090214-MerrowAcenia

 AA: A knock comes at Acenia's door.

 GT: Acenia answers the door slowly, "Hello?" Ѽ ⋆:・ﾟ✧

 AA: "Hey Pumpkin." Merrow looks proud of himself. "You want to go get dinner?"

 GT: "Merrow!" Acenia looks excited! "Absolutely!" Ѽ ⋆:・ﾟ✧

 AA: He offers her his hand, smiling.

 GT: She takes his hand after quickly double checking for her room key. Ѽ ⋆:・ﾟ✧

 AA: Merrow chuckles once he realizes what she's doing. "Hey, at least this time if you lock yourself out we don't have to hide you staying in my room."

 GT: "This is true. I'd still like to be able to get to my books." Ѽ ⋆:・ﾟ✧

 AA: "Of course, that's fine. It'd make things difficult for when you go to your land anyway."

 GT: "I will miss you..." She clings to his arm. Ѽ ⋆:・ﾟ✧

 AA: "Yeah. I'll miss you too. I'm already regretting putting us on different teams."

 GT: "It's okay. I'm kind of letting Lily show off for her own land. I... want to see how much she really knows." Ѽ ⋆:・ﾟ✧

 GT: "And if she IS a seer of mind, it'll probably be valuable." Ѽ ⋆:・ﾟ✧

 AA: "Hmm." Merrow sounds unsure about this. "So she's taking point?"

 GT: "I'm not so sure. I mean, we also have Rubi. So I think I'm just going to... observe? I don't want to get between that power struggle." She laughs nervously. Ѽ ⋆:・ﾟ✧

 AA: "Hmm. If you think that's best. I'm doing similarly in my own team. But don't be afraid to speak up if you think they're going in the wrong direction, Acenia."

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> AA: "Your thinkpan is screwed in tighter than Lily's, Seer of Mind or no. And I know Miloko and Rubi will listen to you if you have concerns."

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> GT: "I know. I just don't want to make more trouble than I have to... Considering..." Ѽ ⋆:・ﾟ✧

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> AA: "Considering what?"

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> GT: She waves her hands in a panicky dismissal. "You know. The auditorium thing. I suppose on the outside that looks like I don't know what I'm doing. I mean... it certainly wasn't supposed to go that way." Ѽ ⋆:・ﾟ✧

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> AA: Merrow grips her hand a little tighter and nudges her with his shoulder. "We all made mistakes that day, Acenia. Yours was at least a less obvious blunder than ours."

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> GT: "ours? That doesn't make sen--... oh..." She seems sad. Ѽ ⋆:・ﾟ✧

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> AA: "Yeah. Me and the people following me."

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> AA: "They all knew it was a trap. It was obvious even if I hadn't told them that I couldn't ask them to follow me."

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> GT: "It's okay. I mean, we were all doing what we thought was best." Ѽ ⋆:・ﾟ✧

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> AA: "Yeah. Which is why I think you shouldn't blame yourself for that."

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> GT: "I thought if I went quietly I could leave quietly too." Ѽ ⋆:・ﾟ✧

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> AA: "I had hoped that would be the case, too. Otherwise I would've objected to you going. Even though..." he looks away, in a moment of shame "...I suppose I have no right to object to you going with your kismesis."

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> GT: "You can object. I mean, on the bright side, he can't really follow us to the lands. Right?" Ѽ ⋆:・ﾟ✧

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> AA: Merrow grunts, and breaks eye contact. "Knowing him?" He leaves it rhetorical.

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> GT: "I don't think he'd let it interfere with whatever plan he thinks he has next." Ѽ ⋆:・ﾟ✧

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> GT: "At the very least. If he's still so intent on that, he'll probably be attempting to continue that." Ѽ ⋆:・ﾟ✧

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> AA: "I hope you're right. That's part of why I wanted to make sure Darmok was on the team with you though. He knows Balish better than anyone."

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> GT: Acenia nods. Ѽ ⋆:・ﾟ✧

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> GT: "I still feel really unprepared for this in general... I hope by sticking back I can glean a lot of information from Lily's inevitable mistakes." Ѽ ⋆:・ﾟ✧

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> AA: "Very well. I'll trust your judgment, if you wish to stick to the shadows."

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> AA: "But don't let her walk all over you."

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> GT: "I am not entryfabric." Ѽ ⋆:・ﾟ✧

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> AA: "Good."

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> GT: She pokes him in the side. Ѽ ⋆:・ﾟ✧

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> AA: "So hey. Revult told me about this alchemy stuff..."

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> AA: "...based on her description, I'm thinking maybe I can make new hybrid pumpkin strains with alchemy."

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> AA: "So I might be able to fill your primer faster than we were expecting."

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> AA: "As long as I figure it out right. And that I can pay the 'grist cost,' whatever that ends up being."

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> GT: "Alchemy! It's like the child of magic and science!" Acenia pulls out a book on human alchemy. Ѽ ⋆:・ﾟ✧

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> GT: "You are taking this magic very seriously~" She smiles. Ѽ ⋆:・ﾟ✧

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> GT: "Unfortunately, human alchemy is limited by material and belief doesn't play any part!" Ѽ ⋆:・ﾟ✧

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> AA: "Eh." He shrugs. "You know my policy. It'd be irrational to ignore the evidence of my eyes."

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> GT: "Science is always inferior..." she puffs out her cheek. Ѽ ⋆:・ﾟ✧

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> GT: "Just make sure the pumpkins don't disappear when you draw your circles!" Ѽ ⋆:・ﾟ✧

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> AA: "Circles?"

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> AA: "Wait, disappear?"

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> GT: "Pumpkins disappear! And you said Alchemy right? So you need to create circles and balanced equations to get your product, right?" She tilts her head to the side in confusion. Ѽ ⋆:・ﾟ✧

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> AA: "Oh, no. It's something involving the machines we entered with." Merrow explains the process as Fate described it to him.

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> GT: "That's too much science." Acenia grumbles. Ѽ ⋆:・ﾟ✧

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> GT: Acenia pats her copy of De Occulta Philosophia as if to soothe it. Ѽ ⋆:・ﾟ✧

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> AA: "Maybe." he chuckles fondly and inclines his head toward her. "But I think there must still be magic involved."

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> AA: "The manner of combining things just doesn't sound like any science I know."

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> AA: "It's either magic, or it's science that's so far advanced it may as well BE magic."

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> GT: "I bet Lily knows about this and isn't sharing..." Ѽ ⋆:・ﾟ✧

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> AA: Merrow chuckles. "Yeah, probably."

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> AA: "But what did you mean about pumpkins disappearing? Why would they disappear?"

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> AA: "Is someone taking them?"

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> GT: "Okay, so say I were to mess with these machines out of curiousity? Do you have suggestions on things that would help? Like, should I try to make lots of food? Or should we focus on weapons? It is a game... I suppose." Ѽ ⋆:・ﾟ✧

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> GT: "Oh! Uhm...." Acenia uncaptchalogues a tiny baby pumpkin and sits it on the floor in front of them. "It's better just to show you. Remember it's there but keep talking to me." She takes his hands in hers. "And just so you know I'm not doing anything..." Ѽ ⋆:・ﾟ✧

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> AA: "Okay." He eyes the pumpkin momentarily, but then turns his eyes back to her. "Weapons are probably a good idea, yeah. I hadn't even thought about that--I hadn't really thought about much beyond making the unique pumpkin seeds yet, actually. I was going to consider it afterward." He thinks it over for a moment. "Until we get a better handle of the system, it might be a good idea to just experiment

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> AA: ."

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> GT: Acenia smiles. "You know, the reason I disappear sometimes is because... In the treehive, I didn't have a lot to do at times, so I started studying the pumpkins. I still haven't found one big enough to get into. I want to see where they go as opposed to where I go." Ѽ ⋆:・ﾟ✧

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> GT: She looks over and the pumpkin is still there. "Oh. I think it might be nervous." Ѽ ⋆:・ﾟ✧

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> AA: Merrow chuckles. "Performance anxiety. Poor little guy."

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> GT: "Just a little bit longer~" She grins and turns her attention away from the pumpkin again. Ѽ ⋆:・ﾟ✧

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> GT: "So... I think I'm going to quickly borrow a few things from Commander Balish to see if they'll help us on our world. I mean, he was trusted enough to rise up through the ranks that much. And kept on when they knew his belfry was full of bats." Ѽ ⋆:・ﾟ✧

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> GT: "What do you think?" Ѽ ⋆:・ﾟ✧

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> AA: "I think that's a great idea. Not only does it possibly help us, but it possibly sets him back."

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> AA: "And from a black romance perspective, it will probably embarrass and anger him for you to pull the wool over his eyes like that."

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> GT: Acenia giggles excitedly, but straightens up quickly. That was weird... She turns her attention beside them and... It's gone! Ѽ ⋆:・ﾟ✧

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> AA: Merrow looks to where she's gazing, and notices the missing pumpkin.

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> AA: "So is it like that thing Darmok does?"

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> GT: "Probably! Pumpkins are mysterious. I don't know where they're being called to, but I want to find out someday." Ѽ ⋆:・ﾟ✧

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> AA: "Hmm. Can they disappear from my sylladex if I find them?"

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> GT: "How secure is your modus?" Ѽ ⋆:・ﾟ✧

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> AA: "I use Vault Modus. There's a combination lock on it....although I often don't bother to lock it. It's a hassle to put in the combination every time."

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> GT: "I mean, it's not so much... when they're in there... It's when you try to take them out. You have to trick them." She seems excited. "I use Spellbound Modus. I think maybe the magic lingers sometimes! Of course I haven't been able to prove it. It's possible pumpkins just like me. Or they're teasing me by staying and being a bigger mystery. Who knows?" She lets his hands go. Ѽ

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> GT: ⋆:・ﾟ✧

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> AA: "Hmm. Now I'm worried that even if I find them, I'll have trouble getting them to you."

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> GT: "Just be friendly with them. Or treat them well if you're growing them. I think, if I was being taken care of, I would like to stay in that spot, you know?" Ѽ ⋆:・ﾟ✧

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> AA: "All right. It sounds somewhat hard to believe, but if you say it works I'll trust you."

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> GT: "Besides! Think of it this way... If you have an entire patch... er... society of subjects and you are to be watching them and making sure they're taken care of, and one of them goes missing, will you just do nothing? It's leadership practice!" Ѽ ⋆:・ﾟ✧

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> GT: "Sometimes they come back if you coax them with fresh soil. I mean... it happened a few times." Ѽ ⋆:・ﾟ✧

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> AA: Merrow chuckles. "Anything is worth a shot. These are very mysterious vegetables. Or....are they fruits? They've got seeds..."

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> GT: Acenia shrugs. "It is a mystery." Ѽ ⋆:・ﾟ✧

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> AA: "Now I just have to hope my garden doesn't fallow while I'm off in Fate's land. I wonder if I could alchemize some sort of portable garden or something."

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> GT: "I don't know! That would be nice." Ѽ ⋆:・ﾟ✧

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> AA: "Or maybe I could do one of those hydroponic setups to keep them watered, and talk to Rubi about putting together a machine that would apply the right nutrients on a schedule..."

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> GT: "Merrow, merrow! Human Halloween is coming soon. Will you celebrate with me? Maybe you can finish the primer by then? We can celebrate?" Have you seen her this excited before? Have you? Ѽ ⋆:・ﾟ✧

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> AA: Merrow is a little taken aback. "Well of course I'll celebrate with you! But I have no idea if I'll have the primer done by then yet. It sort of depends how fast I can make the pumpkins grow, or find others."

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> GT: "I know you can do it!" Ѽ ⋆:・ﾟ✧

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> AA: "I hope you're right. I'd like for our marriage....or partnership, or whatever the twinks call it....to be official."

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> GT: "I should probably update it... Ѽ ⋆:・ﾟ✧

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> GT: " Ѽ ⋆:・ﾟ✧

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> GT: She thinks. Ѽ ⋆:・ﾟ✧

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> GT: "Maybe make the plant count less? I didn't really factor in that it'd be your first garden." Ѽ ⋆:・ﾟ✧

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> AA: Merrow looks a little ashamed. "I don't want you to settle for me, Acenia. If this is what you want from a mate, I want to live up to that." He sighs. "But I admit that I'd love to make things official faster."

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> GT: "I know... I just wasn't sure how else to make sure it was absolutely going to be you." Ѽ ⋆:・ﾟ✧

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> AA: "Yeah. You certainly seem to have covered all the bases. There aren't any other Emperors in our team. I suppose there could be more in this game somewhere, but I doubt they're also Princes of Time."

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> GT: She nods. Ѽ ⋆:・ﾟ✧

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> GT: "Scarlet said you weren't the only prince of time, but I really don't think there's also another Emperor prince of time. I mean... that's just absurd." Ѽ ⋆:・ﾟ✧

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> AA: "I'm not the only Prince of Time?" Merrow sounds more concerned now.

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> GT: "And if they need more players, they're probably dead?" Ѽ ⋆:・ﾟ✧

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> GT: "I mean, i could be assuming wrong. Maybe she was just warning that there COULD be another one in the future." Ѽ ⋆:・ﾟ✧

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> AA: "Hmm." Merrow seems to be considering this still.

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> AA: "Maaaaaaaaaybe it's still okay. If I work fast." Merrow furrows his brow. "I'm a little more concerned than I was previously though."

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> AA: "I already wanted to accomplish it as fast as possible. But now I feel like I definitely can't afford to take my time."

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> GT: "It would have told us when we entered the game, right?" Ѽ ⋆:・ﾟ✧

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> GT: "Nobody else was announced as a prince of time." Ѽ ⋆:・ﾟ✧

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> AA: "I don't know. But Scarlet would know, right?"

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> GT: "Do you want to ask her?" Ѽ ⋆:・ﾟ✧

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> GT: "You can message her now, you know." Ѽ ⋆:・ﾟ✧

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> AA: "Hmm. Yes. I think I might. It would put my mind at ease to know whether I really am the only one who could possibly fill your primer as it stands now."

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> GT: "Okay." She sends him a quick message with the handle from her phone. Ѽ ⋆:・ﾟ✧

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> AA: "Unless....Pumpkin, you're sure that it is specifically me you want? Not just the man who meets these criteria?"

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> GT: "I tried to make it tailored to you. The YLIP told me that putting someone's name on it made it contestable or I could have just said "Be Merrow". " Ѽ ⋆:・ﾟ✧

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> AA: Merrow snorts. "Life would be too simple, then, I suppose."

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> GT: "I know." Ѽ ⋆:・ﾟ✧

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> GT: "Do you think we have time to try the machine alchemy together before we all leave for our respective teams' lands?" Ѽ ⋆:・ﾟ✧

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> AA: "Sure, I would think so."

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> GT: "Want to make it a date?" Ѽ ⋆:・ﾟ✧

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> AA: "Definitely. And actually, I don't think Revult is planning to leave tonight anyway. She sort of suggested..." he coughs a little and a slight tinge reaches his cheeks. "...well she said I should spend time with you before we leave anyway. And I happen to agree."

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> GT: Acenia giggles and holds her hand out for him to take. "Great! How about that dinner, then?" Ѽ ⋆:・ﾟ✧

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> AA: "Yes. Come to think of it, we've taken a surprisingly long time to walk to the commissary."

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> GT: "Well... I mean, its good to spend as much time together as possible, right?" Ѽ ⋆:・ﾟ✧

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> AA: "Yeah....I think I may have lead us down a loop once or twice." He chuckles. "Did you....did you do it too?"

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> GT: She sticks her tongue out. "I have no idea what you're talking about." Ѽ ⋆:・ﾟ✧

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> AA: "All right, well this time let's actually GO to the commissary."

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> GT: "If you insist!" Ѽ ⋆:・ﾟ✧

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> GT: (( fade 2 breakfast? ))