[three_fourth]
Spike: It’s so boring today. I want some Kamadan Fried Phoenix, and gravy. It’s just not KFP without the gravy.
Crysania: Indeed. Stop talking about food, it’s making me hungry.
Spike: There must be some good food around here.
Spike kicks some empty snack food wrappers from the previous gaming session in Crysania’s tower.
Crysania: I know of a place!
Spike: Grace’s Kitchen?
Crysania grins: exactly.
Spike leans forward with interest: We can’t just walk in.
Crysania: I bet I’ll beat you there.
Spike: You’re on, little lady.
Crysania dashes down the entrance tunnel, with Spike not far behind.
Crysania barks orders at the Air Magic henchman to follow, which leaves Spike to land harshly.
Spike, grunting upon landing: You midget moa chick licker!
Crysania changes skill sets, and outfits which gives Spike time to catch up.
Spike: Dafuq?
Crysania: 3
Spike, changing skill sets himself: Seriously, Dafuq?
Crysania: 2
Spike, bracing: Quin or Quit-
Crysania: 1
Both are violently propelled off of the side of the Island, towards the Fortress via the Air Magic henchmen.
Spike: -ssssssooooooonnnnnn!
Crysania is sailing through the air with the calm and grace that is customary for her. Spike on the other hand, is assuming various ‘lounging’ poses throughout the flight. Crysania grins at his spirit, but is determined to win.
As they approach the Fortress from above, it is clear the rangers manning the Fortresses’ high ground are oblivious. One even approaches another shortly before Crysania and Spike enter aggro range.
When Crysania entered casting range, she shadow-stepped to the nearest guard, the sheer force killing him on impact; Spike had a similar idea and shadow-stepped to the guard next to Crysania, killing him on impact as well.
The noise of the two guards being lethally slammed into the fortress floor via Wastrel’s Collapse alerted two other nearby guards. Crysania and Spike drew their daggers, smiled at each other for sharing ideas, and charged at different guards.
Crysania’s Sneak Attack made it easy for her to push the guard off of the side of the fortress onto the ground below. Spike, however, was trying to work around Lightning Reflexes, which gave Crysania time to catch up.
Crysania and Spike, with hooded garments and Assassin sets had little trouble dealing with the small number of Rangers guarding the top of the Fortress. On the end opposite of their landing, one of the guards had managed to retreat inside the fortress and start ringing the alarm bells.
Just as the two were nearing the door to go inside the Fortress, a Norn-axe wielding Balreth exploded from the door and was intent on barbequing the intruders. Balreth, however, was just as quickly knocked over by Spike via Wastrel’s Collapse!
Spike thought to himself: Hehe, I Win!
Not a moment after Spike entertained that thought, Ebon Escape had put Crysania one step behind him.
They both, identity unknown, dashed down the stairs while following the scent of food.
Balreth stood back up and ran back down the stairs, even more determined to annihilate the trespassers.
Balreth could easily find their trail: for in their wake was a series of bleeding and blinded guards.
The kitchen was insight! Only two guards remained.
Spike shadow-stepped to the first kitchen guard, knocking him over. He was disappointed to see Crysania Ebon Escape to him just as quickly. He was even more disappointed to see Crysania then shadow-step to the second kitchen guard and then into the kitchen.
Crysania removed her hood, turned to Spike and shouted with glee: I Win!!! You’re buying KFP next time.
Spike, just a couple steps behind, removed his hood as well: Yeah yeah. @#$% asuran-like sprinting. It’s Moa@#$%.
Grace, Lalandra, Nyx and Salah were all staring at Crysania and Spike in amazement. Georgia hastily retreated a body length or two but barked threateningly anyway.
Nyx: Some guard dog you are.
Georgia: Woof.
Grace, still a bit startled: I take it you got our dinner invitation?
Crysania and Spike exchange glances.
Crysania, cautiously: sure…
Balreth bursts in the room, past Crysania and Spike, and yells: HAVE YOU SEEN THE INTRUDERS?!
Lalandra snorts.
Balreth pauses, slowly turns around and looks at the two hooded figures before him, and smacks his lips with resignation.
Balreth turns to Lalandra: I hope you have room for a couple demotees.
Lalandra flexes.
Spike: That’s about as useful as La Chad in a wet T-shirt contest holding KFP with no gravy.
Crysania smacks Spike: Stop talking about food!
Balreth gives Grace a hug: There’s no need to visualize that, Dearheart.
Lalandra snorts again.
Grace: Is Simon with you?
Crysania: Nope.
Grace: Is he coming?
Crysania and Spike exchange glances: Probably not.
Grace: Oh…
Balreth: So, what do you know about all the dead and wounded Henchmen around?
Crysania shrugs: Grace invited us?
Spike shrugs: Yeah. This is Grace’s House! And we WERE invited!
Balreth squints inquisitively at Crysania and Spike.
One of the Order of the Stuff henchmen knocks on the kitchen door.
Grace: Yes?
Henchman 1: Countess, I was unable to deliver your invitation to anyone in the Zeal Islands.
Nyx: Uh-oh.
Salah and Lalandra laugh together.
Balreth glares menacingly.
Grace: So why are you here?
Crysania and Spike point at each other: [s]he started it!
Grace, confused: Started what?
Spike and Crysania look at each other again, then the floor.
Spike, nervously: …a race.
Salah: Wow.
Nyx: Yeah, really.
Grace: A race to my kitchen?
Crysania nods.
Grace: And the Empress won?
Spike blurts out: That’s only because she had TWO shadow-steps!
Balreth: YOU were the one who knocked ME down!
Spike, quietly: Quin or Quit?
Grace, smiling: Well, since the Empress won the race, she gets her plate first.
Balreth’s jaw bounces off of the floor as the rest of the room erupts in laughter.
Grace: I made lots of Bokka’s Vabbian Lasagna.
Grace turns to Crysania: Except for you, I made Jade Sea Rice with Shing Jea Greens.
Grace hands a plate and serving spoon and shows her where the rice and veggies are.
Everyone walks past a still-stunned Balreth to get some Lasagna and Ale.
Grace bends down to Georgia: I even boiled this Raptor Bone in Dinosaur broth.
Georgia’s tail thumps loudly against Grace’s Deldrimor Steel and Granite Kitchen Island.
Balreth finally grabbed a plate of food for himself, but pondered aloud how it all could have happened.
After everyone had a few bites, and heaped praise on Grace for the meal, the mood calmed down.
Grace, looking primarily at Crysania: Does the Quin do anything for Thanksgiving?
Crysania: Not as much as we do for Halloween, Wintersday, or Canthan New Year.
Grace: We should do something.
Nyx agreed, with a mouthful.
Lalandra and Salah agreed without a mouthful.
Balreth was still fixated on the route that Crysania and Spike took, but was holding a cleaned plate.
Grace: I say we have a big meal in Crysania’s Tower.
Crysania, quickly puts down the serving spoon for seconds: Whoa! It’s too much trouble to bring everything way up there. I say the Temple of Indecision.
Salah: Wait! Too much trouble to bring everything way DOWN there. Crysania’s Tower!
Lalandra: Hold on. EVERYTHING happens in the Zeal Islands these days. I say let us host something for once.
Nyx: Georgia doesn’t like the temple. It scares her. I say tower.
Grace: Sweetie?
Balreth ponders: I would like to explore the Temple some more. Maybe there are better guard patterns down there.
Grace points at Crysania: I blame you for this.
Crysania shrugs and smiles.
Spike: By my count, that makes this a 3-3 vote. You’re as evenly matched as KFP with gravy and gravy with KFP.
Crysania sighs.
Grace: Would you like more Lasagna?
Spike: Does KFP gravy-
Crysania glares at Spike.
Spike: -I mean, does Lalandra need to be frequently resurrected?
Lalandra shrinks into herself: It’s true…
Crysania: That’s harsh.
Nyx: It’s still a 3-3.
Crysania: So we settle this properly.
Even Balreth turns to look at Crysania.
Crysania grins: Silkball.
Spike roars victoriously!
Lalandra: Silkball?
Crysania: Yeah, a Thanksgiving Meal Tie-breaker game. 3 on 3. Us. Winner picks location.
Lalandra: So…You, Me and-
Crysania: Balreth.
Grace: Against Salah, Nyx and I.
Spike looks at Georgia: You’re going down like a clown on Charlie brown!
Nyx: WHAT?!
Crysania quickly whispers in Spike’s Ear.
Spike: Oh. It’s the KFP deficiency.
Grace: So will you provide commentary again?
Spike flexes: I’m all over that like KFP Gravy on Mashed Potatoes.
Crysania sighs: If you’ll excuse me, I am going to take Spike to Nomulus’ Café. Maybe he has some KFP.
Nyx: So soon?
Crysania nods: You don’t want to see him too far into this. He puts his hood over his head, holds his arms at 90 degree angles and starts shouting that he’s Gravholio and he’s from Lake Taterkaka.
Grace: Wow.
Crysania nods gently: Yeah. This is Spike we’re talking about.
Spike: Why you talking about me like I’m not DIE!
Spike shadow-steps to the guard that just approached the Kitchen door and mercilessly dispatches the poor henchman.
Balreth sighs: Demotions.
Crysania: Yeah, thanks for the food! It’s time I got him somewhere…else.
Everyone waves!
Grace: When’s the game?
Crysania, yelling back: Soon! We’ll set up a time before Thanksgiving.
Grace yelling: OK!
Salah: Those two, plus Simon…
Nyx: Very Funny!
Lalandra agrees.
Grace: She ate all the rice and all the veggies!
Salah: Did you see her eat?
Lalandra: …no…
Balreth: Waste not, want not.
Lalandra: M-Team Reference! High-Five!
Balreth: What?
Lalandra: …inspiration magic skill…they use it a lot…nevermind.
Nyx, reflecting: Where does she put it all?
Grace beams: No leftovers means it was good!
Balreth puts a large piece of Lasagna on his plate: I guess I better start eating then.
Grace beams again, as everyone else grabs another piece.
Grace: Sweetie, can you handle getting beaten by me?
Balreth shrugs: If you could beat me, I’d have to consider it, Dearheart.
Grace: What do you mean IF?
Nyx, Salah and Lalandra scarf down their piece and begin their retreat.
Balreth grins, with a mouthful of Lasagna: I’ve got Crysania!
Grace argued: She is only ONE monk and don’t change the subject. I’m beating YOU.
Lalandra blurts out: Kinky.
Nyx pushes her out of the kitchen door, quickly.
Balreth diverted: …and I’m gonna beat my guards.
Salah: You have an issue with Red Guards, and Red Dots. Perhaps it’s time to change colors?
Balreth glared at Salah.
Salah: …maybe not. Later!
Grace: aaawww, he’s just trying to lighten the mood a bit.
Balreth insisted on being grumpy.
Grace: You’re still going to lose.
Balreth didn’t acknowledge, instead ate the last of the Lasagna.
Grace sighs: At least clean up will be easy.
Balreth: that was a good appetizer. Where’s the KFP?
Grace smacks Balreth with a towel: Don’t you start!
Balreth shrinks back like he was actually hurt, but grins nonetheless.
Grace: I forgot to ask what everyone’s ideal Thanksgiving meal is.
Balreth: So go ask. It’s not like they’re far away.
Grace: I will.
[/three_fourth]
[one_fourth_last]
Episode 61
7 Nov 2011
Notes: Full references to be added soon.
References: Guild History
[/one_fourth_last]