Session Start: Thu Jan 31 19:39:09 2002 ==Start Lude thingie! Are you tingly?== Cassidy's wanderings have taken her back and forth through the sleeping areas. Still, she has yet to find the sleep that has thus far eluded her searching * Cassidy silently pads through the halls, her mind weighed down with an unspeakably heavy burden.. * Upon reaching the common area, she finds someone else similarly unable to sleep. Sadly, it's not the most friendly face she hoped to see * Nathan stands on a table, throwing punches and kicks at an invisible foe. Considering the beads of sweat on his face, he's been at this for a while * Cassidy remains silent, considering for a moment if she should just walk through, or turn around and go the way she came.. * * Nathan stops after a punch, not yet lookig at Cassidy. "Can't sleep?" * Cassidy snaps from her reverie. * Hmm..? Just have lots on my mind is all. * Nathan spins around with a snap kick, balancing on the table, "Somehow I'm not surprised." * Cassidy sniffs, and smiles a little. * I take it you're unable to sleep? * Nathan stops attacking the air, and stands down. "No. I can't. I don't feel safe here." Sorry. It really was the best that could be done on such short notice. I would have preferred not to be here at all, in actuality. * Nathan raises an eyebrow at Cassidy I figured you of all people wouldn't have a problem being here * Cassidy sighs and drops into a chair. * The last thing I wanted was to drag you all into this mess. * Nathan raises his eyebrow further That's an odd thing to say considering what happened What did happen, and what should have happened are two different things. * Nathan hops down off the table, "Enlighten me." Well, the short of it is that I'd just like to go around and do everything I'm supposed to, and nothing and no one is supposed to get in the way of that and no one's supposed to get hurt. Everyone lives happily ever after. The end. I fear I can't get much more specific than that at the moment.. I don't see how you could be LESS specific ^^; Well, if you're happy with that explaination, then I'm happy with that explaination. Not especially. But I have a feeling that its the best I'm going to get It's the best I can do at the moment. * Nathan looks Cassidy in the eye, "I need to ask you something." Ask away. Though please understand that I might not be able to answer it as well as you'd like. I know I can't ask you why you stole that artifict, but I want to know something I want to know, if this business of yours ends up with the extermination of my people, will it be worth it in your eyes? The only way an extermination would happen, is if they relentlessly assault others and leave us with no other choice but to stop them... will it be worth it? I don't know. Is it worth it to dispense with reason in favor of revenge? I'm not in this to hurt anyone. There should be no extermination. There is no hatred involved.. not on my end, at least. This isn't a bid for world domination or anything. As long as the artifact is gone, there is no alternative but to continue the course of action. My people won't tolerate this kind of insult. Not a third time * Cassidy's eyes drift up to Nathan.. * Is the hatred going to be worth such a terrible toll? I can bear the indignities of being hated alone.. but both your people and mine should not suffer the consequences as a result. You misunderstand. It's not hatred. It never was. It's just a matter of fact. * Nathan sits down, "Let me explain something to you." The merfolk attacking ships and coastal cities will not help them get back what they seek any faster. Hate me. Villify me. Fine. Let me bear that cross. But no one else should have to suffer anymore than they already have. When a snake get hit with a stick, it attacks and bites its attacker. Then all is well again. It never hated the person who hit it. My people are that way about a lot of things. No one hates you. There is a lot of anger for sure. And soon enough, the merfolk will realize that they're attacking the wrong targets I can't believe you would equate your entire culture to a snake driven by instinct.. that's a poor analogy. Instinct never drove anyone to create a beautiful civilization. They're above that. Or they should be above that. We are more animal than you think. And we see no shame in being honest with ourselves And don't fool yourself for a second that instinct doesn't drive you anymore Don't fool yourself that you're above hatred. I never said I was. I used to hate you, but I've chosen not to, seeing how it won't change anything * Cassidy shakes her head. * I think.. I think that no one is willing to accept any blame at all. The fault lies with me for taking the orb. The fault lies with the merfolk for attacking ships and cities. The fault lies with the group for not stopping me. The fault lies with my superior for giving my orders. The fault lies with you for not killing me. The fault can lay wherever anyone wants it to. But no one accepts errors as their own. It's easy to find justification for anything by laying the blame elsewhere.. * Cassidy runs a hand through her hair.. * Spirits.. I'm fourteen.. a normal person wouldn't have to worry about these sorts of things.. Perhaps. Perhaps not. You would have to deal with other 'things' if you were 'normal'. And there's no garuntee that it would be easier. And I don't disagree with you about the fault. There is no 'fault' without two parties. I think that there are many different groups.. each trying to sluff it off on one of the others. It's just no one has stepped forward to admit the faults with themselves yet. Regardless of blame and fault though.. here we are. I'm sorry you don't feel comfortable here. There's nothing you can do about that. Its my problem, and I will deal with it as best I can Though I doubt it's any consolation, the quarters here are just as foreign to me as they are you. I find that surprising The more I'm hearing, it seems that you are less and less directly involved in this I can't really comment on my involvement and role, I'm afraid. Somehow I expected that Sadly.. I think that's gonna be my line for a while yet. * Nathan chuckles Maybe you should just carry a sign with that phrase, so you can flash it at people. Saves time ^_- * Cassidy smiles. * I'll have to look into that. * Nathan thinks for a bit, then extends a hand to Cassidy Like it or lump it, we're in this together. So, in the spirit of not making this situation worse, what say we call a truce? * Cassidy stands, nodding slightly once, and taking the hand. * Sounds good ta me. Good, it takes a lot more energy to be mad at you than not. And frankly, it was getting old * Nathan narrows an eye at Cassidy, "Just no more unpleasant surprises, OK?" * Cassidy draws in a deep breath. * I'll do my best to deliver fair warning next time.. and not leave you all in the clutches of danger. I can't speak for everyone, but I would appreciate that Well, on that note.. maybe I'll go try this sleep thing again. A good idea. I may follow when I've exhausted myself Don't stay up too late. Good night, Nathan. * Cassidy quietly heads off to her quarters. * Good night Cassidy * Nathan thinks for a long while, then hops back onto the table to renew his katas, smiling a little to himself ==End Lude thingie! The tingling should stop soon.== Session Close: Thu Jan 31 21:27:26 2002