If your heart is in your dream, no request is too extreme...

[pinkflip]

[ Another week, another horrible sight to see. Another child dead.

Last week, Kim had spent the majority of her time crying in her room. This week, she- ...okay, she definitely cries, but she refuses to do so alone. An hour or so after the trial, notes are slipped under everyone's doors, written in her neat, curvy handwriting. ]

If you don't want to be alone right now, come to the dining room. We will have food. Don't shoulder this on your own.
- Kimberly, Lekmet, Marco, Rocket

[ There's an extra note on Beast's: ]

Please bring the mirror. I think everyone would benefit from talking to those we've lost again.

[ This is becoming painfully routine. Around the dining room, there are signs set up - courtesy of Rocket - that say NO DUCKS ALLOWED. In the dining room itself, there's a variety of foods set up. Various soups, vegetables, chicken nuggets- basically just things so people have something to eat, if they need it. Some simple sandwiches. Thank Lekmet. Marco's provided a rainbow cake. ...And also courtesy of Rocket, there's...booze.

Sorry, Mr. Arrow. ]

Comments

[bayoublues]

[Oh hey here's a gator with a bottle of beer in his hand. For some reason, he's stuck a chicken nugget on the mouth of the bottle like how you'd put a slice of lime.]

Hey.

[Normally, he'd make a joke about the seat being taken by the guitar, but he's not in the mood. He's really not in the mood for anything. So he just sits on the floor next to Freddie and nibbles on the chicken nugget silently.]

[faciliheir]

Hey. [glances at the nug, snorts] You adults are lucky. You can just drink away all the awful stuff that happens here.

[tbh this is probably not the first time she's said these exact words]

[bayoublues]

[Continues to munch the nug before removing it and taking a sip of beer.]

Mr. Arrow ain't here to stop you.

[He says that very matter-of-factly, not looking at Freddie. He tosses the rest of the nugget into his mouth.]

[faciliheir]

[wrinkles her nose] Nah, I've never liked the stuff. Tastes like cleaning supplies and makes people act dumb and angry as often as it makes them fun. [dragon hall ragers with pirate moonshine]

[bayoublues]

Mmmm. Good for you.

[He takes a minute to down the entire bottle. Don't mind him. These last few weeks have been awful. Not even jazz can fix it, at this point.

It takes him a few moments for him to actually speak again.]

I'm such a goddamned coward.

[faciliheir]

[frowns]

Why would you say something like that? You're one of the heroes. [and those types aren't cowards by default.]

[bayoublues]

'Cause....'cause you see how everyone else is, tryin' to stand up for P-Pinoke and Jane and fightin' against what's wrong. But I'm always too scared to do or say anythin', 'cus I'm afraid. I'm afraid to die!

[He lets out a half-hearted laugh.]

I can't tell if I'm bein' stupid or bein' smart about wantin' to live.

[faciliheir]

Smart.

You really think that, at the end of the day, even the bravest one of those guys is ever gonna step up and die alongside whoever we're voting for? No matter who it is? It's all just this show they put on for themselves, to help them deal with the guilt that comes when they prick their fingers and write the name anyway. That's all.

[bayoublues]

Hmph. Can't say I like that. Then again, is anythin' about this situation likable?

S'not exactly like we can just sit down and take it, either. At this rate, all of us are gonna end up either dead or--well, dead.

[He pauses for a second, contemplating this.]

Hey, if I do die, and you're still alive, punch the duck in the face for me, will you? Even if it wasn't his fault. He deserves it.

[faciliheir]

How could I not honor such a noble last request? [grins] Honestly, if I'm gonna die here, I'm taking that bird with me. I don't care if it's as a victim or a culprit. I can't stand people like him!

[bayoublues]

I'm sure everyone here would agree with you. That duck's goin' down, one way or another.

[Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm] Hypothetically. What if we all just...y'know. Encouraged him towards. [He pauses.] Departure.

[faciliheir]

... I'm not following. [shes still like. 16.]

[bayoublues]

It's...it's not a good idea, but...we, um, all, push Negaduck off the stairs or something.

[faciliheir]

[considers]

He'd just execute all of us. And finish whatever his ritual is. And as much as I hate this duck, I hate Randy more.

[bayoublues]

Oh.

[Right. Randy.]

Any idea what this blood ritual is, yet? I mean, if we can figure that out, that's one step closer to stoppin' this.

[faciliheir]

I... don't know. You'd have to know his motivations at all to know that, right? What could he possibly want?

[bayoublues]

Maybe he just wants friends.

[Said extremely sarcastically.]

But seriously, it's gotta have somethin' to do with those things Kim and Stan found last week. Only things I can think of are...maybe, revenge or somethin'? Unless he's got a boss he ain't tellin' us about.

[faciliheir]

... Maybe it's about that guy the monochrome guy in the mirror used to date. That Walt guy. Randy almost said his name today during the trial today, to Kim.

...

Why is everything here about us gays and our relationships? You've noticed that, right?

[bayoublues]

I--Hm.

Actually, now that you mention it, that is sort of weird. 'cept for maybe Stan and Leia.

[As far as he's concerned they're smelly heteros.]

But, either way, there's an emphasis on relationships. How much you wanna bet this whole thing was started over some stupid breakup?

[faciliheir]

This Walt guy left a trail of broken hearts, and now we're all suffering for it.

I'm gonna be really mad if Randy ends up having actual human emotions, though. He doesn't deserve those.

[bayoublues]

Well, I mean, he did think that Marco and Kim were his friends after chasing 'em around with a saw....

[so screw randy AND his heat lamps]

[faciliheir]

He's nuts, no doubt about it. I just don't want him to be the sympathetic kind of nuts. [she fucking hates those

sudden eyes widen]

Oh, I forgot... Ugh, where'd I put yours...

[just fuckin. searching her clothes bc she just hides all her shit in there and forgets where.]

[bayoublues]

Ugh. I really hope no--My what now?

[That makes him perk up a little. He tilts his head, curious.]

Don't tell me you got somethin' outta the machine and forgot to give it 'till now.

[faciliheir]

No, it's something I made, can't remember-- Oh, right!

[hold on give her a minute to take her shoe off]

[bayoublues]

You...put something you made in your shoe.

[squints]

What is it?