How to Win an Election Without Even Running

[not_over_yet]

[ So. Many things have been pretty awful lately. But Randy gave Basil a very unique opportunity, and. Well. Freddie had always been as much for showmanship as their first host--down to the execution: she went out on her terms, with very impressive results. Basil's not about to pass up the closest thing to a victory they've had so far.

He can't do much on his own, but he finds a few others willing to help ok so they did the majority of the actual work. Point is, there's something to celebrate, and they're going to do just that.

Going through Freddie's room (of course he's looting it, she told him to) and setting things up both take time, but eventually the others will find handwritten invitations slipped under their doors.
You Are Cordially Invited To The
~INAUGURAL CELEBRATION~
of
Manor President
~ Freddie Facilier ~
( Dining Room; bring your own liquor, due to compromise )

Hanging on the wall opposite the room's casino-side entrance is a large blue banner--oddly on-base as far as matching the color of that wand-splosion--which sports metalic-gold lettering, declaring:

winner of the 2018 Manor-Presidential election
~ FREDDIE FACILIER ~


Vice Presidents
MABEL PINES and ACKBAR THE PIG
will act on her behalf during our president's absence

...That may be the most tasteful decoration in the room, as Basil told VP Mabel to raid both the sewing and art rooms for "anything in colors that would remind one of our president". There's a lot of extremely vivid violet everywhere.

There's food, naturally--provided by Lekmet--and. Well, technically no alcohol served, but as the invitations stated, there's nothing preventing you from bringing your own. ]

Comments

[not_over_yet]

[ There's a pause before Basil replies. He doesn't look up--he can't manage even "vaguely cheerful" at this precise moment. ]

...Merely. I'm. I just need a moment now and then.

[ There's another pause, and he sort of. pokes at one of his french fries. ]

This is not a funeral. I'm not going to let it turn into one.

[sorrydoods]

[Sadly, that's a look that Soos knows very well now. The look someone has when they lose someone they really care about. Even if they're not very close, it still hurts to see him like that. It...makes him wanna help the mouse.]

...anything I can do to help? Like, maybe I could...get something for you or something.

[Unfortunately, since he doesn't know him very well, he's not really sure how he could cheer him up. He...really should've talked with some people more.]

[not_over_yet]

[ Basil thinks the offer over. Is there anything? After a moment he shakes his head. ]

Unless you're up for sticking it to Randy [ a gesture towards the party area ] with some celebration, I'm afraid naught comes to mind. ...And I'm aware not everyone's up for that. [ He does finally manage a wry smile with the admission, at least.

And then he drops it again. ] ...Unless you know of some way I might apologize to Miss Ariel, I suppose.

[sorrydoods]

Sorry, I...I don't think I'm in the mood right now. And...I don't really know how to do that, at the moment.

[He let's out a sigh before he sits down against a wall, not wanting to bother standing up anymore.]

Do you mind if I join you?

[not_over_yet]

...I suppose not. [ ...wait no, that's a bad way to phrase it. ] I've nothing against the company, mind, but... it's, it's trying to keep this mess from spreading, and I'm easier to hide...

[ After a moment of wavering, he sighs quietly and lets himself slump a little instead. Explaining seems like such a monumental task suddenly. ]

...Perhaps I should leave. This bout isn't passing.

[sorrydoods]

I could hide behind the fridge if you want. It might be able to hide me.

[It probably wouldn't, but that's the only thing he can think of that could hide him and they could still talk.]

Don't leave, dude. Your just...sad. I think everyone is. We're trying to be happy, but sometimes it's just...hard. Doesn't mean you shouldn't try to enjoy yourself.

[not_over_yet]

Heh. [ Soos thinks he's enjoying any of this. That prompts a bit of a smile--well, maybe he is, off and on. ] I'm afraid I don't quite follow. Ought I to grieve, or ought I to enjoy myself?

...But to be more serious, I can't keep this up indefinitely--truly. I will, at some point, need to leave.

[ Starts in on one of his french fries. Maybe he just needs to eat. ]

[sorrydoods]

Well, that's true.

[They can't try partying forever.]

I mean...I think it's alright to be sad, but...I think Freddie would wanna see you happy. Yeah, she...she just died, but she also went down her own way, and that included burning off half of Randy's face. So...I think, if you can...do both? Like, maybe...celebrate her life or something like that.

Does that make more sense?

[not_over_yet]

[ A small chuckle. ]

Mr. Ramirez, I'm afraid we may be talking at cross-purposes on this point. What you describe is a part of this gathering already--but its core purpose? Has nothing to do with grief. We've gathered not to focus on that detail of her dying, but on the larger picture of her not being gone. The afterlife is a place and can be broken out of--and likely broken into, for that matter--so I see no reason to "accept our loss" on this point.

I'll grieve later. When I'm not at her party. And if I can't put it off until the party's ended? Then I'll leave the party early.

[sorrydoods]

[Soos just...lets out a bit of a sigh.]

I'm...I'm sorry. I've never really done this before coming here. Comforting people about death and stuff, I mean. I don't really know what would be the best thing you could do to not feel sad, or make you feel better.

I'm...I'm just kind of useless, I guess.

[He gets up from the floor and starts walking to the door.]

Sorry for bothering you. I'll try not to do it again.

[not_over_yet]

You were hardly bothering me... it's...

[ ...Damnit. Someday, perhaps, a miracle will occur and he'll stop upsetting people unintentionally,, ]

You're doing a far better job of this than I ever would, or have.

[ ......

Abandoning the french fries, taking the thimble, trotting after Soos. ]

[sorrydoods]

[He'll stop so that Basil can catch up, but he's still standing next to the door.]

You don't need to try and make me feel better. You're probably a lot better at this than me. I mean, you're a detective! You've probably dealt with things like this hundreds of times. At the very least, you've solved cases before. You've helped solve some of the murders and stuff that have happened here, too.

As for me, I'm just...a guy that works at a tourist trap in a small town in Oregon. I don't really have anything special about me. I can't really help much in investigations, or the trials, I'm not really a leader-y type of person, I'm just...the guy that's still here out of pure luck.

[That's how he feels, at least. He hasn't done much in this murder house except nearly get himself killed at one point, and all that does is make him feel worse.]

[not_over_yet]

Better at what? Dealing with murders? Of course I am, that's--that's what I do. ...That's all I do... If you mean anything that has to do with looking after the living, I'm. I'm not... I'm bad at "people". I'm not. sure what I'm trying to do with this.

[ He really isn't. Someone tried to comfort him, and managed to annoy him but in a way that helped a bit, and in return he. isn't sure what he did, but he clearly did something. ]

There's nothing wrong with. feeling bad? I doubt those we've lost begrudge us happiness. All the same, things are terrible and they keep being terrible and, and. [ Alright, dial that back a bit before he makes the man feel worse, good lord. ] ...Not being happy isn't some sort of. moral failure? Or letting anyone down, or...

Your family still has you, at least? Just don't die and you're already doing better than most of us.

[sorrydoods]

[gawd basil just let a man be self-depricating jesus

Okay, that gets him to look down at Basil in surprise, a little unsure of what to say at first.]

So, you're saying I'm doing a good thing by just...surviving? That I'm somehow helping by doing that?

[He's pretty sure that's what you said, but not completely sure.]

[not_over_yet]

[ he fucked up he's goTTA FIX IT ]

...At the moment, I'm getting by on the fact [ winces as he remembers they've been out if contact for a while now ] er, hope that a fellow who hates me hasn't gone and died again.

[sorrydoods]

[Okay, that...sorta makes him better? Just a little bit? At the very least, he understands that Basil is trying to cheer him up, and he appreciates that.

And now for the new big question on his mind]

...died again?

[not_over_yet]

He was dead, then he stopped being dead...? I don't know either. Last I saw, he wasn't dead, which is good enough for the moment.

[sorrydoods]

...maybe someone did some sort of blood ritual to bring him back to life? Or whatever the others plan to do to get our friends back?

[He's just throwing out ideas and hoping one seems reasonable.]