<> ( Ouch? ) (*idly eats part of Dem's arm, then looks around, paniced. "I can explain. REALLY!") ( Maybe not! ) <> ( *is here, and apparently being eaten* "What, is it not what it looks like?" ) (But electronics are so *tasty*.) <> <> <> * Demetreia is already there too! * Demetreia has mad awesome living-in-the-alley-next-door skillz. * Leopoldo walks in, wearing his typical attire and a long coat. "Good evening." * Vera gets there before long in her typical attire which already includes a long coat. And a hat. "Yo." * Ian buzzes in and comes on up, bearing approximately the largest basket of cookies you've ever seen. He's wearing clothes that are normal in all respects other than being full Scottish tartan, which is rather odd in that he isn't Scottish. (I'll be there in just a bit. I'm needed downstairs briefly.) * Rochelle is there, too, because she actually lives there. She's currently sprawled out on the couch, looking as dead as her horribly pale skin and slightly glazed cat-eyes will allow (which is very). Whatever attention she can spare is spent peering at the chipped green polish on her left fingernails. * Katherine is there, in a chair, and she's wearing leather shorts and a leather top that is in the style of her cut-off t-shirts, except it looks to be made that way. She's petting Eck, and eyes Ian with a slight frown. * Ian sets down the basket, and waves hello. "Have one, or ten, everyone. I've already eaten a whole meal worth of them." * Fitzroy shows up soon. Usual jacket, jeans and plain t-shirt for clothes. * Vera peers. "Cookies! You rock, Ian." She grabs one. * Demetreia eyes the cookies. * Ian has one anyway, and grins. "No problem. Went to visit my family yesterday, which always involves hauling a few boxes full of food back." * Rochelle turns her attention from the nails. "Cookies?" Hand out towards Ian. "Gimme." * Ian gives Roch a cookie. * Leopoldo takes the note on the door and glances at the others. "Too bad. Turns out we're being invited to dinner by the Anders crew." * Rochelle snatches it and munches. "What's with the skirt?" * Katherine smirks. "Maybe he got it from his family. I always thought he was made in a vat." (Not wearing a kilt! It's just all tartan patterned.) * Rochelle snickers. Yum, cookie. * Demetreia tentatively reaches out for a cookie and nibbles on it experimentally, mindful of fortune-cookie-esque surprises. * Ouka knocks, rather than buzzing. (You're wearing a kilt now.) (Oh.) (You have to buzz on the downstairs door. But eh! ^_^;) (He's using his telepathic knocking powers.) Dinner, Leo? ( *Nobody hears Ouka 'cause no-one can hear down to the downstai--too slow. ;-; ) (Or slip in behind someone else, or any of a number of things.) (The others made it up, after all. :P) * Katherine says loudly, "Uh, come in, it's not locked at this point." * Leopoldo chuckles. "Com'on. I don't blend into the scenery that well. And yes Fitzroy, at The Red Dragon's Red Sauce." * Leopoldo checks his watch. "And we got around a half-hour to get there." * Ian hmms. "Any idea what they want to discuss?" * Ouka opens the door, walking in a step or two and closing it behind him. He's wearing a loose white tank top with a denim shirt around his waist, and baggy black pants. The bokken is also present, across his waist. I'd like to guess that he's just wanting to have more company for a meal. But that may be a bit too optimistic, eh? (Does everyone have the general physical description and I can skip it?) Maybe it's time to get paid. * Rochelle snorts around her cookie. * Katherine smirks faintly, then looks over at Ouka and says, "Yo, Ouka." * Demetreia starts at Ouka's entrance and scoots back a bit, holding the cookie with her teeth as she does so, eyeing him suspiciously. ( And abusing the grammar to no end. ) * Leopoldo bows to Ouka. "Good evening Ouka." * Ouka folds his arms in front of him and bows very slightly at the waist, straightening up. He looks, for lack of a better word, disheveled. "Good evening to you all." * Ian waves. "Hello again!" * Fitzroy scratches his head. "Hi, uh.. Ouka, is it?" * Demetreia looks wide-eyed at Ouka and tugs at the nearest person's sleeve questioningly, still holding the cookie in her mouth. "Mmph imp uff?" (*cackles*) (Haha!) (Roll dice for nearest person!) Oh, you again. d6 * Dicesuke throws the bones for Demetreia (d6) and gets 2. ( Iiiiian. ) (I wanna see her get a 5, then. Deme: "Who are you?" Thren: "...") * Rochelle doesn't bother saying hi. She just waves with her half-eaten cookie at Ouka. * Ian indicates the basket of cookies. "Want one?" * Ouka tilts his head a little, then smiles distractedly. "You must be Mr. Fitzroy. It's my pleasure. And please, call me Threnody." His smile wavers slightly, and he says with deliberate care, "Ouka is a nickname." * Demetreia tilts her cookie-holding head at Threnody/Ouka as she looks at him, several cookie crumbs falling to the floor. (Hm. Probably best to...) Ah, hi. I'd rather be called Roy, actually.. How'd you know my name? * Rochelle says around her cookie, "Anders." * Threnody laughs. "In a way, but Mr. Savolino was also a help in his own way." (It's Anders. *mambomusic*) * Leopoldo nudges Dem. "You're dropping cookie crumbs all over the floor." * Demetreia looks cross-eyed down at the cookie, eeps, and wipes the crumbs into a little pile apologetically. "Mowwy." Shoulda known. He..or they, got you hooked into this too? * Katherine eyes Deme, and pushes Eck off her lap. "Go eat those." <> * Ian grins at Eck's action. * Threnody mmms faintly. "I had it a little easier than the rest of you, or so I'm told. Anders, ah..." He frowns a moment. "He knows my family, somewhat, and asked based on that." * Vera grabs another cookie. (Which is not a complete lie!) (...ping?) ( Hey, wait a second. What kind of cookies *are* these, anyway? ) (I just talked to Cham about that in fact.) ( Oh, crap. Let me guess, they're squid. ) (Alas, they are *not* hallucinogenic cookies, and this will not become a twisted futuristic version of Illuminatus!) ( Peanut butter squid chip. ) (Damn you, anyway, Cham.) * Katherine mutters, and leans back in her chair, tapping a finger. "That's one hell of a place to eat, and no time for all of us to make the dress code." (Not on my watch. They're peanut butter. Some are chocolate chip.) (I so should have made a preacher for the 'Church of Europa' for this game....) ( Just as long as none are squid. ) * Threnody blinks, shifting his gaze to Kat inquisitively. "...dress code?" * Leopoldo shrugs. "I can get ready soon enough. And don't you all have the clothing you needed for the auction still?" * Rochelle chomps up the rest of her cookie. "Where we goin'?" * Katherine looks back at Thren. "We've been invited to the Red Dragon's Red Sauce in about 25. It's one of the best resturants in town. And yes, I do." She eyes Deme. * Demetreia blinks at Kat questioningly, cookie in mouth. ( Leo: Deme's clothes *were* the ones for the auction. ^^ Literally. ) * Threnody winces a little. "I didn't bring anything formal. I don't *own* anything formal. I suppose I could... go buy something." ( Thren and Deme go on a shopping trip! Yay, bonding! ) * Leopoldo looks over at Dem and sighs. "Well, there is also that." No, no time. Ties will do. * Katherine smirks. "I have a few I can give out." Feh. I'm already dressed for the occasion. * Demetreia looks at Leo, confused. "Mwuh?" (Isis: "Dinner. And then lapel pins, and then he sacrifices you to heathen gods. You saps." Thren: "Shut up, Mom.") 2d6-1 * Dicesuke throws the bones for Rochelle (2d6-1) and gets 10. (DR1) 2d6-1 * Dicesuke throws the bones for Rochelle (2d6-1) and gets 6. * Katherine is still smirking, and stands. "Deme will just have to go as is, I guess." She eyes the guys. "Four ties, right. Feel free to talk while I dig for other peoples' clothes." * Katherine wanders off to the back closet. * Demetreia tilts her head at Thren again, this time in the other direction, then finally straightens up and walks over to him, extending a hand somewhat stiffly. "Emmmo. Mwy ame iff..." * Demetreia finally remembers about the actual cookie, and hastily takes it out with her non-extended hand. "Greetings." (What a weird name.) Don't worry about me, Kat. * Demetreia hides the cookie behind her back. * Ian has produced a tie from his pocket. It's plaid. * Vera snickers. * Rochelle closes her eyes and takes a deep breath, then they shoot open. She sits up and looks down at herself, suddenly more awake. (I loathe you.) (^_^) ( Ian. Demetreia. WEIRDFIGHT [START!] ) * Katherine yells back, "Fine, three ties. You want one Vera? Could go well with your outfit." Hmmm.... Bah. Although if you have any of those ribbon ties, maybe... ( Wah. Thren doesn't love me. ;-; ) * Threnody smiles distractedly. "I'll pass on one also, thank you. I don't... really like the feel of them around my neck." * Leopoldo thinks, then frowns. "Just get me one. I don't have enough time to get prepared anyways." * Fitzroy looks down at his own clothes. Mostly plain, not fancy, but not horrible. "I should be alright." * Threnody frowns a moment, rubbing his cheek a little. "Dinner, and everyone together. It seems so... atypical of how he's acted so far. I wonder what's up..." Probably wants something. Or an ambush. Heh. * Katherine exclaims, "Fuck it!" and wanders back with about five ties of varying colors and types in her hand. "Here. Take." * Threnody shakes his head. "I don't think it's an ambush. If he were that interested, he'd just use Luanne..." * Rochelle snickers a little. She rubs her hand at a pants leg. "Guess I could change, or something." * Leopoldo takes a blue one to go with his light-blue shirt and puts it on. "Well, that's about as dressed up as I can get on such short notice." * Katherine shakes them around, "Come on, I have to change. It's close, but not that close. And you probably should, Roch. Can't hurt." * Rochelle nods a couple times and pushes herself off the couch, going to her duffel back and rummaging through it. * Demetreia looks startled by Kat's shaking of the ties, and tentatively draws one out, looking at it oddly. * Threnody unties the shirt from around his waist and slips it on, buttoning the middle three buttons and leaving the rest undone, making him look, if not formal, then at least reasonably presentable. He smiles at Deme. "Sorry, I was in my own little world a moment there." * Katherine drops the ties over the chair she was sitting in, and goes back to her closet. "I'm going to kill Anders. 30 minutes notice. Come on." Oh...er...it is all right? * Threnody kneels down a little bit to get to Deme's eye level. "Actually, you're the only person I haven't heard anything about. But it's a pleasure to meet you." * Rochelle withdraws the folded dress she wore to the auction, a pair of black sandals, some jewelry, and a bottle of nailpolish - the same color she has on now. She scrams into the bathroom. ( She's 5'3" and still standing...is Thren that tall? ^^ ) * Vera yawns. "This better be one heck of a meal. (Hence 'a little bit'.) * Demetreia fiddles with the tie in confusion. "My designation is Demetreia Xene Kanenas 12122071..." ( Ahhh. ) She thinks she's an android. Or a robot. Or something. (Hmm. I should point out... Thren doesn't actively read people's thoughts, but he keeps an 'ear out', so to speak.) (Which means?) * Fitzroy checks the time quickly and goes back to watching the comotion. * Threnody tilts his head, boyish face waxing curious. "That's... an interesting name." * Demetreia seems not to have heard Leo. "I am the first successful true cyborg in creation." ( ....my English is dead tonight. Apologies. ) (If you are thinking at him, or feel like saying "He might notice this" for Rp reasons, feel free to say so. ^_^) (So if Ian suddenly thinks "Ooh, I can use the cow costume!" ecstatically, Thren is going to crave a burger?) (No, but I might freaking smack you.) * Ian raises an eyebrow. * Threnody blinks, suddenly looking a bit nervous. "A...ha." See? Didn't I ask about that before? * Demetreia blinks at Vera. "My apologies?" Eh, forget it. It's not that important, I guess * Katherine is rustling around per normal, when searching for clothes. She comes back out with a blue/black dress on her arm, carrying a pair of shoes, and walks back over to the group, waiting for Roch to exit. "You know, Leo, she might not be lying. It's not comPLETEly impossbile." * Rochelle exits right about now, keeping her nails from touching *anything*. She must have ninja painting skills, but with how much she practices, it wouldn't be surprising. * Leopoldo shrugs. "True. But you do know of the moral and ethical implications that would have to be taken care of if it was true, don't you?" * Katherine nods. "Yeah. Treat her like anyone else." She realizes Roch has left, and walks into the bathroom herself. * Ian nods. * Fitzroy hmms, "Cyborg, huh?" * Threnody suddenly pipes up, "I don't think she's lying." * Demetreia nods at Fitzroy. Who cares if she is? * Rochelle waves her hands in the air. Dry dry dry. * Threnody glances at Deme, saying surreptitiously, "There's ways to tie it around your neck. A bit like a scarf. But they're mostly men's clothing." That would account for your strenght, I suppose. What'd you say your designation was? * Demetreia looks down at the tie, which in her fiddling she's managed to wind in a spiral around her forearm. "Oh..." * Fitzroy plugs in to his TSM comp which was/is in a pocket inside his jacket. Demetreia Xene Kanenas. 12122071. * Demetreia tugs at the knotted tie a little, trying to take it off without ripping it. * Demetreia glances over at Roy and his comp. "I was a secret project by my creators." Not much of a secret. Yeah, if you tell everyone you meet. * Demetreia looks down, not otherwise responding to that. * Threnody folds his arms behind his head. "Stranger things than cybrogs exist." He suddenly blinks, and digs in his pocket. "Coincidentally, I brought something you might want." ( A pony? ) * Demetreia blinks rapidly and tilts her head to the side. "For me?" * Rochelle watches passively, waiting for her nails to dry. * Threnody produces a small metal cube, which he holds out in the palm of his hand. "Well, for anyone who might find it useful, really. I don't know what it does, but I found it in Red Vladivostok." Vladivostok? * Demetreia tilts her head to the other side and carefully picks it up, peering at it. "Ohh..." <> * Katherine comes out of the bathroom wearing her dress. It's black, with patches of blue in random places, and has a very simple neckline, but no sleeves. There's one slit down the right side, and she's wearing black heels, not wobbling on them at all. "You could always throw it in the pile." She thumbs towards the artifact pile. * Demetreia jumps when it starts vibrating, and stares at it wide-eyed. "Ohh..." * Threnody ehes sheepishly. "We dubbed it the vibrocube, but it doesn't really do much of anything that I've seen." Hey, where was the one for Ian? (* Vera slaps Threnody around a bit with a large trout) Huh, interesting. * Demetreia pokes and prods it some more until it stops. ( Ahhh... ) (HAHA!) (... good job Vera.) ( *DIES* ) ( That wasn't supposed to happen ^^; ) (*cracks up*) (Viiiiiiibrocube.) * Katherine blinks at what Leo says, and then points off at the counter. "Oh, right, the plate. It's over there on the counter, next to the metal stuff." ( "I am vibro cube! Destroyer of worlds! Father to the mysterious chicken!" ) <> (Weeble and Bob!) * Demetreia then carefully places it on The Pile. (Yes. It's definitely time to go.) * Vera stares at the cube. "Huh." ( Zeg is a win getter! ) (Cham: Hey. For changing and putting on another coat of polish, that was really fast!) * Ian raises an eyebrow again. "Hmm?" (True.) * Rochelle discreetly plucks another cookie from Ian's stash. * Katherine blinks once. "We'd better get going." Guess it goes with the color-changing fruit. * Rochelle exits, yup. * Threnody follows mutely after Rochelle, looking preoccupied. (And I'll be right back.) * Leopoldo nods and heads out. "Grab your dinner plate. Maybe it'll make your food taste better or something." * Vera takes a cookie - undescreetly - and heads out. * Ian glances at his watch. "Off we go, then!" * Demetreia wanders outside, finally finishing the cookie she's been holding all this time, and still sporting a striped tie wrapped around her arm. * Ian shrugs, tucks the plate into his backpack, and follows everyone out. * Fitzroy blinks, and his eyes stop the slight twitching they were doing. "Right behind ya." * Katherine still hasn't grabbed a cookie, and is the last one out, picking up her purse on the way out and slinging it over her shoulder. <> * Rochelle walks over to Demetreia's alley, looking in. * Ian walks along contentedly. <> * Threnody suddenly speaks up, on the way outside. "Some of you I must have mentioned Dorian Parker to..." * Rochelle creeps over, surprisingly quiet in her high-heeled sandals, and puts the cookie in front of his nose. <> * Katherine walks along, and gets a frown on her face. "You mentioned Dorian, yeah." * Vera munchs on her cookie. Might be the only good meal she eats tonight. Yeah, another guy who reads minds. They're a dime a dozen. * Rochelle sneaks out, brushing crumbs from her hands and catching up with the others. * Threnody nods. "He's a telepath. A slightly unscrupulous one, too... if he's there, be guarded about your thoughts." ( Aww, Rochy cares! ) * Leopoldo nods. * Ian nods. (She knows *you* aren't gonna feed him.) * Demetreia nods slowly. "All right..." <> ( Well yeah. But she cares! Innit sweet? ) <> <> <> <> * Katherine sighs noisily, and rubs her right temples with her right finger as she walks in. * Vera stares at the Dragon motif and shakes her head. She sighs and walks in. * Ian walks on in. * Leopoldo takes it all in stride. Gee, he might actually be normal. * Demetreia walks in. * Rochelle does walk in, looking around. She doesn't look that out of place. As long as she doesn't open her mouth, anyway. * Fitzroy looks down again at his clothes, second guessing his choice to not dress up. "Naah.." He goes with the group. * Threnody looks around briefly, then forward to keep from bumping into anyone. "It seems a bit... much." * Waiter watches the lot of you enter, obviously trying hard not to be worried by your appearance. "Good evening, sirs. Table for eight?" (Actually, we're meeting Fate for dinner.) (He already knows what we want to order. The prick.) * Leopoldo checks his watch. "We're here for a reservation at 5:30." ( ew. Who eats dinner at 5:30? ) (No idea.) "Ah. And what is the name the reservation is under?" (I do, for one.) (After appetizers, ordering, drinks... probably will be 6:30, easy.) Anders? ( Still. 6:30. ) (Most families eat at 6?) (6:30 is perfectly reasonable as a dinnertime.) ( Most INSANE families. ) * Waiter twitches. "Oh. You're with *him*." (No. My family's insane. We eat at 8-10 regularly. ^^;) ( Although I know I'm being a prick. We eat late. ) ( Zeg: 7-9 is usually when we start. ) * Rochelle watches. She might be amused. It's hard to tell, but the corner of her mouth quirks up a little. * Ian nods sympathetically to the waiter. We feel the same. Can you seat us now, please? * Threnody looks out from behind Leo's back at the waiter curiously, then shrugs and stands back up straight. * Leopoldo nods. "We're about as thrilled as you are." * Waiter makes a noise halfway between a whimper and a sigh, smile becoming even more strained. "I see. Right this way, then." * Demetreia waits patiently. She is a quiet cyborg! <> * Waiter leads on. Walk this way. * Ian follows the waiter. * Rochelle walks that way. <> * Demetreia walks that way. (If I could walk that way...) (winamp: Papa Loves Mambo. XD) * Katherine definitely doesn't walk that way, but she follows. (<.<) * Leopoldo follows, and twitches on cue when he hears the Mambo. <<"Et al" includes 6 people total. One of them is Anders. One of them is Samuel. The other four are three males and a female.>> * Threnody couldn't walk that way if he tried, because he is armed, which he seems to remember as he walks to the table, and he sheepishly draws the wooden sword and holds it in his arms. * Waiter stops at the table, passing out menus rattling off the days specials, and trying hard not to look at anyone at either of the tables for too long. ( What *are* these specials, anyway? Or don't we want to know? Or has Anders already ordered? ) <> (...ha.) ( If only she were blonde and demure, we could call her Luanna. ) <> (...loathing factor increases a thousandfold.) (Ian recognizes his long-lost younger brother!) (Leo recogonizes him as psycho #31.) <> * Demetreia looks each of the people that she doesn't know up and down, with a pseudo-curious look on her face. <> (So... we're dining with Anders, C3, Lucky the Leprechaun, and Blacula.) <> * Katherine looks over each one of the Anders group, in turn. Her teeth are gritted, and her lips pressed together firmly as she sits and picks up the menu. * Fitzroy also looks over the unknown people after sitting down. * Ian nods politely to them all, then examines the menu. * Leopoldo looks over the Anders group as well. He looks over the menu, and tries to keep his mind off of something by reading it. * Demetreia finds a place to sit down and sits down, after she's done looking at the people. * Threnody suddenly quirks an eyebrow, and forces himself to stifle a nervous giggle semi-successfully before settling into his seat, placing the bokken at his feet, and nodding into turn to the people in the Anders party he recognizes. * Vera slides into a seat and immediately pulls out a gun-- er, a cigarette. Yes, a cigarette, and lights up. * Rochelle flicks her eyes over the assembled group, then gets to poking at the menu. <> * Waiter mensions the specials to be; Io Crab, Chicken Marsala, and Orange Duck with Purple Sauce. ( Who's paying? ) (We sold the wine I bought Kat.) (Like hell!) "And, if you like, I can take your drink orders, now." ( MONAAAY. ) (Anders is paying!) ( Awesome. ) * Katherine says as she looks, "So, Anders, are you picking this up, or are we starving?" * Vera looks over the drinks. <> (Rochelle,.. with one of those gun lighters?) * Threnody smiles distractedly at the waiter. "Water is fine for me, thank you." And very tightly, he adds to Kat, %% The more you say it, the more it's going to encourage him. %% <> "It's entirely on us. Eat hearty!" <> * Ian smiles cheerfully and orders some extremely good red wine, then. * Leopoldo orders some of the strongest stuff on the menu for drink. "Good, because I'm going to go crazy after this is over. I hope you don't mind." (Rochelle could out-mix them, and she's only been working for a day! Okay, maybe she can't.) * Demetreia orders a glass of milk. Tall. Chocolate. * Vera orders a martini. * Katherine picks a nice blush of some sort. * Rochelle actually copies Deme's order. Chocolate milk. Call it a craving. ( Bah, she's just gotten alcohol-ed out after working at that bar. ) (*snickers* I love how you people are going to hear half a conversation for a while.) ( Sadist. ) (It's totally not Kat's fault. c.c;) * Fitzroy orders a rootbeer. They've got ATCIBC.. (Apparently) (ATC got IBC? Bastards!) (Bastards!) * Waiter writes down your drink orders, turns, and leaves in a hurry. (Blame The Cube.) * Ian studies the menu further. * Threnody shifts in his seat, letting his gaze wander, and continues very tightly to Kat. %% You're trying too hard. Relax. Just don't let your mind wander. And you can 'talk' to me. %% <> * Vera looks for some kinda Chinese pizza. <> * Katherine puts down her menu, and 'says', %% Easy for you %%. She leans back in her chair slightly. * Vera orders one that's like a pizza combined with a Philly chicken-cheesesteak, said chicken being General Tso's. (Can we order? The waiter ditched. ;_;) * Waiter returns with drinks, handing them out as ordered. "Would you like to order your meal now, or take a bit to consider your decision first?" ( Did not. ) <> * Katherine says, "I'm ready." * Threnody glances at the menu in total confusion, pressing it close to his face and scrunching up his nose. "Ummm..." ( *snickers* ) * Rochelle shrugs. "Yeah, sure." ( Reminds me of the "Eating in Redrock" mini with Tairan and Fanfan and their menus. ) * Leopoldo glances over the menu... and gets some beef with white sauce, crab, light pasta, and pineapple mixed in, topped with a pizza crust and a bit of hot sauce. * Demetreia nods and orders the Oh God My Eyes duck special, a half-rack of Peking-fried lamb and a Jerk Parmesan salad. (...) * Ian orders chow fun with blackened dunnoseafood. Why not? (You're way too good at this, Deme.) ( XD ) ( Well, I only made up the Jerk Parmesan salad. I actually have seen Peking-style lamb on a Chinese restaurant menu. Peking-style, not Peking duck-style. ) (Wow, that's good.) * Fitzroy orders an oriental style lasagna. (Ooooh.) * Rochelle orders duck pasta with alfredo sauce and bowties. (That does sound good.) * Katherine orders the Orange Duck with Purple Sauce, because it's special. ( Yay! Kat and me have the same dish. XD ) * Ian considered that, but it would clash with his tie. <> * Threnody frowns, running a finger along the menu in consternation briefly, then happily orders fried cheese dumplings, a bowl of Szechuan sausage soup, pineapple parmagiana, a side of wontons in poi, and a vanilla milkshake. ( ... I am unworthy. ) (I'm just not trying.) ( Me either. ) * Waiter scoots off with your orders. (I really could go for some duck right now.) ( Me too. ;-; And lamb. *hungry hungry hippo* ) ( Mmm. Orange duck. With purple sauce. ) <> "Hello! It's nice that you all could make it." <> * Katherine looks right at Anders. "... Fucking christ, man. How many people did you have to kill to get in here?" * Leopoldo winces at the offront to his senses. The waiter's going to have a sleythin. * Ian looks at Anders admiringly. "Nice shirt!" * Waiter eyes Anders, and his shirt, and twitches. Loud enough for you all to hear it from where he stands near the kitchen. Seriously. It's like a bullwhip, almost. "None at all. The waiter was quite happy to let me in after his illicit dealings with some of the seedier sides of RNYC came to light." <> * Ian raises an eyebrow. * Threnody glances at Anders with a totally impassive face, and manages to say as diplomatically as possible, "I must say, my expectations were entirely different from the reality." * Katherine narrows her eyes, then takes a small sip of wine. * Leopoldo shakes his head. * Rochelle looks up to see Anders, nods once, and idly folds her menu. * Vera finishes her cigarette and mashes the remains out in an ashtray. * Demetreia sticks a straw into the chocolate milk and drinks, looking at the talking people. Surprisingly enough, her straw-sticking was devoid of any amusing mishaps. * Ian sips some wine and commits more of the menu to memory. <> "We're not here to discuss dresscodes. We are here to celebrate! You see, after some careful looking, I've determined that we only need one more artifact to stop the Concordat from their goal!" * Leopoldo chugs some of the alcohol. "Good way to make it public." Great. And then what? Really? And here I thought this would take a long time. * Ian blinks. "Well, that's good news." (Nah, see, it's just the first arc.) "Well, after that it's over, of course." ( Well, DUH :P ) Really. * Threnody tilts his head. "How can it be 'over'?" * Vera looks over at Deme. "Hey, did you ever find the answers to those questions you had about your background?" (Yeah, but they're in this thing called a 'character sheet' that I can't seem to understand.) * Demetreia shakes her head, looking down. * Fitzroy has sucked down about half his ATCIBC rootbeer. "Any one artifact, or a particular one?" * Rochelle sips choco milk. She's looking over the rest of Ander's group with curiosity now. * Vera nods. "Same here." She turns back to Anders. "So everything all comes to light next, huh?" "It is over because it is done. We have one particular artifact to obtain, and then the world is safe." <> "As for your answers, your road to understanding only begins here. It will come, in time." That's not what you said. * Demetreia stops drinking her milk, raises her head, and narrows her eyes at Anders, tensing up. * Katherine suddenly smirks, and puts down her glass. * Leopoldo tries his darndest to ignore the voices in his head. * Ian continues perusing the menu. Perhaps he's listening. * Threnody shakes his head. "I hesitate to dampen your enthusiasm, Mr. Anders, but that seems a highly simplified view of things, if I may venture my opinion." * Rochelle drinks her milk through her straw. Slurp. * Vera nods. She sips her martini. "And how do you figure that?" * Threnody folds his hands on the table. "Because it assumes once you have the final piece, the world will fall into stasis. Why shouldn't the Concordat repeatedly attempt to regain what's stolen? What will you do with the artifacts once you have them?" <> "Charter a ship and drop them into the sun." (And hope that they aren't 'nuclear reaction stopping artifacts') And then what? (Does the technology to get close enough to the sun to do that even exist in 2086?) * Demetreia stares fixedly in a not-blank-at-all way at Anders, her mouth set in a straight line. "What is there to do after? The Concordat's goals are defied, the world is safe. The people you've met here become valuable allies and sources of information." (It doesn't take much. Get as close as you can, put some thrust on the trashbag full of artifacts.) For what? I'm not going on any adventures after this. * Threnody sighs quietly, and after a moment, speaks up. "I don't claim to be anywhere near as accomplished at... the 'family business' as my mother. But even I know nothing ends this simply. Not even in a storybook world." There's plenty after that, if you ask me. "What else happens, then?" * Katherine leans forward. "The Concordat gets angry? They switch goals? They take out years of failed planning on you?" (Dunno. The next step on the chart is "Find out about betrayal, kill rogue AIs.") (Always is.) Me. And Demetria. You know, finding out our past during this journey? Well, if the journey is over-- and it MUST be over, because you can see the future and you'd tell us if it wasn't, or at least I'm assuming you're not lying -- then there isn't much of a chance left for us to do that. Unless you just said that because you wanted to use us. "After we have obtained the artifact, the Concordat leadership will be dead. Guaranteed." * Threnody gives Demetreia a sympathetic look, then a weak smile, hearing that. * Demetreia continues the hostile staring, her hands placed flat on the table in what looks like a perfectly calm manner. Right. And then? <> "I did not lie. Your past does lie along this journey, but merely the beginning involves me." So what you're saying is we could've skipped all this BS with the artifacts. Dead, guaranteed? I'm not sure I like the sound of that. * Ian puts down his menu and gazes levelly at Anders. "It doesn't sound like recovering this one last artifact is going to be easy." I haven't liked the sound of any of this. "No. Each step is necessary to reach the end goal. You cannot jump ahead." * Katherine sits back in her chair again, and scans over the rest of the team in the background. Sure we can. You see the future. Tell us what happens. * Threnody frowns as he listens to the conversation, looking at Anders, but 'speaking' to Kat. %% What promises did he make, exactly? %% <> * Rochelle takes this as calmly as she does anything. Which is, very. She idly twirls her straw in her glass. "It does not work that way. Attempting to circumvent fate will cause you to retrace your steps." <> Of course you'd say that. But isn't that what you're doing anyhow? %% None to ... Vera and Deme have made their own deals and promises %% * Threnody mms softly. %% Seems like his friends don't like the tenor of this conversation at all. I can't say I do either. %% "Of course not. Each step to Fate must be met on its own ground, even if you know what lies ahead." * Vera blinks. "What's that supposed to mean? Sounds like you're dodging the question." * Waiter comes out with a tray of food, and then goes back to the kitchen. * Waiter makes several more such trips before all that food you ordered is in front of you all. * Rochelle starts quietly eating. (Waiter whips out two guns John Woo style and takes Anders down in a hail of bullets.) ( *eeps at the time* HAPPY NEW YEAR! ) * Leopoldo quietly eats as well. * Katherine eyes her food, and starts to eat as well. %% Who would? %% "I am not dodging the question. You are misunderstanding the answer. Trust me. I have not lied to you yet." * Demetreia seems not to notice her food, still glaring at Anders. * Fitzroy starts in on his food, listening to Anders. * Ian shrugs, and digs in. * Threnody says, quietly and around a mouthful of wonton, "Creative use of the truth is much more frightening than any lie." * Vera sighs. "Yeah, fine. Forget it." She starts in on her Chinese-pizza-steak * Ian nods emphatically. "Be that as it may. The next step lies on Earth, which is where we will be travelling in a week's time." * Katherine pales a little. All of us? * Ian blinks, and actually stops eating for a moment. * Threnody pales very, very visibly. "...Earth." "All of you. And all of us, incidentally." Fine. Whatever. * Rochelle doesn't even blink at that. She just goes back to eating. * Demetreia shows no sign of having heard. Or of caring if she did. * Leopoldo takes the large knife that came with his meal and slices the odd concoction into four equal parts, one strike each. "I've always wanted to go there, actually. Never had enough money, though." * Ian shrugs and continues eating. * Threnody breathes out, choosing his words carefully. "*Where* on Earth?" "The old American Southwest. The Concordat is consolidating the artifacts there." * Threnody gets at least a little of his color back, spooning himself some soup and eating it slowly before responding. "...I see." * Katherine frowns. "How long are we going to be on Earth?" "Four days." <> "In the interests of completion, however, I would like to introduce you to to the members of my team not all of you have met." <> "That is Phila, who is a teleporter. Unfortunately she has never been to where we are going on Earth, and so we must travel there directly." * Threnody blinks, unable to keep himself from saying, "...Phila?" <<"Phila" grimaces, and shouts "LUANNE!" back at Anders. He ignores her and points at the GREEN MAN.>> "Dorian Grey, telepath and weathy Earther layabout." <> Dor... Wasn't he in some old movie? (I'm going to find his picture and FEED IT TO HIM.) * Katherine looks at 'Phila' with a faint grin. (Oh god, Kat, thank you. Now I'm not going to be able to see her character without thinking of tea and blunt weaponry.) (Kat?) (What are you blaming ME for?) (...) (You added an i, and now I am too. Ass.) (You added an 'i'. This makes me think of Slayers Try.) ( Away for about 5-10. ) (Oh. I'm sorry. ;_;) <> "Victor Oddment, proprietor of Oddment's Assortments, a gun store. Victor is our supplier." <> * Ian perks up at this. Cool. You carry tommy guns? <> "Isaiah Mornville, our technical assistant and hacker." <> * Vera looks disappointed. * Fitzroy raises an eyebrow. (Fear me. I'm Captain McNormalGuy.) * Rochelle keeps eating. Don't want her food to get cold. * Threnody has also been eating, with a very troubled look on his face. * Ian is still working on his large plate of pasta. * Leopoldo keeps eating as well. <> "Feel free to talk to them before you leave. As for me, my crab is now precisely the temperature I find best for eating. I bid you good meal." <> * Fitzroy raises the other eyebrow and goes back to eating his own food. (How can he stride with such little legs? Does he walk like an SS soldier? c.c;) * Threnody sighs as Anders leaves and, pushing aside the completely insane mass of food he ordered, mutters a tired-sounding "I'm suddenly not hungry." ( He strides like a taru ) (TARUTARU!) * Katherine goes back to eating her food too, although a bit slower than she was before. (*puts Anders in a hoodie.) * Rochelle swallows. "It's good. Why order that much if you're not gonna eat it?" * Vera finishes her pizza and starts on a cigarette. Mm, I must return here sometime... * Threnody looks at Rochelle with a completely blank stare for a moment, then down at his plate sullenly. "It has nothing to do with the food." * Rochelle gives Threnody a strange look. "What's it got to do with?" * Leopoldo shrugs. * Threnody looks up at Roch again, this time more confused than blank, but after a protracted silence, he offers an answer. "I'm from Earth. I swore not to go back until I'd accomplished a certain something..." * Rochelle stabs a bowtie with her fork. "Then don't go back." She pops it into her mouth. * Katherine smirks. "Good advice." ( Bowtie? Is it one of the self-spinny kinds? ) * Leopoldo chuckles. (It's noodle!) ( A self-spinny noodle? ) * Threnody shakes his head, toying with the food on his plate. "Even if Anders *is* toying with us, I have to go back. Maybe it's better to say, it's the most compelling reason *to* go..." * Demetreia stares after Anders as he leaves, then slowly turns her gaze to her food and begins eating--how else? mechanically. * Ian hmms. * Rochelle shrugs and says, in her thick Twilight accent, "If it's more compelling than a promise, then go back. Don't need to hurt yourself over it." 'Sides, he's paying for this If you think he's toying with us, stick it to him and drain his wallet. * Threnody blinks, then cracks a small smile. "Then not eating is the best revenge. It's paid for already, after all." 'S also a waste of food, though. ( Think of all the starving children in Red Ethiopia! ) * Threnody shrugs. "Maybe you can have it boxed up for that puppy." * Ian grins. (Perfect solution! BONUS POINTU!) * Rochelle drops her fork and looks up, directly at Anders. Practically through him. * Fitzroy finishes his own food and speaks up, "I'm not really looking forward to what we'll find on Earth." <> (Punmonkey.) (^_^_v) We'll probably have to fight Can't again, or something. Big deal. * Rochelle blinks, picks up her fork, and goes back to eating. How bad can it be? * Ian shrugs. It's where we all originally came from, after all. (AAAAAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA) (Hehe. :P) ( Of course, now that he's said that, we're all gonna die. ) (Of course!) * Threnody mms to himself. "The old American southwest... it's a lot like how it was almost two hundred years ago. Mostly desert and refurbished buildings." ( Damn right you are. ^_^ ) Hmm... Yeah. My kinda place... Maybe. * Threnody can't help but laugh. "I've always wondered if the famous landing at Roswell was Sleythin-related. I never did get to as..." He trails off, then looks unhappy again. .. He said the entire Concordat leadership is going to be dead after we get this artifact.. meaning to me that we'll have to go through them to get it. Maybe. At least we won't have to deal with people shooting at us any more. Some of us won't. * Threnody suddenly laughs. "For a writer of historical fiction, Mr. Savolino, I'm surprised." * Ian raises an eyebrow. "Hmm?" * Threnody looks up. "The American southwest was big on gunfights and duels in the 1800's, wasn't it?" If my history classes serve me correctly, yes. * Ian grins. "I meant after we're done with that." (I'm guessing the concept of the 'Western' has preserved in some fashion enough for that to not be obscure knowledge.) * Rochelle has slipped back into silence. She seems almost thoughtful. * Demetreia continues eating in silence, not looking at anyone or anything except her food. (I'm super beat. I'm gonna bow out soon, I think.) * Katherine finishes her meal, and her wine, and mms. "Earth. Who the hell's going to take care of Eck?" * Vera finishes her second cigarette, and snuffs it out in the ashtray. (It's likely a good time to end it.) * Threnody laughs a little. "Or the puppy. Does it have a name?" (Wrap up.) Vwoof. Can we take him with? * Demetreia mumbles. "Vwoof." If we're going on my ship, I have no qualms about animals. Nor do I - they both seem well-behaved. * Rochelle nods. * Vera snickers. * Threnody smiles. "An interesting name... how about I ask for a box, and we go see if he wants this?" * Rochelle looks at Threnody for a moment, then nods. "Okay." * Leopoldo finishes the rest of his meal. How he ate it really is- Well, actually, he's pretty big. It's not surprising he ate the whole thing. ( Leo is phat. ) <>