Editing Chuubo 2-6 (section)

===START===
<@Rinley> Yo<br>
<@Random_Nerd> So, the smell of burning cats isn't ''as'' close here, but once 
you know what it is, it's kinda hard to miss.  It's in your ''clothes'', 
even.<br>
<@Random_Nerd> Alexandra stares mournfully into a cup of coffee the size of her 
head.<br>
* @Rinley will ''not'' hyperventilate, not.  Not not not.<br>
<@Random_Nerd> (I figure you're in Kakeru Hut, as it's in the area and the 
standard PC hangout.)<br>
<@Rinley> (Rinley wants a cup of coffee the size of her head!  Oh, wait, 
caffeine...)<br>
<@Random_Nerd> A: "So, this is bad."<br>
<@Rinley> "I need to get home.  So very bad."<br>
* @Hisui has buried her face in her arms<br>
<@Suzy> "There has to be something we can do."<br>
* @Dulcinea tweaks her cat-scarer<br>
<@Random_Nerd> A: "Well, we need to either stop the rats... the ''other'' rats from killing any more cats.  Or we need to ''help'' them.  Or we need to get rid of the Prince fast."<br>
<@Dulcinea> "There are a few things. Depending on how you feel about collateral 
damage."<br>
<@Rinley> "I talk to my sister.  And my brother.  And the shrine.  And then we go and pull the Prince's whiskers off."<br>
<@Random_Nerd> A: "Your siblings, can they do any kind of... weird Yatskya thing... to help?"<br>
<@Random_Nerd> A: "Keep H... the Mystery sedate until we can deal with it?"<br>
<@Rinley> "Don't know."  *slams hands on the table as she stands up*  *points finger like Phoenix Wright*  "But we shall find out!"<br>
<@Dulcinea> "Rinley, remember it takes a while to fix you if you get hurt."<br>
<@Random_Nerd> A: "I mean, I know I'm supposed to be afraid of them.  But they're just people. Right?"<br>
<@Rinley> "Right! Big Brother and Big Sister are just your normal humans who can turn into great and powerful Mysteries that can wreak havoc all over Fortitude!"<br>
* @Hisui jumps as she didn't see the table-slam coming.<br>
<@Rinley> "They respect respect, don't like weakness, like intelligence..."<br>
<@Random_Nerd> A: "Yeah, sound like people.  They're hardly evil cat-gods at ''all''."<br>
''<@Dulcinea> (What do I know about her family?)''<br>
<@Suzy> "So basically, they're completely normal except when they aren't."<br>
<@Dulcinea> "Like everyone, then."<br>
* @Rinley sinks back down in her seat.  "I don't want to be an evil cat-god. I don't.."<br>
<@Hisui> "Then don't be?"<br>
<@Rinley> "Hedge...he came to my window and..."  *shiver*<br>
* @Suzy looks at Rinley, concerned.<br>
''<@Random_Nerd> (They're a Shrine Family.  Russian in origin.  They make incense from Outside dust, which has various druglike qualities.  Some of the family members can do magic that relates to cats and to the rats' Mysteries, and almost all can talk to cats.)''<br>
<@Dulcinea> "Maybe I could be one, then."<br>
* @Hisui shoves a hand in her pocket and pulls out candies for everyone.<br>
''<@Random_Nerd> (Her brother embodies the spirit of Old King Death, a cat-ogre deathgod.  Her sister is the Witch of the Far Roofs.)''<br>
* @Rinley does not pfft at Dulci.  For one, it would be rude.  For two, it would only encourage her.<br>
<@Dulcinea> "A few rituals, a ridiculous amount of dust..."<br>
<@Suzy> "You can become a god just with dust and a ritual?"<br>
<@Dulcinea> "Worth trying, isn't it?"<br>
<@Rinley> "Well, you can ''try''.  Whether it works or not, different story."<br>
''<@Random_Nerd> (It would be possible for Dulcinea to mimic Yatskya Family Magic with her magic, but it would raise the obstacle 2 points.)''<br>
* @Rinley munches on a candy.  Mmm, sugar rush.<br>
<@Suzy> O_O  "Worth a try... I suppose."<br>
''<@Dulcinea> (XP!)''<br>
''<@Random_Nerd> (Cut to the Yatskya Shrine?)''<br>
* @Suzy takes a candy, and smiles a thank-you to Hisui.<br>
''<@Rinley> (Sounds good!)''<br>
''<@Suzy> (Sure.)''<br>
''<@Dulcinea> (OK)''<br>
''<@Hisui> (Okay!)''<br>
<@Random_Nerd> As always, the exterior of the shrine complex smells like incense, and drugs, and dreams, and Outside.<br>
<@Random_Nerd> Man, Rinley ''grew up'' breathing that stuff.  No wonder she's so... Rinley.<br>
''<@Dulcinea> (Hm, Leo starts with the Outside-Measuring Caliper.)''<br>
* @Suzy doesn't like this smell.<br>
''<@Random_Nerd> (So, what magic-themed equivalent do you have?)''<br>
''<@Random_Nerd> (A geomantic pendulum, maybe?)''<br>
''<@Dulcinea> (That works.)''<br>
<@Hisui> "Maybe the incense will overtake the smell of burned ca....of burned hair in our clothes."<br>
''<@Random_Nerd> (Does the same thing, but with a magic aesthetic.)''<br>
<@Rinley> *running in, yelling, out of breath*  "They're killing cats!  And on fire!  And the Prince keeps going after ''Jasper'' and he wants to ''marry'' her!  And Hedge keeps coming to me and the smell of burning cats is never going to get out of my hair and we've got to stop all of this!!!"  *fully expecting an older sibling there, or at least her father*<br>
''<@Dulcinea> (As long as it doesn't try to jump back in my pocket)''<br>
<@Random_Nerd> Inside, all the older Yatskya members are in some kind of meeting.<br>
<@Rinley> *mental 'oh crap'*<br>
* @Dulcinea is checking out the place with her Xeno-Seeing Pendulum<br>
<@Random_Nerd> Rinley's brother Kuroma is pacing and holding a note.  Her sister Caroline is mixing something in a mortar and pestle.  Even her father is attentive, and was just saying "So we have to work out with a way to keep things..."<br>
<@Hisui> "What's the protocol for emergencies?"<br>
<@Rinley> (Aww crap, not the mortar...)<br>
<@Random_Nerd> The pendulum's swings have a distinct hitch to them, enough to show that there's Outside presence here.  It's a ''bit'' high for a shrine, but not unusually so.<br>
* @Suzy stays with Dulcinea, outside, for now. Her attention is on Rinley, however.<br>
<@Random_Nerd> Guro Yatskya: "What's all this, Rinley?"<br>
<@Rinley> (And triple crap, father's attentive.)<br>
<@Random_Nerd> Kuroma, to Guro: "He's stalling.  I think he ''wants'' the Mystery to manifest.  He put me off for over a week.  Even with Caroline's efforts, that's probably too long."<br>
<@Rinley> "Uhhh...my friends and I have been running into the Prince multiple times and Hedge has been talking to me and the Prince is trying to seduce Jasper for some reason and we've been invited to his airship for a party and you already know about the cat deaths in Town?"<br>
<@Rinley> "Wait!"  *finger point*  "You knew the Prince was already here?!?"<br>
<@Random_Nerd> Caroline: "We know.  Kuroma has already challenged the Prince to a duel.  But he as the challenged has the right to pick the time, and he picked next week tuesday.  I'm trying to work out a way to keep cats from congregating, but that will only delay things, and probably won't affect the cats on board the airship."<br>
<@Dulcinea> (Hm, this may be of use as a general detector...)<br>
<@Random_Nerd> Guro: "The Prince has been contacting you?  Anything useful?"<br>
<@Dulcinea> (Can we hear this?)<br>
<@Random_Nerd> (If you followed Rinley in.)<br>
<@Random_Nerd> Caroline: "What does he ''want''?"<br>
<@Rinley> "His party is in two days.  It's a masquerade ball.  He wants to MARRY Jasper.  You know?  My friend Jasper?  Daughter of Jade, the nice Sun Shrine lady?"<br>
<@Rinley> "And he's a Rider!  Who knows if what he wants makes any sense?  Maybe he wants our secret incense stash for the really good dreams?"<br>
<@Random_Nerd> (Your pendulum would be able to sense Rider presence, Shrine stuff, general Outside phenomena... hmm.  And probably yourself, actually.)<br>
<@Dulcinea> to Suzy: "Ah yes, I've been meaning to ask them about their nightmare-inducing stuff."<br>
<@Random_Nerd> Guro: "Does he seem to ''want'' to bring about the Mystery?"<br>
<@Random_Nerd> Kuroma: "He could be stalling us for another reason.  For until after this Ball of his."<br>
<@Rinley> "Uhh, he didn't ''say'' anything about knowing about the Mystery?"<br>
<@Dulcinea> (Do I know about this Mystery or is it a family secret?)<br>
''<@Rinley> (Darn it.  Need Laz.  So I can offer Jasper up as a sacrificial bride. :P )''<br>
<@Random_Nerd> (You know that it's a weird thing that the rats and Yatskyas do.)<br>
<@Random_Nerd> (Something to do with cats, and the Far Roofs, and indirectly with the Riders.)<br>
<@Suzy> "...I don't know anything about that!  Really."<br>
<@Dulcinea> "Well, they have to have some. Even if they didn't intend to make some they have Rinley helping. :p "<br>
* @Suzy scrunches her eyes closed.<br>
<@Rinley> (Hey!  :P  I'll have you know that I have only caused ''one'' week of insomnia in small children in the shrine!)<br>
<@Suzy> "I seriously, really know nothing about any nightmares!"<br>
<@Dulcinea> "And this pendulum is dancing like a marionette..."<br>
<@Random_Nerd> Kuroma: "Ah... ''which'' nightmares don't you know anything about?"<br>
<@Suzy> (Is he talking to me from inside?)<br>
<@Dulcinea> (I think RN is assuming we followed Rinley)<br>
<@Suzy> (Considering I'm outside with Dulcinea, but he maybe could have heard us through the wall if I accidentally yelled too loud.)<br>
<@Rinley> (And there are windows.)<br>
<@Random_Nerd> (Yes, or at least are standing close outside.)<br>
<@Suzy> (Alright.  Say he spotted me out a window.)<br>
<@Rinley> (Does Suzy actually squeak in character?  :) )<br>
<@Random_Nerd> (Let's just say that Kuroma didn't say that.)<br>
<@Random_Nerd> (But instead, Alexandra.)<br>
<@Suzy> (Ah, works for me.)<br>
<@Rinley> "And Jasper keeps going home and barracading herself in!  She came out with us to the Hut but then she went right back home!  She's going to become 
some sort of shut-in-...shut-in!"<br>
<@Rinley> (Makes sense.  She's a detective.  They're nosy.  A tiny little Columbo.)<br>
<@Random_Nerd> Kuroma, to Rinley: "Okay, right now you're the one with the best chance to get at the Prince.  You'll be seeing him in two days?  Good.  I think Caroline can keep the cats separate enough at least for that long."<br>
<@Random_Nerd> C nods.<br>
<@Suzy> "Um...  Normal nightmares I guess?  Like monsters under the bed, or falling, or the sun falling out of the sky and it all going dark...  I don't remember having any of those dreams, so don't worry."<br>
<@Random_Nerd> K: "Do you need a sword?  I mean, just in case?"<br>
<@Dulcinea> "Should let me know when you do. I could use some parts."<br>
<@Random_Nerd> You did have one weird dream, actually, Suzy.  You dreamed that you were Jasper's mother.  Not that you were Jade Irinka, but some ''other'' mother.<br>
<@Rinley> "Well, I hadn't decided on a costume yet..."  *looks seriously at him*  "Big Brother, do you think that I can decapitate a Rider?"<br>
<@Suzy> (Huh!  Now that is interesting.)<br>
<@Random_Nerd> Kuroma shrugs.<br>
<@Suzy> (Although I was assuming that I actually did have the sun-dying nightmare.)<br>
<@Random_Nerd> K: "I know that ''I'' can decapitate a Rider.  That was actually our plan, until he stalled us.  Maybe you can, too!  Or at least a horde of enraged possessed cats."<br>
<@Random_Nerd> (Let's say you had both, then.)<br>
<@Random_Nerd> (They're connected!)<br>
<@Random_Nerd> (I mean, Jasper's mother ''is'' the sun.)<br>
<@Suzy> (Works for me!)<br>
<@Dulcinea> "Possessed cats...<br>
<@Random_Nerd> (Was, rather.  So, you dreamed that the sun died and that ''then'' you were Jasper's mother.  Same dream.)<br>
<@Dulcinea> "Maybe if I put together some wards..."<br>
<@Random_Nerd> K: "You can have one of mine."<br>
<@Suzy> (Neat, okay.)<br>
<@Hisui> "H-how did he stall you?"<br>
<@Rinley> "We should probably check which of your swords I can actually ''carry'' first..."<br>
<@Random_Nerd> (So Hisui went in?)<br>
<@Random_Nerd> K: "I challenged him to a duel.  He accepted, and then set a date more than a week from now."<br>
<@Random_Nerd> K: "And we don't think that's soon enough."<br>
<@Rinley> "What kind of weapon?"<br>
''<@Dulcinea> (We need Dante. :) )''<br>
<@Random_Nerd> K: "He agreed that swords were acceptable."<br>
''<@Hisui> (yeah)''<br>
<@Hisui> "Oh."<br>
<@Random_Nerd> Kuroma walks over to the umbrella stand in the corner, rummages around, and pulls a sword out.  This one's of a Japanese style, like his usual ones, but smaller than what he normally carries.  He hands it to Rinley, still sheathed.<br>
* @Suzy has wandered over next to a window while Dulcinea is scientificating, and is trying to, unobtrusively, follow at least a little bit of what is going on inside.<br>
<@Dulcinea> "They're talking about swords to fight the Prince directly.<br>
<@Random_Nerd> K: "I mean, you probably won't need it.  But I can't think of any time I was glad I ''didn't'' have a sword."<br>
<@Dulcinea> "If she needs it I may be able to make bone swords with some interesting enhancements."<br>
<@Suzy> "What sort of enhancements?"<br>
<@Random_Nerd> Natalia: "So, what can you actually do, to deal with all this?"<br>
<@Dulcinea> "Maybe even something with some of this outside dust..."<br>
* @Suzy winces. Yep, definitely didn't like the reminder of the dust.<br>
<@Hisui> (Hisui's gonna have to give Suzy more candy in the future...>:D )<br>
<@Random_Nerd> (Don't make candy from it, or Hisui will shiv you.)<br>
<@Hisui> (Indeed)<br>
<@Dulcinea> "Depends on what's needed, of course, but there are pain-makers, seekers, bioluminescence, bleeders..."<br>
<@Rinley> (People will talk about the remarkably life-like Dulcinea made of chocolate in her store...)<br>
<@Hisui> (Hah!)<br>
<@Random_Nerd> G: "So, we're agreed, then?  Kuroma prepares for his duel, Caroline tries to keep cats as separated as possible, Rinley tries to get the Prince to leave, and the rest of us try to persuade the Town authorities to take this seriously?"<br>
<@Dulcinea> "Many other things are possible once you leave that pesky morality and fair play behind."<br>
* @Rinley looks at the sword and balances it.  She has a sword!  Squee!<br>
<@Random_Nerd> Everyone else nods.  Even though Guro is a bit loopy sometimes, he still is the family head, and it's his call.<br>
<@Random_Nerd> The sword's a bit heavy, but not incredibly so.<br>
<@Rinley> "Wait, Town isn't taking it seriously?  Even with the... you know... cat bbq in the streets?"<br>
<@Random_Nerd> C: "Not... possibly start a war with the Riders by casting out a member of their royalty seriously."<br>
<@Random_Nerd> K: "That's why we came up with the duel.  He and I take a trip to Bluebell Park together and only one comes back, the Riders would respect that."<br>
<@Rinley> "Oh."  *thinks*  "So I need to do something to get the Riders to respect me so when I kick the Prince out, they don't get offended?"<br>
<@Hisui> "Why Bluebell Park?"<br>
<@Dulcinea> (We're screwed...)<br>
<@Random_Nerd> G: "Well, if you persuade him rather than killing him, there would be no problem."<br>
<@Random_Nerd> K, to Hisui: "It's where duels traditionally take place.  Well, duels and romantic encounters.  But I'm almost ''positive'' he understood I meant a duel."<br>
<@Random_Nerd> Kuroma looks at the piece of paper again.<br>
<@Dulcinea> (Considering his intentions toward Jasper...)<br>
<@Random_Nerd> K: "Yeah, he specified that we were to both bring swords.  That's like 80% chance that he understood."<br>
<@Rinley> (Hee.)<br>
<@Random_Nerd> Caroline resists a smirk.  Poorly.<br>
<@Rinley> "You should get Jasper to challenge him to a duel there.  Then she can shiv him when he's puckering up for a smooch."<br>
<@Random_Nerd> Guro, eyes starting to glaze again: "GENIUS!"<br>
<@Suzy> (*rolleyes*)<br>
<@Random_Nerd> Kuroma: "Ah... I think we should go with the earlier plan. Father, isn't it time for you to check the incense workshop?"<br>
<@Random_Nerd> Guro: "Oh.  Yes.  Yes, I think it is."<br>
<@Hisui> "He's...strange. I wouldn't put it past him to misunderstand things. Though I think a duel is related enough to princes that he'd understand it."<br>
<@Random_Nerd> Caroline: "But so are romantic walks in the..."<br>
<@Rinley> "Father!  If she challenges him to a duel, she can't shiv him outside of the duel!  She's not that kind of girl!"<br>
<@Random_Nerd> Kuroma glares at her, and she stops.<br>
* @Hisui tries not to giggle<br>
<@Random_Nerd> Kuroma leads Guro off.<br>
<@Random_Nerd> (Oh, and Rinley gets an XP toward Adventure Get.)<br>
<@Dulcinea> "Remind me to tell Jasper she should be that kind of girl."<br>
<@Dulcinea> "Makes certain things easier."<br>
<@Random_Nerd> Caroline grinds at her pestle, and mutters about eye of newt.<br>
<@Suzy> (and an emotion XP, right?)<br>
<@Rinley> (Did someone roll their eyes at me?)<br>
<@Suzy> (Yes, I did.)<br>
<@Random_Nerd> (Oh!  Then that, too!)<br>
<@Rinley> (Whoo!  And I'm a genius!)<br>
<@Random_Nerd> The Yatskyas disperse.<br>
<@Dulcinea> (Did you get the O_O directed at me earlier? :) )<br>
<@Rinley> (I was too distracted by the all caps to see your emote.  ^^  )<br>
<@Random_Nerd> (Oh, no.  Bonus XP for Dulcinea, then!)<br>
* @Rinley walks outside to the others.  "Okay, so there's ''maybe'' an idea for something before the ball..but we need Jasper."<br>
<@Suzy> "What sort of an idea?"<br>
<@Dulcinea> "Where did she go?"<br>
<@Suzy> "Ah, where DID she go?"<br>
<@Rinley> "So, Big Brother challenged the Prince to a duel but the Prince, as is his right, picked the time...a week from now."<br>
* @Hisui follows Rinley outside<br>
<@Rinley> "I think she went home.  The Prince is freaking her out with his marriage proposals."<br>
<@Dulcinea> "Shame. I'd wanted to see her in white... nice long train...<br>
<@Rinley> "But something he said made me think of Jasper.  They were going to duel in Bluebell Park!  And that's where you ''have'' duels and romantic walks!"<br>
<@Random_Nerd> (Hmm... Suzy could pass herself off as Jasper!)<br>
<@Dulcinea> (With a veil...)<br>
<@Random_Nerd> (Wouldn't work for the rest of you, but with Suzy it might.)<br>
<@Suzy> (I could!  Technically.  If pressed.)<br>
<@Rinley> "So, what we do is get Jasper to send the Prince a note saying she wants him to come to Bluebell Park and when he goes there and tries for a smooch, WHAM!  Shiv in the guts!"<br>
* @Rinley demonstrates with her sword and her own guts, but no pentration.<br>
<@Dulcinea> "Would that end whatever's happening, though?"<br>
<@Hisui> "That's not how proper duels work, is it?"<br>
<@Suzy> "This Cat Prince thing is magical, right?  Do we know he'd die if you stabbed him?"<br>
<@Random_Nerd> Alexandra: "Well, if it ''sounds'' like a proper duel, it might keep the other Riders from getting mad."<br>
<@Hisui> "I mean, if you don't let the other person know it's a duel, it's just an attack....right"<br>
<@Rinley> "We tell him that if he wants to keep his life, he gets out of Fortitude and takes the cats of his ship with him and never return!"<br>
<@Rinley> "But...unwanted smooch-thievery!"<br>
<@Suzy> "...Isn't that sort of thing just going to encourage a feline pirate vagabond?"<br>
<@Random_Nerd> Alexandra: "Well, if she asks if he'd like to walk in Bluebell Park, that makes it a duel. Or a date.  Or both, like in all the plays."<br>
<@Suzy> "Hmm, if it worked for Shakespeare..."<br>
<@Hisui> "Oh!"<br>
<@Rinley> "And Bluebell Park is perfect, because she just asks him to come to Bluebell Park, she doesn't say it's ''for'' a duel or for smooches!  He'll just assume that his wily seductions have worked on her femine...whatsits."<br>
<@Dulcinea> "What would your plan do to the Outsiders who are presumably ''behind'' the Prince?"<br>
<@Random_Nerd> (Basically, "Would you like to walk in Bluebell Park with me?" is a traditional invitation to a duel, or a date.)<br>
<@Random_Nerd> (Fiction in Fortitude often plays off the ambiguity.)<br>
<@Rinley> "He's a Prince!  he doesn't need chaperones on a date!"<br>
<@Random_Nerd> (Oh, and fair warning, Bluebell Park... isn't like other places.)<br>
<@Rinley> (It's full of wish spirits!)<br>
<@Rinley> (And the Lonely Child's house.)<br>
<@Suzy> (Oh, really?)<br>
<@Random_Nerd> (And it runs on the same rules as the Outside.)<br>
<@Random_Nerd> (And I think she means Jasmine Apocynum.)<br>
<@Rinley> (Jasmine.  She of the salute and so forth.)<br>
<@Suzy> (The part that interests me is the wish spirits.)<br>
* @Suzy looks at Dulci. "Outsiders behind the Prince?"<br>
<@Random_Nerd> (See Page 100, of Fortitude: The Almanac.)<br>
<@Suzy> (Thanks, RN.)<br>
<@Random_Nerd> (The rules:
#Emotions must have a tangible impact on the world.
#People must honor customs and forms.
#Events must repeat themselves until something transformative happens.
#The lake must be tranquil.
#Everyone must have musical talent.
#A terrible power must sleep among the bluebells by the lake.
)<br>
<@Dulcinea> "Or the ''things'' ready to jump in should the Prince leave unsatisfied."<br>
<@Random_Nerd> (Hey, is that the Lake that Dulcinea is supposed to drown in?)<br>
<@Suzy> (I'm guessing the bluebell part is not a copy of the Outside.)<br>
<@Dulcinea> (Aha. I suspect shiv-ing the Prince would violate #2)<br>
<@Random_Nerd> (Hmm.  Yeah, it has to ''feel'' like a duel.  Maybe a duel he wasn't expecting, but still, if you use the ritual challenge, and he accepts...)<br>
<@Rinley> (Yeah, I was just thinking that, Dulc.)<br>
<@Suzy> (You could probably work it into a form somehow!  And if no one else notices, it's still tranquil...)<br>
<@Random_Nerd> (Besides, as far as how those rules work... remember, you have Nightmare Magic.  It's usable to manipulate those.)<br>
<@Dulcinea> (Ah-HAH. Which means I can turn the prince into an ordinary cat.)<br>
<@Random_Nerd> (Oh?  By manipulating which rule?)<br>
<@Suzy> ("Do you take this woman as your wife?"  "Meow."  Wedding cancelled because cats can't talk.)<br>
<@Dulcinea> (#2. His form is feline, after all.)<br>
<@Random_Nerd> (It means, like, social customs and formalities.)<br>
<@Rinley> "We probably can't have Jasper write the challenge and then have Suzy duel him, though."  *sad pout*<br>
<@Random_Nerd> (Hmm.  You might be able to make him ''act'' like a cat.  After all, he is Prince of Cats.)<br>
<@Dulcinea> "Unless there's a rule about chosen champions."<br>
<@Suzy> "Why are we all of a sudden talking about me dueling?"<br>
<@Dulcinea> "Imagine, if you will, the possible outcomes of Rinley doing something important."<br>
<@Random_Nerd> Alexandra: "Well, you're so... generic?  Easily mistaken for other people?  Didn't the weird cat with the thumbs already mistake you for her?"<br>
<@Dulcinea> "Or rather, ''trying'' to do something important."<br>
<@Suzy> "Um, but that was more a coincidence, and I just happened to be there where he was looking, and..."<br>
* @Rinley looks ''sad''<br>
<@Rinley> "Why are you so meeeean, Dulci?  I'm going to do important stuff ''someday''!"<br>
<@Dulcinea> "Yes. Probably entirely by accident."<br>
* @Rinley looks determined.  "But it will be ''awesome''!"<br>
<@Dulcinea> "I would bet it does inspire awe, yes..."<br>
<@Suzy> "So, the plan has Jasper dueling the Prince, and he has to leave if she wins?"<br>
<@Suzy> "And we can do it earlier than the one week if we leave it vague that it's a duel."<br>
<@Random_Nerd> Natalia: "Or die.  Him dying would work."<br>
<@Dulcinea> "Wait. That's in a week.<br>
<@Dulcinea> "We have something else happening in two days."<br>
<@Random_Nerd> N: "Problem is, I bet he's good at dueling.  I mean, he's a pirate prince, isn't he?"<br>
<@Random_Nerd> (What's in a week?)<br>
<@Dulcinea> (The duel)<br>
<@Rinley> "I thought Jasper could invite him to the park before the ball and if that fails, we try again at the ball to kill him."<br>
<@Suzy> "The one week thing was Rinley's brother's duel with the Cat Prince. But this would have to be sooner."<br>
<@Dulcinea> (The ball in 2 days?)<br>
<@Rinley> "Ooo, Natalia could kill him!  She's really athletic!"<br>
<@Rinley> (Yep.  It was 3 days but there was a night scene.)<br>
<@Dulcinea> "Or I could. I wouldn't ''need'' to be."<br>
<@Random_Nerd> (The duel with Rinley's brother is in over a week.)<br>
<@Random_Nerd> (Rinley's plan is that Jasper would go to him and say "Hey, would you like to walk in Bluebell Park tomorrow?")<br>
<@Dulcinea> "Personally, I would rather know what they are doing."<br>
<@Dulcinea> "This is obviously a part of something greater.<br>
<@Dulcinea> "What that is is worth investigating."<br>
<@Random_Nerd> ("For science!  Or, uh, for magic.")<br>
<@Random_Nerd> Natalia: "I would rather investigate new and fascinating ways of ''not being eaten by a ravening storm of Mystery-inhabited cats''."<br>
* @Suzy stares at Dulcinea. She isn't convinced.<br>
<@Random_Nerd> N: "I find that to be ''fascinating''."<br>
<@Random_Nerd> N: "But then, I did major in Not Being Eaten By Cats."<br>
<@Hisui> "How....?"<br>
<@Dulcinea> "Can you be sure that eliminating one cat will stop the horde?"<br>
<@Hisui> "Can you be sure that it won't?"<br>
<@Rinley> "He's the Prince of Cats.  Once he is dead, the air ship will be told to leave!"<br>
<@Dulcinea> "By who?"<br>
<@Rinley> "Do you mean who will tell the ship to leave or who will make the ship actually move its way away?"<br>
<@Dulcinea> "Either one."<br>
<@Rinley> "Jasper!"<br>
<@Dulcinea> (Have we seen sentient cats besides the Prince?)<br>
<@Rinley> (The one with thumbs kind of.)<br>
<@Suzy> "I could probably... talk to them.  Make sure they understand."<br>
<@Random_Nerd> (Old Tom, the one who keeps bugging Suzy.)<br>
<@Random_Nerd> (But he has thumbs and human-like eyes.)<br>
<@Random_Nerd> (Other than that... Rinley can kinda talk to cats like they were people.  Some in her family can do so exactly as if they were sapient.)<br>
<@Random_Nerd> (Also... the Prince isn't a cat, as far as you know.  He's a Rider.)<br>
<@Random_Nerd> (He's just the Prince of Cats.  The Prince of Wales isn't a sheep.)<br>
<@Random_Nerd> (...or a whale.)<br>
<@Suzy> (Ah, thanks for clarifying.)<br>
<@Dulcinea> (So, we have no guarantee of what would happen after the Prince is killed.)<br>
<@Rinley> (Nope!)<br>
<@Dulcinea> (You might wind up with a horde of undirected cats.)<br>
<@Random_Nerd> (Were you planning to kill him?  I thought the plan was just to duel, get first blood or whatever, and then get him to leave.)<br>
<@Dulcinea> (Which screws up the treaty and leads to war.)<br>
<@Rinley> (Which is why it has to be awesome enough that the Riders say 'yeah, that's a fair cop' and take the Prince's stuff away.)<br>
<@Rinley> (First blood works.)<br>
<@Rinley> (Shiv.)<br>
<@Dulcinea> (OK, I'm scrolling back, and you were talking about killing him.)<br>
<@Random_Nerd> (That's Kuroma's plan.)<br>
<@Rinley> (Rinley switches directions often and I haven't been sleeping well. :) )<br>
<@Random_Nerd> (But he, y'know, is the human embodiment of Old King Death.)<br>
<@Random_Nerd> (So... kinda in his wheelhouse.)<br>
<@Dulcinea> (Ah.)<br>
<@Random_Nerd> (With Jasper, it would make more sense to unexpectedly stab him, yell "first blood!  I win!" and then come up with a way to make it seem legit.)<br>
<@Dulcinea> ("So, swords or pistols? Swords? Fine. I choose pistols. (Bang!)")<br>
<@Rinley> (Bite his lip when they smooch!)<br>
<@Dulcinea> (Or just point out that any injury to his would-be fiancee means no engagement)<br>
<@Dulcinea> (Surely that's a rule.)<br>
<@Rinley> (Hmm.  Maybe.)<br>
<@Random_Nerd> (So, shall we call it a night?)<br>
<@Random_Nerd> (We... kinda need Jasper, at this point.)<br>
<@Dulcinea> (So it seems)<br>
<@Hisui> (Yeah...)<br>
<@Rinley> (Brain not working.  Thinking about putting Jasper in a bag and running around with her at the park on a stick to make the Prince run while pulling a cart...)<br>
<@Dulcinea> (Don't need Jasper, just a big laser. :p )<br>
<@Random_Nerd> (A sufficiently big laser solves any problem.)<br>
<@Rinley> (That's Leo thinking.)<br>
<@Suzy> (Calling it a night works for now.)<br>
<@Random_Nerd> (Get him to challenge ''you'' to a duel, then pick "orbital laser strikes" as the weapons?)<br>
<@Rinley> (Oh, great, we nuke it from orbit, we get nuclear cats.)<br>
<@Suzy> (Or just say "guns" and leave it vague, maybe?)<br>
<@Dulcinea> (Didn't they already agree to swords?)<br>
<@Suzy> (That's the brother.)<br>
<@Random_Nerd> (That's for Rinley's brother.  This is a different, hypothetical duel.)<br>
<@Rinley> (Big brother did.  We haven't said anything to the Prince yet.)<br>
<@Suzy> (The Rinley's brother duel just gave us the idea, see.)<br>
<@Dulcinea> (Ah. OK, my thinking is we should take another tack...<br>
<@Dulcinea> (figuring out what's behind it and fighting that.)<br>