The Honor Circle Returns! (IC)

[Stygian]

The quick flash of teeth made the man swipe out with those claws of his, putting them before him to protect him from the wolf. Unfortunately, the latter saw it fit to snap his jaws around them and wrench around. And, as unlikely as it was, Stygian's claws just got caught in the wolf's teeth. He tried to pull his hand back, succeeding out of sheer strength... and cut his skin on the prominent fangs. Even as he raised his gun, the surroundings began to blur and swirl past. And the next second, they were standing in the circle yet again, the wolf nude a bit before his pile of clothes and his sword, and Stygian with his hand drawn up toward him and bleeding, and his gun pointing at the other's forehead. Clearly, he had acted simply out of reflex toward the end.
   A few awkward seconds passed, Stygian looking at his hand, before he saw it fit to lower that menacingly large pistol and step back. 'Huh,' he said, surprise in his voice. 'I guess you win.'

[Cogidubnus]

 It ended with a flash of teeth and claws, and the eerie feeling of his teeth being scraped with razors. One moment, he was acting out of desperate panic -
The next, it was over. The wolf had a gun to his head, the surroundings empty, his clothes off and himself somehow shifted back into two-legged form. Even as he stared at the gun to his head, the wolf felt himself pale and then blush beneath his fur.

"Huh. I guess you won." the man said, surprise evident in his voice. The wolf looked at the man's eyes, elated at his sudden victory, and simultaneously horrified at his unfortunate...predicament.

"Can we talk about this in a minute?!" the wolf hissed, his voice almost comically high, suddenly moving backwards and grabbing his pants off the ground, and with amazing speed nearly jumping into the things. He grabbed the rest of his items quickly, shuffling off the field with one hand keeping his pants up, the other with his gathered items.

[techmaster-glitch]

   The man under the cloak saw the conclusion of the battle. It seemed that [Cogidubnus] had won, but the man noted with great amusement, he ended the battle in a rather...awkward...position. He snickered rather loudly.

[Stygian]

The man stood watching for a few seconds, a smirk slowly spreading across his face as he watched the wolf realize his situation. Slipping his gun into his holster and putting his hand into his mouth to lick off the strangely dark blood, his eyes did not divert from the other man. In fact, it seemed as if he were pleased by more than just the wolf's awkwardness. Whether if this was the reality of things, or if he was just opting to unnerve the wolf to get more amusement out of the situation was up to the viewer.
   'Of course. Take your time...' Stygian murred, black claws slowly retracting back into his fingers as he pulled out a handkerchief and wiped his hand. 'You put up a pretty good fight there. Nice usage of cover. Well, in one way, at least,' he joked, smirk developing into a sinister grin. 'I enjoyed the scenery as well.'

[nikename2]

Just....a....little more......nyah!!

A final stroke sent the cueball spiraling forth, ricocheting wildly amongst the remaining solids to clear the table once more. Rip, who was balancing himself upside down on the edge of the table with one hand as he made the trick shot, let out a small grunt of satisfaction. Yet just as he began to revel he lost his balance and fell over off the billiard table with a thud; a quiet snickering could be heard from where he had fallen. Rip then bounced back up to his feet. "And I'm okay!!"

Absorbed into his game, Rip hardly noticed the entry of....some kind of android, or atleast that's what he thought she was when he spared her a passing glance from across the room when she sat down. Seven eyes....and that voice....He had only seen something remotely like this thing once before, the one he met though was as emotionless as a boulder, most unlike this...woman... As he looked over toward her now he gave her a subtle nod, then walked over toward a window near where the other jackel was, the one wielding the scythe..

"....That was relatively quick.", Rip commented as he looked out at the ring, finishing off his drink. "Although I guess battles are meant to be won, not last forever. So...who won that one?"

[lucas marcone]

"Fraid I can't let you have that miss." Ian said as he dashed up and grabbed Sylvies staff. He tried to wrench it out of her grasp.

[Cogidubnus]

 The wolf stumbled outside of the arena circle, dropping the bundle of clothing in his right arm as soon as he passed the thaumaturgical circle that marked the arena's edge and fastened his pants. The rest of his clothing quickly followed, first the shoes, then the shirt, and with a whirl he donned his coat. As he did so, he grimaced at the man's comments - an unforeseen consequence of his strategy. The man didn't know he was a lychanthrope, and probably thought he was mad as a hatter for fighting in the buff.
A feral wolf couldn't wear clothing, for obvious reasons, but the man hardly could know that.

"For all the good it did me. In the end, it was a fight anyway. But thank you." he said, picking up his sword carefully. He held it in his off-hand, the cords hanging from the sheath draped in a loop around his hand. He made a small bow to the man. "You fought very well. Amazing senses, and I haven't seen another person with a reaction time like that. And you see that which...well. You see more than you let on, I think." he said, again making a small bow to the man, and brushing his silver hair out of his eyes moved back to the bar, picking up his hat and glasses on the way.

* * *

The Jackal looked down at Rip, his expression neutral, and looked back out at the field. From their reactions, he would have guessed the man had won, but neither of them seemed to be hurt at all.
He shrugged. "I'm not certain." was all he said. "Ask one of them."

[TheGreyRonin]

 Risky stepped through the doors and paused for a second, taking everything in. The oddball collection of fighters, the combat going on outside...it was starting to become too familiar.

Hitching the holster on her hips a bit she made her way to the bar, her dark hair hanging partway over her face in a loose pageboy. She glanced at the resting Xenomorph in the corner, nodded to a few familiar patrons, and sat down on a barstool, turning around to face the room and leaning back on her elbows.

She spoke in a clear, soft voice. "Should've known there'd be a Bug here. Like ants to honey." Taking a green cigarette from the chest pocket of her blue military uniform, she lit it on a fingertip and took a long drag.

"Speaking of bugs...How the hell did you get the keys to one of these places, Boog?" she asked.

[Boog]

"I screwed up big time," The Boogeyman replied cheerfully, cleaning a glass. "Evening Risky. Shoot anyone interesting lately?"

[Stygian]

The man simply shrugged, closed his eyes and inclined his head forward with an amused smile, and chuckled under his breath. 'Well, what man does not keep secrets?' he asked. 'Considering where we are and what we are doing, I think it only appropriate.' He looked back up, grinned, and then followed the wolf back inside after retrieving the compact rifle and briefcase still laying outside. Tapping the end of the barrel of the latter, he frowned a bit, pondering whether if he could remove the tar quickly without damage, or whether if it had gotten into the barrel.
   As the man entered, he walked in without looking up at first, eyes appraising the damage dealt to his rifle. When he caught glimpse of the android sitting at the bar though, he stopped on the spot, and his eyes drew upward. He snorted.
   'It's about time you showed up, you malfabricated piece of junk,' he said, somewhat loudly, as the android turned to eye him. He began walking toward her. 'Had to polish your shiny ass and reorganize your uppityness files before you got here, hm?'
   Placing an elbow on the counter, the android managed to look as if she were scowling somehow, even though she had no facial features to do so. ':i came as fast as i could. don't lose your head, you fleshy sack of arrogance,' she answered, looking up at him as he stopped before her. A point of red light fell on the weapon as he placed it on the counter, and the android's face moved. That 'mouth' underneath her shielded face seemed to grimace. ':nice to see you've already managed to break your gear too. no doubt you are going to demand that i fix it for you as well.'
   'As if you have anything better to do, machine,' the man said, with clear emphasis on the last word. 'You've practically been on vacation the last couple of weeks. Ridiculous.'
   Strangely, when the machine sat straight and replied, her tone had changed slightly. It sort of carried... amusement instead. ':hardly. not to mention i could say "you're one to talk",' she said, and jabbed a finger into his stomach. ': this is ridiculous.'
   'I know,' he replied, and grinned, before leaning forward and hugging the machine. She put her arms around him, responding in kind, and then placed her hand at her glass when he stood back straight. 'How was Vienna?'
   ':strange; but nice,' she replied. ':some things took the beauty out of it. what has been going on here?' She swiveled her head around just a bit, looking over the rest of the bar and patrons.

[TheGreyRonin]

 Risky chuckled. "Not lately, no. Though there's a chunk of this world a few miles away that you can find at night without a flashlight."

She reached into a pocket and flipped a Cestan credit over her shoulder to the bartender. "Flameout, if you don't mind. Hey, I see Cog!" She waved at the approaching wolf and patted the stool next to her.

"Looks like I missed the end of something interesting. Take a load off, my treat."

[Cogidubnus]

 As the wolf walked into the bar, his felt his cheeks flush again - hoping that no one had seen anything would be asking too much. The wolf took a deep breath, trying to calm himself, when he nearly jumped out of his skin at the familiar voice.

The wolf turned, coughing a bit, and giving a bit of a shaky laugh looked at the figure sitting at the bar incredulously. Something interesting, eh?

"Ma - Mariska Callan!" he said, grinning at the human reactor, and gave her a deep bow, doffing his hat as he did so. "This is a...well, I can't say I'm surprised to see you here, but it is a pleasure nontheless." he said, still smiling warmly and walking quickly to the seat proferred. "I do think I'll take you up on that offer."

"A Full Moon if you please, bartender. This calls for a celebration." the wolf said quickly, sitting down on the wooden barstool. "And may I say, Ms. Callan, that your radiance this evening is only surpassed by a thermonuclear explosion?" the wolf grinned, leaning on the bar. "Of course, that could change, I imagine..."

As he sat, his eye wandered over to where Mel was sitting - he'd barely had time to say hello to the dragon before she had been challenged by the Alien, and with that strange man suddenly challenging him, he'd barely had time to even appreciate her victory. Sitting upright again, he called out to the dragon.

"Hey, Mel! Congratulations!" he said, waving for the dragon to come over to them. He glanced at the inter dimensional mercenary for a moment, nodding towards the dragon. "Risky, this is Melodie Icewing..."

[Mel Dragonkitty]

Carrying the basket full of rocks with her Mel walked down the bar to where Cog was sitting with a human woman in uniform. Upon the introduction the dragon bowed formally, "Pleased to meet you, Ms. Risky." To Cog she responded, "Thank you, and congratulations upon your own victory." She reached into her pocket and handed him the small square of cardboard she retrieved. "The name of my tailor." She smiled a bit but it was more in sympathy than any sort of cruel humor. "There are certain enchantments that can be put on clothing to eliminate those annoying changeover times. I never go without them."

[nikename2]

"Heh, there's your answer.", Rip grinned as he raised his empty bottle up when the wolf made mention of celebration. He then turned around and stared back out into the courtyard, the pool cue still resting on his shoulder; his gaze fixed on the armored blackguard and the walking acid trip of a woman.

"Hmm.....looks like this one will be a bit more entertaining.", he commented, subtly refering to the alien's lack of covering. "So....do you have a name, or has your name lost all meaning as well...."

[TheGreyRonin]

 "You always did have a silver tongue, Cog," Risky said, flushing a bit. "Some day it'll get you into something you can't get out of." She flashed a smile at him to show she was teasing, as he called over the humanoid dragon.

"Just "Risky", as long as I can call you Melodie, and the pleasure's mine." Eyeing the exchange between the two, she brushed back her hair from her face a bit, she chuckled. ""Ms. Risky" sounds like the owner of a brothel."

She took a long drag off of her cigarette, and pointed with her chin to the Queen. "Who squashed the bug? Takes some real effort to nail one of those down."

[Boog]

"Our dear little Mel did," Boog answered as he set out the drinks, "Really worth seeing, shame you missed it. Queenie was outclassed." He quirked an eyebrow at what Mel's spell had done with the popcorn and grinned. Now lets see, to warn people about the basket of rocks or to leave it out and watch the fun? He settled upon the latter and glanced back outside. Points to Ian for knowing when gentlemanliness is and isn't expected of one. Now lets see if he finds out the stupid part of grabbing a staff while a spellcaster still has their hands on it...

--

"Now then, you are to stay out of the circle for perhaps a bit longer. However, I do believe that I've done what I can."
"Thank you, good Physician. I feel far better." Siolen winced, "Although I thought medicine had progressed beyond the use of leeches."
"It was a mere hypodermic syringe, young man. I needed a sample to know what would work."
"I suppose."
Siolen lumbered back out into the main room, looking back over his shoulder to wave at the...thing... man (he finally settled upon) that had repaired him. However, Dr. Holic had already retreated to his back room again. The gargoyle shrugged and found himself a table.
"Barkeep?" He placed a few coins on the table, continuing before anyone could ask where he'd been keeping them, "Ale, please. Whatever kind you have. The rest should cover my medical fees." Boog was over in a flash with a drink and a good paragraph of kind words for the patron. After all, there was MONEY involved!

[Angel]

Sylvie's grip on her staff tightened as she tried to prevent Ian from getting it. But before the young man could wrench it out of her grip, a wicked idea lit up her eyes. "Sorry pal," she whispered, green eyes glowing as she chanted something only she truly understood.

The effects were instant; vines charged with plant magic sprouted out of her staff and quickly wrapped their way up Ian's arms, shoulders and neck, thick and strong enough to render him powerless. And just to make it interesting... Sylvie smirked as she said a short spell to cause thorns to shoot out of the vines.

[Stygian]

'Not much. Insanity,' Stygian summarized promptly in response to the android's query, and then held up his hand, showing dark scar tissue. 'I just lost a match.'
   ':aaawww... somehow i can't seem to find the necessary response in my core to sympathize,' the machine responded. ':is that all you got? too bad.' Her tone suggested that if she could grin, she would have.
   'Bite me, Sal,' Stygian said, then grinned himself. 'Oh, that's right. You can't.' He tapped what she had for a forehead. 'You haven't installed the armored visor either. Shame.'
   ':i haven't; but i have it with me,' she excused herself. However, Stygian had already turned around and walked over to look closer at the people gathering over by the other end of the bar. Shamelessly, he intruded upon their conversation.
   'Cog? Might I ask what sort of name that is?' he said, and passed a glance over the white dragon. 'Now Icewing I can understand, but...'

[Cogidubnus]

 "Some day?" the wolf said, looking sideways, and raising his eyebrows with an amused grin. As he looked to the side, he sat up a little straighter as Mel handed him a small card, with the name of a 'Fine Tailor of Enchanted Clothing' on the front.

The wolf blushed beneath his fur, scratching the back of his neck, and gave the dragoness a nervous laugh. "I'll have to look him up." he said, smiling. He grabbed the offered drink that the bartender set down, a deep-orange drink despite it's lunar-sounding name, and took a drink of the grand marnier and amaretto. He sighed, and suddenly nodded.

"It's true. Mel here did quite well. Congratulations again." he said, smiling at the dragon. He stopped short, however, the man suddenly interrupting him, and pausing for only just a moment he took a drink from his glass.

"Cogidubnus Mithlome, good sir." he said, inclining his head at his former opponent. "Cog is a bit shorter to say. Might I ask what your name is?" he asked, his voice polite.

[Stygian]

The man smiled slightly, looking back to the wolf. 'Sebastian. Sebastian Kall,' he said, in his smoothly accented voice, putting his right hand clenched into a fist at his back, and bowing slightly. He clearly inclined this gesture to all of the three before him. 'Not a very pleasant name to say all of either,' he added with a grin, clearly flashing a bit of fangs up that close. 'Most people simply call me "Stygian".' Not that I'll tell you why immediately...
   'Either way,' the man continued, 'congratulations. That sort of thing...' He inclined his head in the direction of the Queen, 'is not very easily defeated. I imagine quite many would lose their nerve at the mere sight.'

[TheGreyRonin]

 Risky glanced at Mel, then at the newcomer as she took her drink.

"Not bad, not bad at all," she said, and knocked back half of the tall glass in one draught. "Yeah, bugs aren't exactly pushovers, especially along certain terms."

She took another drag from her cigarette and looked around for an ashtray. "Stygian....I've heard that name before. You look kind of familiar too."

[techmaster-glitch]

Karazkt

   As everyone was socializing in the main bar of The Honor Circle, there was a strange, exteremly heavy, impossible-to-not-notice thudding sound just outside.
   Suddenly, half the wall seemed to explode inwads with a huge CRASH!, a whole section just falling inward as one piece. There was a few more heavy thudding sounds, a few crunches, a hiss, and as the dust cleared, there was a...
   Well at first, it was rather hard to tell what it was, but a closer, longer look would reveal that it was a giant...something. It was dark brown and black, but it wasn't some paint job, it was the actual color. There was another hissing sound, and the sound of metal grinding. Then it became obvious that it was some sort of machine, made of a strange metal, and in a somewhat stange shape. It was short-legged, barrel-bowl-torsoed, and had arms the size of freight trains. In the torso, in a sunken-in cockpit, sat a...
   Well, some kind of bug He had the same brown and black coloration of his machine, his chitin exoskeletion was slightly plated, two very long antennae, a belt and bandolier of engineering equipment, and a pair of huge pitch-black bug-eyed goggles covereing his real eyes.
   "Whoopz! Zorry about that! The door waz Too zmall!" The bug said. "Don'T worry, I'll fiKz that up KwiK!" He talked with a buzzing accent, with an empasized 't', and all 'k' sounds were replaced with a 'click'. The bug thing began manipulating levers in the cockpit, and the machine lurched to life with a distincive grind of gears and hiss of steam. It took a few steps into the bar, truned around, then with huge hands, picked up the fallen section of the wall, and fitted it back into place. The machine held still, and the bug guy leaned forward out of his cockpit, antannae stretched out to where the wall had come apart. The antennae flashed brown, and bits of mud an debris flew up and attached to where his attanae were touching. He moved his antannae along the crack, more stuff flying to it and afixing itself firmly. Soon, the whole wall was firmly back in place, a dull brown mud line where the crack was. The bug sat back in his cockpit, and his antannae swept back behind him, the tips plunging into two small ports on the inside of the cockpit. Flames flashed at the base of his antannae, shot along them, and into the two ports as he started pushing levers again. Steam blasted out of a few of the joints in the mech as it lurched to life again, turning around and lumbering towards The Boogyman behind the counter. The steam mech stopped in front of the counter.
   "I have Traveled much dizTanz, I need fifTy...ummz, whaT waz the meazsuremenT?... Gallonz! Yes, I need fifTy gallonz of waTer, pleaz! And some Buzzen NeKTar-Ale, if you have any. I Kan pay." The bug-person then ducked into his cockpit, then came back up holding a respectable-sized gold nugget.

Mechangel

   The cloaked hunchback in the corner was mostly watching the last battle outside, and casually observing the people in the bar, so his attention wasn't focused to the outside until he heard a few thmbing sounds. He started looking around for the source just as the entire bar was rocked with the force of a small explosion, and looked like one too. He jumped extremely noticably in surprise, the hunch on his back shifting very much and almost throwing his cloak off. He looked in the direction of the disturbance, seeing through the dust easily, and seeing a giant metal something piloted by a...
   AN INSECTIS?!? the man though with extreme surprise. Having formerly been on the Creature Council, but only in the lower tiers, and usually not a part of the high-profile meetings, he had only caught glimpses of the ambassador of this enigmatic race, ChkChkTia. But that was the only Insectis this man had ever seen, they virtually never went to the surface otherwise.
   The hunchbacked man under the cloak watched with interest, [Analyzing new entitiy and machine], as the Insectisian pilot maneuvered the steam-powered clockwork mech to put the fallen wall back into place, and plaster it back up with Earth magic using his antannae. The Insectis pilot then walked the mech over to the counter and spoke briefly with [The Boogyman].

[Boog]

Boog glared at the bug, and his damage to the wall. Overly showy nonsense. Oughta tell him we're out just for that... However, the argument that he'd whipped up for Giles' vandalism worked just as well for this, and the wall was swiftly good as new. The Boogeyman snatched the gold nugget from the insectis' hand with a "hmf!" and reached under the bar for the desired substances. He decided he may as well be a gracious host as he set one gallon jug after another on the counter for the newcomer.
"Welcome to the Honor Circle, where we only encourage what you once did in designated areas..." He began, jerking his head to indicate the circles outside with a glare, "You could have just asked about a garage, I'm certain this place has one. Anywho, yes. Make yourself at home, so long as home isn't a smoking pile of rubble to you, in which case go through the proper channels to make the others at home. So, steam powered?" The Boogeyman glanced up at the machine again appraisingly, "Always did rather approve of steam. Elegant, in its own noisy way. You don't lead it to places like with electricity, just set up the pipes and heard it in the right direction."

--

Siolen blinked at the construct. From what he could tell it used comparatively archaic methods, but they were used in ways that had never occurred during the time period. Again, he decided to take it in stride. He'd seen odder things. When the owner of it spoke up he nearly snorted into his drink. The voice was amusing, but mildly familiar. It had that same preoccupied quality that most alchemists he'd met had.

[Cogidubnus]

 The Jackal looked at the scorpion angel again, his face strange, and then turned to look back out at the honor circles again.
"My name is Laertes." he said, his voice carefully neutral.

[Stygian]

Stygian had just risen from his bow when the crashing sounds began, and he frowned as he turned his head around, glaring at the door. Fortunate not to have a drink right then that needed covering, he watched unamusedly at the steam-powered spectacle as it lurched in through the doorway. Likewise, the unintroduced android just a bit away turned and flashed a red scanner over the machine, before grabbing her glass and moving away toward the others, treating the mechanical juggernaut with nearly the same sort of skepticism.
   As the steam-powered something moved into place and its pilot began going about, Stygian turned back to the others, snorting. 'Noisy contraption. What's with all these oversized things?' he asked. The android, however, seemed more intrigued by the enormous machine for the moment.
   ':steam-power in such a compact format? ridiculous,' she almost murmured. Stygian disregarded her.
   'Good to see that some people at least are warming up properly...' the man commented, looking meaningfully at Cog, then Risky, and then casting a glance and a nod in the direction of the fight between Ian and Sylvie outside. 'Although, my bets are definitely on the long-legged vegetable.'

[nikename2]

"Laertes eh? You can call me Rip.", he nodded back at him then turned to the window. "I'd like to apologize if I came as a little off, earlier. I wasn't thinking clearly."

A few seconds later, the wall near the entrance crashed over, shaking the establishment. It didn't phase Rip at all though; a second after it happened he turned and set his sights on the bizarre construct that had broken in, his icy blue eyes lighting up dimly. Staring fiercely at the open cockpit as the smoke cleared, he caught sight of the pilot. He was....some kind of an insect-like man, judging from the machinery a miner of sorts, or some kind of engineer. After studying the insects reactions over the broken wall for a few seconds, Rip disregarded him and turned back toward the window, his eyes dimming down as his contempt dissipated. "....So...before the...interruption...I assume that Cog fellow over there and that armored man are part of your company?" 

[Cogidubnus]

 The wolf, mildly distracted by the sudden appearance of a golem-like mech walking into the establishment, raised a single eyebrow before turning his attention back to their new acquaintance. Cog looked outside towards where the grass-elf and the rat were fighting, and shrugged somewhat, taking a sip of his drink.
"Victory is never a certainty. But it would seem that the rat is in a bad way, yes..."

He looked over at the strange...machine, that seemed to know the man, and coughed a moment before speaking again.
"And who is this?" he said, nodding his head at the android. "A pleasure to make your acquaintance..." he paused, waiting for the android to finish.

* * *

The Jackal, one eye narrowed, turned yet again towards the scorpion angel, letting his scythe touch the ground with somewhat a clack.
"Cogidubnus Mithlome and Giles Monterrey are not in my company, no. I am not any companion of theirs, and they are no friends of mine. Rip." he said, his voice smoothly neutral. "But I find myself wondering if I've piqued your interest, somehow."

He stared at the scorpion with unreadable eyes.

[nikename2]

"Just idle curiousity, from what I could tell it looked like they've been holding contempt for you....almost the whole time since I got here to be honest.", Rip looked back tiredly, then looked down at the scythe, eyeing it for a few seconds before looking back outward. "I would ask why, but it's your business, and I have no right to question."

As he finished that statement, Rip reached for his neck and draped off the sun medallion under his shirt. With it's mystical nature no longer in effect, the markings on Rip's back began to shimmer; in an instant his dark wings stretched out forth, then relaxed. He flicked the medallion upward, then upon catch pocketed it within his robes. Rip then turned an eye back towards Laertes, if only for a second.

"We all have our crosses to bear..... An this one is mine....", he calmly continued, as he looked back outward, tilting his head downward a little bit. "Judging from your threads, would I be wrong to say you are some kind of clergyman? I've never actually seen one, well atleast seen one alive before."

[Cogidubnus]

Never seen one alive before? What does that mean? the Jackal thought, and still not taking his eyes off the scorpion angel crossed his scythe over his body, using it somewhat like a staff.
"Their contempt is not unreturned. A unrepentant heretic and a deserter of the faith - I hold no kindness in my heart for either." he said, his voice still carefully controlled.

He tilted his head. "And I am a...clergyman, yes. Of the church of the martyr's blood. As for your cross...dark wings do not seem a great curse." he said shortly. "Although, if they have any reflection on your prowess with light magic, I suppose I can understand how you lost to that girl of darkness." he said, his voice still polite.

[nikename2]

"Her? She's probably had centuries to hone her dark arts, I've had what...a few weeks at the most, just to get used to this. Of course, having nearly every major faith wiped out ages before I was born doesn't exactly help my situation either....kinda funny how that all played out.", Rip quietly kidded. He then stood up and faced Laertes, gripping the pool cue resting on his shoulder. "I try not to view them as a curse, though sometimes it can be hard to tell the difference, especially when nearly half of the people on the planet are now out to kill you just because of what you are, but hey...sometimes you just have to deal with it..."

Rip then gazed at the empty ring out the window in the courtyard as a sly smirk spread across his face. The man before him appeared to have only been watching this whole time, not even a single drink, it would be rude to not suggest what would probably be a warm-up for him. "Well, it appears no one else is seizing the opportunity... you want to go?"