[Day: Sunday, Nov. 9th, 2081. Time: 6:00 p.m.] [You finally got out of the house! Yay. After borrowing a van, Karin took you to a quaint little Japanese place about ten blocks from the Weiss Building. I'm not sure there's much else to say besides that, so we'll open with her parallel parking with great expertise out front. As for the restaurant, it looks like a pagoda.] [Session Start] *** Signoff: Wingdance (Read error: Connection reset by peer) ( orzorz ) (Good pingin' times.) (Are we waiting? ;P) ( x.z ) * Keiko is _still_ wearing black, still has a plush, and still has a silver collar on! That, at least, is nothing different from last time! ( That's a no! ) * Ten looks out from Hotaru's bag and through the window. "This is where you will be eating?" Looks like. * Roseli moves to get out of the van. And open the door so other people can, too! * Keiko glances to Tentaru and says, with a faint smile, "It'll be interesting for you, I'm sure." * Heinrick shrugs his shoulders slightly. "It looks reputable enough." * Ten looks at Keiko. "I would expect so, yes." ( Sorry, AFK a bit. ) * Keiko smiles a bit more to herself, for a moment, but it fades to a flat look. * Hotaru carefully climbs out of the van. * Heinrick gestures for the ladies to go first. Look, he is a gentleman after all. ( Back. Uh... WD Never came back? ) ( Man.... x.x ) (Nope. :() (Weep.) ( You want to keep going? x.z ) (Part of this sequence being extra neat was Luana going outside her comfort zone. Blah.) (She didn't notice she'd disconected) ( o.o ) (Cellphones FTW) *** Luana (WD@71.88.203.126) has joined channel #MC4 (Welcome back!) (Sorry! ^^;) (She's recapped.) [Karin, who was driving, but now isn't, gets out of the car and gestures to the place. "What do you think? I come here sometimes with Cyra. The owner's pretty nice, and the food's good."] * Keiko asks, somewhat disbelieving, "Cyra... enjoys this?" * Luana gets out and looks around warily. She's staying pretty close to Keiko. *** Luana has left channel #MC4 *** Luana (WD@71.88.203.126) has joined channel #MC4 [This isn't a particularly busy part of town, by the way, but it's not devoid of pedestrians, either. Through the front window, you can also see it's not terribly crowded; there are maybe three out of eight tables filled.] * Luana gets out and looks around warily. She's staying pretty close to Keiko. * Keiko idly throws at Luana, ~At least there aren't too many people to be nervous over, huh?~ ~I guess...~ [Karin nods. "Yeah. She's not totally devoid of personality, you know. She's autistic."] [She heads in.] * Roseli walks after Karin, looking around. "Japanese, right?" [Karin nods.] * Keiko murmurs something _in_ Japanese to herself, following. ~Just think real loud if things start getting... iffy.~ She takes a deep breath as she heads in the doors, plush held against her with her left arm. * Luana follows Keiko, nodding. ~Okay. Thanks.~ * Hotaru walks next to Rose and asks something quitely. * Heinrick follows, putting his hands in his coat pocket, just observing for now. * Hotaru walks back to the van and pulls a small box out from under one of the seats, she opens it and lets a tiny helecopter buzz into the the evening like an oversized insect. * Hotaru then carefully pushes Ten farther into her bag and rejoins the others. [Shortly an authentic Japanese (or at least German-Japanese) waitress in a kimono greets you and leads you to a table, passing out menus. No zombie tempura attacks on the way.] (Hopefully not Asuka.) * Luana looks blankly at the menu. ~Do you have any suggestions?~ * Hotaru sits with her back to the window and holds her menue verticaly and away from her body. [Karin suggests! " I like the sukiyaki. But the steak teriyaki's good, too. In fact, I think that's what I'll have."] (I think that's mind-speak. ^^;) ( Oop ) * Roseli has a seat next to Hotaru, looking over the menu herself. "Hm," she says, and then nods at Karin's suggestion. (It is!) (I could totally see Karin randomly saying something like that, though.) (But Karin can suggest anyway.) (Yeah.) [Well, Karin suggests anyhow, out of the blue. So there.] (She's been there before and wants to help!) (Plus, Rose was about to ask anyhow.) (And you know how we treat "helpful" people.) * Keiko runs a finger over her collar. After a few moments she replies, ~Tempura and other things are also safe... I mean, it's not all that weird.~ Teriyaki's... sweet? ["Kind of tangy. Oh, and I wouldn't get the sushi. It's raw fish. Yuck."] * Roseli shrugs. "Never tried." * Keiko folds up her menu and gives Karin a glance. "It's not totally raw." [Karin makes a face. "I have."] * Hotaru gives a small shrug and turns the page in her menue. * Heinrick ponders the menu quietly. "It would depend on the place. Personally, I would care for the gyoza more as a side dish followed by some fried eel." ( Green tea or red bean ice cream for desert! ) * Heinrick puts down the menu and gives a glance towards Karin. "How is their octopus here?" * Keiko says, oud loud, but softly, "Tempura is just fried things. Everyone can eat that, if they need t--" she gives Heinrick a glance. * Luana has a slight smile. ~I'm trying to think of this like a training exercise, but it's hard to do that when I'm not fighting anything. Maybe the waitress will attack?~ she thinks hopefully. (No, that's only at chinese restaurants.) * Keiko replies, a bit dryly, ~Do you need her to?~ [Karin shrugs at Heinrick. "Beats me. I don't eat anything with tentacles."] * Luana giggles slightly and tries to disguise it as a cough while covering her mouth. ~Oh, don't! She'd be so confused afterwards!~ * Hotaru turns the page again, her face impassive as usual. * Keiko manages a small smile too. ~Yeah, and so would everyone else.~ * Roseli glances at the girls, then turns to Hotaru. "What are you considering?" Technically, I don't think they are seen as tentacles. But the texture is not quite as bad as you would think. The suction cups are usually quite well-cooked. [Karin makes a face. "I think I'll stick with the teriyaki."] * Keiko glances to Heinrick and says, in Japanese, * Hotaru turns her head twords Roseli and swallows before she speaks. "Ten... Ten doesn't know what anything tastes like. Maybe some rice?" * Keiko is suddenly very distracted from her attempt at conversation, looking at Hotaru with a bit of surprise. * Heinrick looks over at Keiko, smiling slightly. "" ["Everything comes with rice."] * Roseli smiles and tells her, "Rice is safe, and you should get some. I think chicken teriyaki would be good, too. It's a little sweet, and you might like it. If you don't, you'll still have rice." * Hotaru nods twice. "That, that sounds good. Thankyou." * Roseli pats Hotaru on the shoulder and sets her own menu down. "Try tea too, if you want. Just wait until it cools so it doesn't burn." * Hotaru nods hastily. * Keiko idly tells Luana, ~Roseli's advice... isn't bad. If you wanna be safe.~ * Luana says to Hotaru, after a stunned moment, "I didn't know you really spoke! Oh, that sounded rude, didn't it? I'm sorry," she adds quickly. ~That sounds nice, I think.~ * Heinrick looks at Luana impassively. "That's alright. I wasn't aware of it either." Yes, sir, but Hotaru and I are roommates. * Keiko laughs faintly. * Hotaru starts to slouch for a moment and then bolts back upright. "She... Ten can't talk here... so she's ma... I have to for her." We've been working on it. I see how that could be a problem then. Oh! That makes sense. * Keiko looks to Hotaru's eyes and says, with an oddly widening smile, "You should do it more." * Hotaru shakes her head. [Before long, the waitress returns to take orders.] * Luana asks, worried, "It's not disrupting Ten's presence in your mind, is it? For you to be talking like this?" * Roseli ignores Luana and orders the steak teriyaki and tea. [So does Karin.] * Hotaru nods. "It's... I don't want to, but, but, she says I have to... It's better when she does everything." * Luana asks for chicken teriyaki and tea quietly before returning her attention to Hotaru. * Heinrick orders unagi over rice and a side of vegetable gyoza and miso. * Keiko looks to the waitress and asks, "Do you take orders in Japanese?" [The waitress nods.] * Keiko rattles off a string of sushis in Japanese, shrimp tempura, miso, and tea as well. * Hotaru points at the entry for teriyaki chicken when her turn comes up. [That's all of you, so she leaves, returns shortly with drinks, and leaves again.] (But we didn't order leaves. :() (It's the house specialty.) * Keiko moves her plush into her lap before helpfully suggesting to Luana, ~This may be the only chance you'll get to talk to her.~ Then she puts her elbow on the table and looks off, at other people. * Roseli blows on her tea and has a small sip. * Heinrick idly sips his water and then pulls up his sleeve, checking his watch. ~Ah, that's okay. I don't want to disturb Ten, and Hotaru already said she'd rather not speak.~ [Karin has a sip of tea, and smiles. "This is nice. I'm glad you decided to come with me. My team's never so friendly."] * Keiko replies, ~But you want to speak, don't you?~ * Heinrick sets his glass down on the table and pushes back his chair slightly. "If you'll excuse me a moment..." (Being moved. Back in 10. I'm still looking at other people! I hope some of them are interesting.) *** Signoff: Keiko (Quit: Psychic log!) * Heinrick gets up and asks the closest serving person for the bathroom. What's so bad about them? [She shrugs. "They're both business-only, you know?"] [Heinrick is directed to the men's room.] * Hotaru lifts her teacup with both hands and snifs it before emulating Rose and blowing on it. * Heinrick heads for the men's room! Taking his coat with him. * Luana drinks her tea quietly. Its heat doesn't seem to bother her. [There are no windows in the men's room. Heinrick fails to escape.] [Soup is served. Karin lets hers sit. "So, how are things working with your group?"] (Drat. Another briliant plan foiled) * Roseli shrugs. "Gottlieb's anal, Heinrick is... well." She chuckles. "They do their jobs. Some ward problems, but it's handled for now." * Hotaru takes a very small sip, and then blows on the tea some more. *** Keiko (Mechalink@ip68-13-21-94.om.om.cox.net) has joined channel #mc4 [Karin nods slowly.] * Roseli nods to Keiko and Luana. "You girls are getting on well, right?" * Luana nods and smiles brightly. "Yes, ma'am." * Heinrick returns after a short while, rubbing his arm for a moment before sitting back in his chair. So there's that, at least. Your arm okay? * Keiko is currently looking at a pair of people off in the distance with a small, odd smile. No response to Roseli's question. * Heinrick looks over at Roseli. "Hmm? Ah, it's nothing really. Medication." ~Keiko, are you okay?~ * Keiko blinks and shakes her head, glancing at Luana for a moment before looking to her tea. ~Er--ah--fine.~ She picks up the tea and takes a small sip. ~Was... thinking.~ [Karin nods. "So you all get along? That's good."] * Roseli nods sympathetically. We have to work together. [Karin nods.] * Heinrick sips his water slowly. "We work with the deck that is dealt to us. Nothing more." * Luana asks hesitantly, "How... um, how has your team been doing, Karin?" * Keiko looks to Heinrick a moment, then says, "That's a weak thing to say, isn't it?" [Karin sighs. "We work well together. But that's about all I can say. I get along with Cyra, all right, but..."] * Hotaru drinks cooler tea and hasn't touched her soup. Not the others? Too bad. * Heinrick looks at Keiko. "I don't believe so. It shows ones ability to adapt to a new environment. So far, I believe we've adapted well but one should always look towards improvement." * Roseli starts in on her own soup. [Gabriel's a robot. Zarina adores him, but I don't think he sees her as anything more than a tool."] * Keiko does as well. Soop. "Mmm." Beat, then a dry, "How unsurprising." * Roseli snerks a little at Keiko's dig. * Heinrick smiles at Keiko. "The truth rarely is." [She frowns at her soup. "But Gertrude's worse. She's destroying Sebastian."] * Roseli raises an eyebrow. How? * Heinrick then glances at Karin questioningly as well. "Oh?" * Keiko looks straight down at her soup, although her body tenses. She's still eating, though. * Roseli sips more soup. Tasty soup. (SOUP. BEAUTIFUL SOUP.) * Hotaru snifs at the soup. What kind is it? ["She's still angry that they cancelled a cybernetic division. She hates the idea of gene-mods, and she treats Sebastian like crap as a result."] [It's miso soup!] Bad choice for a guardian. Why'd they keep her? * Luana is ignoring her soup in favor of her tea. * Hotaru pushes it away from her. Agreed. ["Her name. She's Werner Himmel's granddaughter."] * Roseli ahs, then shakes her head. "Nepotism has no place in an organization like this." And she has a drink of tea. * Heinrick scoffs at that. "Lineage does not a proper leader make." * Keiko closes her eyes a moment, then asks, ~Still doing okay?~ [Karin frowns. "No, but influence does. Gertrude has strong ties with Zunkuft."] ~Yeah. It helps that we're talking about the normal sort of things, I think.~ ( politics! ) * Keiko soups more. ~So what'd be unnormal things?~ ( soap operas ) Influence only increases access to who you talk to. It does not mean you talk to them well. * Heinrick sips his soup. ~Mmm... anything from outside?~ * Keiko frowns a little. ~... outside where?~ She then looks at Hotaru. "Sure you don't want to eat your soup?" ["Sometimes I think Zunkuft has more influence in our organization than the government."] (I am getting le tired. I'll probably be going to bed in about twenty minutes, if it isn't too much trouble.) ~Anything from outside Blitzkrieg.~ ( Should be able to end by then. ) You can have my soup if you'd like, Keiko. (Ah, that works!) [Karin takes a bite of her food. "Your team's lucky. You don't have to deal with the politics."] (*gives Roseli ze missiles*) (*FIRES THEM*) So far. * Keiko sighs a little, looking at Hotaru. ~I don't know why you wanna be in there...~ * Heinrick pushes his glasses up his nose and looks faintly amused. "Really now. I thought terrorism was wholly political." * Hotaru drinks moar tea. ["I mean you didn't come with any. Not like my entire team." She takes a bite of food, then pauses, swallows, and asks, "Did you?"] (Hotaru, I asked you about your soup!) (scrolls up) * Heinrick shrugs slightly. "Not that we know of. Dr. Kerner in particular is especially close-lipped." * Roseli shakes her head. ~Everything's so much more orderly on the inside. Everyone knows what they should be doing.~ (Sorry, missed it) [Karin nods. "I thought so. My group was all brought in on special circumstances. I imagine with your group, they had more time to pick the right candidates."] * Hotaru lifts her bowl of soup and presents it to Keiko. ( I never said the food came, did I? O.o ) Could be. I have experience. (We've been souping!) (Nope, just the soup) (For, like, lines!) ( K ) * Keiko blinks, and then takes her soup, shaking her head. "You both..." she sighs and moves both their soup bowls over to herself, souping them too. Plenty of souping! [The waitress arrives with food, then leaves.] * Keiko suddenly has soup and sushi. Oops. ( Put the sushi into the soup. ) (N.) * Heinrick has food! Ninja waitress. * Keiko moves her soups around carefully. ~She's just a little bitter, Luana... it's not that big a compliment.~ [Karin nods. "Gabriel and Director Graf came from Section One. I heard they were friends there, but then something happened. And Zarina was the first gene-mod."] * Roseli nods. ["But they found out the gene-mod process works better on the younger population, so they've been getting teenagers since."] * Roseli also picks up a fork and starts in on her chicken teriyaki of yum. * Heinrick nods and dips his gyoza. Mmm, potstickerlicious. (Sorry, beef. :9) (Beeficken!) (Chickeef!) * Luana thinks cheerfully as she begins to eat, ~Still! It's a compliment.~ * Keiko replies ~I guess,~ before she picks up a piece of sushi with her fingers and put it in her mouth whole. Barely. * Hotaru stabs a piece of chicken with her fork and holds it up, she twists it for a bit and then sniffs at it. * Roseli watches Hotaru. * Hotaru carefully takes a small bite, and immidiatly reaches for her tea cup with her other hand to take a very long sip. [Karin eats steak.] * Roseli mixes steak with rice and has some of that, still paying attention to her ward. [She doesn't explode.] [Yet.] (Does Ten?) [Not yet!] ( Although.... I guess we could end now. ) * Hotaru scrapes the rest of the chicken off her fork and goes for the rice. This she doesn't feel the need wash down. * Keiko swallowss the sushi down and then smiles. ( Anyone got anything else to say? ) (Nah.) (Not particularly.) (Nope) ( Ok ) [And then the restaurant exploded.] [Session End!]