[Day: Monday, October 27, 2081. Time: 12:30 p.m.] [When we last left out hero, Bai Qing's unit had just routed Guo Sang's unit and proceeded towards the fleeing Xiang Hu. But Xiang Hu had lured Bai Qing into a trap; as Bai Qing engaged Xiang Hu near the forest, out sprang Qiao Chang with a contingent of swordsmen from the rear. Oh noes!] [Er, I mean.] [Keiko dropped a sandwich on Hotaru and got scolded. lawl] (I dropped it on TEN.) [Whatever. Someone got sandwiched.] (I did not enjoy it at all.) [But more importantly, you decided to go on a picnic. Well, today's a good day for it. Nice and sunny and all. It may be your last chance before it gets snowy and cold, so you gather in the lounge on the second floor to prepare for a trek across the grounds.] [Seriously, you guys need to get out more anyhow.] [Session Start] * Roseli is sitting in one of the comfy chairs, legs crossed and checking the time. She has a light jacket on and a duffel bag and a cooler nearby. * Luana is sitting in a chair with her holocomputer, which has as much security as she could manage, so as not to offend her roommate's sensibilities. She's wearing a long brown skirt and a green shirt, both of which are very plain. * Hotaru is there, she hasn't changed clothes, so she's still in a white dress, sunglasses, and tray. Her goddess on the othe hand has a dress that's identicle to the last one she was wearing, only with less mayo. (This isn't the same day, dood.) ( It's two days later. ) (...Gah) ( And a Monday. Remind me to put that in the log ) ( I'm terrible with days in this game for some reason. ) (FSK me and our never getting minies in!) (Snicker.) (Yeah, I was just checking myself.) (whine moar) (I will!) * Keiko is in blue today! She loves blue. She is holding her plush while a thin metal plate hovers next to her. * Roseli looks up as Keiko arrives. "Good Heinrick is letting you come." [Unfortunately your picnic was suddenly cancelled when you were summoned for a mission: the Society Against Pants (SAP) has launched an attack, and it's up to you to defeat them, or all pantskind is doomed!] [Or maybe that doesn't happen. But that's a hecka funny idea, so I'll just hang onto it for later.] * Keiko glances to Roseli a second and the plate wavers a moment before settling in its hovering. "He thinks I have been listening." ( Can you guess who leads it? o/~ ) Have you? * Keiko smiles slightly, "If he thinks it, it must be so. How would I fool him?" * Roseli raises an eyebrow. How would you? * Ten snorts. ( Ten can't snort. ) (She can make a sound like she is!) * Keiko blinks, then smiles a little. "Badly, I think." The metal wavers again, and she bites her lip. Mmm. Are you going to put anything on the plate? (I'm back * Keiko replies, quickly, "Not unless you want it to f--" she cuts herself off and forces it to be solid as she walks out a bit more onto the balcony. "Fall." * Roseli nods. "Good practice." She looks to Luana. "How are you? Looking forward to the picnic?" * Luana looks up and smiles slightly. "Yes. Getting some time off is really nice." She adds quickly, "Not that I'm complaining!" * Keiko murmurs, with only a slight tinge of bitterness in her voice, "Yes. Why else would he be happy?" She walks to the edge and leans on it, letting out a slow breath. One reason I suggested it. And it's all right, Luana. You're working hard. * Luana bobs her head. "Thank you." * Ten starts to pace on her tray. Something wrong, Ten? * Gottlieb steps into the lounge, a satchel around his shoulder. Waiting. * Keiko sends Luana, ~ Maybe she's sad I'm not talking to her head. ~ The plate then comes around to the banister, floating just above it. A shorter fall! * Roseli nods to Gottlieb. "Afternoon. Ready?" * Luana pockets her holo computer and stands up, hands folded in front of her as she smiles at Gottlieb. "Good afternoon, Dr Kerner." * Gottlieb nods. "Yes." Good. Heinrick's not coming. * Roseli stands, shouldering her bag and picking up the cooler. * Keiko has her back turned! It's long black hair and a blue dress. And a metal plate floating next to her. That's about as visible as she be. Um, can I help you with that, Roseli? * Gottlieb smiles at Luana. "Good afternoon, Miss Hall." * Roseli nods to Luana with a small smile and offers the cooler to her. * Hotaru stands around and makes no effort to help. * Luana takes it, still smiling. * Ten looks up for a moment. "We are going now?" Thank you. It's my pleasure. Yes, we are. Come on. * Gottlieb nods in approval, and follows out. * Roseli waves for the others to go before she heads out last. * Luana follows him out. * Hotaru moves to follow and winds up in range of Keiko. (Oh, crud. I brought my charger, but there is no power outlet here. D: I will try to conserve energy, otherwise only 96 mins) [Some loud thumping footsteps come down the hall, accompanied by a woman's voice. "Hey! Hey, wait up a minute!] ( >.> ) * Keiko waits puts her plate in one hand, letting it droop, and holds the duck in her other, against her stomach. She's in range of Hotaru! Yay! The plate carrying actually seems to be a bit of a strain. * Hotaru stops. ( Gottlieb's pacemaker has 96 minutes! Better make this one hell of a picnic ) * Gottlieb pauses and turns. * Ten looks to see who's talking at her. * Keiko doesn't look, glancing to Hotaru a moment instead. * Luana turns to look. * Roseli walks out after the girls and takes a look. * Keiko stops, but taps her feet as she waits. [A woman skids to a stop as she enters the lounge. She's familiar to Roseli and Gottlieb, but for the rest of you: She's kind of short, with kinda short blond hair, and is wearing a black business suit under a silver windbreaker, and a white blouse under that. Plus she's got a tie. That's cool, right? Sure it is. She's got a paper bag in her left hand.] * Roseli looks vaguely amused. "Afternoon." * Luana thinks to Keiko, ~Cheer up! Picnics are nice.~ Ah. Good afternoon. * Keiko frowns a little and thinks back, ~Maybe. I'm... impatient. Do you know this woman?~ ~No, I don't think so.~ ["Hi! Um, Karin, remember? We heard you were having a picnic." She glances over her shoulder for a second, satisfied when a girl of about eighteen follows her into the lounge. This one is also kind of short, but has shoulder-length blond hair, and green eyes, too. She's wearing a blue shirt and black jeans, but her expression is pretty passive. The wards might remember her from such sessions as #1.] ( That get through? ) (Yes.) ( Awesome ) Yes. Coming with? [Karin grins. "I was hoping you'd say that." She holds up the bag, giving it a little shake. "I brought pretzels!"] * Ten sounds impatient as she asks. "May we go?" Good. And yes, Ten. Who's your ward? * Roseli asks this as she goes back to walking out. * Luana keeps pace with Roseli. * Hotaru follows behind them. * Gottlieb returns to walking! [Karin smiles at the girl, "This is Cyra Koenig." She looks like she was about to say more, but then realizing she was being left behind, she hurries to catch up instead.] * Roseli nods and looks over. "Nice to meet you, Cyra." She turns to the wards. "This is one of the guardians, Karin." * Keiko nods slightly, waits a bit and then sends a, ~Cyra? I'm Keiko.~ * Luana nods at the new people. "Nice to meet you. I'm Luana." [Karin grins and waves. Cyra glances at Roseli, but doesn't say anything. But Karin interprets. "She's happy to meet you."] Quiet? That nice. ... That is nice. [Karin pauses. "Nnnoot exactly. I mean, yes, but not in the way you'd think... probably."] Oh? [Karin nods and leans in close to Roseli to whisper in her ear.] 2d8-4 * Dicesuke throws the bones for Ten (2d8-4) and gets a natural 10 for a result of 6. * Roseli hms and nods, then tells Karin, "Hotaru's my ward." She gestures towards her. "Her and her doll." [Karin smiles at Hotaru. "Nice to meet you."] * Ten looks at Karin. "Someday, will remember it is other way around." * Roseli smiles but doesn't say anything. [Karin glances at Roseli.] * Keiko chides, "Someday, _you_ will remember it is _the_ other way around." [Meanwhile, you get to the first floor. Woo.] * Roseli heads for the door out. Out, I say~ * Ten looks at Keiko. "Thank you." * Ten follows her again. (For values of follow equal to carried by Hotaru) [You head outside, to the small garden inside the ] shape of the building. Karin asks, "So, where are we going to camp?"] * Keiko replies, with a faint smile of amusement, "The sooner you learn that, the less you will have to put up with me." Strange, she seems to put bite in that last bit. She also walks outside. Oh, wonderful outside. * Roseli points... thataway. "Nice field over there. Some trees." [Karin nods. "Ok."] * Roseli goes thataway! * Ten blinks at Keiko, but doesn't say anything. * Luana follows with the cooler. * Keiko mutters, "Of course you are." She chews her lip and looks around at everyone slowly. * Roseli is walking and so does not look back. [You're not the only ones outside. There's also a woman running around the track while a guardian times her. The woman's an attractive twenty-something, her dark hair trailing behind her in a pony tail. She's wearing a leotard and calf-high boots. The man is in his mid-forties. Tall and muscular, he's wearing a grey business suit. He also has blond hair, combed back and falling to his shoulders.] ~Um... are you alright, Keiko?~ ( Did THAT get through? ) (yep) ( Wow. Ok. ) *** Signoff: Luana (Read error: Connection reset by peer) [The wards probably recognize the woman as Zarina. The guardians... might be able to figure out who the man is. Maybe :O] * Gottlieb nods to them both absently. *** Luana (WD@71.88.203.126) has joined channel #MC4 * Keiko looks at the woman running and smiles a little more. ~Why do you ask?~ * Ten watches the runner. [Karin yells, "Hey Gabriel! Zarina! We're going on a picnic! You wanna come?" The man shakes his head, and Karin chuckles. "Figured."] ~You seem a bit, um, down. I just want to be sure you're okay.~ * Keiko replies, ~Compared to you, everyone's down.~ * Luana looks at Keiko and is startled into saying out loud, "Really?" * Luana blushes and stares at the ground as she walks. * Keiko looks over at Luana a moment, seeming slightly annoyed, then says, ~Not everyone can be as happy as you. Maybe your guardian is. I can't tell.~ [You get to the spot! woo. Roseli can describe it, 'cause she picked it.] ~Oh. Um. It's just so much nicer here than where I was before, and I get to relax with you and everyone, so...~ (Thanks, GM. >.>;) ( <3 ) [It's a sunny area. There's a rather large field, spotted with a few trees which can be used for shade. The complex is easily within sight.] [There might be squirrels lurking. Who knows.] * Keiko smiles a little, faintly, then says, ~The... chains are there, Luana.~ A small sigh. ~I guess you can't feel them like me.~ ~I... I guess not.~ * Gottlieb looks around and nods. "Excellent choice." * Ten looks around. "Now what? * Luana sets the cooler down and steps back. Play, eat, relax. That's the idea. Open the cooler, Luana? * Roseli finds a good place, sets her bag down, and opens it. She pulls out a folded blanket and, as these things often go, unfolds it and lays it out. * Luana kneels down and opens it, as instructed. * Keiko kneels down on the blanket, first, before slipping her legs to the side. She lays the plate down next to her. ~Well, I take it back. Zarina's as happy as you. But she's not here.~ ~Is she a good roommate?~ [Cyra sits Indian-style, while Karin totally steals Keiko's idea. "This is nice. Thanks for inviting us."] * Hotaru carefully lowers herself to her knees, and then sets Ten down. * Roseli heads over and starts picking out some foodstuffs. There's potato salad, a few small sandwiches, chips, raspberry Jell-O cups, and some drinks (water and apple juice). * Gottlieb puts down his satchel and pulls out two kinds of salad and a Mysterious Thermos! (It's filled with tea) * Luana sits down next to Keiko and takes some apple juice. (Not so mysterious now, is it!) * Ten looks over the selection of foods and eventualy Hotaru picks up some water. [Karin puts the bag'o'pretzels somewhere convenient, and grabs one for herself and Cyra.] * Roseli sits down, picking up a sandwich and unwrapping it. * Roseli also reaches into her pocket, pulls out a gum wrapper, spits whatever she was chewing into it, folds it, and tucks it away. Because ew. Seriously. [During this time, zombies do not attack.] * Keiko looks around a moment, and then sighs. ~Yeah. Yeah she is, Luana.~ Beat, then a bit more awkwardly, "Play and relax... don't seem much like they're our sorts of things." * Hotaru opens her bottle of water and takes a small sip. Should learn how to do them. * Roseli has a bite of her sandwich and chews thoughtfully. * Luana thinks warmly, ~I think it's nice to know I can still relax. Life is still normal. We're not exactly playing right now, though.~ (I am so confused. What can I hear, and what can't I?) (~ - can't hear. " - can.) (I'm in Luana's head, talkin' to her brain.) (SECRETIVELY.) * Hotaru sips her water again. (Oh. It seemed like Roseli was replying.) (Luana just likes talking to Keiko privately better than she likes talking out loud.) * Gottlieb gets tea, and drinks it. (I said one thing out loud.) (The 'Play and relax' thing.) (...oh! Oops.) * Keiko extends her senses a moment and sighs out a little before replying to Roseli, "Shouldn't you be... leading on that? I don't have much in the way of games, do I?" * Gottlieb pulls out a Go set from his satchel. "Well...." [Karin says around a mouthful of pretzel, "Y' should tell Z'rina." She swallows and grins. "That gal's got killer video game skills."] *** Signoff: Luana (Read error: Connection reset by peer) This not... is not place for video games. * Keiko looks down a moment, and then floats a jello cup over to herself. * Roseli has more sandwich. She nods to Gottlieb, chews, and swallows. "There are some things in the bag if you want to get them. Frisbee, softball, bat, things like that. (+") * Gottlieb shrugs. *** Luana (WD@71.88.203.126) has joined channel #MC4 So, Miss Hall, what was the principal failure of the Kroner uprising of 2013? [Karin blinks. "Huh?"] * Keiko sees the go set and starts to say, "Go..." and then trails off. Oh dear. You play? Now and then. * Roseli smiles faintly. "Never learned how." Keiko may, though? [Karin: "Go what, exactly?"] * Keiko replies quietly, not looking at anyone, "A few times." She unpeels the jello, snap-floats herself a spoon, and begins eating. * Gottlieb waits for Luana to answer while answering Karin. "It is a game of strategy." [Karin also grabs a bottle of water for herself and Cyra, 'cause they need to drink, too. "Oh. I better not play, then. I'm terrible at those games."] * Roseli says cheerfully, "Explain why I don't play. Maybe frisbee or softball later." How unfortunate. * Ten folds her arms and grumbs in english. * Luana says hesitantly, "Lack of... oh, Johann Davis was killed. Gregory Mentin tried to take control afterwards, but morale had dropped too far due to Davis' death for him to be successful." [Karin nods. "Frisbee would be cool. I bet Cyra would like that." She glances at Cyra, who drinks her water.] * Roseli responds to Ten in the same language, "" (I responded!) (I'm so proud.) (Me too.) * Gottlieb nods. "Excellent, Miss Hall." (Gottlieb: Relaxing is not allowed! Luana: D:) (We'll distract him with a well placed game of Go vs. Keiko.) (At least he hasn't thrown anything at her.) (yet.) * Luana smiles at him. "Thank you, sir." (You can certainly try!) (Keiko's very good at stalling.) (Apple juice or Jell-o!? Think quick!) (Meanwhile, we'll kidnap Luana and make her play frisbee.) (THE HORRORS!) (I am horrified.) ( Ironically, Karin's the only one who's there to actually goof off ) (I'd be glad to goof off, but my definition of goof off is a little different from yours. ^_~) * Keiko chews jello, letting the duck rest on her lap. ~I can't believe I'm outside and just... eating,~ she says, helpfully, to Luana. (Hey, I'll play frisbee if it keeps Gottlieb from throwing food at me.) * Ten looks at Hotaru. ~It's nice, isn't it?~ ( Little do you know there are KNIVES IN THE SALAD! KNIVES IN THE SALAD! KNIIIIIIIIIIIVES!) (Note to self FOR LIFE: Dodge tossed salads.) * Roseli finishes off her sandwich. "" She turns to Hotaru. "You should eat something. This is lunch; you won't have anything else for a while." ~It's not bad. Just... I can do more out here, but it's not really a good idea.~ ~More? Like what?~ * Keiko pauses a moment, then adds, ~Might do it anyway. Not sure.~ * Ten points at the potatoe salad. "What is this?" Potato salad. (It is your doom!) * Roseli grabs a plate and scoops some on, handing it to Hotaru with a fork. "Try some. See if you like it." * Ten eyes it, but Hotaru grasps for the fork and gets it on the second try. * Roseli nods at that. Good. * Ten steps off the tray so she can get a better angle. * Keiko slurps jello. ~You... don't really want to know.~ * Hotaru puts the fork in her mouth without trouble. ~...If you tell me, I'll show you something neat?~ * Keiko smiles a little to herself. ~Neat to you, maybe. How do I know it's neat to me?~ * Hotaru grimaces and chews slowly. * Roseli waits. ~If it isn't, I will... do some kind of favor for you. Whatever you want, within reason.~ * Keiko glances to Luana a moment and then thinks at her, slowly, ~You are that curious?~ That's fine. * Roseli takes it away. "Anything else you'd like to try, Hotaru?" ~Well, I don't know much about you. And I want us to be good friends... I mean, if you think so, then... um, I'll stop bothering you. If you want.~ * Hotaru takes a long sip of the water. (Sometimes I think I'm the only person in existence who likes potato salad. ;P) * Keiko waits a few moments before respoonding, ~It's just... strange. The interest.~ * Ten looks at Roseli. "She will try the ... pretzel?" (I don't!) (You can't be. People keep making it!) * Luana thinks meekly, "Do you want me to stop?~ (*~) * Roseli picks out a couple of pretzels and hands them to Hotaru. ( I don't even like regular salad. ) * Keiko shakes her head, ~No, Luana. It's not like anyone else thinks to me.~ (People also keep making candy corn.) [Karin nods. "When in Germany..."] ( My dad likes that stuff. ) * Hotaru holds out her cupped hands to Roseli. * Roseli dumps them in! ~Oh. Well, anyway... is it a deal?~ * Keiko glances to Hotaru a moment, then to Gottlieb's board, then says, ~Do you really want to know that I could make you try to put the goban in your nose?~ * Hotaru brings them to her face, and then freezes for a moment before shifting them into her left hand and carefully taking one with her right and taking a bite out. * Roseli watches with interest. * Luana covers a smile with one hand. ~Really? Ow.~ ~Very, yeah. They're not meant for noses.~ * Hotaru nibbles on it again. * Keiko floats herself some chips. ~Well, okay, you didn't actually show me anything, so I won't show you. But I'll tell you.~ (ack, battery dying) ( D: ) * Hotaru puts the nibbled pretzel with the others and picks up her water again. (back ...sometime later. <.<) ( orz ) * Keiko replies, ~How do you show people that?~ Beat. ~Unless you want me to get myself in trouble with the guardians again.~ ~No, of course not. Anyway, I can make myself look like just about anyone, almost instantly.~ * Roseli picks up a Jell-O cup and spoon, unpeels, and gets to eating some of that. Tasty Jell-O. (DELICIOUS) (Totally is.) (I ate some too! We're not best friends!) (I'm getting sleepy, so I'll probably fall off at about midnight. I'm guessing this isn't a big deal. ;P) * Keiko blinks and her hands fall down to the duck, gripping it. ~You can... make yourself look like anyone? Anyone?~ The voice seems quieter than normal. (Okay, I need to ninja some Jell-o into the shopping cart tomorrow. And it's all your fault!) (haha!) Something wrong, Keiko? (WIN) [We interrupt this picnic for a loud KA-CHUNG! KA-CHUNG! noise.] * Roseli blinks and looks around. * Keiko starts to say, with a faint quaver in her voice, "Nothin--" and then everybody's Ka-Chunging tnight. * Luana sounds concerned. ~Mostly, yes. Are you- what the heck?~ * Hotaru drops her water and pretzels, but fortunatly not soaking herself too badly. * Ten 's head whips around. * Luana looks towards the noise. [Seriously, a bot makes way over to you. It's a large bipedal machine, about twelve feet tall, painted red and black. It doesn't really have a head, just a slit in the body that glows red. Also, instead of arms it has twin gattling guns, and two mini-launchers on what passes for its shoulders.] * Ten looks at Roseli. * Keiko grips the duck tighter, shifting so that she can move. And move she may well want to do. [It comes within about twenty feet of you, then stops and beeps a few times. "SCANNING AREA."] * Roseli eyes it. "" * Hotaru winces. * Ten eyes Hotaru. [Karin shrugs. "It's just one of the security bots. I heard we got some new ones it." She waves. "Hi, Mr. Bot!"] * Luana tilts her head as she watches the bot. [She seems surprised herself when it waves one of its chainguns back. "HELLO. KARIN. YOU. LOOK. GOOD. TODAY."] Hm. Nice. * Keiko relaxes slightly and replies, ~Surprise robot. Well. Um. You were thinking something?~ * Ten looks at the bot. "A.I." [The bot beeps again. "NO THREATS DETECTED." It moves off the other way, following the perimiter of the woods.] There. No problems. ~Neat. Er... oh, I was wondering if what I said bothered you?~ * Hotaru rubs the sides of her head, just in front of her ears. [Karin watches it go. "What the..." She pauses, and rolls her eyes. "Robert. He's going to get in so much trouble."] He did that? They need make quiter. (Quieter.) (Thanks) * Keiko shakes her head and says, ~No, I... I was just...~ She stands up slowly and takes a few steps off. ~A moment.~ [Karin nods. "Yeah, probably. You know Robert Johnson? The mechanic? He's had a crush on me since we started working. It's soooo obvious."] * Roseli shakes her head. "Never met him." * Luana smiles. "That's sweet." ~Um, okay.~ * Keiko doesn't take many steps off, but it's a few, duck firmly in hand as she looks away from everyone. [Karin rubs her head. "You wouldn't think so if it was you. I don't even like jazz music."] * Ten shakes her head. [Cyra grabs some jell-o. It's notable maybe because she's doing it without being prompted.] * Roseli watches Keiko with what may be concern. (I'm the tired. May I be excused for the Z's? Rose just gets quietish and will teach people how to play frisbee when they're done eating.) [Karin continues! "Still, programming something like that into the bot's AI's going to come back to haunt him if Lydia finds out."] * Keiko is looking away, the plush in a firm grip with her right hand. Her hand comes up to her face, but she remains looking away. ( orz ) I bet. Bit much, really. [Karin nods.] ( Maaaaybe we better end soon. 'Cause I gotta get up early, myself. ) It is duity to serve, but that is a waste. You all right, Keiko? * Keiko replies, quietly, "Don't worry about me. I'll be fine." (I have to move for Cham's sake fairly soon, so.) * Roseli nods and goes back to eating her dessert. (Okay, I'm good with ending here.) ( Ok, let's finish up ) ( Last lines? ) * Hotaru starts to brush off her dress without looking down. (Already done!) * Luana looks off at the distance quietly. [And they have a great time until the bot comes back and insists that you play softball with it. Session End]