#avian hazard | Rook

[kingedbishop]

The android looked over once again, waiting for Rook to snap back at him. When it was clear she intended to leave him alone he glanced back to Vincent. If his communication skills were poor, he felt he was about to set a new low, but still reached to give his friend a gentle pat in reassurance. Everything was fine, they were just having a feisty mutant over for a bit.

Bishop smirked. That gave him something to work with.

"Yes, that is expected behavior from the rebellious youngest brother."

Even the most collected deviant had to deal with their own emotions and while he couldn't say for sure how prominent Nines' ego was, Bishop would still poke at him until he got a reaction.

It was entertaining enough to him, in any case. He had no reason to stop.

"That's typical of private contractors." he mused, "So you were saved entirely by greed alone. I suppose there is some irony in that."

Much like the fact that androids were simply being tossed in a landfill instead of being recycled. It seemed Cyberlife's entire existence was simply tainted by incompetence.

Rook watched the way Dan's skin regenerated, glad to see no damage was done. The last thing she wanted was to be accused of having hurt the most important guy in the house, especially when she had done nothing but ask questions.

"Who knows, maybe he's patient zero." She shrugged, "Maybe he's like Sixty and likes the way he is. It's never good to assume somebody who's very energetic and content with what they have is dumb. I have a friend who is just as bouncy as Kelvin and she's smarter and wiser than most people."

It didn't look like Kelvin was causing real trouble on purpose. He just moved quietly and that made it easy to forget he was even there doing his own thing.

"So that's why you've got Commander Data running about. Maybe you could ask Willow to talk to Kelvin. He can't talk to you, but she can probably translate for him."

While Rook didn’t represent a threat, she definitely wasn't short on comments.

"Bishop's knitting. How do I even get myself in these situations?"

"Ungrateful bird." The android only briefly glared at her. It wasn't his fault if he wore the face of a monster.

"What's the matter now? I was under the impression this household promoted healthy siblings relationships."

Bishop doubted the taunting would distract Nines, but he really wanted to make it clear that he wasn't the only one who could read people to a decent degree.

It didn't mean he cared about their motivations, but he was aware of them.

"Oh, I see now that I'm playing cards with a rather exclusive group. Though I can't help questioning how the two of you were allowed to roam freely. Are you fugitives like my copycat?"

It seemed like a legit question to him. The military wasn't exactly known for giving up on important assets for nothing. They couldn't afford to let him, the most dedicated man to have ever lived, go away, Bishop had to wonder how they'd give the androids up.

"Well, we've got to try." Rook replied, "I went through what's left of his base and it gave me nightmares, Strasky is going through so much worse. And I still want to help those other people, even if some of them are annoying."

It was basic decency, really. Rook didn't mention the new android at first, assuming they were all able to detect each other to some extent. Dan's reaction quickly proved her wrong and prompted her to switch to her flames form the time being. She didn't want to end up like that wall.

"...Yes, Willow does that sometimes. She can keep track of each one of you guys and all the appliances too while she's in the area. That's why she's so calm. She can also probably go through all your circuits and stuff, but that'd be rude." Rook explained, "Who's that guy?"

[heliomanteia]

3 or 12 for the de Riva asks, if you want!

Thank you! And thank you for compiling those lists in the first place, they're so much fun :)

— Rook attending a function as a representative of their house

&

— Rook completing a contract with one or more of the following people: Teia, Viago, Illario, Caterina, Jacobus

[ Prompts list. ]

P. S. My focus was on №3 but I think I accidentally put both of these prompts together because De Riva refuses to go to an event without a murder involved:

"How many assassination attempts are we expecting, exactly?"

Rook glances at Teia over the glass of wine held up to their face, the mumbled words almost inaudible in the velvety noise of the venue. They're hidden away into a private nook and she's leaning against the wall with little to no care that she is "interfering" on De Riva's assigned territory. Cantori's booth is a few designated sections down the hall but she seemingly lacks the concern; privileges of being a Talon, Rook supposes. Or maybe just a Teia thing.

"One too many if you keep tasting the drinks."

"I tested it," Rook objects, pressing the glass to their lips as proof. The wine is tainted with Viago's antivenin, rendering it bitter— like if green had a flavor. Teia watches them with fox-like curiosity through the holes in her feathered mask, tilting her head to let bouncy, tight curls slide over her shoulder, obstructing the view of her face from the side.

"Of course you did."

She smiles, polished and practiced, and turns towards the buffet table to snatch a goblet for herself. With a move too smooth to be novel, Teia pushes open the inner part of her decorated ring, shaking lilac-tinted powder into the drink. It bubbles up before the reaction dies out and she clicks her tongue, almost annoyed.

"What a waste of good poison, this isn't even vintage."

"I guess Viago prepared us both well," Rook murmurs, pulling away from the wall and offering her a folded arm. As the representative of the house, they took up all of Viago's responsibilities, including keeping Teia's company. "Though I'm not sure why he didn't come here himself."

Teia hooks her arm under theirs and allows her bejeweled hand to rest against their forearm. She pretends to drink as they pass through the crowd of guests, watching the room. Not unlike an Orlesian ball, it presents a rich palette of avian masks — the crow variety — and decorated fabrics wrapped in metal in mimicry of fancy dresses desperately trying to distance from the recent wartime but not quite managing to draw the line between a suit of armor and a luxurious gown.

Rook's feathered suit is tailored to their body in a manner that feels almost sensual, but Teia insisted on picking it out for them instead of allowing Viago to "ruin the house's reputation so quickly" by contacting the tailor himself. It's rich indigo, layered, and suffocating in a way all too fitting for the occasion— down to the frilly collar Rook keeps adjusting so it doesn't dig into their chin. Earlier, they had a chance to sneak a glance at themselves in one of the grand mirrors decorating the entrance hall and they had to admit the outfit looked dazzling despite the discomfort; it contrasted well with the deep bronze of their skin, confidently wrapped around a sturdy body, and earned them a few compliments on the way in. Perhaps it's worth having sat through straightening their hair after Viago deemed "the mane" a hazard in given circumstances.

"Fifth Talon business," she offers casually, reaching towards one of the carts to leave the glass she meddled with on its top. "What you need to focus on instead is offering me a dance."

"Are we being watched?" Rook immediately catches on, slowing down in their tracks.

"Have been for the last fifteen minutes," Teia's grin is contagious as she slips away from their side and turns around, meeting their eyes. "Make the dance worth it and I won't tell Vi you missed on the company."

At that, Rook can't help but laugh. Teia has always been their favorite.

With a half-bow all too measured, they catch her hand as the other one slips effortlessly onto their shoulder. The silky yellow chiffon of her dress is decorated with gold plating that passes across her ribcage and up to her neck. Rook's fingers close over the side of the cold metal casing as they lead her into the first twirl, matching the fiery tempo of the Antivan orchestra.

"How many?" they whisper once the two are far away enough from the rest of the guests, dancing into the central circle of the ballroom.

"Three, upstairs. You drew plenty of attention with your Antaam business," she responds, allowing them to lift her up in a turn. "Vi requested—"

"—a smooth contract, I know."

She falls silent at that, now curious for the details. Rook moves her under their arm, watching the room over her head as she twists before being pulled back into their proximity.

"He gave me a poison, new blend. I applied it to the undergarments in the baron's room. Soon—" they go quiet for a moment as another dancing pair passes by. Just for the show, they lean into Teia's ear in a movement that could be read as intimate. "—one of the servants will accidentally splash red wine over his trousers, causing him to retreat to his quarters. He'll change, feel a little itchy in around thirty… under an hour, he will be mysteriously dead from what looks like suffocation."

Teia hums in quiet contemplation. Rook knows she has a faint idea of how the toxin used works. All they will need to do is sneak into the room at a later point to retrieve the documents for Viago. In a moment, she nods as she looks back up at them.

"You said Vi made that new poison?"

"Over the last month. Why?"

She sighs, as if expecting something.

"Name?"

Rook smirks knowingly.

"Undercover Job."

"I'm going to kill him."

[kingedbishop]

"Pleasure doing business with you." he replied.

"Go fuck yourself!" The doors were shut just a second too late, it seemed. Rook still wasn't about to sit quietly, though her anger quickly turned into frustrated sulking as she leaned slightly on Strasky, "I don't like he's got the chance to use your friends against you."

Bishop bumped his fist on top of the van. As it drove off, the old agent turned away and quickly rejoined his men. There was a lot of work to do before they could move on from this disaster of a mission.

He smiled back a bit, mainly out of habit as smiling is what he usually did and would do so whenever acceptable. He was just a generally happy person, and that was something he was fine with.

"Alright, sounds good." He nodded as he helped Rook into the vehicle before he spoke with her.

"Maybe at the end of the ride, if not... I'm sure I can figure out something." He would do his best if that was the case, and he had a few ideas of how to remove them as they probably wouldn't effect him.

[kingedbishop]

There was no resistance from either. Rook was still dealing with all the extra energy she had absorbed from the explosion and was surprisingly warm, even for her standards. While as far as Bishop was concerned, he was done with both and had no reason to get any closer to the entrance than he already was. He didn't trust Shade not to get up to any nonsense now that he was free to roam again.

"As I said, she's free to go." the agent replied calmly, "I got what I wanted. Now, I would appreciate it if you could both take your leave."

"Well, I could use a ride home." Rook said, "And I'd rather not stay around to see how many missiles Bishop can shoot at you. We should really go, Shade."

All things considered, throwing herself in the middle of an explosion and looking just a little aloof afterwards was quite the achievement. She was just a little stiff, what with the current state of her body.

"…Oh. It's still there." The flames bent at an angle and coalesced to form Rook's missing arm. "Good as new! Are you also in your right mind, Bishop? I don't want to spend the night here troubleshooting your stupid brain."

Bishop tugged at the lapels of his coat, finally content with the way he looked. "You're free to go."

Well, she didn't need to be told twice. Rook walked to the hangar door and raised the orb. What definitely wasn't a moment of hesitation was quickly replaced by a chuckle as the arcane trap lit up. "I choose you, Pikachu."

[kingedbishop]

While Rook didn’t represent a threat, she definitely wasn't short on comments.

"Bishop's knitting. How do I even get myself in these situations?"

"Ungrateful bird." The android only briefly glared at her. It wasn't his fault if he wore the face of a monster.

"What's the matter now? I was under the impression this household promoted healthy siblings relationships."

Bishop doubted the taunting would distract Nines, but he really wanted to make it clear that he wasn't the only one who could read people to a decent degree.

It didn't mean he cared about their motivations, but he was aware of them.

"Oh, I see now that I'm playing cards with a rather exclusive group. Though I can't help questioning how the two of you were allowed to roam freely. Are you fugitives like my copycat?"

It seemed like a legit question to him. The military wasn't exactly known for giving up on important assets for nothing. They couldn't afford to let him, the most dedicated man to have ever lived, go away, Bishop had to wonder how they'd give the androids up.

"Well, we've got to try." Rook replied, "I went through what's left of his base and it gave me nightmares, Strasky is going through so much worse. And I still want to help those other people, even if some of them are annoying."

It was basic decency, really. Rook didn't mention the new android at first, assuming they were all able to detect each other to some extent. Dan's reaction quickly proved her wrong and prompted her to switch to her flames form the time being. She didn't want to end up like that wall.

"...Yes, Willow does that sometimes. She can keep track of each one of you guys and all the appliances too while she's in the area. That's why she's so calm. She can also probably go through all your circuits and stuff, but that'd be rude." Rook explained, "Who's that guy?"

The android seemed satisfied nonetheless. He wasn't a master at conversation either and was fine as long as Vincent gave him enough to understand what he meant.

If he was comfortable with just a few words, Vincent could also get there eventually and it'd be fine.

Now he just had to not mess this design up.

Bishop only slightly nodded at the explanation. He still had to keep up the facade to not let himself get away.

"Very well. Although, in the future, you should go after the pink cyborg that came along with us. She might provide a fairer challenge."

Or she would cheat by messing with Nines' circuits, which was just fine with him as well.

"Though I take it military models aren’t that well trained to handle interrogations."

He might as well throw in a little jab at John as well.

"Let’s not worry about the details now. What matters is that you keep trying and remind yourself that there are people who like you exactly the way you are." Willow replied, before tilting her head slightly, "You escaped the WAU. It'd be a shame if you'd now be lost to those doubts that are tormenting you."

With that, she went back to browsing the plushies.

"It's good you're telling me these things. I've got my phone here, Willow's probably listening too." Rook said, "At least now I know I'm not the problem. I guess figuring this out will be the next step once his friends are sorted out. Maybe they'll finally return the favor and take care of the guy who erased himself to worry about their problems instead."

[kingedbishop]

The android seemed satisfied nonetheless. He wasn't a master at conversation either and was fine as long as Vincent gave him enough to understand what he meant.

If he was comfortable with just a few words, Vincent could also get there eventually and it'd be fine.

Now he just had to not mess this design up.

Bishop only slightly nodded at the explanation. He still had to keep up the facade to not let himself get away.

"Very well. Although, in the future, you should go after the pink cyborg that came along with us. She might provide a fairer challenge."

Or she would cheat by messing with Nines' circuits, which was just fine with him as well.

"Though I take it military models aren’t that well trained to handle interrogations."

He might as well throw in a little jab at John as well.

"Let’s not worry about the details now. What matters is that you keep trying and remind yourself that there are people who like you exactly the way you are." Willow replied, before tilting her head slightly, "You escaped the WAU. It'd be a shame if you'd now be lost to those doubts that are tormenting you."

With that, she went back to browsing the plushies.

"It's good you're telling me these things. I've got my phone here, Willow's probably listening too." Rook said, "At least now I know I'm not the problem. I guess figuring this out will be the next step once his friends are sorted out. Maybe they'll finally return the favor and take care of the guy who erased himself to worry about their problems instead."

It wasn't a long wait before Vincent reactivated. The android only briefly shifted his gaze away from his work to look at the other, knowing by now that the pain around the LED was temporary. This was all pretty standard, there was no need to get worked up about it.

He kept at it once Vincent while settled down more comfortably, then showed the result of his efforts so far. He seemed to be making a chicken.

Bishop's expression didn't shift during the exchange, nor at Nines' offer.

"Aren't you by any chance offering to switch seats because you are the one in need of a challenge?" he replied with a smirk.

It'd definitely be more difficult to get away with lies, but he had accepted to play to see how good Nines was and the only way to do that was to challenge him directly.

Willow motioned with her hand at Sixty's answer, pointing out she was right about Vincent's chances of improving. It was perhaps the only positive part, as having no record of androids who deviated because of positive influences wasn't exactly encouraging.

She could, however, encourage Strasky. "Please, do try once you feel ready. There are many new people waiting to welcome you for who you are. You simply have to let them in and perhaps consider seeing a therapist."

"Wow." Rook ran a hand through her hair, "That’s a lot of stuff to drop on somebody who resents herself every other day. I got him out of hell and told him to stay clear of Bishop. I'm only good at fighting things, I'm going to mess that up."

[kingedbishop]

It wasn't a long wait before Vincent reactivated. The android only briefly shifted his gaze away from his work to look at the other, knowing by now that the pain around the LED was temporary. This was all pretty standard, there was no need to get worked up about it.

He kept at it once Vincent while settled down more comfortably, then showed the result of his efforts so far. He seemed to be making a chicken.

Bishop's expression didn't shift during the exchange, nor at Nines' offer.

"Aren't you by any chance offering to switch seats because you are the one in need of a challenge?" he replied with a smirk.

It'd definitely be more difficult to get away with lies, but he had accepted to play to see how good Nines was and the only way to do that was to challenge him directly.

Willow motioned with her hand at Sixty's answer, pointing out she was right about Vincent's chances of improving. It was perhaps the only positive part, as having no record of androids who deviated because of positive influences wasn't exactly encouraging.

She could, however, encourage Strasky. "Please, do try once you feel ready. There are many new people waiting to welcome you for who you are. You simply have to let them in and perhaps consider seeing a therapist."

"Wow." Rook ran a hand through her hair, "That’s a lot of stuff to drop on somebody who resents herself every other day. I got him out of hell and told him to stay clear of Bishop. I'm only good at fighting things, I'm going to mess that up."

The android Bishop had already filed the exchange away and was ready to focus entirely on his knitting. He still glared at Dan when the snap startled Vincent, but otherwise didn't care to stop. He only briefly slowed down when the other further pressed against him and he lifted his arm to make way for him.

When Vincent went into stasis, he shifted to sit more comfortably, then got back to knitting.

Meanwhile, Bishop had put on his best poker face, which wasn't too different from his usual resting face. Acing a game of cards was hardly what his training was aimed at, but he would not give away information to the enemy no matter how many scans he could run on him.

He pushed his shades up, never averting his gaze. Nines seemed to be the only remotely competent one. Now he just had to see if he could get away with his own lie.

So far, he felt optimistic.

Willow kept browsing the toys, not really minding what Sixty was up to.

"That would justify Vincent's behavior, yes. Though he may improve with time. He seems to have found something of a friend already, as unlikely as that one may be. There is hope."

In any case, she couldn't really judge Vincent for who he felt safe around when she too happened to somewhat enjoy arguing with Bishop.

"Though I wonder if there are androids who deviated for acts of kindness instead."

It would have been nice to know, if anything. As they were provided with boxes, Willow decided to pick a few toys as well.

"Dan was built to be a caretaker and is exceptionally good at it. He understands how much he can push for information and perhaps he is compelled to help you because you look like his brother." she added then, "Perhaps now that you saw how simple it was to let him in, you might find yourself more willing to quiet your concerns and share your burdens with others. The reason we are here is to help the survivors of PATHOS-II." She looked over, "That of course includes you."

"He's going to be a burden if he doesn't talk to me. I have a hard time with people as is, not knowing what I can say around him isn't making it easier." Rook complained, "I already put up with that with my father and I don't want to do it again because this time I actually care about what Strasky thinks of me."

But she still listened to Dan's advice. Her methods had failed, she might as well try a different approach.

"Well, good thing I have plenty of trauma to share." she mused, "I still feel like there isn't going to be space for me until all his friends will be alright, but I'll give it a shot."

[kingedbishop]

The android Bishop had already filed the exchange away and was ready to focus entirely on his knitting. He still glared at Dan when the snap startled Vincent, but otherwise didn't care to stop. He only briefly slowed down when the other further pressed against him and he lifted his arm to make way for him.

When Vincent went into stasis, he shifted to sit more comfortably, then got back to knitting.

Meanwhile, Bishop had put on his best poker face, which wasn't too different from his usual resting face. Acing a game of cards was hardly what his training was aimed at, but he would not give away information to the enemy no matter how many scans he could run on him.

He pushed his shades up, never averting his gaze. Nines seemed to be the only remotely competent one. Now he just had to see if he could get away with his own lie.

So far, he felt optimistic.

Willow kept browsing the toys, not really minding what Sixty was up to.

"That would justify Vincent's behavior, yes. Though he may improve with time. He seems to have found something of a friend already, as unlikely as that one may be. There is hope."

In any case, she couldn't really judge Vincent for who he felt safe around when she too happened to somewhat enjoy arguing with Bishop.

"Though I wonder if there are androids who deviated for acts of kindness instead."

It would have been nice to know, if anything. As they were provided with boxes, Willow decided to pick a few toys as well.

"Dan was built to be a caretaker and is exceptionally good at it. He understands how much he can push for information and perhaps he is compelled to help you because you look like his brother." she added then, "Perhaps now that you saw how simple it was to let him in, you might find yourself more willing to quiet your concerns and share your burdens with others. The reason we are here is to help the survivors of PATHOS-II." She looked over, "That of course includes you."

"He's going to be a burden if he doesn't talk to me. I have a hard time with people as is, not knowing what I can say around him isn't making it easier." Rook complained, "I already put up with that with my father and I don't want to do it again because this time I actually care about what Strasky thinks of me."

But she still listened to Dan's advice. Her methods had failed, she might as well try a different approach.

"Well, good thing I have plenty of trauma to share." she mused, "I still feel like there isn't going to be space for me until all his friends will be alright, but I'll give it a shot."

The android seemed to always be on his best behavior around Vincent, even when he wouldn't have minded bothering Dan. Sure, the other's systems always seemed on the verge of overloading and he didn't enjoy some casual brawling. But he was harmless, thus he could afford to lower his guard.

The only real threat in the house was Bishop anyway, the other humans simply looked odd. They could be ignored and he could spend some time knitting.

"Mh." He looked down as Vincent leaned in and started apologizing profusely. That was a lot of words just for daring to get a little closer. He supposed he appreciated the concern, but he didn't really care.

"You may rest." It wasn't as if it'd compromise his mobility.

Bishop smirked. The temptation to say he already knew Strohmeier's name was strong, but he managed to hold back for the sake of the game.

"The name's Bishop." he said, looking at his cards. He picked a three and placed it down, then looked at the androids.

Willow kept an eye on Sixty, if anything, to be ready in case something got knocked down.

"Even twins have different personalities. These androids have been individuals for a short time and have been molded by their most recent experiences, but they still qualify as such." the cyborg replied, taking her gloves off, "But they're hardly at the end of their path. Perhaps Daniel will improve over time and so might Vincent. Artificial beings can heal too."

That went for Strasky too, as far as she was concerned. Willow reached for the nearest toy, taking a moment to focus on the feeling of the fabric provided by the sensors in her hands.

"The children need more items to decorate their rooms with. Their preferences, according to the last survey, seem to be dogs, felines, birds and have showed less interest in toys with bright colors." she listed, "Erica will likely claim whatever they will turn down. I suppose we should pick whatever catches our attention."

Then again, she could have used a few new plushies as well.

"Well, the hope is that they'll sort each other out…and maybe be nicer to him. Strasky basically felt responsible for everybody else, which worked out as well as it sounds." Rook said, giving a shrug, "And I feel like he doesn't want the help. I can try to cheer him up, but I'm not Strohmeier or one of the others."

She paused for a moment, then carefully reached out to pet Prince.

[kingedbishop]

The android seemed to always be on his best behavior around Vincent, even when he wouldn't have minded bothering Dan. Sure, the other's systems always seemed on the verge of overloading and he didn't enjoy some casual brawling. But he was harmless, thus he could afford to lower his guard.

The only real threat in the house was Bishop anyway, the other humans simply looked odd. They could be ignored and he could spend some time knitting.

"Mh." He looked down as Vincent leaned in and started apologizing profusely. That was a lot of words just for daring to get a little closer. He supposed he appreciated the concern, but he didn't really care.

"You may rest." It wasn't as if it'd compromise his mobility.

Bishop smirked. The temptation to say he already knew Strohmeier's name was strong, but he managed to hold back for the sake of the game.

"The name's Bishop." he said, looking at his cards. He picked a three and placed it down, then looked at the androids.

Willow kept an eye on Sixty, if anything, to be ready in case something got knocked down.

"Even twins have different personalities. These androids have been individuals for a short time and have been molded by their most recent experiences, but they still qualify as such." the cyborg replied, taking her gloves off, "But they're hardly at the end of their path. Perhaps Daniel will improve over time and so might Vincent. Artificial beings can heal too."

That went for Strasky too, as far as she was concerned. Willow reached for the nearest toy, taking a moment to focus on the feeling of the fabric provided by the sensors in her hands.

"The children need more items to decorate their rooms with. Their preferences, according to the last survey, seem to be dogs, felines, birds and have showed less interest in toys with bright colors." she listed, "Erica will likely claim whatever they will turn down. I suppose we should pick whatever catches our attention."

Then again, she could have used a few new plushies as well.

"Well, the hope is that they'll sort each other out…and maybe be nicer to him. Strasky basically felt responsible for everybody else, which worked out as well as it sounds." Rook said, giving a shrug, "And I feel like he doesn't want the help. I can try to cheer him up, but I'm not Strohmeier or one of the others."

She paused for a moment, then carefully reached out to pet Prince.

Seeing Vincent more at ease convinced the android Bishop to relax, or what passed for that while he gave mean glares to all the present before shifting his attention to the tools and yarn that were being laid out for him.

He briefly glanced in Dan's direction, before picking them up and getting to work.

Bishop contemplated the rules of the game for a moment, before nodding. "Noted."

He moved to sit down, taking a moment to study the other androids. He supposed he could do this for the sake of scientific curiosity. It would be interesting to see how well machines could lie.

"I doubt that device could affect me, but I'm confident it won't be necessary." he commented dryly with a smirk.

It wouldn't be like him to join anything without talking smack first.

Meanwhile, Willow was still quietly scanning the room, taking in all the toys while studying Sixty's behavior. The lack of coordination didn't seem to hinder him, prompting her to refrain from offering her help with it.

She kept her hands folded behind her back as she listened to Strasky. "I assume they share an uncanny resemblance while the other may be more calm and collected the way Nines prefers to carry himself. He might give the impression of a well trained puppy instead of an overstimulated one."

None of that was said as a critique. She appreciated more than anyone the way the androids were allowed to thrive while embracing their personalities.

"Bulb and Prince are good enough, I guess." Rook shrugged. A Pokémon and a scrunkly looking glass creature didn't need crazy names to stand out. "Yep. That's how siblings work. At least you know he's being obnoxious because he wants your attention and not for other reasons."

It was nice to see for a change. Every time she jumped over to this dimension, it felt like dysfunctional families were the norm.

"He's not, you're right, at least in the biological sense." Rook confirmed. "His mind isn't running on his brain anymore so I guess that cuts out all the chemicals that would normally make him all bouncy. I think it's still in there somewhere, but he's also older and very traumatized. The hope is that helping out his friends will give him some peace too."

[kingedbishop]

Seeing Vincent more at ease convinced the android Bishop to relax, or what passed for that while he gave mean glares to all the present before shifting his attention to the tools and yarn that were being laid out for him.

He briefly glanced in Dan's direction, before picking them up and getting to work.

Bishop contemplated the rules of the game for a moment, before nodding. "Noted."

He moved to sit down, taking a moment to study the other androids. He supposed he could do this for the sake of scientific curiosity. It would be interesting to see how well machines could lie.

"I doubt that device could affect me, but I'm confident it won't be necessary." he commented dryly with a smirk.

It wouldn't be like him to join anything without talking smack first.

Meanwhile, Willow was still quietly scanning the room, taking in all the toys while studying Sixty's behavior. The lack of coordination didn't seem to hinder him, prompting her to refrain from offering her help with it.

She kept her hands folded behind her back as she listened to Strasky. "I assume they share an uncanny resemblance while the other may be more calm and collected the way Nines prefers to carry himself. He might give the impression of a well trained puppy instead of an overstimulated one."

None of that was said as a critique. She appreciated more than anyone the way the androids were allowed to thrive while embracing their personalities.

"Bulb and Prince are good enough, I guess." Rook shrugged. A Pokémon and a scrunkly looking glass creature didn't need crazy names to stand out. "Yep. That's how siblings work. At least you know he's being obnoxious because he wants your attention and not for other reasons."

It was nice to see for a change. Every time she jumped over to this dimension, it felt like dysfunctional families were the norm.

"He's not, you're right, at least in the biological sense." Rook confirmed. "His mind isn't running on his brain anymore so I guess that cuts out all the chemicals that would normally make him all bouncy. I think it's still in there somewhere, but he's also older and very traumatized. The hope is that helping out his friends will give him some peace too."

"It would have caused quite the commotion." Willow pointed out. All things considered Dan could appreciate the calm of the household not being perturbed. "Then Peter would feel compelled to provide you with additional upgrades."

Which in turn would have made the android Bishop act up. He was currently content enough sitting down with Vincent and watch him work, they couldn't ruin that.

It was good to know there was at least one Bishop capable of forming healthy relationships.

Agent Bishop in the meantime was questioning the point of a game where the main attraction seemed to be the chance of giving themselves a light lobotomy.

So he was eager to give it a shot. "Joining." He had been trained to lie effectively and it wasn't as if that tool could work on him.

Wiping the floor with anyone resembling Strohmeier ought to be his new favorite pastime.

Willow tentatively reached to provide support in case Sixty accidentally knocked himself over, before following him. She didn't mind Strasky's presence, as it provided him with a distraction anyway. She had to admit it was rather impressive. The temptation to grab the plushies was strong.

They were definitely cuter than the strange animals Dan had summoned. At least Rook wasn't the kind to be easily weirded out by weird little critters and didn't mind the glass android that much.

"Yeah, it's probably both." Rook replied, "Did he name them too?"

[kingedbishop]

"It would have caused quite the commotion." Willow pointed out. All things considered Dan could appreciate the calm of the household not being perturbed. "Then Peter would feel compelled to provide you with additional upgrades."

Which in turn would have made the android Bishop act up. He was currently content enough sitting down with Vincent and watch him work, they couldn't ruin that.

It was good to know there was at least one Bishop capable of forming healthy relationships.

Agent Bishop in the meantime was questioning the point of a game where the main attraction seemed to be the chance of giving themselves a light lobotomy.

So he was eager to give it a shot. "Joining." He had been trained to lie effectively and it wasn't as if that tool could work on him.

Wiping the floor with anyone resembling Strohmeier ought to be his new favorite pastime.

Willow tentatively reached to provide support in case Sixty accidentally knocked himself over, before following him. She didn't mind Strasky's presence, as it provided him with a distraction anyway. She had to admit it was rather impressive. The temptation to grab the plushies was strong.

They were definitely cuter than the strange animals Dan had summoned. At least Rook wasn't the kind to be easily weirded out by weird little critters and didn't mind the glass android that much.

"Yeah, it's probably both." Rook replied, "Did he name them too?"

Willow gave a polite nod, "I'm glad you weren’t damaged."

She doubted any damage would have been permanent, but it would certainly be upsetting for Dan's fellow androids, the loopy human over there and Strasky as well to see. Indeed, she was more than glad they had dodged that crisis.

With the systems up and running, and with Strasky being successfully distracted, the job would be done in a reasonable time. All that was left to do now was ensure that the Bishops would behave and that Rook was equally entertained for the duration.

The android one was doing well enough staying with Vincent. He crouched down to examine the crochet wolf when it was presented to him and gave a solemn nod once he was done. "That's satisfactory."

Which, Willow assumed, was a compliment by his standards.

Agent Bishop, on the other hand, figured he should accept the offer and go check out the game, if anything in the hope of the military androids being more worth copying, or fighting. It could be either, really.

With him gone from the room, Rook visibly relaxed, giving Strasky a brief look to make sure he was fine too, before looking at Dan. "But the exposed wire really helps it breathe! Trust me, I'm an engineer."

"I'm glad his outbursts are as amusing as they sound to all of you." Willow said, before nodding at Sixty as an invitation to lead the way.

[kingedbishop]

Willow gave a polite nod, "I'm glad you weren’t damaged."

She doubted any damage would have been permanent, but it would certainly be upsetting for Dan's fellow androids, the loopy human over there and Strasky as well to see. Indeed, she was more than glad they had dodged that crisis.

With the systems up and running, and with Strasky being successfully distracted, the job would be done in a reasonable time. All that was left to do now was ensure that the Bishops would behave and that Rook was equally entertained for the duration.

The android one was doing well enough staying with Vincent. He crouched down to examine the crochet wolf when it was presented to him and gave a solemn nod once he was done. "That's satisfactory."

Which, Willow assumed, was a compliment by his standards.

Agent Bishop, on the other hand, figured he should accept the offer and go check out the game, if anything in the hope of the military androids being more worth copying, or fighting. It could be either, really.

With him gone from the room, Rook visibly relaxed, giving Strasky a brief look to make sure he was fine too, before looking at Dan. "But the exposed wire really helps it breathe! Trust me, I'm an engineer."

"I'm glad his outbursts are as amusing as they sound to all of you." Willow said, before nodding at Sixty as an invitation to lead the way.

"Empathy is a wonderful gift." Willow said, eyeing Dan, "Perhaps I should have mentioned to be careful while handling Strasky."

It was hard to ignore the structure gel going off now that she knew what to be on the lookout for. She was glad all that information being dumped on him at once had not caused him to overload like it did with the brain scans.

Deviants were simply built different perhaps.

"In other words, we have commissioned a young genius who must be kept on a leash." Bishop mused.

"You keep yours in a jar." Rook pointed, getting a confused look from the android, "Do you even have to ask?"

"Not at all." He shot Bishop a skeptic look, before heading back to where Vincent was.

Bishop crossed his arms, "So, how much longer do we have to wait? There is work I have to get back to."

"You guys should write down what he says and put it in fortune cookies." Rook suggested, "It's so cryptic everybody would love them."

[kingedbishop]

"Empathy is a wonderful gift." Willow said, eyeing Dan, "Perhaps I should have mentioned to be careful while handling Strasky."

It was hard to ignore the structure gel going off now that she knew what to be on the lookout for. She was glad all that information being dumped on him at once had not caused him to overload like it did with the brain scans.

Deviants were simply built different perhaps.

"In other words, we have commissioned a young genius who must be kept on a leash." Bishop mused.

"You keep yours in a jar." Rook pointed, getting a confused look from the android, "Do you even have to ask?"

"Not at all." He shot Bishop a skeptic look, before heading back to where Vincent was.

Bishop crossed his arms, "So, how much longer do we have to wait? There is work I have to get back to."

"You guys should write down what he says and put it in fortune cookies." Rook suggested, "It's so cryptic everybody would love them."

If the bear was content with no treats, Rook was fine with simply shoving her face in her fur. "Would be funny if you could install a mini fridge."

"Please, ignore that." Willow cut in, "I must say that gesture was quite precious and it certainly justifies why that excuse would be so effective."

Or why nobody had bothered sending Peter to bed so far. They had provided instructions for the custom androids, the androids present could handle the task efficiently. Apparently, the resident human was simply too endearing to be dismissed.

While Dan seemed to find some use in Bishop's suggestion, the other was by far not a fan of the implications, or the tone of his organic counterpart. The lack of a LED didn't hinder his ability to show his distate for the suggested name. "That's merely an acronym."

Bishop simply raised an eyebrow "Does it really matter?"

The android glared at him.

"I understand the feeling." Willow replied, "My favorite human doesn't show the greatest self preservation instinct either. Training is a slow process."

[kingedbishop]

If the bear was content with no treats, Rook was fine with simply shoving her face in her fur. "Would be funny if you could install a mini fridge."

"Please, ignore that." Willow cut in, "I must say that gesture was quite precious and it certainly justifies why that excuse would be so effective."

Or why nobody had bothered sending Peter to bed so far. They had provided instructions for the custom androids, the androids present could handle the task efficiently. Apparently, the resident human was simply too endearing to be dismissed.

While Dan seemed to find some use in Bishop's suggestion, the other was by far not a fan of the implications, or the tone of his organic counterpart. The lack of a LED didn't hinder his ability to show his distate for the suggested name. "That's merely an acronym."

Bishop simply raised an eyebrow "Does it really matter?"

The android glared at him.

"I understand the feeling." Willow replied, "My favorite human doesn't show the greatest self preservation instinct either. Training is a slow process."

"Someone's hogging the treats. Heck." Rook said, still petting BeeBee, "And I didn't even bring any snacks along."

It normally wouldn't be an issue to go retrieve some, but she had to mind her own energy levels while they were out there.

"So you can just go out and buy a stomach. That's sick!" And weird at the same time. But Dan's story showed there was at least some kind of reasonable use for the upgrade.

"What was your first meal?" Willow asked, while keeping an eye on Peter.

"I bet it was chips." Rook said.

"You should start with giving him a proper name. Perhaps you could call him WAU." Bishop said with a not so subtle grin that won him a skeptic look, including from his double, "What?"

The android didn't need to ask to know when Bishop was being a dick on purpose. He flexed his arm, as a reminder that he was now ready for another go if he didn't behave.

"Yes, sometimes love comes at the expense of our wardrobe." Willow agreed.

"Hey, I never bled all over you." Rook protested.

"But it's still worth it, isn't it?"

[kingedbishop]

"Someone's hogging the treats. Heck." Rook said, still petting BeeBee, "And I didn't even bring any snacks along."

It normally wouldn't be an issue to go retrieve some, but she had to mind her own energy levels while they were out there.

"So you can just go out and buy a stomach. That's sick!" And weird at the same time. But Dan's story showed there was at least some kind of reasonable use for the upgrade.

"What was your first meal?" Willow asked, while keeping an eye on Peter.

"I bet it was chips." Rook said.

"You should start with giving him a proper name. Perhaps you could call him WAU." Bishop said with a not so subtle grin that won him a skeptic look, including from his double, "What?"

The android didn't need to ask to know when Bishop was being a dick on purpose. He flexed his arm, as a reminder that he was now ready for another go if he didn't behave.

"Yes, sometimes love comes at the expense of our wardrobe." Willow agreed.

"Hey, I never bled all over you." Rook protested.

"But it's still worth it, isn't it?"

None of that seemed particularly bear like behavior, but Rook didn't seem to have an issue with it. "It's a shame I probably can't give you a treat."

"Very well." That would give her time to decide the most appropriate method to operate the transfer. It wouldn’t do if she melted the processors of these brand new computers in the process.

Of course, it wasn't surprising that the Bishops didn't look eager to hear Ross had to keep blessing the world with his presence, but they didn't feel like arguing. The nameless android required proper assistance, before the self professed genius responsible for his state could be dealt with.

"Well, if I can't put an end to the misery he's causing, perhaps I could have a word with him." the android said, flexing his new arm, "It's my job."

"Police work seems a waste of your potential." the agent noted.

"I lead a task force dedicated to investigating cases such as the one of Johan Ross. It's been recognized that it would be in everybody's interest to stop that sort of abusive behavior before the android goes on a rampage like Daniel and others did." He shrugged his coat back on, "It's important work."

"I suppose so." Bishop made sure to keep his back turned, feeling the cyborg's gaze on him. Yes, he had noticed a resemblance with what he did. There was no reason to rub it in his face.

"Hey, BeeBee, I think Peter would like a hug too." Rook told the bear.

[kingedbishop]

None of that seemed particularly bear like behavior, but Rook didn't seem to have an issue with it. "It's a shame I probably can't give you a treat."

"Very well." That would give her time to decide the most appropriate method to operate the transfer. It wouldn’t do if she melted the processors of these brand new computers in the process.

Of course, it wasn't surprising that the Bishops didn't look eager to hear Ross had to keep blessing the world with his presence, but they didn't feel like arguing. The nameless android required proper assistance, before the self professed genius responsible for his state could be dealt with.

"Well, if I can't put an end to the misery he's causing, perhaps I could have a word with him." the android said, flexing his new arm, "It's my job."

"Police work seems a waste of your potential." the agent noted.

"I lead a task force dedicated to investigating cases such as the one of Johan Ross. It's been recognized that it would be in everybody's interest to stop that sort of abusive behavior before the android goes on a rampage like Daniel and others did." He shrugged his coat back on, "It's important work."

"I suppose so." Bishop made sure to keep his back turned, feeling the cyborg's gaze on him. Yes, he had noticed a resemblance with what he did. There was no reason to rub it in his face.

"Hey, BeeBee, I think Peter would like a hug too." Rook told the bear.

"Sure, I'll give you a hug!" Rook was glad to do just that, as long as she didn't get squished.

"Excellent." Willow replied, "I appreciate your cooperation." She could tell it was quite difficult as it was and decided that would be enough for the time being. Even if Vincent was seemingly immune to any self destructive urges, there was no need to add more stress than necessary.

The cyborg stood up. "I would be delighted to see it as soon as it is most convenient for you. If there is anything I can do to speed up the process, I'd gladly lend my assistance."

She was the Core. She could probably set up all the computers in a few minutes, once they were properly plugged in.

Bishop decided his double would be more interesting for the time being. The android glared at him as he approached, but they were quick to settle for an acceptable distance from which he could watch him attach his arm. He was still listening in the meantime and was hardly impressed by the failures of this other Ross.

"That's hardly surprising. Ross' obsession demanded the android's presence, he had to ensure he wouldn't leave under any circumstances."

"Should have let me kill him." the other Bishop insisted.

"If your methods have failed, you should get the pink one on the case. She knows how to persuade people like Ross."

"Why, I'd expect you to be eager to conduct an interrogation, agent Bishop." Willow said.

"You must understand this is hardly my concern."