m |
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"...What in Tiamat's name is 'Avocado Toast'?" | "...What in Tiamat's name is 'Avocado Toast'?" | ||
+ | {{redmage|It's a kind of cheese.}} | ||
"Something you probably won't like," Jack says, hopping onto a stool. "Given your dietary preferences. Avocado's a fruit." As usual, he doesn't order anything. | "Something you probably won't like," Jack says, hopping onto a stool. "Given your dietary preferences. Avocado's a fruit." As usual, he doesn't order anything. | ||
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Jack Hawksmoor doesn't take it personally, but does correct, "Jack." She's not his boss. She doesn't need to keep things at that much distance. "And you could say that..." | Jack Hawksmoor doesn't take it personally, but does correct, "Jack." She's not his boss. She doesn't need to keep things at that much distance. "And you could say that..." | ||
+ | {{redmage|Jack is also a type of cheese, you know. Best kind, actually. The more you know...}} | ||
"Jack, then." Liyara agrees readily, and tilts her head to one side. "I've read about 'vegetarians'. It sounds dreadfully complicated to me, especially since I know from several very reliable sources that plants feel pain, but..." She shrugs, indicating it's not really a big deal to her beyond her pity for the lack of deliciousness. | "Jack, then." Liyara agrees readily, and tilts her head to one side. "I've read about 'vegetarians'. It sounds dreadfully complicated to me, especially since I know from several very reliable sources that plants feel pain, but..." She shrugs, indicating it's not really a big deal to her beyond her pity for the lack of deliciousness. | ||
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"Yeah, well..." John shakes his head a little bit. "I just went for a walk in the park." Why yes. It was totally intentional! | "Yeah, well..." John shakes his head a little bit. "I just went for a walk in the park." Why yes. It was totally intentional! | ||
+ | |||
+ | {{redmage|Well now you two are making ''me'' want to go for a walk in the park...}} | ||
"I saw." Liyara smiles brightly, not offering any further explanation than that. "Honestly, it was the wise choice. Though you did miss out on a rather irrational conclusion." She shrugs, and then takes the last chicken leg in her dish out and sticks the whole thing in her mouth before pulling out nothing but the bone, which is slightly charred. She chews on it for a bit, looking thoughtful. | "I saw." Liyara smiles brightly, not offering any further explanation than that. "Honestly, it was the wise choice. Though you did miss out on a rather irrational conclusion." She shrugs, and then takes the last chicken leg in her dish out and sticks the whole thing in her mouth before pulling out nothing but the bone, which is slightly charred. She chews on it for a bit, looking thoughtful. | ||
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− | "Indeed." Liyara's word comes out before she's completely finished chewing the chicken, and she blushes a little bit, embarrassed. Apparently eating like a monster is fine, but talking with your mouth full is a faux paus. She swallows, and then continues. "I closed the door, and it worked. Blood of | + | "Indeed." Liyara's word comes out before she's completely finished chewing the chicken, and she blushes a little bit, embarrassed. Apparently eating like a monster is fine, but talking with your mouth full is a faux paus. She swallows, and then continues. "I closed the door, and it worked. Blood of Bahamut, can you believe that?" |
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It's just an empty version of the Usual. But it has less on the walls, no people inside, and is of course, bright orange. "...But having only just determined the rules here, I'd say I'm a novice once more." | It's just an empty version of the Usual. But it has less on the walls, no people inside, and is of course, bright orange. "...But having only just determined the rules here, I'd say I'm a novice once more." | ||
+ | |||
+ | {{redmage|I'll say. Hey, remember the time you almost blew up the UR with a cantrip? Constantine does. Greenpeace does.}} | ||
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"This is my planar mapping spell. Made for showing twenty seven planes in Toril, but used in here, it struggles with... a very large number. Used outside, it doesn't function." ... Ok. | "This is my planar mapping spell. Made for showing twenty seven planes in Toril, but used in here, it struggles with... a very large number. Used outside, it doesn't function." ... Ok. | ||
"...Unless..." She tweaks the image in the air with a sigil corresponding to time. "...I make the right tweaks corresponding to the distance from the Usual." | "...Unless..." She tweaks the image in the air with a sigil corresponding to time. "...I make the right tweaks corresponding to the distance from the Usual." | ||
+ | |||
+ | {{redmage|I could have told you that.}} | ||
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− | At John's laugh, Liyara's eyes smile to match her lips. She looks delighted. "It would seem so." She's glad that John got the implication, because she didn't want to | + | At John's laugh, Liyara's eyes smile to match her lips. She looks delighted. "It would seem so." She's glad that John got the implication, because she didn't want the words to pass her lips. "...And this sigil I added." She points to the one that she was mentioning tweaking. "Isn't a spatial variable. But a temporal one." ... But didn't she say she had to account for the distance from the Usual? Wouldn't that be in space? |
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"Sounds like you're as good at asking for it as I am," the wizard quips. "I swear the magic does it." Wizards. NEVER good at asking. | "Sounds like you're as good at asking for it as I am," the wizard quips. "I swear the magic does it." Wizards. NEVER good at asking. | ||
+ | {{redmage|See? That wasn't so hard, was it?}} | ||
− | A cough from Liyara punctuates the | + | A cough from Liyara punctuates the mage's quip. "...Quite." She reaches out one hand and grabs the baked cod that was delivered earlier, pulling the same trick she did with the chicken leg and just ... somehow... putting the whole thing in her mouth. Without bones in this case, the fish is quickly swallowed. She licks her lips nervously afterwards. "...But in our defense, this place is outside both of our expertise." Yes, it's easier to admit weakness if she's not the only one who's weak. No ego there. |
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"...What are you looking for?" She raises her voice, after realizing that she had lost it. Is there actually a person in there? She ... honestly doesn't know. | "...What are you looking for?" She raises her voice, after realizing that she had lost it. Is there actually a person in there? She ... honestly doesn't know. | ||
+ | |||
+ | {{redmage|It's just an animated pizza mascot, Liyara. It's not like it's scary or anything. Jeez.}} | ||
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− | "No..." Liyara responds slowly, taking her time to look the rabbit over. "...I can't say I have. Did you..." She pauses, glancing around and processing everything the rabbit did in her peripheral vision earlier. "...Did you think he would be under people's plates?" That's an odd place to look for someone. Maybe 'Boss Bear' can shrink? Liyara isn't quite sure. | + | "What? ...No..." Liyara responds slowly, taking her time to look the rabbit over. "...I can't say I have. Did you..." She pauses, glancing around and processing everything the rabbit did in her peripheral vision earlier. "...Did you think he would be under people's plates?" That's an odd place to look for someone. Maybe 'Boss Bear' can shrink? Liyara isn't quite sure. |
"...Is he very small?" | "...Is he very small?" | ||
+ | {{redmage|No, he's a robot. A construct, Liyara. Like a golem. But funner.}} | ||
The rabbit laughs, a very joyful noise while he leans back, mouth open, and lifts an arm to wave a hand. "Oh, wow, no. You're so silly. My boss isn't small. Freddy is about as tall as me! Ha ha ha." It's not a derisive laugh at all, either. It's honestly quite genuine, as if somebody just told a really funny stupid joke to a kid. | The rabbit laughs, a very joyful noise while he leans back, mouth open, and lifts an arm to wave a hand. "Oh, wow, no. You're so silly. My boss isn't small. Freddy is about as tall as me! Ha ha ha." It's not a derisive laugh at all, either. It's honestly quite genuine, as if somebody just told a really funny stupid joke to a kid. | ||
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"...I see." Liyara says, though she sees very little. "I suppose I was simply confused as to why you seemed to be looking under things and people for him. But I must have misunderstood." She stands up a little on her tip-toes, her wings fluttering slightly behind her, as if maybe she could see better into not-organic eyes if she was on level with them. "...You say his name is Freddy?" | "...I see." Liyara says, though she sees very little. "I suppose I was simply confused as to why you seemed to be looking under things and people for him. But I must have misunderstood." She stands up a little on her tip-toes, her wings fluttering slightly behind her, as if maybe she could see better into not-organic eyes if she was on level with them. "...You say his name is Freddy?" | ||
− | What a curious manner of creature. The more she looks it over, the more | + | What a curious manner of creature. The more she looks it over, the more certain she grows that it ''is'' a construct. Or he, rather. Constructs can have presumed genders, too. Liyara's a special kind of racist, but for some reason Toril doesn't have any of the gender hangups that some places do. Probably has to do with spells like alter self. "...And he's a tall bear with a guitar. I'll keep an eye out." She'll keep two! |
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− | Liyara makes a surprised sound when she sees the pirate fox, battle damage and all. Constructs, then. When Hinoken says animatronics, Liyara just looks a hint more confused. Another word that wasnt in any of her reading. "I'm sure they are quite the musicians." She looks amused, and leans back on her table - not doing so much as raising an eyebrow when the lights flicker. She practically fades into the background, just another patron watching local | + | Liyara makes a surprised sound when she sees the pirate fox, battle damage and all. Constructs after all, then. When Hinoken says animatronics, Liyara just looks a hint more confused. Another word that wasnt in any of her reading. "I'm sure they are quite the musicians." She looks amused, and leans back on her table - not doing so much as raising an eyebrow when the lights flicker. She practically fades into the background, just another patron watching local celebrities. |
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Hinoken facepalms at the pun, but nods to Liyara. "Think of them like dolls. Just... big dolls, that can talk and move on their own. It's kind of complicated to explain." he says with a shrug, then takes a seat to watch the antics. | Hinoken facepalms at the pun, but nods to Liyara. "Think of them like dolls. Just... big dolls, that can talk and move on their own. It's kind of complicated to explain." he says with a shrug, then takes a seat to watch the antics. | ||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | {{redmage|Careful, he has a mean right hook! Bet he plays a mean bass, too.}} | ||
With a nod to Hinoken, Liyara gives a small laugh at Foxy's introduction. "He doesn't seem very basic to me." ... Did she make a pun? No. Must be a coincidence. | With a nod to Hinoken, Liyara gives a small laugh at Foxy's introduction. "He doesn't seem very basic to me." ... Did she make a pun? No. Must be a coincidence. |
The Center of the Multiverse* | |||||||||||
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Summary: While trying to experience all the meat Twisted has to offer, Liyara reveals one of Twisted's biggest secrets... That's when the music starts. Who: Liyara, Constantine, Fazbear and Friends, Hinoken, Jack Hawksmoor When: November 7th, 2019. Where: The Usual Restaurant |
"...What in Tiamat's name is 'Avocado Toast'?" "Something you probably won't like," Jack says, hopping onto a stool. "Given your dietary preferences. Avocado's a fruit." As usual, he doesn't order anything.
"...Have any protein recommendations that start with 'a'? I tried Aardvark. I can't say I was impressed." Ew.
"Jack, then." Liyara agrees readily, and tilts her head to one side. "I've read about 'vegetarians'. It sounds dreadfully complicated to me, especially since I know from several very reliable sources that plants feel pain, but..." She shrugs, indicating it's not really a big deal to her beyond her pity for the lack of deliciousness.
"I saw." Liyara smiles brightly, not offering any further explanation than that. "Honestly, it was the wise choice. Though you did miss out on a rather irrational conclusion." She shrugs, and then takes the last chicken leg in her dish out and sticks the whole thing in her mouth before pulling out nothing but the bone, which is slightly charred. She chews on it for a bit, looking thoughtful.
"...Anyway, apparently whatever link was supposed to be behind the door has stabilized now. I took a few pictures because I didn't want to open it, but..." She shrugs. "...Just looks like a more boring version of the same place." ... Of the Usual Restaurant? Well, Harley had been saying it was supposed to lead to another UR.
It's just an empty version of the Usual. But it has less on the walls, no people inside, and is of course, bright orange. "...But having only just determined the rules here, I'd say I'm a novice once more."
"...Regardless, I'm sure we'll know soon enough. I've been working on getting higher level scrying rituals down. It's only a matter of time, now." Someone's confident. Dragons.
"I've already confirmed that it works, but it literally just takes time to work out the changes needed to make anything but the most basic ritual work outside of the Usual." She says this casually, then looks to a skutter. "...I think I'll try the baked cod and the beef wellington next, please." She's on a roll, why stop now?
"Mine resembles the former, at least as I understand it." Liyara has in fact understood a great deal of science since she arrived here. When she gets back, she may just take up alchemy.
The dragon-lady moves a hand out and starts tracing a circle in the air, leaving burning fire there. It doesn't look concrete and usable like when she actually scorches a circle into anything, but it's an excellent visual simulacrum. After a few moments, she has a circle resembling the one she drew on the stage weeks back. "This is my planar mapping spell. Made for showing twenty seven planes in Toril, but used in here, it struggles with... a very large number. Used outside, it doesn't function." ... Ok. "...Unless..." She tweaks the image in the air with a sigil corresponding to time. "...I make the right tweaks corresponding to the distance from the Usual."
Liyara just gestures to the circle, where the sigil she'd indicated rotates until it seems to click into place, glowing brighter than the others. "...Wait until the time is right. So to speak." For someone bragging about how science-y her magic is, Liyara sure is using a lot of metaphor and talking. Maybe she's trying to be mindful of John's earlier answer?
"My problem is thus..." She points at her circle, which with all the modifications she's made into it, looks like it would take a full hour for someone to copy by hand. It's intricate, and exceptionally detailed. "...This is the simplest ritual I know. It takes me a full minute with the modifications I've made." So? "...The sensor into another plane takes me ten." ... Ok. So that's a little while. "...What I'm aiming for is two levels higher." So ten, times ten, times ten? ... Oh.
Fortunately, her food arrives as a distraction. "...Alternatively, I at least need to find a way of replicating it after I do it, so I don't have to do it again." It sounds an awful lot like she's saying she's not good enough to do this spell in a reasonable timeframe. Is that what she's saying?
A cough from Liyara punctuates the mage's quip. "...Quite." She reaches out one hand and grabs the baked cod that was delivered earlier, pulling the same trick she did with the chicken leg and just ... somehow... putting the whole thing in her mouth. Without bones in this case, the fish is quickly swallowed. She licks her lips nervously afterwards. "...But in our defense, this place is outside both of our expertise." Yes, it's easier to admit weakness if she's not the only one who's weak. No ego there.
The dragonkin leans against the bar afterwards and gives a happy little sigh. "...Maybe non-meats aren't so bad if they're around meat." ... High praise.
It isn't until the figure wanders over to have a peek behind the bar that he winds up stopping to scratch thick fingers over his head in apparent thought. Those arms then cross over the rabbit's chest, just underneath a large red bow tie, before a hand lifts to rub underneath lapine chin in even deeper thought. A vacant searching gaze is then passed about the entirety of the visible restaurant interior from where the purple one stands. Odd how those eyes seem to glow red during the pan about.
Slowly, Liyara turns to look at the rabbit. "..." She's seen an awful lot of things, but she never had stuffed animals, and has never seen anything remotely like the artistic style behind the purple thing, let alone a large, person-sized version. It's like most people seeing CGI for the first time. But in reverse. "...What are you looking for?" She raises her voice, after realizing that she had lost it. Is there actually a person in there? She ... honestly doesn't know.
His hands move to his hips and, for a moment, stands akimbo. His voice is a little off, as if it comes from inside the head after all. His shoulders sag and the sound of a sigh follows along with the gesture. "I really thought he was going to meet me here. Boss Bear isn't normally late." Those hands lift from those hips and raise into a shrug, the tail on the back of the rabbit's posterior gives a wiggle, and the figure turns to look over to Liyara. His face shows an expression of curiosity and his mouth articulates so well with spoken words that one could probably lip read: "Have you see a bear around here with a red guitar?" He blinks, twice, despite those clearly not being organic eyes. "Maybe I'm the one that's late and I missed him."
"...Is he very small?" The rabbit laughs, a very joyful noise while he leans back, mouth open, and lifts an arm to wave a hand. "Oh, wow, no. You're so silly. My boss isn't small. Freddy is about as tall as me! Ha ha ha." It's not a derisive laugh at all, either. It's honestly quite genuine, as if somebody just told a really funny stupid joke to a kid. The rest of the question concerning looking under plates goes unanswered just yet, but that doesn't mean the purple rabbit is averse to answering. He's distracted by laughter. He even reaches up as if to wipe away a tear from his left eye that clearly doesn't exist while his bucktoothed smile shows broadly. "Foxy says that Freddy needs to go on a diet, though, but I don't think he's fat or anything. Foxy just likes to tease; it means he cares."
What a curious manner of creature. The more she looks it over, the more certain she grows that it is a construct. Or he, rather. Constructs can have presumed genders, too. Liyara's a special kind of racist, but for some reason Toril doesn't have any of the gender hangups that some places do. Probably has to do with spells like alter self. "...And he's a tall bear with a guitar. I'll keep an eye out." She'll keep two!
Yet, suddenly, "Wait, you aren't a fan? I can't believe you aren't a fan. You're so adorable! ...wait, that means you don't know Freddy? Or Foxy? Or Chica? Or...me!" With a little bounce, the rabbit spreads his arms wide and wiggles his large fingers while slowly lifting his arms higher and- the damnedest thing can be heard in this buildup coming from the rabbit: a rolling snare drum? "Oh boy, you better bet a beautiful billion that bashful becomes brave bit by bit being by the Buddy Bunny Bard, Bonnie!" Trumpets and fanfare sound at the crescendo. "That's me!" ...and then the sound of children cheering 'yay!'? Yep. And those are definitely mechanical eyes. And they definitely have an almost imperceptible glow.
She floats back down as musical sounds start coming from the rabbit. She tilts her head to one side, then another as Bonnie introduces himself properly, and ... he has a soundtrack. And children cheering? She doesn't bother glancing around, she knows there are no children in here. How curious. Perhaps some sort of... magic mouth.... cast inside the construct? Suit? She's still guessing. "Well, I'm Liyara." She doesn't say it's nice to meet Bonnie, because honestly, she doesn't know if it is. And she doesn't say it's a pleasure for the same reason. But it is fascinating. "I'm glad to have the opportunity to make your acquaintance." That much is true. Pleasant or not, she definitely likes interesting.
"I mean, I can't play without a guitar. It just wouldn't the same, you know?" As such, in example, the rabbit strikes an air guitar pose and plays a little silence. "Oh, jellybeans, Liyara. It's not nearly as fun. But...I'm sure he'll show sooner or later. Do you like to play songs?" Bonnie goes silent after asking his question, as to be expected of the general practice of asking questions, but the way his ears lift higher and the way he holds the pose still almost seems like he's waiting on the children watching at home to play along and answer, too.
By the rabbit's standards, anyway. Liyara has very eclectic tastes in music - even for someone from Faerun. "...I'm sure there are people who could help you find the guitar, though! Have you tried the visitor center?" Yes, because that will go well.
The rabbit is practically giddy and bouncing from foot to foot. It may not make a lot of sound, but the shifting of the figure's body, soft and fuzzy as it is, seems to reveal the fact that it is somewhat heavy. "Oh, oh, but I can't really play it without my guitar. Oh, drumsticks and sadface. Why don't you just tell me about Visitor Center instead?" Bonnie doesn't exactly have a seat. He's a bit large and seems a bit too animated in conversation to be one to sit for long.
"...Might be worth your while." There's just something... off about Bonnie. But while it's pretty easy to identify, it's difficult for Liyara to describe. She doesn't have the framing or context to explain it properly. Dragon.
In reply, the rabbit offers a shrug. "Freddy was supposed to be here with my guitar so I could practice, but he's late. Boss Bear doesn't like it when the rest of the band is late so he usually sets a pretty solid example to lead us by. I'm probably worrying over nothing, but I'm just so excited!" As other customers leave the restaurant, another pushes through the small group instead of stepping aside. Clonk, clunk, clank. Are those footsteps?
When Hinoken pops out, Liyara offers him a wave, and a radiant smile that could melt, well, anything that smiles could melt. Ah, so the bunny bard is to be part of an entertainment troupe. That follows, yes it does. "It sounds like someone knows you here after all!" She manages to say that with delight, because she has practiced such things. In truth, she's just surprised. Are creatures like this really commonplace here? It's just so... she doesn't have the word for it. "...Are those footsteps?"
Bonnie is large and soft and looks very clean and uncanny. Foxy...looks like he was once very soft and clean. But, now? Whatever illusion Bonnie has in appearance is lost in execution with the fox -- that wears simple brown trousers -- and has an eyepatch -- and has a hook for a right hand -- because the fox simply looks incomplete or...damaged. Nonetheless, the pirate-themed character crosses the restaurant with something in his hand: a red Flying-V guitar. Well, that's clearly not Freddy. "You brought it!" Bonnie bounds over to scoop the instrument up and give it a welcoming hug before offering the pirate fox a high five. The fox obliges using his left hand. "Where's Freddy? He's late." "Aye, that he be, bun. He thought he saw somebody he be knowin' and needed to be sure it be Him." The much more masculine voice with what some would consider a stereotypical (or easily recognizable) pirate/sailor accent. The vulpine figure, for what fuzzy parts aren't ripped or completely missing to expose mechanical parts or internals, glances to Hinoken before giving Liyara an eyeing over. While Bonnie is very bright and curious and colorful in personality, whatever might be off-feeling about the rabbit is nothing compared to the fox. That cycloptic gaze is almost suspicious. "Be sure it was whom?" Foxy repeats, "Him." Bonnie's eyes go wide, but for only the quickest of moments, before whispering, "...oh..." That's strange. Did the lights just dim for a moment? "Okay. I'll just practice, then. Um, this is Liyara and she might want to watch us play."
The fox, this Foxy so introduced, takes a little stage bow. "Aye, and I be th' craftiest pirate t'ever sail the many seas. Swashbuckler, sailor, plunderer, luck-pilferer /and/ charmer." It's so over the top silly in concept that it really does feel unrealistic, yet...they are clearly real thinking and reacting things. "Charms? Luck?" "Aye, bun." "But, Foxy, I didn't know you were Irish." Rimshot. No. Really.
With a nod to Hinoken, Liyara gives a small laugh at Foxy's introduction. "He doesn't seem very basic to me." ... Did she make a pun? No. Must be a coincidence. As Foxy introduces himself further, the dragon-lady just muses to herself, watching him. With the glowing eyes and the dimming lights, one might think she got the sensation that there's more to them than just mere constructs, but really, she's just along for the ride, now. They're strange, unusual, somewhat fuzzy constructs that make music. They're definitely the strangest thing she's seen today, or even since she got here. But they're not the strangest things she's *ever* seen. So she can cope. Somehow.
A sudden burst of volume comes from the rabbit as he seems to serve as a needed amplifier that interrupts Foxy's baseless threats with the notes played, despite not...actually...plugging the guitar into anything (or even himself). The articulation and coordination of those fingers, thick as they are, over the neck and strings is honestly an impressive feat of engineering. The seemingly random jam of heavy metal power chords ends with a slip right into the notes starting one song in particular. A song named Barracuda by a group called Heart. One of Bon's favorite groups. Bonnie smiles over at Foxy, clearly thrilled to have his guitar back, although some of the patrons may not appreciate the volume of which this celebration is presented. Foxy seems distracted enough to simply tap a metal foot and silently air guitar along with...with a hook as a pick. Bonnie looks back to Liyara and Hinoken for approval.
Foxy does interject, however. "Bun, ye best not play in here if ye want t'practice our set, aye? No good giving it all away." Stopping his playing, the rabbit smiles. "You're right. That's even something Boss Bear would say!" Saying this, however, causes the fox to grumble as he clearly doesn't appreciate the comparison. The group must have quite a strange dynamic between each of the members. "Well, I need a place to practice." In unison, which some might find creepy, both fox and rabbit look directly to Hinoken for a suggestion on where to move along.
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