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June 4, 2003
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Billiard Room -- Gideon
Club...
Ryker sits on the pool table, legs
extended but knees partially bent, leaning forward a little. In his
hands are three darts, which he launches at the board half-way across
the room.
Yosannah enters the Billiard room in the
company of a servant from the Club who seems to be assisting her as
she steps, weary, into the room. White robes rustle softly about her
feet. "I'm not here for long, Ryker, what is it." She
exhales.
<Thunk> <Thunk> <Thunk>
All bullseyes. Ryker glances, disinterested, though she does get a
second-look. "The hell. Weren't you warned to stay out of Stone's
Diet Coke?"
The servant slides a plush chair away
from the wall for her and gestures that she sit, "Miss Yosannah,
please..." She nods and offers him a meek smile, stating, "If you
could just leave my things for me in the hallway." He nods lightly
and makes his way toward the study. She lifts her chin in the
direction of the dart board while wetting her lips, "Nice
shooting."
The darts of an exquisite quality,
noticeable even from a distance. With slight concentration, Ryker
looks to the darts and snatches each one without getting up, tiny
showers of sparkles both at the board and his reaching hand. "I've
worn out more dartboards than I'll ever be able to remember. So what
happened to you?"
Yosannah swallows before replying, "I
assume you know that I have been an avatar for one of the Serpent's
riders for several years now, yes?" She pauses, searching his face in
an effort to ascertain whether he is familiar with what she speaks
of.
Ryker hehs, just once. "What a
coincidence. That's what I was gonna bring up with you." Darts in
hand, Ryker looks over at her, expression plain, open. Looks, at
least, like that was the truth.
Yosannah furrows her brow and nods,
"Really." She inhales deeply. It is obvious that the conversation is
difficult for her as she appears rather fatigued, "You should know
then that I don't carry her... it anymore. She was stolen from me
last night in the Courts."
Ryker hmms, placing the darts down and
turning more to face you. "Just to rewind a bit - You're saying this
Pestilence spirit that was in you, one of the four horsemen of which
I've heard some legends or what have you, is related to Chaos's
Serpent?"
Yosannah hehs and lets her body slump
back into the chair. She smiles, "That's what I'm saying. If you ask
me to confirm it, I couldn't. I went to the church to do just
that..." She bites at her lower lip, "I met with their Prelate." She
shrugs, "She seemed to suggest that yes, indeed. That's what they
are."
Ryker thinks a second. Checks, "You mean
Ada?"
Yosannah clears her throat and nods once,
"Yes. I had been spending the last five years trying to fight this
thing... and she tells me that it's a god damned blessing." She looks
to the ceiling, "... can you fucking believe that."
Ryker, trying to hold back his smirk, "I
can." It's heavy in his voice. "But she's like that. She sees the
Serpent in everything. Even in yours truly, I'm certain. So take it
with a grain of salt, and maybe get a second opinion, if you're not
already on your fourth or fifth."
Yosannah offers "I have. Everything from
the courts to Amber. And much in between."
Ryker prompts, "So explain how it was
stolen."
Yosannah glances sidelong at the
dartboard as she considers the question, "I um. I was leaving the
Cathedral last night and there was a man there, on the walkway." She
lifts a hand and scratches at her forhead. "And I recall thinking to
myself that something had happened to Death a week or so prior and
that I should be cautious... but I couldn't..." She pauses, needing
to collect her thoughts, "I was drawn to him, and there is no other
way to explain it. Or, Pestilence was drawn to him. Normally, she and
I are not conscious at the same time, if you take my meaning... but
just then we were."
Yosannah adds, "And I recall a pendant. I
recall her reaching for it and thinking, screaming in my own mind
-no-." She shrugs, "And then she was goone, and I colapsed there in
the plaza."
Ryker states, "How ... vague."
Yosannah nods, "I know." She sighs, "I've
been remembering a little more as the day has gone on today. It was
just very painful. I'll get it all straight with a little more time.
Ada found me on the ground shortly thereafter." She smiles, "She
saved my life. You don't get to say -that- every day. She saved my
life. There, now I've said it twice in one day."
Ryker smiles, small. "She's good at that.
Maybe she's saved mine a few times, and I hers. I wont
admit."
Yosannah nods at that, "Yeah." And then,
"But you had something to say. Let's get to that."
Ryker mmms, thinking, then shrugging. "Actually, mostly I was curious about this four horsemen deal, and your part of it.
It's been on the back of my mind sinceI heard about you and Scordus, some while back." Ryker says "I just hadn't gotten around
to it."
Yosannah nods, "I don't know for certain
what is going on with the rest of them. For a while I was fearful of
the whole deal myself. And, after talking with Ada, I tried to reach
them again. They don't answer any of my attempts to call." She
considers, "I think we've been targeted by someone for some time now.
I just realized it too late and now I'm not sure what to do about
it." Lips purse together, "Imagine what a person could do with all
four of us. Them. Whatever."
Ryker checks a non-existent watch, and
slides his feet off the table, standing. "I can, to degree. And maybe
I'll do so more, now." He considers you anew. "Hopefully this is a
good deal for you." A moment of hesitation. "Should you remember
more, or need some ... mmm, muscle, I guess. Well." A shrug,
roundabout. "You know how to find me."
Yosannah nods, standing herself, "I'm not
so sure it's a good deal. At least for me, she and I had a rather
symbiotic relationship. That's why I came for some of my things. I'm
going back to the Courts to be with Ada. If I don't get her back, at
this point, I don't know what will happen - I'm too diseased to be
out and about; and Ada is trying to help with that." She nods, "In
any event. The only way I know howto reach you is by leaving word
here, I don't have your trump, Ryker."
Ryker ehs? "You don't? I thought everyone
did." He pats his trenchcoat.
"I guess not."
Ryker reaches into a back pocket, finding
a very slim trump case. Metallic. Takes him a bit of time to get it
open. "You're harmless enough."
Yosannah nods, "At this point, I am." She
smiles at that.
Ryker gets a card out, flicking it to
land nearest to you on the pooltable.
Ryker offers, in parting, "Give me
regards to Ada."
Yosannah notes the card as she runs a
hand over her hair, "Thank you. I will."