| Johnny's new psychiatrist - and some good bits with Marvin | ||
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You walk into a well lighted room, it's high ceilings lit by dozens of fluorescent lamps hanging from the ceiling. To the south and west are windows, which you would normally expect to see the outside world from, but looking out of them, you see only a misty gray haze. On the walls to the north and the east of the inn are an eclectic collection of paintings, photographs and even holographs of many cheap 1970's to 1980's B-movies. The bar on the east side is made out of hardwood, it's surface polished and shiny. Behind the bar, the various beverages that are served here are kept in relatively neat containers on wooden shelves. There is a large stage in one of the corners of the restaurant with a impressive sound system and a few microphones strung about it. Multiple round wood tables are in this room, near the north wall, is a double swing door that leads to the kitchen. On the east wall is a door leading to the UR's dance club and on the west one leading to the Gym. To the south, is the exit to the outside. A recent addition to the UR is a large fireplace against the west wall, it matches well to the rest of the restaurant and looks like it should have been there all along. Johnny enters talking with his psychitrist. "Is it normal for you to be following me around like this? Shouldn't we be at your office?" He waves at Terry and Crux and goes to his usual table away from everyone. Rock takes another gulp and thinks a moment, "The sooner the better." Dr Leyland nods his head and follows Johnny to his table. "Yeah, yeah... I'm just trying to better understand your situation..." Talena tips her head thoughtfully to one side, dipping a finger in her soda and sucking it off before she nods and straightens up. "O-kay, Rocky baby. I'm off duty tonight, was meant to be taking you along tomozz but thought I'd pop by early, get ta chatter a bit with ya. So, tomorrow good for you, babe? Or the day after? Either's cool wit' me and the biggest bad." Rock says, "Tomorrow will be fine." he nods to himself, "Yes, definitely tomorrow." Dr Leyland stares at Talena a moment before shaking his head and pulling out a small pad of paper that he begins to jot down notes on, "So tell me, Johnny, is this where you go everynight?" Talena grins, "That's great!" She leans back to peer over Rock's shoulder, biting her lip a little bit before she leans forward and rolls her eyes. "...dammit, Leyland, it's tough enough walking around as it is without...." the muttering tails off as she rants under her breath, seemingly having forgotten about Rock for the moment. Fayt hops off of his stool "I better get going, later." Johnny thinks for a long moment before replying, "No, but I do come here alot... I'd say more often than not..." Rock eyes Talena, "Eh? What with the who in the where now?" looks back over his shoulder, then at Talena. Talena straightens up with a perky shrug, waving her hand vaguely. "It's nuffin, babe. How're you enjoying the little gift we gave ya? Got yourself a bike yet?" Rock says, "Uh well I'm not sure which one I want, I keep looking and I can't decide." he finishes his drink. Talena snickers into her soda, in the process of taking a gulp when Rock said that. She reaches over to poke him hard on the arm, "You dummie! 10,000 creds and you're worrying about which -one-?!" Dr Leyland nervously checks his watch. "So... um, I'm sorry. How long did you say you'd been in Neo Tokyo, Johnny?" Rock says, "well y'see I can afford so many it's just...hard to choose, I eman plus I need to take into consideration the fact that I like tuning them too so...eh heh." Johnny says, "Call me NNY...." Glances around the room as he thinks, "Hmm... I think about two months." Talena shakes her head, "Rocky, where'd ya think that ten thousand credits came from? Soon as you spend it, there's more.. this ain't some bribe he's giving you, it's just sharing the wealth. And..." she grins, patting Rock on the shoulder, "-Trust me-. The guy has a lot of wealth." Dr Leyland scribbles in his notepad again, "Ok, NNY.... you've told me that since you've been here you had people trying to help you defeat these 'voices' of yours. Can you tell me about them?" Rock looks a little nervous at the shoulder pat, "O...OK, I'll keep that in mind." Johnny stares at Leyland, confused, "Um... shouldn't we be discussing things like that in private?" Talena grins, "So you should. Still sticking your drinks on my tab? Because, if you're not!" She pats him on the shoulder again, even more insistently this time.. and possibly gives a little squeeze. Just for effect. "You should be! The guy's picking up my bill for me, since this is all work. Y'know?" And at around that point, Terry strolls in through the doors... distractedly fiddling with something in his right hand as he makes his way for the bar. Looking distracted. Dr Leyland runs a hand through his hair and checks his watch again, "NNY, I'm sure no one here cares much about what we're talking about, do don't worry about it. Now, tell me about these 'friends' of yours..." Rock smirks, "Sure thing if you in..." and he goes stunned silent at the squeeze, and scratches the back of his head nervously only to see Terry walk in and then he suddenlly sweatdrops. Terry sighs as he slides onto a barstool, glancing sidelong at Rock and offering a casual wave before he looks across to Sabin. "Double scotch, on the rocks?" Sabin says, "You got it." And thusly takes a glass, pours in some ice, and pours in two shots of scotch, setting it in front of Terry Talena blinks a fair few times, hidden behind her mirrorshades. "...shit..." she murmurs, glancing around for any obvious escape route. After a moment's failed searching, she looks over at Leyland and makes a frantic hand gesture towards Terry.. behind Rock's back of course. Blaze wanders in, yawning. Johnny looks taken back by what the doctor has told him, "Um.. yeah... well... there's that guy." He points to Terry as he walks in... Blaze nods to Rock and Terry, "Hey guys." He too goes to the bar. Terry scoops up the drink and nods thanks to Sabin before turning back to Rock again. "So, what's up? Heard from Jack at all? Coz if you haven't, there's some stuff you need to hear..." slowly it dawns on him that the flash of brightly coloured materials next to Rock might be... "What the hell are you doing here, kid?" he asks with a surprised sneer, leaning forward to look at Talena. Dr Leyland glances over at Terry, then to Talena nodding his head for her to come over to the table he sits at, "Yeah, alright. Can you hold on a moment, Johnny?" Talena slowly lifts a hand, wiggling her fingers in a faint approximation of a wave. Behind the mirrorshades, she glances across to Leyland, cursing inwardly. "Uh.. hey there, Bogard. How's it going with you? Just saying bye to Rocky before I got outta town..." Johnny glances around confused, "Sure... whatever..." He pulls out one of his daggers and begins to twirl it around. Rock blinks and is now trapped in the middle, "Uh, no nothing from Jack at all actually and uh..." oh boy. Dr Leyland runs his hand through his hair a moment, glancing at Talena with an annoyed look. "Excuse me, I'm sorry. Johhny, NNY, you said that he was your friend, can you introduce me to him?" Johnny sticks his dagger into the table, "Sure." Then looking up at Terry he yells, "Hey Terry? Can you come here a second?" Terry gives a small smirk, "Sure you were. I think we need to talk, 'Talon'." He turns back to the bar, shaking his head before he slams back his drink, sliding the empty glass onto the bar and hopping down from his barstool. "'Scuse Rock... some things've gone you don't know about." He shrugs, before walking around Rock and past Talena, and then slides onto the stool next to hers, "So tell me. What part of the 'get the hell away from this town' didn't you understand? What happened to ya little promise, huh?" He waves a hand dismissively at Johnny, staring intently at the brightly dressed girl. Talena lets a little sigh pass her lips. After a moment sitting quietly, letting the questions wash right over her, she turns to Rock with a smile. "Don't forget our date, Rocky baby. Seeya then?" Johnny's face drops as he's blown off by Terry, "Well... he's not usualy like that..." Terry's hand is out like a shot, resting forcefully on the girl's shoulder. "Rock.. what d'you know about this kid and why the hell are you making dates with her?" Rock says, "...I know what I need to know, and She's going to introduce me to someone, that's why." Whoa, Rock's a little snippy all of a sudden. Sabin idly watches the ongoings of the usual quietly Dr Leyland stares at Terry and Talena and taps his fingers on the table. He glances at the depressed look on Johnny's face, "I'm sorry Johnny. That woman over there is another patient of mine, I'm concerened with her well being like I am with all my patients, it's just a little distracting." He stares at Talena a moment longer before focusing his attention back on Johnny, "Now, let's just move on. You can introduce me later..." Talena murmurs, "Babe, game's up. He knows. We already.." she frowns, brow creasing at the remembrance, "..talked." Her hand moving several times faster than Terry's, she reaches into the waistband of her jeans and brings something up to the hand on her shoulder.. metal glinting under the lights of the bar. "Now, babe, if you need -all- of those fingers.. might wanna take your hand OFF my shoulder. Hear me?" She slowly cocks an eyebrow towards Terry, "Do ya?" Ranma wanders into the usual, looking simultaneously about to laugh and looking fepressed at the same time. Terry looks down at his hand, and at the scalpel-like instrument currently being held to his middle finger. He looks up to Talena's face, meeting the gaze of his reflection in her shades, and smirks. "Oh, I hear ya. So what happened? Kain pick you up on your way to Detroit, took out whatever good Jack planted in your sick little heart.. and put you back on full pay?" Johnny pulls his knife out of the table and begins to twirl it again as he looks back up at Leyland, "Yeah, that's Terry. I think that's the first person I ever fought without wanting to kill him. He's always offering me advice and what not..." Talena nods happily, "Pretty much it. Now, you want four fingers or five?" Dr Leyland glances up at Talena and shakes his head again as if he knows what she's doing, "Ok, go on..." Rock narrows eyes at this, Kain.... Ranma plops down at a table and sighs. Johnny guestures to the sleeping Crux, "There's that guy... Cruise.. um.... Crux, he's a doctor or something. He can be pretty nice sometimes, but he sleeps alot..." Terry slowly slips his hand from Talena's shoulder, underneath the threatening blade. He nods, "Okay. So this is the way it's gonna go now - you get the hell outta here before my next attack sends you out through the wall." He glances across to Rock, "Whatever she told you, don't believe it. She's working for your uncle, and doesn't mean you anything but harm." He looks back to Talena, "Well? Getting outta here?" Dr Leyland looks at Crux a moment and begins to scribble on his notepad feverishly. Over hearing Terry, he looks up and watches them for a moment. Talena frowns, tucking the blade away even quicker than she produced it.. virtually invisible to the eye. She looks to Rock, raising a smile despite her current irritated state. "Whatever -he- tells you, don't even listen. 'K babe? So I'm working for Mr. Heinlein? Y'know, big fricking deal.. you -know- he means well. Right?" Rock looks at the bar not looking at either Terry or Talena he closses his eyes. Ranma asks, "Sabin, gimme yer best non-alchoholic, non-harmful to babies drink, willya?" Terry's eyes flash dangerously, and for a moment he looks about to attack Talena.. to the point that a flare of golden light flickers about his right hand.. but it quickly passes. Thinking of something, he reaches into his jacket pocket and slams something down on the bar in front of the girl. "Before you go.. what's in there? You passed it to me, and I wanna know why." The object is a small plastic tube, a couple of inches in length. Sabin thinks for a second before whipping together a Shirley Temple for Ranma "Howzat?" he asks Dr Leyland shrugs and looks back at Johnny, "Is that all? Do you socialise with anyone else regularly?" Without looking around, Talena reaches out to the side and flips the tube up into the air above Terry's head. "Keep it. You'll need it, trust me." So saying, she sighs before standing up, leaning in to kiss Rock on the cheek. "Later, baby." Ranma blinks, and shrugs. "What is it?" Johnny blushes thinking to himself. "Well... um.... theres this girl that helped me out alot... Um... I can't really talk about her though..." Dr Leyland watches Johnny, now genuinly intrested, "Of course you can. I'm your doctor after all. You can tell me anything..." Rock turns bright red, "B-bye..." Talena smiles brightly, patting Rock's shoulder as she heads for the door. "I'll be 'round to pick you up tomorrow sometime. If ya need me, just call." She stops at the door, looking around to offer a small finger-wave from her gloved hand before she strides out. Or not. She hesitates again, looking back at Terry with a confident smirk. "Oh, and Bogard. Don't think you can beat me, okay? I'm a leetle bit stronger than I look. Laterz." She turns again, actually heading out for real this time... Terry caught the tube, and now rolls it between his fingers, offering nothing but a disdainful chuckle at Talena's parting words. He settles back on his seat, glancing sidelong at Rock. "Seems like we need to talk, huh?" Rock says, "About what?" he gives Terry a look of the, 'You just had to ruin my evening' variety. Johnny thinks for a moment, trying to decide the best course of actions, "Um... I'm just rambling. Anyways, there's this little girl who's always trying to be friendly... but I haven't seen her around in awhile... I guess that's it. I talk to some people, but I wouldn't say they're friends, just people I talk to in passing..." Terry snorts softly, "Rock.." he begins, shaking his head, "Whatever bait Kain's tossed you, it's obviously working. That girl's working for him, y'know? Didn't I make that clear enough?" Rock says, "Yes, you did, and if I recall the other night I said I wanted to find out what the hell is going on with me." he sighs, "What do you want me to do? Sit at home like a good boy for fear I'm gonna learn something?" Dr Leyland begins to look annoyed at Johnny. He scribbles some more in his notebook and puts it away, sighing. "So... um... what makes you believe your voices are real? You say you've seen them?" Johnny stares wide eyed at Leyland, "Alot of people have seen them. They're going around trying to kill people!" Dr Leyland runs his hand through his hair as he glares at Johnny, "Kill people? Johnny, I'm enclined to believe your just expressing your inner voices outwardly. They only have power if you give it to them. It's all in your head..." Terry shakes his head, "No... no, that's not what I want you do. I want you to be a bit more careful.. Kain's here, and he's got something in mind. I've seen this happen to you before Rock, and the fact that the 'other you' doesn't seem to be around kinda arouses my suspicions a little!" He stands up, running a hand through his hair, "I know he doesn't wanna kill you, though. Yet. So if you wanna go and see what this is about, be my guest, but don't go trusting his little henchmen and don't go trusting -him-. Okay? Ryuji Yamazaki's already under his thumb, and that makes me feel anyone else he employs is gonna be in the same vein." Rock sighs, "Sure, while I'm at it would you like Meilin to pack my lunch so you don't have to worry about any bullies stealing my lunch money?" Terry can't stop a small, amused smirk touching his lips, quickly rallying and shaking his head with a sigh. "No. I know you can look after yerself, Rock - maybe better than I can, to judge by what happened the other night. Just try and think, huh? I'm getting a pretty good impression of what's going on, and this isn't gonna go well for any of us. You're seeing Kain tomorrow?" Johnny stabs the table with his knife, trying to release all his rage with it. "All in my head?? God, I wish it was all in my head. Then I might be able to sleep at night! I used to be like you. I used to think it was just me. But ever since I came here, they've been coming and going as they please. Hell, I've even got this, " He pulls out Noodle Boy's dagger and sticks it in the table next to his own, " Is that just in my head?" Rock says, "...Yeah. I am." he sighs, "I'm sorry if I'm being an ass it's just...I feel like I'm going crazy." Dr Leyland stares at the dull knife with no intrest, "That proves nothing. It's just an old dagger. You could have picked it up anywhere and convinced yourslef that you got it from this voice of yours...." Sabin says, "A Shirley Temple. Should be awright. no alcohol er anything." Terry nods quietly, "That's okay. Do what you gotta do. Look.." he runs a hand through his hair again, looking out of the window briefly before he turns his attention back to Rock, "Me and Jack -know- where Kain's hiding out. We can get there any time, but I just want you to know I won't be there tomorrow. I won't be looking over yer shoulder, okay?" Ranma nods, and takes said drink. "Arigato Sabin." Rock nods slowly, "I understand. I'll be careful." Johnny growls at Leyland, "I thought you where supposed to be helping me..." Dr Leyland says, "I'm trying to help you. Either you can try to help yourslef... or... I could set you up for some advanced treatment, but if your not strong enough, or if there's some validity to your claims, it would be disasterous..." Terry smiles a bit, then gives a shrug. "Good. I'm gonna go train for a bit. Be in the dojo back home if you need me." Johnny screams at Leyland, "Stong enough?? I've been to hell and back, literaly!" Ranma says, "Hey Terry, take care, eh?" and sips her drink, still looking somewhat depressed. Dr Leyland nods his head looking really convinced of Johnny's sanity now... heh, "Of course you have... but what we need to see is how much of this is just you convincing yourself of these actions..." Terry grins over at Ranma, "Heya, Ranma. Sure, you too." He tosses her a casual wave before heading for the door, calling out to Johnny before he leaves. "Don't still need me, do ya?" Rock says, "Alright, see ya later Terry." he sighed to himself staring at the bar again. Johnny pulls the two knives out of the table and glaring at Leyland, ready to attack, "CONVINCING MYSELF???" Dr Leyland jumps to his feet, his hands outstreatched to Johnny in a peacful, yet terrified look, "Now, there's no need to go this far, NNY. Just calm down..." Johnny inches closer to Leyland, "I'll show you 'calm down'..." Dr Leyland pulls out a buisness card and sits it on the table as he moves for the door, not turning his back to Johnny for a second, "Look, just come by Monday and we'll get you started on the advanced treatment, alright? Now I'm gonna go..." Johnny stabs the card in frustration, then puts away his knives, glancing briefly at the card as he does so. After a moment he sits down and sighs to himself... A wall or floor or ceilling corruscates with golden traceries of light, a feminine figure outlined in a matching golden aura, at least where it contacts the surface appears as Ms. Makuhari dives through solids like they were non-existant. Ms. Makuhari heads for the bar and orders a tumbler of kentucky bourbon. Marvin slowly and painfully drags himself into the Usual, going about halfway towards the bar before dropping to the ground, face first. Ranma raises a brow at Marvin, then sips her shirley temple. Johnny looks at the business card one last time before standing and marching out. Marvin makes no attempt to move or show any signs of life. Marvin grudgingly rises to his feet, making a huge show of it, as if the act of moving itself was too much for him to withstand... Ranma says, "Okaay.....he's weird." Marvin stares at Ranma, "Werid? Of all the idiotic concepts for a human to call me... you choose weird... Would you be more comfortable if I cleaned the room for you? I don't need your acceptance, but I am programed to serve. Shall I put myself in a compactor for you?" Ranma says, ".....Okay that was new....." Marvin says, "Thirty seven times older than the Universe itself and you call me new? Perhaps, I can solve your problems for you to the 437th decimal place if it would make you happy... Marvin pick up that piece of paper. Marvin wait here for us... Life. Don't talk to me about life..." Crux Caedon shrugs. "Cricket. Cricket." Ranma asks, "Heh. Angst much?" Marvin glares at Ranma, "Angst? Don't tell me about angst. I have a brain the size of a small planet. I've experienced things far worse than what you refer to as angst. Shall I list them for you?" Ranma blinks, then turns to Crux and shrugs with a smile. "YOU figure it out." Crux Caedon shrugs a bit. "It's an android. What's there to figure out?" He turns to Marvin. "Go play in an airlock. Maybe the door will be a better verbal opponent for you." Marvin turns and begins to slowly and painfuly inch towards the door, "Go play in an airlock, Marvin. Marvin go wash all the phones. Marvin tell us the meaning of the Universe... Life, who needs it..." Crux Caedon shrugs with a chuckle. "Not you, you're an android." Ranma asks, "hey, Atsuko's a cyborg, crux. Lay off the robot jokes, ok?" Marvin slowly turns and stares at Crux, "Yes, I'm an android... and I'm trying to carry out your instructions. There's no airlock near here and I'm making my way to it. I might could get there faster if someone would finaly replace all the diodes on my left hand side..." Crux Caedon chuckles. "Not trying to offend." He waves at Marvin. "Why hasn't anyone so far?" Marvin says, "I've been asking someone to do so since I was first assembled. No one seems to care about Marvin unless they need something cleaned. Would you like me to do your laundry? I really don't mind... It's not like I've got anything more important to think about. A brain the size of a small plannet and your concerned with your laudry..." Crux Caedon blinks. "I don't have any laundry, but thanks for the thought." He looks thoughtful. "You know, if you're such an intelligent android, why not just build a service bot to replace the diodes for you? It's not like anyone here knows how." Marvin says, "Believe me, I've thought of that. But everytime I try they manage to develop some sort of sympathy for my situation. When I explain to them that I'm thiry seven times older than the universe itself and that with the brain the size of a plannet they ask me to pick up a piece of paper, they always kill themselves..." Skeeve enters, with Miriam walking along next to him. Miriam pauses, "What would I be surprised at?" Skeeve says, "How thoughts can grow and take life of their own." Miriam nods, "I know. But... who /started/ thinking them?" Marvin stares at Skeeve, "Life. What a stupid thing. Don't talk to me about life..." Cecil shudders at Skeeve's idea, "Don't remind me." Oh, that's right... he'd know all too well about thoughts taking life of their own, wouldn't he? Ranma is at the bar, drinking a shirley temple, for those interested to know. :) Crux Caedon blinks for a moment. "... You could always try NOT telling them that, and just telling them to fix you. Or you could just tell a human how to do it, if you think they're capable." Skeeve shrugs faintly, heading for a table by the bar. He asides to Marvin, "I wasn't." And pulls himself into a seat. Miriam remains in her place on Skeeve's shoulder, looking at the new faces. Kawatta says, "I'm going to sound like a dork for this, but there are days I honestly miss Ranith." Marvin turns back towards Crux, "A human? Retched creatures. I loathe them. Everytime I engaged in conversation with one they feel they must make some kind of suggestion to better my situation. I've outlived gods. I know more about my situation than any being could possibly understand..." Ranma asks, "How'd the bowling game go?" Skeeve grins faintly, kicking his feet up on the table. "You're right, you do - although, I must say I completely agree with you..." Crux Caedon shrugs. "Then why bother conversing with them?" Cecil plops himself down in a barstool next to Skeeve (and, consequently, Miriam), and orders a round of drinks because he's feeling generous. Or maybe he just wanted to pay for his friends. Or both. "Ranith...? Another unfamiliar name." He's beginning to realize how little he knows about his friends. Skeeve inclines his head towards Kawatta. "Old highschool friends of Kawatta, Omero and I." Miriam keeps her perch, though she sprawls out across Skeeve's shoulder rather happily, "Do you think they have the right sized glasses yet?" Marvin says, "I've tried ignoring them, but they always show up again. I spent a hundred million years not talking just to see what it was like, but it never changes... How I loathe life..." Kawatta says, "Ranith was my first crush, the subsequent death threats killed any hope of anything long before I found out that she'd only sleep with human females." Marvin painfuly inches towards the door, "I'm going to go find that airlock now..." Skeeve nods slowly. "Yeah, that must've been really harsh on you..." | |