A Musical Interlude

[nomen_est_numen]

["Delivery for Mister Shen..." A courier delivers a bizarrely-shaped package for the bird in question, who is still under observation at the Labs. This object turns out to be a Chinese lute.]

[He's festooned with sensors and still looking rather tired, but Shen finds a comfortable place to sit and stretches, cracking the knuckles... of his... feet.... That done, he picks up the lute and strikes a few chords on it, a wing pressing the frets and a foot strumming the strings. It's a somewhat contortionist style of playing, but appears to work. His playing is passable, even pleasant. His singing, on the other hand, is a bit... rusty.]

[For the next twenty minutes, Shen plucks at those strings and warbles in Chinese, his voice occasionally cracking in a truly avian keeeeOWW. Folks can understand the words, though the metaphors are pretty difficult to parse, seeing as he's probably the worst lyricist this side of the legendary Song So Poo, Court Composer for the Kantwin Dynasty.]

[Pity anyone stuck in the observation room with him.]

[EDIT: As though that weren't bad enough, he and Gordon are now singed, torn up, bruised, and twitching messes. While Shen may still be in the observation room, Gordon's in the lab at large. Oh, dear.]

Comments

[trustycrowbar]

Second nature. You're used to being obeyed, no matter what. It's... it's all right, Shen. I definitely didn'tsay much you wanted to hear at the time...

[He's avoiding the real issue, of course. That issue being the reason for their scuffle in the first place. Ever since Shen had made a point of it, Ran's name had become punctuated with a contextless, confusing, but meaningful question-mark in his mind. He was merely planning on avoiding the introspection until AFTER the city wasn't a revolving door of eldrich monstrosity.]

[nomen_est_numen]

[Shen slumps disconsolately onto the back of the chair.] Here's hoping I never actually ruled anything. [He looks sidelong and a little pathetically at Gordon.] Does that mean... you forgive me?

[trustycrowbar]

...yeah. I forgive you. Just try to those sharp objects to yourself unless I'm wearing my suit, all right?

[nomen_est_numen]

[sigh]

I think I ought to just put them in a box for the forseeable future...

[trustycrowbar]

Unless you're going out to fight some EVOs, maybe it's for the best... at least, for a while.

[nomen_est_numen]

[He pokes idly at the rice. Is he getting depressed?]

I don't think I'm going to be doing any of that any time soon. To be honest, I don't think I'll be doing much of anything. I've a lot to think about and it's none of it pleasant.

[trustycrowbar]

[He takes a drink of his coffee, staring at the wall.]

...I know what you mean.

[nomen_est_numen]

[Shen listlessly eats his rice. Well, at least he has sense enough to eat.]

What would I do if she found out about this?

[Heartbroken sigh.]

[trustycrowbar]

Well you have my word she won't hear it from ME.

[He pokes at his melt and watches Shen for a moment, then sighs, shaking his head.]

Look, do me a favor. Stop being such a miserable pile of feathers. Go out and blow up some monsters or something. The Lab's released you anyway, and I know you enough to know that nothing makes you happier than seeing something explode. It'll make you feel better!

Just, uh... don't kill any of 'em.

[nomen_est_numen]

Perhaps you're right. Maybe it'll help clear my head.

[He stands, putting the rice bowl down, and turns to leave. Then he stops.]

... Thank you, Gordon.

[And off he goes.]