- Shari -
We are back on the road.
Just Liqu and I.
.
.
.
Sigh!
Just now I realize how much it helped to have other folks aside from Liqu around me.
Now it is just her.
And I've got the feeling she became bolder.
She’s actively seeking contact now.
It’s just above the cloaks, but it’s interfering with my walking.
I can push her away, but it doesn't take long till she is back.
This happens now the entire time!
She is totally in couple mode!
"Liqu, stop this now!" (Shari)
"But why?" (Liqu)
"Because it's annoying! You said once that you didn’t want anything more from me? That being near me was enough?!" (Shari)
"Did I?" (Liqu)
"Don't act like that! I know for sure that you can remember almost everything because I do too! You said just one-sided admiration and no couple stuff! Right now you're trying to force me to reciprocate!" (Shari)
"Uhh, but it's so nice! Just the two of us, walking like this." (Liqu)
"Then did you lie to me at that time as well?" (Shari)
"No I didn't, but..." (Liqu)
"What but? What it is that is making you contradict yourself?" (Shari)
"I... I started to love you! You are just so wonderful that I want to show the whole world that we belong together!!! Ever since you saved me I can barely contain myself around you! But... you don't like it. Especially not when others see. I know that and so I try to endure. But right now no one else is here to make you feel embarrassed about it, so it's fine!" (Liqu)
What have I done?
I made this already obsessed slime fall even deeper into her desire.
It seems everything I do backfires on me.
Like this, I have no real way to ban her from getting close.
I could try to order her, but this has its limits and will get less effective when repeated.
To be perfectly honest, it’s all just one big bluff.
In the first place, I need her and can't easily proceed completely by myself.
Even if I would make my threat come true and leave Liqu behind, this wouldn't prevent her from doing something undesirable.
Nothing can keep her from enforcing her will and she is the stronger one.
I already shudder at the thought of what she could do.
The biggest horror might be forced linking.
I've noticed that she can move during that action a bit.
This might imply... shiver... that she could... just swallow my core and take me with her.
Absolute horror!
With possibilities like these, I’d rather keep Liqu the way she is now instead of cornering her and provoking some desperate action.
And all that leads to this.
"Is there anything that would satisfy you enough to leave me be for the rest of the way?" (Shari)
"Umh, what do you mean?" (Liqu)
"It's simply annoying when you are this clingy. So is there any alternative which would make you calm down?" (Shari)
"Linking!!!" (Liqu)
How fast did she come to this?!
"You know that I hate that! It's as if my thoughts are no longer my own!" (Shari)
"This is the great part about that! We couldn't be any closer than we were back then." (Liqu)
"But I hate it! I don't want you to intrude in my body! And worse, my mind!" (Shari)
"Then you can do it!" (Liqu)
"Pardon?" (Shari)
"I-It doesn’t have to be much. A finger is enough. And just a second. Or less!" (Liqu)
"Less than a second?" (Shari)
"Yes, this would be absolutely enough!" (Liqu)
"And you will stop then? Without any complaints for the rest of the way?" (Shari)
"Yes, yes, yes! Certainly!" (Liqu)
It wouldn’t be the first time, so doing this isn't too bad.
Also, a finger barely counts as having contact.
I think I can cope.
"Urrgh, fine! Just the tip of the finger!" (Shari)
She is far too eager about this.
I slip a hand out and hold it towards her, still taking some time to look around on the empty road.
This is still a major trade route, so I have to be careful about any gawkers.
Liqu on the other hand doesn't seem to have these kinds of concerns and directly bares her stomach and core to me.
A strip with very unsettling implications.
I would have preferred a handshake only with the fingers, but it seems like that was asking for too much.
I feel uneasy, but at her expectant look, nearly bursting in anticipation, I can't possibly retreat anymore.
And I gave my word.
So I try to disconnect my visual input and extend forward until I feel contact.
And hell, how I feel it.
- "I LOVE YOU!!!" (Liqu)
- "I LOVE YOU!!!" (Liqu)
- "I LOVE YOU!!!" (Liqu)
Immediately I cut the connection.
So much for that!
"Uhh, wasn't a little less possible?" (Shari)
"No!" (Liqu)
"Fine, you've got what you wanted, now keep your part!" (Shari)
I rub the tip of my finger which still tingles with some kind of reverberating sensation.
It's really a bit much.
A wave of emotions, that completely drown your own thoughts and makes it difficult to differentiate between yourself and the other.
"Yes! Sure! Whatever you wish for!" (Liqu)
It seems like she’s capable of listening.
That at least is a plus.
And she doesn't demand any more than this, which shows that I can trust her.
After this awkward episode, the rest of the journey proceeds smoothly.
Different from my other tours with Liqu, this time we are on a road that has actual traffic.
Like this, we see other people around.
The merchants on their carriages are a little suspicious of us because of our attire, but since we don't do anything to them it’s fine.
There are also some patrols on the way, but our guild cards work wonders for those.
Liqu got quite nervous with them, probably because she had previous encounters that didn't go so well, but not to the degree that we got into any problems.
It's not like they can arrest anyone on this road who looks even remotely suspicious.
Yet they probably could've demanded from us to take off the masks.
If anything, with this I could prove to Liqu that my actions until now had reasons behind them.
Eventually, we reach our destination; the waypoint to the count's estate!
This is a fairly frequently traversed road, which connects the capital and Ekoras.
There's a steady exchange of the riches of the Evergrove for supplies and common goods, which means there are reasons to keep it in good shape.
We’re quite a distance from both towns, and there is a third path from here that leads to an important person.
For this reason, it's not too surprising that a small settlement and tavern formed at this junction.
While I lack knowledge about the political influences in this area, it might even belong to the count, we are going to visit.
It looks at least better than my own village.
Some wealth must accumulate here with all the wares that pass through.
The houses look well-built, partly made of stone, and it’s clean, to a degree.
The local folk are still a worrisome kind, as we are just halfway gone from Ekoras, and these lands are still wild.
The capital doesn’t have the best reputation either.
I see some guards in blue uniforms, with black-golden emblems, but that doesn’t mean much regarding public order.
Especially not if I think about Ekoras.
In any case, it should be a distinguishable enough place to meet up with the others.
Since I cannot see Elin or Lidan I decide to enter this place to look for them.
Together with Liqu...
What could possibly go wrong?
Liqu and Shari, sitting in a tree, L-I-N-K-I-N-G!
(Sorry, couldn't help myself)
I think I'm going to keep a tally of Shari stating nothing could go wrong. I'm almost beginning to wonder if she's aware of how she keeps jinxing things like this and has started doing it on purpose by now. Sort of in a, trouble will find me anyway so it doesn't matter if I jinx it, kind of way.
and then she goes on saying that she can't do magic
At least she actively seeks contact.
Just above. the cloaks, yet it's interfering with my walking. -> maybe “She’s actively seeking contact now. It’s just above the cloaks, but it’s” ?
And this happens now almost the whole time. -> This was happening the entire time!
Didn't you say once that you don't want me to be your consort!" -> maybe “Did you once say that you didn’t want anything more from me? That being near me was enough?” ?
Don't act like this! > like that!
I know for safe that you can remember almost everything -> for sure that
This here is forcing me to partake!" -> is trying to force me to reciprocate!”
Uhh, but. it's so nice! -> but it’s
is that makes you contradicting yourself? -> that is making you contradict
one else is here to be embarrassed about it -> maybe “here to make you feel embarrassed about it”?
It seems all I do backfires at me. -> everything I do backfires on me.
but this has its limits and will lose weight the more do so. -> but that has its limits and will get less effective when repeated.
And to stay true here, it is all just one big bluff. -> To be perfectly honest, it’s all
from enforcing her will.
And she is the stronger one. -> will and
With possibilities as these, I rather keep Liqu the way she is now, before cornering her and provoking any desperate actions from her side. -> possibilities like those I’d rather keep Liqu the was she is now instead of cornering her and provoking some desperate action.
What leads to this: -> And all that leads to this.
How fast came this?! -> How did it get to that point so fast?!
I-It mustn't be much. -> I-It doesn’t have to be much.
This slime bares directly her free stomach along with core at me. -> She directly bared her stomach and core to me.
but this seems like it's asked too much. -> but it seems like that was asking for too much.
expectant look, nearly bursting in anticipation I can't possibly -> anticipation,
finger which still tingles in some kind of reverberating sensation. -> tingles with some
Seems like she is capable to listen. > It seems like she’s capable of listening.
Like this, we see other peoples around. -> people
because of our attire.
Yet as we don't do anything to them it!s fine so far. -> attire, but since we haven’t done anything to them it’s fine. For now.
There are also some patrols on the way but for these, our guild cards work wonders. -> way, but for those our
previous encounters.
But not to the -> encounters, but
If anything I could prove to Liqu that my actions until now had some intent. -> anything, ...now had reasons behind them.
reach our destination: The waypoint! -> ; the
Also, we are here quite some distance apart from both of these towns, and in addition, there splits a third path to an important individual. -> maybe “We’re quite a distance from both towns, and there is a third path from here that leads to an important person.” ?
And the capital hasn’t the best reputation either. -> The capital doesn’t have the
but this mustn't mean much regarding public order. -> but that doesn’t mean much
With this, it's no surprise that a small settlement along with a tavern came at this junction into existence. > maybe “It isn’t too surprising that a small settlement and tavern popped up at this junction.” ?
“What could possibly go wrong?”
I don’t actually think this is Shari raising flags. I think she already expects things to go sideways and this is her way of going “In what way will things go spectacularly wrong this time?”
Liqu is slowly wearing Shari down...victory by inches. She’s definitely helped ease Shari being a slime girl now, Shari would have just flat out panicked and refused if this kind of thing came up earlier.
Liqu-“Yay! Shari put some of herself inside me! And of her own will!”
Shari-“Liqu! Phrasing!”
Thx for the chap
What could possibly go wrong?
So many things
Nah, Liqu in a tavern. I couldn't possibly imagine how she could screw up any social interactions.
"Urrgh, fine! Just the tip of the finger!" (Shari)
- just the tip!
What could possibly go wrong?
Flag set and raised!
Liqu my beloved sociopathic borderline slime. Codependent in the extreme and views everything on certain scales of threat and usefulness.
with all the yest in certain beers, does that mean some beer could be great for liqui...? or maybe sour dough that has to sit and is dough full of yeast before it's cooked...
That would be a strange --- food preferences....
I won't deny the miraculous transition to beer. Yet there isn't enough magic in the ingredients to supply her effectively. But more bacteria in the food would be more advantageous for her.
"What could possibly go wrong?"
I'm almost 367% certain that Shari has some kind of learning disability.
Everything with her learning is good, just the author of the novel is trying to fill the novel with far-fetched events.
Well, so far this does not lead to a special hack for him, so let him work as best he can.
@torvn77 Could I ask what exactly is farfetched here? I don't see anything that had no reason to happen.
@expentio Honestly, the most farfetched part has to be excused as being "utterly necessary," because it kind of sets up the whole story.
As for everything else... while those kind of events wouldn't be likely to happen one after another... they are so common in books anymore that you just have to turn a blind eye to how much trouble the title of "protagonist" attracts.
That could actually a funny line in a LITRPG...
@Piisfun Directly in the title screen.
Protagonist: The wielder of this title draws trouble like moths the light, but will survive as long certain conditions aren't met.
(new chapters Formicea are up located behind Chapter 17)
@expentio
Liqu is an experienced predator who knows how to track down its prey and at the same time is able, after absorption, to borrow certain successful solutions of the organisms it absorbed, which means that he had to develop his sense of smell no worse than that developed in modern service dogs and, thanks to his mind, be a virtuoso in his use.
And so you put a statement in his mouth about the inability to find traces of Lidan, which even for a modern dog handler will look like an unconvincing excuse for a lazy person.
What is this if not breaking the Liqu image so that you can continue the plot in the direction you want?
____________________________________________________________
Further, I do not understand how Shari can be so lighthearted about the fact that Lidana might face another ambush or not worry about the fact that the escaped bandits will reveal her connection with the monster.
And not to mention the possibility that those two bandits did not retreat at all, but moved to the side to create an ambush to intercept the fleeing Liqu, Shari and Lidan and get caught.
How could the normally caring Shari be so light-hearted about the possibility of such a turn of events?
You again broke the character of the character in order for the novel to develop in the direction you need.
@torvn77 It isn't really a sense of smell though?
I would say it is more of a general sense of direction and distance to the target, but it doesn't work if the target is too far away.
Nor have we seen her actually copy any solutions without directly being pushed by Shari to do so. She tends to come up with her own solutions.
-----
Even tracking dogs would have trouble if the target hits a river, then swims either up or downstream before exiting.
@torvn77 First, they can't copy anything. Liqu can pay extreme attention to the surrounding air composition by dissolving it and like this try to find something similar. This isn't similar to a bloodhound, but more a vicinity scan. The problem here was that Shari just sprayed blood everywhere. That's distracting. And Liqu wasn't much cleaner. In addition, it's exhausting to keep this scan up.
Even more, quite some time went by till Liqu was done and found Shari. And Shari believes they're slower than humans, because of their leg problems (the reason why they stayed in the first place. She also believes that Elin takes a safe path through the forest. Why should there be another ambush? Elin is an expert scout, as one could see when she evaded the patrols in Ekoras, so there's not too much need to worry.
She extra asked Liqu if she was seen, who said no. If there are no witnesses they can't even tell what killed the men, so there isn't much to link. And to believe that two hired men who just lost all their comrades just proceed with the mission is a bit farfetched. They heard their friends scream.
@extio It is not strange for you that where it is convenient for YOU, Liqu is very developed, but where it should have been convenient for Liqu, but prevented you from directing the plot, it is miraculously helpless?
You may not aim to manipulate the character's abilities and actions to direct the plot in the direction you want, but from the outside it looks like that.
@torvn77 On the other side one could say that that's simply the limit. She can find something close by, maybe even some blocks. But it's just for that. I'll never have her sniffing something out that's miles away, that's not possible. It's just a convenient ability so she knows where the next prey is and like this she trained it. Here everywhere is blood, which would be the prey she goes for. Checking air is just possible if it wasn't too long ago and there aren't too many interferences.
And that she was too slow to run was established.
@expentio
On the other side one could say that that's simply the limit.
Your problem is solved quite simply, Liqu is primarily mucus, which is the habit of leading a slow and sedentary lifestyle of mucus, and therefore the sense of smell, which is needed for an active pursuit of a prey located several kilometers away, is simply not interesting to her. She could partially develop him by comparing her sense of the earth in places where there were different animals, but since he did not try to actively search for prey, he did not receive significant development.
And on the other hand, a magical detection that allows you to navigate in one, specific place and perceive what suits him itself has received the greatest development from him, especially since Liqu has magical foundations of life, not biochemical ones, and therefore such an ability is closer to him.
Please note that such an explanation relies on the plot and the possible way of life of the slime, at least until he realized himself and began to look for comrades, and this is much better than invented and contradictory explanations.
My Liqu can grow a nose right now, but he does not do it, not because he cannot, but because it simply did not occur to him.
But you couldn't write Liqu with such a creature.
But it's just for that. I'll never have her sniffing something out that's miles away, that's not possible.
Checking air is just possible if it wasn't too long ago and there aren't too many interferences.
And this is not required.
We have very extensive forests in Russia, and when a violation of the state border is detected, people who have violated the border are tracked down with the help of dogs and, as you might guess, the dog does not get to the scene of the violation immediately, but say after forty minutes, during which the violator has time to run far enough away.
At the same time, the very pursuit of a group of violators can last for more than 10 miles (they run well) and naturally they try to confuse the tracks, as they noticed above, they run along the streams, scatter red pepper and other poison on their tracks.
But despite such a long path and all the tricks they still find and catch.
Secondly, I doubt that the people who were looking for Lidan and the rest of the group ran in a sequential line, most likely they ran in a wide arc to reduce the possibility of escaping the pursuit to the side,
and this means that the pursuers running along the edges of the arc could well have rounded the place of struggle with Liqu and Shari and continued their movement forward.
And that she was too slow to run was established.
From your description, Liqu is moving fast enough.
@torvn77 Geez, I can't believe I started such an intense debate with my comment. I just thought it was past time Shari learned to stop jinxing herself.
@AnimeFreak1982 Who knows, maybe this time it will be a dragon. (Okay, probably not).
That statement also gave me the bizarre and hilarious idea of a "dragon slime." Naturally, it would be able to fly and breathe fire.
@Piisfun But Liqu is bad with dragons, she said so! And wouldn't a dragon slime spit some kind of dissolving poison instead of fire? Or maybe it would spit its own slime that would dissolve the target then re-absorb the slime to feed?
@AnimeFreak1982
But Liqu is bad with dragons, she said so!
That was the joke.
@AnimeFreak1982
Generally speaking, Liqu did not say that he was weak against the dragons, he said that they were disagreeable to him.
@torvn77 Dissolving is simply the ability to take apart molecules and change them one by one to slime. Liqu gains an understanding of the composition by doing so, but it's no natural ability but just a special analysis, like a computer. She cannot create working organs and naturally this ability is weaker than a natural one perception of smell. Slimes are drawn to flesh, so Liqu tried to somehow use her dissolving ability to find flesh. Just a natural expansion of the dissolving ability.
And she cannot run too well. She can jump in one direction or rush in fully expanded state, but for human form she manages a steady fast walking form. No sprint.
@expentio
but it's no natural ability but just a special analysis, like a computer.
She cannot create working organs and naturally this ability is weaker than a natural one perception of smell.
These two statements are mutually exclusive, that is, only one of them can be true, but not both at the same time.
The fact is that analysis requires a toolkit that allows you to work with parts of the analyzed one, and if there is such a toolkit, then it can be used not only to analyze the object, but also to transform the object.
This means that either Liqu is capable of the miracles of biotechnology that you have already attributed to him, or he cannot do much of what he has already done AND THINKED throughout your romance.
(you did not describe the transformation of Shari into mucus as a result of incstinctive activity, this is clearly written by you as a conscious scientific activity of Liqu, and in many other cases Liqu thought exactly as an expert in bio and bio-magical technologies, but in no case as a creature driven by incstints and not understanding what it does)
@expentio
She can jump in one direction or rush in fully expanded state, but for human form she manages a steady fast walking form. No sprint.
A trained sprinter of the level of the Olympic Games can run no more than two kilometers, and now we take into account that Elin is not an Olympic sprinter and still carries a load of about 40 kilograms in the form of a Lidan.
How much do you think she will be able to run, well if she is enough for 500 meters, running for a kilometer is already very unlikely, and after that Elin will have to stop to recuperate.
That is, it is now at a distance of no more than 1000, well, in the most incredible case, 1500 meters.
If Liqu walks no worse than a person, then he will cover this distance in (1500/5500) * 60 = 16.36 minutes.
And then, why should she catch up with Elin in human form, she knows that Liqu is a slime and there is no need to hide it from her?
This is another illogicality.
Really, it would be better if those two lost pursuers followed Elin's trail, caught her, and then poured alchemical powder on their tracks and sailed away on a boat, at least it didn't look as unnatural as you wrote it now.
@torvn77 Organs are more than a shape. There are certain components, chemicals, filters, things they do with certain molecules. Just because Liqu knows what something does from all her anatomical dissolving doesn't mean she can replicate it. All she has is slime which is basically always the same. Just because Liqu can to a degree analyze air conditions doesn't mean she has the same kind of receptors like an animal that works with scent.
By the way, all Liqu said back then was that she could find Cid in the building with her ability. She never claimed she could cover wide ranges.
The core is a special case. It basically bound Shari's soul to the crystal, by completely copying her mind and like this offering a suitable home. Yet the instincts are the initial program and this one cannot be changed as it literally is set in stone. That was more soul magic than anything else and in no way related to biology. Slimes have no biology aside from the slime they consist of.
You're right about the running. The issue is that Shari had here a misconception. She went from her own inability to run and sprint herself and like this forgot that humans tire out. She couldn't catch up with Elin short term, since she is tied to a very limited speed were her body can handle the strain. Shari herself didn't experience tiredness since her transformation which made her forget in the heat of running away. Yet the chances to find them in the forest are low in the first place
@expentio
Your answer exactly corresponds to a scientist who was shown a supernatural mystical phenomenon, but he begins to invent a pitiful materialistic explanation.
This is your mistake as a writer, for example, let's take a work, the development of the plot of which I really don't like, but I did not pounce on the author with comments, but wrote only one single comment, which I invite you to go and see, as well as look at the events of the novel about which it was written.
https://www.scribblehub.com/read/249529-life-isnt-so-simple-anymore/chapter/266341/?cid=692377
Why am I arguing with you, but not arguing with the author of that work?
The fact is that although I disagree with how the atator made his Zoey, her actions and thoughts are consistent within the framework of the created image of a cowardly, greedy girl who is ready to kill in order to get the best characteristics in the system and leave for this on any, even frankly insane risk and immorality.
Her image is integral, I can criticize her as a person, but I cannot say that within the framework of this personality her actions are not natural, the system and characteristics in this novel do not serve as an explanation of her ability or non-ability, they are just a sonorous bait for which she follows in her madness.
So, @FukinDeadBeat was able to create an image of such madness and his story does not contradict this image, on the other hand, this image pushes this story to development.
But now you regularly come into conflict with the image of your character and the intuitive perception of the world you have created.
No matter what arguments you give them, how logically correct your arguments are, the very fact that our dispute arises is your failure as a writer.
(Well, you can still write something interesting in spite of your shortcomings and mistakes, but nevertheless, please admit your mistake as a writer and try to avoid the wrong logic of reasoning)
That is, this dispute arose not because I found a discrepancy in your novel, I can ignore such discrepancies in whole packages, but because you, as a writer, made a mistake in creating the image, and this error is very significant.
@torvn77 I don't think so. My arguments I brought are based on my thought process while I wrote. Naturally, it can happen that someone has a different perception or simply wants to see something different. This seems for me to be the case with you. You seem to want them to be able to replicate everything and do things that aren't possible for them to do. Or to behave in a specific way, while existing in a way that they simply don't.
If there is a logical explanation for things to happen then those things obviously can happen. A character doesn't always have to make wise choices or cannot make mistakes or fail in their thought process. Things like this happen. At no point, the characters behaved contradictory to their own goals or did something they couldn't do. At least you didn't show a valid example for this. Maybe the characters behaved sometimes stupid, but it wasn't impossible for them to behave like this when they did. Lack of information or simple faults are possibilities, and as long they can happen, the story as a picture of a certain occurrence isn't contradictory.
In the first place, there is no need to find "shortcomings" in others. It doesn't help and it's not like the story will suddenly change the way it's written through this.
@expentio Does the google translator correctly convey the meaning of the Russian word "образ" (image), which in Russian has an abstract and sensual, and not a methodological and technical meaning.
In terms of meaning, this should overlap with the concept of "actor's play"
So, you wrote the following text:
The moisture under the clothes prevents that it dries out and vanishes.
But the blood under the surface seems to pond there as it is.
That prevents slightly that everything grows back together.
So I start to adjust it a bit with my mass.
I lay my hand on the current and mix myself in it.
Then I remove the coagulated blood carefully by dissolving and replace the layer in a way that the healing can proceed unimpeded.
There were some rests of a plant inside and I think that my Shari intended something by integrating it, so I left them as they were.
However, as the direct attendance to his wound was surely very invasive for him, he stirs and aches during the procedure.
The knowledge and concepts that Liqu used here correspond to the medicine and biology of the late 20th century, and the methodology is not yet the future of the 21st century.
Pay attention, Liqu thinks about it as something that is usual and everyday for him, that is, we can say that he sees the world this way.
And you have a lot of such places, and whether you like it or not, you set the standard of knowledge of Liqu's capabilities with them, create his image as a specialist and doctor, and by the way, you wanted to create such an image then to give your readers a taste of resentment and injustice ...
But now you suddenly, after everything you've written, you suddenly say: "But Liqu can't."
So where am I supposed to believe(faith?) you?
Pay attention, "faith"(believe?) is not a logical, but an associative concept.
@torvn77 I don't know how this is a problem. Liqu has anatomical knowledge. Yes. So she can by using slime influence others. But that she does just with normal slime. She did here nothing else but removing clogged blood by dissolving and putting a new clean layer on it.
What I said was that she can't is changing her body in any other way. It is and stays slime and this won't change. Even with all the knowledge in the world, she cannot change her own nature. She cannot recreate biology, but she can shape and control slime and dissolve. That's all. But that naturally allows her to influence other bodies, for example by using denser slime as a bandage.
And honestly, this "pay attention" looks just as if you're berating others. I don't see any injustice here. I was just telling you that you have a misconception about Liqu's abilities. She cannot make working organs with slime and never could. That was all. No need to tell me I'm resenting all my readers, which simply isn't true and just unfair. Why else would I take all this time to answer you?
@expentio
I was just telling you that you have a misconception about Liqu's abilities.
You're right, I really succumbed to your seduction and memorized Liqu's abilities as stronger and more varied than they really are.
But it is your fault, it is you who seduced me with your eloquence, and then so cruelly shattered the mirage you created.
@torvn77 I apologize for my eloquence.