Pillsbury + 1 year:

[GlytchMeister]

{Credit to Shneekey for Prroul}

(Occurring during the dinner)

John faded away from notice quite deliberately when the work seemed finished. Not because he didn't want to get stuck with another job, but because he wanted to get away from all of the people. After spending however much time in The Hole, and then the year or so in the Gobi almost completely alone, he had become far more comfortable with himself than with others. People were all well and good, especially if they got along well with him, but he still found himself almost feeling a kind of pressure bearing down on him after being around so many people for the whole day.
He quietly went to his room and changed into his cloak, then navigated his way out of the now empty house.
He walked slowly toward the forest. He deliberately angled away from where he knew the elf tended to hang out and headed for the clay bluff he had grown fond of during the build-up to the Wedding Battle.
Even though it was winter, John still noticed the signs and sounds of wildlife nearby as he strolled. His footprints steamed in the still, frozen air as he padded barefoot over the ground.
Finally, the bluff reared up in front of him. The moon was plenty bright in the clear sky. John picked out a spot on top of the bluff, crouched, and jumped, setting off a pair of shaped explosions beneath his feet to propel him up and forward, using smaller jets of fire to alter his course. With a flip and a half-spin, John landed heavily a little ways past the brink of the bluff.
After taking a moment to calm himself again and extinguish his eyes, John stepped forward, sat on the edge, and closed his eyes, focusing on the sounds of the forest around and below him.

Prroul was not fooled by John and had followed silently. Observing his student sitting on the edge, the towering felinoid paused at the edge of the clearing at the top of the bluff... Both out of curiosity, wondering if something else might happen, as well as out of respect.  It would not do to interrupt the salamander if he was meditating.

John waited until he had cleared his mind before he began the song. He slowly brought his pinched fingertips together and carefully pulled his hands apart, creating a single, somewhat thick line of fire, willed smooth and straight. A single, clear, bell-like note rang from the line, with a dark, contemplative undertone.
Then, John separated his fingers, and the line divided into five thinner lines. The single note multiplied into several different notes. They combined to make a slowly pulsating sound that reflected John's pensive mood and his want for calm.
Slowly and deliberately, John laid his hands palm-up on his knees. The lines lengthened and bent, looking oddly like the loops in a solar prominence. The loops wavered and became rough, and tongues of flames escaped the constraints and licked upward and away from the lines, producing black smoke. Just as the shape of the lines shifted, so too did the sound; the timbre became more complicated, rougher, smokier and more emotional.

Prroul's tail twitched as his ears pricked forward. He saw John's shoulders slowly rise and fall as he took deep, calming breaths. Each breath made the lines and the music cleaner, but they never really got close to being perfectly smooth.

Finally, John released the fire and the music and the light faded away. The silence rushed in like an ocean overcoming a wall. John savored it for a moment before standing up to gather firewood. When he turned toward the forest, he saw Prroul standing next to a tree, arms akimbo, wearing an indecipherable expression.

The two regarded each other for a long moment until Prroul finally gave a single curt nod. John smiled a little and bowed before turning and leaping down from the cliff.

Prroul remained still a moment longer. Good... This saves several steps. Once he could no longer hear John, he began to navigate back to Emerauld's camp.

[Just Old Al]

You want me to just kick out that bit I did now?

[GlytchMeister]

You want me to just kick out that bit I did now?

Wasn't sure if that chunk was agreed upon. I'll see you in the Guild for more detailed discussion.

[Just Old Al]

Daisy and Al sat on the couch, fireplace lit in front of them.

Living in New Alexander was taking some getting used to - the newness of the spaces still there, and a bit foreign.

Some things were much better - the appointments and luxuries were much nicer than the old Alexander and its hundred-year-old design. The openness of the passages, while wonderful for and appreciated by the centaurs, still left Al with a bit of a bug-on-a-plate feeling - the spaces were a little TOO open for his sensibilities. He'd get used to it though - and things like the towel warmer in the bath were simply decadent luxuries and eagerly appreciated.

"Been a helluva few days, hasn't it, meduck?" Al said, settling his arm around his dam a little more bonelessly. She on her part settled into his embrace a little more tightly, loving the intimacy and the comfort of the couch and a fireplace on a cold December night.

"Indeed", she sighed. "For the life of me, Al, I don't know that our lives could get much more interesting - or if they can - I'm not sure I want them to. Sterling's tests yesterday - I've NEVER seen anything like it."

"Nor have I, meduck - nor have I. I've participated in all sorts of weapons and armor trials - and never seen anything like those martial arts demonstrations we saw."

The tests as Al and Daisy saw them were magical - they were one of the few sets of spectators allowed in the tests.

First, range of motion tests - sparring. The sight of elegantly dressed, finely honed bodies engaging in a martial dance staggered the imagination - it was a mesmerising combination of colour, motion and competition with the serious undertone of data collection. Again and again the testers met on the mats set up in AHI's athletic facility - the the highly polished wooden floors and white walls providing an modern background to the ancient martial arts.

The area around the tests was a swirl of activity as well - fixed cameras recording the movements of the martial artists, and preparations for the next test sequence going on. Sterling prowled the sidelines, intently watching the tests and scribbling notes.

Coupled to this were the live-fire tests conducted at RE"s range.

Set up on test dummies, with cables and supports running everywhere, the chosen outfits were run through live-fire testing starting with small-caliber and moving up from there.

Other than surface fabric damage, the outfits held up remarkably up into surprisingly-large caliber weapons fire. Survivability was nearly assured given the usual weapons mixes involved in malicious encounters - though sniper fire or the like was not likely to be turned.

Even non-powder weapons came into the fray - bladed weapons were tried, with impressive shielding results. Glytch and his bow, using various heads on his arrows, had limited success at distance, though at shorter ranges his attempts to penetrate the protection had more success. The non-Newtonian nature of some of the materials used worked amazingly at distributing the force of impact of even the larger weapons - with the pressure distribution leaving readings of an essentially undamaged human underneath.

"And then there's that bus. Did you really have to get into the middle of that?" Daisy asked, with a bit of an edge to her voice.

Well, she had him there.

The bus had arrived at RE during the live-fire exercise, much to Al's disgust. Dealing with that, ferrying the driver to the airport and dispatching John to the truck tyre place to get the bus reshod had occupied most of his afternon, and he'd not had a chance to get in on the live-fire tests himself. Sarge had gleefully taken up the slack, though, wading in with everything from .22 rimfire to Desert Eagle .50. His ability to score precise placement had made him invaluable to the testing - ensuring the data sets were consistent.

"Yes, dear. You're right - I could have and likely should have stayed out of it, but the thought of them taking months on a leg of their trip that I could help them shorten to days...I just couldn't stay out of it." As gently as he could, he pointed out the reason for his interference - and Daisy was as fond of Prroul as she was, especially given the condition of the forest on the property.

The apex predator and his companion Emerauld had been thoroughly welcome guests. Keeping to themselves out at Safyr's old campsite, they'd been a blessing to the forested areas of the Alexander property and the healthy state of the land had been a result. They'd also cleared it in a more magical sense - the land was tranquil, and likely to stay so. It would be a wonderful home for the Alexanders and thir friends for generations to come - and the occasional wanderer from the other realm.

She sighed. "Yes, I know...you did the right thing. However, there is only so much of you to go around - and then there's the trip to San Francisco in this damn thing after you build it. You and Greg aren't exactly young dear."

"Maybe I'll take my harem along - wonder if Monica and Jet have their CDL licenses?" Al said, a trifle acerbically. References to his age and slowing down were never taken well, though perhaps the reference to his 'harem' was a bit too sharp.

"Or maybe I'll come along, dear - I've driven heavy machinery and trucks, so a bus won't be much of a step up. " The lightness of the tone in that remark masked a blade of the sharpest steel - and a warning of its acceptability for use.

"True enough. I do figure Greg and I can handle it, though - it's not like a few days of watch-and-watch at the wheel of a bus is going to be all that big a deal. He and I will spell each other on 4-hour shifts, and most of the highway we'll be dealing with will be wide open, so not a trial. As long as Prroul warns us when he moves around so we can deal with the weight and balance issues we'll be fine."

"I do worry, though. You need a vacation - not this madcap run to the West Coast with a salamander and an apex predator on board. I'm still amazed you got Prroul to buy into your camouflage idea - that was completely out of left field."

"I have to confess - that is one of the things I am going to enjoy about this trip." Al chuckled, a slightly malicious note in his voice. "This has SO many possibilities..."

[FreeFlier]

Oh my . . . so many possibilities . . . for chaos . . .

--FreeFlier

[Dave]

I just heard a chorus of voices from Animal House say "Road trip!"

I would hate to someday hear Al say "Face it, dear. You screwed up... you trusted us."

[Just Old Al]

I just heard a chorus of voices from Animal House say "Road trip!"

I would hate to someday hear Al say "Face it, dear. You screwed up... you trusted us."

You have NO idea....trust me on that {truly evil chuckle}.

[Sgt. Howard]

Finally took time to catch up on this... of course, Al and Greg have to disrupt some form of evil that they just happen to stumble across along the way... I've learned NEW disarmament tactics, and they need to be displayed...

[Just Old Al]

Finally took time to catch up on this... of course, Al and Greg have to disrupt some form of evil that they just happen to stumble across along the way... I've learned NEW disarmament tactics, and they need to be displayed...

"Disrupt some form of evil"

Why do WE have to work? We have a Prroul - AND a Salamander...

Dunno about you, mate, but I'm only taking my hands out of my pockets to applaud when the show's over.

[GlytchMeister]

Finally took time to catch up on this... of course, Al and Greg have to disrupt some form of evil that they just happen to stumble across along the way... I've learned NEW disarmament tactics, and they need to be displayed...

"Disrupt some form of evil"

Why do WE have to work? We have a Prroul - AND a Salamander...

Dunno about you, mate, but I'm only taking my hands out of my pockets to applaud when the show's over.

Or to shield your face from the radiant heat of the resulting Pyroclastic Jet, or fireball, or distant Pyrocumulonimbus that may or may not result from telling John to "go git 'em"

[chicgeek]

But they can have s'mores on demand along the way! Sure, John can blast any foe to kingdom come, but the precision to gently toast a single marshmallow-now that's control.
...Al and the Sarge aren't allergic to cats, are they?
(I've been enjoying this story immensely)

[Sgt. Howard]

Finally took time to catch up on this... of course, Al and Greg have to disrupt some form of evil that they just happen to stumble across along the way... I've learned NEW disarmament tactics, and they need to be displayed...

"Disrupt some form of evil"

Why do WE have to work? We have a Prroul - AND a Salamander...

Dunno about you, mate, but I'm only taking my hands out of my pockets to applaud when the show's over.

Now see here... I've not had a good tumble in several months and I haven't broken anybody's bones in the same timeframe. Justifiable carnage is indeed a rare treat and I'm overdue. Besides, you can't tell me you don't enjoy escorting someone to the floor when they desperately need it, can you? Besides- I've learned some new tricks and I want to show off...

[Just Old Al]

Now see here... I've not had a good tumble in several months and I haven't broken anybody's bones in the same timeframe. Justifiable carnage is indeed a rare treat and I'm overdue. Besides, you can't tell me you don't enjoy escorting someone to the floor when they desperately need it, can you? Besides- I've learned some new tricks and I want to show off...

Oh, VERY well.

Heathen redneck. You just HAVE to show off for the ladies and the younger folk, don't you? Just HAVE to show them what you can do...

I can just picture it. I will say, however, that if you get yourself in trouble I am going to let them tire themselves out before I rescue you...this time.

[Dave]

Besides- I've learned some new tricks and I want to show off...

Let me guess... Glytch is acting as your "Q" researcher again, and somebody handed him a copy of Spider Robinson's essay "Silly Weapons Throughout History".

You just can't wait for some punk to try something, so you can draw down on him with that nifty new twisted-Damascus 12-gauge snotgun ("disgusting but effective", says Spider).

Or maybe something like this?



Although I suppose you could do it the good old fashioned traditional way...

[GlytchMeister]

The snotgun is pretty much a real thing. There's this device that sprays out a slimy substance that is almost frictionless. It also adheres to things. Don't ask me how that works, it just does.

And boy, does it work. It's effective against vehicles and pedestrians. I don't know how it fares against tanks and other vehicles with tracks.
It works on grass, packed dirt, asphalt, concrete, whatever. It's hilarious and icky and oddly satisfying.

Glytch would call it "Slapstick Comedy, Weaponized." It can be sprayed from flame-thrower-like devices or vehicle-mounted turrets.

[Sgt. Howard]

Besides- I've learned some new tricks and I want to show off...

Let me guess... Glytch is acting as your "Q" researcher again, and somebody handed him a copy of Spider Robinson's essay "Silly Weapons Throughout History".

You just can't wait for some punk to try something, so you can draw down on him with that nifty new twisted-Damascus 12-gauge snotgun ("disgusting but effective", says Spider).



Although I suppose you could do it the good old fashioned traditional way...

.... actually, I've been taught ways to take a weapon away from somebody that doesn't leave a broken body on the floor... who knew?

[jwhouk]

In case anyone was wondering WTH this place we were talking about in the FanFic "Thicker Than Blood", here it is:

[Sgt. Howard]

VERY close to what I had envisioned

[Just Old Al]

Yah, those windows wouldn't last a millisecond...

[Sgt. Howard]

4 x879 grain bullets moving at Mach1.8? They don't make glass for that...