Logfile from M3

You enter The Reploid Room - Pool Hall.

The Reploid Room - Pool Hall

As you slide into the smokey and somewhat subdued area that is the pool hall, your optics/eyes adjust to the dimmer light. Clearly you can see that this area is designed for those infamous bar games. Pool tables fill the majority of this room, clad in red and green felt. On the far wall rest a few dart boards. Near the entrance are a half a dozen tables set up for card games. Looks like one could make a fortune around here if they knew what they were doing.

Contents: Contents:

Iris [Action] [RF] Corona [Normal] [MH]

Jazz [Casual] [MH]

Pool Table Card Table

Dance Floor <DF>: The Reploid Room - Dance Floor

Bar <B>: The Reploid Room - Bar

[Radio: (F) Public] Job transmits, "Evening."

Jazz oh yeahs as she throws in the appropriate number of chips, before her smile fades as she stares at her cards. "Ummm... I'll see that, and I'll raise you another 500."

Corona nods, "Call." He tosses five hundred into the pot, and waits to see what Jazz does.

Iris scoots up a chair to watch the card game in progress. "Nice to meet you, Corona! I'm Iris." She studies the cards curiously, probably having little to no idea what's going on but learning nonetheless.

Jazz slowly sets her cards down, as she tries to smile, but doesn't manage to actually pull it off. "I have a pair of Aces. How about you?"

Jazz shows five of her cards: AD AH QS JD 3H

Raffinato has connected.

Corona chuckles, "Take it." He sets his hand down just afterwards, revealling... a pair of Jacks.

Corona is holding: JH JS 3D 2C 10H.

Corona collects all the cards and starts to shuffle them.

Corona finishes shuffling the cards.

Raffinato enters The Reploid Room - Dance Floor.

Raffinato has left.

Jazz, as she collects the pot, can't help but giggle faintly. "Thank you. This was fun. But I've gota get going. Sorry. I'll see both of you around though!"

Corona waves, "Take care of yourself, Jazz."

The Reploid Room is definitely on Feste's list of 'places to ca-- visit'. Despite the fact that he's, well, human, and squishy, and... well, hey, he's got red eyes. Doesn't that count for something?

The Fool, hands carefully tucked into pockets, comes a-wandering through the the pool tables to the poker section of the room, and finds what other than a game of poker already started and in progress. And hey, some familiar faces!

With almost no ado, Feste sits himself down at one of the unoccupied chairs, smiling. "Deal me in." As if he, y'know, really knew these people well and knew that they wouldn't mind him just randomly showing up, not at all... Strangely enough, Jazz just misses him on her way out. alas!

Iris waves so long to Jazz as she departs. "See you later!" As Feste comes in, she chuckles softly. "I didn't know you played cards!"

Jazz has disconnected.

Corona nods to Feste, and deals the cards after a quick shuffle, "You got it."

Corona deals 5 cards to Feste.

Corona deals 5 cards to himself.

Feste clasps his hands atop the table, and nods to Iris. "Oh, yes. Absolutely." By which he means 'sort of, okay, not really, but well enough to pretend that I do'. As always.

Your hand consists of: 7H 5D KS 5S 9D.

Corona checks his hand and hmms, "Bleh. Stay."

Feste hmms quietly at his cards. After a moment of thought, he sets down two cards. "Two, please."

Feste discards two of his cards.

Corona nods, flicking over two cards. "Dealer takes four."

Corona deals 2 cards to Feste.

Corona discards four of his cards.

Your hand consists of: 5D KS 5S 3H JC.

Corona deals 4 cards to himself.

Iris continues to look on, eyes wide and curious.

Corona glances at his new hand, and shakes his head, chuckling, "Well, as they say... if it's not scottish, it's crap... and this hand, is most certainly not scottish. Fold." He tosses his cards in, and indicates for Feste to take the pot.

"A Scottish Fold is a kind of cat," Iris points out.

Feste puts down his cards, indifferent. "A pair of fives," he remarks, showing his cards. ...and he wins. Score!

At Iris' remark, Feste smirks. "I would so like to see a cat play poker."

Feste is holding: 5D KS 5S 3H JC.

Corona folds, putting his hand aside.

Corona chuckles, "Still beats a queen-high fold." He gathers the cards up and shuffles, then deals again, while noting to Iris, "I was unaware of that."

Corona collects all the cards and starts to shuffle them.

Corona finishes shuffling the cards.

Corona deals 5 cards to Feste.

Corona deals 5 cards to himself.

Iris says, "Oh, I know all kinds of useless trivia."

You say, "Do tell."

Your hand consists of: 7C 2C 6S 7S AH.

Feste takes the pot. Woohoo! He puts a few of the chips back out, as his bet (he supposes. this is how poker's played, correct?) and peers at his new cards. Hmm.

He lays two down again. "Two."

Feste discards two of his cards.

Corona glances at his hand, flipping out his ante chip and nods, "And three for me."

Corona deals 2 cards to Feste.

Corona discards three of his cards.

Corona deals 3 cards to himself.

Portal has connected.

Raffinato arrives from The Reploid Room - Dance Floor.

Raffinato has arrived.

Your hand consists of: 7C 7S AH 4H QC.

Hey, didn't that big hugeish medic fellow just leave about an hour ago? So what's he doing back? And why is he carrying a large guitar case-like object? Portal enters the Pool Hall with, apparently, his own pool cue... or a guitar. One of 'em.

Feste murmurs soundlessly at his crappy cards -- he's sitting at the poker table with Iris and Corona.

Corona calmly puts a chip in the center of the table, "Five hundred." He glances about, taking in the new arrivals curiously.

Feste puts down a chip or two. "Fifty." And hopes that's not against the rules or anything. Yup.

Corona nods, "Call." He tosses the extra fifty into the pot, and waits to see what Feste has.

Raffy then suddenly emerges. he had disrupted the poker game to check on his car, but suddenly fell unconscious (he slipped on some spilled vodka). he groans and rubs his head as he enters.

Feste shows his cards. "A pair of sevens." Stupid pairs. Sigh.

Feste is holding: 7C 7S AH 4H QC.

Corona grins faintly, tossing his hand down and announcing, "Queen high pair of nines." He then scoops in the pot, followed by the cards, shuffling them and dealing again after flicking in the appropriate ante.

Corona is holding: 9C 9D 2H 5S QH.

Corona collects all the cards and starts to shuffle them.

Corona finishes shuffling the cards.

Corona deals 5 cards to Feste.

Corona deals 5 cards to himself.

Portal strolls over to the pool table, and watches a game in progress. He sits down, opens his case, and screws together his pool cube, a minature version of the red cross that adorns his regular armor in several places.

Iris is also quietly observing the game...she's pulled up a chair to the table where Feste and Corona are playing.

Portal retrieves the balls and re-racks them on the table.

Your hand consists of: KD 9D 8C QS 3H.

Raffy tries to figure out what happened. He checks his pockets, but the moneys gone, all 1000 of it. "Damn it to h*ll" he mutters. He sees Corona, and is about to ask her when he sees Iris. "Well, well, if it isn't the lass I saw in Tetsuo's. How are you doing?" he asks her in his thick British accent. His hair is done in a long pony-tail down to the middle of his back, and the rest of his hair is gelled back.

The former game finishes, and more than a few folks make way for the tall reploid, who squares up to the table after resetting it. Looks like a solo game today.

Gasp! Now there are -two- ponytailed British men at the table!

Feste simply stays in the game, peering at his new hand now. Ahh, much better than last time, but still not too good. Hm hm hm.

He sets down two cards, for the third time in a row. "Two."

Corona chuckles softly, "You got it." He sighs at his own hand, "Three for the dealer once more."

Your hand consists of: KD 9D 8C QS 3H.

Corona discards three of his cards.

Feste discards two of his cards.

Corona deals 2 cards to Feste.

Corona deals 3 cards to himself.

Portal breaks, scattering the balls over the table.

Iris smiles kindly at Raffy. "Hi! I'm just watching these guys play cards...probably for incredibly high stakes, just like in Vegas!"

Your hand consists of: KD 9D QS QH 9S.

You say, "Oh, incredibly high. You may have though we meant merely twenty or five hundred, but really we mean thousands."

Raffy laughs. "Ah, yes, jolly good Vegas is. I hope to go there one day" he looks over at Portal. "Would it be possible to talk while i play pool with this chap?" he asks her.

Corona chuckles as he tosses his hand into the center of the table once more, "Let's just say that if we were in Vegas, the house would be firing me right now. Fold."

Corona folds, putting his hand aside.

Portal studies the table and lines up his shot...

Portal hits the 7 ball but misses the pocket.

The balls ricochete around the table...

Iris giggles at Feste and Corona's comments, then she says to Raffy... "Well I don't see why not, if it doesn't bother the card players."

Raffy nods. "I'm sure it won't" he answers for her. He goes over to the pool table and gestures for her to come, grabbing a chair. He says to Portal "I say, may i play some pool with you? I haven't gotten to in a while..."

Your hand consists of: KD 9D QS QH 9S.

Portal is lining up his first shot when Raffy speaks, and it causes him to miss. He chuckles, and shakes his head. "Would not mind in the least, sir." He proceeds to re-rack the table again.

Portal retrieves the balls and re-racks them on the table.

Feste tchs quietly, despite the nonsense he's already begun to spew. He sets down a pair of queens and a pair of nines, smiling. Raffinato is apparently unnoticed further than a casual glance, and a noting of the man's accent. British. Lovely.

Feste is holding: KD 9D QS QH 9S.

Corona nods, "Good thing I folded, then... I had nothing at all." He glances at his wrist, then frowns faintly, "I have to go. Project to work on." He rises to his feet, bows politely to Iris, and blinks away.

"Nice meeting you, Corona!" Iris says with a friendly grin. "Talk to you some more later!"

Feste smiles at Corona. "Excellent game, sir. Thank you kindly, and good eve."

Corona blinks to another location.

Corona has left.

The Fool gathers up the pot, as it were, and frowns slightly as Corona leaves so suddenly. Well! Must be a sore loser.

He takes the deck in hand, gathering up the cards, and looks to... Iris. "M'lady. Would you perhaps like to play a game or three, if only for fun?"

Raffinato retrieves the balls and re-racks them on the table.

Raffinato breaks, managing to sink the 9 ball in the process.

Iris bites her lip, looking at Feste awkwardly. "Errr...no thank you..." Judging by the awkward expression she wears, she's probably couldn't even name the four suites if pressed to do so.

Feste mock-frowns at Iris, eyes twinkling. "Oh, come now! Don't know how to play? You've no need to be embarrassed, madonna." He shuffles the deck idly, just to give his hands something to do.

Raffy screams. "OH BLIMEY! I NEED TO LEAVE!" he rapidly says to Portal and Iris "I'm sorry it's been a lovely time I'll play with you in the future so nice to meet you we'll be blah blah blah....." he goes into rambling as he careens out the door.

Raffinato enters The Reploid Room - Dance Floor.

Raffinato has left.

Feste peers at Raffinato as he walks off babbling. Hm. Curious, that.

Portal turns as the fellow... errr... runs out. He scratches his head. "Now that's an odd sort of character." He shakes his head and starts to return his gear to its holding pack. "Today just is not the day, I suppose."

Iris watches Raffy careen out the door. She arches a brow, then turns back to Feste. "That guy is -so- -weird-," she exclaims. "Anyhow...where were we? Oh yes. Cards. Ummm...I don't know how to play," she admits. Portal gets a glance. "Would you agree that guy is uh, maybe a few circuits short of a full toaster-oven?"

Portal looks over at Iris... and pauses. "Hm? Oh, yes, very much so." He looks back out. "I would wager that he would be well-served to see a doctor."

"You don't really need circuits to be an effective toaster-oven," Feste reflects, shuffling the cards. "Just heat." how profound! He looks over at Portal briefly, and shrugs. Maybe he should ask him if he wants in on the game or something. eh, whatever.

Feste deals five cards face-up on the table, where Iris can see them. "It's very simple, really. You are dealt cards, and given a chance to discard a few and be dealt more to replace them. The aim of it is to collect certain combinations." He deals five more, face-up in front of himself.

Portal has since slung his cue over his shoulder and is now regarding the Feste-Iris interaction regarding poker. Intently.

"...not really. There, the cards have a point value. Here, you want... different combinations. Here, let's... try an example."

Feste deals some more cards out.

Iris stares at her cards in bewilderment. "Hmmm, okay..."

Feste collects all the cards and starts to shuffle them.

Feste finishes shuffling the cards.

Feste deals 5 cards (10S AH 6S AD 6H) to Iris.

Feste deals 5 cards (QC 3S 7S JC AC) to himself.

The Fool leans over to peer at Iris' cards. "Let's see... hm. 10, ace, ace, six, six. You've got two pair, that's good. See? Two aces, two sixes."

He looks at his own cards briefly. "I currently have nothing, see?"

Portal has disconnected.

Feste says, "You would keep them." Feste reaches over to pull the ten away from the rest, showing it to Iris. "This one is deadwood. It matches with nothing. You already have something you can win with, so you would merely discard the ten in the hopes of getting something better in the process." He looks to his own cards once more. "I shall keep my ace, my jack, and my queen, because I have a potential straight there." He discards the appropriate cards, and waits for Iris to do the same, if she wishes.

Feste discards two of his cards.

Feste deals 2 cards (QH 8D) to himself.

Iris discards one of her cards.

Iris grins. "Okay! Uumm...how many cards can I take, just one?"

Feste nods. "You get as many as you discard, yes." He hands her a card.

Feste deals 1 card (AS) to Iris.

Iris says, "Oooooh, okay. Now...if I have 3 of a kind, what is that called?"

"Three of a kind, of course," says Feste. "But you have a special case. You have a three of a kind and a two of a kind. This is called a full house, and it is worth quite a lot. You would win." Feste looks back at his own cards. "I have two pair. I lose." A pause. "Starting to get the hang of it?

Iris folds, putting her hand aside.

Iris umms..."I think so. That's pretty much it, isn't it?" She smirks, then suddenly interjects: "Want to dance??"

"Pretty much," answers Feste, shuffling the cards back into the deck. The sudden question gives him pause. Hm. Hm hm hm. He sets the cards down, and slips off of his seat. "Sure. Why not?"

Feste collects all the cards and starts to shuffle them.

Feste finishes shuffling the cards.

"I'm not trying to be flirty," Iris says with a grin, "Because I already -have- a boyfriend, you see. But I didn't want to just shuffle off to the dance floor without inviting. That wouldn't be very nice."

Feste cannot help but chuckle. Iris isn't trying to be flirty, but it seems as those Feste can't /help/ but be flirty, in most circumstances. Of course, the fact that Iris is a little... shall we say... out of his league certainly dampens the urge. Doesn't mean he won't, however.

"Of course, I would be delighted."

Iris grins widely. "Great, come on!"

Iris enters The Reploid Room - Dance Floor.

Iris has left.

You enter The Reploid Room - Dance Floor.

The Reploid Room - Dance Floor

Dancin', dancin', dancin'! The strange eclectic feel of the dance area is only overshadowed by its population. This fancy open area seems to be set for versatility, able to change motifs at the whim of the owner. The area is always happening with music, be it the Human DJ spinning the tunes or a live band. So stop standing there, silly! You look like a dork! Start cutting the rug!

Contents: Contents:

Iris [Action] [RF]

Foyer <F>: The Reploid Room - Entrance Foyer

Bar <B>: The Reploid Room - Bar

Pool Hall <PH>: The Reploid Room - Pool Hall

Upstairs <UP>: The Reploid Room - Cocktail's Lounge

Iris leaps out onto the dancefloor after finding a spare space, then she turns her attentions toward Feste. "So what do you do for a living? I think I've seen you out and about with the director of Interpol...are you some kind of entertainer?" She almost...ALMOST says 'escort', until she realizes the connotation for that isn't very nice. Good save!

The Fool, casual as always, follows after Iris, nimbly avoiding running into anyone else. That would be rude, after all.

Catching the slip, Feste stifles a snort, ending with a sort of short 'snrk' noise. "I am one, of sorts. I'm a Fool." He pauses, unable to rein in the grin on his face. Because it's just -- /funny/. "As for -- the Director, he and I are friends, and he is my patron, if you will."

Iris' eyes go wide. Maybe her initial instincts WERE right! "He's your /patron/? Oooh, okay," she says, nodding sagely. "Friends are great to have. I have a lot of questions for Mr. Abernathy." (And I'll just add THAT one to the list,) she thinks.

"Yes, my patron," Feste says, closing his eyes and lifting his chin, in another one of those typical Fool-expressions. Yes, /exactly!/ And I'm betting you can catch the undercurrents of -that- one, too, so enjoy the joke!

"He pays me to be amusing, you see. I do my best, but I am only a simple fool." He smirks to himself. "Questions. He loves questions. I'm sure he'll be thrilled." Ha ha.

Iris chuckles. "Well, you're funny -and- cute, I can see why he likes having you around," Iris says cheerfully. "Mostly, I want to ask him about Zero, though. I'm quite concerned for him..."

[Radio] Transmission detected: Supper in ... fridge ... ... get ...

Those would be the reasons, in a nutshell. More the latter, though.

"Why, thank you!" says Feste, still grinning. "Oh, Zero? Why, what's wrong with him?"

[Radio] Transmission detected: Oh? ... ... Bowie.

Iris pouts a little bit. "Well...he's been arrested, I'm afraid. And I think he's being held by the UN for questioning. It's all a terrible misunderstanding, really. But I can't help but feel worried!"

Feste puts on a worried face. A mask, really, but how can anyone tell?

"I see! That's most unfortunate. I do hope that works out."

"Thanks...me too," Iris admits worriedly. "They think he killed a bunch of people, but you see...they don't know him like I know him. I know he'd NEVER do such a thing, you see. I think he's being framed. Someone from the UN came to tell me to tell -him- to turn himself in...and that was kind of...um, awkward."

"But of course," Feste says, utterly sympathetic. "Did you do it?" How great it is to be an actor in days like these. So many people so willing to believe simple lies.

[Radio: (F) Public] Alpha Bomb Man transmits, "I'm thinking that I need to announce my return to the world a bit more... extensively."

[Radio: (F) Public] Tengu Man transmits, "Like over global broadband?"

[Radio: (F) Public] Raffinato transmits, "AH HA HA HA"

[Radio: (F) Public] Tengu Man transmits, "Shut up."

[Radio: (F) Public] Dr. Doppler transmits, "If only you followed your own advice."

[Radio: (F) Public] Raffinato transmits, "What? I just like to laugh for no reason! I am an artist!"

Iris shakes her head. "I didn't get the chance, I think they just hauled him in," she admits. "That's what I'm worried about, you see, because Mr. Abernathy is so paranoid...he's going to assume the absolute worst about poor Zero. I feel like I'll need to make a stand, so he doesn't get thrown in prison or something."

[Radio: (F) Public] Shyster transmits, "He stares at nekkid women."

[Radio: (F) Public] Raffinato transmits, "Greetings, master Doppler!"

[Radio: (F) Public] Tengu Man transmits, "You can shut up too, Doctor."

[Radio: (F) Public] Rumble Silverfish transmits, "I've never understood this human obsession with the naked form."

[Radio: (F) Public] Shyster transmits, "Well. Humans build reploids."

[Radio: (F) Public] Shyster transmits, "And they build us nekkid."

[Radio: (F) Public] Rumble Silverfish transmits, "I'm certain that you can find pictures of both your own and the opposing set of genitals in many places"

[Radio: (F) Public] Shyster transmits, "It's very logical."

[Radio] Transmission detected: It's ... ... that look ... ... ... ... ...

[Radio: (F) Public] Tengu Man transmits, "Whatever."

[Radio: (F) Public] Rumble Silverfish transmits, "Most reploid humans lack genitals or excessive secondary sexual characteristics."

[Radio: (F) Public] Tengu Man transmits, "Excuse me."

[Radio: (F) Public] Tengu Man transmits, "Why are you still talking about porn?"

[Radio: (F) Public] Shyster transmits, "We are?"

[Radio: (F) Public] Tengu Man transmits, "Well, /he/ is."

[Radio: (F) Public] Rumble Silverfish transmits, "I find it bizarre."

[Radio: (F) Public] Rumble Silverfish transmits, "And thus intriguing."

[Radio: (F) Public] Tengu Man transmits, "Okay, shut up already."

[Radio: (F) Public] Dr. Doppler transmits, "Then why don't you find an adult entertainment store and bother them with your questions."

Feste nods quietly. "That would not be out of his character, I suppose. Maybe I could put in a good word?"

[Radio: (F) Public] Rumble Silverfish transmits, "I have. Hot Legs Incorporated threatened me with 'a giant can of robot RAID' if I didn't cease and desist in asking their customers questions"

[Radio: (F) Public] Raffinato transmits, "AH HA HA HA!"

[Radio: (F) Public] Rumble Silverfish transmits, "They claimed that having a giant interrogatory insect on the wall frightened away the customers"

[Radio: (F) Public] Feste applauds Raffinato's 'art'.

[Radio: (F) Public] Shyster transmits, "Dunno, Mister Cockroach. Some of them might be into that."

[Radio: (F) Public] Rumble Silverfish transmits, "The most amusing encounter however came from teh one man who screamed 'Oh no! They're back!" at me, and then ran out into hte street."

[Radio: (F) Public] Shyster transmits, "They probably asked y'to leave 'cause they weren't able to control their burnin' lust for your skittering six-legged love."

Iris grins. "Could you?" she asks, looking hopeful. "Or at least find out if um...if there's any chance Zero might be let go?" She bites her lip, going for the cutest, most desperate look possible.

[Radio: (F) Public] Rumble Silverfish transmits, "Silverfish please, Roaches are base disease ridden creatures."

[Radio: (F) Public] Shyster transmits, "And you're acidic!"

[Radio: (F) Public] Raffinato transmits, "Like I said before, shyster is a /genius/!"

[Radio: (F) Public] Feste transmits, "I agree."

[Radio: (F) Public] Rumble Silverfish transmits, "I fail to understand this 'lust.' Its a wasteful aspect of you humans."

[Radio: (F) Public] Raffinato transmits, "Oh yeah? Lust got me through art school!"

[Radio: (F) Public] Feste cracks up.

[Radio: (F) Public] Skull Man transmits, "Must've been some insanely desperate women in that school."

[Radio: (F) Public] Dr. Cain transmits, "Well, the basest human desire is to create. Lust just accelerates the process. It's programmed into us like any other need, really."

Hmm. Why not? If anything, it means he'll have a contact in the Repliforce.

"I could, and I will," he says, smiling, with a wink. He'll even do it right now!

[Radio: (F) Public] Rumble Silverfish transmits, "Fascinating."

[Radio: (F) Public] Dr. Cain transmits, "Well, that, or if you want a second opinion... As Tom Lehrer put it a long time ago, 'Dirty books are fun, that's all there is to it.'"

[Radio: (F) Public] Raffinato transmits, "I was a lass-magnet back when I was 20!"

[Radio: (F) Public] Rumble Silverfish transmits, "I must admit the paper content in the average 'dirty magazine' is somewhat to my pallate"

[Radio: (F) Public] Shyster transmits, "Cool. So, like, if I went and dumped a lot of mud in a library, they'd thank me?"

[Radio: (F) Public] Feste transmits, "Oh, yes."

[Radio: (F) Public] Shyster drawls, "Like, radical, dude."

[Radio: (F) Public] Feste transmits, "Mud makes everything better."

[Radio: (F) Public] Dr. Cain transmits, "I'm going to have to agree with that."

[Radio: (F) Public] Feste transmits, "Of course you are."

<Global News Network> This is Trisha Takanawa live in downtown Torontreal, and from this angle, we can clearly see..." Explosions can be seen in the Commercial District, just west of downtown. "Jim, pan in... I think those are robots!" A clear shot of lightning strikes from a figure in the air, and at the same time, a large explosion detonates on the street, sending more than a few cars out of the way of... a mohawk? "Torontreal appears to be under attack!"

[Radio: (F) Public] Dr. Doppler tsks. "I see your tastes haven't changed much, Edward."

[Radio] Transmission detected: Repliforce qho is ...

[Radio: (F) Public] Rumble Silverfish transmits, "Mr. Doppler, as your are essentially a eunuch, do you still harbor sexual desire?"

[Radio: (F) Public] Dr. Cain transmits, "Oh... hello, Sigmund. How are you tonight?"

[Radio: (F) Public] Rumble Silverfish transmits, "Or have you equipped yourself with some manner of prosthesis?"

[Radio: (F) Public] Raffinato transmits, "Very funny, putrid mass"

[Radio: (F) Public] Shyster transmits, "Plug and play."

"Oh, thank you, I appreciate it," Iris replies. As the news breaks, she smirks, listening to the radio. "Mmmm, fun time is over, it's time to get down to business. I have to go -- thank you, though, you're really sweet for offering to help. I mean it."

[Radio: (F) Public] Shyster transmits, "We're USB compliant!"

[Radio] Transmission detected: ... can ...

[Radio: (F) Public] Dr. Doppler ignores Silverfish. "As well as can be expected. and you?"

[Radio: (F) Public] Dr. Cain transmits, "About the same, I suppose."

[Radio] Transmission detected: I'm going ... go ... this ...

"It's nothing," he replies, meaning it. "Do be careful, madonna." He'd hate to see a potential employer get killed, after all. Of course, just about anyone who talks to Feste more than three times and intends to talk to him again after such is a potential employer...

"As I said, it's no problem. You are welcome to it."

[Radio] Transmission detected: Excellent. ... us ... Anyone else going to escort ... ... may ... more.

[Radio: (F) Public] Raffinato transmits, "*voices can be heard over the radio, faint* LLOYD, GET OVER HERE...."

Iris grins brightly, salutes, then jogs off -- presumably to respond to the dilemma-in-progress. "I'll be careful! Bye now!"

Iris enters The Reploid Room - Entrance Foyer.

Iris has left.

[Radio] You send Abernathy a direct message: "*Feste... sounds like Iris. It's still recognizable as F, though.* Oh, Abernathy! Zero's a good person at heart! Please don't let him rot in prison!"

[Radio: (F) Public] Dr. Doppler transmits, "And I see Wily's brats are once again causing trouble. Grown tired of attacking reploids unable to defend themselves?"

[Radio: (F) Public] Raffinato transmits, "*more faint voices* Beat me with a spoon, Lloyd, have you lost your marbles? I said put it over there, you degenerate..."

[Radio] Transmission detected: ... ... ... you ...

[Radio] Abernathy sends you a tightbeam radio transmission: "... That's it. I'm changing my radio to an unlisted number."

[Radio] Transmission detected: ... ... on that ... ... Toronreal?

[Radio: (F) Public] Raffinato transmits, "Er, sorry sir, just organizing some equipment with Lloyd...."

[Radio: (F) Public] Tengu Man transmits, "Sorry, doc, I just thought killing things would be kinda fun, y'know?"

[Radio: (F) Public] Stutterriffic Junk Man humms softly...

[Radio] You send Abernathy a direct message: "But that would be inconvenient. I'd have to figure out what it was, and that would take effort and time."

Hien arrives from The Reploid Room - Entrance Foyer.

Hien has arrived.

[Radio] Abernathy sends you a tightbeam radio transmission: "I represent the Establishment. The more inconvenient I make your life, the better."

[Radio] Transmission detected: Ah'm in ... Signas.

[Radio] You send Abernathy a direct message: "*Dennis* HELP! HELP! I'M BEING REPRESSED!"

[Radio] Transmission detected: Repliforce do you have ... ... ... Torontreal ... control?

[Radio] Transmission detected: Iris is on her ...

[Radio] Transmission detected: ... kind of ... here I ... mind ... assistance.

[Radio] Abernathy sends you a tightbeam radio transmission: "/And/ you will like it."

[Radio] Transmission detected: I'm ... my way ...

[Radio] You send Abernathy a direct message: "Well, now that I consider it, it does sound kind of-- auh! *muttering* Dammit, can't people -watch where they're going?-"

[Radio] Abernathy sends you a tightbeam radio transmission: "No. But do continue."

[Radio] You send Abernathy a direct message: "Where was I?"

[Radio] Abernathy sends you a tightbeam radio transmission: "In HELL."

[Radio] Abernathy sends you a tightbeam radio transmission: "... Pardon."

[Radio] You send Abernathy a direct message: "... *laughs* What was /that/?"

[Radio] Abernathy sends you a tightbeam radio transmission: "... Ah. <rattle> I should probably check whatever's in these ..."

[Radio] You send Abernathy a direct message: "What are you drinking?"

[Radio] Abernathy sends you a tightbeam radio transmission: "<cryptically> Not drinking. Pills."

The headphone cord was twirled between idle fingers as the white figure slipped into the area, the bright glitz of the lights blaring off the white painfully, that signature white. White flesh, white clothing, those raven locks, and those painful painful eyes, idly taking over the place. The headphones were off, the thick, bulky things oddly inelegant and yet, they seemed to fit oddly enough.

The eyes took in the room, searching for some hidden meaning behind the blaring music and the painful lights, and a wonderous, feral grin was on the face, the pure sensory overload of this place having drawn him like a moth to a bonfire. He stood, the simple length of pearly white silk idly catching at the droning air conditioning as the crowds parted, though being dancers, there's only so much that can be accomplished by the simple presence alone.

[Radio] You send Abernathy a direct message: "I see."

[Radio] You send Abernathy a direct message: "What kind?"

[Radio] You send Abernathy a direct message: "Secondly, how many?"

[Radio] Abernathy sends you a tightbeam radio transmission: "<can be heard muttering to himself> ... take twice daily, do not mix with alcohol or psychoactives ... ah. Pain medication. I don't think I'm taking more than the allowable dose."

[Radio] You send Abernathy a direct message: "*mildly concerned* Why are you taking those?"

Feste is somewhere on the dance floor, not quite in the middle but not wholly on the side, either. Iris had left him only moments ago, and he'd begun to make his way back towards the bar, and from there, the poker tables. Because poker is fun.

Of course, it's rather hard to wade through dancing people, and Feste, with his height, is being bumped around quite a bit. le sigh.

[Radio] Abernathy sends you a tightbeam radio transmission: "Migraines."

[Radio] You send Abernathy a direct message: "Migraines."

[Radio] You send Abernathy a direct message: "Why do you have migraines?"

[Radio] Abernathy sends you a tightbeam radio transmission: "I'm told it's hereditary, so it's my parents' fault, I assume."

[Radio] You send Abernathy a direct message: "You poor thing."

[Radio] Abernathy sends you a tightbeam radio transmission: "Mm-hm."

The tall figure, jostled as he is, is a rather clear, and easy to see sight, his long, well remembered blond hair, which had caused him problems before caught his attention, and he watched him, and it, like a stalking cat, that smile only getting wider. And so the figure, faintl taller than the rest of the dancers begins to wade through the morass of humanity, his steps casual and yet it takes him almost no time to be a tad bit behind and beside, his grin wide and his eyes narrow as he watches this one. It's just a bit of a tippytoe and a bit of a lean, when a very warm breath might brush the bottom of Feste's earlobe and a playful voice would idly quip "Stokey!" and poke him in the side a bit.

Of all the people Feste was expecting, Hien was not one of them. Not at all. So he stops, dead in his tracks, when the telltale brush of warm air/poke/verbal cue alert him to the Strider's presence.

Feste grins, more mildly than usual, as he looks over his shoulder, just to check. "Stokey? What does that mean?"

[Radio] You send Abernathy a direct message: "I'd ask if there was anything I could do for you besides ask you pointless, irritating, and repetitive questions, but somehow I doubt it, and so. *with that, he begins humming a tune, recognizable as... why, that Furious Angels song. He must have it stuck in his head or something.*"

"Means basically 'gotcha!' though points for not jumping and squealing like a little girl..." The shorter figure smiled, teeth glinting and those eyes dancing playfully as he sized up the figure, his look thoughtful and his smile warm. He followed him as he moved, his eyes never leaving him, though he managed not to slam into anyone or vice versa. People got close... but nobody seemed willing to make the connection. Maybe it was the almost unnatural heat of his body, or maybe it was the unforgiving white of the clothes, or the very presence he seemed to ooze free, but nobody slammed into the chiseled figure. He tilted his head in an almost doglike manner, his smile widening. "So what brings you here mmm?"

[Radio] Abernathy sends you a tightbeam radio transmission: "Mm. I doubt I could give you a cogent answer. Life is unkind of late, but that goes without saying."

"Oh. Interesting," says Feste, still attempting to wade through the sea of people, though not to lose Hien. He bears the same grin, almost begging the question of whether it's forced or not. "I was playing poker. I intended to go back to that before I ran into you, actually..."

[Radio] You send Abernathy a direct message: "Life is /always/ unkind. How dare you convince yourself otherwise. *hums*"

[Radio] Abernathy sends you a tightbeam radio transmission: "Pardon me, in that case."

<Global News Network> <Not Actually GNN> This is the Maverick European News Network, I'm Information Iguana. We've been recieving garbled reports coming from a small village on the eastern border of Poland. Information is scarce, but we do have this bit of footage, transmitted just moments ago: The screen changes to what is obviously a Reploid eye view of... A giant Dragonfly. With something or someone mounted on it's back. The rider raises a weapon of some sort - almost a lance - and levels it at the filming Reploid. There's a flash of blinding light and then static.

[Radio] You send Abernathy a direct message: "You are pardoned, sirrah. *humming still!*"

His steps were still casual, his bearing more thoughtful now, and his question oddly innocent as he asked, "Poker?" ...he studied him thoughtfully, those eyes devouring once more, though in a generally confused way. There are no card tables to connect with yet... his question is casual. "How does one play that again?"

[Radio] Abernathy sends you a tightbeam radio transmission: "<hmphs quietly>"

"Well, come alone and I'll show you," Feste says simply, eyes closed and chin lifted in another of those ineffable Fool-gestures. He continues making his way over.

Hien enters The Reploid Room - Pool Hall.

Hien has left.

You enter The Reploid Room - Pool Hall.

The Reploid Room - Pool Hall

As you slide into the smokey and somewhat subdued area that is the pool hall, your optics/eyes adjust to the dimmer light. Clearly you can see that this area is designed for those infamous bar games. Pool tables fill the majority of this room, clad in red and green felt. On the far wall rest a few dart boards. Near the entrance are a half a dozen tables set up for card games. Looks like one could make a fortune around here if they knew what they were doing.

Contents: Contents:

Hien [Casual] [C]

Pool Table Card Table

Dance Floor <DF>: The Reploid Room - Dance Floor

Bar <B>: The Reploid Room - Bar

Feste eventually leads Hien to one of the many card tables, empty of people, and takes a seat. The deck is within easy reach, and so F takes it and shuffles it. He assumes Hien is right behind him, naturally.

Feste collects all the cards and starts to shuffle them.

Feste finishes shuffling the cards.

[Radio] Transmission detected: If ... ... more there...

[Radio] Transmission detected: Go.

[Radio] Transmission detected: Go handle Xiang.

[Radio] Transmission detected: ... keep an eye ... Xiang. ... Mavericks ... promised ... kill ... ... ... they find ... their borders.

[Radio] Transmission detected: That's ... from ... ...

[Radio] Transmission detected: THey ... to find me first ... ... ... ... ... go after Xiang...

[Radio] Transmission detected: ... ... ... Wraith master Doppler?

Hien idly slides into a seat on the other side, his eyes on the cards dancing in Feste's hands. He looks, oddly hungry, a predatory desperation and ravening need hovering at the edges of his vision, though he merely sits there, idly curling his toes in his shoes, his hair drifting faintly, brushing strands of fluid black across that sharp blue gaze.

[Radio] Transmission detected: ... "Need I ... ... that ... ... not your ... sergeant."

[Radio] Transmission detected: ... sir.

[Radio] Transmission detected: ... en ... to ...

If Feste weren't concentrating on shuffling the cards all pretty, he'd probably be thoroughly disturbed by that stare. But he is, and so he doesn't notice. "You do know the basic rules, I assume?" he asks, quietly, dealing out cards.

Feste deals 5 cards to Hien.

Feste deals 5 cards to himself.

Your hand consists of: QS 2S 9S AH QD.

[Radio] Transmission detected: ... ... ... ... number of ... ... ... ... brethren. I ... in ... ... ...

Hien takes the cards, idly inspecting them, his look intense, his smile warm, and he nods sagely. "...No." He idly taps the cards, staring at Feste expectantly.

[Radio] Transmission detected: ... ... available ... report to ... coordinates.

"...alright then," says Feste, inspecting his cards. "I've already explained it once today, shouldn't be too hard to repeat the performance. Show me your cards." He lays his own down on the table.

Feste is holding: QS 2S 9S AH QD.

[Radio] Transmission detected: I'm here ... Permission to ... pictures ... ...

[Radio] Transmission detected: ...

[Radio: (F) Public] Dr. Nathan Xiang transmits, "So. We shall see how my... children... perform."

[Radio: (F) Public] Blues transmits, "..."

Hien is holding: KH 8S 7H 4C KC.

[Radio] Transmission detected: REAAAAAAAARGH!

[Radio] Transmission detected: ... Hm. That was ... time than ... usually takes.

[Radio] Transmission detected: ... me?

[Radio] Transmission detected: ... ... the ... ... ... ... get ...

[Radio: (F) Public] (Anonymous) Hiryu transmits, "..."

[Radio] Transmission detected: Have ... ... ... 'Hampton ...

[Radio] Transmission detected: ... ... earlier ... Was Not ... ...

[Radio] Transmission detected: ... ... ... a town of ... brothers ... ... ... to ... ... ... ones ... ... I need assistance ...

[Radio] Transmission detected: ... ... ... Prepared to handle a ... ...

[Radio: (F) Public] Feste transmits, "And they answer his challenge with a resounding silence."

[Radio] Transmission detected: ... ... hell?

[Radio] Transmission detected: ... ... ... ... ... will ... ... ... in ... seconds.

[Radio] Transmission detected: How ... I ... ... ... ... ... ... to bring.

[Radio: (F) Public] Hien hms faintly. "...?"

[Radio] Transmission detected: Proto ... vhat ... ... on ...

[Radio: (F) Public] Feste transmits, "Beautiful."

[Radio: (F) Public] Abernathy says acerbically, "Wonderful. So did you go get your seed on half the women in China, or is this another affair with bottled children?"

[Radio: (F) Public] Feste laughs.

[Radio: (F) Public] Raffinato transmits, "Great film material...."

[Radio] Transmission detected: ... ... ... ... description ... the ... ... be along ...

[Radio: (F) Public] Hien transmits, " Hmm. What are you referring to Uncle?"

[Radio: (F) Public] Gemini Man transmits, "Don't you realize children are listening, Director?"

[Radio: (F) Public] Dr. Nathan Xiang transmits, "More the latter, although the former is an interesting idea. Sadly, I don't consider myself prime Eugenics material. Mmm? Oh. Your siblings."

[Radio] Transmission detected: :murmurs "Curiouser ... curiouser."

Feste leans over to look at Hien's cards. "Okay. So the basic idea is to get cards in certain combinations. For instance, you have two kings; that makes a pair. That's something you would keep." Feste gestures at his own hand. "I've got two queens, also a pair. Two of a kind. You can also get three of a kind, or four of a kind, or three and two, which is called a full house. Other options include... a straight, which is five cards all in numerical order, and a flush, which is the same thing except all in the same suite." Feste pauses. "Get it?"

[Radio] Transmission detected: Several. ... didn't ... a clear number before ... went down ... ... attack.

[Radio: (F) Public] Bass seems to audibly squint. "What you say?"

[Radio] Transmission detected: Rough estimate would be ... ... hundreds?

[Radio: (F) Public] Hien seems enthused by this. "Siblings? I have brothers and sisters?"

[Radio: (F) Public] Blues transmits, "..."

[Radio] Transmission detected: ...oh you're me.

[Radio] Transmission detected: ... team prepped ... arrival.

[Radio] Transmission detected: This sounds very ... - do ... have ... idea ... this ... ... Doctor?

<And then it gets bad.>

[Radio] You send Abernathy a direct message: "You are listening to that, right?"

[Radio] Abernathy sends you a tightbeam radio transmission: "Of course."

[Radio: (F) Public] Dr. Nathan Xiang transmits, "Somewhat. None are quite as... refined as you are. But yes. You have brothers and sisters."

[Radio] You send Abernathy a direct message: "I have a bad feeling about this."

[Radio] You send Abernathy a direct message: "A very bad feeling, sirrah."

[Radio] Abernathy sends you a tightbeam radio transmission: "Funny. So do I."

[Radio] You send Abernathy a direct message: "Yes, but you're not /looking/ at the reason."

[Radio: (F) Public] Gemini Man transmits, "And they're attacking Mavericks? That's entertaining."

[Radio] Abernathy sends you a tightbeam radio transmission: "<quietly> Oh?"

[Radio] You send Abernathy a direct message: "Yes."

[Radio: (F) Public] Dr. Nathan Xiang transmits, "I need more test subjects."

[Radio] You send Abernathy a direct message: "I cannot fathom troops of thousands of him -- if I'm hearing all this correctly -- under the command of someone like Xiang."

[Radio: (F) Public] Skull Man transmits, "You also need pants, but we all can't win."

[Radio] Transmission detected: ... from ... ... ... ... ... of ... he ... be.

[Radio: (F) Public] Signas transmits, "You do sound rather pleased with yourself, Doctor Xiang. Perhaps you can indulge in cliche and explain your evil plan to the masses?"

[Radio] Abernathy sends you a tightbeam radio transmission: "I can. It's not comforting."

[Radio] You send Abernathy a direct message: "I -- know I heard all that correctly, but it is not making any sense."

[Radio: (F) Public] Dr. Nathan Xiang transmits, "No, I think I'll leave you all with these cryptic hints."

[Radio: (F) Public] Abernathy transmits, "And you're /so/ good at it, too."

[Radio] Transmission detected: It ... worth ... try at ...

[Radio] Abernathy sends you a tightbeam radio transmission: "Very little does, with him. Unless you're as mad -- or as sane -- as he."

[Radio] You send Abernathy a direct message: "Yes, but the conclusion I'm coming to can't be possible."

[Radio: (F) Public] Dr. Nathan Xiang transmits, "I try."

[Radio] Transmission detected: ... ... sent ... retrieve ... fallen?

[Radio] Abernathy sends you a tightbeam radio transmission: "And what conclusion might that be?"

[Radio] Transmission detected: Sergeant Ebony Fox.

[Radio] Transmission detected: What ... the ... ... status? Should I prep ... missing limbs?

[Radio] You send Abernathy a direct message: "I don't /know/. That he was -- created? From... I'm not sure. I'm an English major, not a -- scientist."

[Radio] Transmission detected: ... transmits ... ... sh-*BOOM!*

[Radio] Transmission detected: ... ... about it never being ... ... ... ...

[Radio] Transmission detected: I ... prepare for ... Reploids ... well. ... fallen agent is human ...

[Radio] Abernathy sends you a tightbeam radio transmission: "<sighs> Knowing Xiang, he's a clone. Or -- a recombinant, perhaps, I'm not sure. Grown in a vat. Hatched out like a /chicken/."

[Radio] Transmission detected: Correct.

[Radio] Frequency Cracked! +setintercept to save it.

[Radio] You send Abernathy a direct message: "... ugh."

Cracked Frequency is saved.

[Radio: (F) Public] Hien ahhs... "I see. Well that part's understandable, but even so, it's nice to know I'm not an only child..." A pause. "I don't venture to guess if this was part of the original deal Mother had made with you...?" Seems more thoughtful than anything. "Though I can't say I'd blame you..."

[Radio: (K) None] Combat Medic, Portal transmits, "Agent Fox, be quick and safe."

[Radio] Abernathy sends you a tightbeam radio transmission: "Not comforting, is it?"

[Radio] You send Abernathy a direct message: "Not at all..."

[Radio: (K) None] Ebony Fox transmits, "He's got firepower on a high scale, Director..."

[Radio: (K) None] Abernathy transmits, "Are you engaging, or retreating with Hampton's mangled body?"

[Radio: (K) None] Ebony Fox transmits, "And accuracy to boot...I'm going to need backup. Repliforce grade, if possible, or this is gonna become me running away..."

[Radio] Transmission detected: ... ... ... holding a large ... with the ... Three ... They're very ... I suggest going ... ... ... ... are ... the ...

"Yes." The word is confident as he studies the cards thoughtfully, letting a thumb trace over the king thoughtfully, his look thoughtful, as he pauses, glancing at Feste. "But one would suppose with all the cards on the table, the strange mystery behind it is sorta lost, is it not?" Maybe a hidden meaning, or just babbling about the cards? He's got a warm, dazzling grin once more.

[Radio] Transmission detected: They aren't ... either....

[Radio] Transmission detected: Yes ... ... ... considered tryink.

[Radio: (B) None] Abernathy transmits, "Repliforce, respond."

[Radio] Transmission detected: ...

[Radio: (K) None] Abernathy clears his throat. "Sergeant, /do/ you have Hampton?"

[Radio: (K) None] Ebony Fox transmits, "I'm working on it Director..."

[Radio] Transmission detected: ... ... are ... pleased with themselves ... ... ... explain exactly ... ... ... up to at a drop of a hat. ... - ... ... ... any operatives ... ... able to ... ... is going ... ... ...

[Radio: (K) None] Ebony Fox transmits, "Hell, the HUNTERS would make me happy at this point..."

[Radio: (K) None] Abernathy transmits, "Mm."

Of course, with all the talking going on on the radio, Feste is beginning to pick up hints.

And he can't believe the conclusion they're leading him to. So he simply -- won't. Not now. It's getting in the way of his poker game.

"Too true. Shall we-- oh, wait, one more rule. You can discard any number of cards and redraw the same number once during the game. Shall we play a real game?"

[Radio: (B) None] Abernathy sighs. "Hunters, are any of /you/ available for the assist? I'd rather not run any more of my people into the abattoir than I must."

[Radio: (B) None] Combat Medic, Portal transmits, "Torontreal is under attack, and we have a man down. I am prepped for his arrival but I cannot move in to assist, and I do not think we have any on-duty Ride Armor pilots for a rescue."

He nods faintly, his look thoughtful now, studying the tall, wiry, blond man on the other side of the table. He idly interlaces his fingers, studying him thoughtfully. After a moment, he nods, handing back his cards. Another few moments of devouring silence, oddly strung with tension as they tend to be with Hien echo in the relative quiet, then- "Does Uncle disturb you?" It's a casual question.

[Radio] Transmission detected: curious...

Feste collects all the cards and starts to shuffle them.

Feste finishes shuffling the cards.

[Radio: (B) None] Abernathy swears quietly.

[Radio] Transmission detected: Do we have ... ... ... are ... to ... Interpol ... this ...

[Radio] Abernathy sends you a tightbeam radio transmission: "Very little is anymore, I find. Do I need to remind you to keep your ears open?"

[Radio] Transmission detected: ... gotten ... look ... ... riders...they appear ... be human. ... we know ... ...

Feste begins shuffling the cards and redealing them, somewhat quietly, but with the fluid motions of someone who's had plenty of practice dealing.

At the question, Feste does not look up; his attention is on the cards. "He disturbs most everyone, I find."

Feste deals 5 cards to Hien.

Feste deals 5 cards to himself.

[Radio: (K) None] Combat Medic, Portal transmits, "Director, I've had our best Ride Armor prepared in the garages, if you can find a pilot."

[Radio: (K) None] Abernathy transmits, "Thank you, doctor."

[Radio] You send Abernathy a direct message: "I cracked your channel again."

[Radio: (K) None] Combat Medic, Portal transmits, "Have you a pilot, Director?"

[Radio] Abernathy sends you a tightbeam radio transmission: "... I'm tempted to ask where you got your equipment from."

[Radio] You send Abernathy a direct message: "The black market, of course."

[Radio: (K) None] Abernathy can be heard typing, before he swears quietly. "Beyond you?"

[Radio] Abernathy sends you a tightbeam radio transmission: "Of course."

[Radio: (K) None] Combat Medic, Portal transmits, "Affirmative, sir. I cannot leave the facility while in trauma alert status."

Your hand consists of: 4D 3H 7C 8D 10D.

[Radio: (K) None] Abernathy transmits, "I'm aware. Remain on alert."

[Radio: (K) None] Combat Medic, Portal transmits, "yes, sir."

[Radio: (K) None] Ebony Fox transmits, "Pulling out now."

[Radio: (K) None] Ebony Fox transmits, "With Eddie."

[Radio: (K) None] Combat Medic, Portal transmits, "If you can drive the enemy from the area, I can... affirmative, we're ready."

Hien looked faintly sad, though still thoughtful, at that. He pauses a moment, his eyes on Feste. "What day is it, Friday?" he stares at the ceiling for a bit, before looking at his hand thoughtfully. He idly shuffles the cards, studying them as if they would give him answers. He asks, not looking up. "Do I disturb you Feste?" He ruminates thoughtfully, before selecting three cards, idly tapping them thoughtfully and then lays them facedown on the table, as he assumes it's supposed to happen. "Okay, so what now, three more I suppose?"

Hien discards three of his cards.

"Yes, it is Friday," says Feste, quietly examining his cards. He seems even...glum, now. The original spunk, if you will, simply isn't there. Any smiles are forced. "It's not you. It's the principle of the matter. I doubt I could be upset with you for long."

He looks at his cards, and tosses all but one of them into the discard pile. "Yes. Three more."

Feste deals 3 cards to Hien.

Feste discards four of his cards.

Feste deals 4 cards to himself.

Your hand consists of: 10D 10H JC 4S 7S.

He studies the cards thoughtfully, his eyes never leaving them, idly chewing his lip. He murmurs faintly. "I only discovered music yesterday. Eight days without music. I never knew what I was missing..." He idly rearranges the cards, before tapping the hand closed, curling them between his fingers thoughtfully, the dexterity unnerving, his eyes almost sad at the falling mood. "So what I am disturbs you?"

Hien sends a radio transmission.

You intercept Hien's transmission to Hiryu: So... you are the last sire. You really should talk more. I'm sure you have a lovely voice...

"Music is a part of life I can no longer do without," Feste murmurs, rearranging his own cards. Oh, damn. It sucks, it does, really.

"It is the concept of what you are, if- if I've got my facts right. But the circumstances are not what...make you, you.

Feste lays down his cards. "Pair of tens."

Feste is holding: 10D 10H JC 4S 7S.

<Global News Network> Fire. Wreckage. The Commercial District of Torontreal is hardly recognizable. Atop a pillar of exploded cars and other wreckage, Bomb Man stands, cackling. "All fear the return of Bomb Man, and know the wrath of Wily! Wily will reign supreme!" He then spots the camera, and hurls a bomb at it. Static.

Hien is holding: 5H 5C 9D KC 2C.

You say, "Mm. Pair of tens beats a pair of fives..."

[Radio: (F) Public] Liese Schreiner transmits, "Can't they just hold press conferences?"

Hien receives a radio transmission.

You intercept Hiryu's transmission to Hien: :answers with silence as if to purposely annoy you. "..."

[Radio: (F) Public] Feste transmits, "That would be boring."

[Radio: (F) Public] Liese Schreiner transmits, "Oh, ja - it wouldn't kill anyone."

Hien sends a radio transmission.

You intercept Hien's transmission to Hiryu: <not really a sound, more like a perceptible tension, a sound that's not a sound, and vibrating with an unseelie energy> "!!!"

[Radio: (K) None] Ebony Fox transmits, "En route to UN Medical."

[Radio: (K) None] Combat Medic, Portal transmits, "We stand ready. What is your operational status, Ebony Fox?"

[Radio: (K) None] Ebony Fox transmits, "I'm banged up pretty bad...he got me with a firebomb as I left. I'll live."

[Radio: (K) None] Combat Medic, Portal transmits, "We're ready."

[Radio] Transmission detected: Ah ... ... ... ... destroy ... wings ... these ...

Hien receives a radio transmission.

You intercept Hiryu's transmission to Hien: You are Sheena's spawn.

[Radio: (C) None] Bass transmits, "Indeed. You have done very well in that respect lately."

[Radio] You send Abernathy a direct message: "*blurts* God /damn/ it. I didn't WANT to know these things, not even for YOUR sake!"

[Radio] Abernathy sends you a tightbeam radio transmission: " ... Hm?"

Hien sends a radio transmission.

You intercept Hien's transmission to Hiryu: I am your child as well Hiryu, do you not realize this? You're one of my parents as well... why do you phrase it like that? *genuinely curious*

[Radio] You send Abernathy a direct message: "... *quiet, almost hissing noise of something akin to disgust. yes.*"

Hien idly studies his own hand, letting it fall to the table. They all land face up, for all the fact that he let them drift from his fingers. He seems... closed now, thoughtful, his look far away. "Ahh, so I suppose I have lost this hand." He indeed studies his own hand, letting a finger drift across it, before he closes his eyes, his grin wry, and hard to read, that complex language flashing over his features once more, locking himself away by revealing too much at once, a strange defense. "I see. I see... Answer me this, right now, for I do wish to know Feste, for it is good to know, a good thing to know indeed. Can you... maybe... look past this little issue between us?"

[Radio] Abernathy sends you a tightbeam radio transmission: "<sounds almost worried> What's wrong?"

[Radio] You send Abernathy a direct message: "I don't want to believe the things I've heard, s-- Adrian. I don't-- I can't."

[Radio] Abernathy sends you a tightbeam radio transmission: "<quietly> And why is this?"

Hien receives a radio transmission.

You intercept Hiryu's transmission to Hien: You are a false creature.

The Fool tosses his hand rather carelessly into the discard pile, and for the second time since they met on the dance floor, looks at Hien, just in time to catch that glance, and to make no sense of it.

Just like everything else about Hien. Feste can make nothing of it.

"I-- yes. If you will explain to me what all this means."

[Radio] You send Abernathy a direct message: "Because it can't be true."

[Radio] Abernathy sends you a tightbeam radio transmission: "Oh, the fact that we're no longer the dominate species on this planet, and many of us are working to make that even more true?"

Hien sends a radio transmission to Hiryu.

You intercept Hien's transmission to Hiryu: *playful* Oh the pain! Daddy doesn't love me! ...the scarring, I can feel the complexes developing already! ...Aw come on Hiryu, relax a bit. I'm perfection, what's wrong with that?

[Radio] You send Abernathy a direct message: "No."

[Radio] Abernathy sends you a tightbeam radio transmission: "Then what?"

[Radio] You send Abernathy a direct message: "I've gotten myself into a right mess."

[Radio] You send Abernathy a direct message: "And, though I am loathe to admit it... I can't hold it up any longer. I need to get out."

[Radio] Abernathy sends you a tightbeam radio transmission: "Do tell."

[Radio] You send Abernathy a direct message: "... *sigh*"

[Radio] Abernathy sends you a tightbeam radio transmission: "<mildly> Forgive me for being obtuse. I'm high on vicaden and still have one hell of a headache."

[Radio] Transmission detected: ... do ... look good here...

[Radio] You send Abernathy a direct message: "It's alright."

[Radio] You send Abernathy a direct message: "It's just -- I don't /know/."

[Radio] Abernathy sends you a tightbeam radio transmission: "No, it rather obviously *isn't*, because -- as you said. /What/ is it you don't know, Andruw? What is this 'mess' you've gotten yourself into?"

[Radio] You send Abernathy a direct message: "I don't know how I'm supposed to feel about it, that's what."

Hien shrugs faintly, looking falsely casual, the wall of raw, unreadable Hien, the expressions borne of a creature of aged youth, of memories forged in a glass womb, of a mind not his own. He always found that people couldn't read him if he channeled his dreaming time, and it was there now; he could almost feel that warm liquid in his lungs instead of this harsh, uncaring air. "I suppose talking wouldn't be too unreasonable, though I'd have to ask my mothers and fathers about this or that. Wouldn't want to make anyone dissapointed with me, if you understand. Frankly, I truthfully haven't been told that much, but that's okay, I'm in my adjustment period or whatever Uncle called it."

[Radio] Abernathy sends you a tightbeam radio transmission: "<sound of forehead hitting desk> <muffled> Repeat for me one more time what 'it' is?"

[Radio] You send Abernathy a direct message: "I have learned some things I was /much/ better off not kn-knowing."

[Radio] Abernathy sends you a tightbeam radio transmission: "... I see."

"Then talk," Feste says, sounding oddly harsh. His voice is slightly hoarse. The invisible presence of a certain third party is not making things easier, not at all.

"I can just as easily delude myself into believing something else. It's your choice, Hien." It's just that he didn't know what to feel about Hien in the first place, and now he's not sure what to feel about /this/ and -- and -- and...

[Radio] Abernathy sends you a tightbeam radio transmission: "<sighs> Where are you?"

[Radio] You send Abernathy a direct message: "Don't come."

[Radio] You send Abernathy a direct message: "Or-- dammit."

[Radio] You send Abernathy a direct message: "I can't decide -- but it probably wouldn't be a good idea..."

[Radio] Abernathy sends you a tightbeam radio transmission: "Fine. I will remain over here in my own little bubble and worry myself sick. I think I'm allowed to mix this with ulcer medication ..."

[Radio] You send Abernathy a direct message: "No, please don't do that."

[Radio] Abernathy sends you a tightbeam radio transmission: "Then you tell /me/ what I'm supposed to do."

[Radio] You send Abernathy a direct message: "*poor andruw is so flustered.* Augh! Wh- augh! *ragged sigh*"

[Radio] Abernathy sends you a tightbeam radio transmission: "<headdesk> <murmur> ... whatever keeps you happy. Tell me, and I'll find some way to work with it."

[Radio: (K) None] Abernathy transmits, "So, dare I ask how badly Sergeant Hampton's been hurt?"

[Radio] You send Abernathy a direct message: "I want you here, but --"

[Radio] Abernathy sends you a tightbeam radio transmission: " -- you don't. I understand. Would it be easier to, oh, say, leave where you are now?"

He pauses, those eyes on Feste again, that raw, needing curiosity, that all encompassing, all devouring need to know still there, even under the faint tempest that those blazing eyes and sharply casual features bore. He pauses a moment, his eyes closing as he murmured. "I will ask Father... he will know what to do." His eyes are closed, his head bowed as he tries to think of what to say. It never crosses his mind that such things could be intercepted.

Hien sends a radio transmission to Kain.

You intercept Hien's transmission to Kain: Father... I need your guiding hand once more. Please tell me, what I should do now. Someone... someone I want to answer has asked a difficult question. About me. About Mother's intentions, and I am not sure if it is within my bounds to answer him. *the question hangs, unanswered, in the air* Father... do you have a moment to speak with your son?

[Radio] You send Abernathy a direct message: "*feste!* That would be rude. I have an audience."

[Radio] You send Abernathy a direct message: "He is trying to tell me something important. It would be uncouth not to give him the full opportunity."

[Radio] Abernathy sends you a tightbeam radio transmission: "Then be rude, before you develop full-on multiple personality dis -- ah."

As he waits for his answer, he states softly, though it is more a question. "Something still wears at you. You still seem upset, though now it feels different. What is wrong?" Those eyes open, fixing on his own, red to blue, reflecting to devouring.

Hien receives a radio transmission from Kain.

You intercept Kain's transmission to Hien: My son.. you have my time... I.. do you actually know what said intentions are?

Hien sends a radio transmission to Kain.

You intercept Hien's transmission to Kain: I know mother's ideals, I know what she wants me to do, to be. But I don't know the base details. Mother and I ...we haven't spent too much quality time together, I regret to say... You are he whom I have spent the most time around, beside this one I speak to. He... I don't know what to say about him Father, I don't have enough words as of yet. But I want to tell him what I do know. Advise me in this, please.

The Fool -- and Andruw, watching from somewhere below -- meet that gaze. There's an almost defiant quality to it, but to whom? The Fool's defiance of Andruw's need to /run/, to retreat to his rock, perhaps. He will remain and listen to Hien and *then* Andruw can go do his little mental breakdown thing. Not now, later.

F clasps his hands atop the card table and waits almost patiently, listening to all sides of the conversation. Even as he has his own strange little radio performance, pulling a paradigm shift in the /middle of a sentence/. Now that's got to be disconcerting.

He thinks about the question for a moment before answering. "I'faith, I do not know. It is a strange emotion, this... and uncertainty. These things wear a man down after a time. There is only so much I can take." Cryptic. That's Feste for you.

[Radio] You send Abernathy a direct message: "Surprised?"

[Radio] Abernathy sends you a tightbeam radio transmission: "No, not particularly. Worried? Hell yes."

[Radio] You send Abernathy a direct message: "*quietly* Someone has to keep you on your toes."

[Radio] Abernathy sends you a tightbeam radio transmission: "<frustrated> This isn't keeping me on my toes. It's killing me from stress."

[Radio] You send Abernathy a direct message: "Don't die. It would make me very unhappy."

[Radio] Abernathy sends you a tightbeam radio transmission: "I'm sure it would. I don't know that I have a particular choice in it, short of keeping myself away from guns and straight razors."

[Radio] You send Abernathy a direct message: "Alas."

Hien receives a radio transmission.

You intercept Hiryu's transmission to Hien: Perfection?

Hien nibbles his lip a bit, idly studying the glaring green felt of the tabletop. His fingers gently drift across it, nerves picking up every drift, every brush, every soft fuzzy protrusion. He answers honestly. "Truthfully, I'm still discovering my limits. I haven't started being worn down yet..." He let his eyes seek this one again, noting the odd defiance, the subtle difference that he was just beginning to pick up on. He studies it, his look still bright with voracity.

"Everything seems strange at the moment. What's this feeling?" It's fluttering around inside him, making him feel sick. He was too young to understand shame, his mind hadn't gripped it quite yet, and he just felt sick and small and unlovely for some reason, one he couldn't fathom.

[Radio] Abernathy sends you a tightbeam radio transmission: "Mm. You say that as if it's a terrible thing."

[Radio] You send Abernathy a direct message: "Isn't it?"

It was mutual, that strange feeling. The sickness.

Feste has no answer to the first question. The pattern of thought required to formulate an answer returns to him to the impossible conclusion, and so he simply puts it out of his mind.

"You don't know what to do, or say, or think," answers the Fool calmly. "Uncertainty. It can kill a man."

[Radio] Abernathy sends you a tightbeam radio transmission: "It depends, I suppose. I'm not terribly distressed by the thought, though I would be remiss in my duties ..."

[Radio] You send Abernathy a direct message: "And what a pity leaving your duties unfulfilled out of selfishness would be."

[Radio] Abernathy sends you a tightbeam radio transmission: "Wouldn't it?"

[Radio] You send Abernathy a direct message: "I should think so. /Does/ the world need you so, that it would be?"

"I am not made for uncertainty. I was not born in a state of uncertainty, and it's hardly been long enough to cause such now." He seemed stubborn on this point, his eyes closed for a second and an almost petulant expression on his face. "It's hardly been long enough for things to get so confusing now. I know it's useless to say it's not fair, but that temptation is so there. I'm... not good at resisting things, but I suppose..."

The eyes turned to him once more, taking in the concept of him, the look of him, the way of him. His words were soft. "I'm sorry if I move fast, if I do things quickly. You must understand, I'm sure it's different for other people."

[Radio] Abernathy sends you a tightbeam radio transmission: "Me, as a person, or me, as an officer of Interpol? No to the latter, yes to the former."

[Radio] You send Abernathy a direct message: "Tch."

[Radio] Abernathy sends you a tightbeam radio transmission: "You disagree?"

"It does not matter what you were made for. You are not impervious to such things." He is stubborn, and in response, Feste is forceful, pushing the point as if it were the tip of a blade into Hien's mental defenses. "Time is no barrier. It can be overcome. The rules change."

Feste idly shuffles the cards once more, just to have something to do with his hands. "Even more so for a creature of kinesthetics like yourself." A pause. "Understanding is overrated."

[Radio] You send Abernathy a direct message: "I didn't say that."

[Radio] You send Abernathy a direct message: "*murmured* I can't believe you're letting him get away with this cowardice."

[Radio] Abernathy sends you a tightbeam radio transmission: "<murmured> Which of us? And which him?"

He sulked in his seat, glaring at the tabletop as if it had offended him, the ice shards of his eyes burning with a fierce intensity, directed at the tacky green felt. "So easy to say. So easy to say, when you don't have that uncertainty, that lack of knowledge of why you were even put here. Put here. It sounds so... why does it sound bad? It's what happened. I was... what's this feeling? It's so strange, and it makes me ill inside." He creased his eyebrows, his look angry... and faintly scared. It made him look lainfully cute, and at the same time, oddly, painfully alien and wrong, that look of incredulous confusion on his face. He clenches a fist to iron hardness, wishing he had something to break.

"Kinesthetics isn't in my vocabulary yet."

"I don't like this game. The rules are too complicated. They don't explain them. And they keep changing. It's too complicated, I don't know what to do. I'm supposed to know what to do. I'm supposed to..."

[Radio] You send Abernathy a direct message: "The both of us, and the one of him. Of..."

The Fool's eyes narrow to red half-moons, and he continues to aimlessly shuffle the cards. His voice grows cold to match Hien's, as if the Strider is beginning to try his patience.

"You think you can lay sole claim to that kind of legacy?" he asks, words intentionally barbed. He can't see the pain he's having a hand in causing, and that may be a part of it. The sinking feeling in his stomach is just getting worse.

"It means 'motion'," he says, after a pause. "You don't have to like it. You just have to play. I've spent all my life -- all my /life/ -- trying to abide by *their* rules, and it wasn't good enough, Hien." His tone is still low, quiet. He looks up. "If they change the rules on you, then you just have to change the rules on them. Or don't play by them at all. Do what you must. Do what you will. Do /whatever/. It doesn't matter, I've found."

[Radio] Abernathy sends you a tightbeam radio transmission: "<quiet 'tsk'>"

[Radio] You send Abernathy a direct message: "It isn't funny."

[Radio] Abernathy sends you a tightbeam radio transmission: "No, nothing about this is. But I'm clinging futilely to my sense of humor in hopes that it isn't as bad as it seems."

[Radio] You send Abernathy a direct message: "*cheerfully* Good for you!"

[Radio] Abernathy sends you a tightbeam radio transmission: "As, I see, are you."

A creature of motion. It was true. He loved motion. He loved it. Standing still was death, and something he feared, though only on the most base of levels. He was motion, it was what he was. This one was observant, if hurtful. And he felt he was hurting him too. He nodded faintly. Information for one without any was a great factor, and Feste's casual words idly took up a massive cornerstone of his still incomplete mind. Games. He liked games. And when they changed up, change them as you wanted them, as you needed them. Abide by the rules, until they don't seem to be the thing to do, then stop. Be motion, in a world of crumbling walls.

"Yes. I see. I will. I will not let anything stop me. I am Hien." He speaks this calmly. Hien. The first thing he'd been given had been that. Hien. He was Hien.

That grin was back. "So, what did you need to know that I have not told you through indirect clarifications? And don't call me a creature. It hurts."

It was, in a way, Feste's philosophy in a nutshell. The world is flawed. Therefore, believe what you /want/ to believe -- change the rules. Superimpose them over the world, and they become *real*. It works. It really and truly works... to a point.

It is what he has done in the past and continues to do even as they speak. He refuses to believe what he's realized because it doesn't make sense and it /hurts/. So he doesn't. Unlike him, however, he has brought the undeniable truth down upon himself, shattered his own preconceptions, and prepared to accept that impossible conclusion.

"Jolly good for you," answers Feste, managing some semblance of cheer.

"Everything, and we are all creatures. It's another one of those undeniable truths."

[Radio] You send Abernathy a direct message: "*F's not answering. tra la.*"

[Radio] Abernathy sends you a tightbeam radio transmission: "... Well then. I think I'll be off to drug myself to sleep and try and sort this all out sometime when I don't have a headache."

[Radio] You send Abernathy a direct message: "... but..."

[Radio] Abernathy sends you a tightbeam radio transmission: "What?"

[Radio] You send Abernathy a direct message: "Do you -- absolutely have to? I won't inconvenience you, but --"

[Radio] Abernathy sends you a tightbeam radio transmission: "Alternately, of course, you could tell me where you are and I could come see what you've gotten yourself into this time."

[Radio] You send Abernathy a direct message: "I tried to tell you that I would sincerely appreciate that but it might not be a good ide-- oh, to hell with it all."

[Radio] You send Abernathy a direct message: "The Reploid Room."

"I'm pretty sure that I'm not supposed to tell you this, but as you said, things change. The world is fluid." He blinked faintly, and, finding odd comfort in that, he murmured it once more. "The world is fluid. It was more fluid as I was growing up, though it was too cold. Nine days ago Mother had uncle Xiang's assurance that I was ready, and thus I was awoken, and they took the liquid away, and I had to breathe the air. It's not water. I found that out. Water burns."

...an odd statement, the sheer naivete of a truly new creature.

"I'm not sure what Uncle Xiang is doing with my brothers and sisters. I'm pretty sure Mother was intent on having me an only child, and that Uncle Xiang decided to go against it..."

"A pity. I'll probably not meet them. But then, Uncle Xiang was telling me how they weren't the same as I am, so I don't know... He didn't make them for Mother, I think he made them for himself."

"Yesterday was the first time I'd actually talked to Uncle Xiang. He was there when I woke up, but he talked to Mother, and not to me. Only Mother talked to me.

"She said I'd been created to end the war between my Fathers, but it's too late for that now. So now nobody knows what to do with me, and all I've been doing with myself is learning, and trying to understand things. Mother said I was created to bring everyone together, to provide unity, but now with things as they are, I don't know."

"There's something I'm still missing, something I need to do, but I don't know what yet."

Booyaka. Now who's being cryptic.

Abernathy arrives from The Reploid Room - Bar.

Abernathy has arrived.

The Fool sits back, rearranges the deck one last time before putting it down, and listens, remaining very, very quiet. It would be rude to interrupt.

As Hien nears the end of his 'explanation', Feste looks down at the green felt of the card table, digesting all this new information, processing it, trying to rearrange it into something that makes sense.

With very little luck, really. He's missing the details that make the picture, although he does understand the basic framework.

"So let me get this straight," says Feste frankly, after a long moment of thought, "you were made by the Doctor. You are only days old. You are perhaps the first member of an entirely new, engineered race of -- people." Not creatures, Feste! "Who are probably going to end up serving as an army. And you are supposed to be the... peace child, the... solution to some family feud." Beneath the table, he crosses his ankles, scooting forward in his chair, so he can look Hien in the eye a little easier.

"And here you are, telling what little there is of your life's story to some fruitcake you've only known for -- what, three days?" The statement is left hanging in the air, with just a hint of incredulity on Feste's part.

It's the pale creature's turn to raise an eyebrow. "Three days out of nine is a long time good sir. And what does fruitcake mean? That's not in my vocabulary either."

With that, he sits back a bit, his posture going less glare happy, and more abstract, thoughtful. "That's pretty much it. It's more of a miniaturized interfaction war, but with one of my fathers dead, that's pretty much over. I think. So one of my father's hates me and calls me names, the other is dead, so it's just Mother, Father, my other father, and my other mother." He shrugs faintly, then turns to Feste thoughtfully. "Why wouldn't I tell you? I like you, you were getting upset, and now you're not, so I guess the telling was a good thing. Though Mother might be angry..." He looked thoughtful, raven hair brushing across his eyes as he let himself contemplate things for a moment.

"And I'm pretty sure that what I am and what my brothers and sisters are are different. They're not me. I am Hien. I am here to be perfection. Or at least, that's what people are kinda hinting to me, when they talk to me at all... Father's the only one who's really talked to me. Mother just looked at me strangely."

F holds that same, almost incredulous look until a few moments after Hien's finished, and then -- laughs.

Just laughs, not so loud as to attract overdue attention, but clearly audible. Not hysterical (not yet), just amused. Let us see what Hien will make of that.

Laughter. Nobody had ever laughed at him before. Father had chuckled softly, but nobody ever ~laughed~. He didn't think of it as /at him/ though he realized it was because of something in there, something he'd said, but no hurt, no wounded pride or feelings resulted. He just understood that Feste thought it was funny for some reason.

He couldn't quite help the smile, though it wasn't as strong, as fierce as his typical smiles. It was small and quirky, and oddly warm as he watched him laugh.

He was nice when he laughed, but it was a bit confusing.

"Why are you laughing?"

Another handful of people enters the smoky miasma that is the pool hall. With them there is another incongrously pale gentleman, doing his best to keep out of sight and unnoticed as he slips to the back of the room, snatching a folding chair for his use. Eavesdropper!

After a moment of the same, Feste quiets back down, amusement being channeled into a simple smile.

"Because it's funny," is the inevitable answer, though F's sounding vaguely distant. Hm.

Hien figured that he probably wasn't going to get an answer, and tried to process this not new but still unidentified feeling. It was like the first he'd been feeling, though stuffier, making him want to pace and lash out and be grumpy. He'd never realized that what it was was frustration, though he dealt with it well enough.

Normally he would have no problem with dealing with it, since he'd learned the importance of staying the itching habit of his hand to grasp for something, something he'd learned from studying his father was where a Cipher would normally be, something he didn't have yet. But The Voice didn't start, and his hand wasn't itching with Feste. It never itched with Feste. It itched with Hiryu. His hands would spasm with the need to draw what wasn't there and listen to all The Voice had to say, but the voice was dead and calm within hm, and his hand had no urge to whip back, draw out, and end as it did with everyone.

The lure of death hadn't been taught to him yet, but he didn't even feel the undefined antipathy for Feste for the frustration, and so he merely shrugged a bit. Then narrowed his eyes. "Dammit, I'll need to eat again soon."

Abernathy receives a radio transmission.

You intercept Portal's transmission to Abernathy: I am prepared to report at your earliest convenience.

Abernathy sends a radio transmission.

You intercept Abernathy's transmission to Portal: Thank you. I will be back to speak to you -- shortly.

Abernathy receives a radio transmission from Portal.

You intercept Portal's transmission to Abernathy: Affirmative.

The eavesdropper opens his stolen folding chair, pushing it up to a nearby -- unoccupied -- table. He produces a deck of cards from one of the pockets of his trenchvest. With a snap, he knocks them out of the box and begins laying them out in a pattern recognizable as one of the many variants of solitaire. Of course he's not here to listen in on Hien and Feste's conversation.

It's not hard to note the telltale signs of the pacing tiger considering a strike, if one watches. It really isn't, for a student of people.

Feste half-sighs, resting his head in one hand as he looks at Hien -- one of those 'sigh, you are just too cute' kind of looks. (don't sweat it, abby. he does this to a lot of people.) "Then, maybe, you should go eat," F offers, nonchalant as ever. "I'm not quite sure this is the right place for that, but I'm sure you, with your resourcefulness, can figure something out."

He only grumphed faintly, looking annoyed at the table before him, his look sour and pouty. "Father says normal people eat three meals a day. Uncle expressed that I am essentially human, even if I am the best I can be, but I can't get away with less than five times a day. Food's nice, but it gets REALLY annoying having to do it over and over again." He sighed... and went limp in the chair, sorta bonelessly flopping back, his limbs suddenly hanging loosely and his head back, staring at the ceiling. "I'll be right back. Did you want anything?"

Abernathy -- for that is who the eavesdropper is, though he's wise to keep his eyes down -- continues to lay out the playing cards, fussing with them in a way that implies they are not his reason for being here.

Cargo arrives from The Reploid Room - Dance Floor.

Cargo has arrived.

"That must be awfully inconvenient," answers the Fool, leaning forward and supporting his chin with both hands, laced together. "I can't imagine what that must be like." A pause. "I'm fine, but I wouldn't mind a glass of water." Or maybe some hard alcohol. It would help things make sense. And where IS Abby?

Cargo enters The Reploid Room - Dance Floor.

Cargo has left.

"Hai." Swift rise and sweep towards the bar area, his movements swift and measured, controlled as only he can be. He's not near the location of Abernathy, and his thoughts on his stomach and on his rapidly changing world. The Sire had already tried to cleave his head from his shoulders. Things were getting worse, and he honestly felt something that was almost approaching a state of helplessness. Though that was usually attributed to the sad resignation in his Father's eyes as he stepped back and let Hiryu strike for the kill, for all that all three of them knew it wouldn't land.

[Radio: (C) None] Guts Man transmits, "Hey Bass? Are you going to accept Zero's challenge? Maybe you could team up with Vile and Dynamo and beat the crap out of those guys."

[Radio: (C) None] Bass transmits, "I'm seriously considering it."

As Hien moves away, our friendly neighborhood eavesdropper looks up from what he's doing. He smirks slightly, folding the deck of cards together again and tucking it away. Leaning over, he reaches out and taptaps Feste on the shoulder. "Funny seeing you here," he adds, in a drawl.

[Radio: (C) None] Beta CO Metal Man transmits, "If you do my money is on you."

Feste too leans back in his chair once Hien takes off, folding his arms across his chest. le sigh. Upon being tapped he looks over his shoulder and -- smirks. "Likewise. What took you so long? Why not just, oh, I don't know, trace me? You can do that, can't you?"

"Let's say I was rather curious as to what you were up to," Abernathy replies, still leaning back in his chair. "It is, after all, more tactically sound to observe the situation before jumping in feet-first and possibly getting killed."

"Oh, I'm sure," says Feste in a rather low tone of voice, looking back over in the direction he'd originally been looking in. "How very... smart of you." He's searching for words -- something to hide the desperate sense of urgency developing underneath. Holding himself back. The signs are carefully hidden, but still there, detectable...

Abernathy arches a brow. "And yet, I don't see the reason I was called out here -- " His eyes flick toward where Hien departed to. " -- yet," he ammends.

"Maybe it's better that you don't," Feste answers. There's an undercurrent of something strange in his voice -- fear? Despair? That urgency? But for whom? Too many questions...

"Oh. Shall I go home then? Or back to minding my reports? I do have someone eager to be debriefed I could be talking to," Abernathy says, lightly. Behind his sunglasses, though, there's a strange, strange light in his eyes. He's trying to tease that strange sound out into the open.

"All I'm asking is that you not see him," Feste says, wincing unseen, thanks to his being turned around and all. The undercurrents are becoming more evident. Easier to hear, to see... Feste's tensing up a little. "Pretend not to if you have to. Just don't."

"Which him?" murmurs Abernathy in response.

Oh, GREAT. Wrong question! Feste almost facepalms, but restrains himself to a quiet sigh. "We're not talking about -that- any more. I'm referring to an actual, physical person. He will return shortly. I would ask that he remain... a ghost. A shadow. A faceless changeling, if you will. Figure out the details for yourself because I'm absolutely not going to tell you." What's this? Feste, impatient?

Hien activates his stealth mode.

Ahh, but it's easy to not see that which is Hien when he decides that he doesn't really like the attention for the moment anymore... and discards it, letting it flow off him like water. An orange tiger in a green jungle, he let himself softly let everything go, his body suddenly seeming to do faint and dead, dull, disinteresting. Losing his shine, his sparkle, that ill defined quality which drew eyes. The mind saw what it wanted to, and didn't what it didn't want to. The only clue to the white figure's presence was a brief bloom of the scent of what smelled suspiciously like buffalo wings. The faintly spicy tang on the air did indeed smell a lot like buffalo wings complete with mini , and the figure that appeared with his fingers delicately holding the glass, the hot tray balanced effortlessly on his bare skin. ...and he seems mildly surprised to find the pale one there... He could be a waiter, or some disinteresting crowdgoer. But he couldn't be Hien, shining strider and mysterious genetic creation of an evil mad scientist. Doot doo...

The Fool swallows, leaning forward in his own chair once more. He'd thought that Abernathy's just being here might help him get a grip, and -- it does, but it also appears to be making things worse. How this paradox can be, Feste has no idea. It simply is.

As the Strider in disguise returns with buffalo wings, Feste struggles not to stare. Who -- oh, that must be Hien. Hm... how to salvage the situation /now/... For now, F simply... doesn't do anything.

[Radio] Transmission detected: ... was ... enjoyable.

[Radio] Transmission detected: ... ...

[Radio] Transmission detected: Bowie?

[Radio] Transmission detected: Yeah?

[Radio] Transmission detected: ...

[Radio] Transmission detected: How're you doing ...

[Radio] Transmission detected: ... do not ... your point ... but ... was ... all your ...

[Radio] Transmission detected: You did what you ... ... ...

Things don't seem quite right as he drifts back, seeing them breaking off from their chattersome ways. He lets himself fall out of the dullness and silence that is his casual stealth, blinking faintly as he carefully places Feste's water before him. He pauses, glancing between Feste and Abernathy, his words soft, hair gently played with by the air conditioning. "...I come and all becomes silence and gawkiness. Have I made things awkward with my presence Feste?" He turns to the tall norweigian, looking into his eyes with a bit of that Hien sparkle back.

Abernathy remains exactly as he is. He does not even look back to watch Hien's transformation -- because he was asked to treat Hien as if he were not there. And Abernathy can be very obedient, to the point of driving others mad, when he chooses.

Hien deactivates his stealth mode.

"We were finished," says Feste, simply. Ah. Abernathy is being quiet. He hopes this is a good sign.

"Don't worry about it," he adds, after a moment. "Where were we?"

[Radio: (J) None] Spin Cougar transmits, "Repair, reroute, replace..."

"You were wondering why a person such as me would give my live story, brief as it was, to what you termed a fruitcake like you, a word you still have not explained to me. But I will leave that subject lie for the moment." He sits down... and... well, calmly washu's the first hotwing without getting a spot ANYWHERE... ... ...and stops. He calmly lowers the rather cleanly stripped bones, swallows after a moment, touches a napkin to spotless lips... and coughs. Once. "Why does my mouth burn?"

<end of log. had ta go.>