PL IC Thread IX++ //Oddsbodikins & Atomic Kittens//

by **The New Velociraptor Empire** » Tue Aug 25, 2015 12:12 pm

"You are welcome Willow, it is a pleasure. We might contact you for new pieces for the Institute if you are interested." Neil said as he picked up the piece and looked at it closer. Scarface entered and walked up to Neil with an envelope on a silver platter. "Word from NVE, Master Neil." Scarface announced and set down the platter. "Thank you, Scarface." Neil said as he passed the painting to Gretta and cut the envelope open with his claws. After a moment of reading the message, he looked up to Scarface.

"Please show our guest the way out, Scarface. Our appointments have moved around again and send Primordial notice to be at the Institute sooner than expected and that we have the samples there." Neil ordered while being deliberately a bit vague.

"Farewell Mister Willow, it has been a pleasure working with you." Gretta added gratefully as Scarface treaded back towards the door.

---

NVE arrived at the Institute's loading zone in the black ambulance. He pulled out the rewrapped Velocidoctor from the passenger seat and began dragging his dead weight to the new office. Along the way he passed the few Minions working to set up the new labs and moving things out of storage and into it. Arriving at the office he found the cat carrier and the revolving chair waiting for Neil. He moved one of the guest seats to the side and set Velocidoctor into it.

---

Just when Arthur thought he was done driving around, NVE tells him he couldn't call an official appointment in and to proceed with plan B to secure Septimus. What did He changed out of his usual tweed suit into a bore formal Black one with a black tie. He hung up his vest and fished the new serum out of the pocket.

"Hope this isn't as bad as last time." he mumbled to himself and drank the sludge.

Arthur twitched and spasmed as the foul concoction worked to disguise him. After a few minutes, he felt a bit numb and looked down as his right claw was now a hand and his right raptor foot was now more human. He looked in the mirror and say his eyes were now more human even iff they were a sickly yellow-green.

"Not bad, they said it would last longer unless I get stressed." he said as he looked at himself in the mirror at his more inconspicuous appearance. He recalled that Gretta said that the formula dissolved in adrenaline, useful for getting out of tight spots.

He put on his seldom used and less worn left shoe and sock and grabbed a Chauffeur Cap from the closet with some black aviator sunglasses. He then grabbed a whiteboard tablet and wrote "Representative Septimus Itum" on it. Arthur walked out to the front of the building and backed his black 1965 Chrysler Imperial up to right in front of the lobby doors. He put the hat on and stood in front of the car facing the lobby with the whiteboard out. He half hoped this didn't work on Itum and half hoped that he didn't have to stand here for long.

by **Northwest Slobovia** » Tue Aug 25, 2015 6:17 pm

Sandy listened sympathetically to Giovenith, nodding with understanding as she spoke. Whoever had expected her to know what to do had put a lot of unnecessary weight on her shoulders. "If it's any consolation, we didn't take the news much better ourselves. It's not a matter of youth or age, it's just a bad situation. We're in a deep hole with the general public, and it's going to take a while to dig ourselves out."

"We're working on solutions to the two-body problem. Another car would solve some difficulties, but create others. Most modern cars are impossible for amateurs to repair, but our jeep was designed with that in mind. So, we're still thinking about that. For the moment, whichever of us brings the jeep back today will bring my bicycle here. It's not quite as useful as a car, but it will do. In the tunnel between here and the Building, it's almost as fast as a car, since the tunnel is really too narrow to drive very fast. In a dire emergency, well, I can fly like the wind. There's something of a gap between those two options, but..." Sandy spread his hands in a helpless gesture. "Really good solutions to the two-body problem require more potent magic or advanced technology, neither of which we have."

Sandy paused for a bit, thinking over what Giovenith had said. "Staying here and healing is a large contribution all by itself. I wouldn't discount it... nor your ability to influence events."

Sandy sipped his orange juice, then added a little more. 'A little magic'?" Sandy smiled and chuckled. "You're already more skilled with magic than I am. What you do with paper is amazing. It's some of the most intricate, sophisticated magic I've had the pleasure of listening to."

by **Primordial Luxa** » Tue Aug 25, 2015 6:45 pm

Primordial and the other Luxan were interrupted as their conversation was dying down by Scarface with a summons for Primordial to journey to the Institution. Primordial answered the door and took the message as well as offering Scarface to come in for a moment as well as a ride back to the institution. Primordial wasn’t entire sure how much of a mind Scarface possessed but he tried not to be rude, in any case he went back inside for a moment and told both Insidious and Aegis to make preparations to move the objects to the location and to meet him there in an hour. Afterwards he made a quick stop in the reliquary room to pick up the Raptor contingency plan and several important objects he might need for this meeting.

He then took one of the SPADEs from the central control room and exited the DEiMOS before using the personnel teleport to appear in front of the Institution, with Scarface if he so desired. The travel was unnatural and unwholesome as usual but Primordial closed his eyes and tried to ignore the seething blackness that filled the higher reality he was travelling through. The sounds that reached him weren’t any better however organs that beat like drums, limbs that moved like branches and throats that bleeted like savage men.

He was happy when they finally appeared in front of the neoclassically designed of the building which Arthur had showed him.

Meanwhile the other Luxans were preparing to teleport the DEiMOS to one of the building’s basement when Primordial gave them the signal and the coordinates. In the meantime they were organizing boxes and Carns into positions while also adding their own personnel touches. Insidious put in enough raw biological material to build a whole platoon and Aegis added several of his own Meta-materials, traps and deicide devices. Once they were done however they sat around in the cargo room talking about books and other media that had enjoyed since they left.

by **Giovenith** » Tue Aug 25, 2015 6:58 pm

"Keep up the good work, Scarface," Willow encouraged the fellow artist before departing from the Raptor house feeling satisfied. One job down.

Finding himself back in the lobby, he took a moment to sit down and try and sort out his next moves, leaning back on a bench with a sigh and pulling a thermos out of his bag. Not coffee this time, just tea. He took a few steps as he evaluated his situation.

The work he'd been doing this whole time on behalf of PR, which by extension was on behalf of PW. Presumably. While it was very clear to Willow was his position was, the ways things currently were almost made PR seem more more like a theoretical concept that an actual organized group. He'd been operating on his own ever since the last meeting, unaware of whether or not the other members were doing any projects themselves. That wasn't good. They couldn't be running around uncertain of each other's actions, it defeated the purpose of working as a unit at all. But Willow wasn't sure about how to remedy this either; he did not personally know many of the other members and had no clue how to go about contacting them, let alone any of the authority figures from the meeting (such as Ms. Blackwater). He felt rather alone and lost in the sea.

So then how was he to go about getting the spotlighting he needed for the charity? Bielefeldans needed to know it came from EB's and wanted it to symbolize unity, but he couldn't accomplish that all on his own. Where to start?

--

"It's only a little trick," Giovenith tried to dismiss but smiled regardless. "I can do it naturally, but I'm sure one day I could teach you yourself. It comes in handy quite a bit. Actually, if I'm going to stay here, there are some things I need to do to set up the hospital first, including some magic... I could teach a trick right now if you wanted, assuming you didn't already know it. It takes a bit of craft, but it's worth it."

That would kill two birds with one stone. Sandy was obviously a curious individual, and she didn't mind sharing magic with him so long as it was during the right moment, and now might have been a good time if he agreed.

by **The New Velociraptor Empire** » Tue Aug 25, 2015 8:36 pm

Scarface had declined as he had household duties to perform and left to return to the Raptor Manor.

In the courtyard of the Pilkington Institute, simple minions milled about unloading boxes from unmarked trucks. The minions looked like mannequins in orange jumpsuits and yellow hard hats and moved very stiffly. NVE walked out of the front door to greet Prim.

"Neil will be here soon, in the meantime they left samples for you and the creator... Insidious was it? In the meantime, I can show you to the offices or the labs till he or the politician arrives." NVE said vaguely but blunt. He never wanted to say too much out in the open. Though he lacked or cared to put up a friendly demeanor like Arthur nor a smile like Neil, NVE at least spoke with a bit of respect. He had been the least reluctant to make the alliance and it sort of showed, but it was a somewhat official move and he was outranked in the matter.

He knew that such an alliance would not be permanent, but he at least saw that many short-term benefits. So NVE had to let them in on some things, even if he would prefer it any other way.

by **Swith Witherward** » Tue Aug 25, 2015 11:03 pm

For a brief moment, Neste forgot all about meetings and Public Works. Her cheeks tinged red as she considered Septimus' offer. Sleeping in a titanium-framed bed, swaddled in soft grey blankets and with nostrils filled with the salty scent of his skin rather than coiling up in a lumpy basket lined with old scrap linen platformed by ill-gotten screwdrivers and bits of dishwasher motor? Waking up to share a nice breakfast, or perhaps sharing a nice breakfast with him after he'd worked on his Lazarus research all night? Sitting on the couch in the evening to watch the news or to perhaps stare at the pretty city lights outside his windows! He had just offered her a slice of heaven, whether he realized it or not. She softly trilled her pleasure at his offer, then added, "Only if we can put up a Christmas tree this holiday. I've never had one."

It was a silly request, but her heart found delight in basic things, and she'd suddenly come to realize that she had the ability to share an Earth holiday with someone she cared about. Neste reigned in her desire to squeal and vault across the table to hug him.

"I'll check in with Ogoti's nurse to see if he's back in town," she smiled as she gathered the breakfast dishes to wash. "From what I've observed, he keeps an odd schedule. And I'll look into pulling people in for the Public Works meeting. Ocho wants to meet with you as well. He's grousing about the failed measure, but Nila has yet to tell me what his schedule is. And I believe Minerva has a cultist as your security detail today, which means it's going to be a Lad and they'll probably remain out of sight. I suppose these are the salad days before all your responsibilities take hold and govern your life? The main course will arrive soon enough."

Neste rolled up her sleeves and started the tap. "I need to do a bit of shopping this morning. The Kingon's quest and Zalgofest have destroyed my last two outfits. I can't exactly go around town wearing just your shirts, no matter how badly we want the world to embrace the 'Dress to Survive' collection, by Itum. How about we meet up for lunch?"

by **Highfort** » Wed Aug 26, 2015 3:10 am

"Lunch sounds excellent," Septimus chuckled as he adjusted his tie and ran his fingers through his hair one last time to ensure the proper part, slightly off-center and toward the outside so he could hide the grey flecks that were just beginning to grace his temples, "I'll try and see Ocho after the Public Works meeting, if that's alright with him. If not, he can find me downtown. If I can't see Ogoti today, then I'll pencil out time for him on the weekend. Hopefully the legislature respects my having a few days off every week - I'm not in the mood to read through bills on Sunday morning."

Tucking his keys within the safety of his pant pocket, Septimus took one last glance at the woman who had made this strange trip to Terra bearable and the little cat who served as his only living reminder of the Confederation. Well, for now, at least.

There was a new dawn to build.

"And Neste, buy something that goes with your eyes. A nice blue would do it, I think," he flashed a smile before opening the door and turning into the hallway, "Oh, and make you find a fire-retardant tree. Sentia has a thing for matches and wood whenever she gets her paws on them."

And with that he was gone, strutting down the hallway even as other residents were having breakfast or still fast asleep, nursing hangovers and mysterious aches from the Zalgofest of the night before. Foregoing the elevator to warm his legs up, he descended down the three flights of stairs before passing a strange-looking woman and an armored knight speaking to the dapper cultist standing behind the front desk. He shrugged before offering them silent nods in greeting - the Building's residents were a congregation of odd people out of their own times and spaces, and he would get to know these two at a later date. For now, there was business to take care of.

Pausing to hail a cab, the cyborg lowered his outstretched arm as he observed the curious appearance of a driver - a man wearing a chauffeur cap with a sign bearing his name - with a car backed up blocking the lobby doors. He supposed that he was a politician and that the legislature might have a vested interest in keeping him away from the riff-raff, but then something about it felt... off. The legislature would have to be ludicrous to hold meetings today and the news seemed to indicate that most everything would be opening late or staying closed.

Still, he had little choice. The front driveway seemed to be empty and cabbies would not doubt also be sleeping off Zalgofest considering that business would be slow this morning. Shrugging, Septimus offered a smile to the sunglass-wearing man before clearing his throat, "I don't suppose the legislature sent you, seeing as we're not having a meeting today and most of the reps probably won't even bother to come in after Zalgofest. However, I do like a morning drive and I have business to attend to at the legislative building, anyways, so I will require your assistance. But before I get in your car, I want to know one thing: who's your employer?"

by **The BranRiech** » Wed Aug 26, 2015 9:01 am

"It must be hard, being at that age right in the middle of everyone." Drova nodded understandingly, finding a new appreciation for Torii's sister, rather than lingering on their rocky introduction. He left out the rest of his words though, wondering if it was that Katya felt too old to be friends with the teens, and too young to be friends with the immortals who lived among them. To the young Prince, and future King, it still struck him as interesting.

Swiveling his head towards the sweet smell of the battery pancakes, Drova audibly inhaled through his nose, taking in the succulent smell of the flat little breakfast cakes. They were similar to something he'd remembered eating back home, so he was spared from asking stupid questions about human's culture, or how they did things.

He heard Torii through the door, muffled through the solid wood, and chuckled. "I understand." He wandered off-topic, poking his head right in the middle of his scalp, noting the long hair. "It's a struggle to keep long hair, you know?"

by **Primordial Luxa** » Wed Aug 26, 2015 9:46 am

Primordial nodded and greeted NVE with a hand shake and some pleasant introductions. "How have you been old friends? It seems like ages since I last saw you." Primordial exclaimed in his usual hedonistic tone. "I regret not sticking around but events back in Primordial Luxa required my attention and I simply couldn't avoid them any longer. I won’t bore you with the details but let me say they have reinvigorated me in the most unnamable ways." Primordial took a curious look at the minions which seemed to be very ascetically pleasing especially in the presence of the raptors.

“Insidious will be very please” he continued “Hollow was one of her best creations I know she will begin reconstructing her almost immediately so your help is greatly appreciated. In any case I would love to see what sort of space we are working with here.”

by **Torsiedelle** » Wed Aug 26, 2015 11:59 am

"Oh, it is.", Katya nodded. It hadn't been at first, even knowing how much older everyone was, because she felt like she was still fitting in, but in the present, with all of those cultists and conservators running about, and then the tech priests, and her neighbors like Minerva and Dora and Klaus all busy and using their expertise to run things, she found herself feeling less significant in it all. "I rarely talk to the Nikanors anymore, too, and they're not much older than I am. Bran has his kids now, however. I'm single, and all I have is my sister. I'm glad that the Belas moved in. They're married, but young, and both very nice."

It wasn't that she didn't like Torii's friends less, either, but she did feel like she was too old. Maybe it was just in her head, pushing herself to be more, but she never took the time to just be with them. "Do you think it would be nice if I tried spending more time with your friends? I mean, the age difference is only three years, and just two and a half with Tora. I've actually gone out with Mr. Thriller and Tsu's big sister, yesterday, and it was nice, but not very friendly, I guess? I can't remember the last time I actually felt like I was having a lot of fun with a group."

She wagged a fork towards the bathroom door again. "Having long hair is rough."

by **The New Velociraptor Empire** » Wed Aug 26, 2015 1:06 pm

"Sharp one aren't you," Arthur commented with a friendly smile. "I come on behalf of the Pilkington Institute, more specifically the Von Eldritch Family. They wish to speak with you and have gone through the trouble of securing a little surprise," he answered honestly although he chose his words carefully. He could have made up some bullshit about a made up limo company and played a ditzy driver and made it convincing, but that would make a bad first impression when he was discovered.

Arthur opened the door to the back seat of his car for Septimus as he tucked the whiteboard under his arm. He chuckled a bit in his mind to be considered a mere employee of the Family. "I can get you to the Legislature after the meeting," he confirmed.

---

"We have been well despite the setbacks," NVE said as he shook his claw. "This way please," he said as he showed Primordial inside. Beyond the entrance double doors lay a semi-circular vestibule with a reception desk and benches along the straight wall which the main doors were on. There were columns at regular intervals around the room at the center was a mechanical sculpture currently being assembled by minions. One sliding door lay to the left of Reception along the curved wall labeled "Administration" and two were on the right side labeled "Laboratories" and "Containment".

"We'll go to Administration and see your office, then take a detour through the concealed passages to the Labs. Containment is pretty empty and it connects to the loading bay." NVE said as he walked through the open door and down the hall. There was an elevator immediately to the left of the door, which NVE opened. "Oh and here is your keycard to access the backrooms." He suddenly remembered on the way up. "Some spots are obvious locked doors, but there are hidden readers around like on bookcases and in elevators," he explained and handed Primordial a thin metal slab with an embedded disk that was otherwise featureless. He pointed to a small outline below the elevator buttons that were the same size as the keycard.

As NVE lead Prim off the elevator and onto the Third floor where there were very few minions about. Immediately in front of them there was a lounge area with a few sofas and a coffee table and an expresso machine behind another reception desk. Beyond that was a wide hall with three large offices on each side and a conference room at the end. The left offices had three gold plaques reading from front to back "Dr. Arthur Von Eldritch, Public Relations", "Dr. Gretchen Von Eldritch, Hazardous Operations", and "Dr. Neil Von Eldritch, Founder-Director". However, the offices on the right had only one plaque so far opposite of Neil's close to the Conference room, "Baron Primordial, Co-Director". A minion worked on engraving the next plaque, "Col. Aegis, Secu..." though the inaccurate title was someone's idea of a joke, probably NVE's since he wanted that position.

NVE showed Primordial to Neil's office first, where Neil had arrived a minute ago while they were downstairs. Neil's held a partly filled bookcase and a fireplace along with scattered boxes of files and books. Knick-knacks on the desk included a perpetually spinning gyroscope and a piece of amber containing an old coin. In one guest chair was the Dromaeosauridae form all wrapped up in Christmas wrapping paper with a yellow bow taped on. "Just in time Primordial, Arthur is securing our guest the politician Itum. Now would you like to have a spinning chair as well for the dramatic spin, though I don't have another cat on hand." Neil greeted.

by **Primordial Luxa** » Wed Aug 26, 2015 4:23 pm

Primordial took mental notes of various features of the building as he passed through, namely corners, angles, and the general layout of the building which might be important. As he walked through he knew that Aegis would have a field day with this place installing all sorts of helpful gadgets, leisure accessories and of course defense systems. He saw places where pocket angles could be inserted and he noticed that the buildings structure wouldn’t be ideal of spatial channeling but that could be easy rectified. “What kind of setbacks?” Primordial asked bluntly as NVE mentioned that they were doing well.

Primordial continued along nodding as NVE pointed out the various fun features and he especially liked the card system which would prove useful in easily navigating and protecting various areas in the building. The idea of hidden passageways was one which pleased him, you would be hard pressed to find a building in Luxa without at least one hidden room or shortcut so it reminded him of home. As they exited the elevator he noticed the titles but paid it no mind resolving not to make a fuss about little things and instead focus on what was important.

When he entered Neil room he took a casual look around showing a genuine interest in what the raptor thought was a relaxing or at least productive atmosphere. “Good seeing you again too Neil. I look forward to meeting him, but could you please tell me a little about this Itrum? I’ve been gone and fear that I have missed quite a lot, I would hate to have him think I am no in the know.” When asked about a chair he simply replied “Oh that’s awfully kind of you but I have a leather reading chair back in the DEiMOS that I have been meaning to use for a while now.”

by **Giovenith** » Wed Aug 26, 2015 4:43 pm

Monfrox wrote:The door to apartment 8G casually swung out from the hinges to the frame. The resident girl shadowed the doorway in a hunched form. It was morning, and 4 hours of sleep for this young adult was no where near enough. Still, her stomach woke her up and wouldn't let her go to sleep. The only things she had on were a white t-shirt with a green mushroom on it and a pair of blue thermal pajama pants. She shuffled out into the hallway, falling over and grinding against the walls at random intervals during her trip.

At almost fifteen minutes past, she shambled into the communal dining room and kitchen. The curious on-looker would be forgiven for thinking that the building had recently allowed a zombie girl into the listings with the way she was acting. Brit grabbed a can of Coke, popped some toast, poured some cereal, and sat in a chair with her legs crossed. She stared at her food as it sat in front of her, yawning a few times as her brain tried to get the hamster working the wheel inside her head, but the hamster had a long and rough night like her, and wasn't really wanting to start work this early. The remains of the blue hair dye from last night's Zalgofest spotted her hair along with her bandage.

Ah well. No use thinking it out here, might as well be productive... he just woke up, and was craving to be filled with more than just energy-inducing drinks. Making his way to the communal kitchen, Willow noticed a shabby-looking girl hovering over what didn't appear to be a very substantial breakfast. He hadn't seen Brit since the last meeting either, and even then there hadn't been much socialization, but he hadn't forgotten about her rather uncertain state of being when it came to living in Bielefeld. He thought she was on a team too, right? Hm.

"Well I know I like to be alone," he greeted with, flying over to the girl at her table. "But this just looks sad." And offered a very soft, teasing smile. "Having a flat morning, Miss Firefly?"

by **Highfort** » Wed Aug 26, 2015 4:51 pm

"As long as we can wrap this up before lunch, that'll be fine," Septimus offered a slight bow of his head in deference for the Von Eldritch's generosity, though their name gave him pause even as he slipped into the car and the driver closed the door to the Imperial. The car seemed a bit dated by Terran standards - granted, everything in this time period was hopelessly dated compared to the Confederation's standard technology - but its sharp curves and presence seemed to resonate a sense of dignity and grace. Appropriate for a representative such as himself, he supposed.

"Say," the cyborg turned to the driver as the door shut, cocking his head curiously, "What's your name?"

Sentia finished her kibble and found that Septimus had left the apartment before she'd had a chance to respond to his comments on her love for matches and wood. The simple truth of the matter was that spending too much time around Titus had fostered in her the same love for pyrotechnics and watching flaming objects crinkle and blacken that the Confederation's resident superman was noted for. But while Titus had the means and the presence-of-mind to put out any fires he started, the cat was a bit more limited - lacking thumbs, for one thing - and careless with making sure any objects she burned and scorched didn't spread the fire to more important things, like decorations.

She recalled the first Christmas that Septimus had had to host for the Terran delegates visiting Kashtilag. The tree had been beautifully decorated and holograms surrounded its base with dazzling colors. Sentia herself had been allowed to roam free - this being the first incident where she proved herself uncontrollable around fire - and, to make a long story short, two of the delegates lost their eyebrows and the Terran embassy was accidentally burned to the ground.

That wasn't much of a problem for the cat, however. Staring at the drapes as they danced in firelight was most entertaining.

Sentia turned to address Neste, the lizard construct still working away on the dishes, and let out a loud meow before pushing the bowl toward her. Water was required to go with the food, and quickly.

by **The New Velociraptor Empire** » Wed Aug 26, 2015 7:26 pm

"Ah yes, we had to burn our files on Itum before the election but we were just sent copies from our sources soon to be relocated to the Signal Intelligence Department." Neil began as he hung up Willow's small painting beside the bookcase.

"He's a cyborg little more than a thousand years old, recently got stranded here. The neighbors thought it would be a good idea to get him elected to represent the Market District of the city to combat this prudish trend that brought about Prop 13. Especially since he was a high-ranking diplomat in his place and time of origin. A valuable ally to our ends but would be wise to keep certain things hidden from him, especially motives and illicit activities." Neil caught Primordial up, then pulled a scorched file from a box and handed it to him. The name on the file was "Itum, Septimus" and it was stamped with a black "{S.E.P.O.}" brand in large letters along the back

"Now though I would advise against trying to bribe him, there are a few buttons we can push." Neil continued as he set the cat carrier on his desk. "He is not just a politician, but an academic as well. His interest is in reanimation though the reports are unclear to his level of understanding of it. And we have an ace in the hole to get on his good side." Neil explained as he motioned to the gift wrapped Raptoroid.

"He is Velocidoctor, a goody two-shoes troublemaker who should be kept as far away as possible. Hence why we froze him for a bit. He saved Itum's life once some time ago, so the politician may favor us after this little reunion. But after this if you see Velocidoctor poking about... care should be taken." NVE said with a bit of contempt for the ancient hybrid.

---

"The name's Arthur, thanks for asking." he answered jovially, his tone masked the deliberate withholding of his title and surname. Putting the car into gear he drove off towards deeper into the market district. "You've seen me once before I went on vacation." he mentioned as he gave a friendly wave with his right hand. "It is a lot easier to drive without the extra bulk." He added, alluding to his usual corrupted form.

by **The BranRiech** » Wed Aug 26, 2015 7:48 pm

"Just because someone has kids, doesn't mean they're still not your friends." Drova quipped absent-mindedly, his mind still focused on the amazing aroma wafting from the waffles, though it didn't mean he wasn't listening. "And spend more time with us? Well . . . I don't really think the age gap is much of an issue either. We don't really celebrate our birthdays every year like you do, but I'm 18 now, and Yuna's nearly there, considering she was born about a month after I." He shrugged. To Drova, who's friends growing up were a bunch of wealthy nobles, age didn't matter when status was much higher on the agenda.

"I definitely wouldn't mind cutting it if it meant people would stop teasing me." He glanced up at his hair. "I was always called feminine by my father. He's never really approved of my looks, but my Mother thinks it's cute, and I still like it. No one's bothered me about it here anyways." He conceded, stroking a few stray strands, pressing them back into the impenetrable sheet of ice-white.

by **Fvaarniimar** » Wed Aug 26, 2015 8:06 pm

Kwa'a savored her last sip of coffee as she washed the dishes which she had used. After drying these on a rough-cut but soft old tunic and making sure that the extra had placed in the refrigerator for her ward or for later, the personification dressed quickly in her gray Bomic-style gown and started turning the fabric bought the previous day into new clothing.

--

Nick had tossed and turned a little during the night - or perhaps it would be more accurate to say that he had squirmed around, shifting position as he dreamt. As a result, fairly large portions of the mattress and the edge of the bottom pillow/pad had changed hue. In some spots, where Nick's back had rubbed the mattress for a while, orange predominated; crevices in the fabric were the original turquoise hue. Other spots were stained other hues, mixed from blue, that same orange, and (in areas with less new dye) the original turquoise. If Nick had looked like an avid Broncos fan the previous night, the middle of his bed now looked like a two-year-old fan of the team had used it as a canvas. A trail of faint pawprints led from the front of the room to the area.

In this mess of chaotic color, Nick slowly woke, limbs splayed in all directions. Lazily, he blinked, pulling himself to his feet. Why are there blue and gray stains on my mattress? He thought it had something to do with the trolley and maybe with - Brit, was it? - that girl from yesterday. The cat's habit when feeling uncertain - and for that matter when waking - was to groom himself.

This morning, Nick took one lick and made a face. It seemed that he would need to find an alternative way to get clean - Perhaps someone downstairs could help.

Besides, he felt hungry enough to eat a horse!

(A few minutes later, the cat arrived in the communal kitchen and opened the fridge.)

by **Torsiedelle** » Wed Aug 26, 2015 8:18 pm

"Well, no, it doesn't, but when one has children, they need to tend to them, and they have to focus more on their family, and less on others."

Katya glanced towards the boy. "I won't tell anyone what to do with their bodies. I do think that a man should keep a well-shaved head, though. That's my preference."

Finally, the door swung open. Torii had gotten dressed again, and fixed up her hair, and proceeded to apply some perfume before grabbing her plate. She sat down on the floor, and scooted so that her back was against the bed, facing the TV.

by **Northwest Slobovia** » Wed Aug 26, 2015 9:59 pm

Giovenith wrote:"It's only a little trick," Giovenith tried to dismiss but smiled regardless.

Sandy's smile broadened: Giovenith was either very modest or she was teasing him, but he couldn't decide which. "'Only a little trick'? Giovenith, if I ever had any doubts about your divinity, listening to Pippa-Michelle answered them. There are few things the spell-casters of my world agree on, but one of them is that making sentient beings -- giving them souls, so to speak -- is the work of gods, not men. And as Pegasus, I can hear the your signature in Pippa-Michelle's soul-song."

Giovenith wrote:"I could teach a trick right now if you wanted, assuming you didn't already know it. It takes a bit of craft, but it's worth it."

Sandy paused for a second, studying Giovenith's expression. She seems serious enough about that... But a 'trick'? She uses that word liberally; a toy like my fireworks, or something that will shake the Building if I'm careless with it? "A trick? I doubt I know what you're offering; you know about most of my magic already."

Sandy leaned back, but his eyes held the intense focus of somebody searching for a minute detail in a complex painting. His tone was casual, almost detatched, but the tension in his gestures suggested excitement: a scholar with a new, challenging intellectual problem. "I'm intensely curious about what you're thinking of showing me, but I'm much more interested in how you're going to show me. Where I learned magic, there were strong distinctions between sorcerers like myself, who learn magic from texts, and say, magi, who learn magic as a physical skill. Many magi are dancers or martial artists as well, as there are similarities between the disciplines."

"You seem to be describing teaching magic as an art, not a matter of reading. That shouldn't help me, but I think you mean it to. That's very interesting to me... very interesting. Show me what you've got." Sandy's gaze softened as made his request, his eyes twinkled, and his smile crept back onto his face. This he had to see: he had no doubt Giovenith could teach him, and a practical demonstration of yes beat hundreds of pages of carefully reasoned no.

by **The BranRiech** » Wed Aug 26, 2015 10:04 pm

"Fair enough. I just like long hair myself." Drova nodded, seeing Torii walking into the kitchen, her breakfast in hand as she scooted over to the bed, the TV seeming to place more importance over conversation with the two. Drova nodded, and got up himself, walking lightly on his socks over to the counter, where one of the plates seemed to be calling out to him, the smell overwhelming his senses. "Looks really good." He nodded, walking over to Torii. Thinking she could use some company, he nodded somewhat innocently, and sat down next to her, a few inches away, looking at the TV right along with her. "Hey, after breakfast, would it be too much to ask if I could use your shower as well? If not, I could just head home and use mine, but I don't really know what we consumed last night, so uh . . ." He paused.

"Sorry, I shouldn't ask stuff like that, I-I'll use my own."

by **Primordial Luxa** » Thu Aug 27, 2015 10:03 am

“Reanimation you say?” Primordial inquired “Well isn’t that lucky, I suppose further down the line I could show him a demonstration of The Head and Tail, the use of Essential Salts or even ReAnima to tap into that interest. I was actually thinking about trying to get a contracted worked out between the government and West Labs to put ReAnima in local hospitals do you think that would be something to bring up during this meeting or should it wait?”

Primordial took a good look at the wrapped raptor and asked “Have you installed any tracking or monitoring devices in him? It would be nice to be able to know exactly what he was doing or to listen in on his conversations. In any case I will keep an eye out for him and inform the others of the situation, is it imperative that he remain alive or sane for the foreseeable future?”

by **Torsiedelle** » Thu Aug 27, 2015 10:55 am

Torii pulled herself from her own thoughts and the TV and gave Drova a confused look. "Hmm? What do you mean? You can use the shower here.", She said. "It's just a shower. I don't know what we had last night, either.", She added. "I mean, I know what happened to make us all act weird, but I never remember what really goes down. "

She turned back towards the TV, but her eyes continued to flicker to him every few seconds. She wanted to ask him about last night again, but last night they were tired, and she didn't mind it. Now, they were back to themselves, and she was nervous and trying not to bring up anything too personal.

by **The New Velociraptor Empire** » Thu Aug 27, 2015 3:24 pm

Neil thought it over "Yes, after introductions we'll talk about contracts with the government. I'll be pushing for fieldwork and am willing to take no monetary compensation or tax breaks. We just need to get our foot in the door so to speak." Neil agreed and elaborated on the planned discussion. He waved NVE away to bring Septimus up when he got here.

"As for tracking this wildcard, we avoided using bugs because he is technically proficient enough to detect them. For that reason, we have more passive measures, some low-level agents monitoring him 24/7 when he leave the Apartment. In addition we have secured his means of moving through space and time, currently in deep storage in our Manor. Seeing he is our ticket to Septimus' good side I would say we need him alive, sane not really a concern." Neil explained as he took Schrodinger out of the cat carrier, placed him on his lap in his alive state then put the carrier under the desk. Neil turned his chair away from the door in preparation of Septimus' arrival.

by **The BranRiech** » Thu Aug 27, 2015 4:22 pm

"Oh, well . . . Thanks." Drova nodded, a little put off from the awkwardness of the response from his friend. Did anything happen while she was in the shower? He looked her over, noticing how much cleaner she looked after a shower. She was absolutely stunning to him, where the only improvements that needed to be made for his liking were if she was a Pyersai. Try as he might, however, the Prince failed to picture Torii with white hair, or darker skin, only able to imagine her in all her human glory. "Good breakfast." He commented, more as a diversion for his mind, to keep it off Torii.

by **Torsiedelle** » Thu Aug 27, 2015 7:20 pm

"Yeah. I prefer other things besides pancakes, but they're good."

Torii diverted her attention to the TV again, but it didn't do much to entertain her. "Might as well get ready for the day.", She mumbled to herself, though. She took a few bites of her breakfast, set the plate aside, and got up to check the drawer in front of them, under the TV. She had her various little possessions in there, but she pulled only one item out; a switchblade knife. It went into her back pocket, before she turned to gather her other belongings. Her handgun went on her hip, her wallet into another pocket, and she grabbed her camouflage coat and slipped it on over her tanktop. She thought the "long sleeves with short shorts" thing looked cute enough, and the jacket itself made her feel a little safer, like the reds and tans and greens on it would actually help her disappear into the background for once. She picked up the ushanka she had bought, and, chuckling, thought about how nice it looked, and how pretty it'd look when winter came around. She'd wear it then. For the time being, she set it safely next to the TV and stepped to the bedside to grab her boots.

PL IC Thread IX++ //Oddsbodikins & Atomic Kittens//

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