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Post by Pee-Dee on Apr 8, 2008 19:47:53 GMT -5
Takes place several days after the party. This is, in fact, the night of the Prepping for Invasion thread.--- In a corner of the lounge on the second level of crew-quarters, Pee-Dee shuffles cards at a table. Cut, shuffle, cut, shuffle, cut, cut, cut, shuffle. Now and then, she checks one of the cards and throws it down on the table. She seems to be slowly building up a nice little collection of them, but there's no rhyme nor reason to their selection. She's bored out of her head and not in the mood to sleep inside tonight. But her junk pile isn't ready yet - it'd been tricky to get her stuff out and across the street while simultaneously avoiding possible contact with Nightbeat. On the up side of everything, she had a deck of cards. She could even do some fortune-telling if she got really bored.
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Post by Mirage on Apr 9, 2008 10:13:36 GMT -5
A familiar blue and white racer walks quietly into the lounge. He watches Pee-Dee play with her cards for a few moments, before striding over and sitting down across from her.
He props his elbows on the table, and laces his fingers under his chin, "Care for company? Though we really need a third if we're to play anything...interesting."
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Post by Pee-Dee on Apr 9, 2008 11:45:19 GMT -5
"Sure!" Pee-Dee brightens considerably at the offered company and gathers up her cards. She quickly squares the deck and begins to shuffle it again.
"Why don't you put out an invite on the broadband? See who else is up at this hour."
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Nightbeat
Minor
Lord High Instructor, Duke of Snack
Cybertron's Greatest Detective
Posts: 373
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Post by Nightbeat on Apr 9, 2008 12:41:41 GMT -5
Nightbeat has also been avoiding Pee-Dee. Not easy, but he's managed it for the most part. Except for now, apparently. He regards the scene with his usual cocky grin.
"Cards, eh?"
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Post by Mirage on Apr 9, 2008 22:37:59 GMT -5
Mirage quirks an browridge at Nightbeat's rather nonchalant arrival. True, he and Pee-Dee need to reconcile their differences, but somehow Mirage didn't think enough time had passed since the party for that to happen.
However, the temptation is now there to flirt horribly with Pee-Dee, especially since Mirage has the choice spot directly across from her. Yes, very tempting.
"Most certainly my dear, though it appears we've already at least one more possibly participant. If you'll let him in, that is. Your deck, your rules." And yes, this is Mirage being an aft. Such possessive nonsense as Nightbeat displayed always irks.
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Post by Pee-Dee on Apr 9, 2008 22:47:01 GMT -5
"Yeah. Cards." Pee-Dee shuffles aggressively loudly this time. "You know, little rectangles. Fifty-two in a deck, four suits, thirteen numbers in a suit."
She smirks a bit at Mirage, then glances at Nightbeat. "You sure you're up to it? I don't want to have to kick you around if you throw a hissy fit over losing."
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Nightbeat
Minor
Lord High Instructor, Duke of Snack
Cybertron's Greatest Detective
Posts: 373
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Post by Nightbeat on Apr 9, 2008 22:59:34 GMT -5
As far as Nightbeat is concerned, Mirage is a pompous ivory tower twit and is here-by invited to kiss his aft. Granted, that's his opinion of his own world's Mirage, but it's enough to carry over to the other as well. He hasn't seen anything to make him think differently.
He takes a seat. "That was a one-off scenario, Sweetheart. It ain't happening again."
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Post by Emirate Xaaron on Apr 9, 2008 23:17:20 GMT -5
Emirate Xaaron honestly doesn't spend much time recharging, something that Rodimus Prime may have noticed. He has precious little enough time to spend it unconscious, and given that he spends most of his time in his robot mode, he isn’t burning energon the way he would be if he was actually using that tank mode of his.
Still, it is the middle of the night – a concept that has had no meaning to him for millions of years, and he's stopping in the lounge to pick up a nip of energon before he proceeds in working out battle plans on how to fight themselves. Justas he enters, he hears Mirage's comment over the broad band about a card game.
Emirate Xaaron does not seriously play cards, and he certainly does not play Terran-style cards, but he does, curiously enough, have a deck of cards on him. He could not entirely pass up a game that combines strategy, memory, probability, bluffing, and reading people, could he?
He greets those gathered in the longue with a breezy, "Aloha," and purposefully strides over to the energon dispenser, punching in his ration code. Emirate Xaaron glances over his shoulder at the group. If the 'Aloha' doesn't get some reaction out of Nightbeat, Emirate Xaaron will be rather disappointed. One may question the logic of purposefully messing with someone who has already punched him, in similar company, no less, but Emirate Xaaron has to get his amusements somehow.
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Post by Mirage on Apr 9, 2008 23:42:40 GMT -5
Were Nightbeat to actually verbalize that request regarding aft-kissing, Mirage might just comply, eagerly and with relish, complete with coping a feel, just for shear amusement. The detective does not strike Mirage as- how shall we say?- "liberal minded."
"Oh, I imagine your losing will happen again," Mirage says cheerfully, glancing sideways at Nightbeat, "and more often than you'd like Nightbeat. Lose a game, lose a bet, lose a girl- doesn't the stereotype you play to demand a certain amount of loss? Makes you tougher, or some such." Signature smirk. He turns his attention to Pee-Dee, "What's the game tonight, love?"
Then Xaaron enters, and gathers Mirage's attention for a whole different reason. Xaaron carries his own deck, which means he likely plays cards as well. "Likely" because assuming anything about Emirate Xaaron is a losing proposition.
"Good eve, Emirate. Care to play, or have you pressing business?"
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Post by Pee-Dee on Apr 9, 2008 23:47:14 GMT -5
"Buenos noches, Xaaron!" What? America and Great Britain aren't the only countries that produce teevee shows.
"He never had a girl," she archly reminds Mirage. "Arcee doesn't like him either, and I know he didn't have any back home." Because they're all male there. Except for Arcee.
Pee-Dee shuffles the deck one final time, cuts it, and sets it aside. "What's your poison? Poker's pretty standard, and the Cybertronian version is only different in the number of cards dealt. You guys think you can handle only getting a hand with five cards?"
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Nightbeat
Minor
Lord High Instructor, Duke of Snack
Cybertron's Greatest Detective
Posts: 373
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Post by Nightbeat on Apr 10, 2008 15:16:56 GMT -5
Nightbeat gives Mirage a signature "I hope you die painfully" look.
"All part of the game, Mirage, me boyo. Course, I didn't think you went in for games that didn't involve hunting helpless turbo-foxes."
And then there's Xaaron. Of course. Because, in true narrative tradition, the universe generally has it in for Nightbeat. "Yo, boss," he says, evenly, all smile and charm.
And his attention goes back to Pee-Dee. "I can handle anything you can dish out, doll-face."
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Post by Emirate Xaaron on Apr 10, 2008 15:41:07 GMT -5
Emirate Xaaron retrieves his snack and sips at it, turning to consider the table and Mirage's offer. Emirate Xaaron does have to point out something, however, "I do recall Siren mentioning a Ms. Fatale in conjunction with your name, Nightbeat, in his report on the Matrix Quest."
Whether or not Nightbeat actually 'got' her, Emirate Xaaron does not know, but it certainly makes the conversation more awkward, since Nightbeat didn't bother to mention her.
Emirate Xaaron stretches and considers. Mirage seems to be going out of his way to antagonize Nightbeat, and Nightbeat is snapping right back. Nightbeat and Pee-Dee clearly don't get along. Emirate Xaaron really don't think Mirage likes him, and Nightbeat punched him a few days ago and, worse, called him pompous, which led Emirate Xaaron to put another Dinobot in Nightbeat's room.
This situation looks like a worse powder keg than Vos and Tarn did before they mutually annihilated.
Emirate Xaaron grins and sweeps over to the table, replying, "Would I care to play? If you wouldn't mind an officer in your game, I can spare the time. When working on plans to battle the man in the mirror, it's important to keep sight of the real deal."
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Oracle
Minor
The future is always in motion.
Posts: 426
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Post by Oracle on Apr 10, 2008 19:37:57 GMT -5
Having caught Mirage's announcement over the broadband while she was still awake and about to head out flying, Oracle found herself wandering in the direction of the lounge out of curiosity. She didn't play cards herself, though she suspected it was something of a moot point if she did or not, but she thought it would be interesting to see who did show up.
Arriving at the lounge and peeking inside, she hesitated for a moment upon noticing who else was there before mentally shrugging and moving into the room. She had to meet everyone eventually, this was as good a time as any to acquaint herself with a few more people. She did stay hovering near the door for the moment though, until she was sure she was welcome.
"You mind if I watch?" From the interaction she caught as she arrived, watching the players was probably going to be as interesting as watching the game.
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Bluestreak
Rookie
Silence is golden, but the motormouth is silver...
Posts: 213
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Post by Bluestreak on Apr 10, 2008 20:04:52 GMT -5
Bluestreak wanders into the room with a grin. "Hey, I heard something about a card game? I'm not really good at cards, but if you need another player I'm up for it. Or if not I can just sit back and watch, unless it makes people nervous..."
Upon seeing Oracle his doorwings hitch up just the slightest bit, then relax again. Like Long Haul at first, it's taken him a bit to get used to a Seeker on their side. But it didn't take him as long to adjust to Oracle, at least -- the longer he's on this planet, the more he learns to simply expect the unexpected.
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Boondocker
Rookie
General Contractor at Large and Sanitation Engineer Second-Class
Pickup Man
Posts: 216
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Post by Boondocker on Apr 10, 2008 21:36:49 GMT -5
Shortly after his and Pee-Dee's exchange, the dull clanking of Boondocker's steps can be heard outside the door. A few moments later, he enters, glancing around. "Hoo, picked up a few folks with th' announcement, looks like."
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