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

[stanbyme]

[Stan isn't in his room (or Mabel's, or Leia's) when the invitations go out. When they get back upstairs, he goes straight to his room, strips out of his suit and puts on his jeans, and then goes up to the gym, tapes up his hands, and starts punching.

...Yeah, he's gonna be at this pretty much all night.]

[scrapplinghook]

[Mabel still felt sad. She really liked Freddie, after all. She'd worked on her sweater the hardest! She... she helped her and Ariel figure the whole dating thing out... how could this not hit her the hardest of all the trials so far?

But she can't let that get her down! Freddie gave her some last requests and oh boy she'll definitely honor them! So she's here at the party, making sure nobody looks too sullen as they drag themselves in. She's got a blue sash hanging from her shoulder reading VICE PRESIDENT, and Ackbar the Pig is close on her heels as she makes her way around the room.

... Care to talk to your new VP, guys?]

[hasit]

[Mom is here and she's...not as pissed as she could be, honestly. Today has been long and disheartening, but she feels better after learning the truth behind Freddie's intentions than she would if she'd settled for the first explanation. It's still sad, and awful, and she's very concerned about the State of the Randall, but things could and have been worse. This week alone, things have been worse.

She's forgoing the alcohol this week, even though she's pretty sure Freddie would appreciate her having a drink in her honor. Instead, she's got a big, hot cup of coffee, black with no sugar, and she's sitting at one of the tables with her pet pig, who is suddenly in a position of political power.

He's at least enjoying all the attention.]

[hasit]

[Leia notices Stan's absence pretty quickly, but she figures he needs some time alone, and she can't exactly blame him. So it's awhile before she goes looking for him; eventually, the sound of grunts and fists hitting leather lead her up to the gym. For awhile, she just stands in the doorway, watching. Looking half-fond, half-worried.

But when he stops for a breather, she decides to make her presence known.]

Hey, honey. Blowing off some steam?

[athleticallyinclined]

[ Did you say sullen because Gaston is.

Not only had he lost the election, the new vice president is now a pig. ]

[scrapplinghook]

[Good. Good. This is why you don't mess with the Pines family!]

Aww, someone's jealous!!

[stanbyme]

[He stops to wipe sweat off of his face with a towel. His undershirt is sticking to him, and his ponytail is glued to the nape of his neck, and he almost drops the towel in surprise when he sees her.]

Uh- Yeah. That obvious where I'd run off to?

[hasit]

[She smiles at him, unfolding her arms and coming into the room proper.]

I checked one or two other places first.

[She reaches into her pocket and pulls out something cylindrical, tossing it to him: it turns out to be a can of Pitt from the fridge.]

Thought you might be thirsty.

[stanbyme]

[leia dont throw something at a man with cataracts

He yelps and almost misses, but catches the can and turns it over with a smile.]

Aww, you know me. Thanks, Starshine.

[He taps the top to knock the fizz down and then cracks it open, draining half the can in one go.]

[hasit]

[square up and get LASIK, thot

A simple shrug of her shoulders.]

I had a hunch.

[She comes a little closer, hands folded together in front of her.]

I should know better than to ask this, but...are you alright?

[bayoublues]

[Louis is here, but he's in the corner, playing his trumpet. If one listens closely, one realizes these are similar, if not the same songs he played during the Mardi Gras afterparty. Basil did ask him to play, after all. He figured this is what Freddie would've wanted--some proper New Orleans jazz to remember her by.

...God. In the end, she really was a good kid.

If anyone approaches him, he'll smile hollowly and maybe stop playing.]

Hey there, wanna request a song?

[athleticallyinclined]

[ What. He looks insulted, and a little like he's trying not to cry. ]

No I'm not!

[athleticallyinclined]

[ STEERING CLEAR OF LEIA Gaston finds himself near Louis instead. ]

Yes.

[ Finally, someone offering to give him things. Just like it should be. He points at Louis. ]

Play mine.

[bayoublues]

[Uh.]

Your...?

[Sorry, Gaston, he's just not getting it. It's not often you meet someone with their own theme song.]

[athleticallyinclined]

My song?

[ Surely he knows it. If nothing else, Gaston's probably been humming it to himself on and off since day one. ]

The one in the foyer?

[scrapplinghook]

You totally are!! [She sticks her tongue out at him.] How's it feel to get beaten by two girls and a pig, ya big jerkface!

[Yes she's counting Freddie, because Freddie WAS president before her.]

[bayoublues]

Oh. Oh! Oh, yeah. Your song. The song that belongs to you. That song.

[To be honest, it's been a while since he's pressed any of the buttons on the bios, but he thinks he can remember what it sounds like. It was pretty catchy, after all. He thinks about it for a moment before lifting the trumpet to his lips.]

Okay. But, lemme warn you, it might not sound too good. This is my first time playin' it.

[And he launches in to a shaky cover of Gaston's song. It...sounds less impressive without any other backing instruments, but overall, it seems good enough. He plays a few rounds of the chorus before stopping.]

...Does it just keep goin' like that, or...?

[scrapplinghook]

The brightest, loudest song you know!! And one that you can use backup on!

[She still has no things with her she can play music on, but she can still drum up some makeshift percussion stuff, like she did what seemed like forever ago.]

... Freddie wanted me to play with you, and we can't say no to her, right?

[angelgoatdemon]

[It would be weird now if the afterparties didn't have Lekmet's cooking. This week's food in the dining room isn't anything spectacular or fancy, he guessed some comfort junk food wouldn't be too bad. There's a bunch of french fries, chicken fingers, deep fried...whatever it is the American Earth Dimension loves. There's also a mocha ice cream cake (not deep fried); he's come a long way from brownies, don't you think?

Lekmet's still adamant on making sure people are eating enough. Once he's done with his cooking frenzy, he heads out of the kitchen to mingle.]

Hey, have you eaten yet? Want some soda? There's some ice cream cake if you want some!

[ ...Much later, he can be found with a Magic Staff in the wax museum, using the statues as target practice. He's not very used to casting offensive magic, or even spells for self-defence. But nothing's going to stop him from throwing magical fireballs at these suckers. Join him in vandalism?]

[stanbyme]

[He meets her question by averting his gaze a little and taking another swig of peach soda, then swirling it around and listening to the pit clink against the aluminum.]

...Wish we could go one week without losing a kid, but... Yeah, 'bout as alright as I can be.

[No he's not.]

[bayoublues]

[He snaps his fingers, grinning widely.]

D'you happen to know When the Saints Go Marchin' In? That's the best and loudest song I know!

[He winks at her.]

We gotta make it so that everyone in hell hears us--especially Freddie. Can y'do that?

[scrapplinghook]

Yeah yeah, I definitely know that one!! Maybe not all the words, but i know the tune! It's perfect.

[... someone will have to apologize later for how loud this is gunna be but that person is not gunna be mabel]

What d'you need? Drums? Cymbals??

[she's pretty sure the music room has all of that stuff...]

[hasit]

That's about all any of us can ask for.

[She moves like she's going to go and sit down on a weight bench, but pauses.]

If you want, I can go. I just wanted to check in on you.

[bayoublues]

Drums, cymbals--I need. Everything. You. Got.

[HE'S BEING 100% SERIOUS HERE. It's fine. It's called a presidential party for a reason.]

Want me to come with you to the music room? I know drums can be kinda heavy to carry.

[stanbyme]

When have I ever said no to you keeping me company?

[He beats her to the weight bench and sits down, patting the space next to him.]

...Can I ask you a favor?