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* Michelle unlocks the door and announces, "Hall's Open!" * Tyl walks into the hall, sort of slowly. She sits down at the bar with a thump and stares at the polished bartop * Michelle returns behind the bar. She's wearing a red sweater over a yellow dress. * Lisl strides into the Hall, pausing in the door to shake her wet head vigorously, spraying water droplets everywhere. <Michelle> How are you this evening Tyl'gainia? <Michelle> Hello Lisl. <Tyl> hm. * Michelle pours herself a glass of wine, leaving the bottle on the bar. <Tyl> What's that drink Lisl has? Mulekick? Could I get a small glass of that, cut with water? <Michelle> That bad? * Philister stumbles into the Hall, glancing slightly off the doorframe. He looks around. "Charming." He stumbles over to the bar, clambers onto a stool, and focuses on Michelle. "Whiskey." * Lisl walks over to the bar, brushing water from her shoulders in vain. * Michelle sets a glass on the bar in front of Philister and pours a few fingers of whiskey into it. * Tyl gives Michelle a bit of a twisted, cynical grin <Tyl> It hasn't been much worse, my friend. <Michelle> What happened? <Lisl> Hooo...I wouldn't send a cat out on a night like this. What's the matter, Tyl? Oh, before I forget... * Lisl pats her tunic in several places before finding and extracting a (mostly dry) scrap of parchment. <Lisl> Here. ::grinning:: Your entertainer-friend wanted a testimonial...I also suggested in here that she stop by to meet Yb in person sometime. * Tyl manages a weak smile in Lisl's direction. <Tyl> Thanks... I'll be sure and give it to her. * Tyl peers at Lisl for a minute. <Tyl> It's raining out? <looks at her wet tunic and cloak> well, yeah, I guess it is... <Lisl> ::looks from Phil to Tyl and back with a puzzled expression, and turns to Michelle:: I think I'd better have tea tonight, Michelle. * Philister tilts back and swallows the whiskey. "I hope that helps..." <Michelle> Certainly. ::Me sets a cup and saucer on the bar in front of Lisl:: Any particular flavor? * Michelle gets a snifter and fills it mostly with water. <Lisl> Hmmmm....I haven't seen Lion around in awhile...let's make it an Eastern tea. Kwan Yin, please. * Michelle carefully administers a few drops of mulekick to the snifter then sets it on the bar in front of Tyl. * Lisl grins at Michelle's caution. <Lisl> A bit paranoid, aren't you? * Tyl carefully sniffs at the drink... * Tyl shrugs and takes a sip... * Michelle rummages under the bar, "I don't have the vaguest idea what Tyl'gainia's tolerance for the stuff is, and unlike some people I'm not strong enough to drag her unconscious body upstairs." * Zoya comes in and takes a seat at the bar. <Zoya> Good evening, all! What's going on? <Tyl> ::shudders violently:: <Lisl> ::looks affronted:: I didn't drag you upstairs. I might have gotten your clothes dirty that way, and I know how you like to dress well. <Tyl> yee gads that's AWFUL! <Lisl> ::shakes her head in pity:: I don't drink it for the flavor, Tyl. Well, mostly not. * Michelle shakes her head, "I'm starting to understand why you and Tyl'gainia have so much trouble with the local mages and priests." <Lisl> Now at least you can say there's been something worse in your day than the rest of your troubles! <Michelle> What would you like Zoya? <Lisl> Who....me? <Michelle> No, Zoya. <Zoya> Hmm.... What do you recommend? ::blinks:: Me? Trouble? I haven't been in trouble in WEEKS! <Tyl> ::looks around furtively and finishes off the mulekick:: <Tyl> ::cough:: <Lisl> ::thumps Tyl good-naturedly on the back:: <Michelle> Yes, but I've never been anywhere where you couldn't practice magic without a license. * Zoya looks distinctly confused. <Lisl> License? ::frowns slightly:: Mother never...hmmm. I wonder if that's why she won't live in town? * <Michelle> And of course the mages and priest couldn't agree on whether it was priestly or wizardly magic, and I'm certain a few of them were muttering about demonic powers. <Tyl> hmmm-um... ::shakes her head:: I wonder what it tastes like straight> <Lisl> ::raises an eyebrow and smiles evilly:: Did you get in trouble with someone, Michelle? <Zoya> License? I checked in at the Guild, but they didn't make me get a license! * Philister starts slowly poking the shot glass back across the counter back towards Michelle. <Michelle> Another Philister? <Lisl> ::glancing over at Tyl:: You don't taste it straight, really, so much as feel it burning out your throat lining and vocal cords... * Philister looks up at Michelle. "Maybe in a bit. Right now I'll just goof with the glass, thanks." ::grins:: <Michelle> ::To Lisl:: I didn't get in trouble, but I did raise quite a few eyebrows. I think what really infuriated them though was when I said they couldn't watch me cast the spell and I was going to cast it whether they allowed it or not. <Tyl> ::peers into the glass:: it sort of tastes like lamp oil or something... <Michelle> I remember being told it was used as a munition in some war. <Tyl> I can well imagine <cough> <Lisl> ::grinning at Tyl:: Yeah, a little...there's a bit of gunpowder flavor thrown in there, too, I think. <Philister> ::mumbling:: Siege breaking. <Lisl> I can't imagine what they go through to distill it. <Lisl> ::looking back at Michelle curiously:: What spell? <Tyl> :: a little sheepishly:: hey, Michelle, can I get a glass of water? A big glass? <Michelle> It's a favor for Marta. * Michelle fills a mug with water and hands it to Tyl, "'Fraid that's the best I can do unless you want a kettle." * Tyl drains all the water in one gulp. <Tyl> thanks... <Lisl> For Marta? ::looking around:: Hey, that's right...I haven't seen her tonight. Jel either, for that matter. <Zoya> If you're not going to recommend something, Michelle, I'll just have an ale. <Michelle> I don't have any idea where Jelarthna is, but Marta said it was difficult for her to manifest under this phase of the moon. * Michelle blinks, "Sorry Zoya, got caught up in the conversation. One ale it is." <Lisl> Zoya...what's your favorite color? * Michelle fills a mug with ale and sets it on the bar in front of Zoya. <Zoya> Really? I didn't know that. Is that just her, or all ghosts? ::pulls a smallish notebook from inside her sleeve and begins scribbling in it:: <Michelle> No idea, she's the only ghost I've ever met. <Zoya> Ah, well, I'll ask her the next time I see her. * Michelle perches on a stool behind the bar and sips her wine. <Michelle> I'm not certain she knows all that much about ghosts herself. <Zoya> ::tucking her notebook back in her sleeve:: It can't hurt to ask. * Lisl is recalled to her teacup by a delicate porcelain finger tapping her on the wrist, and plunks her teaball into the hot water. <Michelle> [Man, I just dropped the ball everywhere tonight didn't I.] * Zoya drains half the mug of ale. * Tyl coughs a few more times and then stares back at the bar counter top. <Lisl> ::grinning at Zoya:: I just hope you're better at asking than that lycanthropy researcher.... <Zoya> Are you all right, Tyl? <Michelle> So what happened to get you so upset Tyl? <Zoya> ::blinks:: Lycanthropy researcher? <Tyl> um... I guess so... it's been a day... <Lisl> Yeah...ummmm....::snapping her fingers, furrowing her brow:: what was his name? The short guy with the eyeglasses? <Zoya> Curdswell? <Michelle> That's the one. <Lisl> ::points at Zoya:: AHA! Yes, Curdswell. <Zoya> Curdswell was asking about lycanthropy? I wonder why... <Lisl> You're not the only one. But yes, he was. He even asked me if I was a lycanthrope. That man has no social graces, but he's charming, in a way. <Zoya> ::grins:: He reminded me of one of my students. <Tyl> I think he's got a case of terminal curiosity... I've met the type before... <Zoya> Oh, I hope it's not terminal. Most of his researches seem relatively safe. <Lisl> ::chuckling:: I hope for his case it's not terminal, but with those kinds of questions, it well could be. <Tyl> ::snert:: asking people if they are cursed with lycanthropy doesn't seem like a safe way to make a living to me... <Lisl> Students? ::raises an eyebrow:: Don't tell me you're as old as you sound? <Zoya> ::takes another sip of ale and turns to Tyl:: So, what's happened to drive you to cleaning out your kidneys with razors? ::gestures at the mulekick remains:: <Tyl> hmmm. My sister's getting married. It came as a bit of a shock... ::blinks a few times:: * Michelle blinks, "That's an interesting metaphor." <Zoya> ::to Lisl:: My 'gnomes are my students; I only acquired them a few months ago. * Michelle blinks, "I thought she just moved in a few months ago. Isn't that a bit rushed. Especially for an elf?" <Lisl> Married? Really? Where did she meet him? <Zoya> ::to Michelle:: It's less of a metaphor than a reasonable anatomical description. <Zoya> ::to Tyl:: She is? She seems a bit young, but... Congratulations to her. <Tyl> She met him at my grandfather's funeral. And she's a lot young... <Lisl> ::looks at Zoya:: My kidneys are perfectly fine! <Zoya> ::dryly:: Only because you have certain... advantages. * Lisl blinks innocently at Zoya. <Lisl> Clean living? <Zoya> ::turning back to Tyl:: Aren't you her guardian? Can't you forbid it, if you think she's making a mistake? <Michelle> Umm...I don't know quite how to put this, but where I come from, if we thought someone close to us was about to make a really big mistake we'd try and talk them out of it. <Tyl> ::looks at Zoya for a long moment:: She's run away from home, she's training in a forbidden art, and you think she's going to listen to me about who and when she's getting married? <Lisl> Who's the ravishing young man? <Tyl> ::snert:: My teacher. <Lisl> You're practicing said forbidden art, why shouldn't she listen to you? Your TEACHER? <Zoya> ::laughs in Michelle's direction:: Where I come from, young folk didn't listen to mere TALK where love was concerned. ::looks moderately amused:: <Tyl> ::nods:: now you see where the shock part sets in... * Michelle smiles at Zoya, "I never said they listened, but since we weren't allowed to forbid them we had to try something." <Zoya> ::to Tyl:: Well, she ran away from home and moved in with you, and you're the one training her in the forbidden art. One would think... ::blinks:: Have you talked to your teacher, then? Perhaps he could be persuaded to understand enough to wait a few years? * Michelle sets another snifter in front of Tyl and fills it with wine from the bottle she's been drinking. <Zoya> ::spins to Michelle in horror:: Where you are from, parents are not allowed to control their children's actions? However did *that* come about? * Lisl sips her tea. * Tyl absentmindedly drinks the snifter of wine... <Michelle> Well, most people didn't get married until they were in their 20's. If you were under 18 your parents could control your actions. Well, they could try, a lot of it depended on how stubborn you were willing to be. * Lisl chuckles. <Zoya> ::looks vaguely relieved as her mental images of 6-year-olds running roughshod over their parents fade away:: <Michelle> It mainly came about because a bunch of laws were passed to protect children from being abused by their parents, but the laws were written in such a fashion that nearly any disciplinary action could be construed as abuse. <Zoya> ::looks vaguely worried again:: <Lisl> Does levitating a kid having a temper tantrum 40 feet into the air count as "controlling"? ::looks amused and vaguely nostalgic:: <Michelle> Um...That would depend on the judge, but a lot of them would find you guilty of psychologically traumatizing the kid. <Lisl> ::chuckles:: Oh, that was nothing...you should've seen what Mother did when I didn't want to eat my peas... <Michelle> The recommended course of action for dealing with a tantrum was to ignore it. Not eating peas...I'm not sure about that one. <Zoya> ::shudders:: Remind me again not to go to your world, Michelle. I shudder to think of the dangers I might have unleashed without the fear of a whipping to restrain me... <Lisl> That's what Mother did. She levitated me 40 feet up and ignored me. Did wonders, and made sure I couldn't hurt anyone or break anything. <Michelle> Well, the mothers in my world weren't blessed with levitation spells so they couldn't prevent any damage without actually paying attention to you. <Zoya> ::looks admiringly at Lisl:: I have *got* to meet your mother some time. <Lisl> ::looks flustered:: No, you don't. * Michelle sips her wine. <Zoya> ::grins:: Oh, yes I do. She sounds like a *wonderful* lady. <Lisl> ::looking at Michelle:: I know not everyone's a mage, but...what *did* they do to keep people from harming themselves. <Lisl> ::looking back at Zoya:: She is a wonderful lady. But she's also... umm... quite formidable. <Michelle> Um...depended on why they were going to harm themselves. * Michelle sips her wine. * Lisl sips her tea and smiles. <Zoya> ::grins wider:: You're worried for my safety? How charming. I assure you, I only want to talk with her. <Tyl> ::shakes her head:: As we've all said, Michelle, I don't think any of us would be very comfortable in your world... it sounds too complicated <Lisl> I was a royal terror as a child. ::grins in memory:: But I didn't *really* come into my own until I hit adolescence. <Lisl> Actually, Zoya, I'm more worried about me. ::shakes her head with a grin:: My mother always manages to get me into trouble when she's here. <Michelle> It mainly came down to too many people living too close together and nowhere for any of them to move to. <Zoya> Doesn't that describe most children? <Lisl> City people....humph. Don't tell me your whole world is a city? ::raises an eyebrow at Michelle over the rim of her teacup:: <Michelle> Not the whole world, but more of it than was really healthy for anyone. <Lisl> Is your world so small, then? Wasn't there anything the mages could do? <Michelle> We didn't have mages, and it wasn't really that small. 5 or 6 billion people take up a lot of room. <Zoya> ::blinks:: BILLION? <Michelle> As in a thousand million, yes. <Tyl> How many is that? <Philister> ::head raises from the counter:: It's a lot. <Lisl> What!? ::looks unsure whether to be more stunned by the population or the lack of mages:: <Tyl> how many is it? <looks confused> <Lisl> But....::looks confused:: You're a magic-user...aren't you? <Michelle> A thousand thousand thousand. What's the population of Marsember, 10, 20 thousand? <Philister> About fifty thousand or so. Give or take. <Michelle> I couldn't use magic till I left my world, and no, I have no idea how that happened. Besides, has was proven at length today, my magic doesn't work the same as the magic the mages of this world use. <Lisl> Well, neither does Moon Dancer's, but he wasn't the only magic user on his home world, as I understand. <Michelle> Fifty thousand, that the size of the school I went to. A million would be 20 Marsembers. A billion would be twenty thousand Marsembers. <Tyl> ::blinks a few times:: <Michelle> Yes, that's why I believe Moon Dancer and I came from similar but different worlds. <Lisl> ::finishes her tea:: Ummm....I think I'll take that 'kick now, Michelle.... * Michelle gets off her stool and fills a mug with mulekick, then sets it on the bar in front of Lisl, "There you go." * Michelle perches back on her stool and sips her wine. * Lisl shakes her head and takes a long pull at the mug. <Tyl> ::yawns: <Lisl> How do that many people live together in such close quarters? ::shakes her head:: We have enough problems on *this* world, without that kind of crowding... <Zoya> ::nods:: More cities. <Michelle> That would probably be the reason my world seems so much worse than yours. <Tyl> I'd bet fifty gold that they fight a lot on Michelle's world... <Zoya> ::laughs:: No takers, Tyl. They fight a lot on *this* world, or hadn't you noticed? <Lisl> ::frowns as she tries to work it out:: And no magic...they probably don't even have room for all the crops they'd need to feed that many souls. <Michelle> Depends on how you define fighting. Also, are we talking sheer numbers, or percentage wise? <Michelle> I don't honestly know for certain, but I was always told that there was more than enough food, the problem was getting it to the people who needed it. <Tyl> I had noticed, Zoya... I mean percentage wise... in the cities, it is more violent then in villages, which in turn are more violent then country houses... the more people you mush together, the angrier everyone gets... <Lisl> That's the same everywhere, I think. ::takes another sip:: <Michelle> I honestly can't compare. I mean, Marsembers the size of a neighborhood in some of the cities. So fights between rival gangs in my world could almost be thought of as fights between rival city states here. <Lisl> ::looks down the length of the bar at the nodding Philister, and gets an evil gleam in her eye:: <Lisl> ::puts down her mug, puts a finger to her lips, and pads cat-quiet down the bar:: <Zoya> ::watches Lisl with amusement:: * Philister comfortably dozes, chin on chest. <Lisl> ::sneaks up behind Philister, eyes gleaming faintly yellow:: * Michelle sips her wine, watching to see what antic Lisl has in mind. <Lisl> ::holds her hands out to either side of Phil, fingers extended, and suddenly draws them together, goosing him:: <Philister> WHAA! <Lisl> Good morning, Phil. ::holding her hands behind her back, grinning beatifically:: <Zoya> ::laughs, then attempts to look innocent as Phil looks around:: * Tyl who was sort of blinking off into space, jumps... * Philister bounces a good foot off the stool, eyes wide, and his hair possibly a little grayer. He starts to slip off the stool, but manages to catch the edge of the bar before he hits the floor. <Lisl> Sober, now? <Philister> ::eyes narrowing:: Or something. * Michelle shakes her head and sips her wine. <Lisl> ::blinks innocently:: <Philister> ::to Lisl, somewhat mockingly:: What are you waiting for, me to throw a stick or something? * Zoya finishes off her ale. <Lisl> No, just making sure you're not going to fall off your stool. I considered tying your shoelaces together, but you wear boots. ::smile:: <Tyl> ::yawns:: well, now that I've been frightened out of my wits, I think I'll go home... <Philister> ::dryly:: You're too kind. But if I'm sleeping at the bar, I had better drag my carcass back to the Barrelstone while I still can. <Michelle> Tyl, it probably won't help, but you could always drag Cwal here some evening before the wedding and see if the rest of us can talk her out of it. I'd do it some evening when Marta's not around though. The girl still has stars in her eyes. <Lisl> ::shrugs and smiles somewhat sheepishly:: Would you like an escort? You don't seem quite yourself this evening. <Tyl> I'm fine... just a little weirded out. <Tyl> ::hops down from her stool and walks towards the door:: <Tyl> Goodnight, all! <Zoya> Good night! <Lisl> ::nods understanding at Tyl:: G'night! Sleep sweet. <Michelle> Goodnight Tyl. * Philister gets down off the stool. "If you've naught else to do for a few minutes, Lisl, you can walk with me while I head to the Barrelstone. You are an excellent companion, whether I'm drowsing or not." <Lisl> How about you, Phil? An escort? ::grinning again:: or are you alert now? <Philister> I'll take that as an acceptance then. ::grins:: I'm ready when you are. <Zoya> I'd better be getting back to the Tower, myself. Every time I leave, the 'gnomes find something new to work on... <Michelle> You mean they don't work on something new when you're there. That's a remarkable amount of control you have over them. <Zoya> Good night! <Lisl> I've naught to do...no more demons to play with this evening, at any rate... * Lisl walks to the door and bows to Phil with a gallant flourish, indicating that he should exit first:: * Philister leaves the Hall, preceding the Honorable Lady Lisl. * Lisl: ::giggles and departs after Phil:: * Michelle shoos all the dishes into the kitchen, locks the door, and dims the lamps. |
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