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[mendanddefend_archive]

Mardi Gras was two days ago. Yet Bob is still in his Hendrix costume.

Why? Because he likes it. Duh.

He's over in the corner, playing something that sounds like a bunch of random notes, but upon lengthy inspection will prove to be a psychedelic version of "O Canada."

Comments

[md_donighal]

Toward the end, he's got a guy in golden armor and a red cape singing along in his best power-ballad voice.
"o/` God keep our land
Glor-ious and free
O Canada, we stand on guard for thee
O Canada, we stand on guard
For thee. o/`"

Then there is applause. "Bravo! Bravissimo!"

[mendanddefend_archive]

"Hey, Michael." Bob grins. "Thanks."

[md_donighal]

Michael bows. "Quite welcome. I'm actually from Boston, but that's close enough to Canada. Is your home system on Canadian soil, then?"

[mendanddefend_archive]

"Yeah. I didn't find that out until I came here, though. Where's Boston?"

[md_donighal]

"On the north part of the east coast of the United States of America, none of which is likely to mean anything to you without a lot more grounding in the geography of Userspace than I'd expect you to have at this point." He considers. "Or without access to a map. I can tell you that it's on the far side of the country from San Francisco, but that's the only reference point I know you've got."

[mendanddefend_archive]

"Well, now that I'm back to being me, I can show you this..."

Bob closes his eyes for a moment, and a Vidwindow pwings open with a map of the 'Net. "Mainframe's right there," he says, pointing to a spot toward the left side of the map. "Where would you say Boston is?"

[md_donighal]

Michael makes a note of Mainframe's location (somewhere in the SeaTacCouver area), and of the green lines pulsing outward from somewhere down the coast, before indicating a spot somewhat closer to the center of the map, along the right edge of the mass of blue (and splashes of green) dots that represent(s) the major systems of North America. "There. It's a hub of finances and universities, and home to a stretch of road that bills itself as 'America's technology highway'." Indeed, there are quite a few dots there, one in the shadow of a green line. "By the way, what's all that green? High-speed networks?"

[mendanddefend_archive]

Bob's face falls.

"The green is Daemon's infection. She's taken control of all the major network pathways. No one moves between systems without her permission."

[md_donighal]

Michael's face falls too. "...Daemon. The super-virus you and Dot mentioned, yes." He shudders. "You mentioned patrols, but not how pervasive they were. If there's anything we can do to help..." Hand on shoulder. "...just let us know."

[oh-wowee.livejournal.com]

There's a rock star dude who likes how Bob snazzed up the flying V.


He grinned and pulled out a lighter to light it and wave it.

[mendanddefend_archive]

Which, of course, just encourages Bob to jam harder.

He's probably annoying some of the patrons upstairs.

[oh-wowee.livejournal.com]

Toki didn't seem to mind, he just grabbed his guitar and mini-amp and decided to come jam along. After all, who could resist having a bit of a jam session?

"You beens practicing, sounds like." He stated as he sat down and started playing along.

[mendanddefend_archive]

"A bit, yeah. I used to play all the time, I just haven't had access to a guitar for a while."

Plus there was the whole 'stranded in the Web for the equivalent of 5 years' thing.

[oh-wowee.livejournal.com]

"Well, you sounds great. S'the goods thing." He said, starting to fall into a decent rhythm part to accompany Bob's lead playing.


He'd been stewing over the idea of starting a guitar workshop for those in the bar who wanted to learn how to play, or just wanted to jam along with the other guitar players. The idea came to him after he decided to give Rachel Grey lessons every monday. There were an awful lot of guitarists who probably would benifit to learn how to play fast, and well, he wouldn't mind meeting other people who liked to play as much as he did.

However, that was neither here nor there just at the moment, he just sat quietly and played loud.

[mendanddefend_archive]

How do you feel about 'oldies,' Toki? Because Bob just launched into the opening bars of "Brown Sugar."

[oh-wowee.livejournal.com]

Toki loved the oldies!


(Just don't tell the other dudes about it.)

Guess who was able to follow along just as easily and smoothly as ever? Oh yeah. You know it.

[mendanddefend_archive]

Then the unthinkable happens...

Bob starts singing.

"Gold coast slave ship bound for cotton fields,
Sold in a market down in New Orleans,
Scarred old slaver know he's doin' alright,
Hear him whip the women just around midnight..."

How can such a good guitar player be such a terrible singer? It's one of the great mysteries of the universe.

[foxy-l33t.livejournal.com]

Foxes have good ears.

When 'O Canada' is done, there is much clapping from a kitsune sneakily perched up on a chair nearby.

"Bravo, bravo! I didn't know you played the guitar, Bob."

[mendanddefend_archive]

"Hey, Laini. Yeah, I've played since I was in the Academy. I just haven't had a guitar for a while."

[foxy-l33t.livejournal.com]

"Hm. I took harmonica lessons when I was a two-tail, but hated most anything to do with music 'til I discovered keyboards and sound morphing programs." She waggles her eyebrows, looking him over.

"Outfit's cool too."

[mendanddefend_archive]

"You like it?" Bob smiles. "Bar dressed me up like this a couple days ago, and I decided to keep it."

[foxy-l33t.livejournal.com]

"Very groovy." She nods, then smiles serenely.

"Has Dot seen it?"

[mendanddefend_archive]

"Yup. And she was dressed up too." Bob's expression suggests that he liked her costume even more than his own. "Dot said it was related to some User holiday, but I don't know which one."

[foxy-l33t.livejournal.com]

"Hmm. Early spring, not April... " She ponders for a moment, then blinks.

"Dammit, I missed Marti Gras!" Laini sighs, ears dropping.

[mendanddefend_archive]

"So that's what it's called. What do people do on Mardi Gras, other than dress up in weird costumes?"