open!!!!

[rhygret]

Who: Rhys & y'all
Where: Leith, Qresh
When: Week 4 and beyondish
Summary: Catch-all for varies pregame stuff, ch2 stuff and threads in general.
Restrictions/Warnings: We gon get bro up in hurr


[ ooc; hmu via pm or owlits and let's do a thing!!! ]

Comments

Vaughn; W3 sickness sometime

[rhygret]

[ So Rhys has felt...better. Obviously. I mean he's been unfortunate enough to catch an illness that has the ever-so-undesirable endgame of killing roughly half the people who contract it, but fortunate enough that he's Qreshi and therefor first in line for a cure once it becomes available. Which means he doesn't slip into a coma never to open his eyes again, but he does get saddled with the aches and pains, the fever and fatigue and general overall discomfort that comes with being sick.

He's on the road to recovery and for the most part his hallucinations have stopped, cleared to go home and rest there instead of being stuck in a Leithian hospital any longer. The best part is that he's not contagious anymore either which means his parents permit his return and he also doesn't have to worry about infecting his best bro, who is the Best of the Best for coming to pick him up from there in the first place. After Rhys made him swear to get inoculated first.

So he's home now, mildly feverish and miserable, curled up on the couch with a blanket tucked tightly around him as he shivers and stares blearily ahead.

He's thirsty :c ]

...Vaughn?

[ So naturally the does the first adult thing that comes to mind: croaking miserably for his bestie. ]

[moneyman]

[ honestly, Vaughn's fussy about his best friend even in the best of times—doubly so ever since Rhys Fucked Up and got involved in with the Resistance—but him getting sick had been the icing on the anxiety-cake, especially with the associated mortality rate. at some level, he knew Rhys's lofty status meant the chances of an outcome like that were significantly lower, but that didn't stop him from fearing the worst. he couldn't help it.

the contagion factor was the only thing that kept him away while his friend was in the hospital. both because Rhys wouldn't allow it, and because even if he did manage to get in there somehow, he'd just get kicked out immediately. biohazards were a hell of a thing, even if Leithian hospitals were pretty reliably clean. he'd been immunized as soon as soon as he possibly could—he would have done it even if Rhys hadn't insisted, of course, having some sense of self-preservation, but the most important thing was that it allowed him to bring Rhys home.

after giving him what was probably the most relieved and elated hug he'd ever given anyone in his life, that is. it was all he could do to keep in mind the associated aches and pains so he didn't squeeze too hard.

now that they're back home, he doesn't stray far from Rhys's side. he missed him, for one thing, and then there's stuff like this. the poor guy is understandably needy in this state, and he'll do whatever he asks of him. a side effect from his past as the other man's friend-servant, perhaps, but mostly because he genuinely cares. he's just in the next room when he hears Rhys call for him—he'd been hoping to let him get some sleep, but that clearly wasn't happening. he's kneeling at Rhys's side only a short moment later, having hastily dropped whatever he'd been doing.

he has priorities. ]

Hey. How are you feeling? You need anything?

[rhygret]

Water would be so perfect right now, [ Rhys manages out hoarsely with a smile that's only half as smug and self-assured as he usually tries to manage. Mostly it's just sappy and happy and all sorts of grateful to have Vaughn there when he needs him most. He feels bad for having to ask and bug him sure, but it's also just....really nice. To have someone look after him.

He can't think of anyone else he'd call for help besides his best man after all. (No, really. He's not sure whop else he would call in this kind of situation). ]

[moneyman]

Water? I think I can handle that. [ he offers Rhys a reassuring pat on the shoulder before pushing himself back up and heading towards the estate's massive kitchen. he knows exactly where everything is, of course, having lived there most of his life (and fetching things for Rhys for much of that), so it doesn't take him long to return with a glass of ice water in hand.

there's even a straw in it, to make it even easier on him. maybe. whatever, it's the thought that counts, right? regardless, he offers it to Rhys with much the same politeness that was expected of him for so long. he doesn't have to act that way anymore, but he tends to do it anyway. ]

You're not dehydrated, are you? I probably should have made sure you had water before this. [ he rubs the back of his neck thoughtfully. ] Sorry. Do you want anything else?

[rhygret]

[ Vaughn's officially too good for him. Ice and a straw? And he didn't even ask for it. Heck the moment Vaughn runs off to get it for him Rhys just closes his eyes as his head swims, practically almost dozing for the few moments it takes to procure his drink. He wishes he could've gotten it himself but not even his cyberware is enough to keep him properly balanced and powered long enough to do more than basic walking. He doesn't trust the response time on his....everything, actually.

So when Vaughn shows up again Rhys cracks a tired but incredibly fond smile and hums a negative. ]

Don't even worry about it. This is perfect, this is...thanks--Vaughn. [ Rhys pushes himself up enough so that he can drink this without being horizontal, huffing a little with the effort. ] Sorry you have to play nursemaid, heh.

The 4-way; W4

[rhygret]

[ Which is to say it's movie night in the Quad now that none of them are sick anymore. Sure technically speaking the only ones who were sick were Rhys and Steph on account of Giovanni being a bioweapon and Vaughn being told to stay on Qresh until he could be inoculated, but that's besides the point. They're young! They're healthy! Which means it's time to get wild.

Rhys has made all the preparations: his entire collection of Sean Ex Machinus 13: Remastered has been queued up on the massive full-length screen in the viewing room downstairs, the bar's been stocked not with Hokk, but sugary-sweet and carbonated juices, chips of three varieties have been prepared, and most importantly there is an Entire Quart of Ice Cream each sitting in the mini freezer between the plush couches waiting to be devoured.

So yeah. Tonight's gonna rock. ]

This is it man. This is going to be the movie night. Giovanni and Steph'll take one look at this set-up and know they're in for the best night of their lives.

[ Rhys's hands are fisted against his hips with undeniable pride, a confident smirk on his face as he turns to look at his wingman for this most bro of evenings. Yeah maybe he put this together a little last-minute and maybe he's not entirely well again, but he's well enough for this! Hanging out, watching some movies...having people besides Vaughn over. Normal people stuff! Cool friend stuff. ]

Can you believe the guy's never had a day off?? I mean, what's that about right? Besides the whole, uh, weapon part. But still you know? Those guys should take time to chill too. And who better to show them that than us?

[moneyman]

[ right, yeah. wild. he's known for getting wild. you know, in his imagination, maybe.

movie night wasn't really a new thing for him. he grew up in this house, and despite technically being a servant, he still reaped a lot of the benefits of living with a spoiled Qreshi kid. a giant-ass screen to watch movies on whenever they wanted was pretty normal. all things considered, his life could have gone a lot worse, even if the two of them didn't always get along back then.

Rhys usually got to pick the movie, though, naturally. he's probably seen all of these 900 times by now. but it was Rhys's idea, and these were Rhys's friends more than they were his, so it was only fair. plus, he kinda likes these movies. they may be dumb as hell, but they're entertaining, even on the fifteenth viewing. whether the other two agree with that remains to be seen. ]

Never a day off, huh? [ "wonder what that's like," he almost wants to say, but he won't. that was a long time ago, and they've both changed a lot since then. ] Yeah, must be super lame. Buuut you're right, everyone needs chill time, and we're definitely... uh, experts. On chill time. [ he grimaces at how stupid that sounds. whatever, it'll be fun. probably. ]

[rhygret]

Totally, bro. [ They are the Chill Masters even if no one but them...thinks so. It's not important. What is is that Steph should be bringing Giovanni over soon, and that's when this show is going to get on the road.

He can't wait to dig into that Pralines and Creme. ]

Think we're missing anything?

[moneyman]

Uh... I dunno, what could possibly be missing? We have food, we have drinks, we have... people coming over, allegedly...

[ he scratches the back of his head thoughtfully and glances around the room, as if some genius idea might come to him by looking at couches. (it doesn't.)

although... ]

—Actually, do you think we should have like... a backup movie? What if they don't like these? They're not gonna wanna watch twenty of them if they don't even like the first one.

[ not that there's any good reason for someone not to like them, of course, but some people just have shit taste. it's a fact of life. ]

[rhygret]

What, you don't think they'll like Sean Ex Machinus 13?? That's like...it's classic. You haven't lived until you've experienced the action-packed adventure that is Sean Ex. [ It should be compulsory at all schools in the Quad tbh. Sean's a goddamn dream and there is no better action hero anywhere in all of creation as far as he's concerned.

...But just in case. ]

How about Armageddon Day? The one with the guy, you know--from the thing? Yeah sure the plot's a little similar but I mean it's no Sean Ex.

[ It's basically Star Wars vs Star Trek. Rhys is that big a nerd. ]

Steph & Vaughn; pregame cr?

[rhygret]

[ WHEN THIS TAKES PLACE IS NOT IMPORTANT, because what is important is that it takes place at all. This is The Trip: the outing he and Vaughn have been planning for weeks now. It's taken coordination, plotting, careful devising and more than a few underhanded tactics to get them to this point, but they're here now:

Utopia.

Yeah maybe it's got a Reputation^TM for all that gambling, sex and drug stuff, but oh man. The sweet tech available at this place is just--killer. This place brings all sorts of stuff from all over the Quad and beyond, some of it rumoured to have come from even before people settled in the Quad. And tonight? There is a retro mechanization telecommunications supplier doing an antique roadshow for rare (and admittedly obsolete) pieces Rhys knows Vaughn is going to flip over.

So naturally Rhys has ditched his Kendry colours (don't want to attract the wrong kind of attention in Utopia or at home), called up his trusty pilot, and donned his best pair of ugly socks. He is ready for this. ]

Ohhoho man I can't wait, just think about when we get there. Apparently this guy? The one with this showcase? He's going to have actual Milk Way tech. Like, can you believe it?? Those are practically relics!

[eggplanting]

[Most of the time, Steph wears her Company uniform on these little field trips with Rhys, regardless of where exactly they're going, but she's decided that she's best off in something a lot more neutral. Which means she looks like a Killjoy, with a lot of black and a lot of leather, but that's probably a good thing in Utopia.

She's still not entirely sure about this, but she has her hands in her pockets, looks a little like she's ready to shank anyone who gets too close, and manages an eye roll at how excited Rhys is for this nonsense.

She doesn't even know what a Milky Way is.]

[moneyman]

[ meanwhile, Vaughn is like a kid in a candy store. he doesn't care about the drugs (not the type), or the gambling (too frugal), and definitely not the sex (not interested), but he is a massive nerd, and despite having an appearance and demeanor that probably screams "what the fuck are you doing here" to anyone else in this place, he's into it. the tech part, that is. the rest of it doesn't matter. what matters is old garbage vintage technology.

the atmosphere is also exciting. who knows what kind of weird shit is going on in the shadows of this place? probably a lot of the aforementioned stuff he'd have no interest in, but still. exciting. ]

What? [ he grabs Rhys's arm like a kid who just found out he's going to whatever the equivalent of Disneyland is. or maybe this is the equivalent of Disneyland for him? ] Are you serious? That's amazing! How did you—

[ ...and then he glances over at Steph, suddenly realizing their enthusiasm is not exactly shared. he offers her an apologetic look, even though she's undoubtedly used to this by now. he feels kind of bad, regardless. he's been dragged places with Rhys for most of his life, but he actually enjoyed most of it. this isn't the same. ] —Uh, I mean, how long do we have until the show? Maybe we can find something to pass the time that we're all interested in?

[ probably not, but at least he's trying. ]

[rhygret]

[ ...Oh right, Steph's here too.

NO KIDDING Rhys knows she's here, he wouldn't have asked anyone else to come fly for him. He gets Attached like that, but Vaughn should know that all too well by this point. An iota of kindness is all it takes with this attention-starved idiot, and when he sees his bestie spare a sympathetic look to Steph Rhys follows and tries to offer her a Charm Smile^TM. ]

We've got some time. But I don't know, looks like someone's got their Work face on. Come oooon--what's the matter? This is gonna be awesome.

[eggplanting]

[When Vaughn loses a little bit of that enthusiasm to be sympathetic she does feel a little guilty, because it's not like she doesn't want them to have fun, this place just puts her on edge.]

My work face is on cause I'm working. [She makes a face at Rhys, before looking over at Vaughn.] Don't worry about me, you guys can do your thing, I'll just be keeping an eye out for trouble.

[She trusts no one here, not a single person, and Rhys and Vaughn both look like easy targets.]

party hard

[eggplanting]

[Steph has been to some of the nicer clubs on Leith, thanks to Rhys inviting her along to various outings as his pilot-slash-friend, but nothing could have prepared her for this, and she's incredibly glad that Rhys decided to treat her to a) hair styling a b) a mani-pedi because she feels out of place enough as it is. Her dress is a knock-off, but it looks almost Qreshi, and with Rhys in Kendry colors they'd figured that no one would question it.

So far no one has, but she's gotten a few slightly judgmental looks from some of the other party-goers and had slunk a little closer to Rhys in response, as if his aura of royalty could protect her. Mostly, though, she's trying not to give a shit about what anyone else thinks, which normally comes easy to her, it's just that she's completely out of her element.

But there's expensive hokk and free food (ridiculously good food, but in tiny servings and weird combinations; she's pretty sure she ate something that was made entirely of foam and bubbles), and really, she's enjoying herself.]

Quick question, what the hell is that?

[She's pointing to a glass cloche filled with green smoke; it's probably some kind of fancy alcoholic vapor because like, what the fuck rich people?]

[rhygret]

[ That's...probably not far off from the truth, honestly. ]

What, you've never had vape-cake? [ It's not actually cake. It's just what Rhys calls it, mostly because he can. He's also never tried it himself either but he wants to seem Capable and Confident in a situation he's finally suited and adapted for. He may be the odd one of his family out, but he's been raised with pretentious assholes since birth. These are his people.

Which means he knows how to play the "smile but actually I wish you were dead" party game, which he does with stunning fashion and finesse as he stays at Steph's side. Ass he may be, but he isn't about to ditch her when she's his...uhh. Friend--his friend, for the evening. Company? Company friend.

That. ]

[eggplanting]

[boi]

I'm gonna go out on a limb here and tell you that I've likely never tried any of the food here.

[It seems a pretty safe bet to make, considering Heston Blumenthal would be jealous of the fare that Qreshi royalty can serve when they're partying hard.

But seriously:]

Is it like, cake flavored mist?

[rhygret]

What?? No, why would you think that? [ Because you called it cake, loser. ]

It's--you inhale it and it relaxes you. Kind of like a blueberry-scented sedative? Only it lasts for like, twelve hours. Great for exam period.

[eggplanting]

You called it cake!

[It seemed like a reasonable guess to make based on the information she had at hand, and honestly, it sounds like the better option.]

But I'm gonna pass on that one. [yikes!] What's the nicest thing here? That isn't drugs.

[The clarification seems important.]

Angel; W4

[rhygret]

[ So Rhys is back at work. Tired, wishing her weren't, but back at work. So naturally the first thing he does is boot up his data screen and launch Angel's "application" with as cheerful a voice as he can muster. ]

Morning Angel. Anything on the docket for today?

[r3f4c70r3d]

[As always, the screen lights up, cool blue washing over Rhys's face, arms, keyboard, and the symbol in the center pulses as she speaks]

Welcome back. How are you feeling?

[And there is some delight in her tone, she's genuinely happy he's not y'know, dead. Guy is obnoxious but not a terrible person, and the first of her current contacts to be openly friendly towards her...and that's nice.]

There's been an update while you were away, would you like to see what's new?

[rhygret]

Honestly? I've been better. But I'm good enough to be at work and hey, not dead! Which is...more than a lot of people can say. Wow. Uhh. [ THAT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE A JOKE and then it got 2real. Rhys trails off a tad awkwardly, and coughs. ]

S-so yeah, better. Let's take a look at that new stuff you mentioned.

[r3f4c70r3d]

[Good one Rhys...]

Check this out!

[And with that the screen goes dark for a moment, only to relight a second later. This time, instead of Just a symbol on the screen there is the face of a young woman. She and her background are blown out, making her features less distinct, but it's still clear that she has long dark hair parted to the side, and big blue eyes. To Rhys this will probably seem like a very impressive animation, she looks almost real but the lighting makes her seem ethereal, inhuman. The girl on the screen smiles at him.]

Pretty cool, right?

[rhygret]

[ That's...that sure is something, and for a moment Rhys balks at what he's seeing and thinks, holy crap--the AI's a girl! But that would be silly. AIs don't turn into people, that's--I mean, that'd be cool but also totally implausible and not at all what he's thinking about right now as he gapes. ]

No...way, are you kidding me--you got a simulated GUI??? [ This is officially the coolest thing ever. ] Ohhh my god, please. Please tell me who coded that, I think I want to kiss them. This is...this is incredible Angel.