-- Session 3a: Devil in the Dark --
Session Start: Sun Apr 09 17:30:06 2000

<Gayo> --SESSION START--
<Gayo> >> It's been almost a day's travel to Surf in a royal carriage...the Princess and her entourage seem out of place in the empty prairieland, where royalty is meaningless....but as the group approaches Surf, she puts on her best professioanl face once again. Surf is a strange place where the heat hangs in the air like a syrup, making the entire place smell. 
<Gayo> >> A huge building lies in the center of the town, fire and smoke gushing from the top of it and brightly flowing flame emanating from its small windows.
<Gayo> >> As the carriage pulls to a stop, numerous gawkers gather arround, dirty and dressed in ratty, sweat-drenched clothes.
<Hikaru> ...Why do people keep coming to this hellhole?
* Neydisa peers out on the the windows of the carrage, seeing the crowd. In a way, she sympathesizes with them totally. :/
<Gayo> Amelia: There're jobs here...*carefully steps down from the cart, flanked by a regiment of armored guards.*
<Jeff> It's all some of them know, Hikaru.
<Hikaru> ...
* Hikaru gets out too.
<Hikaru> It's..stupid. Why do they kill themselves like this? Why not..why not learn something new? Know something different?
* Jeff steps out as well. "It just doesn't occur to most of them.. others.. just don't have the faith in themselves to try."
<Hikaru> ...
<Neydisa> Sometimes, you can only do so much to get by, even if it's unpleasant.
* Hikaru sighs and shakes his head.
<Gayo> >> Amelia shakes her head. "You'll understand in time. I've been dealing with this sort of thing for a while now."
* Jeff shakes his head. "It's such a shame. If only they'd open their eyes.."
* Jeff smiles. "Some of them do, though, you know. They don't all give in to it.."
* Neydisa steps off slowly.
<Gayo> >> A loud man shouts at the assembled crowd of miners. "GET bACK TO WORK, YOU LAZY SODS! IF YOU WANT TO SEE THE PRINCESS, BUY A NEWSPAPER! COME ON, GO ON!" 
<Hikaru> ...
<Hikaru> «ooc: Hikaru took punctuation lessons from Keynes. »
<Hikaru> «ooc: Or Crono. »
<Gayo> >> The man approaches the group, coughing embarassedly. "Sorry about that, your Highness. They're hard to keep in line sometimes. My condolences about his Majesty...we got the news late yesterday..."
<Cody> «ooc: Ellena: 'Karu! Use the the power of the spoken word. ^_^ »
<Hikaru> ...
* Jeff looks questioningly at the man.
* Hikaru silently arghs. .oO(If I'd been a second sooner, I coulda saved him...)
<Gayo> Man: Oh, I'm sorry. I'm Master Aldrich, the GaiaCo representative here. To what do we owe the honor of Her Highness's visit?
* Neydisa looks at the town, sighing to herself. She look back to everyone when she hears the name GaiaCo.
<Hikaru> G...GaiaCo?
<Hikaru> Who?
<Gayo> Man: Er...you haven't heard of GaiaCo? Hm. Well, anyway..*beams and looks back to Amelia*
<Gayo> >> Amelia stares coldly back. "I have come to conduct an investigation."
<Hikaru> ...
* Neydisa whispers to Hikaru, "GaiaCo is a huge corporation all oevr Filgaia, Hikaru.. Rosetta, Adelhyde, almost everywhere."
<Hikaru> (w to Neydisa) Okay...what do they do?
<Neydisa> (w) I think a better question is what they don't do..
<Gayo> Man: Well, I'm sure you'll find everything's well in order...but if you don't mind my saying so, these mines are rather a harsh place for one of your noble stature. Perhaps you should allow your officials to perform the investigation? *with a nod towards the group* My home is a bit less swletering than the rest of the town, if you'd be interested in some tea.
<Hikaru> ...
* Neydisa fall silent again.
<Hikaru> (q) I can handle the heat.
<Cody> «ooc: I want tea :( »
<Gayo> Amelia: Thank you, Mr. Aldrich, I think we could all use some tea. Could you escort us to your house?
<Gayo> Aldrich: Erm...well, okay. ^^; I don't know if there's room for all 10 of you, but we'll think of something, eh?
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<Bryann> «ooc: @&*)&%)*$&%)*@&)$(%&#@)*$&)(@%^)@ »
<Neydisa> << wb :( >>
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* Jeff remains quiet, watching Aldrich calmly
<Hikaru> «ooc: <Cody> «ooc: I want tea :( » <-- last thing I saw »
<Gayo> Amelia: Thank you, Mr. Aldrich, I think we could all use some tea. Could you escort us to your house?
<Gayo> Aldrich: Erm...well, okay. ^^; I don't know if there's room for all 10 of you, but we'll think of something, eh?
<Gayo> «ooc: Reps »
<Hikaru> I'll be fine out here.
<Gayo> Amelia: Are you sure? You're not at all hungry or thirsty after the trip? :/
<Hikaru> Not sure about the rest of the group, but I can get by.
<Gayo> Aldrich: Ah, if he wants to stay behind he's free to look around the town. ^_^ It's this way. 
<Hikaru> ...
<Gayo> «ooc: Wow, he's so quiet. O_o »
<Hikaru> «ooc: He doesn't trust a lot of stuff around here. »
<Neydisa> I..I'll go wherever, Miss Amelia.
<Gayo> «ooc: Wow, I totally forgot Rayle. »
<Gayo> >> Aldrich leads the group, sans Hikaru and Rayle, across town, past barren, lifeless ground and cauldrons of glowing, molten iron, to a nicer area, where none of the ragged miners seem to be, and a bit of grass actually grows. The house isn't that nice, but it's certainly the best in town, a well furnished, one-story stone building with shuttered windows. Aldrich leads them to a sitting room. 
* Hikaru nudges the collar of his cloak. "You okay in there, Rayle?"
<Gayo> Alrdich: Marta, could you get us some tea?
<Gayo> Rayle: Blimey it's damn 'ot 'ere...why 'zatcly are w'ere again, 'Ik?
<Neydisa> .oO( Could I do something this time? I would I just get in more trouble? )
<Hikaru> Some investigation or another.
<Hikaru> I think this "GaiaCo" thing is up to something. It all seems rather strange to me.
<Neydisa> << er - 1st I ^^ >>
<Gayo> Rayle: Could be, could be. Still...y'sure y'wanna mess w'that sorta thing?
* Neydisa fidgets a little, waiting patiently and not speaking. ^^
<Gayo> Amelia: Now...Mr.Aldrich...I'll be blunt. I've heard tell of some bad things going on here.
<Hikaru> ...What's the harm in it?
<Gayo> Rayle: If y'say so. Either way, s'bloody 'ot 'ere.
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<Gayo> Aldrich: I'm not sure how you mean, your highness. Everything is strictly by the book in GaiaCo mines.
<Hikaru> Yeah, well.. I can't help that. It's all this damn smog in the area.
<Gayo> Rayle: From one mine t'the next...eesh.
<Hikaru> Tell me, Rayle...why did I bother getting caught up in this again?
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<Gayo> Rayle: Damned if I know. Good t'see yeh out'n about at least.
<Hikaru> (m) All this, and not even a pretty face to like.
* Neydisa takes the string out of her blue hair and fiddles with it, looking distracted.
<Gayo> Rayle: Wot 'bout th'princess, eh? Or what's-'er-face.
<Hikaru> ...Not right for me. The princess.. she's...too business-oriented. Maybe if things weren't so tense lately...
<Hikaru> And Jessa? Pssh, yeah right.
<Gayo> Rayle: Well, '
<Gayo> Rayle: Well, 'er 'old family jus' kicked it. Surprised she's as professional as sh'is.
<Gayo> Rayle: 'Ow about miss shaman?
* Neydisa ties a very professional looking knot around a finger, then looks up. "Hikaru...?"
<Gayo> «ooc: He's not with you. ^_~ »
<Gayo> «ooc: He's out in the town, you're having tea with Aldrich. »
<Neydisa> << lol.. forgot. ^^ >>
<Hikaru> Who?
* Neydisa remembers he's not around, and swallows her question, looking back to the discussion and ehr barely touched tea. ^^
<Gayo> Rayle: Dunno. Mopey girl. Came wit' yeh on th'carriage. Over at dispy's 'ouse I s'pose.
<Hikaru> Oh..her. I dunno. She's kinda...just there.
<Neydisa> << Yeah, and I do it with style. It's very hard to be "just there' I'll have you know... ;) >>
<Gayo> Amelia: Hmm. Strictly by the book, eh...I want to make one thing quite clear, Aldrich. Adlehyde needs a strong ruler to take control immediately so that it doesn't lose its spirit...I intend to be that ruler...and I am not as sympathetic towards your cause as my poor father.
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<Ashton> «ooc: !@*(_%&*@(*&%!@(*&%_(&@$*)&% »
<Gayo> «ooc: Didn't miss anything pertaining to you. »
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<Neydisa> << What's up with ya? :/ >>
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<Hikaru> «ooc: MSN sucks. That's what. »
<Gayo> Aldrich: *looks quite shocked* We at GaiaCo are concerned only with the betterment of humanity and the strengthening of the world economy. I'm sure you'll come to the same conclusion after you do your tour.
<Neydisa> .oO( They don't care about people.. or the ocean.. :/ )
* Jeff listens quietly, wondering why he's here.
<Hikaru> «ooc: <Amelia> You realize that if you don't tell the truth, I'll have to make you feel the swift blade of justice! »
<Neydisa> << All clear.. ^^ >>
* Neydisa takes the teacup, and has a sip of it, her mind still on other things.
<Gayo> Amelia: Well...we'll see. *sighs, sipping the tea the maid brought her* I simply disapprove of the way you treat your workers. It's destructive.
<Hikaru> «ooc: Why do I have the feeling this tea is the bitter tea from Suikoden? :O »
<Neydisa> << I'm waiting for something to happen.. ;) >>
<Gayo> «ooc: Hm? »
<Gayo> Aldrich: ahh..*chuckles* But freedom of capitalism is a very important right, surely you agree. We do not force our workers to do anything, remember.
<Gayo> Amelia: of course. *nods* But if you arte breaking any actual laws here, I shall find out.
<Gayo> Aldrich: I'm sure you'll find nothing of the sort. May I get you anything else?
<Neydisa> .oO( I wonder if I should tell the princess... maybe she's too busy here to worry about something so far away... )
<Gayo> Amelia: I am fine. Anyone else?
<Gayo> >> She looks at the assembled group. Her guards remain silent.
<Neydisa> I'm alright, miss Amelia...
<Jeff> I'm quite fine.
<Gayo> Amelia: Then we shouldn't waste much time. We'll need full use of the facilities and access to all your miners.
<Gayo> >> Aldrich coughs. "They're yours, of course, but as I said, they're a rough group...be careful, won't you, your highness?"
* Neydisa puts her cup down, adding quietly, "I guess tea just isn't my forte..."
<Gayo> Amelia: Well...perhaps we should go gather up Hikaru then...
* Neydisa nods.
<Gayo> >> She stands, and the entire regiment does the same in learned synchronicity as she heads outside. Aldrich sighs and swooshes the tea around in his cup.
* Jeff follows after the princess and soldiers
<Gayo> «ooc: Where's Hik? »
* Neydisa rises, and looks at Aldrich a moment. "Don't worry, it wasn't the tea.." She heads after Amelia and her entourage.
<Hikaru> «ooc: Outside, generically. »
<Gayo> >> After a bit of looking Amelia's group meets back up with Hikaru. "There you are...sightseeing? Afraid it's not a very interesting place anymore..."
<Hikaru> ...
<Gayo> Amelia: Supposedly this used to be a very nice little village, before they started the iron mine. :/ It's a shame...
<Hikaru> Not sightseeing, per se...
<Gayo> Amelia: You're pretty quiet. Is everything okay?
<Hikaru> ...I don't trust this place, or GaiaCo, or anything that's happened these past few days in general.
* Neydisa catches up.
<Gayo> Amelia: I know how you feel. It's been insane. But you can't let it affect you. You have to stay professional...*sigh* I'm sorry, let's go, we have a lot of work to do.
<Gayo> «ooc: BRB, 2 mins. ^^: »
[Jeff:#warpg PING]
<Gayo> Amelia: Now...here's the situation.
<Gayo> Amelia: As it is, the people here are worked to death for a pitiance of a wage, or until they are wounded and can no longer do the work...that's all legal though. I hope to change things over time, but for now even I am forced to work within the established system.
* Loaded agent 'merlin' (merlin.acs)
<Hikaru> ...
* Showing agent 'merlin'
MS Agent Chan Reader ON
<Gayo> Amelia: Even still...I've heard rumors of illegal things happening here. Beatings, killings even. I don't know how true it is, but this could be what we need to make a case against GaiaCo. We're here to gather evidence. I'm too conspicuous to do much without pomp and circumstance...
<Gayo> Amelia: What I want you to do, then, is talk to the miners privately. You have permission to do so...find out what you can. 
<Hikaru> I can stay here.
<Hikaru> He doesn't know me well.
[Jeff:#warpg PING]
<Hikaru> He's had enough time to study the rest of this group's faces.
* Neydisa nods. "I understand." :)
<Hikaru> I'm the only one who he doesn't probably know on sight.
<Gayo> Amelia: Thank you, Hikaru...if we can't find anything over the course of our time here, I will take you up on that offer.
<Hikaru> ...
<Gayo> >> She frowns at Hikaru's silence. "At any rate...you can decide among the three of you how to go about this...I should probably head back to the carriage and make a spectacle of myself...
* Neydisa mumbles softly, "I wonder how you can do that.. all the eyes on you.."
<Gayo> >> Amelia goes to please the crowds. :P
<Gayo> >> The rest of the party is eaten by lag and dies.
<Neydisa> << :( >>
<Hikaru> «ooc: Hey! »
* Hikaru slaps away the lag before it eats the party. :P
<Neydisa> Hikaru, Jeff, where should we start?
<Hikaru> ...The mines, I'd 'spect.
<Neydisa> Ok.
<Gayo> >> The mines can be easily recognized by the scores of beaten-down men pushing ore-filled carts from them to the smeltery, and empty ones back in...
<Jeff> It seems like the best place..
<Gayo> Rayle: Oi. More mines.
* Neydisa walks to the mines. "This is almost worse than Adlehyde.."
<Gayo> Rayle: I'm jus' gonna pass out 'ere. If I die, bury me somewheres cool, eh?"
<Hikaru> ...
<Gayo> «ooc: ... »
<Hikaru> Geez, Ray...don't be so damn pessimistic.
<Gayo> «ooc: Hikaru is golgo 13. »
<Gayo> Rayle; Shmtzfrbnglf
<Jeff> Hey.. we'll only be in there for a little, Rayle.
<Hikaru> ...
* Hikaru hides Rayle in his cloak pocket where the smog can't get to that well.
<Neydisa> Hikaru.. I wanted to ask you something.
<Gayo> >> The iron mines are less stifling than Lolithia's Tomb due to the absence of coal dust, but the heat from the smeltery is almost as bad. Rails have been laid down, and men push carts along them noisily.
<Jeff> Come on.. let's do this, and see if we can't find something for the princess to use to gibe these people some hope.
<Hikaru> Yeah.
<Hikaru> «ooc: Gib the people with hope? »
<Neydisa> You really never heard of GaiaCo?
<Jeff> << *splutch* >>
<Hikaru> «ooc: I gotta believe! *explodes into chunks* »
<Jeff> << Give, too >>
<Hikaru> No...
<Neydisa> << lol >>
<Neydisa> It's just a little hard to believe, that's all. They seem to have factories everywhere..
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<Neydisa> << gah :( >>
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<Hikaru> «ooc: Insert explitive here. »
<Neydisa> << :( >>
<Gayo> «ooc: What'd you last see? :/ »
<Hikaru> «ooc: <Neydisa> << lol >> »
<Neydisa> It's just a little hard to believe, that's all. They seem to have factories everywhere.. (re)
<Gayo> Rayle: 'Ik's a bit o' a nature boy. We don' come t'the city much.
MS Agent Chan Reader OFF
<Hikaru> Because people are generally idiots.
* Neydisa sighs... :/
<Neydisa> Well, let's ask around for the princess. I'm sure there's something.
* Neydisa turns her head left and right looking at the miners, going up to one of them near a cart. ^^
<Gayo> >> The man seems to be totally drenched in swear, muscles heaving as he pushes the protesting cart slowly along the rails.
<Neydisa> Excuse me...
<Gayo> >> He doesn't notice her, busy with his efforts.
<Hikaru> «ooc: <Man> I'm drenched in swear! Fuck fuck fuck shit damn hell~! »
<Hikaru> Ano..
<Hikaru> Stop for a second, dude.
* Jeff watches the man pushing the cart, and sighs
<Gayo> Miner: Nngh? I can't just stop. *he grunts, twisting his face as he very slowly turns a corner in the tunnel.* Do...you need something?
* Neydisa looks a little crestfallen, wiping away a bead of sweat. "How do you feel about GaiaCo?"
<Hikaru> Uh...just to ask a few questions.
<Jeff> We need to talk to you.. but we don't want to be an inconvenience.. here, let me give you a hand with that, while they ask.
* Jeff steps up next to the man, and helps him push the cart.
* Hikaru helps too.
<Gayo> >> The miner cracks a grin. "Thanks, pal...sorry...GaiaCo? Who are you guys?"
<Hikaru> Friends.
<Neydisa> Noone in particular... just... interested in your opinion about your job, sir...
<Gayo> Miner: Heh. If you say so. Bit of friendly advice then...everyone here's plenty happy with their jobs...and you want to keep that in mind...everyone here's...*nngh* happy.
<Hikaru> ...
<Hikaru> Okay... So you're happy with your jobs...how do your employers treat you as people?
<Jeff> Of.. course you are. Never would have thought otherwise.
<Jeff> But, if you were to give some advice.. confidential-like, to someone who was thinking of working here, but had other options.. what would it be? 
<Jeff> That's what I'm more interested in.. it be worth my time to come work here?
<Gayo> Miner: My advice? Would be if you don't live in Surf....don't come here. We're..pretty well off.
[Jeff:#warpg PING]
<Jeff> << Of course, I'm so LAGGED.. >>
<Neydisa> << Not horribly.. ^^ >>
[Hikaru:#WARPG PING]
<Hikaru> «ooc: Nope. I'm lagged, Rachel's lagged more, TF's lagged ,most. »
[Hikaru:#WARPG PING]
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* Neydisa nods, seeing that reaction. "I see..."
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* Jeff gives the cart another heave. "Well off?"
<Hikaru> «ooc: I was just switching to frontier »
<Neydisa> << I'm staying on front.. gayo's server. ^^ >>
[Jeff:#warpg PING]
<Gayo> Miner: Well...I'll tell you what. Maybe you should talk to old Hoffman about it. He's a bit of a...what ya call your malcontent.
<Hikaru> «ooc: Hoffman? :O Obscure SO2 ref! »
<Hikaru> Okay...where's this old Hoffman?
<Neydisa> Yes, do you know?
<Jeff> << I'd go for frontier, but dream's the only server that seems to like to let me on here.. >>
<Jeff> << ...excuse me, gargolye here, I guess >>
<Gayo> «ooc: poor Rasis. :/ »
<Hikaru> «ooc: Poor laggy Rasinette :( »
<Gayo> Miner: He's working the eighth shaft. it's in a ways...got a number 8 outside th'entrance.
[Jeff:#warpg PING]
<Hikaru> Thanks for the info, sir. ^_-
<Neydisa> Thanks.. sorry to bother you...
[Jeff:#warpg PING]
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* Showing agent 'merlin'
* Jeff smiles. "Thank you, sir. May the guardians be with you."
<Gayo> Miner: Yeh...sure. Thanks.
<Gayo> >> With a grunt, he puts his back into the pushing again.
MS Agent Chan Reader ON
* Jeff looks at Neydisa and Hikaru. "To the eighth shaft, then?"
<Hikaru> Of course.
* Hikaru starts off.
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* Showing agent 'merlin'
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<Gayo> >> They eventually find a shaft with the numbr "8" scralwed messily on it in chalk.
* Unloaded agent 'merlin'
<Hikaru> Uh...think this is it?
<Hikaru> «ooc: Happybutt? O_O »
* Jeff walks along, keeping his eyes out for an 8
<Jeff> Looks like it
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* Jeff walks into the shaft.
* Neydisa follows along...
<Gayo> >> The shaft is dark and sparsely inhabited...here and there an abandoned minecart lies tipped on its side. Things are pretty quiet compared to the rest of the mine, but as the group descends deeper into the shaft, they hear n echoing tapping sound.
<Hikaru> ...
<Hikaru> (q) Think he's the only one in this shaft?
<Neydisa> I don't like this..
<Gayo> >> The walls have been heavily gutted, and a pickaxe lies abandoned. The tapping gets louder, sounding more like a striking at this distance.
MS Agent Chan Reader OFF
* Hikaru continues walking, obviously.
<Gayo> >> The party turns a bend and sees a lone hand ghammering away at the dead-end wall of the shaft with his pickaxe, oblivious to his surroundings.
<Hikaru> «ooc: Just a hand? What happened to the rest of the body? »
<Jeff> << What is the sound of one hand ghammering? ;) >>
[Jeff:#warpg PING]
* Neydisa mumbles low, almost barely audible. "...in here because of something he found out...?"
<Gayo> «ooc: A lone MAN gah »
<Gayo> «ooc: it's thing! »
<Hikaru> ...sir?
<Gayo> >> THe man doesn't notice, his hammering drowning out Hikaru.
<Hikaru> ...
* Neydisa walks up to the man.
<Gayo> >> Finally he turns, almost too quickly, brandishing his pickaxe as if to defend himself with it. "Yeah? Yeah? Whattayou want?"
<Jeff> Just to talk, sir.
* Neydisa shrinks back. "Mr. Hoffman..?"
<Gayo> Hoffman: *squints suspiciously* Yeah? Who're you working for?
<Hikaru> We're...independant.
<Hikaru> We have no affilation with GaiaCo, nor do we wish any.
<Gayo> Hoffman: Yeah. Yeah. Hm. Well I'll tell you what you just stay back there, that's a good distance right there. Whattayou wanna know?
<Hikaru> Your opinions.
<Gayo> Hoffman: What the hell is that about? My 'opinions'?
<Hikaru> We want to know how you feel about this whole operation, and how it treats you.
<Gayo> Hoffman: Oh oh I get it now.
<Gayo> Hoffman: Yeah, I get it. You're here about the problems.
* Neydisa nods, keeping her distance.
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<Neydisa> << When will it end? :/ >>
<Hikaru> «ooc: When MSN wises up. »
<Neydisa> I guess it's safe to say you're here because of something that happened... -_-
<Jeff> Yeah.. you're.. alone in this shaft?
<Gayo> Hoffman: People have been you know VANISHING here for some time. People who don't like what the bosses are doing. it's a bad scene. No one wants to talk about it no one right? Because no one wants to disappear. But I'm not stupid. They're gonna come after me eventually if I don't find out what's happeningf right? And I think it has something to do with this tunnel here? 
<Gayo> Hoffman: Because we ain't supposed to be in this tunnel here, but I always smell somethin funny round these parts.
<Hikaru> Funny? Like what?
* Neydisa looks around the tunnel...
<Gayo> Hoffman: Look, I dunno man. It just ain't good shit if ya know what I mean? Coz there ain't supposed to be no one round these parts and DAMn if it isn't to do with these disappearances...
* Neydisa nods. "I understand how it is... GaiaCo ahs a lot to hide."
<Hikaru> ...
<Gayo> Hoffman: Yeah? Well unless you can do somethin about it I dunno if it's a good idea to say so. if you can get outta this place you ought.
* Neydisa msues, "Just one person can't do anything, but someone with connections to the right people could..."
* Neydisa looks to Hikaru.
<Hikaru> ...What?
<Neydisa> Should we go back and tell miss Amelia? Disappearances and everything is uspicious enough for an investigation, right?
<Hikaru> ... Why don't we take him with us to testify?
<Gayo> Hoffman: Well whats'
<Gayo> Hoffman: Well whats'ever you do I ain't movin' from here coz I'm almost found somethin! Damn I'm sure of it...
<Hikaru> ...Okay..answers _THAT_.
<Gayo> >> He whacks the wall again with his pickaxe for good measure. "HEar that? This ain't the right kind of rock."
* Neydisa listens.
<Jeff> It isn't?
<Gayo> >> It sounds pretty rocky to Neydisa. ^_^
<Gayo> Hoffman: Somethin' weird about this rock there is yea.
<Gayo> Hoffman: S'why I'm BASHING it! 
<Hikaru> ...
* Neydisa sighs, since mining isn't her trade. ^^
<Neydisa> I wonder what they could be hiding...
<Gayo> Hoffman: Hey you really wanna help? You get me some folks down here to help me bust up this wall. I think there's somethin behind it.
<Hikaru> Uh..
<Neydisa> << brb one sec >>
<Hikaru> We could try...couldn't we?
<Jeff> Sure.. 
[Jeff:#warpg PING]
<Gayo> Hoffman: Got no bashy toys. Can't do this with yer fists you can't. 
* Hikaru bashes it with the blunt edge of his sword.
<Gayo> >> No apparent effect, though it sends vibrations all down the blade and into the handle.
<Gayo> Hoffman: Dope!
* Neydisa goes back to the abandoned pickaxe, and tries to heft it up.
<Hikaru> What the...
<Hikaru> This is...
<Hikaru> Rock doesn't normally deflect something that well.
[Hikaru:#WARPG PING]
<Gayo> Rayle: 'Is's right odd. 'Ik, shoul' we get th'princess?
* Neydisa takes a strike at the wall with the pickaxe, far from strongly or professionally. ^^
<Hikaru> Yeah...
<Gayo> >> Neydisa chips a teensy flake of stone off the wall. :D
* Neydisa drops the axe. "We'd need somebody who can do this sort of thing..."
<Neydisa> Let's get the guardsmen to help, maybe?
<Jeff> That'd make things go much quicker..
<Gayo> Hoffman: Might be able to get it misself soon but I'm not sure it's hard to gauge how far it is with this weirdass rock.,..
<Jeff> We'll see what we can do about getting you some help, then.
<Gayo> Hoffman: Yeah thanks..
<Neydisa> If you want, I can stay here, while you get Ms. Amelia, Hikaru. I'll come and let you know if we find something...?
<Hikaru> Fine.
* Hikaru walks off to get Amelia! Or at least her hammer of justice! ;)
<Gayo> >> Soon, Amelia and her six buff guard dudes come back with Hikaru. it's a bit cramped. ^^; 
<Gayo> Amelia: It's so empty here...but this could be just what we need...are you the man, sir?
<Hikaru> He isl.
<Hikaru> «ooc: -l »
*** DrThrise is now known as Lucca
* Neydisa beckons to Amelia. "This is Mr. Hoffman.."
<Gayo> Hoffman: Eh? Eh? Yeah, yeah, good, all good. There's a few old axes back there I think, help me out with this and maybe we can find something to our mutual benefit eh?
<Gayo> >> Amelia blinks and lets the guards go to it. ^^;
* Neydisa hands her tool to a guardsman, who'd make a lot betetr use of it. ^^
<Gayo> >> Time passes, measured in the endless cacaphony of clankings a the wall is slowly eaten away at...Hoffman is the first to break through, his entire arm passing right through the wall.
* Hikaru sweatdrops as he's pressed against the wall by six large, sweaty men.
<Gayo> Hoffman: AHAA! HOLLOW YEES!
* Neydisa ducks out of the flying debris. "Hollow?"
<Hikaru> The wall.
<Hikaru> Hollow.
<Gayo> >> Hoffman bludgeons the rest of the wall to smithereens with an almost religious zest, cackling. "This'll show those bastards!"
<Hikaru> ...Yeah.
* Hikaru sweatdrops.
<Neydisa> He's really into his work...
* Neydisa sighs.
<Gayo> >> Amelia sweatdrops too. ^^:
<Gayo> Amelia: Er...we're very...grateful.
<Hikaru> Y...yeah.
<Hikaru> .oO(God. Why am I doing this again?)
<Gayo> >> Finally a new room is exposed...dark except for the light of the guards' lanterns, it is vaguely round, and smells pungent, like rubbing alcohol.
* Jeff sniffs. "What an.. odd smell for a mine.."
<Gayo> >> Hoffman runs in, cackling. "Hah! That'll show those bastards! They can't get rid of old Hoffman now eh! Now old hoffman has an insurance policy!"
* Neydisa sniffs too. "It smells more like a sterilzed room.."
<Hikaru> ...He does?
<Gayo> >> Amelia moves to enter the room, but the guards insist on going in first, rifles at the ready.
* Neydisa peers inside...?
<Neydisa> Hoffman, please wait! We don't know what's in here..
<Gayo> >> It's very dark, even with the lanterns...and oddly wet. Neydisa steps in something and it makes a squelching sound.
<Hikaru> Uh...
<Hikaru> «ooc: "squelch"? »
* Neydisa eeps, and yanks ehr foot back.
<Hikaru> «ooc: Isn't that the sound when you step on a Dragon Warrior-style slime? »
<Neydisa> << lol >>
* /gload: error loading 'merlin' (merlin.acs)
* /gload: error loading 'merlin' (merlin.acs)
* Jeff cautiously follows the guards into the room
<Gayo> >> Whatever it is, uit's slippery, and Neydisa finds herself falling head over heals, landing on the rough, hard floor of the mine.
* Hikaru catches Neydisa before she falls. ^^;
<Gayo> >> Hikaru saves the dayt!
* Neydisa is caught, still reeling.
<Hikaru> You okay?
<Gayo> Hoffman: AGH LORD! I KNEW IT!
<Neydisa> I'm ok.. but.. it's all wet..
<Lucca> «ooc: Ellena: 'Karu! MY hero! :D »
<Hikaru> Uh...
<Hikaru> «ooc: Ney: It's all wet and hot and bothered? »
* Neydisa stands back on her feet, and CAREFULLY looks at the floor.
<Neydisa> << ^^ >>
<Gayo> >> The floor appears slick, and there's some sort of whitish-green blob near her feet.
<Hikaru> Ew... who had their jollies on the floor? ^^;
<Neydisa> By the Guardians...
[Hikaru:#WARPG PING]
[Jeff:#warpg PING]
<Gayo> >> One of the guards steps up, shedding greater light on the room, and revealing the blob to be a human skull coated in slime. The entire place is filled with slimy bones.
<Hikaru> ...O_o The hell?
<Neydisa> << Criz is oevr. heh. ^^ >>
* Jeff blinks
<Hikaru> Uh...
<Hikaru> What happened HERE?
<Jeff> I've never seen anything like this..
<Gayo> Hoffman: Bastards! Bastards! Stinking rotten cow-fuckers!
<Hikaru> Uh...
<Hikaru> Okay. ^^;
* Neydisa blinks..
<Hikaru> I think it's time for your medication, mister Hoffman.
<Neydisa> You don't suppose.. these were... the miners?
<Hikaru> No, Neydisa...I don't suppose. I know these were the miners. I can just...feel it.
<Neydisa> How could they do this... -_-
<Gayo> «ooc: You guys are gonna hate me. »
* Neydisa coughs...
<Gayo> >> The alcohol smell ois overpowering.
<Hikaru> ...
<Gayo> Hoffman: Damn freaks! I never shoulda moved here dammit!
<Hikaru> Can we get outta here? ^^;
* Neydisa backs out of the room slowly, feeling dizzy...
<Gayo> >> A tendril of goo leaks out of the wall and envelops Hoffm,an's head, yanking him into the wall and slamming his head against the rock.
<Hikaru> O_O
<Hikaru> WHAT THE FUCK?!
* Hikaru draws his sword!
<Gayo> Amelia: This is horrible...I never though they'd...gack!
<Gayo> «ooc: I had a fight this session, but if I do it now it's gonna cut damn close or maybe even after 10 EST, so we might have to end like now and stasrt next sess with a fight. ^^; »
<Neydisa> << Hmm.. ^^ >>
* Hikaru tries to slash at the goo, trying to get Hoffman free!
<Lucca> «ooc: Neydisa: Well, I was going to go get dinner. ^^; »
<Lucca> «ooc: It's up to you :) »
<Jeff> In the name of the guardians, what was THAT?
<Neydisa> << Don't wanna rush the fight.. lot's o fightin in IoG though.. ^^ >>
<Hikaru> «ooc: I am SO tempted to say "Naughty Tentacle". »
<Gayo> >> Nah, I'll end the session here. Well, here as in in two minutes. ^_~
<Neydisa> What is that thing... o_o
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*** Rachel is now known as Heather
<Gayo> >> Hikaru slices through the slime, but more starts bubbling out of the very rock walls, splattering on a floor with a hiss and coalescing intoi a giant blob with the miner inside.
<Hikaru> O_o
<Hikaru> This...is not good.
* Jeff steps back, raising his fists. "I've never seen anything like this..."
* Neydisa reaches for her daggers, still backing away.
<Hikaru> It's...
* Hikaru blinks.
<Hikaru> It's a giant booger.
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[Hikaru:#WARPG PING]
<Gayo> >> The syrupy glop stretches and distorts, forming an enormous human shape. The guards forcibly move Amelia out of the way and open fire on it as its gooey flesh ripples and a grotesque roaring sound emanates from somewhere in its being....
<Gayo> --SESSION END--

Session Close: Sun Apr 09 21:01:00 2000