Obviously Lurbe's last note was directed towards me. So I suppose I'll shut up... except to say that in a way, this goes out to Chaos Shadowcaster, who apparently doesn't like mesmers very much.

Mesmer Issues

"Aren't you happy for me?" Pai said with a cheery smile, ignoring the plate set with food before her, "I'm officially minoring in the domination arts. Lo Sha is so happy with my progress too; he says I'll make a great mesmer, although maybe that's because he couldn't stop staring at my chest... How's your necromancy going?"

"Fine," Klaos shrugged, finishing off the last of the fried radishes on his plate, "Su's a bit rough, although I guess she may just be PMSing. But as we were saying."

"About that brawl the Guardsmen told us to help them break up? Or about Master Togo's request to meet him in the sewers? Can't imagine why he didn't pick a more cheerful place."

"We've got a plan at any rate," Klaos said, reaching over the table to pick at Pai's uneaten almond bean curd skins, "What we'll do is go and meet Togo in the evening, and by that time the brawl will have already started, so I'm sure that whatever side we choose will be more than grateful for the help. I myself am partial to the Brotherhood, but I know you'd probably prefer the Am - "

"How nice," Pai cut in abruptly, and matched Klaos's puzzled glance with a grin.

"Er," he continued awkwardly, "yes. Very. But anyway, whichever side we choose, we'll make a friend but we'll also alienate the oth - "

"Mm-hmm."

With a slightly more irritated stare, Klaos disregarded her and continued. "The brawl won't end every - "

"How true."

" - won't end everything," the assassin persisted through gritted teeth, "what we've got to do is determine which side of the city we've got more business in, the Byway or the Market - "

"Oh, I know."

Klaos's cool demeanor snapped. "Pai, what in the burning hells of Ascalon is your problem?"

"Don't you see?" she asked happily, "I'm interrupting you."

Klaos stared. "What do you m - "

"See?"

"You understand, Pai darling," the assassin said testily, "that isn't a spell; it's just an annoying personality trait that might get you beaten up later if you aren't careful."

"Not if all men are like Lo Sha... or you, in fact. Stop staring at those."

"For Lyssa's sake, it's a male reflex. Get used to it. And keep them off the table!"