Waking the Dead 2.0 || June 10, 2063 || Sunday

[intelligencia]

[Head's up, War Hounds: you're all getting a text from a number that you probably don't have yet.]

SENT: 11:01 AM
Hi! This is Cindy Brennan, Josh's younger sister. I just wanted to let all of you know that my brother's birthday is coming up in eleven days, and I'd REALLY like to make it special for him. I also kind of want it to be a surprise, but I honestly have no idea who to talk to and what to do.

I'm completely open to awesome ideas, and I would love it if you all of you guys helped me out. You DO care about my brother, right? :)

P.S. Sorry if this seems a little out of the blue. Kind of had to ask J for your numbers!

Comments

[intelligencia]

Well, so far it'll be you guys, Jessica, Kitty, dad, and... a whole lot of superiors.

[She's looking a bit uncomfortable at that.]

[atlas_shrugged]

[ Brig raises an eyebrow ] You're worried about the "brass" and the "bosses" being there?

[intelligencia]

Just a little overwhelmed that they'd come around and do something like this in the first place, or that inviting them is even possible.

[It's an honest answer.]

[atlas_shrugged]

[ Brig puts a hand on her shoulder ] Nothing's changed really. Your brother still draws to him people who love him and want to take him under their wing. And these new people, they really have his best interests in mind. [ He smiles as he says this to her. When he finishes, he takes his hand off her shoulder and goes back to smoking. ]

[intelligencia]

[It's enough of an assurance, really: she knows her brother has that special kind of pull. But:]

I guess I'll just have to get use to rolling with the bigwigs.

[atlas_shrugged]

[ Brig lets loose some smoke circle. He smiles again. Having talked to Cindy now like this, it dawns on him how old Josh really is in comparison to his sister. ] It's an acquired taste, believe me. [ He laughs, thinking about Hikaru and the others ] But you'll be rolling with the bigwigs soon enough too. You're a bright girl. In a nosy, well-meaning, bunch of Conspiracies.

[intelligencia]

'Nosy'? I guess I'm going to fit right in.

[Smirking a little now. She knows, full well, what her brother thinks of her snooping around.

Information is important, okay.]

[atlas_shrugged]

[ Brig laughs at that ] I think you will. They said "Information's free" when I first joined Netsach. Don't think they expected I'd be such a researcher. [ He takes a puff of his cigarette and smiles a half-smile ] But I didn't think I'd end up such a worry-wart either.

[intelligencia]

Well, you're a good person. Worrying is kind of what good people do.

[Because if you weren't a good person, you wouldn't give a fuck, right?]

[atlas_shrugged]

Sometimes, though, people don't like getting worried about or doted on too much. [ Brigade takes a long drag and laughs inwardly ] Honestly, I'm a bit of a hypocrite when it comes to that. [ A pause. ] I worry about and help everybody out, but I personally dislike being the one on the receiving end.

[intelligencia]

[Lifting an eyebrow in your direction, with that twist of her lips that tells you that she's mostly joking. Mostly.]

Then I guess it's our job to get you used to it.

[atlas_shrugged]

[ Brig smiles at her, warmly ] Yeah, I guess it is. [ He taps his pack and a stick peek out. He holds it to her while taking a drag from his cigarette ]

[intelligencia]

Thanks.

[Lighting up now.]

So, um... Jessica is also training, right? Her schedule's different from mine, so.

[atlas_shrugged]

Yeah, she really got into it. She gets super busy, especially when she focuses on something. [ His features soften ] Like her mother was when she was alive. [ There's a tinge of hurt in his voice ] But I'm proud of her. Just wish [ And he remembers his conversation with the Malice Queen at Brianna's birthday ] she'd take a break once in awhile. She picks up on my bad habits sometimes.

[intelligencia]

[While she noticed that shift in Brig's tone and expression, she doesn't press. No need to, perhaps.]

I don't really think our families are the kind of people who take breaks. We'd probably get bored.

[atlas_shrugged]

Well, if your brother is anything to go by. [ Brig laughs at that ] Your dad like that too? [ He's still gauging if he should follow-up with their mother. He does need to assess her stability, considering he wants to bring her along for the TFV mission ]

[intelligencia]

Yeah. Dad's already looking for jobs that he can do here, in fact, once he's recovered.

[She's kind of really happy about that, by the way. It may be one of the big reasons why she wants to work hard the moment she becomes a Hunter.]

[atlas_shrugged]

Well, we can probably ask J. I'm sure she can help him find something. [ Because she'd always been the intelligence side of their tandem, ever since taking over from her mother ] On my end, I'd heard from Josh your father was a mechanic. Maybe I can help keep him busy, since I was actually hoping to ask him to help me with something.

[ OOC: oh these Brennans. Hardworkers. The type people Brig likes very much ]

[intelligencia]

Oh, you were? What do you need?

[She's curious, of course. Also keenly interested in things that help her dad feel a little less useless. He's been quiet about his sense of helplessness, but she is kind of his daughter and kind of very capable of picking up on these things.]

[atlas_shrugged]

Well, I'd taken a recent interest in bikes really [ Because Dierdra. And her super fast keychain ] and I'd been thinking about asking him if he'd help me build one, or well, restore a good bike if I save enough to buy one. Only if he's rested enough and willing of course.

[intelligencia]

I can ask him about it! Or you could ask him yourself sometime soon.

[Smiles.]

Pretty sure that he isn't going to say no, though.

[atlas_shrugged]

That's good to hear. [ Brig smiles at the thought of working on a bike ] But you're father and I aren't all that close yet, I think. Maybe you should tell him first, as a courtesy.

[intelligencia]

How about we bring it up to him together, during the party?

[atlas_shrugged]

That would be nice. Thank you, Cindy. [ He smiles at her ] You're a good kid, just like your brother.

[intelligencia]

I had a great set of parents.

[And she's not just referring to how Josh raised her. She knows now, more than ever, that Angela Brennan is a wonderful mom.]