Session Start: Wed Apr 09 15:46:05 2008

<Saki> The centre of Horam is... actually, remarkably quiet for a section of the city that got recently ravaged. There's rubble strewn over the place and an extremely visible array of holes in the fortifications and walls, but they're haphazardly boarded up and manned with guards and life is - if rather resolutely and stubbornly - proceeding as normal.
<Saki> That is to say that most sensible people are, of course, asleep. Fortunately Vytor's come to see Saki who barely fits the bill even after nearly killing herself in the middle of a war: her figure's clearly visible from a distance as laying out on top of her dojo's roof, possibly sleeping or possibly just hanging out and waiting.
<Saki> There are bottles next to her, and a blanket pillowed behind her head, but otherwise she's looking as normal as a mildly insane martial artist hanging out on a roof can be.
* Vytor approaches the dojo, notes Saki on the roof. Not sure how to appropriately announce himself in such a situation, he does the next best thing and knocks on the wall beneath her.
* Saki cracks open one eye and leans up just a little. "You're slooooooooowwww..." she pronounces, drawn out, then rubs at one eye. "... mmm, come on in. And up. Ladder's just inside." She indicates a raised bump out of view on the roof that might be the corner of an open hatch.
<Vytor> Right.
* Vytor saunters inside and clambers up the ladder in short order. Within a minute he's plunked himself down next to Saki, his gaze resting on Horam proper.
<Vytor> I suppose you expected me earlier?
* Saki waves one hand airily. "Mm, perhaps. I didn't know how long you'd be, but it's not so bad a night for me to do this now my strength's all back." She drops her hand, then starts waving a small lukewarm bottle around. There's some left, but you couldn't say the same for it's friend.
<Vytor> Mind if I take a swig?
* Saki smiles up, wobbling her head in a 'no'. "Despite yells to the contrary."
* Vytor accepts the sake bottle with a nod, and takes a small drink before handing it back.
<Vytor> I talked with Ryllan earlier. He explained what happened. And then Trune and Niri came by to check on me. They were still a little spooked by it all.
* Saki casually waves the bottle back and forth in time with whatever thoughts she's holding, content to hold the silence.
<Vytor> I couldn't remember the whole thing until Ryllan started describing it. Then I remembered an awful lot. Not everything, but the important parts.
* Saki doesn't make a move at first, just lets the pause hang; "... mm. For what it's worth, I'm sorry." She scratches at her cheek with a fingernail. "--and not, I suppose."
<Vytor> Word of the story is starting to get around. I've been getting some odd looks from those who've heard some version of the story.
* Saki snorts suddenly, eyes flashing with anger as she glances over at him. "--do introduce us."
<Vytor> Be nice. I'm sure the version they've heard is a lot more bizzare than what happened. I suspect a lot of it involved disbelief more than anything else.
* Saki huffs in irritation and crosses her arms, staring balefully at the stars. "I /am/ being nice. I haven't punched any of them in the head /yet/."
<Vytor> That's very generous of you.
* Saki nods. "It's only been a minute since I found out, after all," she muses. "It'll take at least until mornin--" she cuts off rapidly as her voice audibly changes. "... mm. A lot happens in war. People get confused. ... tch, that's more Ryllan's territory, it feels like."
<Vytor> I suppose with everything that's happened, it'll be easier to beleive that the story was exaggerated since I'm still walking around. It'll go away on its own, I suspect.
* Saki gives Vytor a raised eyebrow as she takes a swig from the bottle, then places it back in it's spot and digs her hands into the blanket behind her head. "... you're still avoiding the real questions, though."
<Vytor> Can you blame me? Its not every day that I get my head cut off and then just shrug it off.
* Saki considers that in silence for a long moment. "... ... I... suppose you're right. I think I've only just realised how far my perceptions are shifting..."
<Vytor> Hm? I don't follow.
* Saki looks perhaps a little chagrined as she glances across, trying to hold back a faintly manic grin. "--ah, that is... a large part of my mind decided to think 'Oh, it's just a head. It'll grow back.'"
* Saki at least has the decency to cough and not catch Vytor's eyes at that.
* Vytor raises an eyebrow so high, you could swear its trying to leave his forehead and escape.
* Saki holds up her hands and visibly moves back. "--it's not-- well, it /is/ me, but the rude one!"
* Vytor blinks at Saki for a moment, and then starts to snicker. In moments he's laughing.
* Saki puts a hand to her forehead and just kind of sighs.
* Vytor composes himself after a bit more laughing. "Ah, I needed that."
* Saki sits up a little, half-kneeling on the slope of the roof and looking rather put-upon. "Everyone is working against me," she notes sadly, then sobers: "... avoiding it won't do much good. What, fundamentally, does it change?"
<Vytor> In truth? Nothing really. I'm still who I was. Apparently I was just...mislabeled?
* Saki nods in agreement. "Mm. It's what it looked like to me."
<Vytor> I guess the reality of it hasn't hit yet. I figure I'd feel creeped out, or upset or confused. Instead I'm feeling...ambivalent.
* Saki lays slowly back down, humming in thought. "... do you think it's just-- culture shock? Or something more unusual?"
<Vytor> I wish I knew. Given what we know about...what I am...maybe its something as warped as I'm simply programmed not to question it if it comes up.
* Saki doesn't wince, much to her credit, but does shift uncomfortably. "... mnh. I've an... unpleasant question along those lines. --but it can wait."
<Vytor> I'd rather you didn't. I'd like to get any and all unpleasantness regarding this even out of the way as soon as possible.
* Saki wavers for a moment, then nods and rubs at her hair. "... when he attacked you, could you move?" comes out all in a rush.
<Vytor> To be honest, I didn't even see it coming. I was trying to find a way past all that falling debris, and I think he hit me from behind. I don't remember ever seeing him. All I do remember is something very hot running through my neck, lots of pain, and then my point of view changing very strangely. After that I don't remember anyting concrete until I...woke up I guess.
* Saki sighs out in some faint relief. "--that's good. Ah-- not the dying part. But-- that he didn't say 'Blacksmith, I order you to stand still and die and/or attack your allies'." Rachel finishes gruffly.
<Vytor> Uh...not that I remember.
* Saki smirks without humour. "--mm. It was just a thought I'd had. Good, in any case."
<Vytor> I suppose its a valid concern.
* Saki shakes her head, and looks back up. "At any rate... I'd say we all came out ahea--on top of the whole thing. ... to be honest, I'm tempted to discount that entire speech, but I suppose I can't."
* Vytor smirks at Saki, "Baaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaad." ;)
* Saki frowns and raises her eyebrow again. "--it's not my fault part of me likes gallows humour all of a sudden. She'll be laughing over punching you back to life for weeks in here." Saki blinks, as if struck by something. "... ah... about that... I've known for a while. Or at least... pretty strongly suspected."
<Vytor> Oh?
* Saki huffs out another breath. "--back when we were at Saturn's labs. You freaked out bad. It might have been Rachel driving, but I was still there." She shakes her head. "Then everything inside the labs. I got to see in a vat."
* Vytor nods, "I remember seeing myself in there."
* Saki rubs at her temple. "Mm... then, ah, I punched one of them a few days back and the mask came off."
* Vytor inhales before asking, "And did you see what I think you did?"
* Saki tilts her head, not answering what's surely obvious enough. "--bits and pieces, bits and pieces. When he made them all stand right back up I figured you were fine."
<Vytor> I'm glad you did.
* Saki frowns. "--it's not like I'd leave anyone under that lot."
<Vytor> I know. But I still appreciate it.
* Saki glances over. "... mm, so what's next? We won't let him get the drop on us twice, not after defending this place."
* Vytor pulls his knees up to his chest. "I'm not sure what we should do. I'm still puzzled by a few things about what happened with that invasion bit."
* Saki nods to herself. "Mm... it's kind of reminiscent of earlier on. We've had a sudden burst of news dropped into our laps and nothing to do with it."
* Vytor shakes his head, "No, its more than that."
<Saki> Hm?
<Vytor> I mean, sure they 'lost' a lot of soliders yesterday. But if they could just get back up and walk away, why not keep fighting? Why pull back?
<Vytor> Why give us a chance to rest up and get ready for another push?
* Saki breathes out. "... ... you're right. And after all his talk of killing us all, too."
<Vytor> Especially with that. It doesn't add up. Either they're supremely confident that they're going to win regardless of what we do, or they have something else in mind.
<Vytor> And if they do have some other goal, why go to all this trouble of sending an army to beat itself to death against our defenses?
<Saki> "Not much death involved for them," Saki adds offhand, then actually thinks about it. "... the only thing I can think of is something untoward or big happening. At an important point."
<Vytor> Maybe they're trying to distract us?
* Saki shrugs. "Perhaps; batter down our morale, too. Either that, or-- whichever way you look at it, Lazarus must be their supply line," Rachel cuts in, all business. "If something occurs there or it's threatened, then that may be a reason for them to hole back up. We know something is happening there, at least."
<Vytor> What could be happening there that would make an entire army retreat?
<Saki> Zophar's body complete, perhaps?
<Vytor> Maybe. But retreating because of that seems a little weird to me.
* Saki scratches her cheek absently, nodding to herself... then just as suddenly lounging back with a sigh. "Haaa~ahh...! Who cares; we won, for now. We can enjoy a little rest for the first time in a while. Then I can drag Ryllan before Horam and get him to answer to-- ah, patricide?"
* Vytor facepalms at that remark, "Don't remind me."
* Saki sounds sombre, though there's a grin playing at her mouth. "Horam might take it laying down. But then, it'll help us to do that in the future, too. As long as the people are safe that palace can rot and burn."
<Vytor> I tried talking to Ryllan about the whole thing earlier. I hope I got through to him.
* Saki does this neat little trick; shifting back and forth between scoffing and suddenly pointedly ignoring the conversation a few times in short succession. It's a game of one-upping each other.
<Vytor> I'm hoping that with some luck, the whole 'murdering' thing will get lost in the shuffle of what's happened, and someday people will look around and say, "I wonder what happened to Mikayla. I think she left town or something."
* Saki shakes her head as she sinks back to a prone position. "... ... no," she decides; "Some bastard from the north spouting nonsense? That's fine. But... this town is it's people. If they decide he was in the right, that's fine, but they ought to at least be able to make that decision."
<Vytor> Does it have to be now? We might need Ryllan for this Zophar thing.
* Saki sulks, for just a moment. "... no, it doesn't. But he needs a life lesson at some point."
<Vytor> I'm not arguing that. Its just if his head gets cut off I don't think we can slap it back on and expect results.
* Saki beams suddenly. "--great idea! Get some tape, I'll have a first class decoy in minutes--"
<Vytor> ...if you next say that we'll all shave our heads and make our way north by tunnelling under the fences I'm going to hurt you. ;)
* Saki is lost in her own little world. "--ooh, maybe a battering ram--"
* Vytor snatches the sake bottle from Saki's hand, "Down."
* Saki harrumphs, and crosses her arms in a momentary sulk. "-- as a small blessing," she eventually concedes, "That at least got me back to normal and then some."
* Vytor hands the bottle back, "Good to hear."
* Saki eyes the contents, more to break eye contact than anything else. "... mm, so much for separating cleanly," replies Saki, "... but it rather had to be done."
<Vytor> We'll find another way. There has to be a way.
* Saki shakes her head, smiling to herself, then grins across. "... no. There really isn't. I think this time was irreversible; don't know what she did, but for better, for worse..." she trails off, just for a moment, then shakes her head. "--really, it's fine. We've both made this choice."
<Vytor> For what its worth, I'm sorry it didn't work out with Lazarus.
* Saki keeps that easy grin on her face. It looks a little odd; that might just be her relaxed and buzzed, though. "Really? ... I can't say I am. We're neither too worried about not getting to use something Zophar just stuck his soul through."
<Vytor> I guess I;m a little surprised to hear that. I mean, considering what this whole ordeal has been for you two.
* Saki shrugs one shoulder. "--it's... changed along the way. It's hard to explain, but... the 'whole ordeal' at first was my trying to get rid of hallucinations. Not trying to get rid of part of me."
<Vytor> And are the hallucinations gone?
* Saki closes her eyes, and starts gesturing; drawing in the air a cityscape that isn't there. "--no, not as such. Rachel's still kind of... tied into her memories, so I can access them. But cognisant as we both are, they're... filterable?"
<Vytor> Is that enough?
* Saki beams, not opening her eyes. "--mm, and more than you'd think besides. We're okay."
<Vytor> Mmm, good. Because I think I'm going to need you to keep an eye on me for a while. At least until I finish sorting everything out in my head.
* Saki looks at Vytor like he is thick, or perhaps a giant talking mackerel. "--as if I wouldn't already be."
<Vytor> I know, I know. I just had to ask.
* Saki smirks. "--though I reserve the right to take tomorrow off. I burnt enough power I'll be sleeping like a rock."
<Vytor> As far as I'm concerned you've earned it. Can't speak for the others though.
* Saki waves a hand absently. "Let them be. If they're not running around I won't have to get mad at them, after all."
<Vytor> True enough I suppose.
* Saki breathes out. "--go get some rest, smith," she says all of a sudden. "It's not every day that all happens. --'sides, I'm tired."
* Vytor nods, "Thanks."
* Saki opens one eye to regard Vytor a moment, and nods quietly. "... tomorrow's another day. Except for that part where it's today already."
* Vytor stands and stretches, "Even so, tomorow is still another day."
* Vytor makes for the ladder, "Rest well you two."
* Saki remains laying, one forearm flopped easily over her face. She waves absently behind her, but there's no real energy in it; she appears serious about spending the rest of the night out there.
* Vytor slips down the ladder quietly.
<Saki> And Saki does indeed sleep out if not the night then a good couple of hours up there.
<Vytor> ==Stop the lude! I want to get off!==
Session Close: Wed Apr 09 18:32:01 2008