[ It's the day after Vall's proposal to Seylin! Some of you missed that, which is really too bad; it was a hoot of a session. ] [ To fill you in, tho, we're currently in the depths of winter, which is actually a rather pleasant season in Canyonhome; the miserable cold all stays up out of the canyon, and you guys just get to frollick in the snow. FROLLICK. XD ] [ Radiant Day is still around the corner, and I'll need to fill Will in on that one. The snow fort of the Freshmen and Sophomores are still standing tall outside, although there are rumors of Senior forts being erected to oppose their tyranny. Session Start! ] * Vall wanders around the local outdoor mall, looking at current fashions that aren't "elven" in nature, looking for something to wear when he takes Seylin to the formal. * Istvan is just kinda wandering, as is his wont. As per usual, his war pick is holstered to his back. * HKenji is walking the mall with Seylin, still hoping she'll come to her senses. * Patrick shrugs and walks after Seylin. Formality is overrated. * Seylin is walking with Kenji and company. She hasn't seemed to come to her senses yet. Has your dress been finished, Seylin? * Vall remembers the height difference, and looks for footwear that'll at least alleviate *some* of it, without wearing those stiletto heels that are all the rage with the elven males nowadays, and winces when he sees one walking past. I think it's going to take another day or two. * Istvan walks by the group, waves, then pauses and blinks. "Dress? There a party or something coming up?" Hi, Istvan! Yeah, the winter formal! Yeah. ^_^ Seylin has agreed to go with Vall, of all people. You'd think he'd avoid anything with "formal" in the name like a plague. * HKenji makes a limp wrist. "It's so... conformist." No kidding. * Seylin blinks in confusion. "But he asked me to, and no one else had yet." ... oh yeah. Forgot about that. Seylin, you don't have to go with the first person who asks. * Istvan rubs his neck. I didn't think anyone else was going to. Oh, Kenji... I'm sorry. Did you want to ask me? I didn't even think about that! That, dear lady, is because you've never looked around and actually _seen._ ( Which is surprising, given her high Wisdom score. ) (She's naive in amusing ways.) ... which, translated, means that about half the student body was prolly pondering asking you to the formal. * HKenji rolls his eyes. * Seylin blinks. Then her eyes widen and she blushes slightly, which probably makes her look even more becoming. "Oh, stop. You're just joking with me, right?" * Will finally snaps out of his daydream. "Seylin is going out with Vall?" * Istvan bows. "Thank you. This Kenji-to-Common translation service is available 24-7." * Patrick chuckles and grins. "It's possible." * HKenji blinks. "Do I _ever_ joke with you?" Well, I meant Istvan more than you. Maybe a little more'n half. Some of the girls give you second looks, too. And maybe a little less than half, too. Some of the boys give Vall second looks. *smirks* * Seylin smiles. "Now I *know* you're teasing me! Come on, let's go get something to eat!" Hey, he's an elf. What'dya expect? ^_^ It ain't just that he's an elf. He's... really, really elfy. * Will laughs. "That's so true!" And what's wrong with being an elf? Nothing. Just the dwarf in me talking. * Istvan says that while standing 6'3. Yeah, the dwarf in him. =P * Seylin giggles. * Vall wanders by just as Ist lets that crack out, and changes direction to follow the rest of the party. "Yeah, Ist, what *is* wrong with being an elf?" * HKenji blinks. You mean aside from looking like a Crane, so people can't tell male from female? * Seylin waves. "Hi, Vall!" Or by attracting members of the same gender more times than that of the opposite? And all the prancing through the trees and the fields. Or perhaps the utter lack of tact? * Will nods nods. ( Elf-haters. ;_; ) Well in that, I assure you, Istvan, I am not like the rest of my kind. * Seylin puts her hands on her hips and glares at the boys. "Cut it out, guys. What'd Vall ever do to you?" * Istvan ruffles Vall's hair. "Just teasin', man. Well, mostly." * Patrick smiles that smile that makes you wish you really weren't Vall right now. "Nothing. Nothing at all, of course." [ Patrick is scary. ] I think he stepped on my foot once. Or was that Will? I dunno. Wasn't me, Ist. I watch where I step. * Seylin giggles. "Like Vall stepping on your foot would really hurt you, Istvan." * HKenji looks at Seylin like he really, really wants to say something, but doesn't. Sorry Ist. Wasn't watching. s'no biggie. After having chunks of rock fall on your feet, a cleric ain't so bad. Unless it's a giant cleric. * HKenji turns away and keeps walking. * Seylin blinks at Kenji. "I hope I didn't hurt his feelings somehow." * Will grins. "It's a good thing I'm not wearing armor when I stepped on your feet." * Patrick raises an eyebrow at Kenji's decision to walk off, but he still smiles. Probably. No, I don't think it was you, Seylin. He doesn't like someone present, and figures silence is better. He'll explode one day, holding in all that negative energy. Hopefully not literally. * Vall looks at a passing elf, and winces. "Can someone tell me when *stiletto heels* of all things became fashionable for elven men? Disgusting." ...oh. [ Negative energy? C'mon, it's not like the guy's undead. c.c ] I was hoping you could tell us that. I avoid elven fashions. * Patrick nods slowly. "Sure ya do." ^_^ A fetish for back pain and broken ankles. Too... well, there's a word for it in undercommon... * Seylin quiets down. * HKenji keeps just ahead of the group, looking in various store windows. Hell, I can't understand why women wear 'em. Lord only knows why a guy would. Goddess knows... It's not as if an Elf isn't tall enough already. Actually... Actually, most of us are shorter than humans, on average. * Patrick stands next to Vall, towering over the elf. "Elves are short." [ Kenji sees products in those store windows! Nothing of particular interest, but if you're looking for anything, it's likely not too hard to find. ] Really? I guess they just appear tall since they're all so skinny. * Vall nods. Those heels help the height illusion. [ Elves are short. At least, in this campaign they are. ] * Vall visibly shudders at the thought Need to eat better. Builds muscles. *flexes an arm* * Seylin walks up to Patrick and whispers something to him. * Will nods. "And wear plate mail to look bulkier." * Patrick whispers back. * Vall smiles. "I thought you did that, too, Will." ^_^ * Seylin nods and whispers again. What? I'm pretty buff for a cleric!! * Patrick smiles back and whispers. Teasin' ya, Will. Yeah, a halfling cleric. :P * Vall laughs. * HKenji looks over his shoulder. "Strength isn't everything. Are you people going to hurry up?" * Seylin whispers once more and smiles brightly. Yeah, but it doesn't hurt. * Vall bites back a retort... * Istvan keeps walkin'. "... y'know, I dunno if I'm gonna go to the formal." * Seylin looks at Istvan. "Why not?" That reminds me... I was looking for something better suited than what I have. * Istvan shrugs. "Do I really look like the dancing type?" Well, you could ask Tia... * Seylin tilts her head slightly, then giggles at Vall's comment. "That would be... interesting." * Patrick chuckles. ... she could probably hurt my feet. Yes, she probably could. I'd recommend wearing your plate mail at the dance then :D * Vall keeps a poker face. "And you probably could hurt hers, I think. Pretty well evenly matched." Ugh, no! Only those silly paladins-in-training wear their plate mail everywhere! I dunno. You guys've prolly noticed that I ain't exactly a social butterfly. Big gatherings aren't really my thing. Awww, but this only happens once a year! And right around Radiant Day, too. The importance of social interaction cannot be overstressed in the training of a warrior. It'd be one thing if I was gonna go with someone. But I ain't. So... Why not? The battlefield may be different, but it is still necessary to be able to defend oneself. I'm sure there are lots of people who'd be happy to go with you. * Istvan shrugs. "Don't know anyone." Well, I understand Ariake's still available. Just go as friends. Further, Istvan, I have noticed several underclassmen who would be happy to go to the dance with you. Personally I would reccommend you ask that young dwarven lady, though I cannot remember her name just now. * Patrick snickers. There you go! * Istvan frowns. "... I'll see." At least you can ask a girl out to the formal. Look at me! What's a cleric supposed to do? Take a fellow cleric? * Istvan pauses, and his frown lightens a bit. "Go with your god. Duh." * Patrick snickers. ... * Seylin giggles. Summon an avatar. * Vall chuckles... I don't seem to recall your... Bahamut imposing a requirement of chastity. Yeah, really. I'm sure you can find someone. ^_^ Not very reassuring Patrick, but thanks. Actually, Will, I think you really should check out the local temple and ask one of the other clerics there. You never know. You never know unless you ask. Right, Patrick? Right. ^_^ But I'd probably check some places other than temples. Like some of the other houses. ^^ ... y'know, all this'd be way easier if the girls'd just ask the guys. * Will nods. "Definately" Yeah! I should've thought of that! * Patrick smiles. "There's a thought. Let's get some food first, though." ~_^ Maybe we can have another dance later in the year where the girls do the asking! When did the custom start where the guys ask the girls, anyway? I'd think it'd be easier if anyone could ask anyone of the opposite gender, regardless. Chivalry. Duh. * Patrick walks torwards the pizza place. * Vall follows Hey, wait up! * Seylin runs after him. [ The pizza place beckons with a yummy aroma. Of pizza. ] [ ...mmm, pizza. ] ( Guido's Pizza Pit? ) You'd think the elves, of all people, wouldn't care who asked who. [ Actually, this is Mario's Pizza Shack. ] * Will follows Seylin. "Mario's Pizza is always good." * Patrick smiles. [ It's a nice place. Has seating both indoors and out, although the outdoor seating is largely vacant right now. ] Mmm. It smells so good! Well, Kenji, it seems as though that is one human custom they have adopted. Not all humans follow that custom. [ The pizza smells like good pizza. Looks like it, too. But it's not your pizza, because you have yet to order any pizza. ] In Rokugan, there are none of these... dances. Whatever, I'm gettin' some 'za. s'why I liked living with dwarves. Most dwarven women, if they wanna ask a guy out, will just go up to him and whack him upside the head. If he doesn't pass out, he's a suitable partner? Something like that. That's a bit too direct no? Come on, come on! You guys can discuss mating rituals after we've ordered. ... there's such a thing as too direct? * Patrick walks up and orders a large double-cheese pizza with pepperoni, sausage, and mushroms. "Hey, you're up!" Actually, that may well be acceptable as a proposal of marriage in many places. Including among the Crab. Still, better to engage the services of a good matchmaker. * HKenji orders a nice salad. * Vall orders a medium four-cheese, pepperoni, sausage, bacon, and mushroom deep dish pizza * Seylin orders a small chicken with white sauce. * Istvan orders an Uber-Meat pizza and some Dwarven Ale. * Vall asks for a pint of mushroom beer, if any is available. * Will orders a pepperoni pizza. Still the best in his opinion. ( Mushroom beer? ?_? ) ( It's an underdark thing. ) [ Your orders having been taken, you are now seated while you await the completion of your 'za. ] ( DrowTales creation, I think... Beer made with mushrooms instead of grains ) ( in DrowTales, it's always been shown as being rather green ) * Seylin walks over to a booth big enough to fit all of them and sits. * Istvan sits, then chugs his tankard of Ale as he waits. "... ah, that's good stuff." * Vall frowns as it turns out they're currently out of mushroom beer, and orders a pint of the dwarven stuff instead. * Vall sits down with the rest of the crew, waiting for his pizza. * Patrick sits next to Seylin. "So how do ya think we should get back?" ^_^ * Istvan waits for a waiter/waitress/waitthing to pass by so he can get a refill. * Seylin looks at Patrick. "Hmm?" Hmmm... platforms should work without being glaringly obvious, I think. * Vall relaxes, letting his gaze wander over the crowd. * Seylin waits for the pizza to come. * Patrick waits too. "Give up Vall. You're short." ^_^ And what I mean is how do we get past the forts? * HKenji blinks. Oh. They're still at it, huh? What in the world are you talking about? Get past? Just walk past 'em. They didn't try and collect a toll from you? [ Pizza arrives! And someone comes by to refill Istvan's drink, and to give Vall some mushrooms to go with his, apparently having misunderstood his order. ] Hmm? No. Were they asking for tolls from people? * Seylin laughs. "Must be only certain people." [ They must fear Istvan's THAC0. ] * Patrick chuckles. "Either that or they've gotten lazy. Gonna need to keep them on their toes next time." ~_^ Well, we can always threaten to melt the forts. Or we can, perhaps, pay their tolls? Couldn't you have flown over them without them noticing Seylin? They noticed, but they let me by. ^_^ * Vall coughs something that sounds a lot like "fanboys" Just pay the toll. ... come to think of it a couple sophmores jumped in front of me from behind a snow bank and started to say something, but ended up just staring at me for a sec and then shuffling off. * Istvan shrugs. "Whatever." *downs his tankard of ale; digs into his pizza* * Seylin giggles and takes a slice of her pizza. Well, it could be worse. * Patrick eats a large slice of pizza. "Never say that." * Vall munches on his pizza. "I mean, a single gold piece per person ain't that bad." * Will starts eating his pizza. * Istvan chews thoughtfully and swollows. * Seylin nibbles daintily at hers, because she is graceful and ladylike. (And horribly oblivious when it comes to guys, but, hey, one cannot have it all.) I have a feeling you'll not be getting off that easily at this point, Vall. [ I'd have lightning rumble to affirm that, but it's out of season. ] * Patrick smiles. * Seylin would ask why, but her mouth is full. * Istvan snerks around his pizza, then continues with his thoughtful chewing. * Istvan finishes off his pizza, and stifles a burp as best he can. * Seylin finishes a second slice of hers. "I'm full. Any of you guys want some, or should I just take it back with me?" * Vall works on the fifth slice of his pizza; there's three left. "No thanks. I've got plenty for leftovers myself." * Patrick finishes the rest of his 'za. "Don't order more than you can eat next time." * Will finishes his pizza. "Nah. I'm too full. Thanks for offering though" I'll finish it, if ya don't mind. I don't see how you can stomach that concoction of dead beast and cow milk. But I ordered the smallest thing they had. Ah, but pizza fulfills the four basic food groups, Kenji. * Seylin pushes the remnants of her pizza over to Istvan. * Istvan nods in thanks, and attacks the pizza. It's good stuff. But if ya don't like it... No it doesn't. * Patrick shrugs. "I'm not gonna make you eat it." ^_^ Bread and grains is covered by the crust, meat is obvious, the tomato sauce covers the fruits and vegetables, and the cheese covers the dairy products. The four basic food groups are rice, fish, vegetables, and rice. * Seylin watches Istvan go. "That's impressive." Well, I've seen fish on pizza once. And you can make your crust from rice flour, I'm told. * Istvan speaks after swollowing. "Big stomach." Cheese is an abomination suitable only for the barbarian stomachs of the Unicorn. * Seylin frowns slightly. "Are you calling me a barbarian?" Of course we're barbarians. We cook our food, don't we? Of course not. I never said that cheese suits you. But I ate it. Yes, and when I attend a Unicorn function, I am obligated to eat their foot. Your point? ... you eat their feet? (tyyyypo.) ( Food. FOOOOOD. ) No, I eat their... food. My apologies, I am still prone to occasinal mistakes with your language. * Seylin just nods. s'okay. Shoulda caught it. * Vall digs into his sixth slice of pizza in a most un-elfin manner. * Vall finishes the slice, and lets out a most un-elven but polite belch, covering his mouth as he does so. "Good pizza." Kenji, you really should try pizza at least once though. You might like it. * Will wipes his hand with a napkin. [ Some elves at a nearby tables eye Vall as he belches. Clearly, he is a freak amongst elves. ] I _have_ tried it. Shortly after first meeting Patrick, as a matter of fact. ( with his skin tone and hair color? naturally ) He told me that your... pepperoni was mild. * Patrick smiles. "Yeah. Kenji don't take too well to spicy food." Awww, that's too bad. Pepperoni's pretty good! You people put so much spice on your food, you can't taste what's under it. It is mild. Now the stuff they put in the tacos over in the taco shop, now *that* is spicy. Oooh, yeah. I didn't like those all that much. Tabasco? That's not too bad. Just gotta watch it. ^_^ Gotta go with Kenji here. Never been big on spicy stuff. I personally can't stand stuff too spicy. But pepperoni's are good stuff. Actually, Pat, I think they refered to the tacos as having six levels of spice content. "Mild", "Medium", "Hot", "Extra Spicy Hot", and "Suicide". The Medium is too spicy for me, but the mild is on par with the pepperoni. * Seylin looks at Patrick and grins. "You've tried the 'Suicide' ones, haven't you?" * Patrick nods and smiles. * HKenji shudders. Good eatin'. ^_^ I think I missed one. Super Hot, between the Extra Spicy and the Suicide. Just being NEAR it makes my eyes water. * Seylin giggles. "I knew it! Do you even have any taste buds left?" Of course! Would I eat it if I didn't? ^_^ He must want to kill off the remaining taste buds, then. Naaah. Could be useful if one were trapped with only goblins to eat. ... * Patrick whips out a vial. "This stuff. Now this stuff is hot. Anyone want a taste?" ^_^ Hey, now, goblins taste good if you marinate them for three days beforehand. That's one of those vials that's acid-proof, right? It's acid-proof and fire-proof. ^_^ I figured. That's probably the only thing that would be able to hold it. * HKenji shudders. No. Absolutely not. And I'd like to keep my taste buds intact, thank you very much. * Will shakes his head. "No thanks." I'd rather die. You might if you drink this. ... you moving from Alchemy into poisons, Pat? No takers? Oh well. * Patrick smiles and puts it back. "Who said I ever had to move?" ^_^ ... the Smiling Assassin. Has a ring to it. * Seylin blinks. "Assassin? Patrick wouldn't do a thing like that!" ( Any relation to the Smirking Sneak Thief? ) Nah, I wouldn't. You know that. ^_^ ... at least that's what he wants us to think. Nevertheless you keep that stuff well sealed right? * Seylin looks at Istvan. "He wouldn't! Really!" Cooled too. If it heats up it explodes. ^_^ * Vall grins. * Will shakes his head. "Were you trying to come up with a new explosive or a new hot sauce when you developed the stuff?" * Istvan whistles... * Patrick whistles. "Actually, hot sauce. By it's nature it will explode in high temperatures. All liquids do eventually. Don't you pay attention in physics?" ( I got greedy. I wanted both. ) * Will grins. "Well I tend to fall asleep in class." Only physics I know is collision physics. Ballistics is interesting, though. * Patrick smiles. You should pay more attention in class. Knowledge is power. Should, prolly. Don't. * Patrick shrugs. "Your loss." ^_^ * Istvan shrugs. "I ain't no intellectual. I hit stuff." * HKenji rolls his eyes. I can make a decent suit of armor, too. [ And an awkward silence followed that. Session End! ]