when your thoughts turn sour make them sweet instead

[sentree]

[ That was...positively horrible? Ugh. After a few hours, notes are slipped under each person's door. They read, in a neat handwriting: ]

Banquet in Vanellope's honor in the dining room.

- Reyna, Sally and Thalia

[ You may not know what to expect when they say banquet, but it...really is one, isn't it? Thalia's main dish is cheeseburgers, so there are so many of those, but the table's positively covered in an arrangement of fruit and vegetables and all kinds of bread. Looks like they've gone all out.

What's really the cream of it all, though, are the desserts. Not a lot that's special, but there's a wide collection of cookies and cupcakes, and enough hot chocolate to feed an army. Maybe literally. There is a section that's particularly fancy, and that's the many candy apples, definitely courtesy of Sally. Along with a cute amount of peppermint bark. It seems like the food is unending, too, since there's the delicatible smell of baking cookies and simmering candy from the kitchen. Thalia and Sally are keeping you stocked, don't worry. ]

Comments

[hallotween]

[nods] He was this evil guy who tried to get everyone in Halloweentown to rise up against the mortal world so he could rule them both. [beat] Mainly because he was really mad my mom dumped him for my dad. He kinda just burst into light.

[sentree]

[ What the... Huh. ]

Sounds like a Grade A jerk. Also sounds like how monsters disintegrate, where I'm from. ...I wouldn't be lying if I said that's what I'm more familiar with, too.

[hallotween]

Maybe that's what does it. Because as evil as that jerk was, he was only the human kind of evil.

[sentree]

...Maybe. The guy was mortal, after all. Mortals tend to... [ Mmm. ] If... If something like that happens again. If we have to do that- you don't have to watch, you know. You shouldn't.

[hallotween]

[thinks...]

I think we're supposed to watch it. To get the moral.

[sentree]

Listen, Marnie. Sometimes you gotta ignore what the immortals want you to do. This I think is one of those times.

[hallotween]

-- Well. I'll probably do that if this ever happens again. Now that I know.

[pause] It will happen again. Won't it?

[sentree]

[ She hesitates. ] We can hope it won't.

[ But. It probably will. ]

[hallotween]

We hoped last week. That sure ended well.

[sentree]

...I'll do my best to keep you and the others safe. [ That's all she can do. ]

[hallotween]

It's not your fault if something happens.

[pause. with feeling:] It's not your fault that something did happen.

[sentree]

[ A hint of a smile. ] You're a sweet kid. I know it wasn't my fault, but, well... I still wish there was something I could've done. Don't we all?

[hallotween]

I wish we'd tied up that rich nutjob and locked him in a closet on the first day.

[sentree]

[ She can't help but let out a bitter laugh. ] All take turns punching him in the gut.

[hallotween]

We should've guessed he'd be the first to crack. He didn't care about anyone but himself.

[sentree]

Should've, would've... All we can do now is decide what to do from here. [ ... ] If anyone starts giving you a hard time, point me at them, okay? I'll set them straight.

[hallotween]

That means beat them up, right? [grins] Besides that jerk, everyone else has been really nice to me. You don't need to worry.

[sentree]

Yes, it means beat them up. Just keep it in mind.

[hallotween]

I'm glad a real-life demigod has my back. [SHE'S NEVER GOTTEN TO BE THE LITTLE SISTER BEFORE this is p cool]

[sentree]

Just doing my job. [ ...Thalia's kind of a natural big sister, this was inevitable. ]