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G'Evening all, here we are at day 7 of our story in VA-11 HALL-A. As always, I'll be leading you through this LP. Pavlov will be chiming in when he notices something super interesting, and wacky humour will be provided by Shibbotech. Sazero is here too.
I'm pretty sure Jill has some sort of attention disorder. Not many games dare to have a mentally ill protagonist, and I think that's really cool.
An item description that doesn't actually describe the item. That is so deep.
Daruma: a large red papier-mâché Japanese doll in the form of a seated potbellied Buddhist monk: considered a bringer of luck and prosperity.
Suppose we better check on the forums...
So in short, Wikileaks is alive and well 60 years from now
Fun fact: "Lana Smithee" is an anagram for "Inhales Meat".
Why. Why would they bother pointing out the smell thing.
Off to work!
DIY Jukebox!
G'even-... Gil?
I realise now that 60 years in the future, culture has removed more syllables out of necessity, and glottal stops must now be commonplace. What a world.
Oh, hey guys!
How the hell did you get in?
I have a copy of the key, remembe-... Wait, that's how you greet me after so many days?!
I never doubted you'd be fine. If anything, I'd have to cut your paycheck for leaving for so many days without notice.
Tough but fair, that's why Boss is Best Boss
…
See, Jill? "He'll be here on Monday like nothing ever happened.
Wait, why does he have a copy of the key and I don't?
The need for you having a key never arose.
True...
Anyway. Glad you're fine Gil.
Thanks. I guess...
…
What? Are you gonna make me wash the bathrooms again?
Not today. Listen, I don't know who the hell you really are or what's trying to come back to bite you in the ass. But remember there are people that actually care about you. Don't just leave like you did. Especially after all hell broke loose. At least give us a sign that you're still alive.
So you were worried?
Isn't that normal?
When it comes to you, I don't know.
Shut up.
She's right, though. You shouldn't make ladies worry so much. Check if the cats didn't move the internet antenna, would you?
Internet antenna. antenna....
It's the future, we broadcast the internet over short-wave radio. Improves download speeds, y'see.
Fine, fine…
Hey Boss, why did you leave the hoodie at my place?
Because it's yours?
But I told you you could keep it.
Sorry, I... couldn't find it in myself to take it.
Why?
Partly because I didn't feel right taking it. But mostly because I thought you'd totally look cute with it.
I- I see…
Don't think I'm rejecting a gift of yours, it's just... Preserving cuteness is one of my principles.
Here we again bear witness to Va-11 Hall-A's signature style of indirect communication. In a neo-literary reinvention of the Daoist doctrine of actionless-action, Va-11 Hall-A engages in a form of 'unspoken speech'. The hoodie, in the modern and postmodern contexts, symbolizes both safety, and hidden danger. Its warm and comforting embrace from naval to crown, enshrouds the chakras of both base, and higher needs. But just as it might act as a security blanket to the wearer, its role to occlude the head and face projects a desire to hide, and be hidden. As with all secrets, what is truly meant to be hidden is left to the reader's imagination.
The act of gifting the hoodie to her boss defines a pivotal and defining moment in Jill's character arc, and is tied directly to the symbolic significance of her gift, the hoodie. To relinquish that hoodie is to be stripped of its comfort, and to wager it's loss against something greater. It is a cry not to hide, but to be seen! And to embrace that danger inherent in being scrutinized. And who does she wish to be seen by but the hoodie's recipient? Her beloved boss, so artfully presented as the object of her desire.
The rejection of the hoodie is also significant. It represents her boss's reluctance to herself fill that role as comforter that the hoodie's absence leaves empty. It is also the Boss's acknowledgement of her own secrets, and her inability to be as candid about them as Jill might. Yet, as a sort of consolation, Boss still expresses that she can accept Jill as she always has been, hoodie and all.
And all this, expressed in the simple act of gifting an article of clothing.
Being sober while typing this is against all of my principles. I'm never doing an SSLP update again.
R-Right….
Are you still worried about the whole bar closure thing?
Of course I am. Not like I can't work because of it, but you know...
All we can do is enjoy whatever time we have left here as best we can.
Yeah…
So, cheer up! Clients smell sadness and fear, and we don't want that. I'll go to my office.
Metahumans are a staple of cyberpunk, so it stands to reason that certain people have evolved or enhanced their abilities to detect certain things such as sadness and fear. Checks out.
Antenna's fine. Did I miss anything?
Not really, no. Anyways, let's start the day. Time to mix drinks and change lives. Oh yeah, Gil?
Hm?
Glad to see you're fine. I mean it.
Thanks
Excuse me, I'm looking for Dana Zane.
May I have your name?
Tell her it's Brian.
So it seems that this Brian is familiar with your boss, perhaps he might know something about her enigmatic past, or how she got her robotic arm?
Just a sec. BOSS!! SOME BRIAN GUY IS LOOKING FOR YOU!!
TELL HIM I'LL BE THERE IN A BIT!!
She'll... um... you heard her.
It's alright. I'll wait.
It's weird for someone to come asking for her though.
It's not so weird when you're BTC's Regional Manager in these parts.
Bosses boss, I see. Better put on a good show.
Yeah, I guess that's... um… I guess I didn't give you the best first impression.
Haha! Don't worry, I know who I'm dealing with. I'm not a fan of people treating me too nicely because of my position anyways. Handle me like I'm just another client.
don't let dorothy hear you say that
A-Alright. I can do that. What can I get you, Mr. Brian?
Let's go with the basics. A Sugar Rush, please.
Coming right up.
So Brian is here to meet with the boss, and I need to put on a good impression. I think a little social lubricant might make this meeting go better!
Is social lubricant water- or silicone-based?
Shibbo, are you a commentator or a customer in VA-11 Hall-A?
Here.
Yeah, this one's nice.
I guess if he's around bars all the time, maybe he has built up a substantial tolerance of alcohol?
Back in training, they made a big deal out of Sugar Rushes. Why?
They're like the Fried Eggs of mixing drinks. They're the most basic thing, but people can still mess them up. Sugar Rushes are simple enough that you only need to follow instructions. If you can't even do that, your future as a bartender is not bright.
Odd, seeing as all drinks so far have been made from following instructions. Must mean there are many drinks that are around that are more complicated. I wonder why VA-11 Hall-A doesn't sell them?
Huh... they never told me that.
You're Jill, right?
Yup, that's me.
Dana has talked quite a bit about you.
Really?
And I guess you must have a few questions for me, am I right?
…
Mostly concerning the closure warning Valhalla got.
Can you disclose any information?
I shouldn't, but you have the right to know.
Thanks.
Don't mention it. Now where to start... You saw the news on the information leaked during the Apollo Trust Bank incident, right?
About the White Knights having lots of members from criminal organizations in their ranks?
Turns out the White Knights weren't the only ones with shady people. Some of those same folks have been trying to elude legal problems using BTC-certified bars. The BTC bars have their own protocols, meaning the White Knights can't dig too deeply... ...at least, not without going through a ton of paperwork first, giving the criminals time to cover their tracks. Although it takes a bit of time to set up, it has apparently proven an effective method for money laundering.
Excuse me, what? So act 2 is starting with "oh the bank thing? yeah you're suspect, all dive bars are"? Motherfucker we can barely afford our porn subscription, if we're involved in laundering money the boss better give us a cut
Where does Valhalla come in?
"Young" bars are the ones under the radar right now, and the modest-to-low income ones are the primary suspects. It's not just Valhalla. Any small bar with small income is being investigated heavily right now.
So the closure notice is due to low sales...
Among the reasons a bar can get axed, low sales is the rarest one. If low sales were a problem, lots of bars would close every year.
... "You'll find out soon enough" huh...
Sorry?
Oh, nothing. Don't mind me. Seems your guess was spot-on, Gil.
Hm?
If it helps, I'm doing my best to appeal in your place.
Really? Why?
Most of Glitch City's bars are a pain in the ass. They constantly give reports of chemical damage or shady drinks. This is one of the few places from which I almost never receive complaints. The closest thing to a recent complaint was that whole Farmer Fabrics affair from a little while ago.
So much saliva...
I wouldn't get my hopes up though. Especially since the BTC will try to save face by axing as many suspects as possible.
Knowing you're making an effort is enough. Thanks. Can I get you anything else?
Now that I remember, the recipe book has a drink created here, right?
Oh yeah, the Suplex.
Get me one of those, please.
Sure.
Here.
The registry form said this was an accident while making a Piledriver.
You can ask the creator of the drink just over there.
Ah, so you're Robert?
Yes! That's my name. I'm Robert, the one and only.
…
Jill called you "Gil" though.
Uh... it's Argentinian slang. R-Robert here is from Argentina, so we call him Gil.
Or, bear with me here..."Roberto"
Huh... I see.
…
…
Sorry Brian, I was sorting some stuff at the office. Please come in.
I'll be right there. Any other questions, Jill?
Not really, no. Although...
Yeah?
If you were to evaluate my performance right now, how would you rate me?
Clean and timely delivery of the correct orders. A top-notch bartender.
Thanks
Now if you'll excuse me...
I'm surprised you haven't met him before.
I received my training in another city. The regional supervisor there was some girl with a red mohawk.
Ah, I see.
(I wonder what Boss will talk to Brian about...)
Um... Jill, was it?
Ah, Miss Stella, what a pleasure.
…
Are you okay?
Yeah... um... just call me Stella. And get me a big Beer, please.
Huh... Sure, on it.
: …
A-Are you sure you're fine?
...um. You know Sei, right?
Of course, what's up with her?
She was at the Apollo Trust Bank during that whole affair and...
Oh. (Right, that.) So, she…?
She didn't show up on the list of the massive body count in the aftermath, so... I was hoping that maybe you've seen her.
As much as I'd love to say that I had…
Yeah, I figured as much….
(Man, the air is suddenly a lot heavier. I mean, I could tell her everything will be alright, but that would sound a bit... condescending. *sigh* What does one do in this kind of situation? Maybe a joke? Nah, that'd be tasteless. Okay, just... try and say anything. At the very least, you'll break the tension. Maybe distracting her will be enough? I don't think clearly when under this kind of pressure, do I?)
Uh... there was a private eye here the other day.
EYE! ...sorry, I'm a bit on edge. A private detective, I take it?
Here we begin to explore the narrative function of Stella's eye. The eye is known as the portal to the soul. It serves as our porthole in to the world, and allows others see back into us. The robotic nature of Stella's eye is descriptive of the mediation between her self and the world. As a portal into her, it synergises with her voice, which while to the naïve observer might come off as stilted and artificial, is in fact a consciously crafted recreation of inhuman elocution.
The eye signifies her sterile and programmatic 'outlook' on life, but also the impersonal and standoffish sense of the viewer looking into her. This dichotomy of subjective outlook, in a less exaggerated form, could be seen as applying to all of our relations with the world.
Yeah. Maybe you'll want his services?
What's his name?
I believe it was Art... Van, no. Von Delay.
Oh, that Art guy. Yeah, I actually hired him yesterday to look for Sei.
So you still have hope.
I'm somewhere between Bargaining and Depression right now. And I'm afraid to let go of Bargaining.
I'll drink to that.
I see. Is he any good?
He doesn't look like it, but he's quite skilled at gathering intel. I believe he'll give me answers about Sei... whatever they might be.
…
…
*sigh* Sometimes I wish I had a magic wand so I could solve all my problems with a swing, you know?
Sorry if I'm making you uncomfortable.
Oh, sorry. No, it's not about feeling uncomfortable. It's just... weird. I usually try to say something to my clients when I see them down. And right now, I can't find any words that don't sound hypocritical, useless, or tasteless.
I'm glad to know you have that much common sense, at least.
All I can do is get you drinks. Can I get you anything else?
Something sweet. That'll help me calm down a bit.
Gladly
We've established that Lilim can get drunk in a fashion, I wonder what it's like for Cat Boomers?
Hang on, I'll ring up one of my kidnappers and find out for you.
Here
Thanks
Seems you really like Sei.
I don't have brothers or sisters, and my social interactions are usually strictly business. So Sei's more than a friend to me, she's... she's...
Sorry, I brought that topic up at a bad time.
*ahem* Don't worry about it. As I was saying, she's more than a friend. She's my emotional support, she's someone I can trust wholeheartedly. I'd say she's like my sister, but siblings usually lack that level of trust. I have to deal with high-class pricks of every race and upbringing on a daily basis. They use a "business mask" to hide anything they don't want others to know and I do the same. But with Sei I can be myself, I can do whatever I want and vent all my frustrations. She's always been there for me, and now she might need me... But here I am, sitting in a bar, making other people do that job because I'm a useless pile of flesh! ...sorry about the outburst.
Aww, it's okay Stella. I'm a useless pile of flesh too, but I have friends? Right, guys? ...right?
I'm actually kind of jealous of the level of self-control you're using here. I mean, I'd be a mess in that situation. Still, would you like some fresh air? I'm gonna take my break and you could use some. Well... for a given value of "fresh".
I'm fine, thanks.
Okay then. Gil, please service Miss Stella while I take my break.
Sure, leave it to me.
Cat's can metabolise a lot of fluids that regular folk can't, such as seawater if they really need to due to their very efficient kidneys. I wonder if Cat Boomers have the same deal with alcohol. Interesting.
~intermission~
(God damn, is it chilly outside.) I'm ba-... eh?
What would a kid like you know about that, eh?
I'm just giving you the facts as they are
I feel a youtube comments debate coming on...
What happened while I was gone?
Let's see... Detective guy comes in, Cat Boomer girl greets him. They start talking... Everything was okay until the girl mentioned Zaibatsu Corp offhand. After that, the guy got riled up and started badmouthing it. Oddly enough, he was the only one. She just carried on like it was just a normal conversation.
I see...
While I won't deny Zaibatsu Corp is anything but innocent... When you get down to it, it has enhanced the quality of life here.
Stella for one, welcomes her new corporate overlords.
More like "Shilla"
Yeah, if by enhanced, you mean getting yanked around by a shiny new chain around our necks. Can't you see that those big companies don't care about us? Why do you think Glitch City is mockingly called "the guinea pig of the world"? We're just one big test group for them to use however they want! But then again, I don't expect a kid to understand how hard it was, let alone a rich kid.
True, I don't know. And true, I have a privilege that clouds my judgement. But can you deny that the meddling of Zaibatsu Corp has brought quite a few benefits?
Fun fact: "Zaibatsu Corp" is an anagram of "A Crab Zips Out".
Like what?
The AI Integration Program they started is making huge advances in the AI department. Every day, more and more countries are seeing the benefits of recognizing AIs as citizens.
Yes, but we also hold the AI Reformation Program. Meaning that we're also the world's Lilim prison. AI went rogue? Transfer it to a delivery drone or ship it to Glitch City. That murderer is now delivering your pizza.
Brings up the interesting issue of what exactly is supposed to happen to Lilim who go rogue. It's been established that they can have violent tendencies, and that certain model types are basically immortal due to a giant cloud based storage system. If AI are true full citizens, I wonder if this means they have certain rights along with them? I can't imagine you can just wipe and reset them.
Fair point. Although that program HAS proven to have reformed many AIs. They don't brag about their 88% success rate for nothing.
Um...
The city also has a stronger economy. Zaibatsu Corp's success has made more and more companies bring their products here.
And the gap between classes continues to grow. More companies just mean more people who will plant their feet on your face.
But it also means more products are being brought to the lower classes. Stores have 20% more brand variety compared to last year.
Truly a goal for all societies.
Uh….
Zaibatsu Corp's main Medical Research branch has also made lots of discoveries. More and more illnesses, previously thought incurable, are being addressed every day.
Perhaps this is why Stella is such an ardent defender. Was it Zaibatsu Corp. that discovered the cure for nanomachine rejection, and therefore the entire reason Stella is alive?
: It's amazing, for those who can afford them. Meanwhile, down here we're experiencing medicine shortages almost every month.
You have a point there. Oh, but there are also more jobs. All of the companies coming down here need personnel. So the unemployment rate has gone down by almost 40% this year.
Down. By 40%. Suck it lefties.
More jobs? Shut up.
Am I wrong?
Well, that's... ….. Hey you! Don't just sit there. Give me a Zen Star!
Sure
The defeated leftist changes the subject and settles for the one thing that can cure him: alcoholism.
And Art's getting a drink, too.
This drink is supposed to taste like garbage.
Here
God, this is awful.
See? Garbage.
It's your order, though.
I seriously hope you don't really believe everything you just said.
Of course I do, why else would I say it? You do bring up something I always fail to remember. All the benefits we've gained over time are limited to a few. I can talk about advances all I want, but in the end, they're still a luxury belonging only to a few. And even those that can be accessed by everyone are more like an improvement in the bigger picture. That doesn't take away the fact that there have been positive changes. Credit where credit's due, don't you think?
That's a... pretty mature answer.
Discussions are a way for two parties to understand each other. The only people afraid of discussion are the ones whose points are too fragile to defend against someone.
Yeah, mature. Whatever.
I'm gonna take the chance to ask you about that job I gave you yesterday.
I haven't been able to find much, but I can at least tell you that she wasn't at the bank when it opened up.
What does that mean?
Either she left before the whole ordeal started... or she managed to escape at some point before the whole thing ended. All the corpses are accounted for. They only found one totally disfigured, but witnesses identified it. It wasn't your friend, that much is for sure.
"Totally disfigured" and "identified" don't really go together. This is like "diseases are painful"-tier writing.
Maybe they got their disfiguring injuries in front of witnesses and identified them that way?
I see
Did you call him here?
No, he just so happened to come here today.
The weird part is that the girl did enter the bank. It's like she... vanished or something.
I see. Thanks, keep it up.
Your face brightened a bit.
Hope is the last thing you lose, I guess. If he's telling the truth, Sei might have found a way out. She's a resourceful girl. She surely did something. I think I'll have another drink. Do you want anything?
Me? Um... Just get me whatever you order.
Two Bad Touches, please.
COMING RIGHT UP
*pfft* On it.
I remember this one party I went to. The guy that came up with the name of this drink showed up. After people found that one out, they lined up to slap him for whatever reason. They didn't seem offended to me though.
Imagine a guy shows up and tells you "I made a classy Bad Touch", wouldn't you line up to slap him?
normally I pay extra to get slapped
Um... are you okay, Jill?
I'm... f-f-fahahahahahaine... Now that I think of it, did you find that girl you were looking for a week ago, Mr. Von Delay?
Turns out she was at the Apollo Trust Bank all this time. No wonder I couldn't get in touch with her.
Girl?
Someone paid me to look for Crimson Rose and she happened to be at the... Um...
What?
I'm trying to avoid mentioning that a dangerous assassin got stuck in the same bank as the girl you're looking for.
Oh, don't worry. Besides, the last thing I'm worried about with Sei is people.
Why's that?
Her attitude is usually so laid back and gentle that she has no problem getting people on her side. And on the off-chance that she has to defend herself... well... I once saw her take care of a warbot gone haywire by herself. She did need medical help afterwards, but she recovered in no time AND managed to take care of the 'bot.
Is she really that good?
She's not only really physically fit, she's also really good with Krav Maga and...
Something wrong?
No, nothing. I just realized I forgot about all that. Sei's not invincible, but she knows how to take care of herself. And like I said, she's resourceful. She surely found a way out. *sigh* I just hope she's well wherever the hell she is. ...she owes me an ice cream. You want another drink, Mr. Von Delay? It's on me.
This right here is why I love this game. In other triple A mainstream games, we'd have been forced to watch an hour long cutscene about this side-character who is super bad ass. VA-11 HALL-A just tells you, so you can get back to the plot.
Are you sure?
Yeah, order away.
Okay then. I'll have a Piano Man.
And you, Ms. Stella?
I'm fine. Get his order.
Here
So this is what drinking something classy without worrying about the price feels like. Alright, I should get going. My contact will arrive at the rendezvous point soon. I'll let you know if I find out anything else, Ms. Hoshii.
Please do.
Right then.
You've been generous today.
He made my night with his discoveries on Sei's situation. I'm not totally over it, but at least I got distracted for a bit.
Well, that's it for me. Good night, Miss Hoshii.
Thanks again.
Please come again.
You don't mind if I stay a bit longer, right?
Why would I? It's not like you're asleep
Thanks. This place is... soothing. I'll just go sit over there near the arcades.
Alright then. That would be all, Dana. Quite a mess, the situation with... um... Robert.
Brian, you have a meeting in an hour with MI-6 Hall-C.
This guy appears on a screen in front of you. I assume he's supposed to be on Brian's tablet or appears on a nearby screen or something but it's hard to tell.
Right, right... Oh! If it isn't Miss Hoshii herself.
Ah, Brian. Fancy meeting you here.
I didn't expect to see you here of all places. Are you busy? Mind catching up for a bit?
Sure, no problem. Jill, we'll be sitting over here.
Let me know if you need anything.
Will do.
…
This holophone is an old model, so hanging up is a bit laggy.
You can call me Cass by the way.
I-I'm Jill. S-Say... you guys give a lot of liberties to my boss. I mean, she gets away with too much stuff.
She's not hurting anyone, and wouldn't you say it's more interesting that wa-... (It finally hung up.)
Phew, it's been quite the day. At least the streets are calm today.
???: I have... *wheeze* arrived yet again at the *cough* oh god... at the majestic hall of heroes.
god dammit
We meet again, bartender.
GOD DAMMIT
You look winded, Virgilio.
It's pronounced Veer-HEE-rio.
No, I'm pretty sure it's Virgilio. You said as much the last time you came.
Pronunciations are a silly thing society imposes on letters. They want to be free! They want to be pronounced however they want.
Virgilio's comment here is an allusion to the prescriptive-descriptive debate in the world of linguistics. In that context Virgilio is obviously arguing for a descriptive interpretation of phonetic analysis. This entails an acknowledgement that the spoken word is a liquid and amorphous act, and that there exists no clear canonical pronunciation for any word. In a postmodern effort of elevating the commonplace, all variants and accents have equal validity, and no single one can claim to be its truest ideal form. As these variants are defined only by the will and acceptance of those using them, Virgilio challenges our expectations by presenting a variant all of his own.
You look winded, Virgilio.
We are all little toys winded by the cruel hand of fate. Just stumbling until it decides not to wind us anymore.
And yet, you're the only one in the vicinity hyperventilating.
That's um... I was jogging.
Dressed like that?
I can jog however I want.
Yes you can. What can I get you?
Something fake.
Of course.
Well, everything is made from a mixture of chemicals, so I'm not even sure what would qualify as "not fake". But I think the answer may lie in the Frothy Water, because I've heard the name from TvTropes.
Here.
And this is?
Totally-not-Beer.
Which is odd, as the beer you can serve probably would also qualify as "Totally-not-Beer"
Ah, yes, just as fake as I want.
Say, Virgilio. Where do you work?
I take the noble duties of curator at the Steampunk Museum.
Really? What do you do?
I study everything that comes and keep it clean for the people that visit the premises. But lately my duties have been hindered by the museum's owner.
Really?
Yeah, he told me, "Stop touching the exhibits! You're gonna break them." The nerve of some people.
E-eh?
He still fails to realize that I'M the curator there. Without me, all those machines would be rustier than they already are.
….
Even the visitors get that I'm the one responsible for those, why can't the owner realize that too?!
...yeeeeeeah. I bet he treats you like a janitor or something like that.
Exactly! Okay then. Time for your next challenge, bartender.
Challenge, he says...
I want purity.
Four of each ingredient, let's go with that. Not super sure though.
Boy do I have some news for you about the game you're in
…
How is this... "pure"?
It's a drink. It's free from any human sin. It can do no harm consciously.
Ah, yes... beautiful. Hey you, the guy over there.
Me?
Yes, you. Have we met before?
Can't remember. Maybe?
Yeah, I think... ...NONONONO. We haven't met. Ever. At all.
That's an interesting reaction.
…
Ah Jill, I'll be taking my leave now.
Be careful out there.
Thanks... huh? Excuse me, have we met somewhere before?
That face... that eye...
What about my eye, punk?!
We haven't met ever at all. Never, ever, ever, ever. Good talking to you, bartender.
...um.
Wow, this sure is a small world.
Did you just scare off a client?
Apparently. Well. I'm off. Thanks for everything.
Don't mention it.
Are we done for the day?
Yup, quite a few clients considering the whole situation. OH SHIT! That Virgilio guy...
So you two actually met before?
Yeah, you could say that.
Somehow I can't picture this guy as a violent rioter
What? What?
Gil stuff. Don't mind it. What were you talking about to Brian?
Well... We were mostly catching up, to be honest. I hadn't seen him in a while. I offered him a drink when we met last week. I talked a bit about what to do after the bar closes. Oh! And I tried to... uh... explain the situation with... Robert here. He agreed to help me out with that one when the time comes.
Ah.
Oh.
I was also tuning up the details for the new employee.
New employee?
A part-timer, you'll meet him tomorrow.
Oh.
"Him"? So it's a guy?
An adorable guy, if I do say so myself.
(...I suddenly have deja vu.)
Are you alright, Jill?
Y-Yeah. (It must be nothing.)
Fun fact: "It must be nothing" is an anagram for "Have you ever faked an orgasm?"