In reply to Seraphina Martel (msg # 200):

She points at New Germany.  "Well.  Since the Nazis fell from power in the 80s, I heard they don't.  Officially.  But almost all the meta-experiments these days use cloned tissue.  Almost all the legal ones anyway."

She glances at you, pushing her glasses back up on the bridge of your nose.

"Did you...sorry.  I don't know if this is a personal question.  But...did you ever give up a tissue sample for testing?"

Again.  Your call.  It's possible your folks may have taken a sample without your knowledge of course.  But did Sera ever give any of her tissue away since she became older.

Thanks

Blood tests are routine in real life. I don't see why they wouldn't be in the game world, too. Maybe if cloning is real then there's some kind of stigma against sending off samples and people insist on being present for the lab tests? I also wouldn't put it past ambitious parents to send their kids' samples off for testing so they can buy gene therapies later. I think it's more interesting if she has given blood samples, at least. Thank you for asking! I appreciate that. =)

I tilt my head a bit to the side. "Not for cloning, but then, I've had medical tests just like everybody else. Drawing blood and swabbing cheeks and stuff like that. Does that make enough of a sample to do cloning shenanigans?"

I look back at the map of South America.

"Maybe I shouldn't have. But my parents were in charge of consenting when I was a kid, so I never thought about it before now."

Pause.

"Do you think...can they clone whole people?"

I'm curious if my powers are genetic in nature. They were, like all powers, very weak when they first manifested, but with practice, training, and potential, I got to where I am today. A clone might be able to do that, but if they're adult clones, then they'd have to have grown faster, so they wouldn't have a chance to learn as much as I have. Right?
This message was last edited by the player at 09:42, Mon 18 Jan 2021.

In reply to Seraphina Martel (msg # 202):

"Oh sure!  They grow whole bodies all the time.  They can't the brains to work out right though.  Most human clones only live at most 2 years before they stroke out.  And no one has been able to clone for powers yet.  They can build 'em in for some powers.  But they can't say grow a Seraphina Martel clone and have her be able to do all the cool stuff you can do."

Ahina sighs and gestures at the map. "Well.  Supposedly they can.  But if they really could, why haven't they just batched up a whole army and taken over the world?  They can't even stay in power."

She shakes her head.  "That's why I stick with plants.  There's a lot less pressure.  Did you wanna look at the other exhibits?  We still have time."

I smile, just a little.

"Was it that obvious what I was thinking? Sure, let's check out the WWII exhibit. We'll hit the Rigney exhibit if we have time, though if I'm being honest, I'm not exactly a fan."

Sometimes I take pride in the fact that my parents' earned their fortune without being Rigney stooges. Everyone assumes that The Hammer and Clockstopper are professional heroes and get paid like every other costumed goon, but our family fortune comes mostly from investing, land, and apartments.

In reply to Seraphina Martel (msg # 204):

The WWII exhibit is more intersting than perhaps you thought it might be.  A lot of the history they teach is the kitschy stuff.  Lady Liberty in her thong outfit.  The Yanks super team.

But they cover a lot of the 'lesser lights'.  Like the Russian metas who died fighting the German ultrameta Walpurgisnacht at the Battle of St. Petersburg.  Or the work of Chinese underground metas in liberating their country from the Japanese.

Ahina is studying a display about The Sandpiper.  You've never heard of them.  Apparently The Sandpiper is a semi-mythical figure.  Historians debate about whether there was such a person.  If there was, they were a member of the Nazis, at least in name.  They supposedly had a low ranking mental power, but used it to undermine the infrastructure slowly over the war.  They apparently leaked information to underground railroaders who helped smuggle Jews and others out of the country.

Near the bottom of the display, someone has graffittied it with the words MY HERO

Ahina studies it and shrugs.  "Someone's just a jerk."

Knowing what I know, about people, about "heroes," I think that a lot of the official stories of WWII are probably just propaganda. It was a war, a very big one, a conflict over resources and power, like pretty much every war. It was a gunfight between national leaders to determine who got to rule the world.

The exhibits seem to show that individuals, even at the lower echelons of power, still had influence, meaning, and purpose in the conflict, other than as pawns for the people at the top. I can't help but reach out to touch the glass in front of The Sandpiper exhibit.

"Do you think he was real? Or she, I guess. If they were actually a Nazi though, probably a he. Nazis were very misogynistic."

Pause.

"What's up with the vandalism, you think?"

I don't have much desire to linger. The space feels sacred, somehow, and not welcoming. Dimly-remembered youthful idealism pushes at the edges of memory and makes me nervous.

I start towards the Rigney exhibit. Something to cynically evaluate will help banish the uncomfortable thoughts.

In reply to Seraphina Martel (msg # 206):

The Rigney exhibit takes up two floors.  And they have not skimped.  The opening leads to a sort of overview.  Some of their best known characters like Ricky Rouse, Gluey, and that pantsless duck that curses a lot and doesn't wear any pants.  You think his name is Kennedy Kanard.

Anyway, there are four areas.  The history of Rigney.  A look at some of their most famous movies.  A 'Rigney and You' exhibit.  Not much more about what it is than that.  And a 'Coming Attractions' style exhibit which seems to be about areas Rigney is looking to develop into.

You glance at your phone.  You probably only have time for one of these if you want to make the chess match.

The Rigney mind-trash is, of course, given priority placement in the museum. Rigney did pay for the whole thing, so it makes sense in that context. Unless Ahina has a strong preference, "Rigney and You" is the exhibit I head towards. The mere fact of its mystery makes it at least somewhat interesting, despite my distaste for Rigney.

I'm still loving the alterations to real-world companies and characters. It's both funny and enriching; the setting feels more real because of the details.

In reply to Seraphina Martel (msg # 208):

Thanks

The exhibit starts with a map of important Rigney locations.  Rigney Acres.  Rigney Hemisphere.  Their studios in California, New York, and Florida.  But it also moves in to their factory spaces worldwide, an annual sales report, and other business like concerns.

You realize that this exhibit is less an 'exhibit' and more a recruiting platform.  The entire space seems to be pushing the idea of going to work for Rigney.

Ahina studies a display showing the number of Rigney Employees in each country.  "I heard that a lot of management at Rigney came from St. George."

I tear my eyes away from the Rigney mind-poison to look at Ahina. "I heard that, too. I'm not a fan of the idea. I don't feel like selling my very identity for Rigney to make me into a product. I'm surprised anyone does, but then, I've only ever been myself."

Spending this much time in the Rigney exhibits is making me uncomfortable. The whole place feels creepy, like something is watching me, waiting to pounce.

"Are you ready to go to the chess match?" I ask Ahina, starting to leave but not hurrying. I don't want to leave her behind.

Or maybe...

...maybe I don't want her to leave me alone with that freaky Ricky Rouse statue.
This message was last edited by the player at 09:04, Sun 24 Jan 2021.

In reply to Seraphina Martel (msg # 210):

As you head to the field, you get a text from Louise.  The seats are filling up.  Want me to save you two seats?  Midfield, white side, or black side?

I take Ahina outside of time to appear next to Louise.

Once there, I say, "The middle is fine. Wouldn't want to miss the good seats, a couple rows back from the front."

So we go to get seats! Unless somebody has a better idea.

In reply to Seraphina Martel (msg # 212):

There is still seating in that area, and the three of you take your places.  It takes another fifteen minutes before the match starts, but as soon as it does, everyone goes quiet.  It's a bigger crowd than you thought.

At first...well. It's just a chess match.  People are dressed as pawns and bishops and rooks.  And they move across the board just like their pieces.  The white player advances a pawn.  Black does so.  This goes on for a few minutes.

The first exchange of pieces occurs.  Black uses a pawn to take another pawn.  And...that's it.  That's what happens.  The white pawn player scurries off the field.

Ahina is watching with rapt attention.  She seems like she would like chess.  But as you glance around the stands, you notice everyone is watching the field in rapt attention.  Everyone.  You and Louise seem to be the only two who seem puzzled by what's so exciting here.

White makes a move to counter attack the black pawn with one of their pawns.

And the white pawn suddenly shoots up into the air, rocketing up into the stratosphere.  They are lost from view in only a moment.

The referee blows her whistle.  She steps out onto the field and, using her head mike, turns towards the white player.  The ref's voice booms out, "Are you challenging?"

The white player is a girl with thick, blonde hair.  A screen set up to one side projects a close up of her.  She's pretty.  You vaguely recognize you.  A player from the arena games a few years ago.  You never fought her, but she racked up good numbers.

The blonde stares daggers at her opponent at the other end of the field, a red headed guy with skin the color of steel.  The screen at his end shows him smirking.

White starts to chew her lip as she looks around the field.  The ref speaks up again.  "I need an answer."

White bows her head and then shakes it.

Some of the people near you groan.

"I can't believe she missed that."

"Did you notice who did it?"

"Well...no.  But she should at least make an effort."

"Poor Cheryl.  She worked so hard this year."

"You think she's gonna lose?"

"Burton is a snake.  If she can't get ahead of him..."

The ref holds up both arms.  "No challenge!  The play stands.  Pawn is removed from play. White's turn."

Louise looks at you and shrugs.  Ahina cocks her head, puzzled.  "Well that's not right..."

Mother trained me so that my reflexes would activate my powers in self-defense if I was attacked directly, faster than even light. But that didn't mean I could react that fast all the time, to anything, and so the white pawn flying into the sky like it does makes me jump. I had gotten bored enough to start fiddling with my phone, and I nearly drop it.

"Whoah! What was that?!" I say, shocked by the suddenness of the thing.

I turn to Louise and Ahina by turns, then ask Ahina, "Do you know what just happened? What are they talking about, 'she missed' something? Did someone outside the game use a power to influence it?"

I'm not being quiet, nor am I shouting, so anyone nearby who might be inclined to show off how smart they are certainly has the opportunity.

OOC: Great work once again! Multiple text colors communicates that different people are talking succinctly and effectively. Plus, the mystery and action just jumped up two levels. =)
This message was last edited by the player at 19:23, Wed 27 Jan 2021.

In reply to Seraphina Martel (msg # 214):

Thanks

Ahina shakes her head.  She doesn't know either.

You hear someone chuckle behind you.  A guy leans forward.  Sort of average looking, although his eyes are mismatched.  One is indigo and one is gray.

"Hey.  Sorry to interrupt.  You guys must be new students.  Never seen the chess match before?"

Louise gives him a measuring look and then shakes her head.  "Yeah.  We're all newbies.  So...you mind me asking what just happend?"

The guy nods towards the field.  "The game isn't really a chess match.  It's about sabotage.

"The rule is you can't use powers.  And get caught."  He laughs.  "Just like St. George's, right?

"However the player's gotta be able to prove the cheat.  Black just sent that pawn flying away.  And White can only call it illegal if she can prove Black is the one who did it.  Or prove it was someone working for Black."  He shrugs.  "I mean.  It could be someone not even on the field who has a grudge against White, right?"

He shakes his head and gives White a pitying look.  "I don't think poor Cheryl has it in her to win this.

"These games never go all the way to checkmate.  They go until either one side catches the other in a cheat or the one side has lost so many pieces that they can't keep playing and concede."

"No it did go to checkmate once," says someone nearby you can't see.  "I think it was back in the nineties though."

Indigo/Gray shrugs.  "Anyway.  Cheryl is probably gonna lose.  Burton is too slick. It's a shame cos she's really got a lot riding on this game."

I'll pause here so you can digest.  Let me know if there are questions. Thanks

I used the wrong color in my last post. Oops. I have fixed it!

I hold up my hand in a perfunctory wave at Mismatched Eyes Guy. "Yo. Thanks for the explanation."

Looking back at the chess "board," I start to get an uneasy feeling. St. George's Academy is really starting to bother me. Why is there so much deception, deceit, and trickery? There's treachery, too, I imagine. Is this really what education and training for the future leaders of society looks like?

I wanted to change the world into a kinder place, but now I'm starting to think maybe there isn't enough violence.

"Do the faculty encourage this kind of thing, or is the chess match special in some way? Also, what's going to happen to that kid who flew up into the sky? Do we need to catch them?"

In reply to Seraphina Martel (msg # 216):

"Nah.  I don't think so." Mismatch Eye guy says, glancing the way the pawn flew away.  "Killin' somebody is a different ballgame then just messin' with 'em."

"Faculty will retrieve them."  The guy who told you about the checkmate match leans closer.  He's tall and thin, with glasses that would make even Ahina go dude you got some thick glasses

"This match was sponsored by the Dragons.  It's meant to be special," he adds.

The hypothetical speech from Ahina being in her color is amusingly cute. =)

I do my best to pretend I wasn't invited to the secret treehouse club meeting.

"Sponsored by the Dragons? So does that mean they can get away with a little more than usual? I've heard a lot about them today already. What are they like? Do people not in their club get to play this match? How are people picked, anyway, I wonder."

I look back at the board and the match once again. The deception that Rigney's toadies went through was always disgusting to me, or at least, it was disgusting to me as far back as I could remember. The insincerity of it all. Surely a just society could not come out of deceit.

Maybe I should make it my mission to overthrow that order of deception. I would need a lot of allies with a similar goal, plus a few initial victories and many followers.

In reply to Seraphina Martel (msg # 218):

"Oh no.  This is a Dragon's game." Mr. Checkmate seems very confident about this. "The rules are set by the Dragons.  Only Dragons can be players.  Though I think they invite anyone to be pieces.

"If you want to know more about them, you could buy me a soda after the game."

He gives you a friendly enough smile.

I raise one eyebrow at Mr. Checkmate. I have perfect posture, as well as charisma and a regal, commanding presence. My parents made sure of that, with extensive training to make sure I could own any room I was in. Add to that my top-shelf good looks and you get the perfect princess package. That was, after all, what they wanted, and it's what they got. I recognize the value in it. I'm surprised I haven't been hit on more often, since so few people at St. George's seem to know who I am.

"If you want to ask me out, then ask me out. You're not cute enough to be indirect."

My fanclub calls me Frozen Empress as a term of endearment.
This message was last updated by the player at 09:21, Wed 03 Feb 2021.

In reply to Seraphina Martel (msg # 220):

He laughs.  "Me?  I'm the sexiest guy alive!  Just ask my overinflated ego."

He leans closer.  "My name's George Reynolds.  Wanna go out?"

I continue staring at him. I have stared down much fiercer creatures than he and had them running in fear. Maybe I just don't have the reputation here to make that work. Maybe he's just drunk with bravado.

I can't help but smirk as I hold up my index finger. "Everybody gets one." Then I write down my phone number on my antiquated paper-and-pencil notepad, tear off the paper, and hand it to him.

Then I look back at the game. Unless something is obviously off, I'll go on a date with anyone once. Sometimes people make bad first impressions. I don't know why I decided to do that, but I've stuck with that rule since I was 14 and I plan to keep sticking to it until I get married.

In reply to Seraphina Martel (msg # 222):

As you turn back to the game, you notice Louise is missing.

Down on the chess game, White makes a sudden and very decisive move.  She has left her rook out in the open.  It's obviously a trap.  But Black can't afford to miss the opportunity.

You see the Black player considering the situation carefully.

"She's good." Ahina is looking down towards the White player.  But you don't think she's talking about the White player.

Louise is somehow standing next to her, whispering in her ear.

Scheming is not my strong suit, and it never has been. I prefer direct confrontation. But then, of course I do; I can throw a bus and run faster than lasers.

"What do you think she's doing?" I ask, idly pondering the situation myself. Loise's politicking doesn't interest me directly; it's more of an academic curiosity, a desire to know why people do what they do, rather than to gain tools to manipulate people.

"It wouldn't surprise me if Louise could move near the speed of light, maybe at the speed of light. Her powers are all about lasers and that kinda thing."

Pause for Polish sausage. Nom nom nom. Chew, swallow.

"This game is more about deception and adherence to arcane rules, isn't it?"

In reply to Seraphina Martel (msg # 224):

"More or less."  George answers from behind you.  He seems to be considering Louise's presence as well.  "It is the Dragons after all.  Ow."

Someone nearby elbowed him.  George laughs.

Ahina shoots him a look.  "The Dragons are pretty cool."

George returns her look and then shrugs.  "Everyone has their own way of looking at things."

Meanwhile, on the field, Black takes the rook.

White quickly responds by taking the pawn that took the rook.  George sighs.  "Now we'll see if Black takes the bait."

In looking at it, Black had to take the rook. But he has left himself in an awkward position.  He either has to have been planning how to deal with this situation two moves ago or...

"He'll have to cheat his way outta this."

A couple of moves go by.

Suddenly White is waving an arm.  You can see Louise has a smug look on her face.  Well.  Smugger than usual.

"Where?"

"White pawn at G4.  He went MIA.  Black made him go poof."

The ref has come over to listen to White.

George clicks his tongue.  "Well.  That is it then."

In a moment, the ref has returned to the center of the field.

"Illegal use of teleportation powers.  Penalty on Black.  Game is forfeit.  Victory to White."