besyanteo (6:30:16 PM): *Well, that's not good. She'll follow, seeing as those papers must be getting taken somewhere or other.*
Idran1701 (6:31:45 PM): *She follows! The fictional fellow winds an ambling path through the street, steering about to avoid people it can, but generally putting on an air of complete obliviousness to his surroundings*
Idran1701 (6:34:51 PM): *Eventually, he ducks into an alley. Lorraine catches up to it just in time...to miss him entirely.*

(Perception check!)
Idran1701 (6:35:07 PM): *He seems to have vanished!*
Idran1701 (6:37:22 PM): (No ranks, so Wis+3)
besyanteo (6:37:58 PM): (so just +3. ... Hm. I wonder how I managed to set her up this way. XD total of 18 on the check)
Idran1701 (6:38:35 PM): (Er, Wis+2, so 17. Sorry, typo. But still, success. :O)
Idran1701 (6:39:09 PM): *While she can't spot the illusion, she does just see a panel of stonework in the right-hand building swing shut.*
besyanteo (6:39:20 PM): Hm.
besyanteo (6:39:24 PM): *she'll hunt for a means to open it*
Idran1701 (6:40:30 PM): (Roll again, or take 20 if you want to take the two minutes. Taking 10 won't be enough.)
besyanteo (6:41:15 PM): (I'll take 20)
Idran1701 (6:42:56 PM): *It takes her a minute or two, but eventually she finds the key; a piece of cracked plaster that moves in at the barest touch. In pressing it inwards, she reveals a false doorway leading into a small chamber barely 5 feet on a side. At the floor is a spiral staircase leading below ground level, and in the distance she can hear a tuneless humming from below.*
Idran1701 (6:43:37 PM): *Aaron isn't very happy; they just came out of being underground >:*
besyanteo (6:44:38 PM): *They have a job to do, he needs to deal with it. Now really, really isn't the time to argue over it.*
besyanteo (6:44:41 PM): *down she goes!*
Idran1701 (6:44:59 PM): *Oh fine (he's mostly just being ornery anyway)*
Idran1701 (6:48:38 PM): *She heads down the stairs, emerging into a fairly large and well-lit underground room, easily spanning the full size of the building above, at least 50 feet square. The door above swings shut behind her, and standing still not far from her is the illusion she's been following, still grasping the papers, and kneeling on the ground next to him is the source of the humming; an exact duplicate of the illusion, working on...a very large sheet of paper, apparently made of magically-stitched-together files and records, assembled with no real rhyme or reason to them and creating a huge sheet at least ten feet to an edge.*
besyanteo (6:50:03 PM): *Are we imagining it, or has he failed to notice her arrival?*
Idran1701 (6:50:13 PM): *He has!*
besyanteo (6:50:39 PM): IM: .... Well, getting him back means I'll have to do this eventually. May as well start now.
besyanteo (6:50:43 PM): Hello.
Idran1701 (6:51:13 PM): *he glances up* ...There you are!
Idran1701 (6:51:40 PM): Come here, I could use a pair of hands!
besyanteo (6:52:03 PM): I could use an explanation before I help you do anything. o_o
Idran1701 (6:52:22 PM): An explanation of what?
besyanteo (6:53:29 PM): Well, since we've never met, I'm kind of curious who you think I am, and I ahve NO idea what you're doing here.
Idran1701 (6:54:16 PM): Oh, I have no idea who you are. But you're here, so obviously you must know me somehow.
besyanteo (6:55:11 PM): Ah, well.
besyanteo (6:56:09 PM): I'm here because aparently your superiors didn't know how to make it clear that it's time to get out of town. I don't know the whole story, but it sounds like you and your associates did too good a job.
Idran1701 (6:57:22 PM): Oh? Well, that's a shame.
Idran1701 (6:57:34 PM): Does it mean they'll be increasing my pay?
besyanteo (6:58:16 PM): They didn't say anything to me about it. I need you to come with me, though.
Idran1701 (6:58:31 PM): No, I don't think so.
Idran1701 (6:58:50 PM): Now come here, I need someone to hold this.
Idran1701 (6:59:03 PM): *as he talks, the illusion blinks out of existence, papers scattering on the ground*
besyanteo (7:00:43 PM): Huh. Well, alright. *she goes over, making like she intends to assist... and will cast sleep on him when she's close enough.*
Idran1701 (7:01:56 PM): *She casts, but he seems to shrug off the effect without even a yawn. He must be a bit too experienced to fall prey to such an enchantment.*
besyanteo (7:04:29 PM): Hm. You're pretty strong. .... I still don't know what you're doing to lend a hand here.
Idran1701 (7:04:56 PM): Just hold this here. *he gestures to a loose sheet of paper that he's lining up along the edge of the giant sheet*
Idran1701 (7:05:13 PM): *It looks to be minutes of a meeting from about 6 years ago*
besyanteo (7:05:20 PM): *sure, why not. She needs time to think anyway*
Idran1701 (7:06:47 PM): *She holds it, and Thomason passes his hand over the edge; the paper bonds with the edge of the sheet, similarly composed of various pieces of bureaucratic minutiae. The effect seems almost like an enchantment of mending, though she's never known one to be able to do anything but fix a broken object.*
besyanteo (7:07:46 PM): Huh. Did you invent this effect?
Idran1701 (7:09:23 PM): I did! Only works on paper and cloth, though. Tried it once on some fresh wood, and the piece flew off, slammed an inch into the wall! Haven't tried it again since then.
besyanteo (7:09:59 PM): Huh. Make an interesting improvisational canon, anyway.
besyanteo (7:10:11 PM): Assuming it did the same thing
Idran1701 (7:10:57 PM): *he laughs deeply* Perhaps!
Idran1701 (7:11:19 PM): You know, you haven't told me your names yet. *he gets to work putting the next sheet, staring intently as if determining the perfect position*
besyanteo (7:12:26 PM): Lorraine, and this is my Aaron.
besyanteo (7:12:43 PM): And we've been told that yours is Thomason.
Idran1701 (7:12:56 PM): Really? That's funny, I've been told that too.
Idran1701 (7:13:05 PM): Small multiverse we live in.
besyanteo (7:13:27 PM): *she smiles a little.* IM: He may be a nut, but he's fun at least. And he didn't fry me when the sleep spell failed.
Idran1701 (7:14:41 PM): *finally seems satisfied with the new sheet* Hold this.
besyanteo (7:14:46 PM): *she does*
Idran1701 (7:15:04 PM): *and he adds it to the mass*
besyanteo (7:15:39 PM): Hm. It's a little on the big side. How do you plan to get it out?
Idran1701 (7:16:20 PM): Oh, it won't be a problem, I'm sure it'll find a way.
Idran1701 (7:16:29 PM): In fact, it's almost done!
Idran1701 (7:17:10 PM): Just another day or two, I would say.
besyanteo (7:17:47 PM): Huh.
besyanteo (7:18:29 PM): But it would be slowwer if you had to do it alone. I'll help you finish it, if you'll come with me after.
Idran1701 (7:18:57 PM): Hmm...perhaps! Have you done this before?
besyanteo (7:19:03 PM): Nope.
Idran1701 (7:19:20 PM): Well, then, we'll have to teach you!
Idran1701 (7:19:36 PM): The first thing I could use, though, is someone to rewind the servant.
besyanteo (7:20:38 PM): Your duplicate that I saw running through town?
Idran1701 (7:21:24 PM): Yes! Wonderful contraption I bought some years back in Greyhawk. An illusion wrapped around an unseen servant, powered by a piece of clockwork! *he grins madly*
besyanteo (7:22:21 PM): ... Wow, literally rewind it then. Must have costa pretty penny. (WHEE ANACHRONISM)
Idran1701 (7:23:44 PM): *nods* And a good bit of coin too. But I've had prettier since.
besyanteo (7:24:24 PM): *She'll look about for it. Is it on the floor or something?*
Idran1701 (7:24:36 PM): *...Nope. She doesn't see it anywhere.*
besyanteo (7:24:47 PM): Where is it then?
Idran1701 (7:25:49 PM): Oh, in the Fraternity lodge, hidden in a side store room. The servant recorporeates around it, and repeats every so often. Like a music box!
Idran1701 (7:26:30 PM): Did you know they had boxes and boxes of paper there, just sitting around gathering dust? Wasteful!
besyanteo (7:26:55 PM): IM: Ah. That would figure. ... Hm.
besyanteo (7:27:08 PM): IM: His whole operation hinges on that thing, then.
besyanteo (7:27:26 PM): IM: I don't have to make him come with me if I can make him want to come where I am.
besyanteo (7:27:50 PM): Huh. How thoughtless of them. Well,
Idran1701 (7:28:09 PM): *Pft, can't she just smack him in the head until he's sleeping or something?*
besyanteo (7:28:24 PM): *Was that Aaron?*
Idran1701 (7:28:27 PM): (Yes!)
besyanteo (7:29:32 PM): *Yes, let's use the most draconian means at our disposal. This has always worked and has never lead to trouble, my dear Aaron. *mirth!**
besyanteo (7:29:50 PM): I can handle that, I think.
Idran1701 (7:30:09 PM): *She never wants to have any fun. *pouting**
Idran1701 (7:30:14 PM): *fake=pouting*
besyanteo (7:30:42 PM): I'll need to know basically where it is, but other than that.
Idran1701 (7:32:42 PM): *nods* A ways down the right hall, there's a room filled with crates of paper. It's stuck in the far back corner, under a blanket.

Now, you'll come right back, yes? It's almost ready for phase 2, perhaps even by tonight. *wide grin*
besyanteo (7:33:29 PM): *she nods* Yes, of course.
besyanteo (7:34:12 PM): It shouldn't take me more than a few minutes to get there and back, though if I meet any of the stuffy folks who work there, I might be held up for ten minutes or so.
besyanteo (7:34:48 PM): I take it that it's time to rewind the device now?
Idran1701 (7:35:50 PM): Soon! One winding lasts for around an hour, but I've only bothered winding it back up around once a day. There's just too much else to do here for me to let this take all my time, after all.
besyanteo (7:36:59 PM): Ah
Idran1701 (7:37:33 PM): Or was it 6 hours?
Idran1701 (7:37:43 PM): I know it's hours.
besyanteo (7:38:00 PM): IM: Oh Ti'Ana, don't laugh now.
besyanteo (7:38:15 PM): IM: We don't know how he'd react just yet.
Idran1701 (7:39:19 PM): Well, whatever the time, there's no harm winding it early.
Idran1701 (7:39:31 PM): Hold this.
besyanteo (7:39:34 PM): *she does!*
Idran1701 (7:39:39 PM): *Join!*
besyanteo (7:40:09 PM): Well, I'll see you again in a little bit, then. *she stands!*
Idran1701 (7:40:27 PM): Have fun!
besyanteo (7:40:37 PM): *And off she goes!*
besyanteo (7:40:56 PM): IM: Now, how will I get a ntoe back to him? He won't know where to find me, otherwise.
besyanteo (7:41:23 PM): IM: ... Ooh, that might work, if I can find someone reliable to wait for me.
besyanteo (7:41:28 PM): *To the lodgehouse!*
Idran1701 (7:42:07 PM): *She makes her way back!*
besyanteo (7:42:42 PM): *She'll head in and, barring someone stopping her, she'll make her way to the appropriate location, calm and cool, like she belongs there and such.*
Idran1701 (7:43:27 PM): (Bluff check :O)
besyanteo (7:43:37 PM): (Don't think she has that skill. Untrained?)
Idran1701 (7:43:46 PM): (Cha)
besyanteo (7:44:10 PM): ( ... )
besyanteo (7:44:21 PM): (That would be a roll of 1 and a total of 2.)
Idran1701 (7:44:35 PM): (Haha. Okay, I'll let you choose how she flubs it, then. :D)
besyanteo (7:45:26 PM): *She's on her way in the lodgehosue door, thinking about how clever she is, when- * oooOOP! *Thud. She tripped over the threshold. Smooth there, Lorraine.*
besyanteo (7:46:01 PM): *she picks herself up, dusting off here and there* Oww...
Idran1701 (7:46:05 PM): *everyone is staring at her!*
besyanteo (7:46:09 PM): IM: You ok Aaron?
Idran1701 (7:46:29 PM): *And Aaron is very amused, having hopped off and perched on a nearby coatrack just in time*
Idran1701 (7:46:42 PM): *They still have time to go back and smack him!*
besyanteo (7:47:07 PM): ... *she'll pick up what's left of her deignity, and head to the person in charge*
besyanteo (7:47:19 PM): Priceo f a room for the night and a cup of restored self-esteem?
Idran1701 (7:48:17 PM): *smiling a little* Are you a member of the faction, or traveling with one?
besyanteo (7:49:39 PM): Hm? No. Members only?
Idran1701 (7:50:27 PM): No, we do offer rooms to nonmembers. That would be 4 gold for the night.
besyanteo (7:50:57 PM): *she produces!*
Idran1701 (7:51:45 PM): *he takes the gold, and hands her a key* Room 216, on the second floor.
besyanteo (7:52:15 PM): *she takes the key* Thank you. While we're talking, do you know where I could find a courier service in town?
Idran1701 (7:52:51 PM): We have one ourselves, miss. In town, in plane, or out of plane?
besyanteo (7:52:59 PM): In town.
Idran1701 (7:53:25 PM): For nonmembers, that would be 5 silver.
besyanteo (7:53:48 PM): *she nods* I don't have the letter ready just yet, but I'll get back to you with that. Thanks again.
Idran1701 (7:54:33 PM): *nods* I see that you do not yet have your visitor's sash. Will you be staying just the one day, then?
besyanteo (7:55:20 PM): *she nods* Yes, just passing through, provided my travel plans don't fall through.
Idran1701 (7:55:28 PM): *he nods* All right.
Idran1701 (7:56:01 PM): Well, the stairs are down the hall. Enjoy your stay, and watch your step.
besyanteo (7:56:35 PM): *she laughs obligingly at the small barb, and heads for her room. Does that also happen to be in the direction of the THING?*
Idran1701 (7:56:41 PM): *Yes!*
Idran1701 (7:57:05 PM): *Aaron flies back over from the coat rack, perching back on her shoulder; she's all right, yes?*
besyanteo (7:57:05 PM): *excellent. She'll grab that on her way up, if nothing further prevents her*
besyanteo (7:57:48 PM): *She is fine, yes. She didn't think the joke was very funny, but honestly she's put on a good face for much worse.*
besyanteo (7:58:11 PM): *She's almost made an art of hiding behind that wan smile, but anyway!*
besyanteo (7:58:18 PM): *THE THING*
Idran1701 (7:59:18 PM): *Ducking into the room, she finds the piece of clockwork hidden as mentioned, passing by the newest generated illusion in the process.*
besyanteo (7:59:49 PM): How big is it? Can it be pocketed comfortably?*
Idran1701 (7:59:51 PM): *It's indeed shaped like a small music box, only rather than the traditional dancer, mounted on the small pole is a small duplicate of Thomason, itself a miniature, two-inch-tall illusion*
besyanteo (8:00:12 PM): *ah, well then*
besyanteo (8:00:22 PM): *She'll pocket it and head up to her room, where she has a bit of work to do.*
Idran1701 (8:03:09 PM): *Her accomodations here are quite deluxe, if a bit sedate in decoration. About twice the size of her "room" in the pavillion back at the guild, it's got a plush bed with satin sheets, wall-mounted enchanted lights with covers, a basic (if presently empty) wardrobe in one corner, and even a small closet with a private washroom and privy.*
besyanteo (8:03:47 PM): *swanky*
besyanteo (8:04:58 PM): *She'll lock herself in, and sit herself down to handle some things. First, she'll see if there's a way to turn off the device without breaking it*
Idran1701 (8:05:51 PM): *She finds that the key's removable, and when removed, the miniature illusion blinks out*
besyanteo (8:06:28 PM): *convenient!*
besyanteo (8:07:02 PM): *She'll take a bit of parchment from her scroll case, and wrap it around the box and removed key, making a kind of flimsy box for it.*
besyanteo (8:07:25 PM): *Then she'll take another, and take pen and ink to it, working pretty quickly.*
besyanteo (8:08:57 PM): "This is a lovely music box, Tom. I'd rather think I'd liek to return it to you, though. Meet me at (address of that shop with the peoples who gave them the job) just as soon as you can, and ask for me. I'll be waiting. Hope we can still be friends, Lorraine."
besyanteo (8:10:35 PM): *She'll address the illusion box to the previously mentioned location on it's outside, after sealing it as best she can.*
besyanteo (8:10:46 PM): And then she'll put her supplies away*
besyanteo (8:11:31 PM): (... Hm. I should ammend that.)
Idran1701 (8:11:34 PM): *Aaron perches on the table next to her, watching her as she works*
besyanteo (8:11:38 PM): (To "meet me tomorrow")
besyanteo (8:12:38 PM): Mmm. There we go. ... I'd be very surprised if he looked for us here in the meantime. ... I should probably leave a note for Mona, so she knows what this is and doesn't sell it...
besyanteo (8:13:44 PM): *She'll add a little something to the side of the package. Just a short note for Mona: "Mona, please hold till tomorrow. ~Lorraine."
besyanteo (8:13:47 PM): **
besyanteo (8:14:11 PM): *And back downstairs!*
Idran1701 (8:14:49 PM): *Downstairs! Aaron decides to stay behind; he likes the room!*
besyanteo (8:15:07 PM): *To the guy who exlained about the courier services!*
besyanteo (8:15:23 PM): *She'd like to send the flimsy paper box~*
besyanteo (8:15:40 PM): *With cautious to be careful, tis fragile*
Idran1701 (8:16:10 PM): *5 silver for it, no extra charge for the fragile part*
besyanteo (8:16:17 PM): *she gives!*
besyanteo (8:16:59 PM): I need to go out for just a moment... I wonder if you could do me one last favor?
Idran1701 (8:17:04 PM): Yes, miss?
besyanteo (8:18:37 PM): If a man comes by asking about me, (Thomason's description!), could you tell him that I left and you don't know where to? He's my ex, and he doesn't seem to understand that things are over between us. *chagrin!*
Idran1701 (8:20:26 PM): Aha. *smiles, nodding* Of course.
besyanteo (8:20:50 PM): Thank you. *she looks slightly embarassed*
besyanteo (8:20:57 PM): *She heads out*
besyanteo (8:21:18 PM): IM: Stay there, I'll be back soon.
besyanteo (8:22:13 PM): IM: And I'm going to need you to tell me when it's safe, anyway. I expect our nutty friend to swing by soon looking for us. Be my ears there for me?
Idran1701 (8:22:26 PM): *He'll try!*
besyanteo (8:22:40 PM): *She heads back to Thomason's hole in the wall!*
besyanteo (8:24:08 PM): *She'll cast expeditious retreat on herself before entering,*
besyanteo (8:24:17 PM): *and then walk in. Not all the way down,*
besyanteo (8:24:41 PM): *About far enough to see the floor of the place, she'll toss down her missive, and then bolt.*
besyanteo (8:25:17 PM): *She won't head back to the lodgehouse, or even to anywhere in particular.*
besyanteo (8:25:39 PM): *Just... not there, or the lodgehouse*
Idran1701 (8:28:06 PM): *Wandering around town, or finding a place to do stuff/sit?*
besyanteo (8:28:21 PM): *Probably she'll stop somewhere to window shop.*
besyanteo (8:28:41 PM): *especially if it's somewhere that an adventurer wouldn't normally have a use for, like a perfume shop or something*
Idran1701 (8:31:39 PM): *Hmm...she eventually comes across what looks to be a tailor/seamstress square. There's a hat shop, a cloak shop, and a general tailor's studio*
besyanteo (8:31:56 PM): *Ooooh, claok shop.*
besyanteo (8:32:06 PM): *There's something fun about those*
Idran1701 (8:32:47 PM): *They have many cloaks, a few winter coats, and even a few capes*
besyanteo (8:33:29 PM): *She'll look for something dashing that suits her leather armor and big sword motif*
besyanteo (8:33:51 PM): *... And that won't have it's effect ruined by her backpack, come to think of it.*
besyanteo (8:34:16 PM): *She doesn't expect to find something perfect, but it's jsut to pass an hour or so anyway*
besyanteo (8:36:10 PM): *And she'll keep listening in for Aaron to hear something dramatic, of course*
Idran1701 (8:40:07 PM): *She finds a few hooded cloaks that don't look too bad and can fit her backpack. The first is a dark maroon made of a thin leather, and a few small pockets along the inside. It doesn't match perfectly, and it really clashes with her complexion, but it's pretty well made. The second's pale-blue with a runic embroidery along the hems; no pockets, and it doesn't really put off the "risk-taking adventure" vibe, but it looks nice. There's also a dark purple one with gold, vine-ish embroidery and inner pockets that's fairly spendy, but it looks both attractive and impressive.*
besyanteo (8:40:51 PM): *Hm. How spendy is spendy? She only has a few gold left to her name right now.*
Idran1701 (8:41:31 PM): (4 silver, 3 silver, and a gold respectively for the three.)
besyanteo (8:43:01 PM): *Hm. Decisions. She'll put it to the owner which one suits her better; The blue or the purple. She expects to be told the latter, naturally, but she'll ask anyway.*
Idran1701 (8:45:24 PM): *She actually says the blue goes best in her opinion*
besyanteo (8:45:55 PM): *Lorraine smiles. What do you know, an honest shop keeper. Hm. As a quick aside,*
besyanteo (8:48:07 PM): *She'll purchase both, and ask that the purple one be packaged, where she'll wear the blue one.*
Idran1701 (8:48:59 PM): *It's carefully folded, and put in a paper wrapping for her.

That cloak does look pretty good on her.*
Idran1701 (8:49:31 PM): *Meanwhile, back at the inn, apparently Thomason just stopped by, but was turned away; surprisingly, there wasn't much of a scene. Whether that's good or bad, though...*
besyanteo (8:49:50 PM): IM: Well, we'll certainly find out, won't we?
besyanteo (8:50:45 PM): *She'll go back by another route, being carefuly to keep her person covered with her new cloak, and be careful to keep a weather eye out for Thomason.*
besyanteo (8:51:04 PM): *Assuming there's no difficulties, she'll got up to her room and lock herself in with Aaron*
besyanteo (8:51:09 PM): (go up*)
Idran1701 (8:52:02 PM): *None! No sign of him around the lodgehouse, either.

Aaron looks over as she comes in; hey she bought new clothes.*
besyanteo (8:52:38 PM): *Just a few, and one's a gift for a friend, since she liked the shop keeper and doesn't plan to wear it herself.*
besyanteo (8:52:43 PM): *No idea if he'll like it orn ot.*
Idran1701 (8:53:04 PM): *Oh okay.*
besyanteo (8:53:36 PM): *But yes, the blue is hers, and she plans to wear it most of the time.*
besyanteo (8:54:28 PM): *And, does anything untoward happen during the night?*
Idran1701 (8:55:39 PM): *Nope! Except for the fact that that is a really nice bed. Nice enough that she might not even want to get up in the morning.*
besyanteo (8:57:18 PM): *Well, she will be. If Aaron has to claw her shoulder, she will get up and go to Mona's. BEsides, without her dream charms, memories of her home should do a good job of getting her up several times in the night and the following early morn.*
besyanteo (8:57:51 PM): *Or, well, that's her expectation. She doesn't know for sure those things work, no divination and all*
besyanteo (8:57:56 PM): *and they were oddly cheap.*
Idran1701 (8:59:23 PM): *When she does wake up for real the next morning, Aaron's there on the edge of her nightstand, watching worriedly*
besyanteo (8:59:53 PM): *well, she looks haggard. She sits up slowly, her hair sticking out at odd angles.*
besyanteo (8:59:59 PM): Mleah. Morning.
Idran1701 (9:01:06 PM): *he flaps over to her shoulder, nuzzling her cheek and feeling sad for the both of them*
besyanteo (9:01:20 PM): *she sighs, and stokres the back of his head*
besyanteo (9:01:56 PM): *just as motehrly as you please: * We'll get back. Don't worry my Aaron. We'll get back, and we'll kill that man.
besyanteo (9:03:13 PM): *She'll go about getting dressed, and heading out. She wants to return her key and get to Mona's as quickly as she can manage. It wouldn't do to show up second and have an awkward moment where she wasn't in control of the box, and therefore Tom...*
Idran1701 (9:07:10 PM): *She cleans up quick, and heads out the door, Aaron at her side. A few minutes later, she's at Mona's Provisions, indeed first to arrive. Mona's at the counter, wearing a green spotted sundress today, with her hair tied back in a ponytail and matching finger- and toenail polish.*

Well, you didn't waste any time. So what exactly was that package about yesterday?
besyanteo (9:07:53 PM): LEverage. Thomason should be along soon. I need that package, and to head downstairs. Is the man in charge present today?
Idran1701 (9:08:55 PM): *shakes her head* No, but I can get him. It'll take a few hours, though.
besyanteo (9:09:15 PM): That's fine. It can wait until we're sure that this is going to work.
besyanteo (9:09:57 PM): Just tell Tom where I am and send him down, when and if he arrives?
besyanteo (9:10:31 PM): And contact the boss, of course.
Idran1701 (9:11:32 PM): Ugh...I'm sorry, but I can't do both, Lorraine. I've got to head down and dig him up if you need him.
besyanteo (9:12:13 PM): Ah. ... Well, that's awkward. I suppose I can deal with Tom up here, I was just hoping to have him away from prying eyes if he makes a scene.
Idran1701 (9:13:28 PM): Well, if he does, try and get him outside, all right? My store's more important to me than the Council's wishes.
besyanteo (9:13:50 PM): *she nods* I'll do what I can.
besyanteo (9:14:57 PM): IM: Worst case scenario, barring him killing us, we can pawn his toy and pay for any damages he causes.
Idran1701 (9:15:16 PM): *nods* Thanks. I'll be back when I find him.
besyanteo (9:15:25 PM): *She has the thing?*
Idran1701 (9:15:32 PM): *Mona? Yes*
besyanteo (9:15:52 PM): *Lorraine will take it, then.*
Idran1701 (9:18:38 PM): *Lorraine takes the package, and pulls up a chair to wait. Thankfully for her, Mona keeps some human-sized furniture out front for the customers*
Idran1701 (9:31:01 PM): *A couple hours pass, before...the door opens. Aaron's attention is drawn to it immediately.*
besyanteo (9:31:52 PM): *Tommy boy?*
Idran1701 (9:32:27 PM): *No one's on the other side!*
besyanteo (9:33:00 PM): *She keeps a firm grip on her thigns.* IM: Can you hear someone moving around? He may be invisible.
Idran1701 (9:33:24 PM): (Perception check for Lorraine too.)
besyanteo (9:34:13 PM): (You said before that she gets a +3?)
Idran1701 (9:34:38 PM): (+3 total, counting Wis, yep.)
besyanteo (9:34:44 PM): (12)
Idran1701 (9:36:21 PM): *She can hear someone here, but she can't tell where exactly...unfortunately, Aaron's not having any better luck himself.*
besyanteo (9:38:04 PM): Hello, Thomason. Stop moving and show yourself, or I'll destroy it right now. This is a blast disc it's sitting on, and if it's a choice between you bashing my head in and getting it back,
besyanteo (9:38:12 PM): or me blowing up and you not getting it back, wel...
besyanteo (9:38:37 PM): *she fingers the trigger without actually setting it off* I'm stubborn, you see.
Idran1701 (9:40:04 PM): *from somewhere!* Why?
Idran1701 (9:40:10 PM): (Roll perception again if you want :O)
Idran1701 (9:40:28 PM): *he sounds upset!*
besyanteo (9:40:33 PM): (15 this time. Also, Aaron?)
Idran1701 (9:41:09 PM): *She still can't tell where the voice is coming from, but Aaron can. Lorraine can see him staring at a patch of air.*
besyanteo (9:41:38 PM): I still don't see you, Thomason.
besyanteo (9:43:11 PM): You should come out before something nasty happens.
besyanteo (9:45:09 PM): I'm going to count to three.
besyanteo (9:45:44 PM): And then I'm going to do something unfortunate, that neither of us will like. Unless you drop your illusion. Ready? Here we go.
besyanteo (9:45:57 PM): One. IM: When I say three, claw him and fly off.
Idran1701 (9:46:14 PM): *he appears!*
Idran1701 (9:46:31 PM): *he looks...disappointed*
besyanteo (9:46:35 PM): Much better. Now, as for why.
besyanteo (9:46:58 PM): ... Because it's my job. And, like I said, I'm stubborn.
besyanteo (9:47:18 PM): If you'll kindly come with me downstairs, you can have your box back, and I beleive I will have fulfilled my contract.
Idran1701 (9:47:25 PM): No.
besyanteo (9:47:30 PM): Oh?
besyanteo (9:47:37 PM): You'd rather lose the box?
Idran1701 (9:48:05 PM): I'm almost complete. I have the paper I need already.
besyanteo (9:48:53 PM): Hm. And after I went to all that trouble to get you here without anyone getting hurt... ... I have to ask why you bothered coming, then. I mean, it's worth a lot, but you had to know why I did this.
Idran1701 (9:50:27 PM): Because I thought you'd want to help me finish. That this was some sort of...game, or joke.

It's not very funny.
besyanteo (9:51:18 PM): WEll, I'll grant you that it is something of a game. *she smiles widely* It just happens to be a game that you're not winning.
besyanteo (9:51:54 PM): And, honestly, if it weren't for the contract, I think I'd have a lot of fun working with you. I hope you don't take this too personally.
Idran1701 (9:52:49 PM): Who cares about a contract? It's ink on paper, words in the air! It doesn't matter!
Idran1701 (9:53:14 PM): Enjoying yourself, that's what matters! Giving people a laugh, a spot of fun.
besyanteo (9:53:25 PM): Bread on the table. Don't forget that one. *she stands and streatches a bit.*
besyanteo (9:53:51 PM): *and she'll slide on over to the door, closing it in front of him, without making any hostile moves*
besyanteo (9:54:09 PM): That's another reason I did things this way, though.
besyanteo (9:54:23 PM): I'm really not sure that you have any real meanness in you.
besyanteo (9:56:25 PM): I'm sorry that your game isn't going to get finished, but I need you to come downstairs with me now.
Idran1701 (9:57:10 PM): *glares* I said no.
besyanteo (9:57:37 PM): *she sighs*
Idran1701 (9:57:55 PM): *he turns to leave!*
besyanteo (9:58:05 PM): *well, she is still standing in front of the door*
besyanteo (9:58:12 PM): *And she casts Hold Portal on it*
besyanteo (9:58:30 PM): *then she steps away*
besyanteo (9:58:57 PM): The door won't move for about a minute, so let's keep talking.
besyanteo (9:59:19 PM): *She'll open the hatch downstairs, but won't try to usher him down or anything.* Mona, how are thigns going?
besyanteo (9:59:42 PM): *then, back to Tom* What are you planning to do with all the paper, anyway? You never got around to sayying.
Idran1701 (10:00:05 PM): I would have shown you. I'm not about to ruin the payoff now.
Idran1701 (10:00:28 PM): *there's no response from downstairs, but she did say she had to dig up Filatiere; she's probably still hunting about the underground streets*
besyanteo (10:00:38 PM): Heh. Fair enough, I guess. I can live with that, I think.
besyanteo (10:01:11 PM): Well, let's cut to the chase then, since I've hurt your feelings and I don't think you want to be my friend anymore;
besyanteo (10:02:06 PM): I know you'rep retty strong, magically. I'm really not looking forward to trying to fight you. But when that door opens again, if you leave I'm going to try.
Idran1701 (10:02:21 PM): Hmph. If you gave this "contract" stuff up, I wouldn't hold a grudge. You're not stuffy yet.
besyanteo (10:02:44 PM): Heh. I'll take that as a compliment.
besyanteo (10:03:36 PM): You know that I'm not the last person they'll look into for this, right? It should tell you something that I was given permission to kill you, without having asked to start with.
besyanteo (10:04:06 PM): Your council wants you out of here, and they want it very abdly.
Idran1701 (10:05:07 PM): If I die doing Zagyg's work, it would be worth it. And I'd be sure to go out with a bang. *grins*
besyanteo (10:05:22 PM): IM: Oh gods, I can't laugh now.
besyanteo (10:05:33 PM): IM: He's insane, why do I find that charming?
besyanteo (10:05:54 PM): *she chokes back a chuckle, but it's obvious that it was there to begin with.*
Idran1701 (10:06:38 PM): *looks even more pleased* See? You appreciate it too!
besyanteo (10:06:50 PM): Maybe a little. ... LEt me ask you something?
besyanteo (10:07:13 PM): Do you plan to stay here, or are you going to move on after this thing with the paper?
Idran1701 (10:07:38 PM): Oh, you always go out on top. Leave them wanting more.
besyanteo (10:09:26 PM): IM: I could keep searching for home... But is it worth giving up what I ahve with the guild? The peopel I've met?
besyanteo (10:09:30 PM): *she doesn't speak right away*
besyanteo (10:09:57 PM): IM: Not to mention that he's going to get us both into trouble anywhere we go.
besyanteo (10:15:27 PM): IM: Ok, let's weigh. The Guild gives me chances to go literally all over the planes. I don't get to do exactly whatever I want while I'm out, but I have a fair degree of freedom, especially on the return trip. ... But I only really have funds or cause to go where there's a job offer.
besyanteo (10:15:57 PM): IM: There's ltierally no telling where a chaos priest will go, or what he'll do. I could have lots of oppourtunities to learn much mroe.... or have almost none.
besyanteo (10:18:16 PM): ...
besyanteo (10:18:32 PM): I think I've got an idea.
Idran1701 (10:18:38 PM): Eh?
besyanteo (10:20:17 PM): You're about to leave anyway, after you finish up here. All your employers have really said is that they want you to go... So come with me, to the stairs. Go with me to anywhere on the Planes whenever we feel like it, and maybe make some money while we're at it. Everyone's happy. ... If we happen to set off a surprise for the people of Automata before we go... Well, who would be the wiser that it was us?
Idran1701 (10:21:14 PM): ...The stairs?
besyanteo (10:22:08 PM): It's what they're called. It's literally a vast staircase, made of gleaming crystal. There are thousands or doors, maybe hundreds of thousands, and they can lead anywhere.
Idran1701 (10:22:30 PM): ...*laughs* That's...amazingly ridiculous. IT's perfect!
besyanteo (10:24:13 PM): *she smiles and nods* Let's go tell the council guy the good news, and I'll collect on my share of the contract.
besyanteo (10:24:47 PM): IM: I wish his name were easier to remember. It feels to keep refering to him as variations of "taht guy".
Idran1701 (10:25:56 PM): *nods, grinning* And by tomorrow night, we'll give this city the perfect show!