this trial wasnt nearly bad enough for sad song lyrics

[oh_worm]

[ A while after... All That, Beth puts together a. Party? Like objectively, this is a party.There's no music, which is a bummer, and no real decorations, but this is a fair shot at a party. In the Lobby, so there's no real getting around it, but if people want to just go back to their rooms she's not gonna judge them.

Audrey is contributing some ART, Penny contributed a veggie tray, there are some hot dogs and corn dogs run over from the Hot Dog Place, and beyond that there's... salad. So much salad. An unreasonable amount of butter lettuce salad with different dressings. Nothing (personally) fried, and nothing that requires anyone to spend too much time in the kitchen. Because like... screw that?

Anyway, welcome to the first afterparty. Aren't you glad you didn't leave it in the hands of a total shitpost? ]

Comments

[essentiallyinvisible]

She was. I taught her how to use a treadmill... [For some reason that seems most relevant right now.]

[fiftyyearspast]

I haven't talked to her much, but she's definitely one of the kindest.

[Jack rubs the back of his head nervously.]

That was one cold-blooded raccoon...I think. It's all very surreal.

[essentiallyinvisible]

[That gets an appreciative smile.] She gave me some good ideas on how to investigate...

...I'm pretty sure he was a raccoon. He had the right face, at least. [What the fuck is up with his legs.]

[fiftyyearspast]

Investigating's always a good skill to have, especially with- [Vague hand guestures] -This whole situation.

...I think it might be some kind of shapeshifter. There's no way such a creature could move like that.

[Jack's convinced this whole thing was half a fever dream, honestly-]

[essentiallyinvisible]

[A nod] I'm going to read her notebook more thoroughly. Maybe there's something useful there.

Oh. Are shapeshifters common where you come from? [Maybe that explains his janky animation.]

[fiftyyearspast]

Not quite. I personally know of one, though there's bound to be more of them.

[At the 'one', he grits his teeth in frustration for a brief moment.] The one I know is a vile creature, violent and powerful to boot. Although come to think of it, his movements were a lot more fluid than that raccoon.

[essentiallyinvisible]

I guess maybe they could have different skill levels or something? Maybe the Raccoon was just less experienced. [She's not even sure he was 100% in control of all the shapeshifting.]

[fiftyyearspast]

It's possible, that's true. [Jack assumes a thinking position.]

It's a far shot, but I have a theory that perhaps the more skilled they are, the more...evil and intense they become. Our raccoon friend- err, foe, was well on his way. I was once--

...Anyway. Food's nice, isn't it? I don't think I've had it before.

[essentiallyinvisible]

Well, we only have two data points so far-no, wait, three. [She gestures in the direction of Dinobot.] Although I think he can only switch between two forms.

[She does nod at his comment.] Yeah, it's nice to have something healthy for once.

[fiftyyearspast]

Three and a half, perhaps- I'm not sure if he's evil, though that limitation sounds like good news. [nodnod] I suppose so. Usually I hunt in the wild, it's relatively rare to get something like this safely.

[essentiallyinvisible]

Ambitious, at least. [Look at him trying to become the leader already.]

Oh, yeah, most of this stuff is grown by farmers, isn't it? I'm pretty sure wild lettuce is poisonous in large amounts.

[fiftyyearspast]

Sure is. I stick to fruits and berries- When travelling and avoiding mercenaries, there's little room for error.

[Slight grimace. It's probably safe to say he's slipped up sometimes, given it's been decades he's kept up with it.]

[essentiallyinvisible]

[I mean, mimicry gets everyone sometimes.] Well, at least you don't have to do that here.

[fiftyyearspast]

I suppose so. It does feel a little weird a huge battle hasn't broken out yet, or said mercenaries after me.

[Despite the threat of murder hanging about, the place feels relatively safe?]

[essentiallyinvisible]

[She nods.] Well, if that happens, maybe we can steal whatever vehicle they used to get here. [Just how far out in space is this planet?]

[fiftyyearspast]

Whatever did happen to that bus? I don't quite remember the rules, but it should be around, right?

[essentiallyinvisible]

...maybe he put it away somewhere? He probably has a private parking area for himself.

[fiftyyearspast]

Hmm. We could probably break in the place once we find it, wherever it is. Perhaps one of our numbers who's good with mechanics can figure out the driving issue. [Maybe they can ask Centi to pilot it- She really did like that bus]

[essentiallyinvisible]

Yeah-or how to program it to take us home automatically. [Which...might be safer? Possibly?]