Young Writers Society

As with Aegeas, so with Raiden. Though Raiden was asleep on the floor.

Bo looked around at those sleeping, sprawled out on the floor and otherwise. He turned his attention back to Codix and Nadira. "Do you need, uh, napkins or a towel or something? There's probably a bathroom somewhere. Maybe you could go with Nadira to clean up."

"That's probably a good idea," Codix said with a nod, Nadira shooting him a dirty look out of the corner of her eye. He didn't feel the slightest bit of remorse for getting Boris's barf all over her; that was what she deserved for laughing instead of helping earlier!


It was time for a change of plans.

Bo nodded. "Why don't you go with him, Nadira. We'll all stay here until you get back. And - god forbid - but if anything happens and you guys aren't back in say, fifteen minutes, we'll go out to get you. Okay? "

It was more than a little difficult getting the barf out of Nadira's shirt, but they managed to both tidy up and return to the library in a relatively short amount of time. When they did return, Maahes had found a seat to read in, and was currently next to a very large pile of books.

Codix picked up one of the books and started reading through it beside him, with Nadira going through the data in the console. Minutes turned to an hour in a rather short amount of time. Before long, Codix's head was starting to droop, and he was beginning to doubt that he'd be able to read through the technobabble for much longer.

And that was when Kartiel appeared in the doorway.

He seemed fully sober now, and his outfit had been replaced with clothes that were all in different shades of black - it should have looked incredibly goth, but it somehow just looked professionally evil.

Bo, sitting in one of the many couches, looked up from his book (of which, he’d only been looking at the pictures) and looked Kartiel up and down.

“Looks like someone’s feeling better!” he said with a small grin. “Nice outfit. Very black. It says: I take villainy seriously.”

I picked up on a prime opportunity for mocking Kartiel, and effortlessly summoned an appropriately condescending brand of congratulation, barely looking up from my repose on the couch.

"Yes, the subtle sobriety of the outfit does wonders to distract from your chronic compulsion to advertise. My commendations for your understated sensibilities, I knew you had it in you.

Now, what have you in store for us, this bright new morn? Your ironing, perhaps?" I asked, with sardonic optimism.

Raiden woke up to the sound of black clothes moving. He opened his eyes and looked towards the door, where Kartiel was standing. Sleepily, he yawned and said, "You're two boobs away from being a big tiddy goth gf."

Kartiel gave a look that bordered between a glare and exhausted to both Boris and Raiden, seeming to subconsciously flick his coat back in the process. "I've given you enough time to relax and try to poke fun at me-"

"Try?" Codix repeated. "I think we were pretty successful."

Kartiel gave him that same look he had just given Raiden and Boris. "As I was saying, I've finished my research on this part of the trial. Something tells me you won't enjoy this next part half as much as I will, but I don't really care." An absolutely malicious smile danced across his lips. "You'll all be going through the stargate. Even though you never were meant to be part of the trial, Maahes, you'll be included. I need as much data as I possibly can get, and why refuse another test subject?"

I addressed Kartiel once more, looking in his direction slightly more than the last time.

"I don't suppose you'll allow us a hint of what lies beyond? Just as well. I wouldn't trust a word from you if my mother's life depended on it.

But if one really thinks about it, factoring in your capabilities, I suppose it was generous for you to give us some advance warning, for once. Thank you, I'm sure that must have been very difficult for you. But please, pace yourself, we wouldn't want you getting hurt."

I dropped the faux concern, and addressed the rest of our companions.

"What are we doing, about Aegeas? If nobody else volunteers to attempt waking him, I shall endeavour to try, but I wouldn't be surprised if he remained out for another hour or so." I looked back to Kartiel again.

"I'm sorry for Aegeas' utter disregard for your schedule. And after you went to the pains of informing us, at the last minute." I tutted disingenuously. "I shall have a word with him later."

"Don't worry about Aegeas," Kartiel said, strolling over to the sleeping otter. "I can take care of him."

Codix really didn't like the sound of that. He couldn't help but think that Kartiel was going to do something incredibly evil to him - that seemed to be the vibe he was going for right now. But the only thing that happened was a quietly uttered phrase under his breath, and an unusual warmth.

Kartiel took a step back and surveyed Aegeas. Then he turned his back to the otter and strode back over to the doorway. Once he was facing the group again, he looked in Boris's direction. "He should be waking up any moment, and his hangover should be significantly less severe - I doubt the people who I have in mind for the next round will be getting drunk during their time here." He gave him a smile that didn't reach his eyes. "I'd do the same for you, Boris, but I'm not feeling generous right now."

Having run out of bother, I closed my eyes, rolled over on the couch, and gave him an obscene hand gesture.

For a few more seconds, Aegeas lay there, unmoving. Then he bolted upright, coughing and wheezing. He felt awful - freezing, thirsty, a mild headache. He must've been drinking at least a bit, though he couldn't quite remember what had happened in the past few hours. Or, however long he'd been asleep. Wait, didn't he have worse hangovers than this? What was -

He blinked his eyes open, looked around, and groaned. Yep, he was still on Atlantis. The others were still here. He was still covered in blood. Aegeas had hoped it was all a dream, but the evidence to the contrary was right in his face.

"What's going on?" he said, rubbing his eyes. "Is Kartiel here?"

(The otter was, of course, facing the other way from the god).

"He is," Maahes confirmed. He raised a hand and pointed in Kartiel's direction. "He's standing right behind you."

Ugh. Whatever sense of hope he still had drained away as he stood up, turned around, and glared into the eyes of the god.

Aegeas crossed his arms. "Is it too much to ask that you're hungover? And what kind of awful plans do you have to kill us today?"