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The Celestial Empire (Romance of the Three Kingdoms-ish, Updated 12/09/05)
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<blockquote data-quote="Emperor Valerian" data-source="post: 2461174" data-attributes="member: 15043"><p><strong>Meanwhile, Felonca Causes Trouble</strong></p><p></p><p><em>You’d think with all this arcane power, the scholars would’ve made some kind of efficient shelving system,</em> Felonca growled mentally about the same time. Since Nayu had gone to mediate as the scholars had instructed him, she’d tried to search the Imperial Library for information pertaining to <em>her</em> reason for being in the city. </p><p></p><p><em>To get rid of this forsaken dagger!</em></p><p></p><p>Unfortunately, the magical tomes were packed haphazardly, something she discovered quickly when in her first stack she found tomes regarding everything from the proper use of aboleth’s blood to charts detailing the thickness of dragon-scales over a draconic lifetime. Within the vast building, and the hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of tomes, she had no idea of where to <em>begin</em> her search. Without guidance, two hours before she’d come to the reluctant conclusion that she could spend ten lifetimes searching through the library, and perhaps only make her way through half the volumes.</p><p></p><p>Finally, she rounded a corner, and found the target of her present query.</p><p></p><p>“Won Wei?”</p><p></p><p><em>He ought to know where anything is in here.</em></p><p></p><p>Felonca nervously twitched her nose as the scholar turned around, several books still bundled in his hands as his re-shelving stopped. Golden sunlight from the afternoon filtered into the dusty room, as other scholars further away bustled about, carrying priceless knowledge in their arms.</p><p></p><p>After the chaos of the previous day, it had taken many hours to track him down again, in the upper layers of the Imperial Library. Somewhere within the depths of the building, Nayu still meditated. Absently, Felonca looked down, and her eyes caught the faint glint of a ruby hilt in her boots. </p><p></p><p>“Yes? A..um... Felonca, isn’t it?” the comparatively young scholar said, causing Felonca to snap her head upwards again. To her relief, his eyes had not followed where she was looking... instead he looked right at her, a polite smile on his face. “I trust that you will find use for the great gift your friend gave you?”</p><p></p><p>“Um... yes. And I humbly thank you and the scholars for choosing to bestow such an honor on both of us,” she bowed, careful to keep her newest warfan out of the way. From her hip, Kongxi’s Fan seemed to gleam, even in the bright light of the halls in which they stood.</p><p></p><p>“And I trust you won’t disappear in the midst of us like you did before?” the scholar grinned, nascent age lines appearing on his lips and eyes when he did so. When he smiled, he looked stately, she thought. He certainly hadn’t looked stately when she’d swished the fan back and forth only moments after Nayu had given the artifact to her, and the room suddenly was covered in inky darkness.</p><p></p><p>“I was merely testing its abilities,” Felonca smiled back. <em>And I have no doubt the ability to disappear inside a cloud of mist or darkness will be useful...</em> “And I must say that it worked beyond my hopes.”</p><p></p><p>“I think that was when the young Emperor escaped to the courtyard,” Won Wei’s grin grew wider, and the two laughed at the memory of the Empress dashing into the courtyard, only to be upbraided by her own ten year old son. “His Majesty seems to have grown a backbone since your arrival,” the scholar added with a whisper of approval.</p><p></p><p>“He just needed someone to tell him what he could do all along,” Felonca replied. <em>Though it was funny to see the Empress running about like a hen, while the guards refused to move at the Emperor’s order...</em> The happy thought was strangled, however, by something far darker... something she still felt pressing against her ankle. </p><p></p><p>“Um... but I also need advice. The other scholars say that you are very wise, Won Wei.” </p><p></p><p>“They say such, and do me honor,” Won Wei bowed again, though Felonca noticed his eyebrow was raised in question.</p><p></p><p>“This Library is immense, and I am in need of assistance.” For a moment she stopped, unsure of where to go, until her mind remembered the whole reason for her trip to the capital, to brave the potential dangers the Empress and her lackeys might pose.</p><p></p><p>“Do you, um... know where I could find information an...um... artifact?” she finally stammered after several long pauses. <em>Now, Felonca, pick your words carefully. You don’t want him to necessarily know that you have THE dagger. Just an... artifact.</em> </p><p></p><p>Won Wei’s smile left his face, his eyes wide with question. “I assume you do not mean Kongxi’s Fan... we already answered your veritable barrage of questions on that subject.” </p><p></p><p>“Of course not... I mean another...um... artifact.”</p><p></p><p>“Which one, may I ask?” Won Wei said, turning around to finish placing his books back on their proper stacks.</p><p></p><p><em>Ok. A logical question from him. You just need to deflect it...</em></p><p></p><p>“Um... I can’t say...” Felonca said slowly, quietly. At the grudging admission, Won Wei turned back around, his face now full of question.</p><p></p><p><em>Great move, Felonca! That was awkward enough that now he probably suspects something!</em> she cursed to herself.</p><p></p><p>“Well,” he said momentarily, “I can’t quite help you with this problem unless I know which artifact to look for. As you said, we have hundreds of thousands of arcane tomes and books all over.” He turned his head slightly, his eyes prying. “Why can you not say what this artifact is?”</p><p></p><p><em>Dammit! Need an excuse, otherwise he’ll just poke into my mind and they’ll</em></p><p></p><p>“Um... no, I can’t tell you that,” she stammered, before adding, “I just need to know where the section of the library is that deals with artifacts. I can find the tome my-“</p><p></p><p>She stopped in mid-sentence, the bone-chilling sensation of another presence within her mind washing through her. For a split second, Won Wei’s eyes glowed slightly, then suddenly they flew wide. The presence just as quickly vanished, and the scholar tumbled backwards, knocking over a stack of books.</p><p></p><p>“You... you have...” he managed to stutter softly, before his frightened eyes flashed towards her boot.</p><p></p><p>“Dammit!” Felonca hissed to herself. “Yes, I have <em>it</em>,” she hissed to him, “and I want to destroy <em>it,</em>” she growled. Several other scholars were already looking at the two after Won Wei’s fall. <em>As few people as possible need to know this! Damn scholar mind reading and then falling over! Gah!</em> </p><p></p><p>“You...wish...” he said slowly, his voice still high and squeaking from the strain of surprise.</p><p></p><p>“Yes!” she hissed again, before adding, “Don’t be so damn obvious! Prince Hu already wants this dagger, as does the White Wolf Clan! I don’t know who else wants this thing, so <em>please</em> don’t draw attention to me!” As she quickly helped him to his feet, she added, “For someone that just read my mind, <em>without my permission,</em> you are quite slow!”</p><p></p><p>“A...um...” Won Wei stammered, before finally his voice came back to him. He cleared his throat, and with an acting job worthy of only the plaudits of the drunk, he said in a faux commanding voice, “Yes, I know where that would be! Let us go now!” he said, taking her by the arm and hustling her out of the room, his wide eyes still betraying his distress at the situation.</p><p></p><p><em>Great,</em> Felonca groaned as other scholars looked, until she looked into their eyes, and saw impishness, even laughter. The silence of the hall was broken from a few controlled snickers, and Felonca let out a sigh of relief. There were no female scholars present, and Felonca easily guessed the thoughts in some of the other scholar's minds had close parallels to the thoughts constantly in Meiji's mind.</p><p></p><p><em>If they want to be dirty minded, that’s fine. At least they aren’t suspecting I’m carrying the only weapon that can kill a sitting Emperor...</em></p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Emperor Valerian, post: 2461174, member: 15043"] [b]Meanwhile, Felonca Causes Trouble[/b] [i]You’d think with all this arcane power, the scholars would’ve made some kind of efficient shelving system,[/i] Felonca growled mentally about the same time. Since Nayu had gone to mediate as the scholars had instructed him, she’d tried to search the Imperial Library for information pertaining to [i]her[/i] reason for being in the city. [i]To get rid of this forsaken dagger![/i] Unfortunately, the magical tomes were packed haphazardly, something she discovered quickly when in her first stack she found tomes regarding everything from the proper use of aboleth’s blood to charts detailing the thickness of dragon-scales over a draconic lifetime. Within the vast building, and the hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of tomes, she had no idea of where to [i]begin[/i] her search. Without guidance, two hours before she’d come to the reluctant conclusion that she could spend ten lifetimes searching through the library, and perhaps only make her way through half the volumes. Finally, she rounded a corner, and found the target of her present query. “Won Wei?” [i]He ought to know where anything is in here.[/i] Felonca nervously twitched her nose as the scholar turned around, several books still bundled in his hands as his re-shelving stopped. Golden sunlight from the afternoon filtered into the dusty room, as other scholars further away bustled about, carrying priceless knowledge in their arms. After the chaos of the previous day, it had taken many hours to track him down again, in the upper layers of the Imperial Library. Somewhere within the depths of the building, Nayu still meditated. Absently, Felonca looked down, and her eyes caught the faint glint of a ruby hilt in her boots. “Yes? A..um... Felonca, isn’t it?” the comparatively young scholar said, causing Felonca to snap her head upwards again. To her relief, his eyes had not followed where she was looking... instead he looked right at her, a polite smile on his face. “I trust that you will find use for the great gift your friend gave you?” “Um... yes. And I humbly thank you and the scholars for choosing to bestow such an honor on both of us,” she bowed, careful to keep her newest warfan out of the way. From her hip, Kongxi’s Fan seemed to gleam, even in the bright light of the halls in which they stood. “And I trust you won’t disappear in the midst of us like you did before?” the scholar grinned, nascent age lines appearing on his lips and eyes when he did so. When he smiled, he looked stately, she thought. He certainly hadn’t looked stately when she’d swished the fan back and forth only moments after Nayu had given the artifact to her, and the room suddenly was covered in inky darkness. “I was merely testing its abilities,” Felonca smiled back. [i]And I have no doubt the ability to disappear inside a cloud of mist or darkness will be useful...[/i] “And I must say that it worked beyond my hopes.” “I think that was when the young Emperor escaped to the courtyard,” Won Wei’s grin grew wider, and the two laughed at the memory of the Empress dashing into the courtyard, only to be upbraided by her own ten year old son. “His Majesty seems to have grown a backbone since your arrival,” the scholar added with a whisper of approval. “He just needed someone to tell him what he could do all along,” Felonca replied. [i]Though it was funny to see the Empress running about like a hen, while the guards refused to move at the Emperor’s order...[/i] The happy thought was strangled, however, by something far darker... something she still felt pressing against her ankle. “Um... but I also need advice. The other scholars say that you are very wise, Won Wei.” “They say such, and do me honor,” Won Wei bowed again, though Felonca noticed his eyebrow was raised in question. “This Library is immense, and I am in need of assistance.” For a moment she stopped, unsure of where to go, until her mind remembered the whole reason for her trip to the capital, to brave the potential dangers the Empress and her lackeys might pose. “Do you, um... know where I could find information an...um... artifact?” she finally stammered after several long pauses. [i]Now, Felonca, pick your words carefully. You don’t want him to necessarily know that you have THE dagger. Just an... artifact.[/i] Won Wei’s smile left his face, his eyes wide with question. “I assume you do not mean Kongxi’s Fan... we already answered your veritable barrage of questions on that subject.” “Of course not... I mean another...um... artifact.” “Which one, may I ask?” Won Wei said, turning around to finish placing his books back on their proper stacks. [i]Ok. A logical question from him. You just need to deflect it...[/i] “Um... I can’t say...” Felonca said slowly, quietly. At the grudging admission, Won Wei turned back around, his face now full of question. [i]Great move, Felonca! That was awkward enough that now he probably suspects something![/i] she cursed to herself. “Well,” he said momentarily, “I can’t quite help you with this problem unless I know which artifact to look for. As you said, we have hundreds of thousands of arcane tomes and books all over.” He turned his head slightly, his eyes prying. “Why can you not say what this artifact is?” [i]Dammit! Need an excuse, otherwise he’ll just poke into my mind and they’ll[/i] “Um... no, I can’t tell you that,” she stammered, before adding, “I just need to know where the section of the library is that deals with artifacts. I can find the tome my-“ She stopped in mid-sentence, the bone-chilling sensation of another presence within her mind washing through her. For a split second, Won Wei’s eyes glowed slightly, then suddenly they flew wide. The presence just as quickly vanished, and the scholar tumbled backwards, knocking over a stack of books. “You... you have...” he managed to stutter softly, before his frightened eyes flashed towards her boot. “Dammit!” Felonca hissed to herself. “Yes, I have [i]it[/i],” she hissed to him, “and I want to destroy [i]it,[/i]” she growled. Several other scholars were already looking at the two after Won Wei’s fall. [i]As few people as possible need to know this! Damn scholar mind reading and then falling over! Gah![/i] “You...wish...” he said slowly, his voice still high and squeaking from the strain of surprise. “Yes!” she hissed again, before adding, “Don’t be so damn obvious! Prince Hu already wants this dagger, as does the White Wolf Clan! I don’t know who else wants this thing, so [i]please[/i] don’t draw attention to me!” As she quickly helped him to his feet, she added, “For someone that just read my mind, [i]without my permission,[/i] you are quite slow!” “A...um...” Won Wei stammered, before finally his voice came back to him. He cleared his throat, and with an acting job worthy of only the plaudits of the drunk, he said in a faux commanding voice, “Yes, I know where that would be! Let us go now!” he said, taking her by the arm and hustling her out of the room, his wide eyes still betraying his distress at the situation. [i]Great,[/i] Felonca groaned as other scholars looked, until she looked into their eyes, and saw impishness, even laughter. The silence of the hall was broken from a few controlled snickers, and Felonca let out a sigh of relief. There were no female scholars present, and Felonca easily guessed the thoughts in some of the other scholar's minds had close parallels to the thoughts constantly in Meiji's mind. [i]If they want to be dirty minded, that’s fine. At least they aren’t suspecting I’m carrying the only weapon that can kill a sitting Emperor...[/i] [/QUOTE]
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