You say "So, Tarot wants to have a dream?"

Tarot says "Tarot's player wants Tarot to have a dream. Difference. :)"

You say "True!"

arcangel chuckles.

<<Scene Start>>

Tarot lies in her bed, fast asleep after a somewhat hectic day.

Ah, sleep, that knits the ravelled sleeve of care...

Tarot relaxes. Safe on the University as she is.

A pity that even in dreaming, one tends to deal with past problems. She's got a class. She just knows it. And it's been moved. Again. *sigh* Not that this is very awful, but it's a little tiresome. Now, where was that room in the building...? And which building is this, anyway?

Tarot wanders through the building, vaguely conscious that she's supposed to be finding the room. A room. Some room. Or that she's supposed to be somewhere else. A pile of unmarked papers flutters under her arm as she wanders down the corridor.

Students pass by, most faceless and only an impression of bright summery colors. One appears to be very short -- an Elohite, she recalls, from last semester, who had the vessel of a pre-teen. The angel waves and passes on.

Tarot nods to the Elohite vaguely. She makes her way to the nearest window, to look out at the Clock Tower. If she can check what time it is, perhaps she'll remember where she's supposed to be.

Long distance to Tarot: arcangel invites Tarot to add in various Shadow-refs if desired, BTW. People who might be in dreams...

From afar, Tarot grins.

The window shows darkness. Obviously a night class. The Clock Tower glows hazily.

Tarot nods. A night class. Must be in the Metaphysics building.

Something small and batwinged flutters by, outside the window.

Tarot pauses. Perhaps it's a messenger. She swings open the window to call out, "Is there news?"

The batwinged thing flutters, like a leathern butterfly. "East and square, _she_ says! Get the bishop out of Shal-Mari, or it's all crumbled!"

This all sounds perfectly logical.

Tarot frowns. "But what about the Unicorn? We cannot afford to upset the state religion, not now he has seized power!"

The bat-terfly hovers. "The Unicorn is not Fallen? You have proof?"

Tarot realises that her ivory robe is flapping around her in the growing wind. She catches the sleeves in to her body. "The proof is in my tower, sir. It is among the apple trees."

Tarot peers out of the window. The apple trees should be somewhere there.

The bat-butterfly flaps closer to the window, catching upon the stonework around the sill with dragonclaws. "Upon my back -- we'll fly, lady."

Tarot nods. She swings herself out of the window, and onto the bat-butterfly's back.

Tarot pages: Unless the bat-butterfly is an autonomous or controlled construct, it's going to start changing shape to look more like a great red dragon.

Tarot pages: With green eyes.

Long distance to Tarot: arcangel beams. Go for it.

The warmth of the bat-butterfly's back shows that it's fully powered, safe to ride. It launches away.

There are stars upon the ground, as the student-serfs carry candles about the grass beneath the tower. The trees rustle in the whipping wind.

Tarot clings to the bat-butterfly's back. It has imperceptibly become a wide-winged, red-scaled, green-eyed dragon.

Tarot's sleeves and the skirts of her robe thrash in the growing wind. The sapphire-hilted rapier at her side glows as it catches the light.

A flight of apprentice witches soar away on pine boughs, far and away, or perhaps she is remembering a story.

Tarot pages: And an aletheiometer? :)

Long distance to Tarot: arcangel looks innocent. As usual, this attempt fails.

Tarot points to the great chasm in the distance. "Past the Abyss!"

The dragon rumbles, leaking a bit of fire from its jaws to trail like stars behind them. "The others will be here too, to stop us."

Tarot leans forward into the wind. "How many, and who do they serve?"

The dragon hisses, "No telling, no telling the numbers. Serve? The others who seek the Jewel, and the blood-suckers. And the roses, of course. Never forget the roses."

The wind howls around them, and the dragon drops suddenly, then beats its wings to gain height in the suddenly thin air.

Tarot's eyes darken to brown. "His roses suck blood. Do not think that I would forget them."

Tarot turns, looking backwards, expecting pursuit.

There is a flash of white leathern wings, but far, far in the moonlight. Still, it is closer than is best.

The dragon hisses. "If they suck the life out of the air, we will be trapped upon the ground. Can you stop them?"

Tarot turns back. "Faster. I will do what I may."

Tarot raises a hand, calling lightning to it in a living lance, and casts it back towards their pursuer.

The dragon labors, wings cracking like silken flags. The lightning lashes out, and the white leather wings drop behind as the rider must try to shield.

Tarot flexes her ungloved right hand. The tattoo of lightning across it flickers with the residue of electricity. She leans forward over the dragon's shoulders.

A fading singing scream comes to the ears, and a dustdevil of leaves and pine needles swirls up from the trees below. Deadly leaves, that would suck away the youth of the body until nothing was left. The dragon blows flame, but more arise.

Tarot leans to one side, trying to get an angle on the base of the dust-devil, lightning forming in her hand again. "A moment, but a moment..."

The dragon tilts a wing, giving Tarot the best aim. The dust-devil whirls and chitters, alive and evil.

<<OOC>> Mallory says "Lovely dreams you have. *brrr*"

Tarot cries a word in a forgotten language, and the lightning collects in her hand again -- weaker this time -- and leaps at the base of the dust-devil in searing actinic light.

The dust-devil crackles and falls to ash, screaming like a wounded child. The dragon howls in vicarious victory. Then it drops in a downdraft, wings flailing for air.

The dragon cries, "I'll land and hold them off. You can go on through the underways -- there's a Tether around here."

Tarot chokes in the swirling dust, voice stifled by the wind and ash, and barely manages to get out a, "Yes." She holds on tightly to the dragon.

A beam of white light is ahead of them, but Tarot knows that only she can see it. The dragon angles for it, eyes shining green with the pupils reflecting red like a Siamese cat's. Then it is landing, slewing around so that Tarot goes tumbling into the grass and flowers in front of the hedge maze that surrounds the Tether.

The dragon raises its head and gouts fire, challenging the white-winged follower.

Tarot catches herself, picks herself up, and sprints into the hedge maze, sword slapping against her leg.

<<OOC>> Tarot says "At this point, I hope arcangel never read the MR James I sent her. :)"

<<OOC>> arcangel will have to rely on her imagination, since she may not have. Drat.

The maze is full of flowers, red and dripping with nectar. It's a dangerous shortcut, but it will get her there first. If the Princes don't catch her. The perfume is dizzying, musky, blowing on the wolf-tattoos on her bare back. A flash of memory, that her mirrorshades are yet in her pouch.

There are bellows and screams, and she knows the dragons are fighting. The white-winged one's rider may follow.

Tarot flicks out the mirrorshades and snaps them on. One never knows whether there will be Lilim hiding among the flowers.

Tarot hurries on, one hand on the hilt of her knife.

The flowers bob and try to kiss her elbows as she passes, but are too short. Maybe they will kiss any who follow her. Ahead, light and sound marks the beginning of the Strip.

Tarot pauses, and puts one hand against her forehead. Some places are dangerous to go. Even in dreams. Someone is looking for her. Someone will be waiting for her there.

She can see through the branches. In chains, a group of slaves are being auctioned off. Tarot can see one and remembers killing him. No surprise that he would be in Hell. And yet, if she can get through one door...

There is a sound of wings behind her, dark in darkness.

Tarot draws the knife from its sheath, and her lips curl in what might be a smile as she turns to the hedge wall. "Move or be moved."

Tarot threatens the flowers with the blade.

The flowers hiss and withdraw. The hedge parts beneath her blade like smoke, flowing away from the metal and burning when it's touched.

Tarot steps through, once the hole is large enough, her movements fastidious yet swift.

She remembers someone telling her, "Yeah, though I walk in the valley of Hell, I will fear no evil, for I have the blessed rocket launcher." It's good, to be the predator. The hedge shrinks from her.

Tarot attempts to move in a straight line through the maze, persuading the walls to part where necessary.

The walls shrink, and edge away so that her view is unrestricted. There are boxes here, homes for the vacent-eyed who live in the limbo between, who failed to get through the maze. They stare at Tarot with dead-gray-faces.

Tarot beckons to one. "Follow me. There's a way out."

The lost one shrinks away. "No. No. He'll find me. If we stay, we can kill them. Look, there!" It points to a crowd, by a twisted bush of thorns and metal. Several of the lost crouch over the empty-ribbed carcass of a scaled couger, its three tails splayed out in death.

Tarot says, calmly, "A second time I ask: will you take the choice I offer, or will you stay to die eternally?"

The lost one hesitates. "Will you keep them from me? I lost my child. They'll take me if they catch me."

Tarot says "I will protect you, if you wish to escape."

Tarot offers her free hand.

The young woman darts over, clasping Tarot's hand. "They hunt me. If I had a place to live, it would be safer. I could marry again."

Tarot's flesh is fever hot, even here. "If I take you to a sanctuary, then you must respect its rules to remain. That is the law."

<<OOC>> Hamilton has arrived.

<<OOC>> Tarot says "Hi, Hamilton. We're in weird dream land. ;)"

The young woman nods. "Yes. Always. I swear it, by my bones and by my blood."

Tarot nods. She turns to lead the young woman further through the maze, cutting her way where she must.

The others would stalk them, but Tarot is vivid and dangerous, and they back away. Something paces behind them, though, with gray-rock scales, its wings tucked against its back.

Tarot moves on, swift and angry. Three more hedge walls, and she knows that they will be in sight of the crossroads. From the crossroads, one can choose a clear path.

There, she can see them... Another dragon snarls behind them, stalking like a bird, limping, but with its chest glowing as it prepares to breathe flame upon them.

Again, a sense of black wings against blackness above, watching and unfamiliar.

Tarot turns and throws the naked knife, that she still has in her hand, directly at the creature's open throat; at the same moment, she dives to one side, dragging the woman with her, rolling away from the direct line of fire.

<<OOC>> Tarot says "Hm. Can Tarot make a Per roll to try and get any sense of the dark wings above?"

<<OOC>> arcangel nods.

<<GAME>> Tarot rolls the d666 and gets 2 4 CHECK: 1.

The burst of fire rolls past, and the dagger lodges in the wyvern's upper throat. It screams, exposing the soft underbelly and chin as it dances from foot to foot, banging its wings against the building walls around it. Behind, its tail lashes.

The wings above are more sensed than seen, dark and soft, dangerous and... other. Watching, looking, searching, but not with Tarot's death beneath them.

The dragon seems paler now, more transparent. Like the young woman who cowers behind Tarot.

Tarot says, very softly, "No." She holds her bare hands in front of her, then begins to part them, willing away illusion and dream, memory and haze.

<<OOC>> arcangel says "Will roll?"

<<GAME>> Tarot rolls the d666 and gets 6 6 CHECK: 6.

<<OOC>> Tarot says "ACK."

<<OOC>> Hamilton says "Ew!"

<<OOC>> arcangel eyes Tarot. My. This will be interesting.

<<OOC>> Hamilton says "As Beleth's attention is drawn..."

<<OOC>> Tarot says "Be careful what you ask for..."

<<OOC>> arcangel says "Indeed."

The dragon falls over, fading until she can see its skeleton like scoured stone. A red jewel falls from its forehead and rolls to Tarot's feet. The young woman curls in on herself without a whimper. All fades, fast and faster, to the color of ash, and blackness.

Tarot shivers before she can catch herself, and takes a pace back from the jewel, watching it carefully. She does not try to touch it.

The jewel glows redly, promising all the secrets of the universe within its depths. She can see the lights within, coming closer to her.

Tarot steps back again. Her, "No," is barely audible.

Behind her, someone lands, and black-feathered wings furl around her shoulders. The jewel glows, sparkling, neon lights flashing within. A voice in her ear says, "Excuse me, but did you intend to do whatever it is you just did, Ms. di Ordo?"

The jewel stands in front of them, large enough to step through, showing the blood-lit crystal caverns beyond.

Tarot says, voice calm and uninflected, "No." Her mind struggles for wakefulness, trying to shred the edges of her dream.

EDG has disconnected.

The voice behind her -- rather familiar, in an edged acquaintance way -- says, "Well, that's something. I think your dream is really really screwed up, by the way."

<<OOC>> Tarot says "Per to recognise?"

In the caverns, there is a soft whisper of white. A flicker in the depths. It's viciously cold around them now, and even the dark wings and Tarot's ivory robes aren't enough to fend it off completely.

<<OOC>> arcangel says "Sure."

<<GAME>> Tarot rolls the d666 and gets 5 5 CHECK: 4.

<<OOC>> arcangel says "Something to do with someone you've met recently, but don't know _that_ well."

<<OOC>> arcangel says "If you glance over your shoulder, you'll recognize."

Tarot turns away from the opening gateway to look over her shoulder, one hand vanishing into the depths of her sleeve.

<<OOC>> Tarot says "Is Tarot the sort of person who'd be reaching for the knife up her sleeve in case she needed to use it?"

<<OOC>> arcangel says "Yes."

Familiar, oh yes, though slightly smaller when he is not one-third of a triad. Danny. Malakite. Looking rather worried.

Tarot's voice becomes brisker. "Can you get out of here, an I wake?"

The flash of white robes is almost like a mirror, a reflection of Tarot herself approaching.

Danny says, "I think I could, but I'm not keen on flying through Beleth's half of the Marches. Do you suppose you could do something to get us back in Dreamside? Or even just a lighter shade of black?"

Tarot frowns. "I can try."

Danny says, "Please." He eyes the mirror portal and tucks his wings more tightly around them both.

It is definitely Tarot's reflection now, sans Malakite. A thin smile is on the reflection's lips, and her eyes are like crystals.

Tarot's eyes abstract. She remembers a pale door, old ash wood, that gives onto a starkly white room with grey highlights. A painting of falling cards decorates one wall, and the window overlooks a stormy sea.

<<OOC>> arcangel asks for another Will roll, she thinks.

<<OOC>> Tarot says "Her bedroom, in one of her homes."

<<GAME>> Tarot rolls the d666 and gets 3 5 CHECK: 4.

<<OOC>> Tarot says "I have a nasty feeling that's a fail."

The door mists into the cave wall beside them, but is covered with ice, as if embedded. Tarot's reflection whispers, "Stay a while, child."

Tarot takes a deep breath, shuddering with effort. The furniture is new-sanded pine, like the floor. A large grey leather sofa is by the window. The window is of leaded glass, and the sea is grey.

Danny tenses, then bows his head into Tarot's neck, his breath warm on her neck as he prays.

Tarot reaches out towards the ice -- towards the handle of the door.

<<OOC>> Tarot says "And Tarot spends a couple of points of Essence as she tries again."

<<OOC>> arcangel says "Roll."

<<GAME>> Tarot rolls the d666 and gets 4 5 CHECK: 2.

<<OOC>> Tarot says "I think I'm glad I spent that Essence."

Her hand closes around the handle of the door, turns, and then her reflection's hand is upon hers, holding her from escaping as if made of fog and iron. "Please," the reflection says, politely. "Do stay a moment. I do not intend to harm you, an you wish it not."

Tarot's words are carefully formed, precise. "But it is not only me. There is someone else." Her focus is on the door, which is *real*, which will open to her, which she will pass through.

The reflection is before her now, but its eyes are no color that hers have ever been. "Or him, an he does nothing to warrent it. You intrigue me, lady. May I know thy name?"

<<OOC>> Tarot says "She means Danny. It's not just her who is at stake. Someone else is."

Tarot says "Why, I am the truth to thy mirror, and that is all the name you need of me."

Tarot's hand tightens on the doorknob, trying to turn it.

Her reflection smiles. "You are clever, lady of truth. What boon wouldst thou have of me? Choose, and then you shall be within the dream of your crafting."

Tarot says "I would have nothing of you, and owe you nothing, and by that nothing, you are nothing to me."

Tarot's pulse has settled a shade. Danger this may be, but the pattern of question and answer is in some measure familiar.

The reflection's mouth twists, and then it is no longer a reflection, but a pale pale being of neither sex or perhaps both, with hair like a candleflame. "Nothing? Nothing at all, daughter of Adam? Do you try to wound me?"

Behind her, Danny's prayers are silent, only warmth on her neck.

Mallory has disconnected.

The being's robes are still white as starlight, and an awful cold radiates from them.

Tarot says, in a voice that is inflectionless and pure in courtesy, "Who should know what boon to ask from the mighty? It is safer to be silent, lest what is sweet in the mouth be bitter in the stomach."

The being tilts its head, hair sliding like smoke. "You are wise beyond years, then. Do you crave safety? Power?" It adds, "I ask from curiosity, lady, not to trick a request from you."

Tarot says "I seek truth."

Tarot's answer seems automatic.

The being does not frown, but there is a sense of a circling about them, as of a tiger or a shark or a nameless thing on formless wings.

It says, "I could give you all truth within this world."

Tarot says, still courteous, "I do not name my request as a thing that I would ask of you, sir: merely as a statement of my intent, in response to your own question."

It nods. "Indeed." Its eyes travel upon Tarot and Danny as if they were a statue or painting. "You will not choose a boon at this time, wisest of children?"

Tarot inclines her head, lowering her eyes. "I make no claim of wisdom, sir, but I will not ask for gift."

The being touches Tarot's cheek, with cold, cold fingertips, raising her eyes again. "Then I will not give you anything, child, save a... right. You have interested me. An you change your mind, call upon me, by my token." Its hands somehow fasten some thin, icy necklace about Tarot's neck.

And then it is gone, and the door is drifting open into the room of Tarot's choosing.

<> Lightbringer has disconnected.

Tarot steps calmly into the room, waits for Danny to follow, then closes the door behind them.

Danny stumbles after Tarot, trying to keep his wings around her still, shuddering against her back.

Tarot's mouth quirks, self-mocking. She turns to put an arm round Danny, leading him across to sit in the curve of the bay window-seat, gently.

Danny goes where he is led, trembling, his hands clenching and releasing.

Tarot says "Hush now. He has gone."

Tarot says "Would you like some coffee?"

Danny says, fervently, "I would very much like some coffee, if you please. I would also like to think I could wake up and this would be _only_ a dream."

Tarot's hand moves to her throat. She turns to catch her reflection in the leaded glass of the window.

There is a cold smoothness of a pendant. In the reflection, it seems a dancing candleflame.

Tarot says "Well, now you know how humans feel after nightmares, so perhaps this has been of some profit to at least one person here."

Tarot's voice is dry.

Tarot thinks. This is her room. There is, therefore, a coffee-maker over on the desk there, and there will be spare mugs in the drawer.

Tarot rises, and goes across to investigate.

Danny shudders. "I would trade a year of nightmares for this to have been nothing but. For both of us." He wraps his ebony wings about his shoulders, and breathes in and out, deeply and measured.

Tarot makes the coffee. She says, over her shoulder, "Surely Judgement are taught that regrets, while understood, butter no parsnips. What is, is."

Danny says, a bit quaverly, "Truth is truth, no matter the pain. But that is a truth I could have done without." He raises his head and looks over to Tarot. "I hope you'll forgive me if I ask that, for our next date, we not go _there_ again?"

Tarot's mouth quirks. "Certes."

Tarot says "I had liefer not myself."

Danny says, sincerely, "_Thank_ you."

Tarot blinks. "You have no need to thank me, sir. Do you believe that I would court such company? I am no happier than you."

Tarot says "It is merely that as I am weaker, I am more accustomed to remaining calm in the presence of the mighty."

Tarot brings two mugs of black coffee across, and sits down with her own.

Danny says, "I didn't think you courted such company -- I'd have known, if you were that black of heart." He shivers and takes the coffee, drinking.

Tarot says "Indeed you would."

Tarot's voice is calming.

Tarot says "I hope that you did not try your seeing upon *him*."

Danny says, "Not for all the power he might offer me would I do that of my own volition. Only my Lord could bid _that_ of me." He takes another swallow. "Nice coffee you dream."

Tarot says "I fear it is an addiction of mine. The coffee, that is."

Tarot sips her own.

Outside the window, the grey sea breaks on a dark shore, under a sombre sky.

Danny says, "You're not an angel. You're allowed to like coffee." He reaches out to touch the pendant Tarot now wears.

Tarot permits the touch.

Danny's fingers are warm to either side of it, making the pendant's coolness that much more obvious. "I would give that to my Archangel, if I had it."

Tarot's eyes are mild. "I will be asking the ArchDean about it. I am not certain what etiquette governs it, but I suspect that while the giver would understand that, he would look askance at my giving it to you."

Danny nods. "The ArchDean is fine by me for that. I'm not sure I'd want to hold it long, anyway." He sighs. "That's to my shame."

Tarot says "Whyso, sir?"

Tarot says "I see nothing shameful in not wishing to hold it."

Danny says, looking into his cup sheepishly, "I should be brave enough to risk it, if it were only my own life in question. And I... wish I knew if I held off violence then because of my Lord's orders about suicidal attacks, or for the threat to you, or because I... feared."

Tarot considers, sipping her coffee again. "What would you tell a fellow Malakite, who feared to attack a Prince single-handedly -- who feared for the risk of his own damnation, or worse?"

Danny smiles, and sips the coffee. "That we should not fear for our souls, for we are the Virtues created by God to _fight_ such abominations. But that it's better to survive and report back."

Tarot nods.

Tarot says, drily, "Of course, it probably takes a while before he believes it."

Danny nods. "Well, yeah. We're wired to think we don't know the meaning of personal fear."

Tarot says "It will pass."

Tarot drinks more coffee.

Danny takes another gulp of his own coffee. "So I hear." He smiles wryly at Tarot. "Thanks. It's unbefitting of a Virtue, but I was really really glad that he didn't decide to start talking to _me._"

Tarot tilts an eyebrow. "I would have been most grateful an he had ignored me. I am glad that at least one of us tonight had our wishes granted."

Danny chuckles. "Sorry." He sips coffee. "Oh, right. I was going to ask about your hobbies of sorcery. I suppose the evidence kind of suggests that you're not into it for the summoning of demons and power."

Tarot considers. "I have studied it as something of a science, for the better understanding of creation. I would not practice it for my own gain, no, nor would I trust what demons tell me concerning it."

Danny favors Tarot with a lopsided grin. "That's something else good to know." He toasts her with the coffee, drinks, and then peers into the cup as it seems to be gone. "I should get back and report now."

Tarot inclines her head, and rises, finishing her own coffee.

Tarot says "And I should wake, I think, at least for a while."

Tarot says "Walk in righteousness."

Danny follows suit, setting the cup down on the seat. "Probably a good idea. May thy works be even." He bows. And then he is gone.

Tarot's mouth quirks again. She wills herself to wake.

<<OOC>> Tarot says "I just want to see if the pendant's still there when I'm awake."

Her room is pale and pre-dawn, at an ungodly hour of the morning. Birds twitter sleepily.

Tarot's fingers move to her throat.

There is a coolness there, smooth and roughly oval, that seems to slip against her fingers like a dancing candleflame.

Tarot slides out of her bed, and begins to make coffee. That, at least, hasn't changed yet.

<<Scene Stop>>

arcangel hugs Tarot!

Tarot grins, hugs.

Tarot says "Thank you. That was extremely cool."

Hamilton pictures what Jude will think if he were to learn...

arcangel beams.

You say "One little 666, and all something breaks loose..."

Tarot laughs.

Tarot says "At least all my Fiat players who have rolled 666s are now revenged."

arcangel nods! They are!

arcangel sends Tarot off to bed now, mayhap?

Tarot hugs arcangel, hugs all, heads for sleep. Take care.

Hamilton says "She's wearing a present from Lucifer!"

You say "Good dreams, Tarot..."

Hamilton HUGS

Tarot grins.

Tarot has disconnected.