Ayshela

*giggles* i loved this when we talked about it. i'm glad to see you did post it! *hugs*

I really think this and the "First Lines" thread in the Banquet Room are my favourite threads on the board. =) HappyBuddha - you've been a godsend, the right person at the right place at the right time with the right words more times than i could say. You let me babble about whatever's bubbling up and demanding to be said, and never condemn me for any of it. Even though sometimes you can't find words for *why* you disagree about some point or other, knowing that you do keeps that point in question, usually until i get it kicked apart and find what you were trying to say. You are *there*, and you remain insistently there because you care. That is very rare for me, and even if i did not love who you are i would love you for that. *warm hugs*

oh yes, when Real Life grabs one round the throat and says "Listen Up!" it's best to do so! welcome back! =)

*tacklehugs Black9* congratulations! =)

so true! Every morning, i look at the obituaries to see if i'm in there. so far, i haven't seen me.

nicely described, and an excellent question! =) though i'm a couple days late, here, i'm glad to see you posting.

*yeeks* glad it didn't come any closer! and glad to see the both of you about, safe and sound!

*hugs* nothing to say at the moment, just... *hugs*

rah!!! *tacklehugs* happy happy birthday!!! Ayshela wanders off a few steps, an all-too-innocent look on her face. Suddenly she whirls around and *pounces* Crypt, huggling him soundly again. She then scampers off with a gleeful grin, thinking how much she's missed doing that!

good to know. thank you! *checks one more thing off the worry list*

it hasn't.. but OTOH, it hasn't broken me yet either.

*happily huggles everyone* Gyr - you know, i've thought about it once or twice, but they would consider it far too unrealistic.

originally posted in response to someone else. posted to stop the poking. words circle around me i can hear their hum as they float and dive and surface again an endless dance i stand in the middle of reaching out a hand to try to catch a few elusive fleeting words as they twirl and float away eluding me in droves

contrary to popular opinion, i honestly *am* still alive... i got sideswiped by the reappearance of extended family members who've not been heard from in over twenty years, the hospitalization and subsequent death of one of them, med trials i needed to monitor here, transitioning one into and another out of high school, and hosting visiting family from halfway across country. Now that school's underway and the kids are pretty well settled in and all the comings and goings are over for another couple of months, if i can find my way around the minor difficulty of words eluding me, i should be fine, right? Have missed you all. God, I'm glad to be back!

Has *any*one heard from Xaious?

which immediately cracked into dozens of small pieces from the impact, crumbling to the floor in swirls of coloured dust which almost hid a small door leading to...

Ayshela stepped before the crowd in the Cabaret, note card in hand, apparently to make an announcement. Hearing a sudden hiss from behind her, she began to turn but froze in panic when she heard "It's promotions! You're supposed to make a speech!" "A speech? A SPEECH?! I haven't made a speech since the organization of the Butterfly Brigade, and that was all tavern tales anyway!" she thought, feeling herself turn slightly white. Ayshela opened her mouth to begin, but then thought for a second - that couldn't be right, speeches had never been required before! Oh, heck with it, it's late enough, let's just get this done. With a broad smile, she called forth MinimondoT and Lord Panther. "In recognition of your writing and participation, we welcome you to the rank of Page." She then called forth Patrick Durham. "Your contributions to the carnival have been especially noted and appreciated, and we are proud to recognize you as our newest Quill-Bearer." Ayshela warmly hugged and congratulated the three, turning them toward those gathered. Congratulations to all three of you! =)

a belated happy birthday, I hope it was wonderful for you! and just think, with belated wishes you get to expand the birthday celebrations! Ayshela sends a small handful of borrowed kitten minions to weave about Yui's ankles. One adventurous minion promptly climbs Yui's cloak to perch on her shoulder, tickling her ear and purring softly.

oh lordy, i am sooooo behind on birthdays! *hides sheepishly* Happy birthday to you both! Arawn - a heather ale to you and for you. Arwen - a roll of emotional duct tape, and sticky notes reminding you of all of us who love you and wish you well. and birthday cake and water balloons for everyone!

as has been said - yoiks! definitely glad you got yourself checked out, dude, we'd miss you around here! blood sugar monitoring is no joyride, but it beats the alternative, hands down! *hugs* glad you're okay.

YAY!!! *tacklehugs* glad to see you! =) =) =)

A localized dimness appears, setting part of the Cabaret to twilight. Within the fading light fleeting figures can be seen setting a table with cakes and punch, candles and gifts. Each small gift is adorned with flowers and twinkling bits of glitter, sure to catch the eye of a fleet-footed small one flitting by. A banner is hung, glowing green letters spelling out: Happy Birthday NightFae!!! Those who've set the tables await her appearance, tacklehugs at the ready.

"I love you" three of the most often misused words in the english language, agreed. They also happen to be the only phrase i know which is simultaneously pitifully inadequate AND completely equal to the task of conveying inarticulate emotion. What IS love? Ask a hundred people and you'll get a hundred variations on a theme, if not more. At it's most simplistic and generalized, you'll find 'caring' or emotional attachment to a person, a place, a thing, a concept or belief. Where it so often gets twisted, abused, misused, is in the deeper levels of caring for someone more than yourself, wanting what's best for *them* even if it's not what's best for you. The possibility of being mistreated by someone who does not return that is always present. It happens often when one-way love originates in someone who doesn't value him/herself at all. Channeling myself down to straight line question-answer in specific terms (difficult, of late): (gospel according to Ayshela, as always) Love is an emotional bond of caring, concern, support, wanting the best for the object of affection. Love need not be returned to exist, nor need it be overtly acted on - i would note that sometimes refusing to act IS the action in another's best interest. Love involves aspects of many things, which is part of what makes it difficult to define - love without friendship or loyalty, for instance, seem less than fully real. And before I find myself wandering from the point again, I'll hush. =)

*laughs* awwwww dang, i was at least half kidding when i mentioned to Oz that it'd just figure if i pried myself loose from Real Life just in time to kill the game! This one moved really quickly! Nicely done!

Melinda had spent days circling around the edges of things, listening when she appeared to be busy with something else, loosing anger and outrage and watching reactions to it, throwing tantrums and pouting at those who "were supposed to protect them" in hopes of seeing who really cared about doing so - and who didn't. So far, most everything matched up. Almost. Taking advantage of the darkness, she curled up on her bed to think about all she'd seen and heard in the last few days. Some of it seemed downright senseless, even for one who was used to hearing all kinds of things about people! Irwin - as she rolled thoughts of him about, perhaps the only truly odd thing there was to notice was how few thoughts there were. He seemed no more than normally interested in what was happening, or in going Outside. Irwin was dismissed from her thoughts easily. Chuck - her eyes narrowed a bit as she thought about him and the probability that the current darkness had something to do with him. "But what? And why?" He could cut power, to almost anything, and few indeed would see him do it or even think about him. He'd always been a bit unusual, but unusual enough to kill? Melinda shook her head thoughtfully. Even the darkness was most likely petty vengeance for Cook being gone. He always did get a bit "off" when he missed a meal. Kyraine - Melinda stopped in deep thought, considering all she'd seen and heard. There was quite a lot of speculation about Kyraine's willingness to force the door open to test her research and gather samples and assorted other wild claims. Could any of them be true? Kyraine was of the first generation, would she be that desperate to see results of her research within her lifetime? Melinda considered carefully, then rejected the idea. She'd watched Kyraine carefully, not just recently, because there had always been a lingering suspicion of what people didn't understand. Kyraine was a scientist, first and foremost. She'd never be so reckless. Richard - Melinda's eyes narrowed. This one just didn't make sense. He seemed quite taken with Irene, even wanting to talk about her despite everyone else's discomfort, yet he never protested her innocence. Maybe he knew she wasn't? Or maybe it was because she knew HE wasn't? He'd been a fabulously successful author Outside, but in the Vault had been able to create - nothing. How desperate would he be to get back Outside, in hopes of being able to write again? Would he sacrifice others in that faint hope? Why not? He'd sacrificed Irene on the altar of public opinion. Perhaps this plot was his creation? Melinda lay curled up in deep thought until she finally fell asleep. OOC: a vote against Richard/Ozymandias