<> <> <> <> <> * Rochelle is there! She's burned nastily and peeling again, but seems content working on painting her nails a nice gold color. Almost done, too. * Threnody makes a bold entrance onto the scene by ringing the buzzer! * Rochelle looks up. * Katherine 's voice comes out from a bunch of white sheets hung over in the far corner of the apartment, annoyed, "Who the hell is it? Can you get that, Roch?" (Meaningless question: Is it morning or day or afternoon?) (Midmorning.) Yeah, sure. * Rochelle finishes the last nail, blows on it, and goes to the speaker. "Who is it?" * Threnody sounds too chipper to be real. "Ohayo! It's me. Can I come in?" * Rochelle blinks. "Oh, hey Thren. Sure." She buzzes him in, careful to avoid ruining her nails. * Katherine makes a muttering noise from behind the hung sheets. <> (The Pyramid is, however, sitting on the kitchen counter!) * Threnody arrives later, and can be taught, as he doesn't bother with knocking and actually opens the door. He's wearing a way-too-large red silk buttondown and leftover leather pants, and a red square Chinese cap. He's also carrying what could be a picnic basket. "Hello." * Rochelle looks back. She's wearing her usual casual clothes, which shows off her burns nicely. "Hey. What's up?" (Is his hair still half red/violet? ;P) (Yes, actually. Most of it's under the cap, though.) (Except the forelocks.) (Righto.) Well, I thought you'd want to know what happened while you were, er... in the Vacation Room. And a good guest never forgets a gift, so I went into the old city and got some breakfast. Oh. Sure, thanks. * Katherine says, from behind the makeshift-curtain, "Did I hear breakfast?" * Rochelle looks at Kat. "You heard breakfast." (Well, in Kat's direction. ;P) * Threnody blinks at the sheet in confusion a moment, then ohs and sets the basket on the table, opening it up. It smells of baked goods. "Lox and bagels, mostly. And a sleythin pastry I don't remember the name of. I had no idea you were a painter." (I waver in and out. Usually if it's the race I capitalize itherwise I don't.) * Katherine makes a soft noise behind the curtains, and then there is rustling and the sound of wood on wood. She comes out a few seconds later, her hair completely unbraided and wearing a black shirt and loose black pants. No shoes, and there is paint of various on her hands, and even a little on her face. "I'm a lot of shit, Thren." * Rochelle doesn't comment. * Threnody looks up, onion bagel in his mouth, then blinks and bites down. "Well, don't get any on the food, then." * Rochelle checks her nails to see that they're dry, then goes to grab a bagel and munch. * Katherine gets a dry bagel, and just bites a hunk out of it. "Thanf fou," she says, before wandering over to the bookshelves, bagel in hand. * Threnody grabs a stool or something, then finds the lox and spreads some on half of his remaining bagel and half on what appears to be a biscuit with the center cut out. "Did you tell Miss Rochelle any of what happened?" * Katherine opens one of the books, looks at it for a second, and puts it back. "Not really. Not all that much happened. Lots of standard SIG-ASP crazy, you two ruled out some suspects, we got invited to Venus." Venus? What for? * Threnody bites into the biscuit thing, then blinks. "Hey, actually pretty good! No wonder considering. I wonder if the Sleythin eat salmon." He swallows, then mms. "To, uh... well, we're doing a favor for Vernon Marcus while we wait for results on Leo's sisters." * Katherine walks back inside of the curtains, and some more of the rustling and wood on wood noises are heard. * Rochelle nods, munching on the bagel some more. Oh! *munch* And Vernon rather obliviously gave away my mother's name, so that's not quite a secret anymore. * Katherine says loudly, "Couldn't have picked a fucking better time. Everyone was too damn distracted by the Game thing. Even Roy." * Rochelle swallows. "Game thing?" * Threnody nods a little. "I wonder how he'd heard about that. How could it even become an urban legend? It's not like anyone KNEW about it." Munch. * Threnody looks at Rochelle. "Um... short version is, there used to be many more AIs, and they played something called 'The Game'. Since most of those AIs are gone, it's over now." * Rochelle blinks a couple times. "Guess they needed something to do." * Threnody finishes his sleythin-in-a-biscuit. "I really am turning into my mother. I was really suspicious of Roy, for a moment, there. Ah well." He smiles back at Rochelle. "I don't suppose you have any questions? I don't know what to tell you." * Rochelle shrugs. "Still don't know what we have to do on Venus, really." * Threnody blinks. "...I think something about picking up an experimental polymer they're developing on Avalon. Or something similar. Pretty routine, it sounds like." (As Katherine has been eaten by a painting of a grue. c.c;) (It was hungry!) Oh. Okay. * Rochelle considers. "When're we goin'?" * Katherine adds, "Which makes no fucking sense. They have to have at least one ship they can stow the son of a bitching thing on in the next week. Fuck, I can't see this." * Threnody smiles and loxes up another bagel. "I think they just want to occupy us while they do the testing, and we're being paid, so it's not as if there's any harm. As for when we're leaving, I have no idea." * Rochelle nods, finishing off her bagel. She gets up to grab another one, has a bite, and checks to see how many are in that basket. (A whole lot.) (He was expecting more people.) We're not gonna finish all of these, are we. * Threnody licks some lox from his finger like a little kid. "That was surprisingly easy. I was expecting it to take all morning." He blinks at Roch and looks in the basket. "...probably not, but they keep a long time." * Rochelle nods again. "I was thinking. We could maybe bring some to Mad. She could use a few meals." * Threnody sits back up and headtilts. "Mad?" Mad Hettie. She was my neighbor in Box City. * Threnody continues to look adorably confused. "Box City?" * Rochelle starts picking out a few bagels. "I get the feeling we should visit- huh? Oh, that's where most of the homeless live. Y'know, people without houses and apartments." Least, in this city anyway. It's nice. * Katherine helpfully adds, "It's in the Prototyping Sector. Damn." * Threnody eyes the curtain with the same confused look, then looks back at the basket and hmms. "Well, I'm not adverse to the idea. You might want to keep away from the [bagels], though. Unless she likes Sleythin food." (Man, I wish you hadn't chosen [] for Sleythin. Now it feels like I'm using the Brackets of Power on bagels.) ([Baaaaaaagels]) (Bagels of great mystery!) Uh, sure. * Rochelle does that. (Hehe!) * Threnody clears his throat. "Are you coming along, Katherine? Or would you two like to be alone?" (Busy making voodoo dolls! Leave me be!) * Katherine pokes her head out of the curtains. "Us two? Very funny, Thren." * Katherine goes back inside. "If you wanted to see what I was doing, you coulda just fucking asked. I'll be out in a second." * Threnody smiles cheerily. "I've been taking lessons. 'Witty Retorts for Dummies'." * Threnody then actually produces the datachip for it, which takes it from possibly stupid retort to tragic reality. "It's a fascinating read." * Katherine comes out from behind the curtain. She's scrubbing at her hands with something which is probably MagicalDunnoSolvent, and eyes the chip. "Amazing what you can pick up these days." * Rochelle looks at it blankly, then shakes her head and continues munching her bagel. (It being the chip.) * Threnody gets up and stretches. "Box City... I feel a little bad. If I had steady work, I wouldn't need to sit on most of my savings. I could share a bit with them." (Sadly, there's not much profit in the revenge business. I take this job with Ronzini to pay the bills.) * Katherine goes into the bathroom, and comes out with a tool that she is rapidly using to braid her hair. "Gotta be a job for... uh, ronin somewhere. Could always bounce." * Rochelle snickers. "Yeah, you could bounce for me." (I'm going to have to insist you get the hell moving.) (Damn.) * Threnody laughs and crosses his arms behind his head. "It's not lack of work. It's just that being the successor to the Tsukitomi school is full time work. It just doesn't pay very well." He thinks for a moment, takes the remainder of the bagels out of the basket, then puts Roch's leftovers IN it and picks it up. "She can keep the basket. It was free anyway. Shall we?" * Rochelle blinks. "Sure." She grabs her windbreaker and looks to Kat. * Katherine slips on socks and shoes quickly, and then a jacket. "Yeah, sure. Just give me another one for the road. That's why I like art. More work than writing." She grabs a bagel: asking must have just been a formality. * Threnody was already dressed! He is Red Riding-hood-kun! (Leather-pants Red Riding-hood-kun.) (It's 2080's. Gotta keep up with the fashions.) * Rochelle stuffs her feet into her workboots. * Katherine leads out the door, barely remembering to grab her purse before doing so. Should have remembered to get the paint off her face, though. * Threnody follows, since only the other two know where he's going. <> (Todd, I assume you've seen Box City descs?) (Boxes! Homeless!) (Blipvert!) (Not quite. >.>) (If I need more than a vague image I can go back and read. Let's just go.) (Go back and read then.) (I will. but keep going as I do so. ^_^) * Rochelle walks along, idly picking at her peeling skin. Eew. <> * Rochelle blinks at the contraption. "Hey, Mad! What're ya doin'?" * Threnody blinks as he walks along to Grandma's box, looking almost... cowed, by the surroundings. <> "Girlie! Been wondrin' when I'd see ye again. Did ye get the joke?" I think so. You were right, too. It wasn't that funny. * Katherine thinks for a second, then smirks. "I even tried to punch a few people in the face, so you were right." "Aye, I thought so." <> * Threnody stops looking around like a lost tourist and follows Rochelle's gaze to Hettie, who he smiles at cheerily right until the 2x4 comes flying. * Rochelle steps to one side without really thinking about it, the wood missing her by inches. She blinks. "Oh! Gotta introduce ya to Thren." * Rochelle makes the appropriate gestures. "Thren, this's Mad Hettie. Mad, this's Threnody." "Damn and blast! The wood be slippery today, like a fish ye can't get a grip en!" <> "Ooh, a new face, and a sweet one 't'that!" * Threnody smiles, the model of politeness, and bows a little, proffering the basket when he straightens. "We come bearing bagels. It's a pleasure to meet you, Miss Hettie." * Katherine continues smirking. (Ms. Just Ms. He's not a total idiot.) <> "Ah, sweets for the sweet, and bagels fer the rest, eh, hon?" <> * Threnody oofs, actually stumbling backward, then standing up with a confused look, managing an eventual and asking more than saying: "...ow?" * Rochelle snickers a little. * Katherine just stands there. * Threnody just looks between Kat and Roch. "I didn't MEAN the bagels as an insult. Did I do something wrong? Does she not LIKE bagels?" * Katherine grins. "She was ribbing ya, Thren. Literally." (For clarification it was a joking jab, ie nudge nudge.) (But Thren is a dunce sometimes.) (*I* know it.) <> "Yer running me out of stones. But he's worth it - true bears are rare." * Threnody panics and nearly falls over scrambling to catch whatever it is she hurled at him. A bear, huh? Congrats, Thren. I think. (He's a care bear!) (...) (^_^) * Katherine chuckles. "We're just picking up all sorts of animals." (Yes. I am Sworded Bear.) <> * Threnody stands up and tilts his head a little, looking at the stone. He smiles absently at Hettie. "There's no need to pay for the bagels." Truly, a moron. "T'weren't plannin' on it, me boyo. Gave you all the payment I got, and all ye need." * Threnody blinks again, and is too stunned to do more than go: "...oh." * Rochelle shrugs. She's helpful. "But thanks. An' nex time remember I'm partial te poppyseed." * Katherine snickers. "Hey, Hettie, we've still got 4 more people for ya to meet. You think you got enough stones for 'em all?" * Threnody smiles. Now he's back in familiar territory. "You're certainly welcome, and I will." "I ought te. Yer a weirdlin' bunch a people ever I saw a weirdlin' bunch." <> Why're ya doin' that, Mad? "Gwinta get a new'un. Stones said so. Figgerd I'd put yer box on tiptop o' mine, hey? He's gonna need help." * Rochelle blinks, trying to recognize her own box in that mess. * Threnody looks at the stone distractedly, occasionally looking at Hettie with the smiling distraction of the uncomprehending. "...a new'un?" He struggles with the lack of consonants. "A new boy. Comin' in t'morrow.: <> Oh, sure. Ya gonna show 'im around? <> "He'll be in a bad way, 'struth. Need a lot of rest, an some grub innim." (I have to thank you guys. I've just doubled the length of time I had plotted.) ('Length of time'?) (Ha.) * Katherine shakes her head. "Like strays, Hettie?" * Threnody glances between Roch and Hettie a bit, looking perplexed. He turns the stone over in his hand obsessively. "Ever'n needs a hand. Specially this'un." Ya could share some bagels with him, I guess. * Rochelle doesn't seem to notice Thren's look. "Aye. Bagels fer the rest." <> * Threnody continues to look around strangely, occasionally latching onto things that make sense. "We can come back with more any time, if you'd like." * Katherine suddenly starts to look around with a frown on her face. <> "Nae. Not fer a week er more. Gwinta be busy." <> * Rochelle nods. She looks at Kat. "Somethin' wrong?" * Katherine blinks, and looks back at Roch. "Just..." she trails off for a second, and then starts looking around again. "Thinking." <> * Threnody looks around, and finally the surroundings seem to get to him. "It's such a sad place." Not really. * Threnody blinks at Roch. "How do you mean?" * Rochelle shrugs. "This's one of the best places I've ever lived at. That's not exactly sad." * Katherine nods. "It's alive. They may not have money, but they've got something." She pauses, and adds, "Could be a hell of a lot worse." * Threnody blinks again, a few times, then sighs. "I wasn't trying to insult them. It just seems like... a waste for people to never have a chance to find out what their lives could be like elsewhere." "BAH." <> "'bout allov em come from elsewhere inna first place." * Threnody looks at the ground. "I appear to only be able to put my foot in my mouth." "Mosta the ones'th trainin' do work here. Improvin' anna like." <> "Don' worry, lad, ye can't insult me. I'm older'n spit an I heard it all already." * Rochelle snickers a little. * Threnody looks at the stone a bit, then smiles at Hettie. "Thank you very much for the stone, though I was actually born in the year of the Rat." "Chinee fortunes ain't yer spirit animals. Be a borin' ass world were that tidbit true." * Threnody blinks. "I guess I don't really understand. But with all things, it'll come eventually." * Katherine is still looking around a bit. "Aye." <> "Been a nice visit, but I got to finish 'fore tomorrow." * Rochelle nods. "Yeah. See ya, Mad." * Threnody waves a hand. "Again, a pleasure to meet you." * Katherine nods slightly, but doesn't respond. <> * Threnody looks at Roch and Kat. "Uh... shall we go, I guess?" Yeah, sure. * Rochelle nods. She starts leading out of Box City. * Katherine follows, looking around as she does so. A slow smile starts to creep onto her face. (You planning on talking more?) (Dunno. Kat implied it, but it's almost 3.) (If people are too tired, I can always wait. It's not a Cham-Heavy thing.) (I'm a little worn out for Ka(ngs)t right now.) (Hmph.) (Hehe.) (I wasn't even planning on angsting, for once.) (I think call here for me.) <>