[Kylen]

>>>>>[Insert me putting my life on the line by making a small remark about how I wish Autumn was a little more negotiable in general, but I get the whole "Sorry, busy not dying horribly to my master/not identically poisoning myself: angle. I doubt the training I had to go through from Grandfather might compare, but that's almost like comparing oranges and mangoes: Similar, might trick the unknowing eye, but fundamentally (and taste-wise) different.

Speaking of which, watching Smiley and his 'friends' helped me get out of a bind recently. Never knew how dropping a very general reference and a slasher smile can make even some ork gangers walk away slowly, facing me the whole way.

It's kinda scary now that I think about it. I don't think I should ever do that again, for fear of my soul. I half wanna try it in a mirror just to see if I can make my own blood freeze now. And no, I didn't actually drop any names. I made a vague reference to my possible connections, smiled at them in the most deranged, sadistic way I could (Helps that I think I was actually feeling that way that day. Stupid fragging yuppies and their inability to tip. For thirty. Goddamned. Drops. OH! And yuppie invasion night at the bar. Yeah, I might have been a LITTLE on my last nerve) and they drew all the connections and results they wanted.

Oh! Billie! Gimme a nice big cold one, could ya babe?

And Smiley, I actually like most of your associates. It's refreshing to know that even cold blooded contract killers can be pleasant company and to the point. Speaking of which, remember I'm always up for Tir/Seattle area driving as need be.

Ice: Pass on my regards too, if he'll have them. I know us humans aren't too popular in the courts, and I doubt the assassin's driver will get nearly the same protection, so I'll play safe and stay away for now.

Also: Happy New Year, in case I'm too far gone/busy to say it later. ]<<<<<

     -- Card (19:23:05/12-31-74

[All4BigGuns]

>>>>>[Happy New Year to all of you. ]<<<<<

     --Predator (01:19:06/12-31-2074

[Mirikon]

>>>>>[Ah, so nice to see the kids learning tricks without having to be spoon fed them. But I will say, Card, that you got lucky there. You have to read your audience right for things like that. A group of ork gangers is easy prey. Try pulling that on the Knights or a corp suit, and things might not go so well. And even with the gangers, you have to look for the telltale signs of them being on (or recently off) something. There's also the types that prefer to escalate a situation when threatened. Half the 'fight or flight' response is 'fight' afterall, and some people lean more heavily one way than the other.

Of course, I find that for most types summoning a spirit to possess me sends the message well enough. For those that don't get it, I've got my blades, and after the first or second guy goes down, the rest usually don't have much fight in them. But again, that doesn't work on everyone, and not many people can do what I do, so I also pull the 'veiled reference' card now and then. My favorite is to excuse myself in the middle of the 'conversation', and speak plainly as though I'm on my commlink like I'm talking to a 'cleaner'. "Yes, I just sent the pictures. Yes, the usual. No, the piano wire won't be necessary. Use the scalpel instead. Yes, the family and friends too. All right, I'll call soon." Say all of that like I'm ordering a drink at the bar, then look back at whoever I'm playing with, and say, "Sorry for that, I was just talking with some friends about you." Works like a treat with the right audience, but the key is to never look like you're trying to sell them a bill of goods. It takes skill to pull off, but is effective against people up a level or two from gangers. Do NOT try this against mobsters. Just don't.

Anyways, the party is a blast! Happy new year to all! I'll send your well wishes along when I see him, Card. But that's not for a couple weeks. For now, I'm just enjoying some lovely weather, and plenty of booze. Oh, and a free spirit just happened to wander by. Had a lovely chat with it over drinks.]<<<<<

--Iceblade (01:32:22/01-01-75)

[All4BigGuns]

>>>>>[Free spirit? Another time when I envy you magically active sorts. I didn't even notice that one.]<<<<<

--Predator (01:41:49/01-01-2075)

[Mirikon]

>>>>>[You wouldn't, since it had a very realistic form. Did you see the man wearing a CAS army commander's dress uniform? With the Artillery patches? That was the spirit. Don't know how, but he seems to have memories of the old US Civil War. Claims he watched Atlanta burn. Of course, you can never be too sure what is what with free spirits. Sometimes they really are old, and have memories of long ago, and sometimes those memories are 'imprints' from when they were originally summoned. Or they could simply have popped up during a reenactment...]<<<<<

--Iceblade (01-01-75/02:39:22)

[All4BigGuns]

>>>>>[Really? That guy? Had a couple drinks and a good conversation with him, myself. He just didn't mention any of that stuff. Probably because I couldn't tell what he was.]<<<<<

--Predator (02:43:23/01-01-2075)

[Mirikon]

>>>>>[No, it was because he had other things on his mind when talking with you. After he gathered you weren't interested, he went and escorted one of the 'negotiable' ladies out of the room for a while.

What? You didn't think spirits could be pervs? The astral is all about 'emotion' and 'sensation'. Think about it for a bit. Then be glad most conjurers don't include things like tentacles on their summons. Especially the Japanese ones.]<<<<<

--Iceblade (02:59:22/01-01-75)

[All4BigGuns]

>>>>>[Never really thought about it, but I guess it makes sense.

As to the tentacle bit, there was this one person I knew when I was in school who was in the magical training, and he did include those things on his first conjuring attempts. I wouldn't doubt if he's still doing it, as it kind of became a signature with him. He was a bit creepy.]<<<<<

--Predator (03:00:51/01-01-2075)

[Kot]

>>>>>[My teacher always told me that Spirits with tentacles are bad business. Thankfully I never saw one in my life and hopefully never will.
Oh, sorry, I should introduce myself. My name is Alex Sleeping Hare, and I'm a shaman of sorts. I got this old thing from a crazy wanderer with some nasty scars in his aura. He said he won't need that where he's going. And I kinda figured out how to connect this thing to the Matrix, and how to find this place. I hope I didn't do anything wrong, but it seems you all are interesting people, and I'm a very curious fellow.]<<<<<

--Alex Sleeping Hare (09:30:05/01-01-2075)

[Solodice]

>>>>>[Found this ol' thing at a shop down here in Lakewood and for cheap too! Took me ages to hook the damn thing up to the matrix though but I'm here now. Names Stinger and if you couldn't guess I'm stuck in Denver. The new year here is going alright right now expect for that jack ass two houses down popping off fireworks since 12 am...

Tentacles... you guys need to stop watching that Japanese shit.]<<<<<

--Stinger (4:52:10/1-01-75)

[All4BigGuns]

>>>>>[I happen to be Japanese, Stinger, and my cousin does not go in for the tentacle crap with the spirits she summons. The mention I made was just an anecdote from a creepy little bastard I knew when I was in school.]<<<<<

--Predator (21:29:13/1-01-2075)

[Solodice]

>>>>>[Damn, that joke went sideways fast.

You also just brought up bad memories talking about school as being a dwarf at school wasn't easy...]<<<<<

--Stinger (9:07:06/1-01-75)

[All4BigGuns]

>>>>>[I can imagine. You probably did better than you would have in the school I went to though, so at least there's that.]<<<<<

--Predator (23:10:33/1-01-2075)

[Solodice]

>>>>>[Hardcore learning Japanese school?]<<<<<

--Stinger (9:15:50/1-01-75)

[All4BigGuns]

>>>>>[Japanese corporate school.]<<<<<

--Predator (23:17:07/1-01-2075)