Snark aside, Hark's a heel

===START===
[03:04]  * strikingBelladonna began espering ravishingRover
[03:04] <strikingBelladonna> Well hello there Winona, so good to see you online again.
[03:04] <ravishingRover> ☆|| making me regret signing back on, Lex.
[03:04] <strikingBelladonna> I suppose that's my job now, right?
[03:04] <ravishingRover> ☆|| but go on. get it over with.
[03:05] <strikingBelladonna> Aw, you're not being very fun right now?
[03:05] <ravishingRover> ☆|| too busy. which is a shame, because i could be.
[03:05] <ravishingRover> ☆|| i have fresh material and everything.
[03:05] <ravishingRover> ☆|| well. not that fresh.
[03:05] <strikingBelladonna> Did Innana not buy your nonsense about being between two quadrants?
[03:05] <ravishingRover> ☆|| actually smells a little musty.
[03:06] <ravishingRover> ☆|| did you hear that from her?
[03:06] <strikingBelladonna> Oh, no, we haven't spoken recently, I heard it from Harken.
[03:06] <ravishingRover> ☆|| ..from Hark?
[03:06] <strikingBelladonna> Really, it was quite the speech he gave me, about how you two straddled the line between pale and red.
[03:06] <ravishingRover> ☆|| well. great, that'll save time later.
[03:07] <strikingBelladonna> Neither one nor the other, but between, transcending the quadrants because you're ever so special.
[03:07] <ravishingRover> ☆|| about how unhinged did this speech seem, and how long ago was it?
[03:07] <ravishingRover> ☆|| i'm putting a timeline together here.
[03:07] <strikingBelladonna> A few hours give or take, why?
[03:08] <ravishingRover> ☆|| shit he moves fast for a drugged man with one missing eyeball.
[03:08] <strikingBelladonna> He seemed to believe he'd been in Sheol for a while now.
[03:09] <ravishingRover> ☆|| then he's out of his pan, because he went missing just last night.
[03:10] <strikingBelladonna> Not that long of a while, but perhaps several hours.
[03:10] <strikingBelladonna> You sound pretty worried about your boyfriend.
[03:10] <ravishingRover> ☆|| a mite, yes.
[03:11] <ravishingRover> ☆|| enough so that i'm ignoring the waves of jealousy for the time being.
[03:11] <strikingBelladonna> That's no fun at all.
[03:11] <ravishingRover> ☆|| really Lex, you had him eating from your hand, it's your own fault.
[03:11] <strikingBelladonna> Pffft, are you being serious?
[03:11] <ravishingRover> ☆|| are you?
[03:12] <strikingBelladonna> I don't want him, not after I learned about his and your relationship.
[03:12] <ravishingRover> ☆|| great.
[03:12] <strikingBelladonna> Please, he could not have sounded more like a man trying to justify having two matesprits.
[03:12] <ravishingRover> ☆|| him? nah.
[03:12] <strikingBelladonna> Awkward, since he only had you, but still, not attractive.
[03:13] <ravishingRover> ☆|| it's..
[03:13] <strikingBelladonna> It's impossible to explain?
[03:13] <ravishingRover> ☆|| damn, i must be out of my mind, i was actually going to be heartfelt for a moment about my feelings in your direction.
[03:13] <strikingBelladonna> How you are pale and red, but neither, but both?
[03:14] <ravishingRover> ☆|| nope. we're not going there.
[03:14] <ravishingRover> ☆|| you'll get no answers from me.
[03:14] <strikingBelladonna> Oh, please, like you would be that, after you casually lied to me regarding all of it.
[03:14] <ravishingRover> ☆|| short of an admission that i myself am still figuring it out.
[03:14] <strikingBelladonna> That was clever, I will admit, had it worked you'd have had Innana eating from the palm of your hand.
[03:15] <strikingBelladonna> And Harken still on the side.
[03:15] <ravishingRover> ☆|| ..i don't want her eating from the palm of my hand.
[03:15] <ravishingRover> ☆|| i told her the truth, Lex.
[03:15] <strikingBelladonna> You really expected her to believe that you and Harken existed somewhere between pale and red?
[03:16] <strikingBelladonna> That's bold.
[03:16] <ravishingRover> ☆|| ohh she believes it alright.
[03:16] <ravishingRover> ☆|| which ended.. just so well.
[03:17] <ravishingRover> ☆|| but i wasn't going to lie to her.
[03:17] <strikingBelladonna> Wait, don't tell me you believe that yourself?
[03:17] <ravishingRover> ☆|| not sure what i believe yet.
[03:17] <ravishingRover> ☆|| i know i still care about her.
[03:18] <ravishingRover> ☆|| and that she deserved what honesty i had to give her.
[03:18] <strikingBelladonna> Winona, what's happening?
[03:18] <ravishingRover> ☆|| i'm afraid you'll need to be more specific.
[03:18] <strikingBelladonna> You wouldn't be being this forthcoming under normal circumstances, what's wrong?
[03:19] <ravishingRover> ☆|| ah.
[03:19] <ravishingRover> ☆|| right, you're used to a different sort of normal from me, aren't you?
[03:19] <strikingBelladonna> Perhaps I should amend that previous statement to include "to me".
[03:20] <ravishingRover> ☆|| well here's the catch, Lexi sweetheart: i don't give a damn right now.
[03:20] <strikingBelladonna> Yes, yes, it's clear that you're beyond caring about our game, what's happening to make that so?
[03:20] <ravishingRover> ☆|| not enough to play your little games and censor my answers.
[03:21] <ravishingRover> ☆|| lets play a different game.
[03:21] <ravishingRover> ☆|| one where you put the pieces together and figure out what i'm up to at the moment.
[03:21] <ravishingRover> ☆|| i could use a moment to actually keep my eyes on the trail.
[03:23] <strikingBelladonna> You told Innana the truth, or what you believe to be so. She reacted less than well. You're traveling somewhere. Harken's in Sheol and you're worried regarding his timing and sanity. You're going to get Harken?
[03:23] <ravishingRover> ☆|| lacking in moral fiber, yet still so cunning.
[03:24] <strikingBelladonna> I do try a little, he seemed well enough when we spoke, apart from some apparent temporal dissonance.
[03:24] <strikingBelladonna> Though he did express disappointment regarding the lack of response in the lion heads he was shooting.
[03:25] <ravishingRover> ☆|| he's not well, Lex. he wandered off when he should have been resting. Innana scooped out what was left of his damn eye, we went for a little trip figuring he was out for a spell, only to find out.. nope!
[03:25] <ravishingRover> ☆|| he went to the haunted city again!
[03:25] <strikingBelladonna> He did mention he wished to return for target practice.
[03:26] <strikingBelladonna> I didn't realize he was in such a bad way, however.
[03:26] <ravishingRover> ☆|| where apparently, if the lions are a clue, he's been hanging around where he lost his eye, and ALSO apparently, he's gotten wind of things falling out between me and Innana secondhand.
[03:27] <ravishingRover> ☆|| do you know what i've learned about spooky spirits in the last few days, Lexi?
[03:27] <strikingBelladonna> They're spooky?
[03:28] <ravishingRover> ☆|| yes. also they feed on negativity.
[03:28] <ravishingRover> ☆|| like sending in a confused girl to enrage him.
[03:28] <strikingBelladonna> Confused girl?
[03:28] <strikingBelladonna> Enrage?
[03:28] <ravishingRover> ☆|| don't play dumb that one was all yours.
[03:29] <strikingBelladonna> I don't understand, why would that have enraged him?
[03:29] <ravishingRover> ☆|| .....
[03:29] <ravishingRover> ☆|| hi, have you met my pal Harken?
[03:29] <strikingBelladonna> News of yours and Innana's falling out could have perturbed him, certainly, he stated a willingness to end things with you should that get in the way.
[03:30] <ravishingRover> ☆|| you could say his temper is on a hair trigger on an average day.
[03:30] <ravishingRover> ☆|| add a severe injury and a fuckload of romantic subplot to that. and sit him in the city of the damned.
[03:30] <ravishingRover> ☆|| and now.
[03:31] <ravishingRover> ☆|| you are telling me you spoke with him.
[03:31] <ravishingRover> ☆|| several.
[03:31] <ravishingRover> ☆|| hours.
[03:31] <ravishingRover> ☆|| ago.
[03:31] <strikingBelladonna> A few hours, is more accurate.
[03:31] <ravishingRover> ☆|| this ought to be sitting on your conscience. not Luna's.
[03:32] <strikingBelladonna> What? What's on Luna's conscience?
[03:32] <strikingBelladonna> For god's sake, Winona, I spoke with him long enough to learn about your relationship and then left to contain my vomit, I didn't say anything enraging.
[03:32] <ravishingRover> ☆|| poor girl spoke to him. then reported to me immediately, because she's a good person like that.
[03:33] <strikingBelladonna> Wait, then she informed him of yours and Innana's falling out?
[03:33] <ravishingRover> ☆|| yep.
[03:33] <ravishingRover> ☆|| apparently the phrase 'she hurt me' turned up somewhere.
[03:34] <strikingBelladonna> Oh.
[03:34] <ravishingRover> ☆|| this is a very long game of telephone, Lex. and the lines have Hark all tied up.
[03:35] <strikingBelladonna> Believe me, I'm well aware.
[03:35] <strikingBelladonna> I'm only just now learning most of this.
[03:35] <ravishingRover> ☆|| are you now?
[03:35] <ravishingRover> ☆|| what's it like, then?
[03:35] <ravishingRover> ☆|| being on the other end of a lap full of information all at once?
[03:36] <ravishingRover> ☆|| i could hardly know what that's like.
[03:36] <strikingBelladonna> What happened to being beyond games?
[03:36] <ravishingRover> ☆|| what games>
[03:36] <strikingBelladonna> And here I thought we had a nice little truce going.
[03:36] <ravishingRover> ☆|| i'm just letting off some steam while i've got you here.
[03:37] <ravishingRover> ☆|| oh i've assumed no truce.
[03:37] <strikingBelladonna> Then I guess that makes me more the fool.
[03:37] <ravishingRover> ☆|| my words being honest don't mean yours will be.
[03:37] <ravishingRover> ☆|| or that what i say won't be twisted.
[03:37] <strikingBelladonna> You expect too much of me, Winona.
[03:38] <strikingBelladonna> I'm just a girl worried for her old flame, and her new ones.
[03:38] <ravishingRover> ☆|| i expect nothing, and everything.
[03:38] <ravishingRover> ☆|| i don't expect you to care. but also expect you will become involved somehow.
[03:39] <strikingBelladonna> Oh, I had every intention of doing so, but I will await my moment.
[03:39] <ravishingRover> ☆|| if we were to call a truce, i would make a better use of it than letting off some steam.
[03:40] <strikingBelladonna> Oh, well now I'm curious as to what use you would make of it.
[03:40] <ravishingRover> ☆|| of course you are.
[03:40] <strikingBelladonna> What can I do? I'm easy to tease.
[03:40] <ravishingRover> ☆|| i'd ask you, in all respect, to not make either of their lives worse right now.
[03:41] <strikingBelladonna> I must ask, how long would "right now" extend for?
[03:41] <strikingBelladonna> If you were to make this demand of me, of course.
[03:41] <ravishingRover> ☆|| Hark's in danger. Innana's hurting. until i've found a way to do right by them, it's on me to look out for their sakes.
[03:43] <strikingBelladonna> Winona, I have no interest in broken toys.
[03:43] <strikingBelladonna> You may rest assured, I can wait for that long.
[03:43] <ravishingRover> ☆|| then it shouldn't be cheap to buy from you.
[03:43] <ravishingRover> ☆|| name your price, go on.
[03:44] <strikingBelladonna> Oh my, I did not actually expect you to descend to this level of cheese.
[03:44] <strikingBelladonna> I don't think of people as toys, Winona. Good lord, what sort of monster do you think me?
[03:44] <ravishingRover> ☆|| ...
[03:45] <ravishingRover> ☆|| did you want an actual answer to that? or a clever retort?
[03:45] <strikingBelladonna> They would be different?
[03:45] <ravishingRover> ☆|| yes.
[03:45] <strikingBelladonna> May I have both then?
[03:46] <ravishingRover> ☆|| you may have the retort, as i don't want to make a bad situation worse with the city ahead of me.
[03:46] <ravishingRover> ☆|| ahem. "why the knife twisting, toy breaking kind, of course."
[03:47] <strikingBelladonna> I'll accept it.
[03:47] <strikingBelladonna> Well then, with the city approaching, allow me to inject some positivity into you, perhaps I can assist in driving off those nasty sprits.
[03:48] <ravishingRover> ☆|| it's almost like you're trying to convince me you aren't at all like the demons dancing inside of it.
[03:48] <strikingBelladonna> I won't play with Harken or Innana until they're done being fragile.
[03:48] <strikingBelladonna> And please, I'm nothing at all like those demons.
[03:48] <ravishingRover> ☆|| without a price?
[03:49] <strikingBelladonna> Without a price.
[03:49] <ravishingRover> ☆|| well that's a shame. i had one.
[03:49] <strikingBelladonna> Well, at least tell me what it was, then.
[03:50] <ravishingRover> ☆|| quickly then, i'm just about at the point where i must be going.
[03:50] <ravishingRover> ☆|| i was going to offer to try returning this to you:
[03:50]  * ravishingRover has sent file: lookfamiliar.png
[03:53] <strikingBelladonna> Interesting.
[03:53] <ravishingRover> ☆|| that's a short way to say it.
[03:54] <strikingBelladonna> I think we've much to discuss next time we talk.
[03:54] <ravishingRover> ☆|| yup.
[03:54] <ravishingRover> ☆|| ah look, dead rotting bodies.
[03:54] <strikingBelladonna> Au revoir then, good luck with Harken.
[03:54] <ravishingRover> ☆|| Hark's favorite means of interior decorating.
[03:55] <ravishingRover> ☆|| i'll find him.
[03:55] <strikingBelladonna> I certainly expect you will, it's what happens when you do that would concern me.
[03:56] <ravishingRover> ☆|| i'll try very hard not to shoot out his kneecaps, promise.
[03:56] <strikingBelladonna> Well, maybe just one?
[03:56] <ravishingRover> ☆|| yeah, one would do it, wouldn't it?
[03:56] <strikingBelladonna> Enough that he can still move on his own, just not outrun you.
[03:57] <ravishingRover> ☆|| or, better yet, i keep nets for times like these.
[03:57] <strikingBelladonna> Oh, you cannot net him without providing me a picture!
[03:57] <ravishingRover> ☆|| we'll see.
[03:58]  * ravishingRover has ceased trolling strikingBelladonna!
[03:58] <strikingBelladonna> ===END===