07-22-2005 21:04:32 Entering Mera Heights. Medika has joined the team.
Medika: Good evening, Horn. It's good to hear your voice again.
Mr. Horndiggity: It’s good to hear yours too, Medika; the Horn has missed you.
Medika: And I, you; more than you can imagine.
Mr. Horndiggity: Well, the Horn has been accused of being unimaginative at times.
07-22-2005 21:12:14 Entering New Sparta.
Malichi Samson: Hello Horndiggity, I'm Malichi, But most just call me Mal for short.
Mr. Horndiggity: The Horn is pleased to make your acquaintance.
The group takes on a DE mission from the Trashcanman.
Afterwards, Medika and Horn emerge together from the cave.
Medika: I love sunset here in Paragon.
Mr. Horndiggity: Yeah, it’s very nice.
Medika: <lightly> It reminds me of you, rose and gold and purple and flaming.
Mr. Horndiggity: Never got sunsets where the Horn used to dwell.
Medika: <soberly> Yes, I imagine you did not.
Mr. Horndiggity: At sunset, even Perez Park is pretty.
Medika: If you can see the sunset, then Perez Park is not so intimidating.
Mr. Horndiggity: <laughing softy> Good point.
Mr. Horndiggity: <noting the healer’s pensive expression> No need to be sad. That is over for now, and the Horn cherishes every moment up here in the world of sun and seasons.
Medika: It is a world to be cherished: ice cream and strawberries, mowed grass and autumn leaves. And all the varied peoples -- with hopes and dreams.
Mr. Horndiggity: Yes, the Horn would do anything to protect it.
The demon watches the sun go down.
Mr. Horndiggity: One of the Horn's favorite memories of Paragon is standing on a rooftop overlooking Perez at sunset, back when he was still afraid of the park.
Medika: <soft amazement> You, Horn? Afraid of anything?
Mr. Horndiggity: Certainly. Even though the Horn has suffered, pain never completely loses its bite... but falling is even scarier. And the feeling of the teleporters grabbing him while he feels the ground pulling him in is a bit of a thrill. <There is a thoughtful pause.> The Horn fears having to go back.
Medika: Oh.
Mr. Horndiggity: To having to...to go back to the work assigned him.
Medika: <anxiously> What would take you back?
Mr. Horndiggity: No idea. The Circle may be able to send the Horn back.
Medika: Then -- you have no idea how to protect yourself from it.
Mr. Horndiggity: Indeed.
Medika: <firmly> We shan't ever let you fall into their hands. The Circle must be tamed.
Mr. Horndiggity: The Horn knows there are rules to these kinds of things, but not what they are. It has been hard for him to talk to the mystics of the city. The Horn needs to spend some time talking to the fellow in Founders.
Medika: Do the mystics -- not understand what you are?
Mr. Horndiggity: Usually right away. The Horn can see it in their eyes.
Medika: So <softly> they fear you?
Mr. Horndiggity: <quite softly> Yes, yes, they do.
Medika reaches out her hand to touch Horn's arm lightly.
Medika: That's a shame.
Mr. Horndiggity puts his hand over Medika's hand holding it lightly.
Mr. Horndiggity: It is, and it makes it all the more surprising that you -- one of the most gentle the Horn has ever met -- is not
Medika: Hell itself has lost some of its fear for me... knowing that you came from there.
Mr. Horndiggity: <chuckling darkly> Hell is a terrifying place, Medika; do not think to judge it by the Horn you see here now.
Medika: I think I was afraid of you once. I was afraid of many things.
Mr. Horndiggity: You were. But it did not seem to be because the Horn was a demon so much so as... <He paused>: as you seem to be afraid of almost every man that is larger than you -- or you used to be. The Horn could see you startle sometimes.
Medika: Sometimes I am still afraid of men -- or rather, of what some big men can do. But ...
Mr. Horndiggity: Well, the easy thing here to say -- supposes the Horn -- is that you can see what you can do now and are able to protect yourself.
Medika: I can protect myself and others now. And so I fear things that I can not protect others from.
Mr. Horndiggity nods in agreement
Mr. Horndiggity: But it’s more than that. The time you spent fighting along side of Blur has changed you some.
Medika nods.
Medika: Fighting -- killing -- how can it not change one, Horn?
Mr. Horndiggity: Perhaps if one is truly hard of heart…. But that is not you, Medika.
Medika: I pray never to be hard, Horn.
Mr. Horndiggity: There are times you will have to be.
Medika: As long as there are people to care for, perhaps I will earn my way out of the part of hell I earned for myself in the war.
Mr. Horndiggity: Well…
Medika: Or will earn again. Time travel is -- strange.
Mr. Horndiggity: Indeed. Not sure how that is dealt with.
Medika: I don't suppose your -- former employer gave you dossiers on all the souls that were your business...
Mr. Horndiggity: Yes...yes, they did; they gave the Horn their lives so he could see.
Medika: Oh. <eyes wide> Oh, dear.
Mr. Horndiggity: He could know, but often he could not tell for sure why they were there.
Medika: Oh, Horn. How horrible for you -- to be forced to see so much of humanity's wickedness.
Mr. Horndiggity: The really terrible ones were the easiest. They were a pleasure, as the Horn was gifted with empathy so that he would know best how to do his job -- and it was easier to hate the bad ones. But even in the wickedest the Horn would see the occasional kindness, and knew that all of humanity was not such. It is wonderful to meet people in Paragon
Medika: It is so easy to hate; I try so very hard never to give in to it. Humanity is good!
Mr. Horndiggity: That is the Horn's hope.
Medika hugs the Horn impulsively.
Medika: It's true. I'm so very sure of it!
Mr. Horndiggity wraps his arms around Medika and holds her tight.
Medika: The best shine so brightly that even the worst can be brightened by their light.
Mr. Horndiggity: The Horn learned about heroes through the eyes of villains and criminals.
Medika: I've always wondered how a villain saw his nemesis.
Mr. Horndiggity: It was a wonderful thing to see … and then to get the opportunity to be one.
Medika: <softly> You are a wonderful hero, Horn. I wish...
Mr. Horndiggity: Thank you. <smiling widely> Wish what?
Neither party notices as Malichi exits the caverns at the couple’s backs.
Medika: No. I don't wish it any more.
Mr. Horndiggity raises his eyebrow.
Medika: But there were times in the past three years -- my time, subjective time -- when I wished you'd been there to help.
Mr. Horndiggity: The Horn wishes he could have been there for you too.
Medika: I don't know why you weren't there.
Malichi Samson keeps quiet and just moves on to go talk to his contact, not wanting to interrupt.
Mr. Horndiggity looks thoughtful.
Medika: So -- if the Circle really do try to get you --
Mr. Horndiggity: Or if or if or if…
Medika: That's just another piece of the future that we will have to change!
Mr. Horndiggity smiles.
Mr. Horndiggity: You have free will, Medika: no one can take that away.
Medika smiles in return.
Mr. Horndiggity: You were given that by your creator, and neither time travel nor prophecy can take that away. Remember that those are both ways to lose heart and lose track of yourself.
Malichi Samson turns the volume on his communicator down so not listen to a clearly private conversation.
Mr. Horndiggity: Blur is lost in his future. He does not know that he needs to live now in his past.. You visited his future, Medika, not yours -- would be the Horn's guess.
Medika: In some measure, I agree.
Mr. Horndiggity: How could there be only one future if you all have free will?
Medika: Rush needs to live in the now. Blur... Blur... has shown me .. and Angel.. turning points that we can affect. I want Blur's future to be none of ours!
Mr. Horndiggity: Yes, yes, indeed.
Mr. Horndiggity: So shall we get ice cream or fight crime?
Medika: <smile> Both are good in their own place.
Mr. Horndiggity smiles brightly. A new team task has been chosen.
Mr. Horndiggity: The Horn keeps hearing one of the Champions has an ice cream machine that he takes with him, but, sadly, never has met him.
Medika: Ah! Yes. Lady Blur has mentioned that Rime Fang passed out ice cream during one of their missions.
Mr. Horndiggity: Yeah. That’s the guy
Mr. Horndiggity: Oh and the Horn enjoyed posing for you.
Medika: Did you? You have a great deal of patience, Horn. And -- and -- <blushes> I liked drawing you.
Mr. Horndiggity: Well, it helped that it was your eyes on the Horn. <smiling a little wickedly> : Now let’s go see if Joe needs a hand.
Medika: Yes. <still blushing brightly>
Mr. Horndiggity: Xochi would be so sad if anything happened to him.
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