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'Does the moon look bigger to you tonight?'

The Book of Ataniel

Out Of The Frying Pan



�Are you ready to try again?� Mina asked.

�I think so.� Rani sighed, and braced herself on the velvet wall. �All right, this time I�m really pussy-whipped, I have post-traumatic stress disorder, and I incorrectly think macho violence will make me look less weak than admitting it when I�m hurt.�

�Do I want to know what she said about me?� Asinus asked of no one in particular.

�No,� Mina murmured.

The room stretched and yawed, and Rani�s face strained. Then they were back in the ballroom, on the mezzanine this time. �No good,� she said, panting a bit. �Can�t reach him.�

�Would it be easier if you had a slightly less, ah... superficial understanding of the people you�re looking for?� Mina asked diplomatically. �Because I could help you with that one.�

�Nah, I do already. Overexertion just makes me snarky. I only have a six constitution.� She pushed a few strands of her silvery hair back out of her face, breathing irregularly. �I�ll try harder to keep it to myself. Goddammit, if we ever find these boys, I am going to kick their asses for dragging me to this psionic hell-hole.�

�I don�t really see what you�re complaining about,� Mina said contemplatively. �It sounds as if you have a tremendous amount of power in here.�

�Yeah, well. Whatever confrontation-with-your-dark-side BS Newell has planned for me, it probably does not have to do with succumbing to a lust for power.� The psionicist rubbed her temples with the first two fingers of each hand. �I was voted �least likely to become a lich� back in Rimbor.�

�Yeah,� Marty piped up. �I totally don�t get why everyone else in the team is always saying you�re such a lich. Cause you�re not even dead or anything.�

There were a few moments of complete silence. �We, uh, mean that in the most affectionate way possible, of course,� Asinus offered with a broad, weak smile.

�Oh, bite me,� Rani said crossly, and folded her arms. �Hold on, I think I�ve got something.�

***

�For the last time, you are not my avatar,� Valende snapped, her long store of patience starting to near its end. �I am a priestess of Corellon and I can tell the difference, thank you!�

�Then do you want to fuck?� Kerouac said hopefully.

�FOR THE LAST TIME, I DO NOT WANT TO--� The jungle rippled, and then Rani, Mina and Marty stepped through a dangling curtain of vines. Val let out a big sigh of relief as the elven berserker faded from view. �Oh, thank goodness,� she said. �I was starting to think I�d never get away from that idiot.�

�I�m an idiot,� Marty offered, perking up at the idea of being useful.

�Yes, but you�re our idiot, dear,� Val smiled, and patted him on the arm. �Where are the others?�

�Don�t know yet,� muttered Rani, leaning on the nearest tree. Valende blinked; the psionicist wasn�t wearing her gloves. Val had only seen her the once without them, really. �You four are all I�ve been able to find so far.�

�We--four?� Valende looked for the Rat in somebody�s pocket.

�Yeah, four. You, Mina, Hu, and--� Rani jerked her head back and forth. �Asinus?�

***

�Well, flark me,� sighed Asinus, looking at the naked natives dancing around the soup cauldron he was tied up in. �This wasn�t the best place to finally piss that girl off once too often, now, was it?�

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'Does the moon look bigger to you tonight?'

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