It's early in a pleasant evening at the keep.  You've been working hard on
your simulations again.  Right as you test the results of if there's an
Earthquake on Kolvir and it splits open, eating you and Corrine, you hear
the familiar footsteps of Roderick approaching.

Juri of Avalon looks up from her work.

The tent flap parts and Roderick comes in.  You now realize the banging
noise in the distance which was him playing drums stopped a little while
ago, though at the time you were too wrapped up in the Touga miniature
falling off the castle walls to his death to notice.

Juri of Avalon smiles and rises to greet him.  "Hello, Rod."

He smiles and comes over, giving you a kiss hello, then says, "How's the
scenario coming along?"

Juri of Avalon rubs her temples.  "Pretty well.  I think I can counter the
possibility of earthquake by the use of enchanted sheep's bladders.  Or so
Gideon said.  He might have been joking."

Roderick blinks. [spoofed by Akemi]

Gumi-Roderick says, "I never heard THAT theory."

Gumi-Roderick asks, "Do you fill the cracks in the ground with them or
something?"

Juri of Avalon says, "No, they apparently... okay, he probably was joking.
 Or making fun of me, when I asked him if there was a way to prevent an
earthquake during the battle."

Gumi-Roderick nods.  "Well, I'd guess they could use the Eye of Metal to
be sure of it, but it will probably be needed elsewhere."

Gumi-Roderick picks up the Touga miniature.  "His head fell off again, I
see."

Juri of Avalon grimaces.  "Yes, it keeps on doing that.  Thank goodness I
have plenty of superglue."

He nods and sits down in a chair.  "Well, I have something to give you,
and a request to make of you."  He pauses.  "And maybe something to babble
at you for a while to get it out of your head.  If you're not too busy."

Juri of Avalon waves her hand.  "I'm now at the point where I'm running
'snowball's chance' scenarios, mostly for fun.  So, no, I'm not busy." 
She sits down across from him.

Gumi-Roderick says, "Well, first the gift."

Gumi-Roderick reaches into his jacket and removes two things from his
inside pocket.

Juri of Avalon waits quietly.

The first is a red rose.

He says, "I got the idea from that Talman song.  It's a rose I've linked
to my own life force.  If we get seperated in the battle tomorrow, so long
as the rose stays fresh, you'll know I'm alive and you won't have to
worry."

Juri of Avalon smiles and reaches out towards it.  "That's... a good idea.
 Although uncertainty can sometimes be more comforting than certainty."

He then hands you the second item, which is a silver braclet designed to
look like it was made of intertwined silver roses.

Juri of Avalon smiles.  "Beautiful.  You know how to keep a woman happy. 
Lots of present."

He says, "I know you're not big into jewelry, but I've...umm...always
liked seeing women wear bracelets...anyway, it's not just beautiful, but
it also should, if it works right, sense something's trying to invade your
mind, and it'll trigger off a dispelling spell to try and help free your
brain."

He smiles when you call it beautiful and looks a little relieved.

Corrine OOCly sighs, must bail, but will keep logging.  night.

Juri of Avalon laughs.  "Actually, I'm very much into jewelry.  When I was
a teenager, I used to do modelling.  I have whole boxes of it at home. 
You just haven't seen me wearing a lot of it for the same reason you
haven't seen me in any dresses--we haven't really ever been in a situation
where I felt relaxed enough to get out of my 'warrior princess' mode."

Juri of Avalon slips the bracelet onto her wrist.  "Thank you again.  It's
lovely."

He smiles.  "Well, I look forward to the time when I have the chance to
see you really relax, then.  It'll all be over after tomorrow, hopefully."

Juri of Avalon she nods and looks a bit grim.  "One way or another."

He sighs and looks a little deflated.  "Well, given how much time you've
spent planning this, I'm sure we'll be victorious."

Autolyca OOC Night all!
Autolyca has disconnected.

Juri of Avalon smiles faintly.  "Annadil has had much longer to plan than
we have."

Roderick nods.  "But he couldn't plan for the two of us." [spoofed by
Akemi]

Gumi-Roderick looks thoughtful, "Or at least if he did, the man plans very
impressively."

He says, "Do you feel ready for the battle?

Gumi-Roderick says, "Half the time I feel like I'm ready. And half the
time, I keep expecting Annadil to jump out from under some rock and grab
me."

Gumi-Roderick shakes his head.  "And every once in a while, my mind gets
paranoid and thinks this will all turn out to be one of Otho's jokes."

Juri of Avalon smiles.  "Ready as I felt when my family and I prepared to
go and fight Brand, I suppose.  Terrified.  Excited.  Fearing to fail. 
Hoping to win."

Gumi-Roderick says, "I just intend to think of Annadil as Otho, and then I
won't feel any need to hold back.  *laughs*"

Juri of Avalon smiles.  "We may not even see him.  I think he's going to
be up to the Five Children to deal with.  We'll be providing support."

Gumi-Roderick says, "While we heroically defend the stairs."

Gumi-Roderick laughs a little.  "Well, at least we know he won't ride our
little squid friend up out of the ocean to help himself."

Juri of Avalon says, "I wouldn't object to being up there fighting him
beside Shizumaru and Ota.  They could probably use me, being young and
inexperienced.  But the stairs need to be held, and we're the best group
to do it."

Juri of Avalon shudders.  "I wonder what happened to that damn thing? 
Hopefully, it's rotted away to nothing by now."

Gumi-Roderick says, "Probably it was made into dinner for all the people
in that big city it wrecked."

"I hope so."  Juri grimaces.  "Though I wonder what happened to the
MacFinndos and their friends.  I wouldn't be surprised if they showed up
with Annadil, the way my luck is."

Gumi-Roderick nods.  "I still wonder exactly how large a conspiracy was
involved in their escape."

Gumi-Roderick says, "But we may or may not ever know, I suppose."

"I suspect that if my universe's Nanami was involved, than Tomas likely
was as well."  Juri's expression tightens.  "I really hate those two."

Gumi-Roderick nods.  "I had a rather horrific thought the other day. How
likely is it that only one universe's Oberon created one of those things?"

Gumi-Roderick says, "But on the other hand, there seem to be enough
universes that we'll probably never encounter another one."

Juri of Avalon manages to avoid crying like a little girl by sheer force
of will.  "I... never thought of that..." she says eventually.

Juri of Avalon says, "But... I mean... infinite universes.... infinite
Oberons... creating infinite Logrus Squids... infinitely..."

Juri of Avalon whimpers.

Gumi-Roderick takes Juri's hand and gives it a comforting squeeze.  "Well,
evil enough unto the day or..."  He pauses.  "I can't remember how it
goes."

Juri of Avalon sighs.  "Have I mentioned to you how I hate metaphysics,
Rod?"

Gumi-Roderick says, "Yes.  But the same part of me that caused me to take
up sorcery is also the part which makes me think of these things.  *shakes
his head*  I'll try not to do it again."

Juri of Avalon sighs.  "No.  Please don't force yourself to be someone
you're not around me just because I'm a grouchy old lady."

Gumi-Roderick nods.

Gumi-Roderick says, "I have too many relatives who never think about other
people's sensibilities before they talk."

Gumi-Roderick says, "Not that all of my relatives have any sensibilities,
but..."

Juri of Avalon chuckles.  "Though if there's infinite Oberons creating
infinite Squids infinitely, there must also be infinite Spoon Gumi
infinitely double-crossing infinite Finndos With No Names to stop them...
infinitely.  So it all balances out."

Gumi-Roderick reaches over and puts the miniature Juri standing on the
miniature Touga's head.  "There you go."

Juri of Avalon smiles.  "My problem is always that when I try to think
about the nature of the universe, I run into logical contradictions and
paradoxes that make my head hurt.  Then I stop and go swing my sword for a
while, which is much easier than grappling with reality."

Gumi-Roderick nods.  "Uncle Gerard always used to deal with philsophical
quandries by crushing a drinking cup."

Gumi-Roderick says, "Which got messy when it wasn't empty."

Juri of Avalon smiles.  "I met Gerard once.  The one from my universe, I
mean.  Seemed nice.  He beat up Gideon in front of me when I was
particularly unhappy with him."

Gumi-Roderick says, "Gerard is probably the nicest man in the universe."

Gumi-Roderick says, "Possibly in every universe."

Juri of Avalon nods.  "But he doesn't like pie."

Gumi-Roderick blinks.  "He doesn't like pie?"

Juri of Avalon says, "That's what he said right before turning Gideon into
a pretzel."

Gumi-Roderick blink blinks.

Gumi-Roderick asks, "He turned Gideon into pretzel?  Because he didn't
like pie?"

Juri of Avalon says, "As I got the story from Horatio later, Gideon stole
the Jewel that powered Julian, Horatio's Construct."

Juri of Avalon says, "This caused Julian to go insane, and, while Bleys
and Horatio were trying to fix him, he opened trump gates to Gerard,
Benedict, Merlin and Nanami, and hurled pies through them."

Juri of Avalon says, "Gerard and Benedict naturally asked Bleys for an
explanation.  Bleys blamed Gideon.  They came looking for Gideon."

Juri of Avalon concludes, "And that's why Gideon got turned into a pretzel
because Gerard didn't like pie."

Gumi-Roderick laughs.

Gumi-Roderick says, "I can see him doing that.  "

Juri of Avalon says, "It was also the closest I came before the attack on
the Keep to getting in a sword fight with Benedict."

Gumi-Roderick shudders at the thought.  "I've watched Benedict fight. 
It's scary."

Gumi-Roderick says, "He just moves like he's dancing, and then someone's
unconscious, maimed, or dead."

Juri of Avalon nods.  "I barely held my own against a flawed version of
him.  I wouldn't like to face the real thing."  She pauses briefly. 
"Well, actually, I would.  I like a challenge."

Gumi-Roderick grins.  "In the end, it's our relatives who are the ones who
can really provide a real challenge.  I once went and beat up quite a few
shadows of people who had annoyed me before I realized it was just...like
playing make-believe.  But someone like Benedict..."  He shakes his head. 
"If you beat him, you know you're _good_."

Juri of Avalon nods.  "I'm going to have to see if I can beat up Trucido
when I get home.  He's probably the best in my family for blade to blade
combat."

Gumi-Roderick says, "He didn't strike me as all that impressive when I met
him."

Juri of Avalon smiles, a bit proudly.  "One of his strengths."

Juri of Avalon's smile fades a little.  "We're fortunate he switched
sides.  I don't think we would have won without that."

Gumi-Roderick asks, "He killed your Finndo, right?"

Juri of Avalon nods.  "Cut his head off, then sat down and began to make
tea in front of Finndo's army.  Or so I heard."  Her smile disappears
completely.  "I was off letting Brand out of the Abyss at the time," she
says softly.

Gumi-Roderick squeezes your hand again.  "I could imagine him doing that. 
He probably offered Finndo a glass before the fight as well."

Juri of Avalon shakes her head.  "No.  That mask of his is... a mask. 
He's the coldest warrior I know when he's, unleashed.  And he'd found out
the truth about Finndo, and his birth... perhaps it just demonstrates
karma in action."

Gumi-Roderick says, "We reap what we sow."

Juri of Avalon shakes her head.  "No.  I can't accept that as true.  If it
were, Darako would still be alive."

Gumi-Roderick sighs.  "I think sometimes innocent people get caught in the
reaper."

Juri of Avalon nods.  "Do you... remember much of when you were Tess?"

Gumi-Roderick says, "I'd been meaning to ask you about that."

Gumi-Roderick says, "I remember bits and pieces, but it's all rather
dream-like."

Gumi-Roderick says, "There was this table, and I kept giving you things
for people to drink, and I kept being confused as to whether we were in
Theresa's head or Corrine's."

Gumi-Roderick says, "And there was a snowglobe.  And a Juri who was and
wasn't you."

"There was some mixture of your mother's personality with that of my Tess,
I believe."  She waggles a finger at him.  "Oh, and don't ever do it
again.  That was your advice to yourself, as Tess."

Gumi-Roderick looks embarrassed.  "I was just Mother at first, and then I
realized your Tess might not have the same mannerisms, so I tried to add
those in, and then..."  He slides his tongue around inside his mouth like
he was trying to wipe away a nasty taste.  "Those dried frog pills are
really nasty tasting you know.  Although I suppose you wouldn't."

Juri of Avalon shakes her head.  "No.  Never had the pleasure."

He says, "Mother takes them for her spells.  Wacky spells, that is.  That
and she used to make me take them when I was little every time I got
sick."  He makes a face.  "They're really, really wretched."

Juri of Avalon says, "They don't sound pleasant, no."

Gumi-Roderick asks, "So what DID happen inside Corrine's head?"

Gumi-Roderick says, "I just have all these incoherent images I can't make
any sense of."

Juri of Avalon says, "We... put her personality back together, as I
understand it.  She was fragmented.  We made her as whole as we could, and
then we got out."

Juri of Avalon says, "At the end... it sort of turned into a long
confessional between myself and Tess.  You as Tess, I mean.  By that
point, though, I wasn't sure.  I had... a bit of a breakdown.  It was very
hard for me, hearing Darako's voice coming out of Corrine's mouth like
that.  A real shock."

Gumi-Roderick nods.  "I remember when she woke up like that."  He shakes
his head.  "It's easy to forget what's she's done when she's so fluffy
most of the time.  It'd be like waking up one morning and seeing Aunt
Flora slapping around Caine and Julian while they run away from her."

Juri of Avalon chuckles.  "After getting beaten to a pulp and nailed to a
tree by Corrine while in the body of a Cimbri chieftain's daughter, I keep
myself continually aware that the fluff is wrapped around a large spiked
baseball bat."

Gumi-Roderick OOC ACKS at the time and will need to wrap this up quickly.
Juri of Avalon says, "OOC:  I've been waiting for you to do that for about
an hour now, as my body sends me 'Alan, Sleep Or Die' signals.  :)"
Gumi-Roderick says, "OOC Dude, tell me these things :)" Rod says, "OOCly
it's because john just loves running roderick :)" Gumi-Roderick says, "OOC
It's 'cause I drink too much caffiene when I game, so I will keep going
until I collapse...:)" Rod says, "OOCly meanwhile, in the depths of
shadowspace...    "HEEEeeeeeeeeeelp.......""

Gumi-Roderick says, "It makes me wonder about Aunt Flora..."

Juri of Avalon shrugs.  "People are seldom what they seem.  Except when
they are.  It reminds me of Dar, really.  She had a mask behind which she
hid her true self, but there was a lot of her true self in her mask.  The
same with Corrine."

Gumi-Roderick nods.  "I know all about having to wear a mask.  I had to
hide all my irritation, anything that could be a sign of 'Oh, looks like
Roderick's going to destroy the universe, must run in the family'."

Gumi-Roderick says, "So I had to go find ways to express my frustration
when no one was looking.  Of course, around Amber, there's always SOMEONE
looking."

Juri of Avalon pats his hand.  "Feel free to express irritation at me any
time you want, love."

Gumi-Roderick smiles.  "I think being able to take off the masks is often
the best part of love.  To know someone's pulled back their curtain and
let you in."  He gets up and comes around behind you and leans on your
shoulder, clasping his arms around your waist.  "Do you think Corrine is
likely to wander in on us tonight?"

Juri of Avalon leans back against him and puts her hands over his.  "I
think if she comes by, she knows enough to turn around and come back
later."  She pauses briefly, then purrs, "If you want to make me a slinky
dress and some jewelry, I'll show you what I look like when I let my hair
down and get all girly."

Juri of Avalon says, "It's really shocking.  Makeup and everything. 
You'll only know it's me because of sword calluses and scars."

Gumi-Roderick runs his finger through her hair.  "What color would you
like?"

Juri of Avalon smiles.  "What would you like to see me in?"

Gumi-Roderick grins broadly.  He conjures a dress in blue and gold like
the one the Flora trump in the rulebook has, along with a silver rose
pendant, several rings, and several bracelets.  And then we head into the
realm of stuff which, if filmed, would send Horatio's blood pressure
rising to cosmological levels...:)

Juri of Avalon makes him leave the tent for a while and starts letting her
hair down while humming "I Feel Pretty" in a low voice.  :)

=============================
=============================
=============================

Tybalt falls asleep.

Akemi has disconnected.


Philip Moyer----------------Qapla'-------------pmoyer@jurai.net 
"To boldly go where no one has gone before!"-Capt. J. L. Picard
"Roads? Where we're going we don't NEED roads!"-Dr. E. L. Brown
   "If it can be dreamed, It can be done."- ReRob Mandeville
"Someday we'll find it, the Rainbow Connection, The Lovers,
---------- The Dreamers, and Me."- Kermit The Frog ------------