Tales of Black Powder ...or... There goes the Abbey ...or... Oh light there are TWO of them???

For those who don't know who Cheshire is, the cat is Redwall's resident mad scientist, inventor, and part time battle surgeon. He has just met a kindred spirit it Gildor, Poisoner with an affinity to science as well. Can Redwall survive when someone hands them black powder? Probably not.

Players Gildor the cat, Benjamin the owl, Flicktail the fox, Cheshire the cat (ME)

It's a cold but sunny day for Redwall. Lunch being over and done the great hall is mostly deserted save for the beasts who travel through while on their way to other places. One such beasts is Cheshire the cat. The black and white cat does not appear to be in the best of moods. Having tried to duplicate the wonderous exploding fire powder he saw a week ago he has only succeeded in making his lab explode...twice. Good thing its not on abbey grounds, these beasts would throw a fit. Defeated, humbled, and angry about it, the cat sits down and begins to write fervently in his note book, ignoring the looks the lingering smoke from his fur and blackened fur are getting.

Today is the day that Gildor would have original called his market day, but he found that a trudge through the snow all the way to Ferravale would be less then undesirable. And so he made the easier choice and came to Redwall. He walks into Great Hall, knocking his boots together so as to get most of the snow off. He gains a dirty look from one of the novices, but he doesn't seem to notice. He continues on into about the middle of Great Hall, where he stops, glancing around. Why did he come here again? Oh yes! Herbs. He is about to start toward the infirmary, when he catches sight of the other cat. The singed fur rather interests him and he makes his way over, asking quietly, "Where you in a fire?"

The cat continues to look at his book. He pauses then looks up at his fellow cat, he almost stares in shock at seeing another feline. "What? Oh, this? This was just a miscaluation the chemicals I used today. Blew everything off the shelves but I got to keep my fur and my hearing so I suppose I shouldn't complain." The cat shrugs as if the smoke coming off of his ears is nothing out of the ordinary.

Benjamin soars in as the doors are opened, landing with a bag around him owl covered in a layer of snow, shaking it off he goes about releasing the bag.

Gildor nods understandingly, his ears perked at the mention of chemicals "It's always a bother when experiments go awry. What were these chemicals? If digested, could they kill a beast?" His eyebrow is kinked slightly as he speaks. He looks up at the bird as he enters, nodding cheerfully.

Cheshire rubs his chin, a cat AND a fellow scientist??? Maybe the smoke inhaled is causing a hallucinatory reaction. "I would imagine it would, assuming you could get it into some beasts gut before it exploded." he hears the sound of the bird come in and smiles from ear to ear, eyes going wide and almost predatory fashion. "Just the bird I wanted to see actually. I've been trying to duplicate the effects of this exploding powder that owl brought in...so far I have only succeeded in exploding my lab and sending my lab assistant running. Cowardly weasel." he hisses to himself.

Benjamin hoots softly lifting his head and looking over flapping his wings wildly, backing away as the bag spills open, jems and a few tightly sealed smaller bags roll out, "Yessm got poof boom powder" he nods, scooping up his well loot one would guess, though he traded for it.

Gildor's grin borders on psychotic as he nods, "I see. Tell me, was it a powder? Or more of a liquid? I'd be very interested in getting my paws on some of this stuff." He glances at Benjamin as Cheshire speaks, murmuring, "Is he the one that deals in this stuff?"

Cheshire looks at the cat like he is looking in a mirror. By the light is THAT what he looks like when he smiles? No wonder most beasts avoid him. "Er...yes actually. To both questions. It's a powder, and yes, the bird brought it. I havn't actually got any from him...or seen it in action. But once I heard it could explode I had to try it out in the lab!" Cheshire stands up, turning to Ben he says, "Good bird, can you please tell me if there is another cat standing here? I'm afraid I have knocked my head too much in that last blast and now I am seeing things."

Benjamin wiggles his wings and turns his head without moving to look behind him, a feet that would surely awe most. "Aye there be another cat yesm." he roots in his bag and pulls out a paw sized cloth bag wrapped with another cloth and tied shut, "Got some here yessm." he sets the bag down "Blacksmitty say makes big boom with sealed in tube with grass and lit with rope." he bobs his head, lifting a diamond with his talon, "Said that how he found this." he wiggles said diamond a little.

Gildor s grin becomes slightly wider, muttering to himself, "Splendid, just splendid." He raises his voice out of the mutter, speaking to Cheshire, "I'd of done the same thing. Wonderful idea!" He looks over at Benjamin, seeing the owl in a slightly new light, "Say....what would I have to do to.....acquire some of this stuff?"

Benjamin wiggles his wings, "No more, blacksmitty not having anymore ready, he said come back in spring." he nods, "traded lots to get powder yessm." his eyes never leaving that diamond, typical owl loving shiney things.

Cheshire gives the owl an equally disturbing cheshire like grin. Until the owl says there isn't much powder left. Rubbing his chin and deep in thought he ignors the shiny stone. "Hmmm, maybe I could...experiment with it and see if I can find out what makes it. If I have the base ingreediants I can try to make more of it."

Gildor seems to wilt at the news, but he nods sadly, "I understand. I shall try again in spring, I suppose." He is about to have even more of a pity party, contemplating how far away spring is, when Cheshire speaks. His ears perk up and his eyes fill with hope, "Do you think it'd be possible? I'll help in any way I can. We may even be able to make it more powerful!" He mistakenly says 'we', being rather interested in the project.

Benjamin hoots softly, "I no know Flicky tail might get mads yesmm dangerous stuff no blow up abbey yessm." he hoots out looking between the two not so sure if he should let them have it or not.

Cheshire's eyes widen and dialate as he asks, "Please Mr. Owl. It would mean so much to us if we could have a small sample of the powder. My lab is not on abby grounds. The abby dwellers will have no trouble with us." Technically the cat's labratory is not ON the grounds so...that's true...in a way. Wait, why is he saying 'we'?

Benjamin tilts his head looking between the two, "Flicky say stuff verra dangrous, does a little shuffle putting the stone back in the bag and picks up the bag of black powder in his wings, "No blow uppa abbey or sir Benjamin peck hard." he carefuly deposits the bag into Cheshire's paws, "You no get me in trouble." he nods

Gildor nods quickly, looking like he may hug the owl, "Don't worry, kind sir! It's safe with us. No harm will come to the Abbey, or any who live here! Thank you." He looks down at the small pouch, a fraction of his former grin returning.

Cheshire takes the bag in his paws like he has been handed the holy grail. His eyes open wide, then narrow as a toothy grin spreads across his face and his ears fall flat against his skull, "Yes...yesssssss...like the legends of old we have stolen the power of fire from the gods. We shall unravel this mystery and learn its secrets. and its ours all ours!" he cackles, literally, cackles in laughter that echoes through the great hall and the cavern hole. The laughter rises in volume until he realizes what he is doing. He abruptly stops, coughs politely and says, "ahem, thank you kind owl. We will use this wisely."

Flicktail's eyes pop open as he see's what's happening "Cheshire NOOOOOOOOOO!

Gildor would have also started laughing, but he notices the entrance of Flicktail and decides that two cats laughing like maniacs may be too much. Instead, he settles for grinning wildly, a deep rumbling purr starts up in his throat.

Benjamin hoots loudly and looks stirnly the cat, "I takky away if you no behave." he nods, puffing up, Cheshire may be a cat but Benjamin sure looks like he could give him a run for his money. "You no blowth up abbey, Flicktail keep good eye on you with Sir Benjamin, "You find how to make and then youa tell Flicky and abboty person, sir Benjamin no wanna kick outa abbey."

Cheshire watches said fox shout from across the room. Turning to the bird he nods, "I swear, we will work on this with the utmost of safty." It probably doesn't help the cat's case that he is still smoking from his last experiment to replicate the powder with OUT EVER EVEN SEEING IT. Cheshire cradles the bag like a sacred treasure. Turning to the other cat he pauses and blinks, "Sorry about before, I thought you were just a mere halucination good feline. Now that it has been settled that you are real and that I do NOT infact need medical attention, who ARE you?"

Flicktail Comes srambling up "look Look chesire..i'll give you...' he fishes in his cloak "I'll give you" he comes up with a Bright Shiny copper "A copper for that bag...look real shinny copper..." he says almost desperately

Gildor nods adamantly at Cheshires words to the owl, giving his best 'I'm more or less trustworthy' look. He clasps his paws behind his back, chuckling as Cheshire addresses him, "It's quite alright! I am Gildor and I deal in poisons and other ways of destruction. Who might you be?" He looks protectively at the pouch as Flicktail tries to bribe it off the other feline, scowling slightly.

Cheshire nods to Flicktail, "Flicktail! Just the fox I wanted to see. Deconstructing this powder will take resources, space, and beast power. Do you think you can find some assistants for us, beasts who won't get 'too' much in our way? I have my own lab but a propper room in the abbey would be best for this..." the cat is almost in a trance and doesn't even realize Flick has tried to bribe him. "Oh, I'm Cheshire by the way..."

Benjamin hoots loudly and clicks his beak hard, "No in abbey!" he points at wing at the cats chest, "Outside of abbey, you no blowupa abbey." he looks down right stern at this point.

Flicktail says, "You blow yourself up Lee can't fix ya.....Yes yes outside darned cat"

Gildor nods encouragingly at Flicktail as Cheshire speaks, but as the fox smothers the idea of an indoor laboratory, he sighs, shrugging as he mutters to the other feline, "At least we tried. It's good to meet you, by the way." He glances over at Benjamin, smiling in what he hopes is a trustworthy way, "I don't think we've formally met. I'm Gildor." He leaves out the poisoner and destruction bit.

Flicktail looks at gildor "oh...um hello...um..you knwo cheshire?

Cheshire is brought out of his trance by the poke to the chest, "Er, yes...quiet right. I'm not sure what all the fuss is about. I swear you try to re-animate one corpse and with a lightning strike and beasts lable you crazy for life." The cat shakes his head, making no indication that he is joking. "I promise though that this powder will not see the abbey again...least not until we make more. Until then we will need to find some place to test it. My cave...er...lab will do but...well, this is a lot to take in. How about you, Gildor right? Do you have a lab we can break this powder down with?"

Benjamin nods at Flicktail "iffa he no comply you tell sir Benjmain yessm?" he nods his head, he takes his bag over to flicktail, "Blacksmitty friend to north give lots gems, shiney red, shiney blue, shiney dirt." he nods showing flicktail the bag of gems he has.

Gildor grins at Flicktail, nodding, "Well, actually, I just met the fellow, but yes, I know him!" He nods sympathetically at Cheshire, though his interest is pricked, "Did you really try that? Did it work?" He leans against the table, shrugging at the question, "I have a small shack by the river. It's a little bit drafty and what not, but it might do. I'll have to move everything out, of course, but it may work."

Flicktail looks at Sir Benjamin "Aye I like Sparklies much more then I do black stuff..." he looks at Gildor "you are a BRAVE beast..Cheshire be..a interesting beast.... I am Flicktail." He looks at Cheshire "diid you REALLY do that Cheshire?

Cheshire steeples his paws and gives a shifty look about the room, "Kind of...maybe. The lightning was most uncooperative." he then mews happily, "But I managed to make the marten twitch before it burst into flames! That's...progress, right?"

Flicktail Facepaws "Cheshire MOST martin's twitch...

Gildor grins at Flicktails words, "Well, as they say: Birds of a feather, flock together. And I'm Gildor. It's good to meet you!" He glances toward a window and frowns. The sun is starting to make its way further toward the west. He sighs, "I've got to get going if I want to be home before dark. I told my apprentice I'd be home before sun set! It was most enjoyable, meeting you all. Cheshire, we will have to speak again sometime." He nods to all in the room, and heads for the door.

Flicktail says, "pleased ta Meet ya Kitty"

Cheshire watches the cat leave. He never thought he would see another beast who appreciated the sciences like he did again. The cat then looks at the bundle of powder in his paws, his eyes light up brightly, "Excuse me but...there is science to be done. Good evening all." The cat walks off, transfixed by the possibilities this package will bring. For the first time in a long time, Cheshire feels alive once again. Now he just needs to find assistants...