cause sometimes the stars seem closer than they should

[oh_worm]

[ This week's party is... a quieter affair. There's not as much salad laid out, but courtesy of Beth and Otis, there's still some, as well as some hot dogs and some other assorted quick foods from the kitchen. There aren't fancy invitations, just pieces of paper slipped under people's doors. ]

Come to the lobby if you don't want to be alone. Sorry it's mostly salad again, feel free to bring other stuff.

-Beth and Otis

[ And that's that. Come mingle and try not to think about the death of a rapidly-aged little girl! :D ]

Comments

[oh_worm]

[ Beth hangs around the party as much as she can, but... she's not doing as great on the "go around and encourage people" front as she was last week. Something seems to be weighing pretty heavy on her, but once in a while she does get around to actually talking to someone. ]

Hey, are you okay?

[ ... later on she's sitting outside of the hotel, knees drawn up to her chest and looking up at the sky. She uh. Doesn't look okay, but her face gets less sad when she sees anyone else? ]

Trashy garbage night, huh?

outside

[udderly]

Pretty much. [He sits next to her.] This whole situation sucks.

[oh_worm]

Everything about it sucks major donk. I miss when all my moop was about boys.

[dothebackslide]

[Well, that sucked. That sucked a lot. It was serious and hurtful and just plain rude.

Dan Backslide, coward, bully, cad, and thief, archenemy of the Dover Boys, is getting plastered. He probably looted it from King Dice's casino or maybe he asked politely or whatever but the fact remains he is drunk as a skunk in the corner of this afterparty. He's got a tie around his head and his suit is frazzled and he's got bottles to spare and he reeks.

So that's the main thing in his life, how are y'all.]

[captain_cronch]

[Centi is not the party gem she should be tonight. She failed the human. She wanted to fight for her so bad but they voted for her to die. She doesn't seem to bother eating at the party. Instead, she seems to be staring at the humans with worried expressions, scurrying off if they catch sight of her watching.

Later in the shop, she's drawing on a different shirt again. But the subject matter doesn't seem so light.]

[carbonairhead]

[ Well that was completely awful!! Fizzy isn't there for awhile. Just...really not out there. But eventually, she trots her way out, tail drooping and eyes to the ground. It's not really a completely-crushed look, but it's sure a sad one.

But it isn't the party she stays around. Surprisingly...she goes to King Dice's tent... How strange.

When she returns to the hotel sometime later, she's notably followed by...a puppy? Yes, that sure is a puppy. And she has some other things, in a sack she's got around her back. Go see? ]

[udderly]

Yeah, relationship drama is so much easier to deal with. This is all . . . [he gestures with a hand] It feels like there's no real right choice.

[oh_worm]

At least on human worlds people don't get executed over relationship drama that often. But also just... I don't know. I miss my friends, I miss... not being here. I know everyone probably feels that way, but... it's messing me up, man.

[bringmecontracts]

[And King Dice is back in the casino! He grins when Fizzy enters the tent.]

Hey kid! Thought ya would be too scared to see me again so soon!

[udderly]

[Puppy??? PUPPY????]

Whatcha got there, Fizzy?

in the shop

[carbonairhead]

[ A slow, sad clip-clop signals Fizzy's approach. She's...kind of hesitant, but... ]

Um... Centipeedle? Gosh, are you...okay in there?

[carbonairhead]

[ She doesn't really...smile back. Just clip-clops on over with that same kind of melancholy. ]

I'm not scared. I'm not breaking any rules, so...you don't have a reason to do anything to me.

[carbonairhead]

[ The puppy is like the cutest puppy in existence. It's adorable. It's the most adorable thing you've ever seen. Bow to the puppy.

...the round little thing barks and trips over its paws while running to Otis. ]

A, uh, prize? I think? I haven't got a name for her yet.

[udderly]

Yeah, no. I get you. I miss - [Abby. He misses Abby.] everybody back at the farm. It's my job to take care of them, but I can't really do that if I'm here and that's just sucky to think about on top of everything else.

[udderly]

Hey there, little buddy! You got a name?

[Otis bends down to pet the puppy. It's too small to talk, obviously. That's obviously what's happening here and why it doesn't respond. Nobody tell Otis that some animals don't talk, that's too much suspension of disbelief for him.]

[oh_worm]

Yeah, that's the other thing. I'm the leader of the Bravest Warriors, I'm supposed to be... you know, leading the Bravest Warriors. But instead I'm just here failing hardcore at being one.

[carbonairhead]

[ ...Otis, there are non-talking animals, don't you-- no. No, Fizzy will not shatter him like this, they already watched a little girl rapidly age to death today.

The puppy yips in response. ]

I think she's real, real young.

[udderly]

I guess we can give her a temporary name, then. [He thinks for a minute, idly petting the puppy.] Hey, do you think we should name her after Zhu Li?

[carbonairhead]

[ Ohhh... Ohhhhh that... Fizzy perks up a little, a sad smile on her face. ]

I think that'd be a really lovely idea. Do you like it? [ The puppy responds to Fizzy's voice with an excited yip. ]

[udderly]

All right! Zhu Li it is. [Ruffles the puppy's fur.] When you're older, maybe you'll decide you like a different name better.

[Happens all the time! Sometimes you just get raised as a girl cow and then you grow up and decide your name is Otis. That's just how life goes.]

[udderly]

Guess we'd better seriously start thinking about escape. I mean, I know we were working on it and all, but now it's really sinking in that this isn't gonna stop and the deck is stacked against us.

[thegreateggscape]

[That was pretty heavy. Instead of immediately seeking out the afterparty, Ginger instead wanders to a quiet spot in the park, perch herself on the highest point of the most stable trash pile she can find and stares solemnly into the distance of the park.

She knows she’ll have to attend the party eventually, she needs to give everyone there some support and hope.

But for now she just needs to cry a bit.]

[in4apounding]

[Penny is... not at the party, not for a while.]

[When she does arrive, it's well after things have wound down, and she's. Mostly here to stand quiet vigil at the Little Girl's bio, it seems.]

Outside

[in4apounding]

[Yeah, outside is pretty great, isn't it? Everyone loves outside, and spending more time there.]

[That's probably why when Penny spots Beth she abruptly turns on her heel and walks back the way
she came. Almost certainly.]

[Bu-u-ut she promised, sort of. And Beth's a friend, question mark? Probably. What's the worst that could happen, besides her secret getting exposed to everyone and them getting mad that she'd lied or being afraid of what she was and living in exile for however long they were here.]

[So yeah, she's looking maybe a little nervous as she turns back and shuffles closed the distance between her and Beth, sitting down and mimicking the knees-to-chest position.]

Salutations, Beth. I'm- okay. [hic] Really. [hic]

[standsforrevenge]

[That sure was fucked up.

Gandhi is sitting in the corner staring into space because how the fuck do you process something like that.]

Wack.