"Give Me A Reason"

Well, I had a slightly different plan here yesterday. The first quarter of this post I wrote during work yesterday, and finished the rest and most of it at home later. When I clicked “Publish Post,” it posted the first draft, which is the first quarter here. Ugh! I almost threw the computer out the window.

I still want to illustrate the same points, so, DO-OVER! Probably slightly shorter, and with a slightly different bent.

We’ll start back at the beginning.

Fyre did want to talk to Mason, now that he’s Nathan again. She needed to know what he was planning and plotting. She’s concerned for herself, but more for E and especially Jen. More now that it’s been established that the destruction of the Kronos was not the defeat of Strym. She expected to meet him alone. She didn’t want Frost to be hurt or frightened, and she didn’t want E to have to deal with Mason or whatever she may have had to do or say to Mason. Instead, the four of them ran into each other in the hosptial. E was checking test results while Fyre waited, and Mason said he saw them and wanted to “congratulate” Fyre on her “freedom.”

Masonry Redux: Well, it's over, isn't it? You wouldn't be running around if you weren't a target anymore.

Wrong!

Fyre’s reply? Well, part of it:
Fyre Hex: Well, for one thing, some jerk that wants me dead is standing ten feet away.

Aside from that, he wanted to know the current Styrm situation. Apparently, Frost had told him the story, but he wanted to hear E’s version of it. Although, they never really get to that. It was actually the same argument they’ve all had over and over.

Some of the highlights:

Masonry Redux: He [Strym] contacted *me*.
Fyre Hex: And you told him everything he ever wanted to know.

Fyre Hex: How badly do you have to screw-up before they yank you back to the Zig for breaking parole?
Masonry Redux: I haven't broken parole.
Masonry Redux: I don't plan on it.
Brief point here: Fyre figures it’s only a matter of time before he does break parole, and not in a small way, either.

Masonry Redux: So if what Frosty told me is true, even if Styrm's still out there, I don't have anything he wants.
Oh, but Frost does. Actually, he has the arc, which spawns the Kronos Titan the next night, but they don’t know what yet.

Masonry Redux: If I actually sold you out, Fyre, do you think I would have told you I told him?
Masonry Redux: Would I have warned you?
Fyre Hex: You wouldn't have, but I caught you in the act, didn't I?
She, and I, firmly believe that he would NOT have told her, but she caught him while he was doing it.

Fyre Hex: I never did anything but try to help you, Mason, and all you did was throw it back in my face.
Fyre Hex: With a Malta gun behind it.
Masonry Redux: I know.
Masonry Redux: I know I did.
Masonry Redux: I was pissed.
Fyre Hex laughs for a long minute.
Keen Frost smiles. (Poor Frost. Granted, she laughed. But it wasn’t THAT kind of laugh)
Fyre Hex: So it's okay to kill people when you're pissed?
Masonry Redux: No.
Fyre Hex: No? To get someone else to kill them, then?
Fyre Hex: Because, Mason.
Fyre Hex: I've been very angry for a while now.
Masonry Redux: Well you're a better person than I.
Fyre Hex: You think so?
Masonry Redux: And much stronger.
Fyre Hex: I'll agree with that.
Fire shields go up, and the “Evil Fyre” costume comes out.
Masonry Redux raises an eyebrow.
E.VAC: uhh...
Keen Frost looks at Fyre.
Masonry Redux: Pretty demon.
And, dammit, I didn’t realize it until now, but that’s BEN! Ben used to call Fyre “Pretty little Nictus.” I wish Fyre and I had caught onto that then.
Keen Frost: Mase.
Fyre Hex smiles.
Masonry Redux: I'm not afraid.
Fyre Hex: You're not that smart, either, are you?
Masonry Redux: Why should I be afraid if I already know I'm going to die?
Fyre Hex: I'm not a demon, Mason. But the fire burns the same doesn't it.
Masonry Redux: I'm not afraid.
Fyre Hex: Oh, you're know you're going to die, do you?
Keen Frost: Mase...
E.VAC: I'm pretty sure you are, Nate.
Masonry Redux: Yes.
Keen Frost looks down and away.
E.VAC: Afraid, that is.
Fyre Hex: Tell me... us, then, what makes you say so?
Masonry Redux: Because I know when I'm outclassed.
Fyre Hex: By whom? Me? Strym? Someone else?
Masonry Redux: You want to kill me? Be my guest.
Masonry Redux: E? Sure, if you want.
Masonry Redux: Styrm? Tell him to take a number.
Keen Frost: Mase, no...
Masonry Redux looks at Frosty.
Keen Frost: where's Jack...?
Fyre Hex: Who did you mean, then?
Masonry Redux: I don't want to die... but if it ends this.
Masonry Redux: I don't know where he is.
Another aura up: Hot Feet. It’s the one that makes the ground look like it’s boiling.
Masonry Redux: I don't think the hospital guys are going to like the damage.
Fyre Hex: I can afford to pay for it.
E.VAC: Wouldn't be the worst they'd had to clean up.
Keen Frost: Fyre...
Keen Frost: Wait...
Keen Frost: It doesn't need to...
Masonry Redux closes his eyes.
Fyre Hex: For what, Frost? For him to plot to have me killed by someone else? Carnies? The Circle?
Fyre Hex: For him to hand Jen over to Strym? For him to toss E at the next Kronos?
Keen Frost keeps silent, clenching his jaw.
Masonry Redux mutters, "End it."
Keen Frost: [Do something...]
Masonry Redux: You know something?
Masonry Redux: I am getting damn sick and tired of cleaning up.
Keen Frost sighs nervously.
Masonry Redux: If we didn't love Frosty, I would have let you tear him limb from limb.
Fyre Hex: It took you long enough.
The fire shuts off, and Fyre’s back in jeans.
Keen Frost swallows.
Fyre Hex: I thought I was going to have to burn the room down.
Masonry Redux sighs.
Keen Frost: quietly:: [Thanks.]
Fyre Hex: I don't want to kill him, Jack, but I can't let him run around and wait for him to put a real live knife in my back, or E‘s, either.
Masonry Redux: He won't. I won't let him.
E.VAC: Heard *that* before...
Masonry Redux: But if he gets past me --
Masonry Redux: And he has.
Jack never does actually finish that sentence, but it’s painfully obvious what he means.
But, yeah, Jack saves the day. For about ten minutes. They all discuss what to do with “Nathan,” including having Nathan’s soul bound by the Wombat. A couple of the plans could cause the death of “the body” and/or Jack, and that’s not acceptable. Aaaaand, Nathan’s back, and the discussion picks back up.

E.VAC: One honeyed word from Styrm, and you'd step aside so he could shoot Fyre.
Masonry Redux: You never know, E.
Fyre Hex: >Exactly. And therein lies the problem, huh?
Masonry Redux: quietly:: I guess.
Masonry Redux: So you want to still watch your back, figuring at some point I'll stab you through?
Fyre Hex: No.
Fyre Hex: I want to not have to watch my back.

Masonry Redux: See, you all like Jack better. Well being the pansy that he is, he's too weak to keep me back.
Keen Frost: ::quietly:: Shut up.
Fyre Hex looks to Frost.
Masonry Redux: The Guide. The one who doesn't like to get his hands dir--
Keen Frost: Do you want him dead... too?
Masonry Redux: No!
E.VAC: Heh... another name for the list.
Masonry Redux: Then I'd probably die soon af--
Masonry Redux glares angrily at E.
E.VAC sticks his tongue out at Masonry
Masonry Redux glowers.
Keen Frost glares the same way at Mase.
Mason now wants Jack dead, too, if it wouldn’t kill him as well.

Keen Frost: ::quietly:: You're still... jealous.
Masonry Redux: Obviously I say other things and I don't do them, right?
Masonry Redux turns to Frosty
Masonry Redux: What?
Masonry Redux: Jealous of who?
Keen Frost: It never changed, did it?
Masonry Redux looks confused.
Keen Frost looks at Fyre, then E.
Fyre Hex watches Frost quietly.
Keen Frost: You never accepted that.
This actually goes WAY back to the first time that “Ben” tried to kill E and Fyre. At first, then, Mason blamed it all on Ben, and then shortly after, Mason admits that he, too, wanted them dead. Then, he said it was because that Fyre hadn’t responded to his flirting, and that he was jealous of E and Fyre because they were “better” than him.

Masonry Redux stares at E.
Masonry Redux: He refused me.
E.VAC sighs
Masonry Redux: For *her*.
Fyre Hex flashes a smile and nods in acknowledgement.
Masonry Redux: Because he's a pansy.
Keen Frost: Oh, stop.
Masonry Redux: He lets a woman drag him around.
E.VAC: Kick *your* ass any day of the week.
Masonry Redux: Yeah, and you've done it.
Masonry Redux: And she's done it.
Actually, no, she hasn’t. She used an energy drain on Ben to stop him when Ben attacked an innocent by-stander, but Ben immediately backed off and shoved Nathan back out then.
Masonry Redux: But you're weak.
Fyre Hex rolls her eyes.
Masonry Redux: All these women have you - her, Jen....
Masonry Redux: You can't do anything without them.
Keen Frost: ::quietly:: Love has this effect.

Masonry Redux: You don't understand, you never did, and I gave up someone who loved and accepted me for what I was.
Masonry Redux narrows his eyes.
Fyre Hex: You did do that, Mason. Two of us, as a matter of fact.

Masonry Redux: You're turning him like you did with Kit.
Keen Frost: I'm not "turning."
Fyre Hex: No.
Keen Frost: Mase.
Masonry Redux: Well you're making him damn uncomfortable!
Fyre Hex: We told Kit the facts. She made her own decisions, whether you talked her out of them now or not.

Keen Frost looks at E.
Keen Frost: ::quietly:: He will always refuse you.
Keen Frost: Will you destroy his life because of that?
Masonry Redux grinds his teeth angrily.
Masonry Redux: I can't.
Masonry Redux: I want to...
Masonry Redux: I can't.
Keen Frost: You're just pissed.
Masonry Redux: Both of them... I so want to...
Masonry Redux: I can't.
Masonry Redux: More than pissed.
Keen Frost: Wouldn't you rather feel good if he's happy?
Masonry Redux looks up at Frosty
Keen Frost: Anyways... it's not like you'd be alone... you know.
E.VAC: Just more proof that it's not really me he cares about. Just what I can do for *him*.
Masonry Redux swallows.
Masonry Redux: I cared about you!
Masonry Redux: I care about all of you!
Fyre Hex: And you just admitted how much you want to kill two of us.
E.VAC: You only care about yourself.
Keen Frost: I know that, Mase.
Masonry Redux: You don't know how bad.
Masonry Redux clenches and unclenches his hands.
Keen Frost: But... you can't have... all you want. It's just... natural.
Fyre Hex: Finish saying it, Mason.
Fyre Hex: Say it.
Fyre Hex: Finish the fucking sentence already.
Masonry Redux: I want to kill you.

Masonry Redux: I'm angry at them and jealous of them and I want to do something...
Keen Frost bites his lip.
Masonry Redux: And the only thing I'm good at is...
Masonry Redux: ... :: quietly:: killing.

Masonry Redux: I threatened to get his kid killed.
Masonry Redux: And the "woman he loves" ::airquotes::

Masonry Redux: Not if they keep bringing up how I "sold them out" and "want to kill them" and do all that shit.
Masonry Redux: Not if E keeps overlooking me.
Keen Frost: These are just consequences.
Fyre Hex: You just said five minute ago that you want to kill us! And WE won't let it go?

Keen Frost looks at E and Fyre.
Keen Frost: I'd like to... uh, try it.
Keen Frost looks away as he realizes what he's saying.
Fyre Hex: Pardon. I've been hearing a different conversation half the time, apparently. So, try what?
Keen Frost: Forget it.
Fyre Hex shrugs.
Masonry Redux slumps.
Keen Frost: Okay, Mase.
Fyre Hex: He wants me dead. He wants E dead. Not only that, he wants to kill us.
Fyre Hex: What did you expect me to say?
And that’s the point of all the quotes here. I didn’t even realize, and there’s no way that Fyre saw, that the purpose of any of this conversation was to get Nathan back into the team. All the evidence, especially the things that Nathan’s said, points in the exact opposite direction. It’s not because E and Fyre, or their players, are mean and evil and trying to exclude anyone, or their players. It’s because Nathan hates them and wants them dead, in fact, wants to kill them himself, if he thought he could manage it.

Masonry Redux: Let's try. Together. Again.
Fyre Hex: Why?
Fyre Hex: Give me a good reason. Just one.
Fyre Hex: Honestly.
Fyre Hex: I'm not being sarcastic, or insulting, but why?
Masonry Redux: We've gone through so much already.
Fyre Hex: You just admitted that you want to kill us.
Fyre Hex: Not, like, Oh, he took my pen, I could kill him. But, for real, you want to kill us.
Masonry Redux: Well, I just have to get over that, don't I?
Keen Frost: It's not that simple.
Fyre Hex: No, it's freaking not that simple!

Masonry leaves to join with his super group.

E.VAC: I respect you for trying, Frost. I seriously know why you tried.
E.VAC: But it's never going to happen.
Fyre Hex: He wants us both dead. He wants to kill us both. How can we have someone like that at our backs?
Keen Frost: I understand.
Fyre Hex: I was hoping Jack would stay.
Fyre Hex: I hope he's okay.
Keen Frost: I just think... differently, even if I was the one threatened.
Keen Frost: I'm sure Mase will talk to Jack.
E.VAC: You don't know that, Frost. And hopefully, you will never have to find out.
Fyre Hex: Frost, I don't think you would. How can you have an enemy guarding your back? You can't.
Keen Frost nods slowly.
Keen Frost: I don't see him as one, however, but I need to understand how you two look at it.
Fyre Hex: Frost.
Keen Frost: I'm probably missing that.
Fyre Hex: It's how he looks at it.
Fyre Hex: He wants us dead. He wants to kill us. Anytime a weapon comes up for that, he uses it.
Keen Frost: I see.
Fyre Hex: I'm not trying to get you to turn against him, like what he said. But I don't understand what you don't get.
Fyre Hex: I'm sorry, I am. I... wanted it to work, for you and Jack. But I don't see how it can.

Frost leaves, and E and Fyre head down to E’s lab.

And E’s and Fyre’s players head over to the Rogue Isles, where my favorite line of the night happens. Captain Piett has used the term, “meta human,” which Malta use. Fyre questions him about his association with Malta, and isn’t very clear about it, leading to:
Cpt. William Piett looks like a man who suddenly realized he might be set on fire.

The next night, E’s player and I debate on what to do, and decide to work on the Malta arc-- after Blogspot eats my huge, long post, and I get over the urge to throw my computer through the window, into the driveway, and run out to drive the car over it a few dozen times.

Halfway through the first mission, Frost pings E and Frost joins E and Fyre to finish the mission. After some discussion, we decide to catch Frosty up by steal thing as much as we can through the missions he’s missed. Snickering and giggling and running into sappers ensues. Quickly, we get to “Defeat All Wildflower Agents,” which spawns the Kronos Titan on exit.

This time, we wanted to give everyone a shot, and a badge, since it went unexpectedly fast last time. We sent OOC warnings to the Futura channel, and again when we finished the mission. Futura was waiting outside the mission before we even got to the mission, and were ready when we came out. The Kronos lasted longer this time, but still went down easily enough. Yes, with two separate teams.

Masonry, as Jack, came over to talk afterwards. He briefed E and Fyre on the heroin plan, which E agrees is too dangerous. E suggests that he can come up with an alternative. He’s a doctor, after all. They discuss the merits of Masonry, Jack or Nathan, rejoining the team. Jack says that Nathan knows that E and Fyre hate him.

Wait a minute. This phrase keeps coming up. Fyre has refuted it previously. She’s getting tired of hearing it, and now, it unable to argue against it with much strenght, but, as she points out:
“Wait a minute. *He’s* the one who wants to kill *me.* Why does everyone have a problem remembering that?”

They part, planning to think about possible solutions.

The player wants the team together. Yes, including the fill-ins we get from Futura, or for that matter, the Dauntless, or the various places we’ve had people from. It’s fun. Even when someone screws up, we have fun. It’s a freakin’ game. That’s the point of the a game, to have fun. The way we’ve chosen to play, as RP, with “broken” characters, introduces conflicts. Some of those conflicts are minor, some of them have been major. But they’re IN CHARACTER conflicts. Mason and Fyre have been at each other’s throats, on and off, since Ben turned out to be psycho. As Mason’s player and I have both said, they should have probably killed each other levels and levels ago. Does that mean that I want to take a swing at Mason’s player or call her mean names? Nope, not in the least. I like Mason’s player. I like our characters’ interactions (yes, including Mason and Fyre, on occasion) and I like our OOC conversations. I feel the same way about the other players. They all seems like cool people, who I’d hang out with RL without second thought.

Yeah, I’m rehashing something that E posted weeks ago, and has been touched on over and over again, briefly usually, for as long as I can remember. We are not our characters. Our characters motivations are not ours. Their thoughts, feelings, reactions, and words are not the players. More, if I was unable to separate my character’s thoughts and feelings from my own, then I would not RP. Or only RP a shiny happy character with other shiny happy characters so that no drama would arise. Again, that’s not how we have chosen to play the game.

A fun fact to close with: I realized today that I use Mason’s “hands behind the back, look-I’m-harmless” pose around my ex-almost-father-in-law.