"Sounds like an idea..." >You find your bike in your shed >Oh yeah, your apartment has a shed. Useful for stuff like this >You adjust the seat to what you think will be appropriate >Helmets are for pussies "Alright, safari, let's roll" >You manage to get the bike outside, even though the handlebars seem to have made it their mission to make you miserable "Alright, try to keep up, tiny equine!" >You bike off towards a part of town you always did like biking in before >Also, fuck bike seats >Seriously >Safari just giggles and heads after you, not in a full gallop just yet >That changes when you get some downhill momentum >Sweeeeet! >You'd forgotten how fun biking was >Safari keeps up with a decent amount of effort >"Gonna have to do better than that, biped" >She winks and kicks the speed up a gear >It >Is >On >You shift gears and pedal like mad after her >You're relieved that there are so few pedestrians obstructing your path >Most are probably at work >You're side by side with her "You said what?" >"Hah, granted, you've got decent speed, but have you got endurance?" "Let's put that to the test" >The two of you tear through the concrete jungle >You'd forgotten half of this stuff existed >After god knows how long, you and her both slow down to a more comfortable pace "Safari, time?" >"2:57 PM. We ought to get going to our little appointment." "Yeah, although I'd like to swing by home first. What's the quickest route?" >"Calculating...Down Moot road, then take a right at Puddi avenue." >You nod and head there with her >It's fascinating to you how the city's put together >You arrive home, locking your bike outside >You decide a full shower would take too long, so you take a, as your dad called it, hooker wash, then activate the Axe >Then you grab a bag of essentials and head outside again, where Safari's guarding your bike >"Wuzzat you got there?" >You grin >Little miss know-it-all 'I can access the internet with my mind' isn't omniscient after all "Oh, I figured I'd bring some snacks and drinks to share. As well as a shit-ton of d6'es, considering this is Shadowrun. >She nods >"Makes sense. We should get going, so just follow me, aight." >You nod and do so >You were expecting more health-nuttery from her >Maybe you got the wrong impression >Maybe >You've yet to meet someone who can outsmart boolet >So the trip actually goes pretty fast, or at least that's what it feels like >You arrive five minutes early >Knock on the door >Get on the floor >Walk the dinosaur >Except not really >Tall guy opens the door >"Hey! You're Anon, correct?" >You nod "Yep, that's me. Et vous?" >You shake his hand and hope he understands your high school level french >"Me? I'm Leif, the GM. This-" >He gestures to the interior, where the rest of the group are sitting, some waving at you >"-Is my pad. And say, who's your friend?" >Safari reaches out a hoof for him to shake >"I'm Safari, Anon's browser pony AI companion. I was the one who took contact, considering, you know, the whole browsing thing." >He nods and invites you in >You step inside, and it's a pretty chill place >In fact, chill seems to be the rule here >The other players are pretty 'lax, and surprisingly easy to talk to >You do have a few awkward slip-ups, but no-one seems to judge you that harshly >You quickly roll a knife-guns-and-firey-doom elven mage >You'd forgotten how fun character creation and gear shopping could be >One other player has a dwarven street samurai >You point out that from the description, he sounds like cyber-gimli >He laughs and agrees, but points out that his character is also irish and sounds like the thing on the lucky charms box >That gets a good laugh from y'all >Safari seems to have hit it off with another AI companion you hadn't noticed at first >This one seems less anchored to one form >Though she(?) always keeps some tattoo-like markings around the eyes >Neat >Reminds you a bit of some cartoons you saw as a kid >Whatevs, no time to get distracted, the GM's talking >The session goes pretty well >There are some good fights (lovely, lovely acid spray spell), some decent roleplaying, tons of fun banter and jokes >One guy, Noah you gather his name is, seems like cyber-batman except with copious amounts of explosives, supersoakers, DMSO and neurostun >You admit you feel a tiny bit like the outsider, but that's probably 'cause you haven't met these people before, while they seem to be friends from before >Even so, with a teeny nudge from Safari, you do share with them who you are and what you do. Well, sort of, some things you gloss over with a wink, and they wink back >In conclusion, this is great success >How had you not done something like this before? >Apparently, there are pretty cool people out in the world, if you can just find 'em >Not that you're complaining, but it almost feels like this went too smooth >Oh well >At the end of the session, you schedule the next game >You have to admit, you can't wait a damn week for the next time >Holy shit, you're actually giddy >You and safari take your leave, and head homewards >It's like, midnight or something >Oh, shit, right, you forgot your raid tonight >Shit >Sigh >You'll just have to explain what happened >Safari seems pretty satisfied with how things turned out too >"You have fun tonight, Anon?" >Her question sounds almost absent-minded, she seems more preoccupied with star-gazing "Mhmm." >"Cool." >You reach down and scratch behind her ear >She coos gently and leans into it >Then you decide to bike off and leave her in the dust "Race ya home!" >She frowns, but quickly cracks into a laugh and runs after you >You notice that gorging yourself on snacks before physical activity was not a good idea >You don't feel so good >You slow down >Okay, okay, focus on not letting stuff come up >You wouldn't want to paint the sidewalk nor Safari with puke >"ey, you alright?" >Safari trots beside you, looking worried "Yeah...I think so, I'll just take it easy on the way home." >She nods and the two of you continue back home >You stumble in the door and put away your bike "Hey, Safari, I was thinking of going to bed, but before I do, are you hungry?" >She looks at you and thinks briefly >"A little bit, actually, but I'm not sure it's a good idea to go to sleep on a full stomach." >As if on cue, her stomach rumbles >"...Okay, you wouldn't happen to have something that's not greasy, meat or both?" "I...have noodles, so I could get you a bowl of that, although without the beef flavoring, I suppose it would be a bit flavorless. I do have some spices, though, that sound alright?" >She nods >You set about making that bowl of noodles, spicing it to perfection >You figure she probably doesn't need chopsticks when she's got magic >You set it down "Here ya go. 's hot, though, fair warning." >"Appreciated, heard and thoroughly ignored" >She sticks out her tongue >Still smiling though >She levitates up a few noodles and rolls them into a little ball, then blows on them and pops 'em in her mouth >Her face lights up >"Fuck, Anon, I didn't know you could cook like this! This is pretty damn good!" >She greedily devours the noodles and the soup >You put the bowl in the sink >You head to the bathroom and brush your teeth "Hm, now how do we do the whole sleep thing? I imagine you might like to have a bed of your own, but this far, I've not got anything like that." >"Eh, so long as nothing funny happens, I'm not opposed to sharing a bed with ya." >You give her a thumbs-up >Then laugh when she tries to copy the gesture >Both of you get in bed >She trusts you enough to lay pretty close to you