Temple of the Crystals   
The large stone walls of the temple rise up at least fifty feet, up to the 
huge domed ceiling.  From three windows placed on the roof, light can shine in 
on the altar all day.  Just below the dome, on each of the four walls, is a 
painting of one of the crystals.  On top of the altar, there is a large, 
gleaming stone, sitting next to a large book.  To the south, is the path to 
the town of Tycoon, one of the most prominent towns in the world.

The Nexus Stone	
Exits:  south

Razz came into the temple of crystals, realizing the moment she stepped in 
that this is /not/ the tower of the Blades of the Red Heart. Putting a hand up 
to her face, she looked about with a despairing look. She knew she shouldn't 
have left the forest... Now she can't find her way back. Looking around, she 
searched for a person to ask for directions.

> > Crulath seems to silently appear behind Razz, and clears his throat.

Crulath bows deeply to Razz. "Excuse me, my lady, but you appear to be 
lost, can I in any way help you?"

Razz blinked, and turned her head back to see a tall man standing behind her. 
A stranger... She looked up into his eyes... Well, at least he doesn't seem 
hostile. The elf girl blinked once in surprise as the man bowed, and offered 
his assistance. "Uhm, would you happen to know the way to the tower of the 
Blades of the Red Heart?"

> > Crulath smiles warmly. "But of course I do, lady. I would be my honor and 
pleasure if you would but allow me to lead you there."

Razz smiled radiantly in reply, glad that she's finally found someone who 
would help her. "Yes, please. Thank you, sir."

Crulath offers his arm, moving the other in a manner to show the way. "Milady."

Razz tentatively touched a small hand on the stranger's arm, not quite used to 
his polite gestures and words. "My name's Razz," she offered.

> > Crulath catches her hand and lightly kisses it. "A beautiful name, for a 
most beautiful lady." He places it on his arm, and begins to lead.

Razz's eyes widened in surprised as the stranger planted a gentle kiss on her 
hand, and blushed at the compliment. "Th-thank you," she murmured, and allowed 
herself to be led.

Blades Tower - Grand Hall
You stand just within the entrance of the tower of the Blades ofthe Red 
Heart.  The first level of the tower is taken up in a single Grand Hall, used 
by the Blades for everything from an assembly ground to a mess hall. 
Currently, about half the hall is layed out with long tables, and a few Blades 
trainees sit at them, or stand near them.  The rest is empty, swept clean to 
the red sandstone flooring.  In the center ofthe room is a narrow spiral 
staircase leading to the upper levels.	

Exits:  west

Crulath leads Razz into the hall with a grandiose gesture. "Here you are, 
Milady, Blades of the Red Heart Grand Hall."

Crulath asks: But, if I may ask, why here, of all places?

Razz breathed a sigh of relief as she arrived back at the tower. The people 
around here are starting to know her as the elf girl who's forever looking for 
her way back to 'the tower', though. Turning to the stranger, she smiled in 
gratitude. "Thank you, sir... And I live here."

> > Crulath takes Razz's hand in his, and again kissed it. "It was my 
pleasure, milady. May I ask how you came to be living in such a... warlike 
place?"

Razz took her hand back and held it with her other hand, still quite unused to 
this unusual gesture. "Warlike?"

> > Crulath bows. "Forgive me, if I offend, dear lady. I merely comment that  
this is a headquarters for a military guild."

Razz did not notice as a some students stopped and stared at the interaction 
between the handsome stranger and herself. They grew quite excited amongst 
themselves and started whispering in low voices. Nodding at Crulath's 
response, Razz looked thoughtful as she answered. "I don't know, I've always 
thought it's more like a school... And, well, Justin invited me here."

> > Crulath looks thoughtful for a brief moment. "Ahh, Justin. I've heard of 
him. Leader of these group here, yes? How did you two come to meet?"

Razz smiled at the mention of Justin's name. "You know him? Yes, he's one of 
the four founders of this place, I've been told. I was looking for my stuffies 
in the market... I've lost them a long time ago, though, but there wasn't 
really anything else for me to do. And I fell down, and Justin came and 
stepped on my hat, and he apologized, and we talked, and he invited me to the 
tower when I told him that I don't live anywhere. Then he bought me stuffies 
to replace the ones I lost. He's really nice."

Crulath smiles, and turns around.

Crulath produces another stuffy, and holds it out. "Like this?"

Razz blinked, and nodded.

> > Crulath gives you a moogle stuffy.

Razz took a closer look at the stuffy, and noted that there's something 
vaguely familiar about it.... "Shiroi!" the elf girl exclaimed, taking up the 
stuffy. "How did you do that??"

> > Crulath smiles widely. "Although Justin is indeed powerful, you may 
discover I have a few tricks up my sleeve.

Telarrin sneaks into the room, peering around the corner before entering, gun 
drawn.

Crulath claps his hands, and produces the other stuffy.

Razz looked in wonder as the man produced yet another stuffy. Hee-kitty! 
"Hee-kitty!" the elf girl voiced her surprise out loud. Cuddling them to her 
face, she turned astonishing eyes on the man. "Thank you.... what's your name, 
sir?"

Crulath bows. "Why, my lady, you do me an unexpected honor. I am called     
Crulath."

Razz smiled. "Thank you, Crulath."

> > Crulath says: You are welcome, most beautiful lady.

Razz blushed despite her confusion. Crulath is a strange man.

Crulath asks: I regret that I have pressing business elsewhere, but I hope     
to see you again, if you would allow me the honor and pleasure?

Razz says: Uhm, sure. I'll always be here... unless I'm lost again.

> > Crulath says: If you do get lost, my dear, simply call out my name, I 
can hear it.

Razz asks: Wow. How?

> > Telarrin flashes into view, only visible to Crulath, "Ancients shouldn't 
interfer with mortals."

Crulath smiles warmly. "As I mentioned, there are things I can do that     
others cannot."

Razz looked into Crulath's eyes, wondering.

> > Crulath says: I can teach you, if you like.

Crulath says: But later, perhaps.

Razz blinked. "Okay!" she replied with enthusiasm

Razz nodded.

> > Crulath bows deeply.

Crulath raises your hand to his lips and kisses it gently.

Crulath says: I bid you farewell, beautiful lady Razz.

Telarrin chuckles slightly, "Are you in love good Crulath?"

Crulath exits swiftly.

Crulath begins to move, so fast you can barely keep track. Seems like he's 
headed home.

Justin enters through the main doors, actually /visibly/ worried, now.  
Half an hour combing the woods, and no sign of-- "Oh."  Well, thank gods for 
that.  "Razz, where were you?"  His features rearrange into mildly concerned 
interest as he crosses the hall.  "I was just looking for you, but apparently 
you weren't out in the forest..?"

Razz pulled her gaze away from the main entrance of the grand hall, where the 
strange man had disappeared, and turned to Justin, relief rushing back to her 
as she remembered how she had been lost. "Justin!" Razz smiled brightly. "I 
was lost, but this man named Crulath took me back! And he found my old 
stuffies! Look!" The elf girl promptly held out the two stuffies. "See this is 
Hee-kitty, and Shiroi, and her eyes are still almost falling out..."

Justin blinks, several times.  "This... ahh... Crulath?  Really..."  He notes 
the obviously quite careworn stuffies, and muses a moment on Crulath.  He 
hasn't seen his fellow exile in... what... years, now.  "Mmh.  That was... 
ahh... ...bah.  There's no not-inane way to say that, is there?  It's good 
that you're back safe.  'Specially after last time."

Razz looked down for a moment, burying her face in her old stuffies. "Mmm-
hmm..." she looked up again after a moment. "Crulath's a nice guy, though he 
was a bit strange. He kept on kissing my hand and calling me beautiful."

Justin finds /that/ concept intriguing to say the least.  "Did he, now..?  
Well, I suppose he might, considering...  eh.  Did he leave, already?"

Razz nodded. "He said he'd come back, though. He also said that he can hear me 
if I call his name, and said that he'd teach me to do the same."

Razz asks: He seems to know you. Do you know each other?

Justin says: Crulath?  He's an... acquaintance of mine.  We share a bit of 
background.

Razz looked at Justin, waiting for him to go on.

Justin becomes aware that something more in the way of explanation is expected 
of him.  "He's from Delel, as well.  I told you about Delel." 

Razz's lips form an 'o' as she nodded in comprehension.

Razz finally took notice of the whispering/staring students, and looked to 
them wonderingly.

Justin has been weird in front of the students of the Blades for /far/ to     
long to notice their whispering and staring any longer.

> > Justin frowns, thoughtfully.  "What was that he was...you were saying 
he said?  You call out his name, and he'll hear it?  That sounds a bit beyond 
ordinary jennamaedanten, I think."

Razz looked confused... as she always does. "Jennamaedanten?" she asked, with 
a puzzled look in her icy blue eyes.

Justin repeats, "Jennamaedanten.  A way of applying pre-existing abilities in 
more effective ways."

Razz nodded, and looked thoughtful for a moment. Can Crulath really hear her? 
Like a child in many aspects, Razz decided to satisfy her curiosity 
immediately. "Crulath?" she called out tentatively.

Crulath asks: You called, milady?

Crulath bows deeply.

Razz blinked. "Wow, it realy works," Razz murmured to herself. "How did you 
get here so quick?"

> > Justin is unsuprised, somehow.  "Impressive, Crulath.  Planewalking, now?"

Crulath says: I have. . .increased my powers some.

Crulath turns to Justin, and nods. "Close enough, I suppose."

Razz looked to Justin, reminded of a question that she had been meaning to 
ask. "What's 'milady'?"

Crulath turns to Razz with a winning smile. "Why, but an honored greeting, 
beautiful one. If you would rather, I can call you something else."

Justin says: Interesting.  You must tell me someti--  A respectful mode of     
address, usually, Razz.

Razz shook her head, and went on with her next question. "Oh. What's 'slut' 
then?"

Crulath looks startled. "You wound me, lady. Never should one such as you 
be called as such. If you would but tell me the scoundrel's name, I will see 
he speaks it no more."

Justin gives Crulath thorough scrutiny.  Seems the same old Crulat-- 
Cough.  "Erm.  A term used by petty-minded people to describe those who're 
having more fun than they are."

Razz cocked her head in puzzlement, not understanding Crulath's words.

Razz asks: I wound you?

> > Crulath seems to blush for a brief moment. "Forgive me, beautiful lady, I 
meant it only as an expression. I would never allow you to be insulted so, and 
it grieves me to know that you have been."

Justin nods slowly.  "Indeed.  Who's been calling you what, Razz?  And wh... 
mmmh."  No, he can probably guess why, actually.

Razz looked back and forth between Justin and Crulath, uncertain of the exact 
meaning of the word, between Justin's calm indifference and Crulath's 
startling protectiveness. "Oh, some girls, I don't think I know them, 
actually. They passed by me when I went to my morning class."

Crulath says: Well, lady, you need but point them out, and I shall have a     
talk with them.

Razz looked uncertainly at Crulath, and looked back at Justin for help.

> > Justin nods, sagely.  "I might have expected as much.  They're, ahh, 
acting under flawed information.  I think it, ahh, might even be best if /you/ 
had a talk with them, I'd almost certainly just make it worse, unless I did 
something drastic."

Crulath coughs a bit, and mutters something under his breath.

Razz nodded, and turned her head to see if she could pick out the girls. She's 
not quite sure what the big deal is, though. Perhaps there's more to the name 
then what Justin's telling her. Scanning the crowd which had suddenly starting 
a shoe-staring contest, Razz spotted the three girls that had passed her and 
hissed the word at her torn ear that morning. It didn't take her too long 
before she spotted them, half concealed behind the hall entrance. "There they 
are," she pointed them out, and did not understand when they paled and 
disappeared out of  sight.

> > Crulath looks like he might have gone after them, but thinks better of it.

Justin watches Crulath, intrigued.  "So.  Crulath.  What brings you to 
Mallora?"

Crulath looks at Justin, up and down. "To be honest, the beautiful young     
lady. She seemed in such distress in the Temple of the Crystals that I could 
sense it. And hence, I went to her, to help her however I could."

> > Justin considers that, as a final answer, a bit vague to say the least, 
but he remembers that his own first encounter with Razz was quite similar.  
She really does make people want to help her, it's uncanny.  He nods, 
slowly.  "Thank you.  The Temple of the Crystals was... not somewhere it 
occured to me to go."

Razz looked up as something occured to her. "How old are you, Crulath?" she 
asked bluntly.

Crulath smiles broadly again. "My dear, that is a more difficult question than 
you know. On the one hand, I am a mere 376 years old. On the other. . .I am 
truly Ancient." Justin may just pick up the tone on Crulath's final word.

Razz's puzzled expression seems to be permantly plastered on her face, as she 
did not catch the twist in Crulath's words. She did, however, pick up that the 
last word was particularly directed at Justin, and looked to him for an answer.

Justin begins a dismissive wave.  For an elf, three hundred and seventy six 
years is just getting into the prime of life, it's hardly 'anci--  Hold on, 
run that back.  Did he /mean/ that?  "...Ancient.  Wise and Powerful, like, 
Crulath?"

Crulath has a knowing grin on his face. "Yes, my fellow Adralaenteriel. 
Wise and powerful, indeed."

Razz says: Adralaenteriel? (what a mouthful)

> > Crulath says: An emmissary, from Dele.

Justin is going to need a while to fully appreciate that, and he hasn't got a 
while right now, so he files it away in a compartment to be boggled over 
later.  "Adralaenteriel.  Refugee from Delel."  ('s only six syllables)

Razz nodded. "What about being acient?" she asked. (six syllables that I have 
no idea how to pronounce, english ain't my first language you know)

Crulath keeps his smile on his face. "Ancient. Merely, making a note of my 
age, my dear."

Justin will explain later, undoubtedly, but for now he just nods, grinning 
wryly.  "Thrice mine, yeah.  Practically decrepit."

Razz frowned, surely she had not imagined the twist in Crulath's words and the 
strange exchange between him and Justin, and looked to Justin for confirmation.

> > Crulath grins. "Indeed, indeed. But, with enough training, perhaps I 
can save our world anyway."

Crulath nods. "I hope to. . .But I don't know if I can, by myself."

Razz recalled Justin's account of his home world not too long ago, and 
shuddered again as she was reminded of the horrors that elves are being 
subjected to there.

> > Justin frowns, faintly.  "I trust you've kept in touch with the rest of 
us?  Perhaps someone has discovered something else?  Although, really, I don't 
see what could compare to what you've found.

Crulath nods at Justin. "Actually. . .there IS something. . ."

Razz has a little trouble following this conversation, but it's nothing that 
she isn't used to already.

Crulath says: And it directly, I think, concerns our most beautiful third     
party, here.

Razz blinked, as the topic took an unexpected turn onto herself.

> > Justin's frown deepens.  "Razz?  I should think you'd do best to talk to 
her about herself.  We know less than she does, almost by definition."

Crulath sighs. He creates a chair for himself, and Justin and Razz, and 
sits down. "You'll want to be seated for this."

Justin will remain standing, if it's all the same to all concerned.  He smirks 
faintly, briefly, at the conjuring trick, but this looks to be serious 
business.

Razz looked down and around at the chairs that appeared out of thin air, then 
quickly accepted the situation and sat down. Bracing her feet against the 
front legs of the chair, she listened attentively to whatever Crulath has to 
say.

Crulath nods. "I've been back to Delel. I didn't think it was possible, but I 
did it. My new power has allowed it. The elves are nearly discovered. The 
situation is getting worse. But there was a prophecy. One of the elders, 
before he died, predicted this."

Crulath says: The most powerful Adralaenteriel will beget a child with a most 
powerful off-worlder, and that child will save Delel.

> > Justin blinks.  "Predicted... Ahem.  You will most /definitely/ have to 
talk to Razz about that."  He blinks again, looks at Razz, blinks yet again, 
and coughs.

Razz's puzzled expression did not lift, even as Justin seems to 
understand. "What did you mean?" she asked.

Crulath says: Milady, I think you may be the offworlder that was prophesized.

Razz asks: Why?

> > Crulath says: There is a power in you, even I can sense it, that may save 
Delel.

Razz's ears dropped at the mention of the mysterious force that is being 
studied by Gareth and Reize, and she lowered her eyes. Hopefully she wouldn't 
have to go back to the sessions soon... Gareth seems to be less and less 
patient as the days wore on. But she still doesn't understand what Crulath was 
talking about. "So who's the most powerful Adralaenteriel?"

Justin is going to shut up now, and let Crulath make his own pitch.  We'll 
give you three guesses who the most powerful Adralaenteriel is, and it's not 
Himura.

Crulath sighs, and claps his hands. "That, I do not know."

Razz looked back at Justin again, unsure of the point of this conversation.

Justin shrugs elaborately.  "I don't know how many of us are left, even.  Me, 
Crulath, and Alfghar...and not Himura."

Crulath says: No one has been heard from on Delel, save us. I passed news of 
your deeds onto the elders, Justin.

Justin is a bit suprised at this.  "/My/ deeds?  What've I accomplished that's 
so impressive?  I can't even save three people."

Crulath says: You helped found a guild, here.

Justin makes a dismissive gesture.  "As the least powerful of five.  It's     
wholly independent of me, I assure you."

Crulath says: It bears further investigation, to be sure.

Justin shrugs again.  "I think you'd find elemental mastery difficult to apply 
on the scale necessary, and even more difficult to impart."

> > Crulath sighs. "Again, I have most pressing business elsewhere. Forgive 
me."

Justin salutes.  "I'm sure you can find us again, once you're free.  Do take 
care."

Razz nodded, and stood. "Okay, see you next time."

> > Crulath bows deeply.

Crulath disappears, almost instantly.

Razz turned to Justin. "What /were/ you talking about?"

> > Justin pokes at his unused chair with one toe.  After a moment, it     
dissipates into so much dust and mist.  "Saving Delel."

Razz cocked her head, waiting for Justin to elaborate. "I wasn't aware that 
you can."

> > Justin smiles a faint, rueful smile.  "That was rather the point I was     
making."

> > Justin loses his smile, and just looks sort of rueful now.  "He went 
on about not knowing who was more powerful, but, as he is become god, I think 
it rather obvious."

Razz asks: He's a god?

> > Justin nods.  "Nearest thing to it.  I don't think I even rank, compared 
to him."

Razz pondered this information. "Was that what the ancient thing was about?"

> > Justin nods again.  "The Ancients are mortals whom the Realms have seen 
fit to elevate."

Razz looked up in wonder. "Oh... so why did he say that he doesn't know who it 
is?"

> > Justin shrugs dismissively.  "Either he was being cute, or he grossly 
overestimates me."

Razz asks: Cute?

> > Justin says: Coy.  Subtle.  Indirect.

Razz asks: Oh... so what was the thing that we were suppose to do?

> > Justin blinks.  "Which thing who was supposed to do?"

Razz tried to recall exactly how one gets children. "Beget a child..." Well, 
you'd have to be married, she's pretty sure of that. And after that children 
just comes naturally, she thinks. Wait. "He wants me to marry him?!" Razz 
exclaimed.

Justin winces, slightly, as Razz starts in on 'Beget a child...', but untenses 
as she provides a change of subject on her own.  "He wants you to marry the 
most powerful Adralaenteriel."

Razz turned puzzled blue eyes on Justin. "I thought you said he is."

> > Justin shakes his head.  "He is /probably/ the most powerful 
Adralaenteriel in the Realms, but I cannot believe that the Realms are the only place to which Adralaenterial have ever been sent."

Razz nodded. "Well, for that matter, there are many other worlders who are 
more powerful than I."

> > Justin nods, but a bit skeptically.  "I suppose there are, at that."

Razz went on. "So why was he so convinced that I'm the one?"

> > Justin shrugs elaborately.  "Wishful thinking?"

Razz says: Hmmm.

Razz says: Well, even if it is me I wouldn't want to go and marry people I     
don't even know.

> > Justin nods.  "If he's really that serious about it, you'll probably get a 
chance to know him well beforehand.  If /I/ were you, I'd keep him around just 
to call in on annoyances like those girls who keep labelling you incorrectly."

Razz muttered a low "I don't want to marry him" before going on. "Is that name 
really bad?"

> > Justin isn't quite sure how to approach that.  "Well.  The intent is for 
you to be offended, by being called a prostitute.  If you honestly aren't 
offended, then it's harmless."

Razz frowned. "Why are they calling me a prostitute?"

> > Justin says: To make you angry.

Razz asks: But what did I do to them?

> > Justin shrugs elaborately.  "Probably nothing.  You look better than they 
think they do, maybe, or you've got the favor of someone they want the favor 
of."

Razz turned puzzled eyes on Justin. "Am I really that good-looking?"

> > Justin shrugs again.  Thank god for shoulders.  "If so many people are 
convinced of it, then you probably are."

Razz nodded, feeling mild disappointment, though she's unsure why. "Oh."

(skip to that night)

Razz, for some reason, couldn't quite shake the incident from her mind. Delel 
and its horrors... while she never quite forgot, the impact of the first time 
she's learned of 'neas' leaped back at her with a vengence. It was almost like 
a horror story... except that it's real. That night found Razz sleeping in 
Justin's bed, again. She hardly ever uses her own room now, really. Snug under 
the covers, Razz quickly fell into a deep slumber.

Justin is occupying the chair next to the bed, again, because, much like last 
time, if he doesn't stay in the room Razz follows him out.  He's making a 
rather half-hearted try for meditation, right now, but just achieving 
stillness and silence.

Razz found herself unable to move as she opened her eyes, it's almost as if 
she had never been in control of her body at all. There were men dragging her, 
and looking around Razz could see many other elves like herself, paralyzed 
into immobility and dragged by uniformed men. She did not know for sure where 
they are going, yet a nameless terror hung over the atmosphere, as if they 
were off to face a fate worse than death. They spoke in a strange tongue, 
these man. They went about their work with a grim expression, but it's no more 
than being worn from a tiring job. A scream broke out from the direction they 
were being carried off in, but it was quickly silenced. Chills went down 
Razz's spine, and she shuddered despite her apparant immobility.

Razz tried to speak, and ask where they were being taken, but found that her 
voice made not a sound in the world. It wasn't long, however, before she 
understood what is happening. While not recognizing the foreign language that 
is being used, the word "Neas" registered on her mind, and the rest followed - 
she's in Delel, and someone had paid a sizable sum for for her 'nea'. Unable 
to struggle, she attempted to scream, but nothing more than a slight gurgle 
manifested itself.

Razz watched in horror as they dragged her into a temple, where many ritual 
are being prepared. Some uniformed men inside held strange retractable claws, 
splattered with red and hanging strange matters by the hooks. A foul smell 
assulted her nostrils, and with a start she realized that those are entrails 
of slaughtered elves...

Razz felt extreme fear and panick come into her being, and it lended her 
strength as she suddenly threw off the restraining arms. Startled by this 
unexpected rebellion, the men lost their grip on her, and she stumbled on her 
fours, attempting to drag herself away from certain terrorifying death. 
However, it wasn't long before she was over taken again, and they dragging her 
back... No, no, no! She won't go! They can't do this! But no one gave her heed 
as she was forced into the middle of a circle, and her conscience flew as she 
watched the claw was driven into her body, a crystal held up as it sucked in 
her departing soul... and she was trapped within a yellow light - the crystal, 
and she knew that she will never get out again... with the last of her 
strength she screamed and pounded against the walls of the gem, though she has 
no form...

Justin's eyes snapped open, but he remained motionless, despite the screams, 
until he knew that they were coming from Razz, and that there wasn't anyone 
else in the room.  "Razz!  Wake up!"

Razz's screams did not stop immediately even as her eyes opened, so great was 
her terror that she could not help it. She trembled violently as she choked 
for air, her frame shook so hard it hurt. Her eyes were wide and her dark blue 
pupils were dilated as she shook, her teeth chattering from the remembrance of 
the nightmare.

Justin leans across the edge of the bed.  "Razz.  It's okay.  Whatever it     
was, it's over now."

Razz reached out and grasped the cloth around Justin's collar, her hands shook 
as she tried to talk, and nearly bit her tongue as her teeth wouldn't stop 
chattering.

> > Justin places his hand on Razz's shoulder, and holds his other hand up in 
a calming gesture, and waits for her to relax a little.

Razz tried to nod, but instead rocked her entire body back and forth. Her 
fingers turned white from the tight grip, and she clenched her teeths in an 
attempt to calm herself. It was a dream, it was a dream, she's not - she 
shuddered again, but managed to stay calm this time. "I- I-" the elf girl 
sucked in a deep breath. "I dreamed that I was in Delel and they killed me and 
trapped my soul in a nea," she got it all out in one breath and shuddered 
again.

Justin stares.  That's pretty bad, yes it is.  "That's a horrible dream.  But 
it's a dream nonetheless.  You're okay.  You're here.  You're, er..."  He 
plants a hand firmly on the bed.  "...about to pull me over on top of you if 
you keep hanging on like that."

Razz tried to unclench her fingers, and found that they were frozen in place. 
She closed her eyes in concentration and frowned, clenching her teeth. Jerking 
her head right and left, as it's the best head shake she could manage at the 
moment, she grounded out: "I can't."

Justin removes his other hand from Razz's shoulder, and adds it to his 
bracing.  "You can't?"  Huh.  He pulls back and takes a seat on the bed, 
pulling Razz into a sitting position as well, and raises his hands to hers, 
and then pauses.  While he undoubtedly could remove her hands from his collar, 
it'd probably hurt her.

Razz leaned into Justin, with her fingers still locked around his collar. She 
needs to feel his warmth, needs to smell his scent, needs to feel him 
near... "Talk to me, tell me something, help me forget it," she pleaded with 
her head laid over his shoulder. "Please..."

Justin can never think of things to talk about at times like this, darn the 
luck.  "Where were you going, earlier, that you ended up at the Temple?"

Razz drew another deep breath before answering. "Aah, I went into the forest 
like I used to... and I didn't like it there... so I took a shortcut to get 
out... and I've never been to that place before... so I didn't really know 
where I was going..."

> > Justin nods, slowly.  "Well, it turned out okay anyways, more or less.  I 
can get you a map of the area, if you think it'd help."

Razz looked up at Justin's eyes. "I can't read maps."

> > Justin frowns, faintly.  "What, at all?  That's unfortunate.  'll just 
have to show you, then, probably."

Razz laid her head back down, and nodded. "That'd be nice..." Trying to think 
of things to say, Razz thought about her day and was reminded of the odd 
atmosphere that kept on following her around the tower and the strange 
questions that people kept on asking. "People kept on asking me strange 
questions lately," she started, waiting for Justin's response.

Justin puts an arm around Razz's shoulders, a bit cautiously.  "Strange 
questions.  I'd really be interested to know what a strange question is, after 
that talk with Crulath."

Razz's eyelids dropped as she felt the arm wrap around her, feeling a lot more 
secure. "Mmm... people kept on asking me if I like you... and when I say that 
I do they get all excited... some people emphasized their point by 
saying 'like' twice... is there another meaning to the word 'like' than just liking someone?"

> > Justin feels odd having this talk with an almost-adult.  Quite odd 
indeed.  "Mmh.  'Like', in that context, is generally used to imply a romantic 
interest of some sort."

Razz nodded, and yawned. "Well, why do people keep on asking?"

> > Justin shrugs one shoulder.  "Because they're all terribly interested in 
everyone else's love life?"

Razz's words became somewhat slurred as she went on. " 'ver used to as'k 
before... An' I don't see them as'king anyone els'..."

> > Justin is going to spend yet another night with Razz using him as a 
pillow, it seems.  "They tend to focus their attention on an individual 
whenever they get a hint that he or she actually has a love life."

Razz nodded. "Why do they think I do?"

Justin grins a fairly rueful grin.  "You remember, that one morning, I was     
talking to that girl when you came out?  That's why."

Razz blinked slowly. "I don't understand."

> > Justin shrugs again.  "You don't have to, really.  They've all got over-
active imaginations, and they were told, more or less, that you'd been 
spending nights in my rooms."

Razz nodded again, even more sluggish than before. "Mmm, so do you?"

Justin blinks, a few times.  He looks down at Razz, and echoes her question 
back.  "Umm, do I..?  Do I what?"

Razz nodded, a vague response reflex. "Like me, like they ask."

> > Justin wants you all to take a moment and review the scene here.  He's 
sitting, on a bed, with his arms around a quite pretty girl, who has just 
asked him if he likes her.  There's only one answer he could possibly give, if 
he's still alive and male.  Do we know what it is?  Say it with him, 
now, "...Yes, I think I do."

Razz smiled faintly, brushing her forehead under Justin's chin, almost like a 
kitten. "I like you..." the words came out with her last semi-conscious 
breath, and she became emerged in slumber. Her fingers, though relaxed, still 
hung on to his collar.

> > Justin puts his other arm around Razz, then, and adjusts a bit so that 
he's got a wall to lean against.  He sighs, very quietly.  Well.  Where does 
all of this leave him, anyways?  He tips his head down, and shuts his eyes, 
and settles in to try to collect his obviously pretty scattered thoughts.