From alt.pub.dragons-inn Tue Jul 12 20:16:21 1994 Xref: netcom.com alt.pub.dragons-inn:7460 Newsgroups: alt.pub.dragons-inn Path: netcom.com!netcomsv!decwrl!spool.mu.edu!howland.reston.ans.net!newsserver.jvnc.net!cyanamid!ptag2.pt.cyanamid.com!fogelincc From: fogelincc@ptag2.pt.cyanamid.com (Carl C. Fogelin -- SACA, Discovery) Subject: [PARTY] Three sides of the same coin: tails, part 2 Message-ID: <1994Jul10.224831.1@ptag2.pt.cyanamid.com> Lines: 104 Sender: news@cyanamid.uucp Organization: AMERICAN CYANAMID AGRICULTURAL RESEACH CENTER Date: Mon, 11 Jul 1994 03:48:31 GMT This is the continuation of the second post in the "Three sides of the same coin" experiment. I split this out to avoid the previous post from becoming too long. This complete's Theodora "Cat" Rediche's point of view on the scene. The last installment will be from Andrew "Worm" McTallighee's point of view. I'd appreciate any comments passed my way. All characters mentioned in this story are property of Carl Fogelin. This story is copyrighted (1994) by Carl Fogelin. Permission is granted for its distribution through usual alt-net channels and for archival, but all other rights, including repost, are reserved by the author. * * * * * >"You look real good," said Kerome, as he reached up and kissed her on >the cheek. She was stunned. What? Ummm, what? He smiled and said >he'd see her later. All thoughts of Worm and the party were blotted >out as she replayed the scene, over and over in her head. What had >she missed? Did he feel stirrings for her? Could they, would they? > >Her maelstrom of thoughts were out of control--she watched him from >the door until he was out of sight, then went back into her suite. >in shock. She slowly stumbled through the common room, and sat heavily on a well-worn couch. "He kissed me," kept tumbling through her brain, "What does it mean?" Absently, her left hand rubbing her cheek, she sat in a stupor for a good five minutes. * * * * * "Hey," came a muffled voice, "what's the matter? Did you give up?" Cat's eyes slowly focused, she thought she had heard someone talking. "I can't believe it," the muffled voice continued, "the great Cat has given up. Without even trying. Geesh!" Worm! Then she remembered the Party, Archi, and Worm being a pain in the ass. Frowning, she put her emotions aside and got up. She was not in the mood for his antics, he was being childish. Her anger had subsided, to be replaced by determination. She strode up to his bedroom door and said, "Open the bloody door now!" All she could hear was chuckling. Sighing in disgust, she spread her arms out and closed her eyes, turning her vision inward. Her vision focused and then blossomed outward, her inner sight poring over the warded door. For the most part, the door was just physical, a dull splotch in the highly magical guild. But there were some interesting lines, weaving in and out around the wood and metal of the door. Well, this is different. Watching for awhile longer, she began to notice that the lines formed a pattern, a pulsating clockwise flow, with a minor back current. Chevachia's style? Maybe. She projected faint lines of power, but the pattern quickly engulfed the energy, snuffing out. Hmm, the wards have teeth. She increased her power, but the wards engulfed that too. Looks like my magic causes Worm's wards to attack. I wonder what would happen if I ignore it. Smiling, Cat opened her eyes and pulled out a set of thin prongs from a hidden area in her belt. Crouching down, she inserted them into the lock mechanism. Moving the picks with a skill long disused--seeing through her hands, the solid brought a smile to her face. She stood up, brushed her dirndl off, and pushed the door open. * * * * * Quickly scanning the small bedroom, Cat spied Worm sitting under that large skull frescoe with the intertwined roses on top. He seemed to love the symbol, but Cat found it unsettling. Worm's head was buried in a large tome and apparently he hadn't heard her. "Get your buns outta that chair now!", she yelled. His book flew and he bolted upright, his face in shock; she had surprised the shit out of him. "Hey, how the hell did you get in here?", he demanded. Though visibly shaken, he seemed to quickly regained his senses. Ignoring her, he went to the door. Inwardly, she was chuckling. He was in for a big surprise. "Hmm," Worm muttered, "sheesh, the wards are still there!" He looked up at her, seeming to expect an explanation. After a small pause, Cat replied, "Everyone's got a past," as she palmed the picks back into their hiding place. "That's it? You're not going to tell me, are you." "No," replied Cat. She grabbed him by the nape and said, "Now, let's get your dirty hide cleaned up. We got a party to go to." "Aww," he whined, "I hate parties." --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Carl Fogelin (fogelinc@pt.cyanamid.com) "All opinions are strictly mine" Up the long ladder and down the short rope, To Hell with King Billy and God bless the Pope. -- traditional