In a ruling allowing a lawsuit against Blockbuster Video to proceed, a federal judge has ruled that Blockbuster's online terms and conditions -- which include the standard clauses denying the customer the right to take cases against Blockbuster to court and forcing them to waive their right to join a class-action suit against Blockbuster -- are not binding on anyone.  While this is immediate bad news for Blockbuster, it's worse news for every shyster, scam artist, software publisher and online service that relies on onerous EULA and TOS "contracts" to make sure their customers are properly intimidated against doing anything they don't like.  http://www.theregister.co.uk/2009/04/21 ... enlighted/]Register article here.
-- Bob
---------
Then the horns kicked in...
...and my shoes began to squeak.

Look what I found! ^_^

Note: The following is part of the Fenspace Infinities collection, and as such should not be taken seriously for continuity purposes. The events described herein may happen, or they may not as events in the main storyline overtake them.

Oh, and while this is strictly an alternate world for the moment, there are some slight spoilers for the outcome of "Mr. Fnord Goes to Washington." Nothing I don't think anybody wasn't expecting, but they're still technically spoilers.

The future isn't written yet, be of good cheer. --Mal

"Personally, I don't get what the big deal is. I mean, hell, until recently, the barracks didn't need non-communal showers, so you won't see
me complaining about opening the ranks up a little, if you know what I'm sayi-*CRUNCH*"

- Recorded log with Wolf Spider Enforcer Dwayne Giambi, seconds before his escort to a local medical facility by Bane Spider
Celestian due to a freak accident involving a piece of nearby masonry shaking loose at an inopportune time.

***

Talia could tell it was going to be one of those nights. Most people had instincts about this sort of thing, born of long experience with the kind of
swaggering machisimo that tended to gather at the bottom of the cesspool that was the Fort Cerebrus Wolf Spider barracks. Talia, by comparison, had a different
warning system.

"Hey, baby. Heard you got commended for taking out those Hellions over in the complex. What say we go celebrate a little?" a voice with too much
snake oil and not enough actual charisma to fill a shot glass asked as Talia sipped at her drink. It was always like this, and she didn't bother to read
his ID or even get a good look at his face. It wouldn't matter in a moment.

"I'd prefer to be alone right now. Don't bother me," she noted, the default warning required of the Arbiters to differentiate the stupid from
the awkward.

"Ah, don't be like that, honey," he replied, smooth as sandpaper as the hairs on the back of her neck rose. A hand rested itself on her shoulder,
quickly intercepted by an iron grip of her own.

"Last warning. Back off."

She felt the sneer. "What, you think you can just talk down to anyone, honey? We know your story. You got kicked
out of that special school. We don't have to scrape and kneel for you for shit now."

Talia's grip tightened. "Can't say I didn't warn you," she noted.

Pretty much anyone that ever saw a Widow in action would note their superhuman reflexes and agility. It was an essential part of what made them different from
the basic Wolf Spider soldiers and honed them to become the Night Widow assassins that were rightly feared. What few people knew was that one of the first
lessons a Widow candidate was taught was how to focus their psychic talents into reinforcing their own strength and speed, as this was essential regardless of
their career track. And even if the Fortunata mistresses had deemed Talia not powerful enough to ever exit the ranks of the Blood Widows, she had had enough training to pick up the first trick.

Which was why a man about forty pounds heavier than her was promptly swung over the bar, facefirst into armor plate, one handed, a second later. Talia looked
at the barkeep as she dragged him back out into the open. "Sorry about the mess."

"Don't worry about it. You didn't break anything, and he deserved it."

"Thanks," she noted, dragging the semi-conscious wolf spider over to a more durable wall. Picking up her rifle, she flipped it around in one hand,
gripping the barrel as she pulled it back. "You brought this on yourself, you know," she noted, before the first blow landed.

###

"I'm telling you, I'll be fine," Aya noted as she packed up her few belongings into a suitcase with her duty uniform, looking over at her
roommate.

"Yes, well....I don't know. I just have this feeling something's going to happen, and it doesn't feel good," Pia noted, fretting. The
other Blood Widow had spent most of her career with that feeling, though nothing unfortunate had ever happened to her. However, when her psychic gifts had
attracted the attention of the Fortunata, no one had been surprised. One constant prediction of doom that never came didn't sufficiently shroud a dozen
visions that did come true, and the Fortunata were hardly going to let her waste her ability in the Blood Widows.

Aya smiled again, taking Pia's hands in hers to stop their constant fidgeting as she looked at her. "I'm going to be fine, Pia. I'm just going
to Paragon City. The worst that could happen is that I get stuck in their prisons for a few months before the latest Zig break recovers me. That's hardly
awful, is it?" she asked with a smile.

Pia looked at her, biting her lip before nodding slightly, letting herself smile as Aya released her hands. "You're right. And this is a big
opportunity for you. I mean, look at how advanced Gladys...I mean, Nocturne...'s career was by going there. She's working with Arbiter Sands even.

Aya chuckled as she locked down her suitcase. "Point, though I'd rather not end up under her, if I can avoid it. We never did get along."

"That's because you were the same alpha female personalities and mixed like oil and water," Pia chuckled, before waiting a moment.
"Well....that and you lacked any sort of future sight to tell when you were about to piss her off," she noted with an amused look.

"Ha ha, a Fortunata joke. They have you already, I see," Aya said deadpan, before the two of them broke down laughing.

***

Aya sat back, bag over her shoulder as she hugged Pia close. Beside her, her brother Paulo watched the two with a fond expression of his own. But the last
member of Aya's little going away party was the reason why most of the soldiers about the docks seemed a bit more on edge. While she wasn't wearing her
helm and she seemed to be seeing off someone at the pier, the problems that could arrise for soldiers shirking their duties where a Night Widow could notice
them were....severe.

Letting go of Pia, Aya looked over at the woman that'd been her teacher, mentor, and friend all in one. "I'm surprised you were able to come to
see me off, ma'am. I heard you were scheduled for a mission."

The Night Widow smiled slightly even as she put a hand on Aya's shoulder. "A small thing involving some overconfident Family muscle. Hardly something
that can't wait for a few minutes while I see one of my protoge's off. And really, Aya. You can just call me Bella like all the others that've
graduated do. 'Ma'am' is for the classroom, not here."

Aya smiled slightly, ducking her head in acknowledgment as Pia giggled beside her. "Of course. I'll try to keep to your standards while I'm
gone....even if some there might not," she noted wryly.

Bella chuckled, patting her on the shoulder once more. "Of course. Now go. You don't want to be late for your arrival," she said, and Aya nodded,
turning to the ship. "Oh, and Paulo? Make sure your sister doesn't slip into being so doom and gloom all the time while I'm gone."

"You got it," the Wolf Spider nodded with a grin. "I'll make sure."

With that, Aya stepped onto the ferry, vanishing into the interior hold as the group waited for another moment, then headed off. As they did, Pia winced, then
shook her head slightly.

"Problem sis?" Paulo asked as she looked at him, for a moment almost seeing him as if stretched incomprehensibly large, Bella beside him flickering
in and out of view and the old familiar dread creeping up on her.

Pia shook herself again, then smiled. "No, it's nothing. Aya's right. I need to be less doom-saying."

***

Ayat scowled slightly as a letter arrived. Paragon City had proven one low level heist or breakout after another. Hardly anything to challenge her skills. She
was stagnating here and she knew it, yet no messages to the dispatch office had approve her request for transfer back to the Rogue Isles. It was a vicious
circle. She couldn't get a transfer to somewhere where she'd advance because she was too junior, and unless she got a transfer, she'd never get any
seniority.

Musing on this as she opened the letter, it was soon banished from her mind as she read the first few lines, feeling her heart seizing up as she did.

We regret to inform you of the unfortunate death of senior Night Widow Belladonna Vetrano. Your name was among those she
wished notified in case of her premature demise....

###

"C'mon, tell us
another one, oh mighty seer," one of the Wolf Spiders at the bar sneered as Cassandra felt a very difficult to restrain urge to stab the man where he
stood with a combat knife. However, she also knew that they wouldn't be dissuaded. She could see every step of the pattern of events that would spiral out
and had no particular burning desire to experience her first gang rape before she was 25 in an Arachnos brig. And so....

"Later today, you're going to make a crude remark about women being let into the Wolf Spider ranks. A Bane Spider will be flying overhead and she will
drop a brick on you from forty feet, resulting in a concussion that no one will be able to prove wasn't accidental."

There were laughs around the table as the asker in question was nudged by several of his buddies. Cassandra didn't need her telepathic talents to tell that
no on believed her. It'd been a long time since anyone had, in regards to her visions.

"C'mon, tell us another one. The big one you're always on about."

Cassandra knew this was coming, but really, there was no harm in the telling. That was her curse, after all.

"Project DESTINY will bring ruin to the world. Unless its path is diverted, the Destined One and Lord Recluse will die in combat with one another. Or
perhaps the Destined One will kill Recluse with his own Omega Bomb. Either way, it will not matter. The blasted Earth and the perils that follow will barely
change."

She looked up, her tone entirely serious.

"I see the mages of the Circle of Thorns, immortal spirits trapped in unwilling flesh, waiting as their bodies die of starvation for there is no
sustenance to be found. I see Silver Mantis weeping over the broken and dying body of Black Scorpion, the loss of her beloved Ernesto the only stimulus strong
enough to snap her back to sanity. I see a world inhabited by restless spirits, for nothing lives there anymore and nothing can. I see Dr. Aeon tracing paths
through time, echoes of past and future events, for only in the end will he see the truth of the beginning. I see the Destined One lifted up on a throne from
which the slings and arrows of a thousand powers assail him out of spite, for his conquest was at the expense of this world. I see death, doom, and damnation,
all tied to DESTINY, and I see a thousand paths taken to stop it, while a thousand more possibilities remain, ever waiting, ever lethal, and every single one
capable of dooming this world forevermore."

She sat back, her audience rapt, before opening her eyes. "That is what I see," she said, standing up and heading out the door. As she did, she felt
them watch her go, felt them considering her words.....and she felt the demonic touch reach into their minds, disputing, dissuading. Telling them that such
events could never be. There was no way.

".....as usual."

You knew the bargain. You accepted your fate. Even as you accept the fate of your world. It will all end in darkness and
fire.

Cassandra scowled as she heard the familiar voice of the silver tongued demon that had approached her years ago. The being she now knew to be a
monster known only as the Envoy of Shadows. Who thought one of the greatest Seers who could derail his planned apocalypse now denied, for her future sight was
forever blocked from use to anyone else.

He forgets that I believe my visions are true. And if he thinks that I cannot do
anything to stop him, he is in dire danger of finding his little joke coming back to bite him.
---
"Oh, silver blade, forged in the depths of the beyond. Heed my summons and purge those who stand in my way. Lay
waste."

So I am just wondering how people here feel about the pirate bay verdict. And for an interesting comparison i would like to know if non-americans think
differently about it that americans.

As a european I feel that American judgements are typically way out of line harsh, and I do see the judgement as crazly harsh and the judgemtn flawed on
technical grounds. 80% of torrents on TPB are legal, I don't think this is the case for youtube so would in this case google be liable for a similar
judgement?
E: "Did they... did they just endorse the combination of the JSDF and US Army by showing them as two lesbian lolicons moving in together and holding hands and talking about how 'intimate' they were?"
B: "Have you forgotten so soon? They're phasing out Don't Ask, Don't Tell."

According to this article on Anime News Network, the not-so-little red-headed girl is named "Shikinami Asuka Langley" in Eva 2.0.

There's also a new character named after a pair of WWII ships: Makinami Mari Illustrious. Mari is to be played by Maaya Sakamoto, which makes one wonder whether Yoko Kanno is writing something for her to sing in the new Eva. (Sakamoto-san did sing a theme that Kanno-san didn't write for Risky Safety, but that was the exception that proves the rule.)

I was listening to the radio during a quick dash out to the bank in the rain about half an hour ago. As most folks here know, I'm in the New Jersey area,
so I tend to hear a lot of NYC stations, and in this case I was listening to WCBS 880 AM, an all-news station. There was a piece about a group of college
students advocating the right to carry weapons on campus, their activism no doubt timed to coincide with the Columbine anniversary, and their relatively
civilized conflict with a group of opposite opinion. I wouldn't have given it much thought except my mind -- which is constantly playing with words and
numbers in anagram/acronym/shuffle kinds of ways -- converted the name of the group to an acronym and I said to myself, no way in hell did no one try to
abbreviate and pronounce it.

The group is the New York Students for Concealed Carry on Campus -- NYSCCOC.

I am reminded of the group founded by Rimmer in Red Dwarf: the Committee for the Liberation and Integration of Terrifying Organisms etc.
-- Bob
---------
Then the horns kicked in...
...and my shoes began to squeak.

This is for at least the "Myths of Fenspace" page, if anyone wants to actually use them in a story, feel free.
Republic Commando Team Alpha
It started with a small group of real-life soldiers who got their hands on Karen Traviss' "Republic Commando" novels and liked what they read. Some versions of the story paint the group as American soldiers - Rangers, SEALs, Delta Force - others as mercenaries of one stripe or another or even Russian Spetsnaz commandoes. It varies a lot, depending on who tells the story.
In any case, they embraced their newfound fandom, even going so far as to create suits of Commando armor and appropriate accessories, build a prop LAAT/i, and stage little demonstrations for conventions.
Then they went to THAT con.
Today, they make their living as they can. Looting Boskonian storehouses. Rescuing people from slavers. Exfiltrating Fen from the more oppressive areas of Earth. Whatever pays well in the Fennish underground.
If you're in trouble... if no one else can help... and if you can find them... maybe you can hire
The A-Team.
(insert pic of black LAAT/i with red stripe...)
--
Sucrose Octanitrate.
Proof positive that with sufficient motivation, you can make anything explode.

One of the more influential authors who almost nobody's ever heard of, James Graham Ballard passed away on Sunday...

http://sfwa.org/news/2009/jgballard.htm]SFWA news posting
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2009/04/20 ... _obituary/]Obituary on The Register
--
Rob Kelk
"Governments have no right to question the loyalty of those who oppose
them. Adversaries remain citizens of the same state, common subjects of
the same sovereign, servants of the same law."

- Michael Ignatieff, addressing Stanford University in 2012

Leon McNichol stepped out of the elevator and looked around the room curiously. Terrence Knight had said it was somewhat urgent, but so far, the only other
people present were Terrence himself... and a very well built black-furred catgirl. Long legs, small waist and a large chest that the body armor failed to hide
in the slightest, long blonde hair and an oddly familiar face that all added up to one hell of a sex kitten.

Smiling, he stepped forward, already preparing the McNichol charm. "Morning Terr," he said with a polite nod, before giving a more respectful bow to
the catgirl. "Pleasure to meet you ma'am," he smiled. "Detective Leon McNichol, PSI."

The catgirl blinked slightly, before a faint smile appeared on her face. "Hello Detective," she said, her voice sounding oddly familar as well. She
glanced past him as the elevator doors opened again, and Leon turned to see Mag Flashlight and Smoldering Decay arrive.

A part of his mind classed them as no threat as he turned back to the catgirl. "You don't have to be so formal kitten," he chuckled.
"Friends call me Leon. Detective is only for the folks I'm arresting," the officer added with a friendly grin.

Terr made an odd coughing noise, but Leon paid it no mind as the catgirls smile widened. "I'll stop calling you Detective when you pay back the money
you owe me," she said playfully. The police officers mind paused for a minute as he searched his mental databases and found no matches for the woman in
front of him.

"... you're not the woman I met backstage after Priss's concert?" he asked after a moment. Terr made the strange cough again, this time
clearly holding back a laugh. The catgirl merely raised an eyebrow.

"Surely you didn't have so many jello shots that night you'd miss the fur?" she teased lightly.

"I doubt he was in any state to pay attention to fur," Decay snarked, getting a snort from Mag and an outright laugh from Terr now. Leon shot them
all annoyed looks.

"No, I wasn't that girl, although we were drinking together that night," she smiled. Her ears twitched as the smile became slightly evil.
"I'll give you a hint. You owe me the money because a Cadaver puked all over your pants and melted them. I lent you the cash to race into a clothing
store and save what was left of your dignity."

Leons friendly flirting smile was washed away by a wave of embarrassment and horror. "... Rob?!"

Knight of the Peace grinned even wider, pulling out her hero license and confirming that she was indeed one of his favorite drinking buddies in the Legendary,
now somehow feline and female. Behind Leon, the other three heroes broke down laughing, Decay leaning against Terr for support (And a quick grope).

A moment later, Knight joined them in laughter. "The look on your face!" she cackled as she leaned against a computer terminal for support. "I
think you just found another way to be shot down!"




Leon was so stunned his missed his usual response entirely. "Uh, about the kitten comment," he managed weakly. "I..."

Rob laughed again. "That's alright. After all, I am a kitten right now." She looked at him for a long moment, watching him try and collect his
bearings, then smiled and patted his cheek. "Besides, you're cute when you're embarrassed," she added, walking on past and pretending to
ignore the shocked squawk he made (Not to mention the other three heroes all give up and just fall down laughing).

***

For Leon, the day didn't seem to get any better. Going up against the elite soldiers of Romulus, emerging through a hole in time into the tunnels under the
Hollows, was bad enough, but Robin, as she was calling herself at the moment, seemed to be in an odd mood. Or perhaps she was just touched by the evil of her
future sister-in-law, and was simply going after Nene's favorite target.

"You know Leon, my eyes are a little above your line of sight," she laughed as he looked her over yet again, trying to wrap his brain around the
concept.

"I, uhm, I, sorry," he said. "I'm not trying to be a jerk, but how can you be so... calm about it?"

She leapt onto the back of a Roman that Terrence had punched their way, buried her claws in his back a half dozen times, then let him fall. "What, would
you prefer I curl up on the couch at home and sulk?" she asked with a shrug. "Hope they find a way to reverse the Yarnball and put my life on hold in
the meantime?"

"Well, no," he admitted, firing on another Roman, only to have him charge through the gunfire and smash his shield into the police officer, bouncing
him down the cave. As he groaned, he could hear Robin snarling as she lunged at the time travelling centurion. After a few pained yells from her target, she
was bounced down the cavern next to him. Leon swore, rose to his knees and switched his rifle to buckshot. The sneering Cimorean ran at them, only to have his
kneecap explode in a shower of blood and bone.

"I guess when you put it like that, you're making the right call," he continued. "Although I'm surprised you used the same hero name.
People are gonna remember this."

She smirked as she stood up and stretched. "Mmm. Probably. So be it. If they can't handle the fact I'm female, that says more about me then
them." Leon found his eyes roaming again as she stretched, noting she was indeed female, then scowled and turned back to the main fight, noting that she
was also a guy he'd had beers and played darts with on a regular basis, and regardless of how well she was taking it, that was just plain creepy.

"Besides," she added, brushing past him. "It does give me the ability to appreciate that cute ass of yours." As she popped her claws and
dived back into the fight, Leon was briefly frozen, his brain having stumbled and fallen over at that comment.

"... She's joking... right?" he managed after a moment.

"Glass not too sure," Glass Lass admitted as she walked past. "Glass think Knight need therapy."

"She's right though," Emi Arizona added with a soft laugh as she returned to the fight. Leon watched her go, then bowed his head and sighed. He
was getting a damn headache from all this.

***

"Brief break?" Terrence mused.

"Oh yes," Cy Berr agreed, rubbing at her forearm, where a Cimorean sword had cut rather deep. Behind her, Decay sat down on the front of an old car,
resting her legs.

Leon sat down near Mag, removing the clip from his rifle and doing a quick field check. Satisfied it was in working order, he looked around the cavern... and
his eyes locked on Knight, who had briefly unsealed her armor, doing a quick stretch, then began to clean herself in the manner of cats and catgirls
everywhere, seemingly unconcerned about the detective staring at her.

As she lifted her leg up, he briefly began to imagine just how flexible she was, before Mag nudged him in the stomach and pulled him back to reality.
"Look, burning barrels," Mag said dryly, pointing at something on a completely different line of sight then the black-furred catgirl.

"Yes, very interesting," he agreed, directing his eyes at the barrels, but not before accidentally catching Robins eye and seeing the knowing smile
on her face. "Dammit," he muttered. "She's doing it on purpose."

"Course she is. She's a catgirl that associates with Romanova on a regular basis," Mag deadpanned. "You're an easy target for
that."

"Better you then me for a change," Terr said as he walked past, completely unsympathetic. Leon gave him a filthy look.

***

"Enhanced senses have downsides."

"Really?" Emi blinked.

"Yeah. I can smell just how bad these romans are in their leather and metal suits, what with the sweat and mud and blood and the fact they don't have
washing machines in ancient Cimorea. I can smell the Yarnball they had you processing at the police station..."

"Yeah, dump the long boring work on the new girl immune to the stuff," Emi grumbled. "I had catgirls following me all afternoon."

"Not surprising," Robin said. "That smell triggers just about every single pleasure receptor in our brain." She glanced over at Leon and
grinned. "Leon smells nicer though." Leon closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

"Get a room you two," Cy Barr said, rolling her eyes.

Emi snickered and leaned in close to Robin. "So... are you just messing with Leon or actually flirting with him?" she asked quietly

"... you know, I'm not sure," she replied after a moments thought. She spent the next five minutes or so considering this, giving Leon a much
needed break.

***

"So, that's what ancient Cimorea is like?" Robin asked as they left the Hollows and returned to the much more civilized Atlas Park, all the
Romans suitably beaten up and tossed back through history. "An endless horde of disturbingly large men in bulky armor with swords and shields, all of them
stupidly powerful and dedicated to killing us in painful ways?"

"That's what I've been told," Leon agreed.

"Those were the elite soldiers of Romulus," Mag pointed out. "Most of the soldiers are much more human."

Robin shrugged. "I dunno. I can see Terr's fascination with the place. Give him people to hit and he's happy."

"I am a man of simple pleasures," Terrence replied with a dry smile.

The catgirl laughed, then nudged Leon in the arm. "Come on, I need a beer." He gave her a cautious look. "Oh relax, I'll cover you a few
rounds. It's the least I could do after playing Net and Terrence with you all day."

"Oh wonderful, the game has a name now," Terr chuckled, rolling his eyes.

"... okay," Leon replied, surrendering to the power of free beer.

***

Miranda Barnes looked up from the circuit board she was working on, as her sister came in and headed straight to her room. Curious, she looked back at the door
to see a familar officer standing there. "Heya Leon," she said with a grin and a slight wave. "Whatcha doing?"

"Rob's buying beer," he replied. "I'm planning on drinking it."

"Ah," she said. "So... I see you've seen the new look."

Leon shrugged, hands in his jacket pockets. "Would've appreciated it if someone freaking warned me."

Mir paused, then her eyes glowed with a purple light as her partner took control. "Are you implying what I think you are?" Shade asked, before the
light faded and Mir snickered. "You tried to pick her up, didn't you?"

The detective paused, looking for a way to save face, then slumped slightly and replied "... yeah." Mir put the soldering iron down, then allowed
herself to crack up laughing. Leon patiently waited for her to calm down. This took some time, as every time Mir looked back up at him, it set her off again.

The Warshade was still giggling helplessly as Robin came back out in jeans and a shirt. "...Do I want to know?" she asked Leon, which only set Mir
off again.

"Ah, she's just being her usual charming self," he scowled.

Robin nodded in understanding. "Mir, I'm going out and getting drunk," she said. Mir managed a weak wave as she gasped for air. Robin rolled her
eyes, fetched her jacket, and headed for the door. Behind them, Mir coughed and wheezed, then pulled herself out of her chair, fetched a glass of water, then
went and called Nene.

"Hey Nene, it's Mir. Listen, I've got some material you need to know before you see Leon tomorrow..."

***

She was still working on the circuit boards a few hours later when the sounds of stumbling footsteps got her attention. Curious, she pulled up her goggles and
went to the window.

"I am so drunk," Robin giggled, leaning against Leon for support. "And I was sticking to light beer. That's depressing..."

"You're what, half your old body weight?" Leon replied, guiding her towards the door. "You'll just have to be careful about how you
drink in the future."

"And I suck at pool now," the catgirl sighed.

"You were always crap at that," Leon disagreed, fishing through the woman's jacket pocket for her keys. "You kicked my ass at darts."

"Sniping. I'm good at it," Robin smiled, stumbling slightly. "I had fun tonight, even when that jerk got pushy."

"You think he'd know not to mess with a catgirl," Leon snorted. "Dumbass," he added as he put the key in the lock.

Robin giggled. "You were gonna deck him," she noted, laughing. "Oh noble man, protecting the girl."

He turned and gave her an odd look. "Last time I checked, you didn't need protecting."

"True, but it was very sweet. I should thank you for it," she declared, and before Leon really had time to register it, the woman had wrapped her
arms over his shoulders and pulled him down into a deep kiss. His eyes went wide as his tried to get past the alcohol in his bloodstream and remind his body
that even if Robin was currently a very hot catgirl with a great figure and a huge chest, he should really put a stop to this...

Thankfully, Miranda apparently took pity on him for once and raced to the door, swinging it open and pulling the catgirl off. "Okay then, someone's
properly plastered and is ready for bed," she declared. "Get in there and sleep it off," she ordered, pushing her towards the hallway.

"Ohhh... fine," Robin sulked, making her way towards the hallway in a sort of straight line.

Mir watched her go, then turned back to Leon, who was still standing there, frozen in an odd mix of surprise, horror, and lust. "I'd invite you in for
a much needed coffee," she said, studying him. "But I think I'm going to need to make sure she's properly tucked in and sleeping this
incident off."

Leon blinked a few times. "Uhhh... yeah," he agreed, wiping at his mouth. "... You won't mention this?"

She gave him an amused look. "I have some sense of mercy," she snorted. "Nene won't hear it from me. Night Leon."

"Yeah... bye," Leon said, watching the door close. He stood there for a long moment, still wiping at his lips with his thumb. "... This city can
be freaking weird," he sighed, turning and heading for the train station.

***

The following morning found Leon sorting through a pile of paperwork that was strange, even by PSI standards. How was he supposed to get signatures and
evidence logs from the officers on the other end of a suspect transfer, when the other end was two thousand years in the past, and any paperwork would be in
Latin?

He was about to shove the documents into a folder and go find someone at the Midnight Club to properly abuse over this, when he heard a familiar voice say, in
a tone he'd come to dread "Oh Leon-pooo..." Slowly, he looked up to see Nene standing there, a faintly bemused looking Ifrit standing behind her.

"What is it Nene?" he asked in a weary voice, already guessing what was coming.

"Oh, I just heard about your day yesterday, and I thought I should swing by and make certain that your intentions towards my future sister-in-law were
clean and decent," she smiled cheerfully.

One desk over, Daley Wong blinked and looked over. "I thought Miranda already had a girlfriend," he said.

"Oh, she does," Ifrit replied with an amused shake of her head.

Wong considered this, then smiled at Leon. "You were hitting on Knight of the Peace?" he chuckled.

"You knew about that?" Leon blinked.

"If you bothered to read the police reports on Yarnball, you would have too," Daley told him. "So... if you're willing to chase after a girl
that was a guy a week ago, does this mean I'm in with a shot?"

"Don't start with me Wong," Leon growled. Daley merely smiled and leaned back in his chair to watch the show.

Nene smiled. "I know how lacking your love life has been lately-"

"Hey!"

"So I know you might be considering introducing Robin to some of the more... exciting elements of her new gender," she continued as if she hadn't
noticed his protest. "But they're looking for a way to reverse it, so any more little adventures like last night-"

"Hey, she kissed me, not the other way around!" Leon exclaimed, starting to mentally curse Miranda, then stopped dead as Nene and Ifrit both suddenly
turned much more serious looks his way. "Uhhh..."

"Robin kissed you," Ifrit said softly, her face intent.

"Well... she was drunk, and a little out of it."

Nene looked over at Ifrit, the pair seeming to share a conversation in a few expressions. "Well then, that changes things," she nodded.

Leon glanced between them. "... It does?"

"Hmm," Ifrit agreed. "If Robin is interested in you in that manner... well, she's a grown woman, she doesn't need her sister keeping an
eye on her. That said, should you hurt her..." her eyes lit on fire for a moment as she continued in a sweet voice. "I will burn the flesh from your
bones, leave you blind and helpless, and then I'll let Nene do whatever she wants to you."

"Remember what I said about Priss?" Nene asked with a cute smile. "Well, have fun Leon-poo!" she said, turning and walking away. "Be
sure to take her somewhere nice!" Ifrit followed, giving Leon a cheery wave that had embers floating in the air behind her hand. Leon watched them head
towards the base teleporter, then groaned, his head dropping onto the desk with a painful sounding thunk.

Daley studied him for a moment, did some mental calculations of Leons frustration meter, and said "You do realize that this provides more evidence that
you should just join me on this side of the fence?"

"I will end you Wong," came the pained response.

"Promises promises."