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Post by Mirage on May 14, 2011 15:56:33 GMT -5
Month 3, Week 3, Day 4, Open
The sim room appears empty to anyone who walks in, even though the monitors show it is occupied. The sim that is running is nothing spectacular- a basic training room with a reflective wall, actually, like one might find in any of the normal rooms.
Someone one with exceptionally keen hearing might notice the slight wiff of air as something moves through it at speed, or the very lightest of footfalls. Someone with keen hearing and the knowledge of such things might be able to recognize the cadence of those sounds as belonging to a fight.
But where are the fighters?
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Nightbeat
Minor
Eternal Foe of Kitsch
"Truth is revealed in the smallest detail."
Posts: 453
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Post by Nightbeat on May 14, 2011 19:43:18 GMT -5
Nightbeat (well, Muzzle, really) has specific orders not to exert himself. But screw it, that's what doctors always say after you get shot or dropped in a river tied to a cinderblock or get alcohol poisoning or get regular poisoning. Self-medicating with single-malt was good enough for Muzzle's private eye forebears, and jegus-dammit, it's good enough for him.
Thus, Nightbeat, head firmly in place, enters the sim room without checking to see if it is occupied first, possibly due to the aforementioned self-medication. Keen senses detect the presence of invisible dueling ninjas. A keen mind deduces that unless someone decided that it would be fun to program two invisible ninjas into the sim-room, then that means . . .
"Hello, Mirage."
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Post by Mirage on May 14, 2011 20:56:17 GMT -5
Those minute sounds completely cease. After a long moment, the spy decloaks. Actually, both of them do.
Two Mirage's. There are some people who would pay untold amounts of money for this. Nightbeat is probably not one of them.
One Mirage seems frozen. The other runs a hand over his brow and says, "Since I'm sure you saw that the room was occupied, I can only assume you have reason for interrupting me. If I wish to be charitable, of course."
Because really, Mirage and Nightbeat encounters tend to end badly.
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Nightbeat
Minor
Eternal Foe of Kitsch
"Truth is revealed in the smallest detail."
Posts: 453
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Post by Nightbeat on May 16, 2011 11:05:58 GMT -5
Nightbeat makes a face as the two Mirages decloak. This must be the sparring version of wanting to talk to yourself in order to have an intelligent conversation.
"Actually, I didn't notice it was occupied. Sorry about that. I can see you're busy. I'll just let myself out and let you get back to playing with yourself," he says with a mocking bow.
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Post by Mirage on May 16, 2011 20:40:53 GMT -5
"Actually Nightbeat," Mirage grimaces, and you can tell he's having to work to say the rest, "If you don't mind, I could use a sparring partner that is not familiar with my abilities."
"I understand you have some skill at rough and tumble fighting?"
Yes, Nightbeat, Mirage just asked for help. Don't let it shock you sober.
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Nightbeat
Minor
Eternal Foe of Kitsch
"Truth is revealed in the smallest detail."
Posts: 453
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Post by Nightbeat on May 17, 2011 18:35:22 GMT -5
Nightbeat looks a bit taken aback at the request. It's clear it cost Mirage some effort. He shrugs casually in response, as though it's no big deal. "Sure, I'll go a few rounds with you. I'm no Tap-Out, but I can hold my own in a scrap. Just no blows to the head. Muzzle's supposed to be taking it easy."
Like you were supposed to be taking it easy that time you had Phardulian Rustoid Spores in your gas tank? Muzzle grumbles.
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Post by Mirage on May 17, 2011 20:13:20 GMT -5
Holy Magic Coconuts, Primus, Nightbeat said yes.
For half a second, Mirage's surprise actually shows past his usually mask of aristocratic cool. Then his expression schools back to neutrality.
"Appreciated," he says after another moment, "Would you prefer me visible, or no? As I recall, you've the senses to make the first more of a challenge. For both if us."
Yeah. Most. Awkward. Training. Session. Ever.
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Nightbeat
Minor
Eternal Foe of Kitsch
"Truth is revealed in the smallest detail."
Posts: 453
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Post by Nightbeat on May 18, 2011 20:46:07 GMT -5
"Don't mention it. I haven't transformed in a while, I could use the exercise. If we're training, do whichever you'd do in the field. May as well be realisitic," Nightbeat says, rolling one shoulder.
He expects Mirage will cloak immediately, being the dime-a-dozen backstabbing scumbag that he is.
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Post by Mirage on May 20, 2011 11:36:48 GMT -5
"Hmmm, in the field," Mirage repeats, looking thoughtful. He nods sharply, "Computer, switch to scenario Tracker 28"
In an instant, the second Mirage is gone, and the scene switches to a that of a wasteland of a cityscape on some metallic planet. Depending on how much Nightbeat's been paying attention to the other histories, it might seem like the devastated landscape of the Bumblebee's reality, or perhaps Springer's. There plenty of shadow and debris to provide both improvisation weaponry as well as cover. Nightbeat and Mirage will find themselves in an eerily-lit open space, perhaps an old community square.
Mirage does not go immediately invisible, but he does fade into the darkness. //Remember, I'm used to dealing with limitations on my ability. My skill isn't contingent only upon my cloak.//
He starts to circle carefully around the detective.
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Post by Springer on May 20, 2011 20:19:00 GMT -5
It seems that going into rooms without checking on if they're occupied is the "in" thing today, as Springer does so as well. Unfortunately, his head is not a tiny drunk person, so he has no excuse. He's either rude or unobservant, and probably a mix of both.
The door swooshes closed, and Springer finds himself in the empty area, and spots Nightbeat.
"...bit of a desolate place to do detective work, Nightbeat" Springer says, walking in.
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Nightbeat
Minor
Eternal Foe of Kitsch
"Truth is revealed in the smallest detail."
Posts: 453
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Post by Nightbeat on May 20, 2011 20:19:50 GMT -5
Nightbeat takes a moment to scan the new surroundings and nod his approval to Mirage before focusing his attention back on the spy, letting everything else fade (mostly) into the background. Got to be alert for surprises, after all.
He circles along with Mirage, keeping the other Autobot in front of him. "Here's lesson one of street fighting then, Mirage. Always bring a gun to a knife fight." Nightbeat is already snapping a photon pistol up from subspace and firing from the hip as he says this. He's not doing it to be mean, or because he has anything against Mirage. (Which is not to say that he doesn't have anything against Mirage.) He's doing it because Mirage asked to learn how to fight dirty.
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Post by Mirage on May 22, 2011 11:59:00 GMT -5
Mirage drops and rolls as Nightbeat fires, narrowly avoiding the shot. The spy comes to a stop on one knee and snaps his wrist, sending a sharp spike flying through the air toward Nightbeat's hand.
//Rule number two: if you don't have a gun, get rid of your opponent's.//
Of course, Mirage does have a gun. But he isn't here to get in a shootout with Nightbeat.
//Hello Springer.// Mirage isn't just melted into the shadows now. He is a shadow. What you think those holograms only copy people?
You can thank the interrupting Wrecker for the visibility shift, Nightbeat.
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Post by Springer on May 22, 2011 16:28:34 GMT -5
Springer tumbles to the side as Nightbeat starts shooting, taking cover behind a busted portion of building.
"Hello, Mirage. Hope I'm not interrupting anything important. Trying to learn to fight properly?"
He turns around, peeking over his cover. He sees a Nightbeat, but no Mirage. "Or you trying to teach Nightbeat to chase ghosts?"
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Nightbeat
Minor
Eternal Foe of Kitsch
"Truth is revealed in the smallest detail."
Posts: 453
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Post by Nightbeat on May 22, 2011 21:36:15 GMT -5
"Put a cork in it, Springer, I'm trying to listen for Mirage! Hello!" the detective snaps at the Wrecker, just as Mirage snaps his pistol right out of his hand, sending it spinning away across the ground. "Just so we're clear, I've got two more guns, and in a real fight I'd try them both before getting into close combat with someone I can't see," he shouts as he dances backwards, scooping up a handful of dirt and tossing it in the general direction where he supposes the spy to be.
This will hopefully either get in his optics or mess with his cloak.
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Post by Mirage on May 23, 2011 19:26:44 GMT -5
//A little bit of both, actually.// Mirage replies to Springer's jab, though the spy makes the comment audible to Nightbeat as well.
What, Mirage not immediately engaging in a verbal spar? He must really be taking this seriously!
Still speaking to both, he continues, //And I have a rifle with which I could drop you at my leisure. But that is not the point of the exercise.//
As Nightbeat moves backwards, Mirage slips through shadow as shadow, moving closer to the detective. The sand trick is a good one, if a bit cliche, but Mirage was ready for it. The bits of sand which do hit his cloaking field appear to travel on through. Springer, perhaps, is at an angle to see that the path of the sand doesn't quite match up.
He's close enough now to attempt a kick to the back of Nightbeat's knee.
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