[20:40] Once the victor has been declared, Ir grabs all six of the empties and tosses them in the sink. Usagi's cheerfully moved on to dishwasher, as Sondok is back behind the bar. No more table service except for large orders, but by now everyone should be pretty well sloshed. Ir, on the other hand, after exchanging a, uh, quick peck with Arakesh, heads back to the kitchen range section of [20:40] the bar and begins steaming up some dumplings. [20:41] The steaming process itself takes the usual dozen minutes or so, but Ir's hands move like a blur as she molds and spices the ground pork and shapes it into the little dough pockets. [20:43] 7Blossom stands, stalks to the nearest empty table, and with a furious snarl flips it over with a crash! She hurls her glass and the remains of her vodka against the floor, and stalks toward the exit. [20:44] Ir, over her shoulder as she leaves: "You're cleaning that up, babe." [20:45] Arakesh certainly isn't gonna get in her way, though. [20:46] 13The Unfettered Xia Lan stays in her seat, staring morosely at the floor, remembering Kana Kavu. The song was heartwrenching for the audience... even worse for its singer. 15[20:47] <@VoxPVoxD> 10Eikichi's head snaps up as Blossom storms out, withdrawing his hand from Xia Lan's shoulder with a wince. [20:48] Usagi hops down from the sink to trundle over and start cleaning, but Ir stops her. "Meant what I said. No call to go destroying my lounge over a battle fairly won." [20:48] 7Blossom: "FINE!" 15[20:48] <@VoxPVoxD> "Congratulations," 10he mumbles to her as he forces himself to stand and then walks - slowly, carefully - in the direction Blossom left in. [20:48] 6Ying, for her part, startles at the sound of the broken glass and moves as if to scamper after Blossom... but then just shifts back in her seat uncomfortably. [20:48] 7She will clean it up... after everybody's left and she's done having a tanty. [20:48] 13Xia Lan: "Thanks," 13equally mumbled. [20:49] That's all Ir's asking. [20:49] 14Stranger watches the scene unfold in silence. 15[20:49] <@VoxPVoxD> Pearl sees all this and nods primly to Yara. Ah, isn't this always the way? [20:49] "I'm glad I'm not that irrational," 14says the Ambassador off-handedly. Stranger is a steady enough hand not to wince or smile. [20:50] Yara just shakes her head. "Wasting good wodka." 15[20:50] <@VoxPVoxD> Bubo looks around nervously and raises a glass. "To Xia Lan!" [20:50] 14Stranger nods and raises his glass, as does the Ambassador. "To Xia Lan." 15[20:52] <@VoxPVoxD> 10Is Blossom heading to her room? [20:52] 13Her head whips up, pulling her from her thoughts, and she quickly stands up to make her way over to the double table, false bravado on her face. "Well... I won, just as I always knew I would." 13She grabs a seat and pulls it up next to Tsuka, after seeing how he looks. Upset? Nervous? 08[20:53] 6Ying: "Um... well, Yara, Purrl, do you want to head over to the other table? I think Eikichi and Blossom are gonna be gone fur a while..." 15[20:53] <@VoxPVoxD> He's got that stoic face he puts on when he tries to look like he's not upset. It needs some work. [20:53] Ir's determined to maintain a good mood. To both keep the party involved and get people away from the broken glass on the floor, she'll ask everyone to come together at the big table, and set aside two tables on the perimeter for people who want to sit apart -- all far away from the wreckage of where Blossom was just sitting. 15[20:54] <@VoxPVoxD> Pearl: "Is anyone going to talk to her?" [20:54] Then she tables four serving woks full of dumplings, each a slightly different pork mix from a different direction, with salty soy sauce, bowls, and chopsticks for everyone. 08[20:55] To Pearl: "Eikichi will handle it, and they'll be back soon enough. Or she'll storm back in here and I'll shove a mop in her hand." 15[20:55] <@VoxPVoxD> Sober: "Ohohohell yes." 15[20:56] <@VoxPVoxD> Pearl looks down the corridor and then back at Ir as if she wants to say, Really? But instead she just sighs and - gracefully stepping past the mess - takes a seat next to Sober. [20:57] 7Can't have a proper tanty if you don't storm off to your room. Stereos don't exist so it doesn't quite work for her, but the basic principle is the same everywhere. [20:57] 13On seeing his face, she reconsiders. "Actually, Tsuka, babe, can we go outside for a sec?" 13Wow, there is pretty much no way to make that sound comforting instead of alarming. 15[20:57] <@VoxPVoxD> 10Eikichi sang Linkin Park like 45 minutes ago. Can't even front. 15[20:58] <@VoxPVoxD> 10He knocks. "Ir made dumplings." [20:58] To the big table: "Everyone, dig in. This wok has spicy Northern pork, Pneuman style. The one across from it is an even spicer Southern pork -- milder up front, but much longer burn on the back of the mouth. A sweet, understated Eastern pork is in the wok in the eastern position, and in the western wok, there's a vegetarian dumpling offering with potatoes, cheese, and chives." 15[20:59] <@VoxPVoxD> Mr. Tellurian: "You mean you're a master chef too??" [21:00] 7A quiet, surly voice: "14Did you bring any." [21:00] An aggressive grin: "You're damn right I am." Ir then heads back up to the stage; she's already snagged a bowl of her own, seasoned to her preference, and whips out Iscariot again. She's the after-party entertainment, too. 15[21:00] <@VoxPVoxD> 10Eikichi: "...gimme a minute." 15[21:00] <@VoxPVoxD> Tsuka gets up wordlessly, though he spares a long look for those dumplings as Xia Lan leads him away. 08[21:00] If Eikichi heads back to the lounge, Arakesh is waiting with a bowl full of some dumplings Ir thinks Blossom would like. [21:01] Meanwhile, on stage: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zx-CyKNOjOQ [21:01] Iscariot cycles through four or five different types of six-string as Ir plays, and her ghostly backup band supplies the rest. [21:01] 14Stranger arches an eyebrow. "And this is your Circle's Dawn Caste?" 15[21:01] <@VoxPVoxD> 10Eikichi will take them gratefully, mumbling thanks before walking back. 15[21:02] <@VoxPVoxD> 10At Blossom's door: "Dumpling boy." [21:02] 6Ying sets up shop pretty much immediately near the eastern kind, piling them onto her plate and picking them off her claws decadently. Then she grins to Stranger, showing all teeth. "Yep! She's purretty much the best. Dunno where Bergsveinn is, but we ran around with him fur a while, too... hope he's doing okay." [21:03] 14He shakes his head. "Ours is much more, ah, traditional. I suspect he's out raiding his precious ruin again tonight." [21:04] 13Xia Lan, once they're out of earshot from anyone eager to pry: "I don't think I want to do another one of these," 13she starts. 15[21:04] <@VoxPVoxD> Tsuka: "Yeah?" 15[21:04] <@VoxPVoxD> "How are you?" 15[21:05] <@VoxPVoxD> Bubo: "It's a shame he didn't make it. I'd have liked to see what he's like if he relaxes," [21:06] 7Blossom: "14Come in." 7When he does, she's lying on her bed glaring at the ceiling. [21:06] 13Xia Lan: "I'm doing fine, I mean, tipsy, but... what about you?" 13She looks at him closer - hair drops over one of her eyes and she has to flip it away. "Was it... fun to watch, at least?" [21:07] 6Ying: "Wow! I've nefur been on a tomb raid... this is nermal for him?" 15[21:07] <@VoxPVoxD> 10Eikichi: "You look like you're trying to burn a hole in the ceiling." [21:08] 14Stranger waves a chopstick. "I don't think he ever does." 15[21:09] <@VoxPVoxD> Bubo: "Oh, he must, surely." [21:10] 14To Ying: "The thing about this tomb in particular is that he's already raided it. Indeed, he owns it...but it has a wondrous First Age technology that allows him to use it over and over again as a sort of, exercise crucible. What was it he called it, Xu Sim? 'VR Training?'" 15[21:11] <@VoxPVoxD> Tsuka folds his arms and looks out over the balcony. "I don't like that game." [21:11] 6Her face scrunches up in the first indication of disgust she's ever shown tonight. Then she pops another dumpling in her mouth and all is forgiven. "So he just. Fights fur fun?" [21:11] 7Blossom, clenching her fists: "You were robbed!" [21:12] 13Xia Lan: "How come?" 13She's liable to agree to him, after that one. The other two were... well, this one was more frivolous, and yet heavier than the other two. [21:12] 14Stranger: "He fights to make himself stronger. However, he finds making himself stronger fun. So." [21:12] 14These dumplings are amazing. The Ambassador has loaded up on the spicy ones. [21:13] 6Another face, another dumpling to smooth it out. "I don't think we'd get along furry well." 15[21:14] <@VoxPVoxD> 10Eikichi sits down at Blossom's feet, holding the dumplings in his lap. That way she'll have to sit up. Delightfully devilish, Eikichi. "What do you mean?" [21:15] 14Stranger shrugs. "Perhaps not. I am generally or specifically opposed to whatever it is he wants to do much of the time, and yet we find common enough ground." 15[21:16] <@VoxPVoxD> Tsuka: "The first time it made sense. You made an actual deal with an actual demon. The second time, I don't know, you were really mad and wanted to try and humble Stranger. But this was over nothing. A suit of clothes! You just beat yourself up for fun. You got a stranger to beat himself up for fun." 15[21:16] <@VoxPVoxD> "For an audience." [21:17] 13Xia Lan: "...yeah." 13It seemed like a good idea at the time. [21:17] 6Ying: "I mean, we get stronger to purrtect the ones we love, but... just fur the sake of it? I don't get it." 15[21:18] <@VoxPVoxD> Tsuka: "How did- how did you even get him to agree to it? I know you didn't lie, so how stupid is he?" 15[21:18] <@VoxPVoxD> Kratz: "Keldar has his merits." [21:19] Ir moves over to the keyharp. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aONhJtYqPAs [21:19] 13Xia Lan: "I think he's just as stupid and vain as I am. We both wanted the outfits, and if you don't think about the effects of the drinks, a drinking and singing contest sounds like a fun way to settle things. And it... was? Kind of? Until it super, super wasn't." [21:19] 14Stranger: "He does." [21:19] 14The Ambassador sniffs. "He's an effective, powerful, indomitable, disrespectful, moronic cur." [21:20] 6Ying seems confused. "And... he's your furiend?" [21:20] 14Stranger: "He is our comrade." 15[21:21] <@VoxPVoxD> Bubo smiles behind his glass. [21:22] 7Blossom looks back at him like 'what are you talking about'. "You should have won, you were better." 15[21:22] <@VoxPVoxD> Mr. Tellurian: "Now I feel like I know Keldar better than I know you, Ying, and I've met you. Tell us about yourself." 15[21:22] <@VoxPVoxD> 10Eikichi smiles. "I'm glad you thought so." [21:22] 6Ying: "Hmm." 6Another dumpling. These are so good... "You should get him to relax, then! Take a day to bathe in the sun, play around with some yarn balls, go fishing..." 15[21:23] <@VoxPVoxD> Tsuka: "I've seen three of them now, and they all ended like that." 15[21:24] <@VoxPVoxD> "I don't understand it." [21:24] 14Stranger chuckles. "He'd do all that, get grumpy and competitive about it, enjoy himself, and go right back to being the man he was before." [21:24] 6To Mr. Tellurian: "Oh! I'm a clothier in Nexus! And also the ship, I guess, more furequently. One time I beat the Chosen of Fashion in a contest to make the purretiest dress for the Chosen of Cats!" [21:24] "And it's not on us to change him. He can change if he wishes to, and he is quite useful as he is now." 15[21:24] <@VoxPVoxD> "You make clothes, huh?" What is Ying wearing now? [21:26] Actually pretend this is the version Ir played. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aOquxvXSR6Q [21:27] 6A nice white dress, fairly simple and with a modest cut, along with a red-brown ruffled jacket and some nice boots. https://i.imgur.com/bNzolxp.jpg [21:27] 13Xia Lan: "I wonder how much of that is the nature of the contest and how much is just..." 13She trails off. [21:28] 7She gets up to sit on the side of her bed, and begins sulkily eating some of the dumplings. 15[21:29] <@VoxPVoxD> Tsuka: "Just what?" [21:30] 13Xia Lan: "Who picked the final bottle the other two times? I don't remember." 13Not necessarily an answer. [21:30] When Ir begins to play this song, a faceless ghost with a cello appears seated behind her. There's something...maritime, about his outfit. And unlike the rest of her ghosts, this one is a man. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lUjWJSnGVB0 15[21:31] <@VoxPVoxD> 10Eikichi: "I was a little worried about you. Room full of weird strangers, me doing something stupid, and you had to keep up face. If I wanted to make something up specifically to annoy you that was pretty good." 15[21:33] <@VoxPVoxD> Tsuka: "Vladok did the first time. You did the second." 15[21:33] <@VoxPVoxD> "Just what?" 15[21:34] <@VoxPVoxD> Mr. Tellurian: "What kind of dress does a cat like anyway?" [21:35] 14Stranger: "Catslip." [21:35] 13Xia Lan: "I think maybe that's just. Me." 15[21:36] <@VoxPVoxD> Tsuka: "You think it got sad because of you?" [21:37] 6Ying: "I think I still have the sketches somewhere around if you want to see! But she had to be able to move, it had to be flashy so people would look... aaaaand also I put in a cute lil cat-themed umbrella so she'd stay dry." [21:37] 14The Ambassador leans over. "You're not one for puns, dear. Leave it to the professionals." [21:38] 13Xia Lan: "I'm willing to hear other reasons, but yeah, pretty much." [21:39] Ir moves on to a new song. The ghost remains. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Dakd7EIgBE 15[21:39] <@VoxPVoxD> 10He puts his arm around Blossom. "I'm glad you were there, though." 15[21:43] <@VoxPVoxD> Tsuka: "You saw those bottles. Who makes grieving a dead loved one happy?" 15[21:44] <@VoxPVoxD> Mr. Tellurian: "What else are you great at? Ir's a musician and a chef, you're a clothier and..." [21:44] 13Xia Lan: "There was another one. I could've picked it." 15[21:45] <@VoxPVoxD> Tsuka: "You didn't put it there. And it wasn't the only bottle like that." [21:45] 6Ying: "Doctor! Purretty good at it too, though I don't, er, look like a cat when I do that." 15[21:46] <@VoxPVoxD> Sober: "You mean you're not like that all the time?" [21:46] 13Xia Lan, stubbornly: "But I did pick it. And I didn't have to." [21:46] There's a saying for what Xia Lan's going through right now. Ir's too absorbed in what she's doing and too nice to say it, though. [21:48] 6She shakes her head. "Defurnitely not." 6Something off in her tone, quickly replaced with her normal cheer. "Had to meditate to get it juuuust right!" 15[21:48] <@VoxPVoxD> Tsuka: "It doesn't matter. The game's the game. The only decision you made that mattered was whether to play. And he made that too. What's his name. And so did Stranger, and so did Vladok." 15[21:48] <@VoxPVoxD> "The game is what does that." [21:48] Play hideous games; win hideous prizes. 15[21:49] <@VoxPVoxD> Sober: "What a rip." 08[21:50] 13Xia Lan: "Eikichi. And... maybe." 13She's at least willing to consider it. "I guess there's a reason it's a devil's game." [21:50] 6She bristles. "What's that suppawsed to mean?" [21:51] Ir soldiers on. Arakesh is drinking a double straight rye whiskey. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P94DusN4LsY 15[21:52] <@VoxPVoxD> Sober: "A part-time cat? Where's your commitment? Where's the passion?" [21:52] 6Ying: "Hey, if I could do it all the time I would!" 08[21:52] 7Blossom leans into Eikichi's hug. "Uurgh. I'm gonna have to wait until everybody leaves now." 15[21:53] <@VoxPVoxD> Sober: "A real cat wouldn't make excuses." 15[21:53] <@VoxPVoxD> Pearl: "Sober!" [21:53] 14The Ambassador: "Indeed. You should learn from Sober's example, and become a full-time ass." 15[21:53] <@VoxPVoxD> 10Eikichi: "I'll stay with you, then." 15[21:54] <@VoxPVoxD> "But I bet if we went back out there and apologized, you'd survive." 15[21:54] <@VoxPVoxD> "We might even make a new friend! I bet you and that old guy who's pretending to be blind would hit it off." [21:56] 6Ying deflates. "Yeah. A real cat wouldn't." [21:57] 14The Ambassador rolls her eyes. "Real cats make excuses all the time." [21:57] 14And then the Ambassador turns into a black and white tabby and uses Sober's head as a springboard to jump onto the stage. [21:58] 14She mrowls from onstage, and Stranger deadpans: "She says she's sorry. You just looked so jumpable." [21:59] 6Ying looks at the Ambassador with newfound interest. 15[21:59] <@VoxPVoxD> Sober musses up her hair, which the Ambassador's leap had somehow incidentally straightened. "Eh. It happens." [21:59] 14The Ambassador hops atop the keyharp and begins grooming herself as Ir begins a new song. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p0tBS_IAX-M [22:01] 6Ying sighs wistfully. "Efurry time I try that, someone hisses at me for taking up too much space on the tabbyle." [22:02] 13Xia Lan: "How about you, though? How are you doing? Before we head back inside and finally get those dumplings." [22:04] 5 Xu Sim stops fiddling with his steambreather for a moment. "I don't know what in all the hells of the Y-ah, what in Heaven's name a Vee Arr is, but the manse has quite an impressive capacity to generate illusions, beguile the senses, and - unfortunately - roast people alive." [22:04] 5 He exhales an absolutely enormous cloud of vapor. [22:05] 14Stranger nods solemnly. "I did not ask the provenance of his meaning." 15[22:06] <@VoxPVoxD> Tsuka: "...I'm okay. We should hurry, though. They might be out of dumplings by now." [22:06] 13Is he really? [22:07] They will not be out of dumplings, by the way. [22:07] Ir takes a brief intermission... 15[22:07] <@VoxPVoxD> He's okay. He'll be doing better when he can take his mind off this. 08[22:07] 7Blossom, attempting to bargain with Eikichi for some reason: "What if I just go down and clean up the mess but don't say anything." [22:08] 13She smiles, then. "Let's go get some dumplings and I'll never do one of these again." [22:08] And returns with sufficient dumplings to refill what's been eaten, accounting for remaining appetites, along with new rounds for everyone. 15[22:08] <@VoxPVoxD> 10Eikichi: "That'd make everyone uncomfortable." 15[22:08] <@VoxPVoxD> "If you wanna do that, I can open the door and we can scream at each other. Our voices will carry and they won't even need to see you." [22:10] 5 Xu Sim nods at Stranger's statement, inhaling again on the steambreather. [22:11] 6Ying: "...what is that?" [22:12] 5 He puffs again on it. "This is a steambreather, my own invention." 5 He exhales another cloud that glitters faintly in the air. "By all means, be my guest," 5he says, offering it to her. [22:12] 6She makes a face. "Erm... no thank you." [22:13] "Aren't you at least a little curious?" 5he asks, his cheeks the slightest red from the rice wine. 15[22:14] <@VoxPVoxD> Xia Lan and Tsuka return then. Sober raises a mug. "Born champion right here!" [22:14] 6Ying looks over to Stranger. He seems trustworthy. What does he feel about this... steambreather? [22:15] "No, no, no, don't look at him - he's about to say, 'don't be an ass, Xu Sim,' in a very serious voice, like he's had a lot of practice saying that one sentence!" 5protests the sorceror with a laugh. [22:16] 13Xia Lan smiles and bows slightly, then maneuvers some seats for her and Tsuka next to Sober. "Well! That was... an event?" 13she tries, loading a plate up with the southern-styled dumplings. In a very serious voice: "Don't be an ass, Xu Sim. I don't even know what the context is." 08[22:16] 7Blossom lets out a long hffff. She really wants to just stay in bed until everybody leaves. But Eikichi's here, and he has expectations for her. Staying would be letting him down... "Okay, I'll do it." [22:16] 6Ying looks helplessly between Xia Lan, Xu Sim, and Stranger. 08[22:17] 6Wait, she beat Eikichi, what does she know about taste. "I'll try it! How does it work?" 15[22:17] <@VoxPVoxD> 10Sing-song: "There's more dumplings~" [22:18] 14Stranger smiles slightly: "He knows what he's talking about, but needs to be watched closely." [22:18] "But he shouldn't be an ass." [22:19] "Stabbed in the back! Betrayed! Hopelessly - ahh, of course -- it's not too different from smoking any other thing, but instead of smoke, it produces a sort of steam! So you simply hold down the little button here, which brings the filter and firedust into place, and then take a deep breath of it." 5explains the doctor. [22:19] 13Xia Lan just shakes her head and starts digging into the dumplings. Delicious. What kind does Tsuka prefer? [22:20] "All right, all right. That's not the reason why I'm doing this, though." 7She'll head toward the door like she's going into battle, head back to the lounge, and after taking a handbroom and dustpan from Usagi, mutters loudly enough to carry: "Sorry, everyone." 7Then she starts cleaning up. 15[22:20] <@VoxPVoxD> Tsuka favors the spicy Southern dumplings. [22:21] 6Ying furrows her brow. "This button, and th- hi Blossom!" 6Ying waves, briefly, but quickly returns to the steambreather. "Okay so..." 6She holds the thing up to her mouth, presses the button, and inhales. [22:21] 6What's its flavor? [22:22] 5 Frankincense and ginger. [22:23] Ir pauses at the end of her piece, then nods for Usagi to help her. Too proud and too repentant by half. She could have just done it later. [22:23] 6She quickly returns the object to Xu Sim and exhales a cloud of... whatever that thing creates. "Um. Not my thing, sorry. But not as bad as they made it out to seem." 6She gives a dirty look to Xia Lan. [22:24] 7YES SHE COULD HAVE, BUT SOMEONE HAD TO THINK SHE'S GREAT [22:24] 13Xia Lan ignores it in favor of eating more dumplings and ensuring that Tsuka has a steady stream. "I missed it, who made these? These are amazing," 13she says just after finishing one. [22:24] At this point, Ir will descend from the stage, motioning for the Ambassador to join them, and take a seat at the table alongside Arakesh. There are enough seats for everyone now. [22:24] 4Ir: "I did." [22:25] 13Xia Lan nods gratefully. "Compliments to the chef." [22:25] 4Ir grins. "I get too many already. Just dig in." [22:26] "Did you spend time in the south? These are..." 13'Authentic' seems like a loaded term. "The best parts of home," 13she settles on, before digging back in. [22:27] 4Ir: "Spend time, no. Learned some stuff from travellers, yeah." [22:27] "Glad they taste right." 15[22:27] <@VoxPVoxD> 10Eikichi follows a few minutes after Blossom, dressed down in blues and golds, his hair pulled back. "So..." 10he says, still incredibly drunk. "Best two out of three?" [22:28] 13Xia Lan: "Better than right. Most people used the heat to cover up just how bad the ingredients were, this is actually incredible and the spiciness is just a part of it." [22:29] 13It takes Xia Lan a moment to process. "You want to do that... again." [22:29] 4This time Ir blushes and bows her head to hide it. [22:29] 6Ying hisses. 15[22:29] <@VoxPVoxD> 10Eikichi, though, makes no motions towards the stage, instead taking a seat and filling two bowls with dumplings. "Sure, why not. Didn't you have fun too?" [22:30] 14Stranger finishes a dumpling. "I might be livelier game." [22:30] 13She glances back to Tsuka. "...for a while. That last drink was a real mood killer." [22:31] "You poor devils are going to drink our friend Vladok out of business," 5 suggests Xu Sim. [22:31] 4Ir grunts. "I'm brewmaster enough for it." 15[22:32] <@VoxPVoxD> 10Eikichi: "The last drink was perfect. I don't think you pull it out without singing from the heart like that. And if you don't pull it out it's the worst kind of comeback." [22:32] "I'm out, anyway. Future shows won't involve magic liquors... maybe regular liquors." [22:32] "Brewmaster?" 5 Xu Sim's moustache twitches. [22:32] 13Flatly: "I relived the worst moment of my life. I assume you did too. I'd be happy to sing, but I'm done competing for the evening." 15[22:33] <@VoxPVoxD> 10Eikichi: "Pain is just weakness leaving the body." 08[22:33] 6Ying: "Eikichi, you're a doctor. You know that isn't true." 15[22:33] <@VoxPVoxD> Tsuka is busily stuffing his face rather than participating in this conversation. [22:33] 13Xia Lan: "Thank you, cat girl. I agree." [22:34] 6Ying bristles, but does not rise to the bait. 15[22:34] <@VoxPVoxD> 10Eikichi: "Did you tell them the conversation we had when you challenged me?" [22:34] 7Blossom, through a mouthful of dumpling: "It is though!" [22:34] 13Warningly: "Don't." [22:35] "The most painful experiences known to everday people are kidney stones and childbirth. Neither kidney stones nor infants contain the essence of weakess, though," 5 points out Xu Sim. 15[22:35] <@VoxPVoxD> 10Eikichi: "'I'll sing you into the dirt, pretty boy.'" [22:36] 13Xia Lan shrinks back in her seat and shoves another dumpling in her mouth. 15[22:37] <@VoxPVoxD> 10To Xu Sim: "How much alchemy have you done with infants and kidney stones?" [22:38] 6Ying: "Wow! Gross!" [22:39] "Infants humans, not so much. Kidney stones, though, yeah a decent amount," 5he says with a shrug. [22:40] 13Xia Lan: "You never cease to disgust me. Could you at least not do it while I'm eating?" 08[22:40] 4Ir: "But while I'm brewmaster enough for it, Eikichi, I'd thank you not to assume my participation if someone's bothered by the outcomes." [22:40] "There's reasons this is a demon game." 15[22:41] <@VoxPVoxD> 10Eikichi: "Gods, that really sucked the life out of everyone, didn't it?" [22:41] 6Ying: "Maybe you can just... play on stage? Fur fun? You both were puretty good..." [22:41] 4Ir: "If you believe that, then maybe you should ask yourself why you're fine." 15[22:41] <@VoxPVoxD> 10To Xia Lan: "Was it this gloomy all those other times you won?" [22:41] "'Fine.'" [22:42] 14Stranger listens intently. [22:42] "Don't pretend to be so faint-hearted, Xia Lan," 5suggests Xu Sim. [22:42] 13Xia Lan: "Yeah, pretty much. First time more than the second, but," 13she gestures to Mr. Tellurian, Pearl, and Sober, "They had a going-away party the second time." 15[22:43] <@VoxPVoxD> 10Eikichi: "But they're still here." 15[22:43] <@VoxPVoxD> Bubo snorts. [22:43] 13Xia Lan looks to the three. "What's up with that, anyway." 15[22:43] <@VoxPVoxD> Pearl, hastily: "Unforseen circumstances at the home office." [22:43] 13Deadpan: "So there you have it." [22:44] Yara makes an adorable smirking face. [22:44] 6Ying: "I guess we're not the only ones causing purroblems." 15[22:44] <@VoxPVoxD> 10Eikichi sees Yara. "Oh no. Them too?" [22:45] Yara transitions to nodding very seriously. [22:45] 4Ir rolls her eyes. 15[22:45] <@VoxPVoxD> 10Eikichi: "I'll say this for Heaven. Whoever does hair out there is phenomenal." [22:46] 14The Ambassador, still a cat, has draped herself across Stranger's neck like a big, mean neckwarmer. [22:46] 14He's being very delicate with his movements. [22:46] 13Xia Lan: "Oh thank the Sun, it wasn't just me." 15[22:48] <@VoxPVoxD> "Anyway, a kidney stone is just a bezoar that's retired. Nothing unseemly about it, unless you're standing under some groaning old man with a tray." [22:48] 14Stranger sips his drink. "Well. There's an image." [22:49] 6Ying: "Furankly it's even worse." [22:49] 13Xia Lan: "Wonderful. Let me finish these dumplings before you talk any further about gross old men, thanks." 13She's most of the way through her platter. [22:49] 5 Xu Sim claps his knees and laughs. "The difference is, you can at least use a bezoar as an antidote to poison. Good luck using a kidney stone to treat a poisoning!" 5 he laughs again. It's only a little unsettling. [22:49] 13How's Tsuka doing on his? [22:50] 14That means he's tried. [22:50] 7Blossom has been downing more vodka at a perhaps unseemly rate. "You should... you should cultivate your Essence to overcome poisons. Then you wouldn't need antidotes." 15[22:50] <@VoxPVoxD> Tsuka's eating more slowly than Xia Lan, mainly because you can only eat dumplings so fast when you're trying to angrily stab them with chopsticks. [22:50] 5 He said, he had some experience with it. [22:50] 13...is he still mad at Xia Lan? Because he has a right to, but also they could have talked about this outside... [22:51] 4When Blossom gets refills, Ir will step behind the bar herself. 15[22:51] <@VoxPVoxD> No, it's like he calmed down and then got mad again. [22:52] 4She brings out bespoke refills for the whole table. 15[22:54] <@VoxPVoxD> 10Eikichi's drinking water now anyway. He wisely got high in his room before coming back out. [22:54] 13Xia Lan pats Tsuka reassuringly, and restocks him on dumplings. 08[22:57] 4Eikichi gets water, then. Such is the power of "Bespoke." 15[22:59] <@VoxPVoxD> Mr. Tellurian: "I don't think I recognized half those songs. How many originals in there?" [23:01] 4Ir: "About a third. I'm a Songbird; we've got large repertoires by trade." [23:01] 4She shrugs. "But when I write something I play it." 15[23:02] <@VoxPVoxD> 10Eikichi pokes at his dumplings. "Those last two I did were songs I wrote. The rest were songs I heard Ir play or songs I remembered growing up." [23:02] 4She chuckles. "He gives me too much credit. I recognized maybe two of mine in there." [23:02] 7Blossom, smugly: "He's a composer." 15[23:06] <@VoxPVoxD> Mr. Tellurian: "You wrote the one you sang to Xu Sim?" 15[23:06] <@VoxPVoxD> 10Eikichi: "Yes." 15[23:06] <@VoxPVoxD> Tsuka: "For who?" 15[23:06] <@VoxPVoxD> 10Eikichi: "No." [23:07] 5 Xu Sim clears his throat, awkwardly. 15[23:07] <@VoxPVoxD> "Sorry about that, by the way." 15[23:09] <@VoxPVoxD> "I was gonna sing to her boyfriend but he was having a rough night already." [23:09] "You... apologize?" 5Xu Sim seems a little taken aback. [23:09] 4Ir snort-laughs at that. 15[23:10] <@VoxPVoxD> 10Eikichi: "I doubt you walked in expecting to be put on the spot like that." 15[23:10] <@VoxPVoxD> "Though I have to say, given the mood in the room I wonder what you all did walk in expecting." 15[23:10] <@VoxPVoxD> Now it's Tsuka's turn to snort. [23:10] 4Make all this food and mix all this liquor, and in between bites people are still going to try to start shit. [23:11] "Apology, heh, accepted." 15[23:12] <@VoxPVoxD> Mr. Tellurian: "You know, if you still wanna play..." 15[23:12] <@VoxPVoxD> "I'd be interested to hear one of your happy songs." 15[23:13] <@VoxPVoxD> 10Eikichi: "I'm sorry?" 15[23:13] <@VoxPVoxD> Mr. Tellurian: "You know. That first song was angry, and the second one was sad. Is all your music like that?" 08[23:14] 7Blossom: "Eikichi makes extremely good happy songs!" 15[23:14] <@VoxPVoxD> Mr. Tellurian: "Right! So I'm saying." 08[23:15] 4Ir can still do a backing band, if Eikichi wants. 15[23:15] <@VoxPVoxD> 10Eikichi: "Happy's a big word." 15[23:15] <@VoxPVoxD> Mr. Tellurian: "You don't have to use all of it." [23:16] 4Could just go with 'pee,' for instance. 15[23:18] <@VoxPVoxD> 10Eikichi: "Most of my happy songs are about Blossom." [23:18] 14Mildly: "You're not saying 'no.'" 15[23:20] <@VoxPVoxD> 10Eikichi: "Yeah..." 15[23:20] <@VoxPVoxD> 10He pushes himself away from the table and goes towards the keyharp, only stumbling once. [23:21] 4Does he want musical help or is he good? 15[23:22] <@VoxPVoxD> 10He could use a horn. Keyharp's more than enough on its own, though. He touches a few tentative notes. [23:22] 4Ir brings up Iscariot, shapes it into a horn... [23:23] 14...And tosses it to Stranger, who is already heading up onto stage. [23:23] 14Stranger: "Hope you don't mind if I take this dance." 15[23:23] <@VoxPVoxD> 10Eikichi shrugs. It's not his horn. [23:23] 4From the floor: "I'm gonna drink" [23:24] 14That's where he's wrong, of course. You're always responsible for your supporting section. 15[23:24] <@VoxPVoxD> 10As Stranger gets up on stage. "You were her second victim, right?" [23:25] "And she was mine," 14he says, testing the Iscariot horn. "And I bet my definition's more stringent than yours." 15[23:26] <@VoxPVoxD> "If you play like her as close as you talk like her, this is going to be great." 15[23:27] <@VoxPVoxD> 10A few more notes. "Yeah. Yeah okay." [23:27] "Mmmmmmm." 14He plays through some scales. "Give me the groove you want." 15[23:28] <@VoxPVoxD> "This is a song," 10says Eikichi, as he plays out something contemplative, "About meeting your god on the road, and finding out you were loved all along." 15[23:28] <@VoxPVoxD> "Like a star come down to walk the earth, in radiant array..." 15[23:28] <@VoxPVoxD> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yQGg58ixXjE [23:28] 14He's good for that. 15[23:29] <@VoxPVoxD> 10And you can't tell me what my spirit tells me isn't true. 15[23:29] <@VoxPVoxD> 10Can you? [23:32] 14Maybe, but I'm just here to play the horn. [23:35] 4When they're done, Ir claps it out with a mouth full of dumpling. Arakesh and 14Ambassador, back in human form now, 4share a look that says 'okay, but where's the beat?' 15[23:36] <@VoxPVoxD> 10Lunars were ahead of their curve on this one. Drums only got big in Pneuma last spring. [23:36] 14That slowness was due to prejudice. [23:37] 4Eh, hard to dispute that. [23:37] 4Doesn't mean you need them to run the room, though. 15[23:38] <@VoxPVoxD> 10The real question, the real question, is this: did Blossom like it? [23:39] 7Of course she liked it! She's blearily clapping as we speak. [23:39] 14Only playing for one person, huh. [23:39] 14There's some virtue to that. [23:44] "He's really good!" 7She insists. 15[23:45] <@VoxPVoxD> Mr. Tellurian: "You don't need to tell me, I just watched him go toe to toe with the best performer I've ever met." [23:45] "He is," 14both the Ambassador 4and Arakesh 14say with different levels of dismissiveness. [23:52] 14And the night wanders onward, full of eating, drinking, talk and music... [23:53] 14END: THE CENTER OF THE SQUARE OF THE CIRCLE