08052090 EOD B-Alpha

[KF]: I've got the feeling that it's fate that keeps bringing me back to this city. Once I left for my own home, it keeps calling back.

[AleM]: Eh, it's not that bad.

[KF]: You're a millionaire, of course it's not.

[AleM]: Lots of action involved both with a gun and without, know what I mean?

[KF]: Well, you asked for me here. If it was that important to get me in person something must really be wrong. What is it?

[AleM]: Huh? Oh! So I've been noticing some strange minor details here and there, it involves my brother, Aki, me, and you.

[KF]: What about us?

[AleM]: It's those things everyone's freaking out about.

[KF]: Yes? Go on.

[AleM]: Animas. There! That one's yours, right?

[SDR]: Huh? Oh, hi!

[KF]: So you have one too.

[AleM]: I asked Aki about it first and she made a lot of things clearer for me, but after a bit she told me to ask you about it. Said I had questions she lost the answers to.

[KF]: That's a good thing, I'd much rather be the judge of an Anima than her. Her and her people aren't that responsible with them.

[AleM]: What do you mean?

[KF]: Heh, well, it's best you don't ask. Bit of a skirmish here and there this summer.

[AleM]: There's that and, well I don't know, I know you're dating Nate and you were pretty chill back then too. When you two lived here. Thought we could use this to get along, you know?

[KF]: I see your point, I suppose. So, what is your Anima?

[AleM]: I was told it was called Revolving Doors, but I didn't really know how to make it do things.

[KF]: Controlling an Anima first requires you to have a desire for something. If there's something you want or need, it either will or won't fulfill your request. It won't do anything if it can't, but upon discovering what it can help you with you might end up learning its unique abilities.

[AleM]: Ok so, how do I start? Do I just have to guess?

[KF]: Start with something small.

[AleM]: Ok, uh, how about something to eat?

[KF]: It's one in the morning.

[AleM]: Oh, hey! Good idea! Let's go out to eat.

[KF]: But, everything's closed. Mostly everything, that is.

[AleM]: No, no. Like, let's try to get food from somewhere that's closed! Maybe I'll figure out what Revolving Doors does.

[KF]: It does have a name that would make you think it can provide many entries, huh. Sure.

[AleM]: Normally I'd like to drive but I remember how you were two years ago racing Aki, hell I'd love it if you'd drive.

[KF]: You got it, then.

*[KF] and [AleM] go outside of [AleM]'s mansion, which next door is [AY]'s mansion oddly enough*
[AleM]: I do have one other request, actually.

[KF]: What's that?

[AleM]: Maybe you could try a car other than the AE86? Refresh your driving experience, you know?

[KF]: I guess that wouldn't hurt, what did you have in mind?

[AleM]: Here, try out this!

*[AleM] throws [KF] keys to a Lamborghini Centenario*
[KF]: Actually, I have driven one of these before.

[AleM]: Awesome!

[KF]: But, uh, where is it?

[AleM]: Oh, right! It's in the garage, here.

*[AleM] and [KF] enter the 2016 Centenario, modified with recent exterior finishes to match a 2090 style*
[KF]: Anywhere you had in mind specifically?

[AleM]: Uh, no. I suppose drive around a bit and just pick the first we see.

[KF]: Rear engine, rear wheel drive, and later on we'll set the mode from Strada to Sport. Way too reminiscent of an Aventador, don't you think? You'd be better off with other models as a registered collector than this one if you want classic Lamborghini models.

[AleM]: I got classic taste, there were only 40 of these made and now only nine people on record own one.

[KF]: 74 years later. That includes you, right?

[AleM]: I'm not one to want to be on any kind of record with what I do.

[KF]: Good point.

*The Centenario speeds out of the garage and onto the road, immediately gripping the road as it bends a sharp left in the Hollywood Hills*
[AleM]: Because of that I will admit I'm timid to drive this too often. Do be careful.

[KF]: You'll see soon enough that no one can be worthy enough to need to offer me driving advice.

*In an incoming S-shaped bend downhill from the Hills into the city approaches fast, and [KF] in a slightly less familiar car has [SDR] scout above for traffic intel. The bend appears and [KF] turns the car to match the sharp bend while lowering speed to reduce stress on the car. Upon the midpoint where the bend shifts the other direction, [KF] uses shifting the car to direct the other direction in combination with brake control to drift the car slightly without oversteer. She maintains grip on the steering wheel firmly to ensure the car turns rather than full out drifts, and then upon exiting the full bend [SDR] stops time for [KF] to stop the car, switch the drive mode, and resume both time and the car.*
[KF]: Admittedly I forgot if the car needs to be at a full stop to switch driving modes, I'm not really a super or hyper kind of person. All the cars I drive have one simpler controlling factor of its performance and that's shifting gears.

[AleM]: Oh, that's no problem. Do what you want.

[KF]: This was mainly a lesson in not driving but of an Anima, I had stopped time just now.

[AleM]: I didn't notice anything.

[KF]: Exactly.

[AleM]: Woah.

[KF]: I can slow down slightly for you, not me, to catch sight of anything that fits your appetite.

*After some time the Centenario passes a decently fast-casual restaurant far past its closing time*
[AleM]: The one we passed on the right, that one!

[KF]: You got it.

*[KF] does drift the Centenario into the back of the lot out of sight spinning it out and bringing it to a screeching stop, then turns it off*
[AleM]: Keep the keys on you, just in case.

[KF]: So, you want food out but the store is closed and no one is inside. What do you do?

[AleM]: Normally a couple years ago I'd just break in but now, ehh, it's better to do things without the cops getting involved.

[KF]: So you wish to get in discreetly.

[AleM]: I, yeah. Won't trigger the alarm system or whatever.

[KF]: Then first you have to find where its control panel is and turn it off.

*[KF] has [SDR] assume the same form as when they fought [LW] and locates the alarm system control panel for [KF]'s knowledge, testing [AleM] to see if he can find it too*
[AleM]: I get the feeling it's closer to the front door rather than the back. I mean, that's how all restaurants work but-

[KF]: But, what?

[AleM]: I have some kind of intuition that hints to me where everything in the shop is, you get what I'm saying at all?

[KF]: That's a start, you might be onto something.

[AleM]: Yeah, the walk-in cooler in just behind the wall behind the counters with the registers, and to the right. You have to walk in an S-shape to get to it.

[KF]: How did that come to you?

[AleM]: I was just thinking about that sick turn you took and, I don't know, it just clicked in my head!

[KF]: So you might be able to figure out building blueprints with your Anima. What else do you get the sense of?

[AleM]: That, that I want in.

*Just then, taking form behind [AleM] comes forth a being as physically matched as his, arm and leg joints connected by rods and simple machine joints. It bears a robotic mouth, highly reflective shades, and appears to wear a flat-billed hat. All in the same maroon as his favorite suit jacket. This is Revolving Doors*
[AleM]: Woah!

[KF]: I believe you are now fully attuned to your Anima.

[AleM]: So this is Revolving Doors?

[KF]: You've never seen it before? Strange.

[AleM]: No, I always kinda got the hint it was there, you know? I couldn't see it, though. Not until now.

[KF]: Now that you know, what are you going to do?

*[AleM] pauses for a moment, looks at the ground, and Revolving Doors opens a door from the asphalt as both jump into it*
[KF]: Hey! Wait, ugh.

[SDR]: Hmm, oh. Look.

*[SDR] points into the restaurant where [AleM] sits behind the register counter eating a fully cooked meal from the establishment. He notices [KF] and [SDR], waves, and points at the main door*
[SDR]: I can do that too, kinda.

*[SDR] pulls on the ground as if to peel it open, and both her and [KF] jump in appearing from the wall behind [AleM]*
[AleM]: Oh hey, you can do it too!

[KF]: Yours seems to be a bit less nimble but versatile in a way. I wonder if that door of yours can block incoming damage to you. It also seemed solid on the outside face and transparent on the inside, I almost didn't even notice you opened a door at all.

[AleM]: I just did what you told me, think about what it was I wanted it to do.

[KF]: Did you get the alarm system?

[AleM]: Yeah. I may be stupid, but I'm not an idiot.

[KF]: No one misnomered you as either, but alright. In fact, I think you're more than others might immediately recognize. Just a bit more, well, free.

[AleM]: I appreciate the compliment, and hey you're just as amazing as everyone says you are. Though I get a leg up, I broke into a sandwich joint with the legendary Miss Frost.

[KF]: I don't expect anything in return when I offer even just a compliment. But, this place is mostly walled with glass and even though the cameras don't record audio even if they were on we should stay for long. You got your meal.

[AleM]: Hey, you want some?

[KF]: I, no. I shouldn't.

[AleM]: I mean, you're already in here with me. You and your sneakiness would have more a chance to make yourself something quicker than me.

[KF]: It's not the morality of it, I just am not very hungry myself right now.

[AleM]: Well, ya did say "shouldn't" and not a simple "no thanks". For someone who's so good with words, you made a pretty bad lie.

[KF]: You're right, I-

*Just then a Police Interceptor drives by, passenger officer making a second glance noticing [AleM] and [KF] inside the closed restaurant far past midnight in the morning. He gets the attention of the driver officer and she turns on the cruiser's light rig*
[AleM]: Shit.

[KF]: I'm glad you gave me the keys. Hey, I can only take myself in the portals on the walls so meet me-

[AleM]: Hey, Revolving Doors, take all of us to inside the Centenario!

*Revolving Doors opens a door on the wall [KF] came in through and into it all can see the cabin of [AleM]'s car just as they left it. [KF] and [AleM] jump through the door and land in their respective seats*
[KF]: I think in that respect, you have a leg up on me.

*[KF] starts the car up again and spins the whole Centenario around to drive off before the Interceptor can catch up*
[KF]: In my history I've usually been the one doing the chasing, but every time I get back to this city I'm always the one being chased!

[AleM]: Welcome to my world.

[KF]: I am prepared to ask you a serious question and once you answer you cannot change it. Do you want to lose the police the easy way or the traditional way?

*[AleM] looks down for a mere second and answers swiftly*
[AleM]: The latter.

[KF]: Excellent choice.

*Rather than turning right to speed back into the Hills at an upcoming intersection, [KF] rapidly shifts the car left towards the downtown area*
[KF]: Then you'll get your time well spent after all.

*An oncoming TurboCharged Police Interceptor turns into the Centenario's path from the right, and [KF] easily fishtails the rear end leftwards and as if time slows down (figuratively for once) [KF] and [AleM] lock eyes with the two officers in the TCPI who sit there stymied by the reality of the sudden moment. Just as swiftly as the entry was, the moment ends and the Centenario zips away further downtown*
[KF]: Beginner maneuver.

[AleM]: Ah shit a blockade.

[KF]: I don't need Sweet Dreams for this one, either.

*[KF] speeds the car up towards the blockade and brakes at the last moment before impact and instead prepares a rear entry. The Centenario rotates around backwards and slips between two TCPI SUVs before correcting itself back frontwards and [KF] still presses the car forwards, not so much as lightly tapping another vehicle or person*
[AleM]: How the hell did you do that? This car is too wide to do that!

[KF]: Geometry on the fly, it helps to know what you're doing.

[AleM]: Hoh oh man! That was awesome.

*Back in the Hills just two houses down from [AleM]'s, [AY] and [AsM] lie in bed together until [AY] decides to walk upstairs to the kitchen*
[AY]: Hmm, did I leave the HoloTV on again?

*The local news is displayed on and shows a breaking news report of a car chase downtown*
[AY]: Who's this speed junkie tonight? Ooh a Centenario! Wait.

[AsM]: Is something wrong?

[AY]: Isn't that your brother's collector's Centenario?

[AsM]: Oh Alex being Alex, come on he'll lose em and repair the car in the morning. We know how he is.

*The camera footage is shown live from a bird's eye view, which then zooms closer to identify the two people inside the car. Just as it does so [AsM] recognizes [KF] with [AleM] before the footage cuts out suddenly with the broadcasters apologizing for technical difficulties*
[AsM]: God damn Sweet Dreams and her tricks.

[AY]: Huh?

[AsM]: Kari's driving that car, with him in it.

[AY]: **WHAT?**

[KF]: That should take care of my reputation, although it's not as if I've been caught doing this kind of thing before.

[AleM]: Gotta start somewhere!

[KF]: How do we lose the Turbos and their attention? Also rather simple. Assuming you're done with the ride.

[AleM]: Yeah, it's like 4 A.M. now. Let's go home.

[KF]: Certainly.

*[KF] turns the car into an alley sharply, and before any TCPIs can close the front or back end of the alley [SDR] takes the car and presses it against the left building's wall. Before [AleM] can process it, the Centenario appears on the right wall of the hillside barrier down the road from his house*
[AleM]: Well that was fun.

[KF]: One last trick.

*[KF] shifts the weight of the rear axel back with a slightly deviated corner entry and shifts the car over a storm drain entirely without the front axel dipping into the drain, seemingly hovering the front axel over the drain entirely, and kicks the rear axel slightly left to swerve it into an effective brake drift. At the end of the corner is [AleM]'s home on the left, which [KF] then suddenly tails the rear axel from left to right, bringing the Centenario to a halt in [AleM]'s driveway in facing the direction they arrived from*
[AleM]: Woo!

[AsM]: What the hell were you two doing?

[AY]: Come on, you went on doing cool car tricks without inviting me?

[AleM]: We went for sandwiches and got caught.

[AsM]: Wait, so you broke into a restaurant at four in the morning because you were hungry?

[KF]: All due respect, it was to see how his Anima worked.

[AsM]: I'm not upset you did that, I'm upset you didn't tell me! I would have joined.

[KF]: Good grief.

[AleM]: Thanks for the fun time, Kari! We should do it again!

[KF]: Be sure to get that car into the garage, the police will be looking for it all morning!

[AleM]: I know, I know.

[KF]: Besides, what fast car is fun that has no more than two seats and two doors?

[AY]: None, sadly. You'd think that by now that would change.

[KF]: Well I have fulfilled by end of a request, I too am going home.

[AY]: Aww, but you just got here!

[AsM]: Alright, goodbye! Take care, Kari.

[AY]: Ashton!

[AsM]: What? She's going home. Don't bother her.

*end*