010314beausami

 -- chessAficionado [CA] began pestering arcaneArtisan [AA] at 02:00 --

 [02:00] CA: Hey Sami? You ok?...

 [02:00] AA: Oh....yeah. Was I making a lot of noise while I was sleeping?

 [02:01] CA: Well, I saw you fell asleep, and well... with Jack y'know?...

 [02:01] AA: Yeah. It....wasn't very fun.

 [02:02] AA: But Null woke me up with a pester about some stuff she's going through, and she kind of kept my mind off of it.

 [02:03] CA: Oh! That's good I guess...

 [02:03] AA: Actually, that conversation was kind of crazy in the end. I told her about Pandora's Box and then she started laughing and saying I had helped her a lot.

 [02:03] CA: Hmm?...

 [02:03] CA: That's the one with the lady and everything bad was in the box...

 [02:03] CA: and curiosity got the best of her, right?...

 [02:04] AA: Yeah. And I told her how some people think Hope was the worst evil of all because it makes you want more, and then she started comparing it to that troll Spades thing.

 [02:04] AA: So I mentioned that it was kind of like "Being in Spades with the whole Universe" and she just started laughing and seemed really happy about it.

 [02:05] CA: But, that's very different from what I thought hope was about...

 [02:05] CA: but I suppose differing opinions are to be taken into account...

 [02:05] AA: Yeah, I guess I don't know what it means in this game.

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> [02:05] AA: But I just think of it as like the feeling that things can be better, and you can MAKE them better.

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> [02:06] AA: We got on the subject because she kind of offered to kill my dreamself. :(

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> [02:06] CA: wh...

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> [02:06] CA: what?!?...

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> [02:07] AA: No, no, it was actually NICE of her to offer. I mean I was kind of tempted for a second.

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> [02:07] CA: Is this about what... *he* did?...

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> [02:07] AA: Yeah.

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> [02:07] AA: It....it was pretty rough.

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> [02:07] CA: do you... want to talk about it?...

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> [02:07] CA: But I understand if you'd rather avoid thinking about it...

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> [02:08] AA: I don't know if there's much to talk about. It sucked, but it was just like being in a lot of pain for a long time. It's not like specific things were happening.

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> [02:09] CA: I...

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> [02:09] CA: I was supposed to protect you...

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> [02:09] AA: There's nothing you could've done, Beau. Even if you had been in that time warp with me. :(

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> [02:09] CA: You shouldn't have to be going through that...

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> [02:10] AA: No, I shouldn't. But it's Jack's fault. Not yours.

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> [02:11] CA: But you, and Doir, and now Doir has those presents, and I couldnt get him to give them back, and now he's going to die again and he doesn't have another life...

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> [02:11] AA: Yeah....we've got to do something about Doir. We've got to protect him somehow.

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> [02:11] CA: and I'm too useless to do anything about anything...

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> [02:11] AA: Beau, this isn't your fault! Don't do this to yourself!

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;">[02:12] -- arcaneArtisan [AA] presses her forehead to Beau's and holds her hands. She has to stand on tiptoes to do it, given their height difference. --

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> [02:12] CA: heh, look at me, I'm supposed to be the 'smart and collected one'...

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> [02:13] AA: Hey, if you can't be vulnerable around your girlfriend, who can you be vulnerable around?

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> [02:13] CA: I... I suppose that's true...

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> [02:13] AA: But look.

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;">[02:14] -- arcaneArtisan [AA] grabs the sides of Beau's face and points her to where their eyes are meeting. --

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> [02:14] AA: We're going to save Doir.

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;">[02:14] -- chessAficionado [CA] looks in Sami's eyes, tears still visible --

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> [02:14] AA: We're not going to lose anymore friends, okay?

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> [02:14] CA: yeah...

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;">[02:14] -- arcaneArtisan [AA] sounds about as firm as she's capable of. --

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> [02:14] AA: So you don't have to feel useless or anything, and neither do I.

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> [02:14] CA: yeah yeah, that'd be nice...

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> [02:15] CA: but Jack is still...

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> [02:15] AA: Jack is human. Or....okay, he's not human, but you know what I mean. He was just like us once.

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> [02:16] AA: Nullar even said that there are things more powerful than Jack out there....I'm not sure what they are, but that tells me that Jack isn't untouchable.

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> [02:16] AA: We're going to beat him. I don't know how yet. Maybe we can find a way to negotiate with him, or maybe we'll find a way to neutralize him.

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> [02:16] AA: Heck, maybe we'll go over his head and talk to the things that HE'S scared of.

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;">[02:17] -- arcaneArtisan [AA] has a look of determination on her face. --

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;">[02:17] -- chessAficionado [CA] gives a weak smile --

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> [02:17] CA: yeah let's do that...

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> [02:18] CA: Heheh, here I thought I was supposed to be helping you with your problems...

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> [02:18] AA: Actually, you are!

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;">[02:18] -- arcaneArtisan [AA] smiles. --

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> [02:18] CA: huh?...

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> [02:18] AA: I feel a lot better now than I would if I were wallowing in self pity over that stuff Jack did to me.

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> [02:19] AA: After talking to you and Null and everything, I feel like I could take on the Universe. Just like Null said she felt like!

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> [02:19] CA: Yeah, I suppose I should take a page from your book, eh?...

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> [02:20] AA: I didn't mean it like that...

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> [02:20] AA: It's just....this stuff is what makes me feel strong. That's all.

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> [02:21] CA: No I mean, just wallowing in self pity, I shouldn't be doing stuff like that...

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> [02:21] CA: We should feel strong together, like pieces on a chess board...

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> [02:22] CA: No single piece can win a game, they all have to work together to succeed in a strategy...

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> [02:22] AA: Yeah, exactly! Together we're strong.

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> [02:22] CA: And yeah, maybe we lose a piece or two along the way, and that's really sad, but we can't let it stop us in our tracks...

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;">[02:22] -- arcaneArtisan [AA] frowns at this. --

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> [02:23] AA: I don't intend to lose anyone. But at least most of us still have Extra Lives. So even if we end up making a wrong turn, we'll be okay.

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> [02:24] CA: Well, we can't grow dependent on these second chances...

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> [02:25] CA: If anything we should ignore that they exist, What if people grow careless and throw themselves away because "lol I have a second life anyway"...

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> [02:25] CA: No, I can't let that happen...

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> [02:25] AA: That's true. Plus I'll bet it still hurts. I guess Doir would know.

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> [02:26] CA: Yeah, something with an umbrella...

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> [02:26] CA: hey...

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> [02:26] CA: I just had a thought...

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> [02:27] CA: is it possible that if we have second lives...

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> [02:27] CA: My parents are still alive somewhere?...

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> [02:27] AA: Hey! Maybe!

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> [02:27] CA: I know I shouldn't get my hopes up but...

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> [02:27] CA: But it's something to keep me going...

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> [02:30] AA: I don't really know how it works, but now that I think of it, it's kind of weird that we have second lives at all.

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> [02:30] CA: hmm?...

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> [02:32] CA: What do you mean?...

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> [02:33] AA: Well I just mean....how does that work? I mean we're sort of playing a video game, but it's not like we're little characters on a TV screen dying and then coming back.

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> [02:34] CA: Maybe we are! Maybe someone is watching as little 8-bit uses run across the screen in 'super sburb bros'...

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> [02:35] CA: As if that isn't the most ridiculous idea ever...

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> [02:36] AA: If so, it must be the most meta game ever. I mean people playing a game about people playing a game who KNOW they're in a game, and have begun to suspect that the game they're playing is inside its own game?

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> [02:37] CA: That is an absurd ammount of the word 'game' used in one scentence...

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> [02:37] AA: I got game. What can I say?

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;">[02:37] -- arcaneArtisan [AA] looks proud of herself. --

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;">[02:38] -- chessAficionado [CA] puts a hand over her mouth and almost holds back a giggle --

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> [02:40] CA: I uh...

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> [02:41] CA: That... was actually kind of funny, I think that's the first pun I've ever heard that I didn't groan at immensly...

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;">[02:42] -- arcaneArtisan [AA] glances at Beau supiciously. --

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> [02:42] AA: Really? Or are you just angling for a kiss?

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;">[02:42] -- chessAficionado [CA] goes wide eyes and blushes --

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> [02:43] CA: o-oh my, I don't think you've ever been this foward Sami...

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;">[02:46] -- arcaneArtisan [AA] smiles, though her cheeks are still slightly red. --

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> [02:46] CA: hm, very well then...

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;">[02:46] -- chessAficionado [CA] leans down and kisses Sami --

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;">[02:48] -- arcaneArtisan [AA] giggles a little. --

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> [02:48] CA: I think... that's just what I needed...

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> [02:48] AA: Me too.

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> [02:49] CA: mhmm, you little temptress you...

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;">[02:49] -- arcaneArtisan [AA] blushes, but giggles wickedly. --

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> [02:50] CA: Sami um...

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> [02:50] CA: I love you a lot...

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> [02:50] CA: you know that right?...

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> [02:50] AA: Yeah. The feeling's mutual.

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> [02:50] CA: Really? Are you sure you aren't just...

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> [02:51] CA: faking it to now hurt my feelings?...

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> [02:51] CA: *not...

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> [02:51] AA: No! Of course not!

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> [02:51] CA: Good, I just needed to know that...

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;">[02:51] -- chessAficionado [CA] pulls Sami into a hug --

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;">[02:53] -- arcaneArtisan [AA] returns the hug. When it's over, she starts thinking. --

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> [02:53] AA: You talk to Libby a lot, right?

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> [02:53] CA: hmm? Yeah, why?...

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> [02:54] AA: I'm just thinking about what we were talking about earlier. And how we have to protect Doir. Has Libby given you any ideas?

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> [02:55] CA: Hmm, I don't think I've spoken to her on the issue...

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> [02:55] AA: Oh. Well maybe you should. I was actually uh...

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> [02:55] AA: ...well, I was thinking of talking to Scarlet.

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;">[02:56] -- chessAficionado [CA] has a look of concern flash over her face --

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> [02:56] AA: I know she's dangerous, but I think she really did like me. And it's not like she can do anything worse to the me on Derse than I'm already going through.

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> [02:56] CA: Well, it's still very worrying...

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> [02:56] AA: And I just figure....until we find out what Jack's scared of, the only people even close to strong enough to oppose him are Scarlet and Libby.

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> [02:57] AA: And that other guy who may be pretend for all I know.

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> [02:57] CA: hmm, yes I suppose...

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> [02:58] AA: So you talk to Libby. I'll talk to Scarlet. You can tell Libby that I'm talking to Scarlet if you're worried--I won't ask you to keep it from her. But I think I'll be okay.

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> [03:00] CA: Be careful, I wouldn't want anything else to happen...

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> [03:00] AA: You know....Null actually thinks Libby's dangerous, too.

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> [03:00] AA: Admittedly, she said Scarlet told her that, and I don't put it past Scarlet to just be crazy. Libby's been nothing but sweet to me.

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> [03:00] CA: What did she say?...

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> [03:01] AA: She said that Balish was the only thing keeping Libby from killing all of us, basically.

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> [03:01] CA: what?...

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> [03:01] AA: Which is just so hard to imagine! I mean, not that she COULD, because someone who can make portals like that is probably more than capable of getting us in deep crud. But I just can't imagine she WOULD.

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> [03:02] AA: ...but then again, Scarlet was always nice to me, too.

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> [03:02] CA: Well she also got you addicted to weird pink body juices didn't she?...

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;">[03:02] -- chessAficionado [CA] has gone full mom mode --

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> [03:03] AA: Well....yeah, I guess she kind of did. It was really nice though.

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> [03:03] CA: nice?...

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;">[03:03] -- arcaneArtisan [AA] has a dreamy smile on her face just from remembering it. --

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> [03:03] CA: Well yes Sami, that's what that sort of thing does...

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> [03:03] CA: but then comes withdrawl...

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> [03:03] AA: And I think she might have drank it too? So I mean, it was kind of a jerk move to trick me into it....but she probably really thought she was helping.

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> [03:04] AA: In a weird way.

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> [03:04] CA: Or she could have been trying to get you dependent on her, so you'd keep coming back for a hit...

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> [03:04] AA: Maybe...

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> [03:05] AA: ...okay, so I'm not such a good judge of character I guess. And I guess maybe I'm going too far in the other direction now, because even though Libby's never done anything like that, there's some part of my mind that can't shake the thought: what if Scarlet's telling the truth?

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> [03:05] CA: I mean, I could just be paranoid...

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> [03:05] CA: but I wouldn't trust her for a second...

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> [03:06] AA: I think that's one of the things that makes me most upset about this game, aside from what happened with Dean. I don't trust people as much as I used to.

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> [03:06] AA: And that makes me really sad.

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;">[03:07] -- chessAficionado [CA] looks down --

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> [03:07] CA: Sorry...

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> [03:09] AA: It's not your fault. You've never let me down. Neither have Nate, Katie, Doir, Aura, or Leon. Although Leon not being in contact has me worried....and I'm worried Doir's going to get himself in even more trouble than he already is.

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> [03:10] CA: We're all really trying our best, and we can't do much more I suppose...

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> [03:10] CA: I mean everyone is trying so hard, it's sort of admirable isn't it?...

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> [03:10] AA: Yeah. We're kind of great any way you slice it.

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> [03:11] CA: I think, as tragic as this game has become, you can't help but feel that it is helping us grow, and mature...

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> [03:12] AA: Yeah, I guess you're right. Everyone's growing so much. And here I am just now figuring out I need glasses.

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> [03:13] AA: Heh. I think you guys might be leaving me behind.

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> [03:13] CA: What? No that is no where near how mature you've become...

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> [03:13] CA: I honestly think you're the strongest person here Sami...

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> [03:13] CA: No matter what, you always put everyone else before you...

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> [03:14] CA: Through thick and thin you'd protect anyone of your friends...

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> [03:14] CA: If that isn't the strongest thing I've ever seen, I must be blind...

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> [03:14] AA: What? No way. Have you seen Katie and Nate fighting off imps? Or how brave (albeit dumb) Doir was in facing Jack alone? Or how Aura seems to find a way to fly, like, every time we go ANYWHERE? Or how you're always taking care of everyone?

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> [03:15] CA: Do you know where I'd be if you weren't here?...

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> [03:15] CA: Probably dead, buried or worse cremated and released into the air like Dean...

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;">[03:16] -- arcaneArtisan [AA] raises her eyebrows in sympathy. --

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;">[03:16] -- arcaneArtisan [AA] hugs Beau without saying anything. --

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> [03:16] CA: You've saved my life...

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;">[03:16] -- chessAficionado [CA] returns the hug --

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> [03:16] CA: Is there anything else to say on the matter?...

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> [03:17] AA: No. I guess there isn't.

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> [03:17] AA: So I guess we should get started on saving Doir!

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> [03:18] CA: Yea, I'll see what I can manage...

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> [03:18] AA: Okay. Me too. And I'll be careful, talking to Scarlet. I won't let her chessmaster me or anything. I've been learning from the best!

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;">[03:19] -- arcaneArtisan [AA] winks at Beau and blows her a kiss as she walks off. --

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> [03:19] CA: be careful...

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

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"><span style="color:rgb(100,100,100);">-- chessAficionado <span style="color:rgb(130,130,130);">[CA] <span style="color:rgb(100,100,100);"> ceased pestering arcaneArtisan <span style="color:rgb(100,149,237);">[AA] <span style="color:rgb(100,100,100);"> at 03:19 --