Adm H Sopko (2:41:32 AM): ::He stands there, staring at her:: "Nice to see you again."

SirAlexTheFirst (2:42:12 AM): She grins. "Oh, yes it is. Welcome back."

Adm H Sopko (2:42:44 AM): "May I sit?"

SirAlexTheFirst (2:45:18 AM): Miss Mab reaches into the cleavage of her jumpsuit and pulls forth a gleaming silver pistol with a long barrel and a round chamber. "No, I think not."

Adm H Sopko (2:46:25 AM): ::He cracks a smile:: "Well then. Well played, Mab."

SirAlexTheFirst (2:47:05 AM): She levels it at your forehead, with a perfectly steady hand, and a *click* clearly audible through the silence of the empty room.

SirAlexTheFirst (2:47:28 AM): "How do you feel, Hunter?"

Adm H Sopko (2:48:05 AM): "Helpless. Foolish. But those are pretty common feelings to me as of late."

SirAlexTheFirst (2:49:18 AM): "They're also very accurate," she purrs. "Did Bandon teach you to recognize your feelings this well?"

Adm H Sopko (2:50:08 AM): ::He shakes his head:: "He put it in perspective some, but he was pretty much telling me what I already knew."

SirAlexTheFirst (2:55:38 AM): "So, Hunter. Why did you return to Whittyre?" Mab asks in her interrogation voice - but softer.

Adm H Sopko (2:56:33 AM): "If you didn't know, you wouldn't have been here waiting."

SirAlexTheFirst (3:00:06 AM): "Why do you want to die?"

Adm H Sopko (3:00:29 AM): "I don't."

SirAlexTheFirst (3:01:10 AM): "Then why aren't you moving?"

Adm H Sopko (3:01:12 AM): ::He feels oddly like he's back on Xavix::

Adm H Sopko (3:02:55 AM): "Good question."

SirAlexTheFirst (3:04:31 AM): "Good last words."

SirAlexTheFirst (3:04:44 AM): She fires.

SirAlexTheFirst (3:04:46 AM): Inits.

*OnlineHost* (3:04:48 AM): SirAlexTheFirst rolled 1 20-sided die: 4

*OnlineHost* (3:04:54 AM): Adm H Sopko rolled 1 20-sided die: 5

Adm H Sopko (3:05:15 AM): Oh give me a break... ::Gets a break:: Damn I screwed up a break

Adm H Sopko (3:05:30 AM): 10

SirAlexTheFirst (3:05:38 AM): She wins.

*OnlineHost* (3:05:40 AM): SirAlexTheFirst rolled 1 20-sided die: 15

SirAlexTheFirst (3:06:03 AM): Any evasion, ridiculous head AC, whatnot?

Adm H Sopko (3:06:15 AM): I have a Ring of Evasion

Adm H Sopko (3:07:14 AM): Can I use that for a Reflex save?

SirAlexTheFirst (3:07:33 AM): No.

Adm H Sopko (3:07:46 AM): Then why do you ask?

SirAlexTheFirst (3:07:53 AM): Just in case.

*OnlineHost* (3:07:55 AM): SirAlexTheFirst rolled 1 6-sided die: 2

*OnlineHost* (3:08:14 AM): SirAlexTheFirst rolled 1 20-sided die: 15

SirAlexTheFirst (3:08:42 AM): Ow.

Adm H Sopko (3:08:52 AM): Oh I love hearing that...

SirAlexTheFirst (3:08:56 AM): That's a bullet to the temple, with massive pain and 42 damage.

Adm H Sopko (3:09:46 AM): I take 1/4 off of that because of Aria

SirAlexTheFirst (3:09:52 AM): Indeed.

SirAlexTheFirst (3:10:09 AM): So you take 31

Adm H Sopko (3:10:12 AM): Yep

SirAlexTheFirst (3:11:09 AM): Mab clicks the chamber around to the next bullet, quite calmly.

SirAlexTheFirst (3:11:11 AM): How's Hunter?

Adm H Sopko (3:11:15 AM): 73/104

SirAlexTheFirst (3:12:25 AM): I meant RPwise. Go.

Adm H Sopko (3:13:11 AM): ::Hunter staggers back, clutching his head and hitting back against the door::

Adm H Sopko (3:16:27 AM): (How far am I from her?_

SirAlexTheFirst (3:17:02 AM): About 10 feet.

Adm H Sopko (3:21:42 AM): ::He looks to her with a scowl on his face:: "So that's Whittyre technology?" ::He pulls a tanglefoot bag and tosses it at her::

Adm H Sopko (3:22:05 AM): ::He tries to move to be harder to hit as he does so::

*OnlineHost* (3:22:14 AM): Adm H Sopko rolled 1 20-sided die: 12

Adm H Sopko (3:23:41 AM): 24, adding BAB and Str

SirAlexTheFirst (3:23:53 AM): She lets it hit he.

SirAlexTheFirst (3:23:55 AM): r.

Adm H Sopko (3:24:05 AM): Reflex save...

Adm H Sopko (3:24:15 AM): Oh... nevermind

SirAlexTheFirst (3:24:16 AM): Declined.

Adm H Sopko (3:24:56 AM): ::Hunter moves as close to her as he can while drawing his weapons::

Adm H Sopko (3:25:12 AM): What does she do?

SirAlexTheFirst (3:25:38 AM): Miss Mab just stands there and grins at you.

Adm H Sopko (3:25:57 AM): Does she move?

SirAlexTheFirst (3:28:38 AM): No.

Adm H Sopko (3:30:25 AM): "Where is Verity?"

Adm H Sopko (3:30:51 AM): ::If I can, I'll take the gun out of her hands::

SirAlexTheFirst (3:31:41 AM): "In the room at the end of the hallway, in one of the first tanks. Not like it matters."

Adm H Sopko (3:32:02 AM): "Why is that?"

SirAlexTheFirst (3:34:03 AM): "Because you aren't leaving this room alive."

Adm H Sopko (3:35:16 AM): (Can I disarm her?)

SirAlexTheFirst (3:35:25 AM): Sure.

SirAlexTheFirst (3:35:53 AM): How long do those bags last?

Adm H Sopko (3:37:03 AM): 2d4 rounds. Whoopsie. Guess I got caught up

*OnlineHost* (3:37:08 AM): Adm H Sopko rolled 2 4-sided dice: 2 2

Adm H Sopko (3:37:11 AM): 4 rounds

Adm H Sopko (3:37:43 AM): ::Hunter moves to disarm her as quickly as possible once she says that::

SirAlexTheFirst (3:40:40 AM): She offers no resistance as you take her gun.

Adm H Sopko (3:42:35 AM): ::He takes the gun, holding it to her temple, pulling the trigger twice::

SirAlexTheFirst (3:43:29 AM): It clicks softly, the hammer falling upon empty barrels.

SirAlexTheFirst (3:43:42 AM): And Miss Mab starts to laugh.

Adm H Sopko (3:44:26 AM): ::As does he as he puts the gun safetly away, picking up his sword again and tries hacking at her::

SirAlexTheFirst (3:45:09 AM): Attack away.

*OnlineHost* (3:45:58 AM): Adm H Sopko rolled 4 20-sided dice: 1 2 17 8

*OnlineHost* (3:46:23 AM): Adm H Sopko rolled 2 20-sided dice: 16 3

Adm H Sopko (3:46:29 AM): Okay. No crit fail

Adm H Sopko (3:47:14 AM): The 17 is a 30, the 3 a 16

Adm H Sopko (3:47:51 AM): The 2 is a 12, the 8 a 13

Adm H Sopko (3:48:02 AM): Do I crit?

Adm H Sopko (3:48:06 AM): Or even hit?

SirAlexTheFirst (3:48:16 AM): You don't even hit, per se.

SirAlexTheFirst (3:48:42 AM): Your swords merely rebound off her body, as though it was rubber or stone.

SirAlexTheFirst (3:49:28 AM): Mab keeps laughing and Phantasmal Killers you. Describe what happens and make the saves.

Adm H Sopko (3:49:56 AM): ::Hunter just pictures himself. Alone. Nothinginess::

*OnlineHost* (3:50:04 AM): Adm H Sopko rolled 1 20-sided die: 13

Adm H Sopko (3:50:21 AM): What saves must I make? Fort and Will?

SirAlexTheFirst (3:51:33 AM): Will, then Forst.

SirAlexTheFirst (3:51:36 AM): *Fort

Adm H Sopko (3:51:41 AM): 17 on the Will

*OnlineHost* (3:51:44 AM): Adm H Sopko rolled 1 20-sided die: 10

Adm H Sopko (3:51:48 AM): 21 on teh Fort

*OnlineHost* (3:52:33 AM): SirAlexTheFirst rolled 2 6-sided dice: 6 1

SirAlexTheFirst (3:52:47 AM): 7 damage, loneliness elemental.

SirAlexTheFirst (3:53:12 AM): Then your head clears and you're back in the room with Mab. Not sure which one is worse.

Adm H Sopko (3:54:24 AM): So... 5 damage, 2 to Aria

Adm H Sopko (3:57:38 AM): ::Hunter shivers, taking a step back and forcing himself to keep his eyes on her. His breathing is heavy as he tries to think of a way out of this::

Adm H Sopko (3:59:10 AM): ::He grits his teeth:: "What is behind you, Mab? What force is it?"

SirAlexTheFirst (3:59:23 AM): With a great tearing noise, Mab rips the tanglefoot bag away and discards it, then reaches into her jumpsuit and pulls out... an identical pistol.

SirAlexTheFirst (3:59:44 AM): She levels it at your head. Again. And grins. Again.

SirAlexTheFirst (3:59:49 AM): Actually she neverstopped grinning.

Adm H Sopko (4:00:31 AM): I guess he has no chance to attempt a dodge?

SirAlexTheFirst (4:01:18 AM): Your move

Adm H Sopko (4:01:47 AM): Whats in the room?

SirAlexTheFirst (4:02:01 AM): Nothing.

SirAlexTheFirst (4:02:16 AM): Wait, sorry. A dscarded tanglefoot bag.

SirAlexTheFirst (4:02:18 AM): And a chair.

Adm H Sopko (4:06:24 AM): ::Hunter reaches forward and grabs for the gun, trying to point it away from him::

*OnlineHost* (4:08:43 AM): Adm H Sopko rolled 1 20-sided die: 16

Adm H Sopko (4:08:49 AM): What do I add to that?

*OnlineHost* (4:08:52 AM): SirAlexTheFirst rolled 1 20-sided die: 3

SirAlexTheFirst (4:09:07 AM): No idea. Pull up SRD and look it up.

Adm H Sopko (4:09:39 AM): It's a grapple?

SirAlexTheFirst (4:10:14 AM): Disarm

Adm H Sopko (4:11:36 AM): Opposed attack rolls

Adm H Sopko (4:12:20 AM): 28 for Hunter

SirAlexTheFirst (4:14:27 AM): He wins.

Adm H Sopko (4:14:35 AM): So she's disarmed?

Adm H Sopko (4:14:48 AM): What does she do now then?

SirAlexTheFirst (4:15:10 AM): Miss Mab reaches into her infinite cleavage and pulls forth another gun.

SirAlexTheFirst (4:15:37 AM): "We can keep doing this all day."

Adm H Sopko (4:17:18 AM): "Heh. I suppose so." ::Hunter thinks into his circlet:: ~Damnit... what can I do to beat her!~

Adm H Sopko (4:21:01 AM): "What are you?"

SirAlexTheFirst (4:21:46 AM): "Human, just like you." Mab's grin grows impossibly wider.

Adm H Sopko (4:22:23 AM): "I somehow doubt that... why can't I even scratch you?"

SirAlexTheFirst (4:24:18 AM): She shakes her head. "If I may make an observation - you're gullible." And fires.

*OnlineHost* (4:24:22 AM): SirAlexTheFirst rolled 1 20-sided die: 8

SirAlexTheFirst (4:24:30 AM): Misses.

Adm H Sopko (4:25:22 AM): He'll retaliate with his own shot

*OnlineHost* (4:25:27 AM): Adm H Sopko rolled 1 20-sided die: 18

SirAlexTheFirst (4:25:34 AM): Hit.

SirAlexTheFirst (4:25:40 AM): From what gun?

Adm H Sopko (4:25:45 AM): The one I stole from her?

Adm H Sopko (4:25:47 AM): -?

SirAlexTheFirst (4:25:59 AM): Oh, then not hit.

Adm H Sopko (4:26:01 AM): ...

Adm H Sopko (4:26:08 AM): Huh?

SirAlexTheFirst (4:26:20 AM): No bullets.

Adm H Sopko (4:26:23 AM): Again?

SirAlexTheFirst (4:26:25 AM): Same as last time.

SirAlexTheFirst (4:26:43 AM): Mab snickers, covering her hand with her mouth.

Adm H Sopko (4:27:02 AM): ::He sighs:: "Why are you doing this?"

SirAlexTheFirst (4:27:23 AM): "To distract you, so that you can't help your friends."

Adm H Sopko (4:27:43 AM): "And if they succeed?"

SirAlexTheFirst (4:28:19 AM): "They won't."

Adm H Sopko (4:28:48 AM): "Then why separate me?"

SirAlexTheFirst (4:29:34 AM): "To kill you."

SirAlexTheFirst (4:29:53 AM): Mab sounds like she's enjoying this, but she takes a break from her questions to fire again.

*OnlineHost* (4:29:54 AM): SirAlexTheFirst rolled 1 20-sided die: 10

SirAlexTheFirst (4:29:58 AM): Misses.

Adm H Sopko (4:29:59 AM): "Personally? Why not just let me die with my friends?"

SirAlexTheFirst (4:31:16 AM): "Yes, Hunter. I'm taking an interest in you, personally. Recognizing you. Isn't that what you want?" Mab steps forward, sultry and sure.

Adm H Sopko (4:32:54 AM): ::Hunter smiles, half amused hald nervuoes as he pulls his own gun::

SirAlexTheFirst (4:33:37 AM): Mab pulls the trigger once more.

*OnlineHost* (4:33:39 AM): SirAlexTheFirst rolled 1 20-sided die: 3

SirAlexTheFirst (4:33:48 AM): Man, she can't get a break tonight.

Adm H Sopko (4:33:57 AM): ::Hunter fires in retaliation::

*OnlineHost* (4:34:00 AM): Adm H Sopko rolled 1 20-sided die: 15

Adm H Sopko (4:34:27 AM): Oh pleaaaase... ohohoh pleaaaase... hit for me!

Adm H Sopko (4:34:58 AM): I take 4 off for Exotic?

SirAlexTheFirst (4:35:03 AM): Yes.

Adm H Sopko (4:35:10 AM): 23

SirAlexTheFirst (4:35:58 AM): Hits just fine.

Adm H Sopko (4:36:08 AM): What was the damage on it?

Adm H Sopko (4:36:17 AM): Same as Lea's?

SirAlexTheFirst (4:37:37 AM): Yes.

*OnlineHost* (4:38:36 AM): Adm H Sopko rolled 3 6-sided dice: 1 4 3

Adm H Sopko (4:38:52 AM): 10 damage

Adm H Sopko (4:39:09 AM): Err... 11

SirAlexTheFirst (4:48:56 AM): Miss Mab takes the shot in the head and keep on smiling.

SirAlexTheFirst (4:49:22 AM): Blood splatters across that smile, and the walls and the floor, and her hair, but she doesn't flinch.

Adm H Sopko (4:50:38 AM): "What force is supporting you?"

SirAlexTheFirst (4:51:37 AM): She turns, giving you a clear view of the hole in her head. "Myself." And fires.

*OnlineHost* (4:51:38 AM): SirAlexTheFirst rolled 1 20-sided die: 16

SirAlexTheFirst (4:51:50 AM): Yeow.

Adm H Sopko (4:51:53 AM): Fuck

*OnlineHost* (4:52:13 AM): SirAlexTheFirst rolled 1 20-sided die: 3

*OnlineHost* (4:52:18 AM): SirAlexTheFirst rolled 1 6-sided die: 3

SirAlexTheFirst (4:52:32 AM): 15 more damage. Aria can't help you now.

Adm H Sopko (4:52:37 AM): Right

Adm H Sopko (4:53:03 AM): ::Hunter winces, firing back twice::

*OnlineHost* (4:53:10 AM): Adm H Sopko rolled 2 20-sided dice: 11 14

Adm H Sopko (4:53:52 AM): 19 and 17

SirAlexTheFirst (4:54:58 AM): The bullets just rebound off. Mab begins to lose her grin. "This isn't as much fun as I thought it would be. Can't you ever do something interesting?

Adm H Sopko (4:55:59 AM): "What do you expect me to do?!" ::After gettiing a weird idea, he pulls out some Holy Water and splashes it into the open wound::

SirAlexTheFirst (4:57:10 AM): Mab's eyes open in horror when she sees this, but it's too late for her to avoid it and she starts screaming and thrashing.

Adm H Sopko (4:57:59 AM): ::Hunter backs away from her, firing again twice if he can::

Adm H Sopko (4:58:50 AM): Can he?

SirAlexTheFirst (4:59:14 AM): She eventually stops screaming, stands back up and starts laughing, with her head intact again. "I hate cliches, but I must say - just kidding."

SirAlexTheFirst (4:59:16 AM): Sure.

*OnlineHost* (4:59:43 AM): Adm H Sopko rolled 2 20-sided dice: 17 18

Adm H Sopko (5:00:32 AM): 25 and 21

SirAlexTheFirst (5:08:22 AM): Mab sighs. "Dearie, you are powerless. You can't harm me. You can't change anything. I'm interested in you, sure, but that's just because you're too determined or too stupid to stop. Like now."

Adm H Sopko (5:11:08 AM): ::He sighs, the frustration building inside of him:: "Whats wrong with not giving up?!"

SirAlexTheFirst (5:13:18 AM): *smirks a terrible smirk, like you have never seen smirks smirked*

SirAlexTheFirst (5:13:35 AM): "It distracts you from other things you could be doing."

Adm H Sopko (5:15:04 AM): ::Hunter feels a bit of envy, he wishes he could smirk like that, but more frustration:: "And what exactly is that, huh?! You fucking people! The gods, the Yarovan, you, Verity, Bandon, ALL YOU FUCKING PEOPLE KEEP TELLING ME

Adm H Sopko (5:16:32 AM): TO DO SOMETHING! You all push me into something, by force, guilt or some other emotional appeal, and then all you do is FAULT me for it, like

Adm H Sopko (5:18:34 AM): you had no hand in setting me on that path! I'm fucking tired of it!"

SirAlexTheFirst: Miss Mab's waiting for you to finish with your outburst.

Adm H Sopko: It is don

Adm H Sopko: e

SirAlexTheFirst: Okay.

Adm H Sopko: I wanted to wait until the rest of the people we going as well, so Bandon had a chance of knocking on the door and saving my ass

Sarcazmo47: READY

Sarcazmo47: FIGHT

Adm H Sopko: But apparanly thats not gonna matter, so I'll go ahead.

Sarcazmo47: Aren't you still technically behind him?

SirAlexTheFirst: The room falls away from you again as you're hit with another Phantasmal Killer. Describe, roleplay, and make saves.

SirAlexTheFirst: And yes, you are behind them in time.

Sarcazmo47: He was chatting with the party for several minutes.

Adm H Sopko: ::Hunter falls to his knees this time, pictures of nothing but a dark abyss of nothingness overcoming him::

*OnlineHost*: Adm H Sopko rolled 1 20-sided die: 20

Adm H Sopko: Will save

Adm H Sopko: Fort SAve...

*OnlineHost*: Adm H Sopko rolled 1 20-sided die: 10

Adm H Sopko: 34 on the will

Adm H Sopko: 21 on the Fort

SirAlexTheFirst: Success, what a surprise

*OnlineHost*: SirAlexTheFirst rolled 2 6-sided dice: 4 3

Adm H Sopko: ::Hunter pulls himself to his feet again out of sheer determination, the pain still tingling in his body::

Adm H Sopko: ((::Poke:: ))

SirAlexTheFirst: It's your action

SirAlexTheFirst: Unless that's all you're doing

Adm H Sopko: Whats the rolls for?

SirAlexTheFirst: That'd be the loneliness damage.

SirAlexTheFirst: Shut up, Kirk. I know it should be 3d6.

Sarcazmo47: ....I didn't say anything....

Dark Japheth: I was going to point it out, but I figured Kirk would get there first.

Adm H Sopko: ::Hunter's fists are clenched, half in pain and half in defiance, and a third half to get himself under control:: "What do you want with this world?"

Sarcazmo47: It's Phantasmal Shut The Fuck Up. So I am quiet.

SirAlexTheFirst: Miss Mab's third half answers you.

SirAlexTheFirst: Except she doesn't have a third half, so instead she just reaches into the boundless cleavage and pulls out another gun. This one's rather large. As in, a foot in diameter, and very bulky and techno-looking.

SirAlexTheFirst: It's obviously impossible that she could have been concealing that in her suit, but what's a little more impossibility in the last few minutes.

Sarcazmo47: Another Zorg invention.

Adm H Sopko: Heh

Adm H Sopko: Unfortunately, I don't have a luxury cruise to waste to defeat her

Sarcazmo47: Push the little red button on the bottom of the gun.

SirAlexTheFirst: Mab says nothing, and merely holds the device pointing towards Hunter.

Adm H Sopko: ::Seeing almost nothing in the situation that can help him any, he makes a move of sheer despiration. He steps forward, not even caring about the gun, and reaches out, grabbing the bitch's throat with his hands and attempting, not

Adm H Sopko: to suffocate/strangle her, but crush her goddamn windpipe or snap her neck, anything he can do to just get out of this::

Adm H Sopko: (Now Playing: Come Sweet Death)

SirAlexTheFirst: Make a Will save.

*OnlineHost*: Adm H Sopko rolled 1 20-sided die: 4

Adm H Sopko: ...

Adm H Sopko: Well fuck

Adm H Sopko: 8

Adm H Sopko: That 20 had me hopeful I'd have AIM luck tonight

Adm H Sopko: Go ahead, Al

SirAlexTheFirst: Miss Mab does nothing at all as you grab her violently.

AndrewRogue: (Maybe failing is... uh... good?)

SirAlexTheFirst: Nothing. At. Al..

SirAlexTheFirst: She just keeps smiling and holding the gun , which pokes uncomfortably into your chest.

SirAlexTheFirst: What do you do?

*OnlineHost*: SirAlexTheFirst rolled 1 20-sided die: 11

Adm H Sopko: ::Hunter just smiles, just squeezing harder:: "Go ahead. Keep pointing that gun at me. It doesn't matter anymore. There is absolutely nothing you can do to stop me from killing you here today." ::And with that, Hunter

Dark Japheth: (dies)

Adm H Sopko: gives a snap with his hands, snapping her windpipe and trachea::

SirAlexTheFirst: Aria looks back at you with wide eyes, and tries to scream, but cannot. She thrashes about instead, catching you with a mean kick in the shins, but there's no way she can break your grip.

Adm H Sopko: ::Hunter growls:: "You are not Arianna! You're not going to fool me!" ::He keeps his grip, pushing her up against the wall and keeping it up::

Adm H Sopko: "You will pay for perverting her image for your own uses!"

Adm H Sopko: (to manipulate me, even)

SirAlexTheFirst: "Rkrtkkdt...mnnhhm..kk..." Aria's eyes literally bulge out as you strangle her, looking at you with a mix of utter terror and disbelief. After another cursory kick, she doesn't even bother resisting.

SirAlexTheFirst: Her guisarme drops to the floor, clattering.

Adm H Sopko: ::Hunter keeps his hold, not relenting in his assault::

SirAlexTheFirst: Strength check please.

*OnlineHost*: Adm H Sopko rolled 1 20-sided die: 18

Adm H Sopko: 20

SirAlexTheFirst: A dull popping sound erupts as Aria's neck gives way under your hands, and her eyes suddenly go glassy as bone severs nerves and flesh. Her body sags in your arms, and its head falls forward onto yours, staring at you lifelessly.

Adm H Sopko: ::He growls again, keeping his hold:: "If you're still in there, Mab. You're not going to fool me into think you're killed that easily."

SirAlexTheFirst: A small trickle of blood runs from the mouth of Arianna, and she doesn't move at all.

Adm H Sopko: ::He drags the body with him to the door, attempting to open it::

SirAlexTheFirst: In your mind, you feel a sensation as though a single dear voice screaming was instantly silenced, and you suddenly know with absolute certainty that Aria is dead.

SirAlexTheFirst: This door is locked and cannot be opened.

SirAlexTheFirst: Well, actually it probably can be, but it's locked at the moment and that quote is funny.

Adm H Sopko: ::Hunter winces, having felt this feeling twice before. He looks at the body he is carrying, and steels himself. He KNOWS Aria left with the rest. This IS Mab, she's just playing possum, or really IS dead::

Adm H Sopko: ::The first time he freaked out, the second time he grieved, this time...::

Adm H Sopko: ::He has to push on. For her::

SirAlexTheFirst: And?

Adm H Sopko: ::What is there left for him to do? He can't get out, there is no Miss Mab left to contend with, all he has is this dead body, which he waits with by the door::

SirAlexTheFirst: Oh. Well, okay then.

SirAlexTheFirst: You'll be waiting an awfully long time.

Adm H Sopko: Or until Bandon can find me with Aria's dead body!

SirAlexTheFirst: RP it, if you want.

Dark Japheth: Well now

Dark Japheth: I'm going to bed. I had a lot of things I was going to say

Dark Japheth: but I decided against them, so good night.

Adm H Sopko: ::Hunter sits there, waiting. He reflects on the past. He reflects on the words he shouted at Miss Mab before... somehow now, they seem to... pointless and childish. And yet, he'd still say them again.

Dark Japheth has left the room.

Adm H Sopko: Why is that? Maybe instead of angry at everything, he's merely frustrating with the lack of information, the lack of help, the lack of care, the lack of trust, the lack of EVERYTHING they've encountered on this. He sits there,

Adm H Sopko: wondering if the Warriors of Hope lived up to any of the stories, if they weren't just poor bastards who were in the same jam he was and managed to live to tell about it. He then sighs, shaking his head,

Adm H Sopko: kicking himself for actually comparing himself to the Warriors of Hope. That's not healthy thinking if he wants to get out of this alive. He's going to have to face forward

Adm H Sopko: and rely on HIMSELF, and his FRIENDS, not constantly look to others, deigning to serve every perceieved authority figure or powerful character he meets. It was doing that that lead to this situation in the first place.

Adm H Sopko: Thats not acceptable anymore. He remembers Verity's words, but they somehow feel incomplete now. Why was he trying to live up to someone else's vision of a leader? Why not listen to himself?

SirAlexTheFirst: Aria's corpse grows pale on one side and purple on the other as the blood pools.

Adm H Sopko: He remembers Arianna, Leatanna and Zao before the mission, and during it, as well as the men... they looked to him. Before, he was nothing. But on the mission, he wasn't listening or relying

Adm H Sopko: on anyone but himself and the team. There was loyalty there, even though it didn't follow Verity's words to him to the letter, if at all. Leadership isn't about a battle of wills, forcing your will on others. A true leader doesn't

Adm H Sopko: have to force anything. They look to a true leader because they trust him to make the right decision, and they trust that the leader would not commit them to danger unless it was absolutely necessary. He looks back down at the body,

SirAlexTheFirst: , and it looks back up at you, dead, with its final look of absolute despair and terror frozen on its face.

SirAlexTheFirst: Or her face, if you want to look at it that way.

Adm H Sopko: wondering exactly why Mab had turned into Arianna. He... could tell Arianna was dead. Had he killed her? No. He was absolutely sure this was not Arianna. Not the real one, anyway. Regardless of the form outside, there was no way it

Adm H Sopko: could really have been his Aria::