Non-HPU: Crater City

[Welsh Halfwit]

"You're probably right," Julian admitted to Tigress with a tone that spoke of relief and understanding, "and you're also kinder and smarter than Mist'll probably admit, eh?"

[Citrisfur]

Before outright stating that no, there is no other way to get those kinds of abilities, Heather decided to simply verify with a few other questions. "Have you ever seen a fully grown Kaiju, either in person or on TV? If so, could you understand what they were saying when they spoke? Second, have you ever accidentally gone through something that should have hurt you but didn't? Like hitting your thumb with a hammer, or falling off a bike and hitting your head? Finally, have you ever once felt full after only one plate of food?" She had a hunch that the answer would be "Yes, Yes, Yes, and No. "Only Kaiju can understand the speech of another Kaiju while they aren't disguised. Kaiju internal anatomy is durable, and takes a lot more to get damaged than a human or zoomorph. Even in disguised form, Kaiju can eat literal tons of food before feeling full." Heather explained. "That last one's easy enough to test. Just go to an all you can eat buffet and try to eat until you're full. If, after about four or five full plates of food, you still don't feel full, then odds are you're a Kaiju. I recommend testing things that way, rather than smacking your hand with a hammer. The best test would be to listen to a Kaiju's roars and see if you could understand them. If you can, you are a Kaiju without a doubt. That said, there aren't currently any Kaiju in the city who aren't disguised right now. I'd be able to see them from where I am if there were."

Lyncus skips past answering the questions, dismissing them from her mind. Later, if she had to, she'd try some of Heather's suggestions out, only to confirm her suspicions. "And what if I am a Kaiju, then? Is that just something I'm gonna have to get used to?" she says, shaking her head. "How am I gonna explain that to anyone else?" She looks at Hyper pointedly, haven forgotten he was there.

[Hlaoroo]

"WOW! Okay, that was NEAT!" Lightfoot grins.
"So Hellhound wasn't hyperbole then!" a second head enthuses.
"One thing I gotta ask though, before we go any further." says the third head, pointing at himself and then at Gregg with a cheeky grin. "Hare... Hound... Please don't eat me."
"Oh, shush you. Be professional!" the first head scolds the third laughingly. "So, do you have a codename yet? And what did you want to ask me?"

~~~~~~~~
"Thank you!" Ryan says, smiling properly again.
"That's all we ask. We don't expect you to agree with or abide by our beliefs but we do expect you to treat them and by extension us with respect, and to get all the facts before you make a judgement. The same courtesy we extend for you. Why don't we all go to dinner? I'd be interested to learn more about your beliefs over a meal if you'd be willing to share." the otter encourages, shepherding everyone into the car, thankful that his years of training in negotiating and conflict resolution have paid off.

[SeanWolf]

"Thank you!" Ryan says, smiling properly again.
"That's all we ask. We don't expect you to agree with or abide by our beliefs but we do expect you to treat them and by extension us with respect, and to get all the facts before you make a judgement. The same courtesy we extend for you. Why don't we all go to dinner? I'd be interested to learn more about your beliefs over a meal if you'd be willing to share." the otter encourages, shepherding everyone into the car, thankful that his years of training in negotiating and conflict resolution have paid off.

A smile then formed on Mordecai's face as he looked at Ryan and said, "I would be honored to share more about my people with you two. Shall we be going?" as he was getting back into the limo.

[DdeeStar]

"You're probably right," Julian admitted to Tigress with a tone that spoke of relief and understanding, "and you're also kinder and smarter than Mist'll probably admit, eh?"

"Eh." She replies, all the seriousness gone now that he's acknowledged the danger. She turns back upwards, not wanting him to think of her as being capable of empathy. "I'd be shocked to hear he's talking about me. Though if he does he's probably just mad and whining. But there's not a chance I'm like this to others, don't get your hopes up. You got lucky."

[Deske]

Gregg was silent as the heads spoke, a little overwhelmed at keeping up with three separate responses at once. He chuckled, the laugh echoing just like his words did, "Oh, uh, thanks! I guess it wasn't, heh? As for codenames, no, er, not yet? I never really needed one, so I never spent the time to think one up. Questions though, hrm..." He scratched at his lower jaw, "So, I can breathe some sort of toxic fire, smoke, whatever. I've read that some creatures have to worry about their fire ducts clogging up or something. I haven't really felt anything when I hold off on it for a while, like it comes out just as smoothly after a few weeks as it does after a day. I'm curious about your opinion on it."

[Welsh Halfwit]

"Being lucky seems to be my thing today," Julian allowed, leaning back. "It's much better than the alternative. And I think you underestimate your capacity for tolerance, Tigress."

[CyberDragon]

Mordecai stood there and listened to Wildfire defend himself and remained silent for a bit. As his back was turned to them, they could not see a small tear coming from his eye as he realized he screwed up in his labeling and judging of Wildfire. "While...I don't agree with you reasoning," Mordecai solemnly replied, "I do understand why you are the way you are and why you believe the way you do," he then turned to face Wildfire and with a sigh, said, "If you think you are cooled enough and want to come along to Giovanni's, you may and I will pay for your meal as well, no exceptions."

Wildfire simply smiled. "I would be happy to join you," he said, climbing into the limo.

----------------------------

Lyncus skips past answering the questions, dismissing them from her mind. Later, if she had to, she'd try some of Heather's suggestions out, only to confirm her suspicions. "And what if I am a Kaiju, then? Is that just something I'm gonna have to get used to?" she says, shaking her head. "How am I gonna explain that to anyone else?" She looks at Hyper pointedly, haven forgotten he was there.

"Being a Kaiju isn't some sort of condition." Heather said. "If you're a Kaiju, then that's your species. It's something you've already lived with your entire life. Nothing really changes except for you now know why things are the way they are. As for explaining, your best option is to talk about it only with people you trust. People who are close to you, and who you KNOW won't tell anyone else."

"Trust me." Heather said. "It's better to find out you're a Kaiju and learn what to do about it than it is for someone else to find out first." she warned, mostly meaning hunters. "It's a dangerous world we live in. Even for people hundreds of feet tall."

[Hlaoroo]

"Wonderful! Let's go then! Driver, to Giovanni's, please! Would anyone like a drink? " the sea otter opens the mini bar again as the driver shuts the door and pulls away from the kerb.

~~~~~~~~
"Well, we'll need to give you one if you're working with the KDF. It's for your own safety. Lightfoot is my codename and not my real name, for instance." Lightfoot says as his other heads nod in agreement.
"As to your ducts, that depends on a couple of factors." another head continues. "The composition of whatever it is you breathe, for instance, and the size of the ducts themselves. Have you noticed any problems if you try to breathe it for an extended period of time? Do you have any idea exactly what it is?"

[Deske]

"Getting a codename sounds fun. As for what I breathe? It's like a decaying sort of flame, mist, cloud- actually, just let me show you." He searches around for a suitably sized disposable tongue depressor. Finding it he holds it in front of his mouth and appears to exhale. A thick fog, the same void black as the rest him engulfs the tongue depressor, which has quickly begun to turn brown, then black, until it eventually withers away into dust where the fog had touched it. He stops and holds up what's left of the depressor for Lightfoot to see. "Honestly, I've never had a problem keeping up the stream, but it tends to kind of pool if it doesn't dissipate which I try and keep from happening."

[DdeeStar]

"Being lucky seems to be my thing today," Julian allowed, leaning back. "It's much better than the alternative. And I think you underestimate your capacity for tolerance, Tigress."

"Quit while you're ahead, Julian. I don't know what that's supposed to mean, but either way you're probably right. I don't have to admit it though." She's not quite sure what he's getting at, but the fact that he keeps trying to call her a good person is starting to worry her. She is to be feared, not patronized. She yawns purposefully, stretching her arms out above her before sitting forward in the chair. "Did your pal get hit with something? He's takin' longer than Mist did."

Mist rocks back and forth on his heels, waiting patiently for Annie to finish her errand. After a few moments he realizes she just didn't hear him, and hazards another try. Gently clearing his throat, he asks "Miss Annie?", waiting for her to turn around.

[SeanWolf]

"Wonderful! Let's go then! Driver, to Giovanni's, please! Would anyone like a drink? " the sea otter opens the mini bar again as the driver shuts the door and pulls away from the kerb.

"I'm good, thank you," Mordecai replied as the limo took off towards Giovanni's, "Speaking of drinks, would you two care to partake of some wine when we have our meal?"

[Hlaoroo]

"Oh, sorry, Mister Kayto! I was in a world of my own for a bit there!" Annie answers, looking up from the computer she'd been typing at.
"What can I do for you?"

~~~~~~~~
"Well, you don't GET a codename so much as GIVE yourself one that you think fits." Head #1 says helpfully."In a way, it's your chance to express yourself."
"Wow! When was the last time you went to the dentist?" head #2 jokes as Lightfoot deposits the incinerated stick into a sample container. "We'll get the residue on that tested. It might give us some answers as to what exactly that is that you're breathing. Can you kneel down for me please? I'd like to take a look and see if I can get a look at those ducts of yours."
"When you say it pools, is that in your mouth? Or just around you in general?" Lightfoot's other head wants to know.

~~~~~~~~
"I'd love a drink." Ryan says evenly. "Is there a particular wine you like, Mr. Mayor?"

[SeanWolf]

"I always enjoyed a nice Château Léoville Barton," Mordecai replied to Ryan before looking over at Wildfire, "How about you?"

[Deske]

"I guess I have a couple names in mind. Mostly dealing with ghosts and stuff," Gregg said as he folded his legs under himself and settled back onto his haunches so the doctor could get a better look at him. "Last dental checkup was a few centuries ago. Too busy haunting the townsfolk to really get a good cleaning in y'know. If you don't believe me, imagine how hard it is to get wrinkles when your face is made of bones and fire." he said with a laugh that indicated he was definitely joking. "So if I just breathe it out onto the ground it tends to just hang there while it dissipates like any other fog. Honestly it doesn't really pool in my mouth. Any extra just tends to escape between my teeth and evaporate." He answers the last question before opening his mouth. "Is this wide enough? I can open wider if you need a better view," he asks. The inside of his mouth looks mostly like what the inside of a skull would look like, save for the dark abyss that is the entrance to his throat. There's no tongue or other major mouth structures to be found besides teeth. "I wish someone would have just written a book on hellhound physiology so that I could at least figure out what major organs or whatever I have. Maybe I'll be the lucky author, posing as someone who got close enough to one of the 'beasts' to do scientific work." He chuckled again, the sound echoing from somewhere in his throat.

[CyberDragon]

"I always enjoyed a nice Château Léoville Barton," Mordecai replied to Ryan before looking over at Wildfire, "How about you?"

Wildfire chuckled and shook his head. "I'm afraid I'm not much of a wine drinker. All I know of wine is that it tends to make me... er... eruct... blue fireballs." He rubbed the back of his head, feeling a little embarrassed. "I don't think that would be a problem at the moment, but to be safe, I feel I should keep to soft drinks, myself."

[Welsh Halfwit]

"Ah, Gregg's just probably showing off." Julian remarked. "Probably changes colour or grows wings or shoots lasers from his nose or something." He sat forward. "Can't really bring it out in the city so he's having fun here. Me?" He shrugged his shoulders. "I just grow big. Nothing to show and the world to see me."

[SeanWolf]

Wildfire chuckled and shook his head. "I'm afraid I'm not much of a wine drinker. All I know of wine is that it tends to make me... er... eruct... blue fireballs." He rubbed the back of his head, feeling a little embarrassed. "I don't think that would be a problem at the moment, but to be safe, I feel I should keep to soft drinks, myself."

Mordecai had to think a bit as he didn't understand what he meant by what he said, but once he did, he too chuckled, "Well, I believe Giovanni's has enough En Flambe meals so good call. Speaking of which, it appears we have arrived," As the limo was pulling in, Mordecai asked everyone, including the driver, "Before we go in, do you prefer a table or do you want a booth?"

[DdeeStar]

"Ah, Gregg's just probably showing off." Julian remarked. "Probably changes colour or grows wings or shoots lasers from his nose or something." He sat forward. "Can't really bring it out in the city so he's having fun here. Me?" He shrugged his shoulders. "I just grow big. Nothing to show and the world to see me."

She fakes a cough to cover a laugh as the last line reminds her of the display at the scanners. Managing to stifle it, she switches tracks to reflect on Gregg. "He reads about the same as you, so I can't see it being too incredible. There's definitely another field on him, but it's pretty heavily buried." She shrugs as if that's all to say on the matter. "And sure, I could give some dumb speech about great power yadda responsibility something or other, or maybe the other side, how having more powers messes up your chances of having a normal life, but you're a smart guy and you can argue both sides better than me, I'm sure." She's had her fair share of bad days thanks to these powers but she's not going to encourage him trying to dig at her sensitive side any further. Yet she's actually having a decent time talking to him. A rare event. Bored from the lack of scenery, she idly charges one of her handpaws and holds it over her other arm, varying the power to cause her fur to lift at different heights. Most of her attention remains on Julian though her eyes again are watching elsewhere (now on her arm rather than the blank landscape).

"Oh, sorry, Mister Kayto! I was in a world of my own for a bit there!" Annie answers, looking up from the computer she'd been typing at.
"What can I do for you?"

Mist flushes slightly and looks away as he quietly corrects "Just Mist is fine, I'm no mister." He then returns to his objective, holding the exams out to her and speaking with a business-like tone. "The doctor said to give these to you. These are Tigress's, mine, and Mister Julian's. Mister Gregg still has his, but he's with the doctor at the moment." He lingers a moment after giving them over, both for confirmation and a drive to ask questions now that Heather's busy.

[Welsh Halfwit]

"I've never really explored my powers," Julian explained, "the chance was never there in the younger days and the need wasn't there during the later. Suppose it's a bit different for a tailor," he joked, "sell one suit and Gregg's set for life!"

[Citrisfur]

"Being a Kaiju isn't some sort of condition." Heather said. "If you're a Kaiju, then that's your species. It's something you've already lived with your entire life. Nothing really changes except for you now know why things are the way they are. As for explaining, your best option is to talk about it only with people you trust. People who are close to you, and who you KNOW won't tell anyone else."

"Trust me." Heather said. "It's better to find out you're a Kaiju and learn what to do about it than it is for someone else to find out first." she warned, mostly meaning hunters. "It's a dangerous world we live in. Even for people hundreds of feet tall."

"Okay, thank you, miss Heather," Lyncus replies, slowly. "I'm giving the phone back to Hyper now. Thanks for the help," she finishes, returning the phone but leaving it on speakerphone.

[Hlaoroo]

Lightfoot peers into the hellhound's open mouth with the help of a penlight and looks intrigued at what he sees.
"It looks almost as though you have a second windpipe. If it's just a gland it's a big one. It's also glowing blue which is super cool!" he explains as he pulls on a pair of gloves and opens a sterile, lubricated swab.
"I'll see if I can get a good sample from just inside it too. It won't hurt but it may make you gag a little, if it's anything like your regular windpipe." he warns, taking his sample quickly and efficiently.
"I don't think you're in any danger of getting blocked." his second head says as he fastens the swab back into its plastic tube and writes upon the label. "From what I could see it has quite a big opening so something pretty major would have to go wrong for it to block up."
"Yeah, you should definitely be fine." the third head agrees, "But definitely come back and let me know if anything happens. We could even put you in an MRI if you want and see what we can find out!"
"So, what's next?" asks the first head.

~~~~~~~~
"I'm easy either way. Although if we're talking Kaiju we should probably have a booth for privacy. What do you think, Wildfire?"

~~~~~~~~
"Ah, thank you, Mist. I'm sure Mister Gregg won't be too much longer." the vixen smiles, taking the forms and filing them.
"Was there something else you wanted to ask?" she prompts, sensing the cat's discomfort.

[Deske]

Gregg didn't let out so much as a peep when Doc Lightfoot proceeded to shove a cotton swap down his throat. "That's pretty neat. Makes me curious about how it does what it does, because it's honestly like breathing but different." He gives a short laugh at the mention of an MRI "I think that'll have to wait until later. Maybe another appointment- and I'd love to continue , but I think I'm cutting into the others' time here."

[DdeeStar]

"I've never really explored my powers," Julian explained, "the chance was never there in the younger days and the need wasn't there during the later. Suppose it's a bit different for a tailor," he joked, "sell one suit and Gregg's set for life!"

Tigress kills the charge as she tries to puzzle out what she just heard. Ignoring the idea that a man can do one thing and not have to work anymore, which itself is mind-blowing, she's not sure what this has to do with their talk. "What...? Didn't your parents teach you your thing? They didn't just leave you to figure it out, did they?" This is an appalling idea to her. Raising Mist has shown her just how much of an issue wild power can be, and with Julian's moral fortitude (assuming it's taught) clearly his parents both know it's in someone's blood. She turns fully to face him, propping up against her left leg to give him a nearly suspicious look.

"Ah, thank you, Mist. I'm sure Mister Gregg won't be too much longer." the vixen smiles, taking the forms and filing them.
"Was there something else you wanted to ask?" she prompts, sensing the cat's discomfort.

Mist fidgets with his hat. "Miss Annie, are there, ah, other Rakshasa here?" He looks up at her with a hopeful expression. The only reason he has as much control as he does is from certain... accidents, and they definitely aren't the right way to learn. Another Creator class Rakshasa would be all he could ask for, and maybe the universe feels like he deserves something nice, though most of him knows the answer already.

[Welsh Halfwit]

"Oh," Julian breezed, "they gave me all the training they could but there really wasn't that much to learn beyond being able to grow 140ft and being strong enough to crush a small building like a barrel organ. Did that once, in 'training'," he admitted. "No-one saw and no-one got hurt but it scared the heck out of me."

[Foxfan2164]

"Okay, thank you, Miss Heather," Lyncus replies, slowly. "I'm giving the phone back to Hyper now. Thanks for the help," she finishes, returning the phone but leaving it on speakerphone.

Hyper takes the phone back and turns off the speakerphone."Do you think she'll understand?" he asked Heather over the phone. "About her powers; do you think she'll get used to it?"

[CyberDragon]

"I'm easy either way. Although if we're talking Kaiju we should probably have a booth for privacy. What do you think, Wildfire?"

Wildfire, during the course of the drive, had already shifted into Titus. He tends to find that, chair or booth, his tail would still feel awkward. Not to mention, people might get suspicious of his friends if they were hanging out with him in half-form. "True. I feel if we're going to be discussing Kaiju or our Kaiju forms, we should use a booth. A little harder for eavesdroppers to hear."

-----------------------------

Hyper takes the phone back and turns off the speakerphone."Do you think she'll understand?" he asked Heather over the phone. "About her powers; do you think she'll get used to it?"

"Eventually she'll understand. And eventually, she'll get used to them." Heather replied, quite glad the people she was in charge of right now were taking things so well and keeping occupied. "Did you have any more questions?" she asked.

[SeanWolf]

Wildfire, during the course of the drive, had already shifted into Titus. He tends to find that, chair or booth, his tail would still feel awkward. Not to mention, people might get suspicious of his friends if they were hanging out with him in half-form. "True. I feel if we're going to be discussing Kaiju or our Kaiju forms, we should use a booth. A little harder for eavesdroppers to hear."

"Understandable," Mordecai said as he held the door open for the three. Entering the establishment, which wasn't too pack today, the waiter upfront greets them and asks how many and Mordecai replies there are four and they want a booth. The waiter nods and walks them to an empty booth and seats them before handing them the menus. As the waiter left, Mordecai looks up and asks Ryan, the driver, and Titus, "So anything tickling your fancy?"

[Hlaoroo]

"Oh, of course! I didn't mean today. That's definitely a job for another day. MRIs can take anything up to an hour or more depending on what we're scanning." Lightfoot's third head assures the hellhound.
"So, any other questions or anything else you want me to look at before I let you go?" the first head asks.
"If not then I'll get you to shift back again and I'll take a quick blood sample before I send you back out." the middle head instructs.

~~~~~~~~
"It all looks really good!" Ryan enthuses. "Hmm. I already had seafood today so maybe I should try something different..."

The driver, whose name is Kato, looks baffled.
"To be honest, sir, I've never eaten anywhere this fancy before and I don't speak Italian. I... Have no idea what half of this even is. Do you have any recommendations, maybe?"

~~~~~~~~
"There are one or two others that I know of, yes. I can't give you any of their details though, I'm sorry. As they're patients here it would be a breach of confidentiality laws. I'm sure teh Colonel can put you in touch with them though." Annie says apologetically.

[DdeeStar]

"Oh," Julian breezed, "they gave me all the training they could but there really wasn't that much to learn beyond being able to grow 140ft and being strong enough to crush a small building like a barrel organ. Did that once, in 'training'," he admitted. "No-one saw and no-one got hurt but it scared the heck out of me."

Her suspicious look switches to boredom at such a sensible answer. "If no one got hurt it wasn't real training." She replies deadpan. She spent over 15 years perfecting Kaiju combat and she, even at her weight, had needed to learn aerial recovery moves. Just breaking something is nothing, but he is a pacifist... "They should at least teach you how to take a hit. Us bipeds have no stability, you'll end up staggering over everything."

"There are one or two others that I know of, yes. I can't give you any of their details though, I'm sorry. As they're patients here it would be a breach of confidentiality laws. I'm sure the Colonel can put you in touch with them though." Annie says apologetically.

His eyes light up as the soft letdown doesn't follow. "Oh, nonono that's fine! I was just curious-that's great! Really, wow! A non-clan Rakshasa! I've never..." He's grinning wildly as he imagines the classes he might meet, the hope of them being able to explain his powers, the off chance that there's another Creator there who could teach him the energies... Hope springs eternal. He gives a small bow, adds "Thank you!", and quickly returns to his seat, rapidly tapping his feet against the floor. He can't wait for the test to be complete now. Tigress notices his return, but considering it rude to break the conversation, keeps her attention on Julian.

[Welsh Halfwit]

"You're more than likely right," Julian agreed, "which is another argument for coming here. My folks raised me as best they could butthere were things I got to miss. " He gave a wry smile. "Being thumped more than a few times being one of those things."

[SeanWolf]

The driver, whose name is Kato, looks baffled.
"To be honest, sir, I've never eaten anywhere this fancy before and I don't speak Italian. I... Have no idea what half of this even is. Do you have any recommendations, maybe?"

"Well, personally? I'd recommend either the spaghetti or, if you're not feeling Italian, you can always go for the burgers they have. Giovanni's sells more then just Italian food (Giovanni, the man who founded the place, was actually born in Texas but raised in Thunder Bay). I myself am going for the Sirloin Stake," Mordecai replied, "You know, I don't think I ever got your name, driver."

[Deske]

"I'll save 'em for next time. Thanks, Doc," He says as he steps back, disappearing from view, before stepping out from the wall as Gregg Collins, Regular Human. "What's the blood sample for?"

[DdeeStar]

"You're more than likely right," Julian agreed, "which is another argument for coming here. My folks raised me as best they could but there were things I got to miss. " He gave a wry smile. "Being thumped more than a few times being one of those things."

"I'm not saying your folks were bad or anything, stars know I'm not perfect. I just think that decking your child so hard that they leave a depression in the ground is an acceptable thing to do." She leans back again, apparently unable to get comfortable in the chair. Saying that aloud is highly amusing to her, purposefully having left out a condition of the child being a Kaiju to see what Julian will say. She peeks quickly at Mist, expecting him to react and bring up one of the many times she's sent him to the verge of death, saved only by his automatic Shadow energy shielding, but he's not even paying attention.

Mist's tail twitches with excitement. He pulls his pocket notebook out of his vest and starts re-reading over all the information he's managed to get from Tigress about the elusive Rakshasa, though he tempers it as he reminds himself that this new mentor (the title he's immediately assigned the mystery Rakshasa, despite knowing that all have notably different powers-and they haven't even met him yet) won't follow the clan's traditions since they're likely an outsider. Even if they aren't, they'd certainly banished for staying in the city-especially for its defense! He flips through the pages silently, constructing his ideal teacher from the archetypes in the book and tuning out everything else around him.

[Welsh Halfwit]

At that, Julian actually laughed a happy laugh. "You know," he said, "I get the feeling that Mist and I'd be very different if we'd had different parents? And you were meaning Kaiju children, yeah?"

[Hlaoroo]

"It's just a routine screen for kidney and liver function, cell count, iron-slash-haemoglobin levels, electrolytes, all the usual stuff to make sure everything inside that we can't see is working properly." Lightfoot explains, now back in his disguised form.
"While I get the gear ready I'll just get you to do a couple of stretches to make sure you're physically up to the job. Can you try to touch your toes for me without bending your legs?" the doctor instructs, putting Gregg through the same set of exercises Mist had done minutes earlier as he labels more tubes and pulls on a fresh pair of gloves.
"Little sting, nothing to worry about." he warns, taking the blood sample.
"You might feel an odd cool sensation now." he advises, healing the wound with a brief pass of his gloved paw.
"Do you have any more questions before I let you go?"

~~~~~~~~
Annie smiles at Mist's enthusiasm and turns back to her computer.

~~~~~~~~
"Jones, sir, thank you for asking. Kato Jones." the driver smiles.
"I think I will have the spaghetti. I haven't had meatballs in a while."

Ryan, meanwhile, also opts for the sirloin but decides to have it topped with shrimp, making his dish Surf 'n' Turf.

[Deske]

"Taking my fluids for science, got it." Gregg says as he bends down and brushes the floor with his fingertips, performing each of the following stretches to the best of his ability.
He barely flinches as the doctor sticks the needle in his arm, having done this before. He watches the vial fill up with a dark rusty colored, nearly grey, liquid which definitely matches the consistency of blood. Though it isn't cold, the vial is noticeably cooler than what one would consider a regular body temperature.
Gregg watches his skin heal up nicely, enjoying the cooling sensation as Doc Lightfoot passes a hand over his arm.
"That last bit was actually pretty nice. Kinda like having a cold drink on a hot day." He shakes his head, "Oh and, no further questions from me. At least, not until the next appointment."

[DdeeStar]

At that, Julian actually laughed a happy laugh. "You know," he said, "I get the feeling that Mist and I'd be very different if we'd had different parents? And you were meaning Kaiju children, yeah?"

Tigress's carefree disposition starts to fade as she focuses on the first statement. Trying to stay in the present she responds with a robotic "Yeah, it'd be different... but doesn't manage to shake herself free for the actual joke she tried to make. She puts her handpaws against her face to cover her expression and takes a deep breath, trying to regain herself, but just ends up sitting there, breathing in and out shakily as she's haunted by Mist's numerous near-death experiences. Though they aren't directly her fault, many of them could've been avoided if she had been home with him or done something before she left for work, but... clearly she didn't.

Mist continues flipping through the pages, practically oblivious to the two's conversation despite the dispersal of mental life energy from Tigress. By itself, it's no serious harm as that energy is the quickest (though by no means easiest) to heal, but if left drained for too long it lowers the capacity of the pool which translates into actual psychological issues-even the clan Rakshasa know better than to leave an unstable member alone.

[Welsh Halfwit]

Julian put a hand on her shoulder. "Please don't kill me," he urged. "I don't know why you seem to have regrets," he said, "but those regrets tell me that you did the best you could. Don't reproach yourself for that, it's all anyone can ever ask," he said, keeping his tone warm and honest.

[SeanWolf]

"Jones, sir, thank you for asking. Kato Jones." the driver smiles.
"I think I will have the spaghetti. I haven't had meatballs in a while."

Ryan, meanwhile, also opts for the sirloin but decides to have it topped with shrimp, making his dish Surf 'n' Turf.

"Good choice, Kato, and since you won't be having wine, may I suggest their homemade birch beer?" Mordecai replies, his order already chosen, that being a sirloin but with an order of fries on the side.