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

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

[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!

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

SENT: 11:07 AM
You and your family are always welcome to come over. I'm just outside on the porch. See you in a bit.

[ Brig smiles and lights up a cigarette, looking over to the Brennan household door to wait for Cindy to step out. ]

[And the girl's coming your way promptly, with a smile of her own. She plops down beside Brig, and brings out her tablet from her (lol) chest --

Oh.]

Can I have one? I try not to keep a pack of my own. Dad doesn't like it.

[ Brig tips the pack till a stick peeks out and offers it to her ] Don't worry, I won't tell him. But it was a heart problem he had treated, right?

Also, [ pointing to her tablet ] there was a time I wish I could do stuff like that. More on the lines of packing gunarms. [ He laughs and takes a pull at his cigarette ] But I got past that phase. Neat though.

Edited 2014-02-20 07:22 (UTC)

[Chuckles. Oh, Brig.]

Most people find it kind of creepy. [And this is why she likes you, Brig. U cool.] Anyway, about Josh's party... do you think that Jessica would be okay with cooking food for the party?

[ Brig grins at her ] It's not. And don't you let anyone ever convince you otherwise.

[ He takes another drag of his cigarette ] I'll ask her just for courtesy but I'm sure she'll be okay with it. She made food for Taning's birthday last time, although she and K weren't able to go.

I'd offer a joint barbecue here at our pads for some homegrown American vibes, but then Kaz's or Brianna's places come to mind. Kaz's grandma always seems game to have guests. Not sure about Brianna's but there's always her treehouse.

Great. Tell Jessica that I'll make it up to her, I promise. And... funny enough, Brianna mentioned Kaz already. I guess I'll have to talk to him.

Don't worry about it. No need to count any favors either. It's for Josh and we're always happy to help out the good neighbors. Anything else you need help with? [ He smiles at her before taking a drag of his cigarette again ]

Well, let's see.

[Clicking around on her tablet now.]

Brianna's going to help me with most of the party stuff, like the decorations and the guest list. If Jessica's covering the food, and if Kaz is really okay with letting us use his house...

[Thinky Brennan Face, On!]

Do you think we should get a lot of alcohol?

[ Brig laughs at that ] I'm pretty sure the party will be overflowing with booze [ knowing everyone ] even if we don't prepare for it.

But maybe we can budget in more of you brother's choice drinks. Corona, right? Maybe three cases of it exclusively for him, among his other choice drinks. [ Brig offers her another stick, her's is getting short ] Don't tell your dad I'm giving you sticks, okay?

I won't.

[Smiling at him again, and then going back to note that down --

-- and checking her phone. Ooooh.]

Well, Kaz just texted. I think we're definitely getting his house for the party.

[ Brig thinks of Neeka. He should bring something to thank her for all the days she spent letting him train with her ] Looks like things are falling into place as expected. You've got a lot of helping hands willing to do good by your brother.

[ He takes another drag ] Venue: check. Food: check. Booze: check. Smokes: probably check. [ He's already assuming Taning's going to be the team hash-lord again. ] Guests?

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.]

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

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.]

[ 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. ]

[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.

[ 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.

'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.]

[ 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.

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?]

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.

[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.

[ 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 ]

Thanks.

[Lighting up now.]

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

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.

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