Clone City. The main assembly room. Jav and 'Mu come for a visit.

[random_xtras]

Jav looked around as he and his wife stepped through the portal, still thinking that Fi was nuts.

But then he blinked as they came into a huge room (it must have been intended as some sort of hanger) that teemed with clones. All were busy pursuing recreational activities as diverse as sitting and listening to someone talk or playing DDR on the row of machines against the inner wall. Others were good-naturedly yakking away to the accompaniment of mild violence and laughter. And here and there one could be seen seriously teaching some small colourful pet toy this command or activity.

The hyper clone's mouth spread into a wide grin as he reached for Jeimu's hand. "Would ye lookit that?"

Comments

[jeimu.livejournal.com]

Jeimu also looked around with wide eyes.

"It was bad enough when there were only five of you," she breathed.

[random_xtras]

"Hi!" There was suddenly a tiny blond standing in front of them, about Sal's height and with a figure that seemed built for carrying babies. "Are you looking for somebody? Oh, I'm Ang." She held out a small four digited hand as her face broke into a sunshine smile that lent her face stunning beauty.

[jeimu.livejournal.com]

"Hi." Jeimu shook Ang's hand. "I'm Jeimu. This's Jav. And we weren't looking for anyone... were we?"

[random_xtras]

"Naw." He grinned down at the blond girl, then looked back toward what had caught his eye. "But I wanna git in that dice game afore it starts."

Ang looked that way. "The guy in the green shirt cheats."

[jeimu.livejournal.com]

Jeimu laughed. "Well I guess I'm just going to have to go play DDR. Do you have any Heavy players here, Ang?"

[random_xtras]

"Yes." She stooped to pick up her white cat as Jav gave his wife a quick kiss and hurried toward the game. "Most of the Commandos are."

She straightened and rubbed her cheek on Present's head. "He cheats too, doesn't he?"

[jeimu.livejournal.com]

"Perfect. And yes. He just doesn't like to talk about it."

[random_xtras]

"I thought so, because he didn't get mad." Ang nodded, then smiled as Present mewed softly and reached out her nose to say hello to Jeimu, white whiskers twitching as she smelled another cat on the small woman.

[jeimu.livejournal.com]

Jeimu reached out and tickled the cat under the chin. "She probably smells Walter on me," she said apologetically.

[random_xtras]

"Is Walter a cat?" asked Ang as Present closed her wide blue eyes and purred appreciatively.

[jeimu.livejournal.com]

"He looks like one," Jeimu said with a grin, "but I don't think he thinks he's one. He's a strange little being."

[random_xtras]

"Does he think he's a person? Some people think that Present thinks that."

Present straightened and gently patted at Jeimu's fingers with a soft paddy paw.

[jeimu.livejournal.com]

"I think he thinks he's a dog. He follows my friend's Newfoundland around all the time."

[random_xtras]

"And Newfoundland is a kind of dog?" Ang checked to be safe, her wide eyes intent on Jeimu's face.

[jeimu.livejournal.com]

"Oh." Jeimu blinked and did a surface read. Ang was smart, yet simple. She would need to be careful to explain things. "Yes, it is. It's also the name of an island."

[random_xtras]

"I remembered the island." Her sunshine smile flashed. "Because my computer was just telling some of the guys about it."

Then she glanced toward the DDR machines, absently pushing her hair behind her ear and exposing the scar on her forehead. "Oh look, Boss's looking for someone to play with."

[jeimu.livejournal.com]

She chuckled. "Alright, be right back."

Jeimu launched herself toward the machine where the sole clone was scrolling through songs.

"Need a partner?" she asked, all smiles.

[random_xtras]

The clone commando blinked at the unfamiliar female voice, and glanced toward her ring finger before he understood. "Oh, you play? Sure! I play Heavy, though."

[jeimu.livejournal.com]

"Do I play..." Jeimu scoffed, and glanced at the machine. It was a SuperNOVA cabinet. "I have this in my garage at home," she said with a grin. "And I do play Heavy mode..."

She grinned.

This kid had no idea.

[random_xtras]

Well, she had the older model. She was gonna love this one.

"Kandosii!" He grinned, then brightened as a song name that Mu wouldn't recognize came onto the screen.

"I'm Boss," he added absently.

[jeimu.livejournal.com]

"Jeimu," she replied. "So this looks... new."

[random_xtras]

Boss looked surprised, but then remembered the rules that Ang had laid down for the machines. "Do you want to pick a song?"

[jeimu.livejournal.com]

"Naw, I'm good. I'll figure it out."

She tested the pads. They were springy and seemed to have good feedback. Whoever maintained these machines did so with love.

[random_xtras]

"Okay." He selected it, then glanced at her, still struck by the novelty of going against a woman on the DDR machine.

[jeimu.livejournal.com]

She noticed he was looking at her, but there really wasn't time to dwell on that.

The song started.

It was effing fast, and she was a good five seconds and a couple of "good"s in before she started to rack up the combos. The Edinburgh Heavy DDR champion was doing a good job at looking like she deserved that title.