Playing Dolls
With guest star "Uncle" Patrick the Endings!
Jen Michaels: A knock comes at Patrick's door!
Patrick: "I'm busy!" he shouts reflexively. If it's REALLY important, that wouldn't deter them. If it wasn't, then he is left alone with his reports on his third confrontation with Vodak.
Jen Michaels: "It's your turn to watch Holy!" Jen's voice retorts as she opens the door.
Patrick: CRAP
Patrick: "Um, I'm actually in the middle of something-" did they tell him, he can't remember if they told him, everything since Vodak's punch has been hazy-
Holayne: The single most adorable little girl Patrick has ever seen - seriously those eyes have to take up half her chubby little face - looks up at him, a decked-for-war Luna dangling from one hand.
Jen Michaels: "So give her something to play with, I have to go."
Patrick: Patrick turns around in his chair, but Jen is already leaving. Patrick sighs a little, and meets Holyane's gaze. The child IS adorable, which is part of what makes watching her so daunting. He can never make his reprimands STICK, not without her getting upset and him caving.
Patrick: "Hi, Holy," he greets, smiling for the child. He IS glad to see her, if not in the best shape to actually WATCH her, especially in the Violet Bier. It wouldn't do for a shift to displace them and her to get lost on his watch.
Holayne: "Hi Unca Patrick!" She comes up to him with wide-eyed awe.
Patrick: Patrick's office is FILLED with strange and wondrous things. Figures and weapons made from all the magical materials, odd, deathly dolls made of true flesh and bone magically preserved, books of ancient lore, and soft, comfy violet carpeting and violet walls. Really, the whole room is an exercise is purple.
Patrick: "So, I'll be working today," Patrick begins, "So, do you think you can play quietly, at least until I'm done with my report?"
Patrick: It is clearly a request, not an order, and one he doesn't expect to be adhered to, at that.
Holayne: "Uh huh! Can I play with the dolls?" She's a very good speaker for a five year old.
Patrick: "Of course," he says, smiling, and not remembering the sheer VARIETY of trinkets he keeps here, "And once I'm done, I can make us some lunch!"
Holayne: "Yaaay!" She hugs him, before heading over to the death dolls.
Holayne: Oh dear gods. She doesn't even seem bothered by the whispering, as she starts setting up a battle for Luna.
Patrick: Patrick has already turned aside, smiling.
Patrick: He has wholly forgotten just WHO those dolls once belonged too.
Patrick: Not to worry, of course.
Patrick: They are MORE than happy to remind him.
Holayne: Probably especially since they're now getting beat up by an apparently very enthusiastic Luna, as played by a five year old whose mother has already been teaching her to fight, and who is already being taught further by her 'uncle' Tempest.
*put ussss DOWWWWNN*
*the Void will CONSUUUUUME YOUUUUU*
*OW that HUUUUUURRRRT!*
*Raaaawr! Begone, evil zombies!*
Holayne: ... Holy how are you GIGGLING about this?
Patrick: Patrick spins around in horror as he hears the dolls in his mind.
Patrick: "Holy, don't-" instinctively, he begins to reassure her, but stops as he sees her having...fun.
Patrick: With the terrible Nephrack's toys.
Holayne: Luna is 'chasing' one of the 'zombies' around, smacking it with the sword. The others have already been 'slain'.
*stoooooop! We commaaaaannnnnnnd youuuuuuuuu!*
*obey us or perrrriiiisisssshhhhh!*
*Nyaar! I'll eat youuuu!*
Patrick: The Whispers are likes nails on the chalkboard of Patrick's mind, though likely not quite so annoying for Holy.
Patrick: "Are...you aren't scared?" he asks, confused. Most of his admittedly second-hand knowledge of children suggests that Holy should be crying.
Holayne: And then Luna 'kicks' the one she was chasing up into the air, simulated by Holy gently tossing it up just to catch it again.
Holayne: "Uh-uh! I got Luna to protect me." She giggles, stopping to hug the doll.
Holayne: "An' Mama says if a zombie ever really scares me to just set it on fire wif this!" She pulls a fire pearl out of her pocket.
Patrick: Patrick nods slowly.
Patrick: "...huh," he says.
Holayne: "'Cause I'm not big enough to cut 'em up into itty bitty pieces yet."
Patrick: Patrick nods.
Holayne: Holayne smiles at him.
Patrick: "Would you like me to make you some moving toys?" Patrick asks, "Instead of the mean dolls?"
*we will destrooooooy youuuuuuu*
*forever you will ruuuuuuuuue this daaaaaayyyyy*
Holayne: Luna smacks one of them on the head with the beaded sword.
Holayne: "Kaaay!"
*owwwwwww!*
*stoooop dooooing thaaaaaat*
Holayne: So it gets stabbed instead.
Patrick: Patrick smiles a little, and shifts some Ambrosia from Elsewhere. With several quick, delicate movements, he Shapes them into the form of twelve skeletal soldiers, each one not quite rising to Luna's knee. He sets them to the ground, and they begin waving tiny spears (with soft tips incapable of doing any actual harm to someone) around in the air, and begin marching towards the Luna doll (and, by extension, Holyane).
Holayne: Holayne squeals in joy and has Luna quickly engage in battle, with a surprising understanding of tactics for such a small girl.
Patrick: Patrick swiftly grabs up the Death Dolls and places them on a higher shelf, safely (for his continued lack of a headache) out of reach.
*nooooooo-* the scream cuts off as Patrick is no longer touching them.
Patrick: Each time Luna smashes a skeleton, it swiftly reassembles, and begins marching anew.
Holayne: Holayne is clearly enjoying her little battle, giggling between 'Luna's' threats. Well this should keep her occupied for a while.
Patrick: Patrick resumes his work, confident that his efforts have ensured that Holyane will not be getting into any trouble.
Holayne: The battle rages all across the floor, with Holayne soon outright cackling in joy.
Holayne: By the time Patrick next looks up, half of his office has been converted into a battlefield with armor acting as a makeshift fortress and terrain.
Patrick: "H-how-what-IS THAT THE VODAK BONE SHIELD?!"
Holayne: Holy looks up with an innocently startled expression.
Patrick: "That-the forest, over there, is that-" aaaannnd yes, the Hekatonchire bone shield is missing from the wall in all its spikey glory. Its position on the wall about four feet over Holy's maximum possible reach.
Holayne: "I kicked the wall!" She grins.
Patrick: "I knew I shouldn't have tried to hang it myself," Patrick mutters, "Holy," he says, louder, "That is a very spikey shield ((that can potentially shoot out fire from the spikes)), and you might hurt yourself. You should probably step away from it."
Patrick: Once more, it is phrased like a request that can be denied, rather than an order to be obeyed.
Holayne: "Awww..." She pouts.
Patrick: Patrick feels a little bad.
Patrick: "Um, actually," he says, "I could...maybe remove the Hearthstone? That should depower it..."
Holayne: Her eyes sparkle.
Patrick: Patrick removes the Against the Flame Pearl from the center of the shield, and steps back, always careful not to upset the battlefield.
Patrick: "This is...this is actually very advanced," he remarks, not a true tactician, but not WHOLLY ignorant of such things (just MOSTLY).
Patrick: "You made ALL THIS in twenty five minutes?"
Holayne: "Uh huh!" She nods, grinning. "Isn't it cool?"
Patrick: "Very," he remarks, leaning down to view the skeleton army currently being savaged by a Moonsilver figurine.
Patrick: "Seems like there aren't really enough skeletons," he says, "Or an enemy general."
Holayne: She nods. "Yeah! But then she'd need fighters too!"
Patrick: "Hmm," Patrick considers this, "I MIGHT be able to do something about that."
Holayne: Holayne's eyes almost sparkle again and she hugs him.
Patrick: Patrick focuses, drawing forth more Ambrosia, and shaping it into several dozen more skeletons, one tall, dark opponent for Luna, a laughing, pretty man with fine features and wicked eyes, odd flaming (though not with true fire, just a cold imitation) creatures, thing with too many eyes and limbs and other strange contraptions, as well as a silvery army of wolves and wolf-like THINGS. The new force meets up with the skeletons, while the silver beasts move towards Luna and Holy, awaiting direction.
Patrick: Patrick is smiling at the battlefield.
Patrick: "Now, THIS is a war," he says, nodding.
Holayne: Holayne kneels behind her fortress, issuing orders through Luna gleefully.
Holayne: "Thank you Unca Patrick!"
Patrick: "You're welcome!" Patrick says, and starts to go back to his desk, before pausing.
Holayne: Part of the force stays back to guard the fortress, while Luna and the rest set up an ambush in the forest.
Patrick: "Hmm. Perhaps Luna could use a loyal force of Fated Assassins to aid her against the Fair Prince of Darkness?" Patrick asks, walking back to kneel down near Holy.
Holayne: "Yesss!"
Patrick: Patrick smiles, and begins crafting several small figures shaped like Holy's various Sidereal caretakers, himself included, and sets them upon the battlefield, mentally directing them out to harass the enemy forces.
Patrick: "So, what is Luna saying to her troops," he asks seriously.
Holayne: "She's directin' 'em to show noooo mercy!" Holayne nods just as seriously. "No quarter an' take no prisoners."
Patrick: With that, Patrick begins working in earnest alongside Holyane to eradicate the Undead/Fair Folk Alliance, and completely forgets about his paperwork.