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Celuien · 01-21-2006, 12:29 PM

Panakeia spent a troubled night tossing and turning in her sleep. Her dreams were not comforting. Nilp/Adam/Alice floated in a cloud of flying dust, chatting with Mormegil about stone throwing techniques. The fangirls ran behind them, bodies reassembled in curious contortions, legs dangling from their shoulders, arms from the hip. And Elempí was there, looking as fresh as on the first day they met in Dol Gaurgauroth. He grinned.

"Hi. Good to see you again. How have you been? I've been fine. I still think you should change that makeup you're wearing."

"How can you be fine? You're dead. I saw."

Elempí just grinned at her again. "Romance in the air. How sweeeet and rosy. Isn't it great? Wouldn't you like to have one too? Sure you would. Where's Valde?" Panakeia started, though she didn't know why. There was something odd about Elempí's statement, other than the fact that he was supposed to be dead and that Valde was none of his business anyway. "I think Anakron's annoying, don't you? Well, I should go. Been nice talking. Bye."

"Wait! There's something I have to ask you." But it was too late. Panakeia awoke. "What a strange dream," she murmured. She unbarred the door to her room and walked out into the gloomy village square, only to discover the latest casualty. And she started to sob. "It's just no good, no good at all."

SPaM asked, "No werewolvesh?" And then something went 'click' (or was it a snap?) in her head. No werewolves? Is that what he was trying to tell me? Of course, that's it! Her hand flew to her pocket, and she pulled out the Drekkie guide. There, there it is. Episode 56. She started to laugh, a bit unsteadily, but she laughed all the same. She waved the book aloft.

"Look, look everyone! It's all a trick. We're not really here, here isn't really here. Nothing's here. It's all in our heads. Think about it! How could wolves kill all those fangirls without our hearing it? And? And alter-egos don't just materialize out of thin air, then talk after they're dead. All of this is just one of Anakron's tricks." She looked around. The Grand Anakronist's cottage stood to her left. "See. That wasn't there before either. I'm sure of it. How could a cottage show up out of nowhere?" Truthfully, Panakeia didn't know if the cottage had been there or not. But in her present mood, there was no use telling her otherwise.

SPaM tapped Fléin on the shoulder. "I tshink she's gone batty. She should have visithed the tshavern more oftshen."

Panakeia continued to laugh, her voice reaching a high-pitched crescendo. "Look, it's not real. And if it's not real, nothing can hurt us here, right? As long as we believe it isn't real, we'll be fine. I'll prove it." She ran forward, racing for the row of sticks and stones.

"Someone really should stop her," offered Mardil. Valde stepped forward, hurrying to catch her. He arrived just in time to prevent her from casting a vote for herself by grabbing her wrists and dragging her away.

"No, no! Stop that! Don't you see? If we die here, we aren't here anymore. We're there, wherever we really are. But we're not dead, just out. Escaped. I want out!" The last words were a scream.

Fléin snickered. "She has gone batty." SPaM shook his head and took out a bottle of his strongest tequila. "Have shome of thish," he offered. Pointlessly, as it turned out. Exhausted, Panakeia collapsed on the street.

***

Running, running, through the dark. Something frightening, terrifying with claws and teeth, was behind her. There was a dim light ahead, a light that meant safety. Just a few steps more would bring her there. Panakeia entered the circle of light. And found herself standing in front of a burned house with a young girl moving in the charred timbers.

"Oh no, not this again." She looked for a place to hide. Panakeia ducked under a bush and as she did so, a small, warm hand brushed her shoulder from behind. Gasping, she whirled to come face to face with...herself.

"Hello, Panakeia. Been a long time, hasn't it?"

"Wait. You're me?"

"In a manner of speaking. I, my dear, am your conscience. And I am seriously displeased." The younger Panakeia glared.

"Displeased? Whatever for?"

Young Panakeia sighed. "Have you forgotten? Was it that long ago that you, we, vowed never to enter the family business of, of, scamming?" She shuddered in disgust. "And look, just look what you've done to us! And worst of all, what about this latest business in the village? How could you participate in something so horrible? Casting votes for who was to die and who wasn't? You should have just stayed out of the whole thing."

"Well, you haven't exactly done much to stop me."

"No, I haven't. Because you left me here sleeping. Dreaming." She paused. "And what beautiful dreams they were. I stood with a vast company, singing songs of peace, love and brotherhood." She started to sing a little melody. "Come on people now. Smile on your brother. Yes, it was beautiful. Then I heard a strange sound, like a cat crying, and I woke up here to find out about all of your terrible deeds."

A cat? "Anakron!"

"I don't know. But I've been trying to come back to you ever since. I almost succeeded once. The last time you were here. And I've had some influence. Remember when you wanted to rescue Alli? And when you came to Valde's aid? That was me." She smiled in triumph.

"You?"

"Yes. And that's just the beginning. We're going to be back together again. A team."

"I don't know. I've been getting along fine without you all these years."

"Fine? You call this fine? Maybe you don't mind being a charlatan, but I don't like what you've done to our reputation. And I'm going to do something about, like it or not." Young Panakeia came closer to her current self.

"No, no. Leave me alone!" Panakeia shut her eyes tight and struggled to escape through the hedge.

***

Panakeia's eyes reopened to Valde and SPaM leaning over her in Dol Gaurgauroth.

01-21-2006, 12:29 PM	#185
Celuien Riveting Ribbiter Join Date: May 2005 Location: Assigned to Mordor Posts: 1,767	Panakeia spent a troubled night tossing and turning in her sleep. Her dreams were not comforting. Nilp/Adam/Alice floated in a cloud of flying dust, chatting with Mormegil about stone throwing techniques. The fangirls ran behind them, bodies reassembled in curious contortions, legs dangling from their shoulders, arms from the hip. And Elempí was there, looking as fresh as on the first day they met in Dol Gaurgauroth. He grinned. "Hi. Good to see you again. How have you been? I've been fine. I still think you should change that makeup you're wearing." "How can you be fine? You're dead. I saw." Elempí just grinned at her again. "Romance in the air. How sweeeet and rosy. Isn't it great? Wouldn't you like to have one too? Sure you would. Where's Valde?" Panakeia started, though she didn't know why. There was something odd about Elempí's statement, other than the fact that he was supposed to be dead and that Valde was none of his business anyway. "I think Anakron's annoying, don't you? Well, I should go. Been nice talking. Bye." "Wait! There's something I have to ask you." But it was too late. Panakeia awoke. "What a strange dream," she murmured. She unbarred the door to her room and walked out into the gloomy village square, only to discover the latest casualty. And she started to sob. "It's just no good, no good at all." SPaM asked, "No werewolvesh?" And then something went 'click' (or was it a snap?) in her head. No werewolves? Is that what he was trying to tell me? Of course, that's it! Her hand flew to her pocket, and she pulled out the Drekkie guide. There, there it is. Episode 56. She started to laugh, a bit unsteadily, but she laughed all the same. She waved the book aloft. "Look, look everyone! It's all a trick. We're not really here, here isn't really here. Nothing's here. It's all in our heads. Think about it! How could wolves kill all those fangirls without our hearing it? And? And alter-egos don't just materialize out of thin air, then talk after they're dead. All of this is just one of Anakron's tricks." She looked around. The Grand Anakronist's cottage stood to her left. "See. That wasn't there before either. I'm sure of it. How could a cottage show up out of nowhere?" Truthfully, Panakeia didn't know if the cottage had been there or not. But in her present mood, there was no use telling her otherwise. SPaM tapped Fléin on the shoulder. "I tshink she's gone batty. She should have visithed the tshavern more oftshen." Panakeia continued to laugh, her voice reaching a high-pitched crescendo. "Look, it's not real. And if it's not real, nothing can hurt us here, right? As long as we believe it isn't real, we'll be fine. I'll prove it." She ran forward, racing for the row of sticks and stones. "Someone really should stop her," offered Mardil. Valde stepped forward, hurrying to catch her. He arrived just in time to prevent her from casting a vote for herself by grabbing her wrists and dragging her away. "No, no! Stop that! Don't you see? If we die here, we aren't here anymore. We're there, wherever we really are. But we're not dead, just out. Escaped. I want out!" The last words were a scream. Fléin snickered. "She has gone batty." SPaM shook his head and took out a bottle of his strongest tequila. "Have shome of thish," he offered. Pointlessly, as it turned out. Exhausted, Panakeia collapsed on the street. *** Running, running, through the dark. Something frightening, terrifying with claws and teeth, was behind her. There was a dim light ahead, a light that meant safety. Just a few steps more would bring her there. Panakeia entered the circle of light. And found herself standing in front of a burned house with a young girl moving in the charred timbers. "Oh no, not this again." She looked for a place to hide. Panakeia ducked under a bush and as she did so, a small, warm hand brushed her shoulder from behind. Gasping, she whirled to come face to face with...herself. "Hello, Panakeia. Been a long time, hasn't it?" "Wait. You're me?" "In a manner of speaking. I, my dear, am your conscience. And I am seriously displeased." The younger Panakeia glared. "Displeased? Whatever for?" Young Panakeia sighed. "Have you forgotten? Was it that long ago that you, we, vowed never to enter the family business of, of, scamming?" She shuddered in disgust. "And look, just look what you've done to us! And worst of all, what about this latest business in the village? How could you participate in something so horrible? Casting votes for who was to die and who wasn't? You should have just stayed out of the whole thing." "Well, you haven't exactly done much to stop me." "No, I haven't. Because you left me here sleeping. Dreaming." She paused. "And what beautiful dreams they were. I stood with a vast company, singing songs of peace, love and brotherhood." She started to sing a little melody. "Come on people now. Smile on your brother. Yes, it was beautiful. Then I heard a strange sound, like a cat crying, and I woke up here to find out about all of your terrible deeds." A cat? "Anakron!" "I don't know. But I've been trying to come back to you ever since. I almost succeeded once. The last time you were here. And I've had some influence. Remember when you wanted to rescue Alli? And when you came to Valde's aid? That was me." She smiled in triumph. "You?" "Yes. And that's just the beginning. We're going to be back together again. A team." "I don't know. I've been getting along fine without you all these years." "Fine? You call this fine? Maybe you don't mind being a charlatan, but I don't like what you've done to our reputation. And I'm going to do something about, like it or not." Young Panakeia came closer to her current self. "No, no. Leave me alone!" Panakeia shut her eyes tight and struggled to escape through the hedge. *** Panakeia's eyes reopened to Valde and SPaM leaning over her in Dol Gaurgauroth. Last edited by Celuien; 01-21-2006 at 12:33 PM.