thepattern | Inbox - Isle of Avalon

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Oh, but now that she's seen his quickness, she can move to anticipate it. Corwin laughs as all his dagger catches are a few strands of her hair, then turns to face her, reaching out with a deft swiftness and catching his vest buttons in midair.

She may be showing him up, but he's having the time of his life, so she'll see no complaints from him.

"More than appropriate, Madam Dove. A game well played."

He flips the button up into the air like a coin, catching it and covering it with his hand as though he was playing a game of chance.

"Whichever shall it be? Heads or tails?"

She watches him flip the button. "A game within a game now, is it?" She asks with one eyebrow raising in interest, and if it must be said, amusement. Entertaining enemies are the best kind to have, after all, since they always keep things interesting. That said, she keeps her eyes focused on him and not his hand and the hidden button. Entertainment is no excuse for a lack wariness, especially so slippery a foe as this. "An odd game indeed, to be played when I don't know the stakes. But as they say fortune favours the bold. Heads it is!"

And if fortune does not favour her, she'll simply change it, as any good hero can do when the going gets tough.

The thing is, the button/coin flip is just a chaotic diversion, to distract his opponent and get her to lower her guard. Whether fortune favors her or not, it's hard to say, for as soon as she calls heads, Corwin smiles. "Heads, then. A good choice!"

And, without further ado, he uses his kinetic magic to send the button flying at incredible speed towards the center of her forehead, aiming to hit her right between the eyes. While she's distracted by this, he turns and attempts to make his getaway.

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[ Corwin is silent for a moment, as though assessing himself in his mind. Does he feel altered in any way?

Finally, he shakes his head. ]

I don't know. It is as you said. Do you feel altered after a time of self reflection?

[ But that is perhaps skating around the issue. He takes a deep breath then exhales, turning his back to the pod he'd walked out of as though rejecting it wholeheartedly. ]

I'm not under any outside influence. I can tell that much. But... It does feel as though something significant has happened. I'm just not sure what that something is, yet.

[true enough...it's hard to make a proper assessment of one's self outside of the glaringly out-of-place, isn't it? any twinge or twitch will feel wrong until anxiety is sated.]

I doubt I need to advise you on keeping vigilant, yet I will all the same, if only to impress the importance of it. It won't do for you to wind up out of sorts if I'm to collect what's owed.

[ Is that concern he senses? Probably not, given Ms. Ardenbury's usual no-nonsense manner. But Corwin will smile fondly all the same. ]

Don't worry. Death will have a hard time claiming me before I've repaid my debt.

[we'll see about that.

in the meanwhile, however:] Under better circumstances, I'd ask for your arm and an escort away from this nonsense, but...seeing as you're... [she gives an up and down glance. y'know...all nectared up and such.] ...I trust you'll not take offence if I keep my distance. I'd hate to ruin what your money helped pay for, after all.

[ You know what? Fair. ]

Very well. But I can still walk you home... from a safe distance. That is, if you don't have any other dashing young princes to wake from their floral reveries.

Egads, do not put that on me. [it's admonishment without much bite -- rather, her tone is more wearily exasperated than anything as she turned to start to walk.] Such things are left to young, starry-eyed girls looking for excuses to make meaningful connections akin to a fairy tale.

[ He can't help but laugh at her immediate denial. She really does have an edge to her, doesn't she? But it's one that Corwin finds immensely fascinating. ]

Fairy tale or no, I'm grateful for the awakening. Thank you for debasing yourself on my account.

Speak no more of it, I beg you. Surely there are better things to focus on than that. Like trying to understand why you were unable to wake of your own accord? Or what the meaning behind the whole venture could truly be?

[ Trust this woman to bring the conversation back on track, in as blunt and forceful of a way as possible.

But, she has a point. The pools were... concerning. Maybe this isn't the time for levity. ]

The dream wanted something from me. Wanted to trigger some change, some... new understanding. I don't think it would have let me go naturally until it got what it wanted out of me.

[she stays quiet for a few moments, considering that. that a voiceless magical entity wants something from the unconscious mind of a person is inherently ominous, but...ominous doesn't automatically equate to evil.

eventually:] Tell me if you discover something about you has changed. Yourself, your magic... [it's for the sake of learning!! in general!]

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[ Dust may have had success leaping over problems in the past, but it won't serve him well this time. As soon as both feet lift off the ground, the pattern considers that the same as stepping off the path, and the blue flames reach up to consume Dust's body.

It's all over in a moment, as his molecules combust and his body is torn asunder. Perhaps it's painful. Perhaps it's the single most painful thing one can ever experience. Corwin wouldn't know. He's never been dumb enough to step off of the pattern. In any case, Dust is lucky that this dream pattern is not the real thing, and that it is gracious enough to give him a second chance. The smoke and, well, dust from his disassembled body drifts back to the start of the pattern as though carried on a breeze, and reassembles itself into a whole form.

Corwin, whose eyes had gone wide the moment Dust jumped, breathes a silent sigh of relief and leans back once more in his tree limb perch. ]

Lucky you! You get a mulligan. Remember this time, you can't step off the pattern. That includes jumping.

[Second most painful. Lava was the first. And Dust doesn't care much about pain anyway -- he's gritting his teeth out of frustration and anger, not pain.]

What kind of a nonsensical rule is that? If I run too fast and both my feet leave the ground, does it count that?!

[ Interested in seeing how this will play out, Corwin slides down from his perch in the tree, and begins to walk at a leisurely pace, circling the edge of the pattern. ]

The matter is intent. The pattern will know if you are trying to run, or trying to jump. And besides, once you get far enough in, the resistance will be so great that it will take all of your willpower just to lift one foot at a time, let alone run.

[Heh. Dust's been through worse. Physical resistance is nothing compared to some of the stuff in his mind he has to shrug off. Still...]

So no jumping. Nice of the rules to be perfectly clear before going in.

[ Corwin laughs and offers an exaggerated bow. ]

My apologies, dear traveler. I forget that the intricacies of the pattern are not common knowledge throughout all of Shadow.

[ Never mind that no one without the blood of Amber would ever be able to walk a real pattern. ]

[Dust shakes his head, turning back to frown at the quasi-maze he hasn't yet stepped into again.] I'm not blaming you. It just doesn't make sense. Why make a challenge that has such arbitrary rules, and not explain them somehow?

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