From: owner-lostholt-l@murkworks.net on behalf of Wolf031877@aol.com Sent: Thursday, June 01, 2000 11:06 PM To: lostholt-l@murkworks.net Subject: [lostholt-l] More fun with Recognition Synopsis: Flashfire and Dewshine have been on a fast pace to get to Blue Mountain so the poor wolfelf could fulfill his Recognition with Haikari. Finally, they get close enough for Flashfire, alone, to approach the mountain itself, where he confronts Zirek. Players: Flashfire (logger), Zirek. Logged: 6/1/00. ======================================= Field before Blue Mountain A single mountain stands almost unnaturally into the air before you, grand and solid. Boulders and uneven, sheer rock faces threaten those who wander too close. Huge cracks split the mountain's roots, down to the assortment of rubble at its feet and up, hundreds of heights toward the mountain's spindly peak. In either the brightness of day or under the light of twin moons, the entire mountain and all the rocks about it have a definite blue tint. The field, dotted with boulders, seems to end at the mountain itself. One of the larger cracks obviously delves in deeper, forming a short, narrowing cave. Obvious exits: Shallow cave South Zirek arrives from Blue Mountain just as the door quietly melts back into place. Zirek wanders outside, skeptically holding a bow. He looks around to see if anyone appears to be watching. Flashfire seems to be the only one around here, milling about the blocked entrance to Blue Mountain. Stormbrindle, Dewshine, and her own wolf-friend are elsewhere, perhaps catching some rest. The wolfelf, though, seems to be looking for something. A way in, perhaps? But why? He's got a spear in one hand, held tightly, and a fur-cloak wrapped about his body. Zirek leans against his bow, looking faintly amused. "May I help you?" Flashfire's eyes dart towards Zirek, unfocused and troubled. He..trembles. "Inside..take me inside, please." he pleads, shifting gears to approach in spite of the bow held by Zirek. It's not funny to Flashfire. Zirek chuckles. "My, you get right to the point, don't you." He tilts his head, considering you. "You're pretty serious aren't you. They didn't do something nasty to one of your friends or family did they? I'm pretty sure no-one's in the cage right now..." Flashfire has to stop to yawn rather hugely, tensing as his muscles ache from a physical soreness..and something more than that. "No," he answers, rubbing around an eye with the back of a loose fist. "No friends..in there, that I know. Someone else. Her...need to see her." he explains, not too much help yet. Zirek clears his throat a little "What you need, if you want my ever-so-humble o pinion, is some sleep." "Later.." Flashfire shakes his head, grip on his spear only tightening, though it's kept in an unthreatening position. "Tired, but I can't sleep. Need to do something first.." he continues, another shiver passing over him. Cold, or something else? Zirek taps his finger against the bowtip "Whatever it is, I'm sure it would be easier with some rest." Flashfire growls in spite of himself, unable to really stop it. "No! I have to do it first!" he insists, dropping the spear as he comes to hold his head in his hands. "Can't help it..it pulls..!" Zirek quirks his brows. "Did Winnowill do something to you?" Flashfire frowns. Too many questions. "Just..just let me in," he insists. The sooner he can get inside, do what must be done, and get out again, the better. Zirek echoes the frown. "Now, see here, the Mountain is no place for Outsiders. It's like a spiderweb... a lot easier to get into than out of..." Flashfire has had about enough of the talking..again, it's difficult to stop himself, but he again advances towards Zirek, trying to grab his hand, or maybe an arm. "I..know, but I -need- to get in there and see someone..." The urgency in his voice, the desperation..it's not good. Zirek pats your hand consolingly. "Well, tell me what you need and I'll see what I can do, deal?" Flashfire snatches his hand back at the patting, another low growl surfacing in his throat. "D-don't.." he answers shakily. "Already told you what I need." he insists. Closer, his eyes might be seen to be darting to and fro, and his head tilts as if listening for someone, perhaps trying to sense a presence. He can feel it strongest here, and he -must- get inside! Zirek takes a step back, "Say, you don't have some sort of disease, do you? You don't look well." Flashfire hadn't thought about how his state might cause someone unfamiliar with what's happened to think of something like this. "No..!" Unable to help himself, he springs towards Zirek, trying to take hold of him by the shoulders, a wilder look in his eyes. "It's Recognition!" Zirek jumps back with a start, ending up just out of reach in midair. "You're raving! I'm a male. You can't Recognize one of the same... it's just not done." Zirek is, as one can tell, not the brightest of elves. Flashfire lands with a stumble, the fur-cape fluttering faintly behind him as he oofs. Shaking his head, he snarls. "Not..not you, dung-for-brains! The one I need to see! Haikari!" Panting, he turns towards the mountain itself, rushing up to its walls. "Let me in!" he demands, standing defiantly. Understanding slowly dawns, and with it a kind of sympathy. "Oh. You Recognized Haikari?" He continues hovering. "I will go and see if she cannot be persuaded to come Outside. It's not safe for your kind in there." With one more sympathetic look over his shoulder, he glides back toward the Mountain. "I don't care..need to get inside, now!" Flashfire insists, his hand reaching to grab for a rock. He doesn't even think about what he's doing, but the arm draws back in preparation to heave it at the departing Zirek. "Don't leave me out here!" Zirek looks back over his shoulder. "Just hold on... I'll do what I can. Trust me." Flashfire's troubled amber eyes shift a few times between Zirek and the rock. He growls again and does throw it, but at the mountain itself, frustration evident. After Haikari left, he's come as quickly as he could to track her down with Dewshine, in a bad state all the while, and now someone is making him wait outside a place he doesn't even really want to be near? It's too much, and he drops to clutch his head again, Haikari's soulname pounding inside. Zirek pauses in his retreat, looking back. "Recognition is rough, but it's worth it..." Flashfire isn't finding that to be of much consolation right about now, no answer had for Zirek's words. But he already finds himself resenting that one, thinking he knows better than Flashfire himself as to what he needs. He doesn't need to wait outside while Zirek goes looking for Haikari. He needs to be inside, right now, finishing matters with her. Besides, if Recognition hurts this much, he'll be glad not to go through it again, thank you very much. Breathing heavily, he rests his hands against the mountain, forehead against the cool rock. Ignoring the departing floater, he then turns and bolts straight for the treeline again, stumbling and falling twice as his legs betray him. Next time, he might not be able to keep himself in check. This encounter almost didn't end so 'cleanly.'