16200/Friends & family, old and new.

Friends & family, old and new.
Date of Scene:	28 October 2023
Location:	Hot Dumpling Restaurant
Synopsis:	Kiden and Laura run into each other after a long time. Conner drops in and offers Kiden a place to crash. Have we witnessed the birth of X-23 mutant match-maker? The world can only hope we have not....
Cast of Characters:	Kiden Nixon, Laura Kinney, Conner Kent

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Kiden Nixon has posed:
A unexpected, but welcome text arrives. A place, a date, a time. A thumbsup emoji sent in return.

The trip takes awhile by Kiden's standards, it's certainly outside her usual areas. But she has a skateboard, and No Time, and to anyone else, she basically just... gets there right when she means to. She's at least conscientious enough to come back to the regular flow of time in the alley, kicking the skateboard up into her grasp and heading into the restaurant.

There's a brief discussion, and she sets the skateboard against the wall under the seats near the register. Stepping away from the chairs, Kiden glances around, running a hand through blonde locks that are starting to show brown roots. She's in a black v-neck tshirt with a band logo on the chest, a pair of baggy khaki pants, and some grungy sneakers, a red zip-up hoodie hanging loose on her frame. Looking not much different than she did the last time she and Laura met. A little less scrawny perhaps.

Laura Kinney has posed:
X-23 has a certain way of doing things. Some might call it unreasonably paranoid but they probably aren't on a SHIELD watchlist not to mention being hunted by an evil corporation with millions of dollars in funding and countless former military personel (usually dishonourably discharged) on the payroll.

And that way? It involves setting up meets using burner phones, dead message drops, and secret code words. Then watching from a vantage point to check someone isn't being followed. There are however a few exceptions to this. Meeting teleporters for example.

Or in this case? When meeting someone who can cheat with time control powers. It's not possible to tail someone who cheats with time itself!

That being said she still goes in for the mysterious appearance. It's a Gotham tradition if you spend time with anyone involved with the Bat Fam you can't simply just arrive. You need to appear mysteriously. One minute Kiden is sitting by herself and the next Laura is sliding onto the chair opposite her. Nodding to the staff. They return the nod, clearly not the first time Laura's been here, and someone comes out and puts down two bowls of a hot soup with dumplings floating in it.

She's wearing a charcoal grey hoodie and some leggings, the kind joggers usually wear, in an equally non-descript colour. And doesn't look a day older than when she first met Kiden years ago. The perks of a healing factor. "It's been a while."

Kiden Nixon has posed:
Kiden has her own paranoia, but its the more usual brand of a street kid that never left the street. After the group broke up and parted ways, she's been running solo, never quite able to trust anyone else the way she had the kids they ran with. Which might explain why she's still skateboarding around when she could choose better means of transportation.

Still, she doesn't seem entirely surprised when Laura just suddenly appears. Laura's always been very good at that. And she's one of the few people left that Kiden still knows she can trust. So when she shows up, there's a nod to her friend, a brief flash of surprise at the sudden service. "Yeah... you own the restaurant or something? I know I don't rate this kinda service."

Still, it's hot dumpling soup, and Kiden's not about to turn down the meal. She scoops up a dumpling first, popping it whole into her mouth. Even the slight burn of the hot food on her tongue is savored, just enjoying something that's freshly made and not someone else's leftovers. Once she gets it swallowed down, she nods to Laura, "You look good. Been taking care of yourself, that's good."

Kiden looks... probably not as good. Her skin is a bit sallow, a bit dry, her thinness doesn't come from diet and exercise so much as malnutrition. Her clothes could stand to be washed, and Kiden herself could stand a shower.

Laura Kinney has posed:
"I don't own it," Laura says with a shake of her head. "But I know a few people who are regulars. And we have an understanding with the owner. I sometimes discourage people from... Well. Trying to 'protect' the establishment."

Gotham is known for being a rough city. With plenty of gangs and protection rackets. It's probably no surprise that the sort of out of the way eating places someone like Laura would prefer gets the wrong type of attention from time to time.

"I do?" A shrug. "Less make-up than when we used to hang out. Not sure people would say I take care of myself though. Last time I got on a plane I had to leave without the parachute." Another shrug. A what can you do smile. "It helps to have money and safe places to sleep though. And rather than running and hiding from the people who are after me... Well. The world has plenty of bad people who need stopping. I'm helping a group who deal with problems no-one else can."

Kiden Nixon has posed:
"Huh... I sometimes help out around a diner in Brooklyn... owner feeds me in exchange. Sometimes he lets me nap in the corner booth." Kiden lifts a shrug. It isn't quite the same, but it's fresh food and a semi-safe place to sleep! That's better than her usual, at least. She spoons up more of the broth, savoring the heat and flavors.

Kiden glances up from her bowl, looking at Laura. She motions to herself, then to her friend, "Between the two of us, which one looks healthy and clean and well-rested? I might be able to take all the time I need to do something, but I still have to exist in the real world." She offers a faint kick of a smile and gives a nod, "Can't stop you from doing dangerous, reckless things. But you always recover, Laura. You're taking care of yourself, though, and that's what counts."

Pausing, Kiden muses, "I wonder if I could jump out of a plane... I don't seem to get hurt in No Time..." Then she blinks and shakes her head. "Probably not a good idea to find out the hard way."

The pair are seated at a table inside the Hot Dumpling, two old friends catching up after a few years spent apart!

Laura Kinney has posed:
"I did not wish to bring it up but... You do smell bad enough I can pick you out over the usual Gotham aroma," Laura admits with a chuckle. "I don't rest. People always tell me to take breaks. But the last time I had a 'vacation' for my birthday an attack helicopter shot at a train so.." She coughs. "It was not what you'd call a traditional vacation."

"I'm not really cut out for normal people things." X-23's entry for understatement of the year.

"I decided that I was done hiding from the people who created me," she says quietly. Eyes constantly scanning the room for anyone paying too much attention. Thankfully it's not the sort of place where people intrude in other peoples business. "Thought maybe it was time they started hiding from me. Plus I have family in the area. Friends who are like a found family."

"When it comes to jumping out of planes I'd start slow. Try jumping off a wall first. Build up to twenty eight thousand feet."

Conner Kent has posed:
It was the dumplings that brought Conner here, not the super-hearing, although the sentence 'last time I got on a plane I had to leave without the parachute' does draw Conner's attention to the girl's table.

What can he say? This place is one of the Outsider's favorite food places. That also means gangs trying to charge protection tend to have bad experiences. Also, they allow carry out for the regulars. It is usually Bart who gets the food (and consumes most of it) but this time it was Conner.

It is the weekend and he is hanging out at the Roost. "Hey, ladies," he greets approaching to the table. "You know each other? Well, cool. Shorty here is one of the friends I mentioned the other day," he tells Kiden, grinning at Laura. No names, since he doesn't know if they know 'names'.

Kiden Nixon has posed:
Kiden lifts a shrug, "Comes with the territory, you know how it goes. It's harder being an adult when you ran away as a kid. I don't have any of the usual resources, or identification. Gotta make do." She flashes a brief grin, "Besides, it's good for you to remember what it smells like. Get that authentic feel going again." Nodding, she chuckles, "I haven't celebrated a bithday since leaving home. No point. So I get the 'no vacations'."

Looking up at a familiar voice, she smiles towards Conner, "Oh hey, Conner. You know Laura? She and I used to run together back in the day." Then back to Laura, "I met Conner the other night, we beat up a bunch of robots and gangsters and he bought me a burger. You vouch for him, then?"

Because that will apparently hold a lot more weight with Kiden. She lfits a brow at Laura as if to say inviting him is up to her, but she seems to be okay with it. "Ehhhhhhhhh, you know me, I'm more of a 'risk it all' sort. Probably a good thing I'm already poor, I'd make a terrible gambler."

Laura Kinney has posed:
Laura Kinney glances between Kiden and Conner. Her nose pretty much told her they'd met already. Although it's not good enough to tell her all the details. Was that why she reached out in the first place? Maybe! Who can say. She's a mysterious sort of woman. "Identification is no problem," she muses. "I can create you all the fake documentation you'd need for day to day living. It wouldn't land you a Government job but it should be plenty to get by with. You'd need to clean up first for the photos. Can't look too much like a street kid in photo ID."

One of the perks of having lived so long off the grid. It builds a certain illegal but useful skillset. When you don't legally exist forging documents is an essential life skill!

"It feels weird for me to even have a 'birthday' all things considered."

Her head tilts at Conner and she raises an eyebrow. "Yes," she says after a moments pause. "We know each other. Work together on various things." A beats pause while she sniffs to see what he's ordered. "Want to join us or you getting food to go?"

Conner Kent has posed:
"I can join you for a few minutes," confirms Conner, finding a chair. "Funny, I told Kiden I could get her an ID, but I was thinking Robin or Oracle, not you. Best thing would be to get her documents about living somewhere, which would be legal, since the owner would sign them. She doesn't even need to be there, and then she can get a real ID card. Of course she can also have two dozen fake ones, like some people I know. But that seems overkill."

Kiden Nixon has posed:
Kiden lifts a shrug at Laura and cracks a half-smile, "No home, no bathroom, no shower. Beaches are closed, so I can't rinse off there. YMCA requires a membership, or an ID and a reservation. Shelters are pretty well overfull, and since I'm young and reasonably healthy and have no children, I'm not a priority." She finishes off her soup and pauses, "I could ask someone for a favor. They might let me use the shower at the clinic in Mutant Town."

She gives a nod, "Yeah, that might work. Just... let me know when so I can set up the shower ahead of time. Make sure I'm as clean and 'normal' looking as I can be." She picks up her glass to take a swallow of water, then chuckles, "Do birthdays really matter for any of us? We don't celebrate our birthdays for ourselves. We celebrate them for our friends and family."

Looking to Conner, she adds, "I would need a copy of a lease, mortgage, a signed and notarizied affadavit with supporting documentation from a homeowner that I live there, or I would need to provide 'official' pieces of mail delivered to the address I'm claiming." Because she's absolutely looked into this before. Then she smiles at him when joins them, "I don't know, a dozen fake ID's could come in handy."

Laura Kinney has posed:
"Don't be silly Conner," Laura says with a shake of her head. "I have two dozen fake IDs. /That you know of/. I'd tell you have many I actually have but that's classified." X-23's idea of a joke? Or a serious fact? Who can say. Probably the truth is a little of both...

"Robin can do a better job it's true," she admits. "But he's picky about who he'd make documents for. Probably he'd want to ask Kiden some personal questions. But if you don't mind that...?" There's another pause. "You'd still need to get cleaned up first though." If you had Laura's nose you'd understand just how keen she is for people to wash frequently. Gotham smells bad, but there's no reason to make it any worse!

"I'm probably going to live several hundred years at least so... Probably they don't matter to me it's true," she muses. "Thankfully most of my family will live about as long. And there's a lot more of them out there than I ever expected to find. Gabby is really the one who cares about things like birthdays and parties the most."

Conner Kent has posed:
Conner is happy not to have a super-nose right now. Kiden needs a shower! Also, "at least you have a birthday, so don't waste it. I always try to be there for my friend's birthdays." But that is possibly because he likes parties too much.

Notarized affidavit? That sounds stupidly complicated. Maybe sending a few letters is easier. And besides, "fake IDs are overrated, like parachutes. You only need one that is good." Yes, that is also a joke. Delivered deadpan. For Laura.

Kiden Nixon has posed:
"She's got you there, Conner," Kiden chuckles lightly and shakes her head, looking back to Laura. "Seriously, though. I'm glad you found family. Ever sicne ours broke up, I've been solo... I've missed the camaraderie. It was nice, having people that cared. That could be trusted. You should definitely be glad for them."

She lifts a shrug and offers a wry expression to her old friend, "If you can vouch for him, then he can ask. Just... some questions are... painful." Glancing down at her hands, she adds, "Nothing that's super terrible in general, just.. personally embarrassing or, you know."

Then she's rolling her eyes, "Look, I get it, I smell. I don't have the luxury of daily showers, Laura. Sue me." Kiden looks to Conner and lifts a shoulder, "I appreciate your point of view, but mine is different." To Laura, she nods, "I better only live a normal lifespan. I already spend way more time in a day than is supposed to be possible."

Laura Kinney has posed:
"I am always right," Laura says solemnly. "People should just accept that. I said we shouldn't take a walk in the woods without weapons." She grins at Conner. "And what happened when we went on that camping trip? Supervillain attack." Admittedly she has claimed she needs to be fully armed for literally everything. Including picking up milk from the store. And most of the time she hasn't had to fight any super powered threats.... But shhhh those times don't count.

"If you need a place to crash a few days you can stop by one of my safe houses," she offers Kiden. "It's not really fancy. But my New York safehouse has running water, some old clothes that're clean and will probably fit you, and no-one will ask any questions." Probably because it's a secret basement in a building that's marked as being condemned and is stuck in legal cases which will probably stop redevelopment for months if not years. "You'll need me to let you in though. The whole place is rigged to explode if anyone but me opens the door."

And given what Conner and Kiden know about her. This won't surprise either of them.

"Perhaps we could arrange a meeting with Robin," she asks glancing back to Conner. "And he can see if he'd be willing to help. If not no harm. And if Kiden checks out her skills might come in handy for some of our work."

Conner Kent has posed:
Conner frowns to Laura. "You also claimed carrying a sniper rifle to IKEA was necessary." It was a mess, that was what it was, and this time it was not totally Bart's fault. But he won't bore Kiden with the misadventures of the Outsiders.

"I also have an apartment in New York I don't even use the weekends, no one will confuse it with a Fallout bunker, and it is less prone to explode in your face," he offers Kiden.

"Robin has the superpower of being rich," he explains Kiden. That is part of the reason he can get an ID card quickly and legally, "Laura's ID might get you chased after by SHIELD."

Kiden Nixon has posed:
"I get shot at enough without carrying a gun myself. And... I do enough damage without weapons, even when I don't want to." Kiden frowns faintly and wraps her arms around herself, hugging tight to herself. She looks to Conner and offer, "To be entirely fair, I've heard horror stories about IKEA. Nobody should go there without protection."

Her eyes widen as Laura describes the safehouse's security measures, then chuckles, "I appreciate the offer, but I really don't want to have to defuse or destroy every explosive in there... I might miss one and that would suck. And I would be afraid to touch... anything." Then Conner's offering his place, and she blinks. "But... that's... that's your place. I don't... I don't want to put you out."

Her eyes cut back to Laura in a very obvious 'HALP!' glance before clearing her throat, "I mean... I don't want you to feel like you have to..." Then she just shuts up so she can catch the explanations of this 'Robin' they keep talking about. The last part has her laughing softly, "I've been wanted by the police, by various gangs... not sure I want to add SHIELD to that..."

Laura Kinney has posed:
"That place is exactly like a military training environment not a store," Laura protests. "And it wasn't a /sniper rifle/. It was a battle rifle. Useful for indoor operations and for the longer ranges of that /excessive/ sized parking lot."

She doesn't exactly huff but there's a little disapproving sniff.

"My fallout shelter isn't in the state. It'd far too far away for casual use for anyone but... You know."

"The whole point of my fake documents is to avoid attention from SHIELD and clearly it's working because they haven't caught me yet." Although to be fair it's only the nefarious rogue elements of SHIELD who are truly interested in catching her. Probably so they can turn her into a black ops asset. And likely as a lead on the Facility so they can obtain their research for... whatever mischief it is nefarious SHIELD elements get up to.

"It's lined with explosives from all angles," she protests. "It'll blow up in every direction. Not just the face. And I have a very good reason for rigging it to explode. I know a vampire and she needed a place she could be contained if she ever lost control." Just don't ask if all her places are rigged to explode like that too...

"I disarm the explosives," she says, shaking her head with dismay. "I don't let guests in without making it safe for them. Besides I have some old clothes you can borrow which'll be about the right size."

She pauses and sniffs the air again. "I suppose I could drop clothes off at Conners place if you do want to stay there. I could even stick around to make sure he's being a gentleman."

Conner Kent has posed:
"Nah, I can give you a key, and if you come in a Saturday to get a shower, I won't even see you," offers Conner. "I come to my place in Gotham Friday evenings and usually don't get back until Sunday or Monday midday. Feel free to raid the fridge too, but don't expect healthy food. I don't really need to eat much, so all I have there is self-indulgences."

The whole thing about IKEA. Gets ignored. Truth is getting lost there is easy, but besides the danger of dying of thirst or exhaustion, it is not really Murderworld. Like Laura seems to think it is!

"Anyway, dumplings should be here soon, and my carryout is ready. Let me know what you will do, Kiden, hmm? You girls have fun and don't kill anyone. Or blow up anything important."

Kiden Nixon has posed:
Kiden points to Laura's description of IKEA, "Accurate. I've stolen plenty of things to stay alive, to survive... I will never, not ever, go into one of those stores. It's like a Minotaur's Labyrinth in there, surrounded by a sea of greedy assholes, and filled with overly cheery people with creepy smiles." Shaking her head, she gives a shudder, "Horrible, horrible place. Pretty sure they're actually death traps. Or portals to Hell. Or both."

Glancing back to Laura, she offers a wry smile, "And me. Because I literally have however long I need to get somewhere." Not that it would necessarily be a FUN trip, but it would be safe, and to everyone else, pretty much instantaneous.

She lets out a breath and looks to Conner, staring at him for a long moment, then looking back to Laura and offers a smile, "All the time in the world, Laura. I have literally forever to find the bombs and deal with them... if that were a thing. But having to have it disarmed any time I enter would be... stifling."

Nodding to Conner, she murmurs, "I'll... take the key. And I'll make sure to clean up after myself."

Looking back to Laura, she adds, "I should show you No Time sometime. I can't stay there for long with a passenger, but long enough. You'd get to see what it's like. Get an idea of just what I can do with it. In it." To Conner, she offers a brief smile, "No killing, no blowing up important stuff. I think we can manage. I'll.. well, I guess I'll see you around the city."

Laura Kinney has posed:
Laura Kinney raises and eyebrow, then shrugs. "I wasn't going to re-arm them every time you left," she points out with a grin. "That'd require too many trips there and back. It'd compromise the sites operational security." But it seems like Kiden has plans. So she doesn't press the issue. After all every time she reveals a safehouse location that means more work setting up a new site. Somewhere no-one knows about. Because even people with the best of intentions can be compromised by various means. Telepaths, magic, threats against friends or family.

So many ways to make someone reveal her secrets. Which is why the only true secrets are the one she never shares.

"I promise nothing," she says to Conner. "But if I do anything that Robin would disapprove of I'll make sure no-one finds the evidence."

She has some more of her dumpling soup, giving Conner time to head off and get outside his usual enhanced hearing range, before tilting her head at Kiden. "You two get along pretty well for having just met." Not that she can keep him from hearing them at all if he's super listening! But she assumes he's gentleman enough not to super-snoop.

Kiden Nixon has posed:
Kiden watches Conner head off before looking back to Laura and blinking, then dropping her gaze to the table, "He could have hurt me if he wanted to. He had opportunity. As good as my power is, he's *way* faster than I am." She lifts a shrug and glances towards the door he left out of.

"Instead, he bought me food, asked how he could help. Listened. Like... actually listened." She looks back to Laura and smiles faintly, "He's... a decent person. He's not trying to just... fix me. Or take care of me. He's trying to let me help myself. I like that."

Shrugging, Kiden murmurs, "I like him. He has some weird ideas, and I don't get some of his attitude about things... but that's for him to say, if he wants to." She looks back to Laura and smiles faintly, "Anyways. If his place is in New Yrok... it's what I know. I know those streets, back and forth, up and down, in and out. Going anywhere else I'm at a disadvantage, even with my power."

Laura Kinney has posed:
There's a pause before Laura frowns. "I am not really the dating sort but," she says awkwardly. "I am fairly sure not hurting someone should not be where you set your goals." A beats pause. "Besides if he had done I'd be kicking his butt. Fast or not."

She motions to one of the staff, mouths a phrase she's memorised, and then nods. Shortly after someone heads over to the table and leaves two glasses of something which smells alcoholic. "Baijiu. It's got a kick."

"Last I heard he's single," she idly points out. "We work together I suppose. It's as close to a job as I've ever had anyway." She shrugs, then takes a swig of the clear white spirit, and motions for Kiden to give it a go.

"It's an acquired taste," she admits. "Anyway if you want I can drop off some of my old clothes. I kept a lot of my old clothes for undercover work. Fashion has never been my thing but my.. training.. it did include how to blend into places people might be."

There's another awkward pause.

"Think of it as borrowing clothes from an old friend," she offers. "And you can return them once you are able to."

"I promise you'd be doing my nose a favour," she teases. Nose wrinkling. If only Conner knew that X-23 was making jokes! He'd be stunned. Probably assume she's been replaced by a Skrull. "And I've been in Gotham's sewers before."

Kiden Nixon has posed:
"I wouldn't know... I've never dated anyone. It was always about... survival... about the group, all of us... then it was just me and... I don't know, it never seemed important. But having seen entirely too many men beating their girlfriends... seems like a pretty reasonable bar to set for absolute baseline." Kiden shrugs alightly and half-smiles, "Not the ONLY thing, but it's a good start."

The drink is brought over and Kiden leans over to peer into the glass, lifting it up to sniff before blinking and looking to Laura, "A kick, huh? If it's a kick for you, is it going to kill me?" She flashes a quick grin before taking a sip.

One that almost immediately gets spit back out when Laura mentions that Conner is single. Her cheeks flush and she grips the cup with both hands while coughing to clear her throat and sinuses. "Is he? Do.. do you know how come?" She is absolutely HORRIBLE at acting nonchalant.

Taking another sip, she gives a nod, "That would.. be really great. I mean, I can clean my stuff if I have the cash but... you know.. the street smell sort of... gets in there, and it never REALLY goes away, even if you wash it." Kiden looks into the glass, "It's not bad."

Chuckling, Kiden looks to Laura, "Hey, I'm in no position to turn down free anything. Whatever you have will be a welcome change. And yeah, I'll make sure to wash and return them after." Laughing softly, she gives a nod, "Alright, alright. New clothes, a shower, a couch to crash on for a few days... and maybe a meeting with this Robin person to see if I can't get legal."

Pausing, she sips from the glass, then adds, "So.. should I... uhm... should I wait for him to go back to the apartment and... I don't know... I don't.. know what to do."

Laura Kinney has posed:
"It's perfectly fine," Laura assures. Although it could also be used to run a generator from the smell. "It's a very traditional drink in China." Which is true. And there are certainly very delicious brands but this? This is rotgut pure and simple. Cheap, strong, and probably as delicious as something you'd clean paint brushes with....

"People don't usually share the details with me," she says with a frown. "I think most people assume I'm utterly indifferent. But they don't seem to realise I can smell things like fear. Or attraction. I don't think it was very serious anyway." Of course she has theories. But they're almost entirely based on the movies and TV shows she's been forced to watch for teambuilding nights at the Outsiders HQ. So chances are they're wildly off the mark.

"No idea. I don't really go back to peoples houses for operational security reasons. I can't risk bringing that sort of trouble to someone's home."

She swirls the liquid around, then slugs it back like it's water, and puts down the glass.

"What we could do is stop by one of my places in Gotham," she offers. "Pick up the clothes now. And that gives him time to sort out leaving a key somewhere you can get it." She raises her eyebrow. "Did he give you his number?"

Kiden Nixon has posed:
Kiden has almost assuredly drank actual rotgut. Urban moonshine. The party girl likes to party! Recreational drugs, booze, all of it wholly illegal and the only thing that distracted her from her past. So she sips on the Baijiu almost like she's not even really tasting it. Maybe she isn't!

"Oh, I remember... I can't hide anything from you, and I don't really want to try. It seems like more effort than it's worth." She flickers a quick smile towards Laura and takes another of those sip-shots of the liquor. "But.. he has experience. More than I do. I just... I don't want to make an idiot of myself if he's not interested. And I have no clue if he's interested." She glances to Laura and lifts a brow, "Unless you know?"

"Hey. Anywhere that I am, you're welcome. Trouble can come get it's ass kicked. You're family, Laura. You can *always* come back." Kiden doesn't do firm declarations very often, but she does now. And she holds Laura's gaze the whole time. "You can always come back."

Dropping her gaze, Kiden swirls the glass, then takes another swallow and gives a nod, "Sure. Besides.. you can help plan out what to do to... you know.. let him know that... I'm interested." She finishes the glass, then stands up, bracing a hand briefly against the table's edge, then righting herself. "Did you bring a motorycle? I can show you a neat trick..."

Laura Kinney has posed:
"Some people are harder to figure out by smell than others," Laura says with a shrug that seems to suggest that's about all she can commit too. "But I can say he doesn't dislike you."

Probably this elaboration is extremely unhelpful.

"Speaking of family. Don't be alarmed if you see Gabby my Sister around New York. We're practically twins in looks." Personality wise? Less so. "So if you ever see 'me' but I don't recognise you at all. It's probably her." Or telepaths. Or mind controlling chemicals. Or alternate universe doppelgangers. The list goes on.

"I should have a spare go bag too," she muses to herself. "There will be things you'll likely need he just won't have." Her musing on just what Kiden may or may not need, based on her very unique view on what constitutes essentials, broken when the motorcycle topic comes up. "I did actually. Although if this trick is going to cause any serious damage I'm afraid the answer is no you can't show me it. There are only so many times I can claim a replacement on my 'expense' account before questions are asked."

Questions like Laura why do all the motorbikes you buy keep exploding or getting shot to bits by machine guns. Or Laura can you return that Outsiders credit card to me so I can cut it up?

"Then again. I /do/ still have one other bike I left for repairs..."