couldn't take it anymore. She fell forward, into his chest, sobbing, her throat making rough hiccuping noises. She buried her face in his chest, crying. Everything was wrong. It was all just wrong. She started to speak through her tears, her face still buried in his torso. "R-Raelis. *huh* I-I- I don *wuhuh* dunno what to-to do. P-people are g-gonna die *guh huh* an-an- and I can't help. *buh-huh* I'm scared R-Raelis." She shook with tears, and clutched his shirt, sobbing and wheezing and wishing she knew what she was supposed to do.

[momatoes]

Raelis accidentally took a step back as Likllu flung herself into him, spilling green tears over his coat. Unsure of what to do, he patted her hair, mumbling, "it'ss, all right likllu; please, stop crying;" So, she was scared too. Likllu sobbed in his arms as Raelis realized with a shock that this was the troll who ignited the spark of revolution. Gog. Her feelings must be...

"look, everything'ss going to be alright...okay?" Raelis said. "look, at me;" He took her face in his hands and tilted it upwards towards his.

"see, everything'ss...everything'ss, going to be alright likllu;"Taking one of Revyss' gift shades from his pockets, he put them on and tried to cheer up the crying girl. "look, at my shadess; it'ss, so cool right? a, coolkid never liess right? hahaha...please..." He took a deep breath.

"everything'ss, going to be alright likllu; i, promise...please, don't cry anymore;"

[ChaosWolf]

Likllu stared into those glasses. She started to smile. Cool kid. Heh. But she saw her reflection in those glasses too. Her face. Had she... had she really fallen so far. The smile began to fade before it was even formed. She just...

Still holding on to Raelis' coat, she buried her face in his chest again. She didn't want to see her face right now. She didn't want to see the face of someone who had failed in their only goal. Well, okay, so she hadn't failed yet. There were still other trolls to match, others to bring together. But Agread... Poor Agread was lost now, and she didn't know if she could point him back. Her arms wrapped around Raelis, and she sighed. "Th-thank you, Raelis. *hweeze* You h-helped as much as you could, *hah hweeze* and you didn't care wh-who they were. *hah hah* Thanks for h-helping me." She raised her face from his chest and gave him a small peck on the chin. "Thanks for *hah* the water." She tried her best to smile, but was a weak attempt.

[eruditeScholar]

Amazar shortly woke up, sleeping later than normal due to the extended day. Ugh, here we go once more.

And logging onto Trollian, he was trolled straight away.

--mythicalEngineer [ME] began pestering superiorInstrumentalist [SI] at 6:47 --

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ME: Amazar!
ME: I'm very very angry at y¤u!
SI: GoG, IS IT MorninG AlreadY...?
SI: UrF...
ME: W#at did y¤u d¤ t¤ Argead y¤u stupid grub?
SI: NO, I'M DeleriouS. EveninG, OF CoursE.
ME: Y¤u all are s¤ immature!
SI: ...I SAVED HiM...
ME: By l¤cking #im?
ME: Are y¤u fucking crazy?
ME: T#at's t#e least #elping way!
ME: Y¤ ujust are a bunc# ¤f grubs t#at can't stand eac#¤t#er!
SI: YoU DO RealizE ThaT AS SooN AS YoU FreE ME FroM ThiS ConversatioN I HavE AlL ThE IntenT TO FreE HiM.
ME: And t#anks t¤ y¤u all, we are c#est deep in t¤tal bulls#it!
SI: YoU DO RealizE ThaT I OnlY DiD SO SO ThE BlooD ThirstY LowbloodS DiD NoT AttacK ME.
ME: W#at?
ME: Are y¤u still lying just t¤ give y¤u a "reas¤n?"
ME: T#ey didn't d¤ anyt#ing at all!
ME: YOu just came and l¤cked #im ¤ver!
ME: Y¤u disgust me!
SI: YoU Don'T RealizE ThE GravitY OF ThE SituatioN.
ME: If i wasn't #alf-dead, i w¤uld punc# y¤u!
SI: I StoppeD ThE FightinG IN OrdeR FoR US TO BE AblE TO SettlE IT LogicallY.
ME: I d¤ understand t#e situati¤n!
ME: T#e situati¤n is t#at Argead, y¤u and s¤me l¤wbl¤¤ds made everyt#ing g¤ s#it#ive magg¤ts!
ME: Y¤u just are a bunc# ¤f dumbasses!
SI: NO.
SI: SILENCE.
ME: YES§
ME: NO!
SI: I SAVED LIVED. HAD I NOT INTERVENED THEY WOULD HAVE ALL DIED.
ME: Y¤u w¤n't c¤mmand s¤me¤ne ¤ver y¤u!
ME: N¤, n¤t#ing w¤uld #ave #appenned, and everyt#ing w¤uld be better!
ME: Y¤u just are trying t¤ "c¤nvince" me!
ME: T#at w¤n't w¤rk anym¤re!
SI: ThE DeathS OF ThreE TrollS IS "BetteR?"
SI: ArE YoU InsanE?
ME: I'm sick ¤f y¤ur bulls#it!
ME: Yes, if YOU died t#at w¤uld be better!
ME: EVERYTHING WOULD BE BETTER!
ME: YOu just are pissing every¤ne ¤ff!
SI: I Don'T HavE TimE FoR ThiS.
ME: T#e l¤wbl¤¤ds, me argead
ME: And after t#at y¤u're g¤ing t¤ piss ¤ff t#e ¤t#ers?
SI: I NeeD TO FinD OuT What'S GoinG ON FroM A ReliablE SourcE.
ME: Just s¤ every¤ne wants y¤u dead?
ME: Y¤u caused en¤ug# bulls#it!
ME: L¤ck y¤urself in y¤ur #ive and NEVER GET OUT!:

-- mythicalEngineer [ME] ceased pestering superiorInstrumentalist [SI] at 6:54 --

...What in the hell was that shit about? He had nothing to do with that conflict! It's bloody because of him that the first battle didn't end with more than a lusus dead! GogDAMMIT are these people BLIND? Not to worry, though. He will come out on top. He always will.

Quickly dressing in his normal clothes, he made his way downstairs to find Argead collapsed on the floor. No matter. Taking up a pen and piece of paper, he wrote a note and placed it in his hand.

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Argead-
Realize I did what I did for the better of the both of us. More lives than your lusus would have been lost. This way, as I said, the outcome would be delayed until morning when we all have more energy and the sun does not crisp our hides, and we have more time to... think. Of course, you are free to go when you awaken.
-Amazar

...For regardless of the threats made by Argead, the ACT of attack against him held much more weight in Amazar's mind. Stepping outside his door and leaning against the wall, he breathed in the outdoor air. If he follow his sense of justice and morality, he could strike the first blow against the lowbloods, and yet... Well, he still does need to consult. Utter nonsense if anyone save the delusional sea dweller thought he further flamed the situation rather than holding it off another few hours.

[momatoes]

Raelis' hands trembled as Likllu thanked him. If she only knew what he did.

"it'ss - " he stopped in surprise as Likllu kissed him on the chin, blushing deep blue. "um;" was all he could blurt out.

There was still another pair of shades in his pockets. He gave it to her and smiled wanly. "if, you wear thiss...you, can be a coolkid too;" It was entirely stupid, but it was the best he could do. "and, if you keep on crying...i'll, have to give you super bitter medicine; so, cheer up;"

Unattaching himself from Lkllu, his eyes glinted as he continued speaking. "how, about eating some dinner? i'm, sure you're hungry;"

[ChaosWolf]

Likllu actually did smile this time. Everything was now slightly darkened with the shades now, and she started a wheezy giggle. As Realis pulled away, she grabbed onto the bed, her legs buckling. She pulled herself to a standing position. "*hah* Sure, I'll eat. *hah* Be right over." She grabbed her PDA and put one foot forward. She stumbled and grabbed onto a the table that had her now empty glass of water. She pulled herself up again. Wobbling and shaking, she walked forward towards Raelis. Just keep going towards him. One foot at a time. Likllu couldn't help but feel frustrated. It was like she had just hatched from her pupae. Pathetic.

[momatoes]

"keep, on going likllu...you, can do it;" Raelis whispered as she wobbled towards him. She was weak, but her steps soon gained distance. A few times she dangerously swayed to her sides, but every time she would regain her balance and continue her silent voyage across the floor. Raelis retreated slowly towards the door as she made her way. Slowly, but surely.

[Gecky]

Kimio was already in the "kitchen". He was looking at his book of recipes. He quickly captchalogued in when he heard other trolls coming.

A little earlier, he pestered mythicalEngineer. She was at Demens' hive so no worrying to have on her side.