Personification Life - IC Part VIII [open]

[The BranRiech]

"Can we not talk about a broken system?" Bran asked, completely honest. He wasn't angry either, it was just how he was raised and taught by his government. "Sorry, but it's just annoying to me. And I'll take whatever the others are having." He said. This wasn't going well. His co-worker was a bit of an ass, and both of them had much more money than him. They probably hated hanging out with him . . .

[Swith Witherward]

"Can we not talk about a broken system?" Bran asked, completely honest. He wasn't angry either, it was just how he was raised and taught by his government. "Sorry, but it's just annoying to me. And I'll take whatever the others are having." He said. This wasn't going well. His co-worker was a bit of an ass, and both of them had much more money than him. They probably hated hanging out with him . . .

"Allo, allo!" Bran felt a gentle nudge in the ribs. He'd turn to find Pierre Bixbee grinning at him. His cohort hadn't realized Bran was there until he noticed the man next to him.

"Thought we'd be called out for that last one," Bix shook his head. "Anyway, sorry to interrupt your conversation." He nodded a greeting to Ray, Albert and the rest.

[Primordial Luxa]

The disorganized and disassembled devices in front of him begin to move together of their own accord in a seemingly random fashion. The end result is fist sized object, its surface in constant motion, with the exception of the flash light lenses on one side the squamous and shapeless invention is an unending series of coiling pink worms and glowing green hieroglyphics.

Primordial looks up with a playful smile “Eh, I’ll have to dock points for being off by a few years but close enough.” He says a strange and unbearable word and suddenly he is standing next to the doctor. The device he was hold had turned his entire body into a beam of light and then shot it through the shield before reconverting him on the inside.

OOC: +1 for loophole abuse, bravo!

"Okay....now what? I'll ask how later. But will that get us out?" Koontz asked nervously as Nevvie And Scarface threw open the door.

"Get back here you son of a mammal!" Nevvie shouted and took aim with her Tesla Rifle.

He begins to throw the device back and forth from hand to hand casually. "It should. Here grab on" he said motioning for the Doctor to touch the device. Its squirming surface seems less than appealing and it feels like a crawling brain. Primordial dosn't say the word just yet however instead he turns toward the approaching Raptor with a friendly wave. "Good to see you too Nevvie. How have you been?"

[New Aksarben]

"Can we not talk about a broken system?" Bran asked, completely honest. He wasn't angry either, it was just how he was raised and taught by his government. "Sorry, but it's just annoying to me. And I'll take whatever the others are having." He said. This wasn't going well. His co-worker was a bit of an ass, and both of them had much more money than him. They probably hated hanging out with him . . .

"A broken system? What is that referring to? My nation has been stable for the last hundred or so years, and we not only have a monarch, but a legislature, the Senate, that he must listen to. It has worked wonderfully so far. While an Autocratic Empire worked well for quite a while before that, it did almost destroy humanity. that's why we adapted more Republican ideas. Not only that, everyone in my nation gets free healthcare for anything they need or want, and we are the strongest nation in the world. I would have to say that my nation's system, if anything, is stronger than whatever you are espousing." He spoke calmly, but it was obvious that he was doing his best to contain his anger and annoyance. No one insulted his nation. EVER.

But he gave a small nod to whoever this new person was that joined them, assuming he was a friend of Bran or something.

[The New Velociraptor Empire]

"I'll take it to the Don, I'm sure she'll agree. Especially with a deal of dat kind. What kind ov info are ya look'n for?" The scout asked noticeably relived.

It seemed today was a day of good probabilities across the board...except for that pony, that had shitty odds.

"Information regarding other business organizations operating in the area," the man replied. "Information about your competition. Who they are, who runs them. Basic things."

He snubbed his cigarette out in the ashtray. "The city might prohibit some of your future operations. We might be able to alleviate their pressure if the information is unique enough, and also verifiable."

"We'll get back to you on that, see what we can dig up. You'll probably want those creeps, the Mime Gangstas. But until then, how about we send you some thin mints. The Don will say if we have a deal." the scout agreed.

[Cerillium]

A small volley of gunfire made several nearby citizens duck. Their heads darted around.

Three small children dissolved into giggle fits and lit off another strand of fireworks. More "gunfire" as the vibrant red strands cracked out of life. The children complimented each other and rifled their pockets for more matches while their fathers looked on with pride.

The nearby citizens muttered to themselves. This, obviously, was the reason behind the gunfire earlier. Mischievous boys!

---

"We don't like American cookies," the Gestapo man explained. "Thank you, but no. Save them for those who would appreciate them."

The goose neck lamp flickered off. Warm and tantalizing festival smells tickled the girl's nose. She's open her eyes to find herself on the rooftop. Her weapon and case were still there. The police hadn't come. No one seemed to have noticed her activity at all.

[The BranRiech]

"WHy let one family rule an entire nation? What's the point? What makes them special?" Bran went into rapid-fire mode. "It just doesn't make sense, and it's not fair to anyone else. History has shown that, maybe not for your world, but for ours. It's broken and corrupt."

He smiled and turned to Bix.

"You're as surprised as I, I really thought we'd be sent up, I'm just having a drink with the other Pilot they hired."

[Swith Witherward]

"WHy let one family rule an entire nation? What's the point? What makes them special?" Bran went into rapid-fire mode. "It just doesn't make sense, and it's not fair to anyone else. History has shown that, maybe not for your world, but for ours. It's broken and corrupt."

He smiled and turned to Bix.

"You're as surprised as I, I really thought we'd be sent up, I'm just having a drink with the other Pilot they hired."

"It was too dark, I suppose. I thought I'd stop by the building if they had called us. We could have cut through the woods together."

Bix leaned over to assess Ray. "Hey, nice to meet you. Welcome aboard." He extended his hand and added, "Pierre Bixbee. Call me Bix. I'm partners with Nikanor here."

[The New Velociraptor Empire]

OOC: +1 for loophole abuse, bravo!

"Okay....now what? I'll ask how later. But will that get us out?" Koontz asked nervously as Nevvie And Scarface threw open the door.

"Get back here you son of a mammal!" Nevvie shouted and took aim with her Tesla Rifle.

He begins to throw the device back and forth from hand to hand casually. "It should. Here grab on" he said motioning for the Doctor to touch the device. Its squirming surface seems less than appealing and it feels like a crawling brain. Primordial dosn't say the word just yet however instead he turns toward the approaching Raptor with a friendly wave. "Good to see you too Nevvie. How have you been?"

Koontz disliked the feel of the device, but knew that dying would be even worse, he got ready to touch it with his free hand.

"Oh you know, went from being a prototype tester to being stuck in maintenance. Do you know how frikken huge the storage spaces are? And don't get me started on the power grid. Now I got to run security, and he just breached the perimeter from another universe." Nevvie said relaxing a bit, but casually keeping the rifle aimed squarely at Koontz. Scarface stood behind her calmly, ready to attack on a moment's notice.

[New Aksarben]

"WHy let one family rule an entire nation? What's the point? What makes them special?" Bran went into rapid-fire mode. "It just doesn't make sense, and it's not fair to anyone else. History has shown that, maybe not for your world, but for ours. It's broken and corrupt."

He smiled and turned to Bix.

"You're as surprised as I, I really thought we'd be sent up, I'm just having a drink with the other Pilot they hired."

"Because they helped found my nation. They brought us from a city state, to a world power. They deserve recognition for the things they're family has done. And the Senate usually does more ruling than the Imperator. And the point is that it gives a sense of unity to our nation. Having one person who is constant gives people more trust in our government, or someone to blame for its problems. And the people get to vote for who becomes a senator. I call that fair."

[Tiltjuice]

"Share? Going with both of us? Wait, but you and...you and Jacob?"

Katya's smile turned to a frown. "Why wasn't I aware of this sooner? I mean, who else are you going out with?"

She crossed her arms and started talking her foot in a stern fashion.

"And more. You weren't aware because I wasn't sure where we were. You and Yoshi are in good and I don't think either of you are used to the idea quite yet, so I didn't bring it up until now."

"You seemed to be a tight-knit bunch," Hans remarked. He smiled at Chrys. "Your zeal for life is very refreshing. Perhaps this is because of personality selection?" It was a rhetorical question but one that many of the cultists had been asking themselves.

He pointed to a vendor that was closing up shop. Several bags rested against an upright roaster stop-plate. "We're in luck," he quipped. "The last of the roasted chestnuts. Care for some?"

"Thanks. You know, that's entirely possible. Only the gods know!" Chrys rolled her eyes expressively.

"I love roasted chestnuts. Let's!"

"WHy let one family rule an entire nation? What's the point? What makes them special?" Bran went into rapid-fire mode. "It just doesn't make sense, and it's not fair to anyone else. History has shown that, maybe not for your world, but for ours. It's broken and corrupt."

He smiled and turned to Bix.

"You're as surprised as I, I really thought we'd be sent up, I'm just having a drink with the other Pilot they hired."

"It was too dark, I suppose. I thought I'd stop by the building if they had called us. We could have cut through the woods together."

Bix leaned over to assess Ray. "Hey, nice to meet you. Welcome aboard." He extended his hand and added, "Pierre Bixbee. Call me Bix. I'm partners with Nikanor here."

A pair of sharp eyes shaded underneath a fedora sized up the group of revelers.

[Erucia]

"WHy let one family rule an entire nation? What's the point? What makes them special?" Bran went into rapid-fire mode. "It just doesn't make sense, and it's not fair to anyone else. History has shown that, maybe not for your world, but for ours. It's broken and corrupt."

He smiled and turned to Bix.

"You're as surprised as I, I really thought we'd be sent up, I'm just having a drink with the other Pilot they hired."

The waitress had left earlier with an odd look on her face, apparently not wanting to deal with the argument that was now picking up at the table. Ray essentially sunk down in his seat and tried to ignore Bran and his activisim, feeling annoyed by all the noise that Bran had to be making. It was honestly embarrassing having to be around someone who was on the verge of yelling right around a large group of individuals. Still, Ray did give a kind wave to Bix when he appeared.

"It's nice to meet you Bix. I'm Raymond Jansma, call me Ray. I'm...I don't know. I'm just a fellow who's not from around here." Ray accepted the handshake, and then turned to Bran.

"...Look Bran: why are you so upset about all of this? I'm not a fan of monarchy either, but Albert's nation seems to have it like the United Kingdom and holds an emperor or king/queen like a symbolic ruler. They have a democratic system in-place that's integrated into the government," Ray sighed frustratingly, actually becoming tired of dealing with Bran. "Why is it that you have to be such an activist about everything you stand for? We're just trying to get something to drink and be friends. I nearly got shot. And now you're complaining about Albert's country being a monarchy. Why?"

[Primordial Luxa]

He begins to throw the device back and forth from hand to hand casually. "It should. Here grab on" he said motioning for the Doctor to touch the device. Its squirming surface seems less than appealing and it feels like a crawling brain. Primordial dosn't say the word just yet however instead he turns toward the approaching Raptor with a friendly wave. "Good to see you too Nevvie. How have you been?"

Koontz disliked the feel of the device, but knew that dying would be even worse, he got ready to touch it with his free hand.

"Oh you know, went from being a prototype tester to being stuck in maintenance. Do you know how frikken huge the storage spaces are? And don't get me started on the power grid. Now I got to run security, and he just breached the perimeter from another universe." Nevvie said relaxing a bit, but casually keeping the rifle aimed squarely at Koontz. Scarface stood behind her calmly, ready to attack on a moment's notice.

Primordial nodded "Sound like some big changes." he said friendly trying to defuse the situation. "Ive just been talking to and scanning this charming fellow and I doubt he means you any harm. From what I gathered he reeks of confusion and fear which I take to mean he arrived here by accident." He looks back at the doctor for confirmation.

OOC: night.

[Torsiedelle]

Tora had made her way back to the festival. She thought that having a rifle would be to conspicuous, so she slipped a pistol into her jacket, and a combat knife on her belt.

She was watching Bran and the others from a few feet away, leaning against a wall. She wanted to join them.

.....

"Wow....I don't even know what to....fuck it.", Katya sighed. "I'll just think of what to say later."

[Tiltjuice]

Tora had made her way back to the festival. She thought that having a rifle would be to conspicuous, so she slipped a pistol into her jacket, and a combat knife on her belt.

She was watching Bran and the others from a few feet away, leaning against a wall. She wanted to join them.

"Quite a lovely party, Miss Dimitrov," the figure in the fedora and trenchcoat said, turning to her. "Did you enjoy the turkey?"

"Wow....I don't even know what to....fuck it.", Katya sighed. "I'll just think of what to say later."

"OK," Dora acknowledged with a nod, and then turned back to the group as a whole. "You guys have anything planned for right now? What's the good word? Eat? Drink? Dance?"

[Torsiedelle]

Tora had made her way back to the festival. She thought that having a rifle would be to conspicuous, so she slipped a pistol into her jacket, and a combat knife on her belt.

She was watching Bran and the others from a few feet away, leaning against a wall. She wanted to join them.

"Quite a lovely party, Miss Dimitrov," the figure in the fedora and trenchcoat said, turning to her. "Did you enjoy the turkey?"[/spoiler]

"How do you know my name?", Torii asked with a raised eyebrow. "I don't quite recognize you..."

The strange person had already begun to creep her out. She hated being watched.

[Tiltjuice]

"How do you know my name?", Torii asked with a raised eyebrow. "I don't quite recognize you..."

The strange person had already begun to creep her out. She hated being watched.

"We know about a few of you in that building there," the figure continued, taking off his fedora to reveal white hair. "It's our business, you see. We're professional marketing consultants."

[New Aksarben]

Tora had made her way back to the festival. She thought that having a rifle would be to conspicuous, so she slipped a pistol into her jacket, and a combat knife on her belt.

She was watching Bran and the others from a few feet away, leaning against a wall. She wanted to join them.

"Quite a lovely party, Miss Dimitrov," the figure in the fedora and trenchcoat said, turning to her. "Did you enjoy the turkey?"

"Wow....I don't even know what to....fuck it.", Katya sighed. "I'll just think of what to say later."

"OK," Dora acknowledged with a nod, and then turned back to the group as a whole. "You guys have anything planned for right now? What's the good word? Eat? Drink? Dance?"

"I'm fine with anything." Jacob said with a smile. "Good food and drinks would be nice, though. Especially with good friends." He looked around briefly, seeing if anyone else they knew was nearby. He was still sitting on the flying carpet, which was floating quite close to the ground, in case people wanted to get on or off.

[Torsiedelle]

"How do you know my name?", Torii asked with a raised eyebrow. "I don't quite recognize you..."

The strange person had already begun to creep her out. She hated being watched.

"We know about a few of you in that building there," the figure continued, taking off his fedora to reveal white hair. "It's our business, you see. We're professional marketing consultants."

"I still don't like it.", Torii shuddered. "Is everyone watching us? I do stuff that you wouldn't wanna see, you know! I swear, if I find some creeper cameras in my apartment...."

[The New Velociraptor Empire]

Koontz disliked the feel of the device, but knew that dying would be even worse, he got ready to touch it with his free hand.

"Oh you know, went from being a prototype tester to being stuck in maintenance. Do you know how frikken huge the storage spaces are? And don't get me started on the power grid. Now I got to run security, and he just breached the perimeter from another universe." Nevvie said relaxing a bit, but casually keeping the rifle aimed squarely at Koontz. Scarface stood behind her calmly, ready to attack on a moment's notice.

Primordial nodded "Sound like some big changes." he said friendly trying to defuse the situation. "Ive just been talking to and scanning this charming fellow and I doubt he means you any harm. From what I gathered he reeks of confusion and fear which I take to mean he arrived here by accident." He looks back at the doctor for confirmation.

OOC: night.

Koontz nodded nervously, just hoping to get out in one piece. Of course being weak of will, Nevvie played into Prim's words like putty.

"But he is still an intruder...and will be dealt with like such." Nevvie said, less sure of what to do next.

[Tiltjuice]

"We know about a few of you in that building there," the figure continued, taking off his fedora to reveal white hair. "It's our business, you see. We're professional marketing consultants."

"I still don't like it.", Torii shuddered. "Is everyone watching us? I do stuff that you wouldn't wanna see, you know! I swear, if I find some creeper cameras in my apartment...."

The man merely gave a throaty chuckle and smiled benignly.

"There's no shame in dressing up raccoons as clones of the Michelin Man. A bit bizarre, but our researchers are already coming up with ways to cater to your desires. Although the things you were doing with that hair dryer are more strange than the raccoons, I must admit."

[Cerillium]

"Thanks. You know, that's entirely possible. Only the gods know!" Chrys rolled her eyes expressively.

"I love roasted chestnuts. Let's!"

Hans obliged her by purchasing the last two warm bags. He offered one to her with a bow.

"Haven't had these since I was a boy," he mused.

A low stone wall ran along the park and he guided her to it. The salty scent from the ocean at their backs mingled with the tang of the nuts. Hans reflected upon their lengthening shadows on the ground. "The sun will be down soon. There goes my day off." He shuffled and propped his thigh on the wall so he was facing her. "Danke sehr, Conservator Chrys. You made this day bearable. You helped ease my grief over Dolf."

Hans allowed a sincere smile to alight on his face.

---

Parents were shuffling their children home. The vendors were packed up and only the beer garden remained open. They continued to serve Ray and his companions. Light was quickly fading and the stars were twinkling on the eastern horizon. The moon was finally making her appearance.

---

Ogoti had made a purchase from the glass blower earlier and then departed when he realized Dora and her group were heading his direction. He was on his way home when he noticed them still in discussion. It appeared they were finished, however, and he altered his course to meet up with them.

[Torsiedelle]

Tora now had absolutely no idea what this man was speaking of. This was shown by a strange look on her face.

"Um....what? I'm sorry, but...um...is English not a first language? B-because I can understand how that goes, so..."

....

Katya shrugged. "Sure. Whatever you wish to do, Dora."

[Tiltjuice]

Chrys laid a hand on Hans' shoulder and then bowed so that her forehead was touching the back of her hand. It was a bit formal, but she hoped he didn't mind.

Accepting the bag with a smile as she straightened back up, she took a seat on the wall, and patted the space next to her. "Thank you. It's been a while since I've spent any time with people not in this uniform, so I'm glad I did all right." A breeze blew through her hair, tossing a few strands.

[Tiltjuice]

"I'm fine with anything." Jacob said with a smile. "Good food and drinks would be nice, though. Especially with good friends." He looked around briefly, seeing if anyone else they knew was nearby. He was still sitting on the flying carpet, which was floating quite close to the ground, in case people wanted to get on or off.

Katya shrugged. "Sure. Whatever you wish to do, Dora."

Ogoti had made a purchase from the glass blower earlier and then departed when he realized Dora and her group were heading his direction. He was on his way home when he noticed them still in discussion. It appeared they were finished, however, and he altered his course to meet up with them.

"Well, I suppose Yoshi would object to drinking," said Dora. "I don't really have any other ideas - oh, and there's Ogoti now." She waved to him. "Maybe a trip over to one of the other restaurants?"

Tora now had absolutely no idea what this man was speaking of. This was shown by a strange look on her face.

"Um....what? I'm sorry, but...um...is English not a first language? B-because I can understand how that goes, so..."

The man frowned, and pulled out a PDA. He looked back and forth between its screen and Tora's face.

"Ah, apologies...you do not seem to be a 37-year-old housewife and your name is not Tatiana Dimitrova, nee Chilikova. I'll have to have words with the record-keeping section about proper ways to negotiate pay raises."