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Post by The Jenn on Dec 3, 2007 22:12:15 GMT -5
Vestra smiled at the pair of them, rather enjoying the beginnings of this. They were such different individuals... he would enjoy seeing their individual selves reflected in their responses.
"So both of you are quite determined to succeed. Let us now say that this pair has a patron in the background, a current King who is furthering their efforts to join the Court rather than simply remaining without noble rank and title. Their relationship to this patron is unclear, as are his motives beyond a desire for their success. This is not a person your sandwiches can afford to directly confront."
A cheese sandwich rose to loom higher than the others, behind and above the tuna in an ominous position. If anything about this scenario could be considered ominous, played out as it was by their lunch. "Thinking inside or outside the boxes, as yourselves or as your sandwiches, what kind of moves would you make to give yourselves an advantage in this impromptu competition? As you're all quite determined to snatch up the available spots on the plate of nobility."
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Post by The Jenn on Dec 8, 2007 17:30:18 GMT -5
Jenn, Sera, and Bee all receive 1 token each, to be redeemed in Ashwin's Shoppe.
This will automatically be added to your recorded totals in the shoppe.
Congratulations, and keep up the good RP!
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Post by seraaches on Dec 8, 2007 22:55:22 GMT -5
... Sandwiches? The skunk was so baffled by this conversation that her mind was beginning to go in little vaguely confused circles. As such, her initial reply seemed a little odd perhaps. ”… a large bowl of tomato soup.” At Vestra’s inquisitive and encouraging glance, the woman continued. ”Cheese sandwiches go very well with tomato soup….” The strangeness of her response didn’t seem to sink fully in to her own consciousness; she was completely and utterly serious.
However, dipping a King into tomato soup didn’t seem like the best idea. Wot could she do? Wot would be the best course of action? ”I think I would do best either getting my own backing from another King or even a Queen or research a way to make myself invaluable to the opposing King,” the woman said suddenly, almost as though she hadn’t been discussing soup a moment ago. After all, everyone had a weak point, somewhere they needed the assistance of others.
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Post by Bee on Dec 9, 2007 0:28:07 GMT -5
Mnem's initial thought was to rifle through her contacts and have this opposing king quickly and quietly disposed of. Poisoning hardly seemed direct confrontation. Of course, there were some creatures who became immune to poison as they ranked, which could be problematic. But there were other ways of having people taken care of. Besides, Mnem usually left killing as the very last option. Murder was complicated, and there were often too many variables to make it a viable option. Especially when dealing with royalty. Mnem just needed to do what she did best--manipulate and connive.
She quirked an eyebrow as Kelasia spoke. Ingratiating herself with an opposing King--that would most definitely be Plan A.
"I would gather information on the King," she said, at last. "Find out why he is so invested in these two Jacks. If it is something very interesting--which probably means bad--I can discredit this King to other members of the royalty, and his Jacks-to-be would suffer likewise. If it's something more prosaic, then I will gather information on the would-be Jacks and use it to tarnish them in the eyes of their benefactor."
It was one of her better skills, after all, turning people against one another. "I'm also quite on board with Kel's idea of insinuating oneself in with another King or Queen." A person is only as good as her contacts, after all. She had spent a lifetime learning that lesson. "If all else fails, well..." She shrugged. "There are less subtle ways to put people out of commission."
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Post by The Jenn on Dec 9, 2007 6:47:05 GMT -5
Vestra's jovial feline face slowly took on a decidedly conspiratorial smirk. "Information is often one of the best ways to best an opponent!" he agreed, sounding very pleased. "We don't necessarily like all that messy bashing and slashing and hacking away that marked the last Hearts succession. Still, if you look behind it all, it wasn't just the strength of the opposing factions that won the day. It was the planning and gathering of information that they'd engaged in beforehand!"
He sent the small glowing ball out again with one hand, the other helping to support the positions of the floating sandwiches. "You know, had you just said that, I would have kept you here perhaps another half-hour with what-ifs and why-nots, but Miss Kelasia, you have earned yourself and your friend a bit of a fast-track. Soup was another correct answer, you see, softening the bread and soaking into the porous material, making it weaker and more delicious. Tomato was a particularly astute choice. Perhaps it was a relative of your sandwich, Miss Mnemosyne."
His serving ball returned with a bowl of steaming soup balanced on top which the King gratefully accepted, snatching up the cheese sandwich and dipping it a few times for good measure before taking a large bite. He chewed thoughtfully and swallowed, then beamed. "Ladies, it looks like your bid was a success. The King's reputation is tarnished with his fellow monarchs, his Jacks' bids are discarded, and you may taste the sweet rewards of victory. Please, eat your sandwiches." Both floated down to the 'plate of nobility', the tuna tossed unceremoniously back to the plate, and Vestra continued eating the cheese sandwich with soup.
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Post by seraaches on Dec 9, 2007 7:04:31 GMT -5
Kelasia eyed ‘her’ sandwich with a sub current of unease; if she ate the salami concoction, would that make her a mental cannibal? It was an awkward thought and she didn’t much care for it, though she guessed the feline King (and probably Mnemosyne as well!) would be amused by her thought. After a long moment of hesitation, she shared it with the others. ”I’m afraid eating this sandwich might show cannibalistic tendencies,” she offered a shy, uneasy smile at this supposed attempt at humour. ”I may be better off eating my enemy’s sandwich and not my own.”
Wait…. He said that they had the sweet taste of victory! Did that mean that they were accepted? Were they to be Jacks now? The skunk had to try very hard to keep the hopeful expression from showing on her face now, especially since it likely wouldn’t make a great deal of sense with her last comment. But her pale eyes shone with something far more potent than mere humour as hope slid throughout her body.
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Post by Bee on Dec 9, 2007 7:41:15 GMT -5
Mnem was growing slightly wearied of all this chatter of lunch food. She had little patience for talking in metaphor, for one, even though that was apparently the game she needed to play. It was making her hungrier, for two. She grabbed another bit of lemon cake in lieu of the sandwich, which was not tickling her fancy at the moment. She really was going to need to make some cake for herself when she got home. And perhaps some other lemon sweets. Tart? Yes. Tart would be lovely. Some lemonade to go along with it. She had half a mind to just grab a lemon, dip it in sugar, and have that.
When she realized that she had drifted off for a moment, she snapped herself forcibly back to attention. It was time to savor victory, not cake.
"Cannibalism," she said, thoughtfully. "That sounds lovely. It's been a pleasure having lunch with the both of you."
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Post by The Jenn on Dec 9, 2007 7:50:54 GMT -5
"True enough, Miss Kelasia, true enough! Weaken the enemy further, if that's your style. Partake of the tuna of life. I will enjoy devouring the King who so ineffectively attempted to block your efforts. I must admit, ladies, you are a fun pair." He finished off the sandwich and most of the soup, sipping the last of it down and letting out a deep, contented sigh. Ah, lunch.
Then he sat up straight, not slouch-straight or somewhat straight, but straight. "Now, if you will allow me, I will raise both of your ranks!" with a pleased, polite smile, he reached across and hovered his hand over Kelasia's left breast. A moment of tingling fur and he removed his hand, a letter replacing the number that had previously rested there. He moved to do the same for Mnem, but paused before pulling his hand away, brow furrowing slightly. Something about the connection let him... feel...
"Congratulations to you on your upcoming family, Your Excellence," he offered with a smile, pulling his hand away. "Now, for the both of you. Do you wish to become part of the Court, or will you avoid the politics and sandwiche warfare and whatnot?"
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Post by seraaches on Dec 9, 2007 7:57:39 GMT -5
Kelasia gladly took one of the tuna sandwiches munching it down quietly with a small smile. At least the King truly had been amused, though perhaps that was just his easy-going nature. King Vestra seemed to be willing to avoid any emotional rampaging that wasn’t humourous and happy.
The skunk held perfectly still when the feline covered her current Ten with his hand. It felt a bit odd, but she was very careful to not move, though she did stare down at the lovely J with a deep set pleasure. She was a Jack. One step closer to being wot Theofilus needed her to be. She tilted her head at his words towards Mnem, but was distracted by his question.
”I will most definitely be joining the Courts,” the skunk said definitely. ”I would like to become a King.” She didn’t yet say for who, though she would admit her connection if King Vestra asked.
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Post by Bee on Dec 9, 2007 9:13:30 GMT -5
She felt like she was going to vomit, and pushed the cake way abruptly. Realization dawned sudden and terrible. Oh no oh no oh no. Of course she had suspected once or twice, but now--now, bugger and damnation--children ruined everything. Not even born yet, and children ruined everything. Anger pushed away the nausea. They were ruining what was supposed to be a lovely moment, and who knew what else they would destroy when the miserable little brats were actually born?
She knew who was responsible, and she was going to murder--
"Yes, thank you very much," she said, voice tight and forcibly cheery. "I think for a short time--with this, you know, and I'm terribly busy--I'll need to rest on my laurels, as it were, but I do have plans for moving up, and would be interested in doing what I can for the Court."
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