DEREK: -after some time passes and folks get patched up, derek's nestled into whatever spot he can find... probably wedged up against the wall next to the back doors of the truck.-

ROXANNE: -Same, shes held up in the back as well, feeling weary as fuck after all of that. But, despite it all, she still cant manage to even entertain the thought of sleep and so she just silent wipes the gross paint off her face.-

DEREK: -looks over at her, sitting up a little more.- How you holdin up?

ROXANNE: -Wordlessly gives him a thumbs up.-

ROXANNE: Good as im gonna' get.

QIRIN: =is just screaming internally about this eye, but she takes out qtips, rubbing alcohol, and some gd tweezers to get all the junk out of Davenforth's face.=

DAVENFORTH: -HISSES loudly at her-

ROXANNE: -Take your medicine, dude.-

DAVENFORTH: -JUST TAKE THE FUCKING EYE HOLY SHIT-

QIRIN: You realize if I do not do this, you could potentially lose vision in your eye?

DAVENFORTH: Fuck it call me patchy ill get over it

DEREK: -glances at them... ok so people are still getting patched up-

QIRIN: You realize if you lose vision in your eye, your depth perception will be off until you relearn how to fight?

DEREK: -looks back at roxanne- We made a pretty sweet team back there though.

DAVENFORTH: You dont relearn how to fight you just get used to fighting with shitty perception just like you get used fighting with a searing fucking migraine

DAVENFORTH: These glasses arent even prescription

ROXANNE: Yeah, guess we did. ROXANNE: first time tryin to assassinate anyone, think it went pretty alright.

DAVENFORTH: -He won't admit how sloppy it was. How sloppy HE was...-

QIRIN: I do believe you would prefer fighting with adequate perception rather than the shitty variety. =tries to get him to stay put= I am certain you will thank me later. =Brandishes her tweezers. They're patterned with Hello Kitty.=

DAVENFORTH: -He's staying put, just complaining A LOT. Is he being himself? Is he upset? Who knows. Qirin, Derek, and Lif probably do.-

DEREK: Yeah. DEREK: -glances at the floor- Sorry again for draggin yall into this.

ROXANNE: -She is pretty sure Davenforth is just upset because he got his face pounded by juggalo zombie freaks. Its completely understandable.- ROXANNE: Well its done now at least.

DAVENFORTH: -He's upset because usually he'd be able to take this on his own despite the bullshit and YET.-

QIRIN: =Good. Because she's going for a broken piece right now= QIRIN: =Chimes in though= No need. We all survived with minor injuries being the worst of it.

DAVENFORTH: -Mocks her voice- We were all able to survive with minor injuries excpet for you davenforth

QIRIN: :|

DAVENFORTH: -Grumbles-

DEREK: -glances from the floor to roxanne again and rubs at the back of his neck.- Yeah. DEREK: Thanks Ro.

ROXANNE: -Dude.-

QIRIN: I meant to say that minor is not on the verge of death considering our track record.

ROXANNE: -Stares at Davenforth's rudeness before looking back at derek.- ROXANNE: No problem.

DAVENFORTH: -Grumbles-

QIRIN: =mocks his mocking of her voice= We were all able to survive with minor injuries including you, Davenforth. QIRIN: Congratulations.

QIRIN: c:

DAVENFORTH: Dont fuckin patronize me

ROXANNE: (Jeez.) -Someone is grumpy.-

QIRIN: =plucks a shard from his cheek= QIRIN: You believe that I am concealing surperiority under a layer of false kindness?

DAVENFORTH: -Hisses softly- Sometimes

DEREK: -snorts a little at the exchange-

QIRIN: =Just...stares out the window for a brief moment= QIRIN: =she inhaled, like it was hard to say.= You are right. I apologize. It all could have gone poorly for us on the lawn. QIRIN: I did not intend- =She sighed= I am only grateful you were not... =There was significant pause before she finished= ....injured further.

DAVENFORTH: -That's.....not quite what he's expecting. Still he's wincing at the pain and letting her do her job- DAVENFORTH: Yeah well thank you that shit didnt

DAVENFORTH: me too

QIRIN: =She's really grateful. Look at the expression on her face.= QIRIN: I will not lecture you, Davenforth. There is very little I can say that will not brand me a hypocrite. QIRIN: I am aware of the sacrifice needed in order to see victory to the end. QIRIN: You did well and what is more, you came out of it alive. =She squeezed his shoulder comfortingly.= Not many can stake claim to that. =The larger shards were out - she would focus on the slivers later. Once she started in the more sensitive area, she had numbed his face with a shot and carefully began extracting shards that had gotten into his eye.

DAVENFORTH: -Gdi why are you so sweet....-

DEREK: -he's feeling ROWDY and looking around the campus for an office or something with an intercom. or maybe that fish or that mime can help him out? either way, he's stalking around.-

RILEY: -she's adding to penny's and her vagina themed art piece with a marker when she notices derek. she squints in his direction, watching for a moment to see what direction he's actually going-

DEREK: -looks back at her and waves with a flick of his writst.- 

DEREK: Nice vagina. -continues on his way-

RILEY: it's fucking beautiful. way to undersell it-- -oh he's still walking.- where the fuck are you going?

DEREK: Im tryin to find some way to communicate with everybody on the campus. 

DEREK: You think they got some kinda secret code or something for emergency gatherings? Ive never been in a cult so I dunno how it works.

RILEY: -drops what she's doing to follow him- emergency gatherings? 

RILEY: i dunno i always figured you were once part of a freaky puppet cult. 

RILEY: what do you gotta say to everyone on the campus anyway? classes back in session?

DEREK: Theres a big difference between a cult and a fetish community Riley. Jesus. 

DEREK: Anyway I just wanna do a lil motivational speakin before we take on the white house.

RILEY: is there though? 

RILEY: a motivational speech over an intercom. i'm not exactly sure what a motivational speech looks like for you but... 

RILEY: you were never the pep talk kind. 

RILEY: do people need to be motivated anyway? you have several enthusiasts already.

DEREK: I need the intercom to tell em to gather so I can pump em up. 

DEREK: Enthusiastic aint good enough.

RILEY: oh so you want to START a cult. 

RILEY: that's fine. totally reasonable. 

RILEY: what do you got that's gonna have everyone begging to kill juggalos?

DEREK: -seems a little serious- More like its shit I think needs said. 

DEREK: ... Shit I wanna say. 

DEREK: Anyway have fun with your mural there.

RILEY: okay. -waves him off- whatever. have fun starting your cult.

DEREK: -DISAPPEARS INTO THE NIGHT. for now.-

RILEY: -gr8-

RILEY: -BYE-

DAVENFORTH: -Casually captchas two of his own vending machines.-

DAVENFORTH: -These will help us. Also throws a can of TAB at Derek's head and scampers up a roof-

DEREK: -DOOF-

DAVENFORTH: -Rest in fucking pieces-

RILEY: -are you still upright sir-

QIRIN: =Peeks= 

QIRIN: =Do you require a bandage?=

QIRIN: =i have solid colors as well as patterned ones=

DAVENFORTH: -...u ok tho-

DEREK: -HE'S DEAD-

DEREK: -except he seems to have just brushed off the assault to continue on his way-

DAVENFORTH: What the fuck is that noggin of yours even made of -Suddenly falling in step, just a straight up bottle of whiskey in his hands. A sizable portion has been drunk already...-

DEREK: The fuck is yours? -steals the bottle from him- 

DEREK: Is it party time?

DAVENFORTH: Its always party time come on i know youve seen waynes world

DAVENFORTH: So whats the mission houston

DEREK: Im just thinkin its about time we start rallying folks around here you know? 

DEREK: Our own mission aside... Theres more that can be done. 

DEREK: Instead of sittin on their asses just waiting for a couple of cool dudes to come around and knock off their shitty presidents.

DAVENFORTH: I was thinking seeing the literal faces of their oppression dying would rile them up

DAVENFORTH: Yaknow its just part of the reason i decided to piss off the faces of planetary fuckery and kill them

DEREK: Yeah and well do that. 

DEREK: Just think we can do more.

DAVENFORTH: Uh huh

DAVENFORTH: -Does this university have a gym? It better. Well, Dave is in there. Not that you can see him, there's a heavy punching bag taking quite the abuse. There's flurries of hits, but their source can't be seen.-

HIGHBLOOD: =Watching this. He's here. He's maybe always been here. Crunches nacho slowly, loudly.=

DAVENFORTH: -When the fuck did you even get here-

DAVENFORTH: -Flashes in and kicks the bag, sending it flying into a wall. He lands, huffing, sweating.-

QIRIN: =she comes in eventually, sitting quietly on a bench with her hands open in her lap, watching Sonic the Hedgehog beat up a gremlin.=

HIGHBLOOD: =hands Qirin cheesy nacho chips= :o)

DAVENFORTH: -He hasn't noticed the audience yet, walking over and hoisting the bag up, placing it back on its rack.-

QIRIN: =....thanks. She nods and takes it, not wishing to be the one to disrupt the silence.=

HIGHBLOOD: =loudly crunches chip again=

DAVENFORTH: -Looks up. Oh. He gives a sup nod-

HIGHBLOOD: you tirin already brother, shit just got good =eats more chips and nods at him=

QIRIN: =waves gently. hi, she read the news.=

DAVENFORTH: Nah just didnt realize i had an audience

DAVENFORTH: -Rolls his shoulders and goes back to punching the bag, normally this time. He's putting a lot of effort behind these swings, the impacts very audible in the gym-

-----------

ERIDAN: -Somewhere in the first floor of the university science department, a fish troll has made his headquarters. The door of a lab is thrown open while music plays, if it could be called music. It was muffled and the signal was terribe with static. It was obviously a radio hotwired to pick up whatever far off-planet station that dared to air all the way to Earth. A small sign of life in the otherwise gloomy dark school hallways.- 

ERIDAN: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=And-yo5jwko

ROXANNE: -Obviously if she was going to tour around anywhere to distract herself from the stress and danger it would be the science building. It would be like a blast from the past. When Roxanne had still been in school she spent all her time in her campus science department or observatory (good place to study, really quiet.) She walks aimlessly around the empty halls of the first floor peeking in through a window or two until the sound of shitty music gains her attention and she follows it until she is looking in through the open door to the lab.- 

ROXANNE: Huh. -Looks like they were re-purposing rooms.-

ERIDAN: -Repurposing the rooms in a manner of speaking. The tables were lined with Eridan's "meager" collection of assault weapons. Everything ranging from harpoon guns to muskets, photon, and of course, the standard automatic was laid out on display.- 

ERIDAN: -Eridan himself was half sprawled over the professor's desk, having fallen asleep over maps of the Washington battle grounds next to his honest-to-god duct taped radio hull. The source of the static music.- (zzzz)

ROXANNE: -What a hero, what a pro.- 

ROXANNE: -Maybe she should just let him sleep, but tickle her curious at just why he was napping in a slightly redecorated lab while leaving dangerous weaponry about.- ROXANNE: Hm. -She knocks on the frame of the doorway to see if that will wake him up.-

ERIDAN: -SNORTS AWAKE, hunting knife almost instantly in his hand. Maybe he fell asleep with it? He lifts his head to peer blearily around, glasses askew.- zzzuhfuck -Spots Roxanne at the door, eyebrows furrowing until he's giving a mighty stretch at the desk.- 

ERIDAN: oh dammit 

ERIDAN: justa human -yawns toothily, using the pointy end of the knife to scratch at the base of his horns.- wwhats the commotion

ROXANNE: -Yep just a human 8) - 

ROXANNE: -Briefly flinches when he wakes up with a knife of all things.- Jeez ya' expecting certain company with that tooth pick? ...horn pick?

ERIDAN: surprised you aint similar wwise givven your situation -The horn pick feels good actually.... he casually keeps sweeping the blunt end along the wwavvy shape of his horns. The amphibious insectoid that he is, totally half asleep.- 

ERIDAN: mess hall aint this wway if youre lookin

ROXANNE: Man I'd be real dumb if I was lookin' for a bite to eat. 

ROXANNE: Surprise Im here to steal the guns you left out on the table for absolutely basically anyone to come and get. -jabs a thumb at the arms display. Do you get her point.-

ERIDAN: -gives her this LOOK.- wwhat 

ERIDAN: do you think im sendin these folks out there empty handed 

ERIDAN: kinda presumptuous a you assumin im runnin that kinda operation here

ERIDAN: takin is wwhat theyre FOR

ROXANNE: Right right i get that, but no sign in sheet or nothin'?

ROXANNE: Dang its like you got no respect for 'em. -Steps all the way in and eyes the collection close up. Some of these are nice.-

ROXANNE: Also seems dangerous.

ERIDAN: yeah probably thats also in essence the point -rubbing his eyes under his glasses and then reaches under his desk. Time to pour himself a drink.-

ROXANNE: -Picks up the automatic and looks it over, is it in good condition?- ROXANNE: Then you run a risky armory.

ERIDAN: meh -Damn. He has no more cups. Just swings back this rock n rye flavored faygo with a grimace.- 

ERIDAN: -All the rifles are in good condition. It's one of the few things Eridan gives a shit about enough to invest and maintain.-

ERIDAN: run your owwn armory if you wwanna criticize

ROXANNE: If I had plans ta' stick around i might. We could have a whole competition, best arms dealer wins.

ROXANNE: -Puts down the automatic and picks up the harpoon gun, inspecting it in quite the same manner and then aiming it at the opposite wall. Her finger isnt on the trigger of course, but shes never shot one before and wanted to try holding it.-

ERIDAN: run me outta business fine 

ERIDAN: so long as the job gets done -The safety's on and it gleams sharply in the flourescent lighting. A deadly harpoon, especially in the right hands.-

ROXANNE: -Noice. Its got a good weight to it.- Those are the words of someone plannin' on losing. 

ROXANNE: -Turns her head to flash him a small smile.- But like i said not stickin' around to do your job for you.

ERIDAN: yeah -What he's agreeing to, it's not apparent. He's just chugging more faygo, eyes drooping heavily.- mmmmh

ERIDAN: ought to pick one you like or somethin

ROXANNE: Hm? 

ROXANNE: ....Are you just gonna' give me a gun? -How sleepy IS this guy.-

ERIDAN: -fingers are knotted into his hair as he gives himself a massage around the temples- ...fuckin 

ERIDAN: yes i am 

ERIDAN: it aint that goddamn complicated sometimes a request or a question is just simple 

ERIDAN: not wwarrantin the necessity to react like youre batshit insane 

ERIDAN: i already had to deal wwith one a you

ERIDAN: or else just drop it clearly attempts at generosity or concern at you humans just aint wworth it

ROXANNE: Sorry consider me a lil' hesitant around strangers lately. 

ROXANNE: Thanks for the offer though, ill take ya' up on it. -Shes putting down the harpoon gun and taking one of the automatics. sure the spear was cool, but this would be a lot more useful later.-

ERIDAN: -reaching under his desk again. This time pulling out a twinkie, peeling apart the wrapper.- least you got your senses about you -mutters.-

ROXANNE: -Tucks that gun away safe and sound in her sylladex now before turning to watch eridan snack.- 

ROXANNE: So... besides hand out guns an' chug shitty soda brands, what else do you get up to in here?

ERIDAN: i aint in here most instances 

ERIDAN: im out and about runnin the operation a course 

ERIDAN: the fuck else wwould i be 

ERIDAN: besides sittin square wwith my thumb up my ass

ERIDAN: dealin wwith local patrols and organizin scouts for supplies and shit a that nature

ROXANNE: -She shrugs.- 'Dunno what else you would have been doing thats why I asked. 

ROXANNE: -Did they get rid of any of the tech in this lab?-

ERIDAN: -grunts. Nah, they didn't. But they did disembowel the computers for various things. Mainly so they wouldn't be used.-

ROXANNE: -She doesnt care too much about them being gutted, she just wants to look at them. She takes a seat at one of the counter tops and fiddles with the ripped open technology.- Hah. Ya' know its kinda' nice to see that not too much has changed in the sense of the standard open to public campus computers.

ERIDAN: i wwouldnt fuckin knoww 

ERIDAN: i aint gone to no humanclad univversity

ROXANNE: You sure missed out then.

ROXANNE: Human uni. is where it is at.

ERIDAN: -just. Stuffs this whole twinkie in his mouth. Chews balefully.- sounds like its a baised drawwn conclusion but alright

ROXANNE: Oh it absolutely is but its also the damn truth. 

ROXANNE: You ever had a "Week of Welcome" wherever you studied?

ROXANNE: Its crazy let me tell you.

ERIDAN: -fixes her with a dubious frown.- a wweak of wwelcome sounds like the traditionalistic ritual of testin the constitution newwly ascended trolls 

ERIDAN: vvia drowwnin their heads in load gapers and seein if they resuscitate afterwwards

ERIDAN: guess humans got more spine to them than i thought initially

ROXANNE: ......Wowie. 

ROXANNE: Nah we didn't do any of that. 

ROXANNE: It was basically a week of clubs an' academic society groups tryin' to out-do each other with fun or dumb activities.

ROXANNE: You could pet like seven dogs by the library. 

ROXANNE: Or get free pizza or cup cakes for shaking a teachers hand.

ROXANNE: Although sometimes you got to pay $20 to smash a car with a sludge hammer but that was more often around finals.

ERIDAN: so 

ERIDAN: youre sayin there aint some kind of mutilation or murder plots invvolvved 

ERIDAN: not evven a little

ROXANNE: Not usually.

ERIDAN: evven the recreational shits got some bite to it 

ERIDAN: ...huh -sips faygo thoughtfully.-

ROXANNE: Yep. School is a place for petting dogs, makin' the grades, and getting sloshed on a thursday night when you know you have a 8am lecture hall.  

ERIDAN: suppose i relate on some level -hmphs, unimpressed.- 

ERIDAN: but nothin too solid

ROXANNE: Thats okay. Lets agree to leave it as a cultural difference I guess

ERIDAN: fairs fair -sloshes down the rest of this lukewarm faygo. Disgusting.-

ERIDAN: im eridan

ROXANNE: -If its so gross dont drink it.- 

ROXANNE: -She turns around on her stool.- Nice to meet ya'. 

ROXANNE: Im Roxanne.

ERIDAN: uh sure -He DOUBTS it's nice to meet him but accepts this introduction anyhow.- dunno if i ought to point it out or nothin ERIDAN: but you aint lookin like the battlefield type so ERIDAN: noww im wonderin wwhat the shit youre doin taggin along the assassination brigade for

ERIDAN: it aint exactly the equivvalent to pizza and pettin puppies or wwhatevver the fuck

ROXANNE: Ya' aint wrong there. 

ROXANNE: Its kind of a long story. But to summarize why I'm goin' along on this crazy shoot the duo president mission is to make sure the dad of my infant daughter doesnt get himself killed in the process. 

ROXANNE: Plus I got no weekend plans.

ERIDAN: -He understands these words individually and is trying to piece them together into something comprehensible.- so outta obligation to your mate aka the sire a your offspring

ROXANNE: Mmmm, not technically either of those things. 

ROXANNE: But close enough. 

ROXANNE: Derek is my ex, and we adopted a lil' girl while we were still together.

ERIDAN: so it wwas a beforan style cullin ritual 

ERIDAN: wwherein the twwo a you havve obligation ovver some helpless wward 

ERIDAN: all the wwhile ditchin wwhat i presume wwas a romantic entanglement 

ERIDAN: but its enough for you to pledge loyalty enough to head facefirst into the troll davvy jones locker of suicide missions for 

ERIDAN: ...

ERIDAN: wwho the hell is this guy anywway

ROXANNE: Bingo. 

ROXANNE: Derek Strider. You'd know him if you met him. 

ROXANNE: About yay tall -Gestures the height.- kinda' full of himself. 

ROXANNE: Triangle shades.

ERIDAN: oh 

ERIDAN: him 

ERIDAN: .... 

ERIDAN: i dont see it

ROXANNE: -Snrks.- Dont see what? Him being a dad or the relationship?

ERIDAN: wwhy the shit hes wworth you dyin for 

ERIDAN: you aint even invvolvved anymore

ERIDAN: the risks real possible just FYI

ERIDAN: but on top of losin a dad your grubs riskin losin its mom too aint it 

ERIDAN: wway to fuckin go the both a you

ROXANNE: Yeah i know. 

ROXANNE: But hey if we both die then i dont have to tell my baby that her daddy died. -Yes, just smile the real truth away.-

ROXANNE: Nah but... caring about someone can make ya' do crazy shit.

ROXANNE: We may not be together anymore but it doesnt change the fact that I still love him in other ways.

ERIDAN: crazy shit like a plea for attention if i evver fuckin saww it 

ERIDAN: hey blowwhole look wwhat im puttin at risk for you 

ERIDAN: -snorts- bet he dont appreciate it none

ROXANNE: -Snrks.- Even if it was a cry for attention, 

ROXANNE: Which its not. 

ROXANNE: He might appreciate it at least a little.

ROXANNE: Or at least feel damn well guilty when its all over, haha.

ERIDAN: not appreciativve enough to vvalue your grubs livvelihood it dont look like ERIDAN: smfh wwhat do i knoww 

ERIDAN: just got a general sense a wwhat a guardians supposed to behavve to compare it to 

ERIDAN: and i wwas reared by a goddamn skyhorse scrod rest his fuckin soul

ROXANNE: Ya' probably know just about as much about proper parenting as me, to be honest. 

ROXANNE: Still workin' on that whole "Perfect suburban mom" deal.

ROXANNE: But he cares about her a lot. I think he just got his head dragged into this mission.

ROXANNE: Keep hoping he's gonna' snap out of it but maybe its his feelings from how hes about to have another baby with his wife that makes him feel like he needs to save the world.

ERIDAN: -grunts- i guess 

ERIDAN: still a fuckin shame says i 

ERIDAN: pitys gonna only go so far and in the ends its gotta be you and your owwn hide 

ERIDAN: the shit youre invvested in or wwhatever 

ERIDAN: wwardin the grub 

ERIDAN: cant be a bad thing 

ERIDAN: but youre wwastin your fuckin energy expectin anybody to change for you wwho aint done shit to try 

ERIDAN: except ask you to be there and vvalidate you feelin needed or wwhat not 

ERIDAN: makes the cycle addictivve -sighs out, staring off. Time to break out more faygos.-

ROXANNE: Well damn.

ROXANNE: This is some impromptu broken relationship advice or what.

ERIDAN: no -turns to her to deadpan.- its advvice on survvivin past tomorroww

ROXANNE: Oh i know im gonna'.

ERIDAN: the credits goin to you then 

ERIDAN: or him rather 

ERIDAN: hes the one in the front lines aint he 

ERIDAN: suspect much -asks it like a question. Suspect much??-

ROXANNE: Yeah he is. 

ROXANNE: But while derek has a big talk I also know he has the skills to back it up. 

ROXANNE: And I'm mostly tagging along to provide immediate cover for the kill group.

ERIDAN: right... -Sure Jan. He believes you.-

ROXANNE: What ya' dont believe i can do it?

ERIDAN: wwhats it matter wwhat i think 

ERIDAN: im the guy leavvin my wweaponry lyin strewwn about wwilly nilly

ROXANNE: ...... -Chuckles.- 

ROXANNE: Fair point.

ERIDAN: -slorps a new faygo. This one a grape flavored one.- 

ERIDAN: doesnt matter wwhat i say 

ERIDAN: its you and your time and wwho youre puttin it towwards 

ERIDAN: hope you get it back at the end of the day is all

ERIDAN: -says this because he's totally judging you, Rox.-

ROXANNE: -Seriously, How many sodas is this guy going to drink.- 

ROXANNE: -She shrugs. He is free to judge away, the plan is stupid and risky and she knows that by going into it she might die. But if there was anything she could do to help minimize the chance of any more casualties on this suicide run it would be worth it.- 

ROXANNE: Ya' know we've talked a lot about me, but what about you Eridan? 

ROXANNE: I could be wrong but ya' dont seem like the type to be visiting earth to get a load of our, albeit currently dying, culture. Is it the soda brands that caught your attention?

ERIDAN: the only thing wworth a damn to come outta earth if you ask me -snarks but it lacks bite. He just shrugs.- 

ERIDAN: just so happens i got a free wweekend too

ROXANNE: Aww really? Thats all you enjoy about it?

ERIDAN: you got decent pastries i guess -Don't aww at him...-

ROXANNE: Pastries and soda. 

ROXANNE: Well. Everyone's gotta have their favorites.

ERIDAN: sos you 

ERIDAN: it just so happens yours got pointshades

ROXANNE: -HRGH.- 

ROXANNE: Pft... Nah.

ERIDAN: youd die for it so 

ERIDAN: wwheres the fuckin lie tee bee ach

ROXANNE: I'm not going to die for him, because we're not going to die. 

ROXANNE: Also like I said before you can care about someone without them being your favorite.

ERIDAN: guess youre right 

ERIDAN: wwith that logic im layin my life on the line for a mime

ROXANNE: Is the mime your buddy?

ERIDAN: hell no 

ERIDAN: he dont evven like me and frankly i dont care for his foot wwear

ERIDAN: wwho am i kiddin 

ERIDAN: at least its consistant -just B/ at himself.-

ROXANNE: Pfft. 

ROXANNE: Hilarious. Well I havent met this mime but ill be keepin' an eye out for what shoes he's wearing.

RILEY: -she's actually messing with the piano in the common room of the dorms they're crashing. she's not great with piano, but she knows SOME. enough to toy around restlessly yet again-

DAVENFORTH: -Here he is, after a workout and shower.-

DAVENFORTH: Too many bottles of wine we cant pronounce

DAVENFORTH: Too many bowls of that green no lucky charms

DAVENFORTH: The maids come around too much

DAVENFORTH: Our parents aint around enough

RILEY: -she knows those notes at least so she's going to ACCOMPANY HIM-

DAVENFORTH: Too many joy rides in daddya jaguar too many white lies and white lines

DAVENFORTH: Super rich kids with nothing but loose ends super rich kids with nothing but fake friends -Sits seductively on piano-

RILEY: -gives him an unimpressed look but keeps going-

DAVENFORTH: -Raises leg-

RILEY: put that down.

DAVENFORTH: Start my day up on the roof theres nothing like this type of view

DAVENFORTH: Point the clicker at the tube theres nothing like expensive news

QIRIN: =Hello. Poking her head into the commons and smiling to see that it's Riley at the piano and Davenforth is singing along, she entered to sit nearby. Dont stop on her account!=

RILEY: mmhmm. -she follows along with the basic melody-

DAVENFORTH: New car new girl new ice new glass

DAVENFORTH: New watch good times babe

RILEY: -she remembers more than she thought she did surprisingly-

DAVENFORTH: She wash my back three times day this shower head feel so amazing

DAVENFORTH: We both be high the help dont stare

DAVENFORTH: They just walk by they must dont care

RILEY: -if this were her piano she would push him off-

DAVENFORTH: -Walking around campus, smoking a cigarette. Perfect role model, however a vending machine catches his eye and he freezes, then flashes over to it. He's just staring at this red box, that has a picture of some goofy masked actor on it.- No

RILEY: -suddenly a Riley- what?

DAVENFORTH: Nothin

RILEY: do you like to deny the existence of vending machines on the regular?

DAVENFORTH: Yep vending machines are just propaganda devised by the bourgeois

RILEY: who's that on it?

DAVENFORTH: No one -It's very clearly Dave Skellington-

RILEY: -squints- holy shit.

RILEY: it's YOU.

DAVENFORTH: You know not everyone has that knowledge lets just keep shouting it everywhere so everyone can get in on the fun

RILEY: it's YOUR MOM.

DAVENFORTH: Yep

DAVENFORTH: This is why me and derek dont talk about mom its because shes a vending machine

TAKODA: -they're all fueled up again and he's back to driving, but he's found another place for them to stop while he tries to figure out the best route to minnesota. he's noticed that a lot of major highways are blocked off by the military, so... it's probably best to avoid those. even if the condesce wants to toy with them as she is, there's no way of predicting anyone else's behavior.-

DEREK: -meanwhile, he's hovering around his brother. takes a seat next to him wherever he's at.- Hey.

DAVENFORTH: -He's been sitting here, thinking too much. Help him. At least his brother is here.- Sup

DEREK: ... I dunno about you but Ive been thinkin a lot about the news.

DAVENFORTH: Nah i havent thought about it even once in fact id forgotten about it entirely

DEREK: Yeah ok. 

DEREK: So whats your plan? I know youve got one.

PENNY: -slides closer from like two seats away- what news?

DAVENFORTH: What do you mean are you really asking me if im a bad enough dude to assassinate the presidents

DAVENFORTH: Because thats not even on the table look at every card and lo and behold it aint there conveniently missing like the last piece of the puzzle

DEREK: ... 

DEREK: -looks at penny- Dual juggalo presidents.

PENNY: ... -snrk- 

PENNY: yall just found out that happened?

DAVENFORTH: Yeah

DEREK: Cant say Ive had much opportunity to keep on top of all the bullshit goin down here.

PENNY: hoo boy well. 

PENNY: welcome to the new United States of Whatever.

RILEY: -she was dead asleep, and suddenly, she wakes up. sleeping on a party bus is great. she stretches a little before noticing that penny is talking to Derek and davenforth, but it's hard to know if it's a step forward or backward. which is why she's conveniently pretending to not pay attention but in reality is intensely eavesdropping-

DAVENFORTH: This is my united states of whatever

PENNY: -she still hasn't quite figured out that Derek is her Boy. she's been avoiding looking at Riley a little too much.- 

PENNY: and then up comes Zafo and Im like yo Zafo whats up hes like nothin and Im like thats cool.

PENNY: ok but really.

PENNY: the whole things a joke and everybody knows it.

PENNY: but not even a good one.

DAVENFORTH: Pretty dangerous joke

DAVENFORTH: Your new buddy back there finds their very existence offensive

PENNY: yeah well Im more scared of what were doing right now than the clowns sitting in the White House.

PENNY: literal clowns.

DAVENFORTH: Those clowns are a lot more dangerous than you think

RILEY: -why does jodie love the clowns so much-

PENNY: Im a lot more dangerous than they think.

PENNY: theyre just human anyway.

DAVENFORTH: Ill let you fight em then

DEREK: Yeah but. Humans appointed by the queen bee bitch herself no doubt. DEREK: Clearly theyre influencin the populous into a compliant lifestyle under her rule.

DAVENFORTH: Anyway i think we should make a pit stop on the way to minnesota

DAVENFORTH: Let condy were coming

PENNY: oh sure. PENNY: Id love to punch a juggalo in the dick.

DAVENFORTH: Well

DAVENFORTH: Thats good to hear

TAKODA: -glances back at them- UM... NOT TO EAVESDROP, BUT 1 TH1NK WE M1GHT HAVE TO PASS THROUGH D.C. ANYWAY... MOST OF THE H1GHWAYS ARE BLOCKED... ER. THERE ARE TOLLS, BUT, 1'VE BEEN AFRA1D TO... SEE WHAT 1T 1S THEY'RE CHARG1NG... TAKODA: BUT WE ARE CLOSE TO THE CAP1TAL... 1 GUESS WE M1GHT AS WELL... STOP THERE... -doesn't seem keen on the idea though-

HIGHBLOOD: to eavesdrop, weren't like it wasn't gonna already get up and goin on, bein in the middle of that route makes shit easier =Dueces from the back=

PENNY: WOOOOOO!!!!

DAVENFORTH: Kill the figureheads and send the heart a message

DAVENFORTH: She can be touched

PENNY: fuck troll booths GO JOHN WILKES BOOTH.

RILEY: -done with eavesdropping apparently- are we assassins now?

MAYOR: -produces a burger King crown and stomps on it on the floor. NO MASTERS. NO KINGS.-

DEREK: Lil dude knows whats up.

PENNY: YEEAAHHH BOIII.

DEREK: -to be fair riley some of us here have always been assassins.-

DAVENFORTH: -Sweats-

RILEY: -WELL I HAVENT-

QIRIN: =she has almost been assassinated several dozen times. does that count as experience?=

RILEY: -aside from assassinating the abstract concepts of family-

PENNY: -YOU DID SUCCEED AT THAT-

QIRIN: =ladies=

PENNY: so whats the plan? how are we doing it?

RILEY: anarchy.

HIGHBLOOD: you'll find the how's always changin sis HIGHBLOOD: best to do it, get it done cause ain't no event can be planned down

DAVENFORTH: Especially not with clowns in the mix

DAVENFORTH: Trust me we got this

PENNY: so were driving the party bus into the White House. got it.

TAKODA: (UHH...)

HIGHBLOOD: hell yeah

DAVENFORTH: Not quite but close

TAKODA: (OH... THAT'S A REL1EF... PROBABLY?)

RILEY: but still with a bang.

TAKODA: ST1LL... 1T WOULD PROBABLY BE ADV1SABLE, 1F WE HAD SOME K1ND OF PLAN, BEFORE WE ROLLED 1NTO THE CAP1TAL... -fidgets nervously-

RILEY: no plan. everyone for themselves. if our plans contradict each other's and we all die, oh well.

HIGHBLOOD: amen sis, everybody's gotta go sometime

RILEY: -oh my god he's being serious-

HIGHBLOOD: :o)

TAKODA: ...

RILEY: that is not actually what i think we should do.

RILEY: just putting that out there.

HIGHBLOOD: =Is he? Who knows= here i was under some mass assumption that the ones all up without alla that gumption and fight experience was gonna leap they asses into the fray wills n nills flung about

DEREK: -snickers. oops.-

RILEY: -unimpressed face at derek-

DEREK: -love u...-

RILEY: -UH HUH-

DEREK: -just winks-

RILEY: -acts like she's pushing her hair out of her face but she is only using her middle finger-

DAVENFORTH: I could probably get in easy enough by myself

DAVENFORTH: Doubt the security is much of anything

HIGHBLOOD: =sNRK, they really aren't much of anything he's sure=

RILEY: don't play the hero. -THIS AINT OVERWATCH AND YOU ARE NOT A BAD GENJI-

DAVENFORTH: Hardly playing hero

RILEY: then who's gonna be your backup?

DEREK: That would be me.

RILEY: then who's going to be YOUR back up?

DAVENFORTH: We got each others backs thats three sixty coverage

DAVENFORTH: We could take molly hes rowdy enough -That's you ghb-

HIGHBLOOD: i was already headed there but i could leave a trail for y'all :oP =eats nachos at=

PENNY: alright well I call dibs on the getaway bus.

RILEY: can we make sure my kid has a dad and an uncle and a...big clown guy by the time we leave D.C.? no stupid reckless shit.

DEREK: Baby please when have I ever been reckless?

PENNY: -side eyes-.........

PENNY: kid?

HIGHBLOOD: =eats these nachos and watches this=

RILEY: all the fucking time. -glances at penny- yeah. kid.

DEREK: --

DAVENFORTH: Pretty sure lif would kill me if i died

PENNY: -she's real quiet now, staring at the floor of the bus.-

RILEY: hilarious. -she notices penny's demeanor change and isn't quite sure why, but figuring out her sister now isn't as easy it was when sadness went away with hugs and singing made her happy-

PENNY: -She's working her jaw and tapping her foot as the seconds and the minutes go by, and then before long she hops up and rushes to the little bus bathroom, clanging the door shut behind her.-

DEREK: -watches her storm off- ... -looks back at riley-

RILEY: -also watches- well, shit.

DAVENFORTH: Damn

ROXANNE: -With the sound of the bus bathroom door shutting she starts to wake up from her nap in the back of the bus. Why people gotta be noisy.-

LIFERA: -probably snuggled up to Roxanne too. It's a cuddle nap party in the back of the bus.-

ROXANNE: -Sits up some more only to have the donuts GHB apparently stacked on her head while she was out topple onto her lap.- ........... -blinks at them.-

ROXANNE: -Also heck, fish queen is adorable, shes taking care not to wake her as she sits up and quietly stretches.-

HIGHBLOOD: =In which case Lifera has donuts on her horns=

ROXANNE: -That... is amusing.- ROXANNE: -Okay time to stretch her legs, she carefully gets up from the back of the bus snuggle pile and moves herself forward towards the rest of the awake people.- ROXANNE: -Sits and dusts donut crumbs off herself.- So. Miss anything interestin'?

DEREK: Only that were gonna storm the white house and assassinate the presidents.

ROXANNE: ....Are we bein' serious or not in saying that?

RILEY: -her mind's a little elsewhere and she keeps having to focus on not looking at the bathroom door.-

ROXANNE: -Maybe Riley needs a nap. Naps are pretty relaxing. Just look how calm Roxanne is right now.-

RILEY: -NOBODY ASKED YOU ROXANNE!!!!!!-

DEREK: I cant believe yall are accusing me left and right of taking such serious subjects lightly. Unbelievable.

ROXANNE: Thats not technically an answer.

ROXANNE: Just want to be clear on whatever plan people are makin' up when im snoozing.

RILEY: baseless accusations. -she's gonna move next to Derek because too many feelings about family right now.-

ROXANNE: -Props her feet up on the empty seat next to her.-

DEREK: -wraps an arm around riley. relax, babe.- For real though thats the plan. DEREK: Were right on the Capitals doorstep. In the middle of a war. The Condesce thinks she can do whatever the fuck she wants with any idiot working under her. DEREK: Might as well send her a message.

RILEY: -leans against him.- they wanna fuck shit up.

ROXANNE: -Mmmmm, she certainly feels conflict over this idea. On one hand, earth is her home and damn right shes all for getting rid of this clown presidency bullshit. However, her biggest priority is to find and get back to her loved ones asap...- 

ROXANNE: I get the sentiment.

ROXANNE: You make it sure sound easy though.

DAVENFORTH: Its just juggalos how hard could it be

ROXANNE:

President

juggalos. Even Trump had protection.

DEREK: Yeah but Derek and Davenforth Strider werent alive back then. -this cocky motherfucker-

ROXANNE: -He is the most cocky.- ROXANNE: Mmmhm.

DEREK: -more winking-

ROXANNE: -Manboy please.-

JODIE: -burps-

ROXANNE: -Side eyes Jodie at the burp.-

JODIE: scuzie.

HIGHBLOOD: blame it on the bubbly sis =he's probably shared faygo with her=

JODIE: i thought y'all would be more anxious to reunite with yer kid.

ROXANNE: I sure am.

ROXANNE: No offense to porrim but my skin has been crawlin' knowin russet is on the ship without at least one of us.

QIRIN: =has she been pacing? yup=

JODIE: sorry...kids.

DAVENFORTH: -Sighs-

RILEY: we are all very far apart i think so... i'm not sure this detour will take away much time at all.

JODIE: yeah. 'caus eoverthrowin the government is really just a pit stop.

ROXANNE: It's goin' to take more time them going straight there.

ROXANNE: Also there is the whole. 

ROXANNE: I dunno' chance of dying?

DAVENFORTH: Jinjin is in good hands besides what were doin is gonna help make a better place for them to grow up

JODIE: do you really think everythin is gonna work out exactly as you plan it to. -just staring flatly-

DEREK: Yep.

ROXANNE: -She's with you Jodie.-

JODIE: i mean you're the ninja's not me.

RILEY: ain't dave in alaska? and dirk is in the black hole of texas.

JODIE: 'sides it hought you all were apart of a crew but i don't see you askin permission.

DAVENFORTH: Im real bad at doing that

ROXANNE: Wow the confidence is unreal. -She's a little salty that Derek isn't more anxious to get back to his kids.-

DAVENFORTH: Ask my nephew

JODIE: sounds like arrogant, poorly planned bs.

JODIE: this is just a testosterone-fest.

JODIE: -snorts-

DAVENFORTH: No this is about sending a fucking message

JODIE: don't try to make it seem all noble. at lesat be honest. haha.

DEREK: -naturally he's anxious to see them, but he's with his brother here...-

RILEY: -watches jodie-

ROXANNE: -Stand up to your brother-

DEREK: -why would he stand up to him when he agrees with him??-

HIGHBLOOD: =Plays tense, appropriate music for the bickering humans. Tramatic muffled trumpet softly in the bg=

DAVENFORTH: This is about telling her that were not standing for this bullshit she knows were coming but shes gonna know were coming with a goddamn vengeance im not gonna let my daughter grow up in the grips of a galaxy that despises her fuckin existence and im damn sure not gonna let her live with the same bullshit ive gone through

JODIE: -sad trombone would be more fitting in her opinion-

DAVENFORTH: If youve got a problem youre welcome to walk

JODIE: i'm just sayin, you can't go around claiming this is the best plan for everyone. it's just the best plan for yer ego.

JODIE: i ain't going anywhere.

JODIE: i don't have any special powers. and i ain't got no leg to stand on when it comes to decision making. i'm barely a crew member.

ROXANNE: Im siding with Jodie on this. ROXANNE: Im really all for taking the ax to this new government, but we've got other issues to deal with first.

ROXANNE: We can meet up with everyone else and regroup an attack later.

DAVENFORTH: You can go too i dont give a shit

ROXANNE: Right now we are spread thin, with no back up, no intell. And like hell you two are doin' it on your own.

JODIE: -just snort laughs.-

JODIE: well, there wasn't no harm in trying. -JUST CHINHANDING.-

DAVENFORTH: Im not askin for backup and im not asking you to be alright with it ill go it alone if i goddamn have to but im not just gonna let this woman have her way with earth like she has every other planet

DAVENFORTH: Shes fucking playing us

DAVENFORTH: Weve lost too much we hold dear

DAVENFORTH: Its her fucking turn

ROXANNE: -Stares straight at Derek like "Can you believe this??"-

JODIE: -shrugalugs at riley and then just sprawls over the bus seat again.-

DEREK: -sorry ro...- We gotta pass through DC regardless so. 

DEREK: Maybe yall dont wanna go with us but aint nothin gonna stop me and him from trying.

QIRIN: | )

ROXANNE: -STARES HARDER.-

DAVENFORTH: Just drop us off fuck it

ROXANNE: Derek. You got one infant girl on a ship hundreds of miles away. ROXANNE: And another unborn baby sittin' right next to you.

ROXANNE: ...Are you actually bein' serious right now???

ROXANNE: You can be as confident as you want but you know going through with that plan means you might Die right?

DAVENFORTH: Third times the charm -Scoffs-

JODIE: if you can't convince em not to do it, you should try to minimize the damage.

QIRIN: >_> =what did u say=

DAVENFORTH: -YOU HEARD HIM-

RILEY: -she doesn't know exactly what to say here. she considers herself stuck either way. There's no winner here. Some of the most stubborn people she knows are in this bus. she sighs, rubbing her own neck-

DEREK: -stfu dave u ain't dying.-

JODIE: -looking at Roxanne- you're a smart lady arentcha. they'd have a better chance of survivin if you helped.

QIRIN: Is the term not "three strikes, you are out"?

ROXANNE: -Side eyes Jodie even more.- Of course im helpin' if he goes through with this stupid plan.

JODIE: cool beans.

DEREK: -scoffs a little. incredible...- 

DEREK: Well yeah Im goin through with it.

ROXANNE: Maybe hopefully he'll realize how crazy this is if both of Russet's parents are at risk--

ROXANNE: -YOU ARE REALLY TESTING HER DEREK.-

RILEY: -while they're talking, she moves Derek's arm off of her and walks off where she sits in the back-

ROXANNE: -Her eyes follow Riley, shes pretty miffed she didn't say anything in this argument.-

JODIE: -she's also judging riley for this tbh-

JODIE: -but she's already accepted her fate. she's doing all she can to help, at least for jamie's sake.-

DAVENFORTH: -He's quiet. Thinking about his two daughters. How condy's reign would mean their literal deaths.-

QIRIN: =She's thinking utter subjugation and ruin of her people=

QIRIN: =though both are not pretty thoughts=

RILEY: -she thinking about history repeating itself and how truly fucked they'll all be this time-

DAVENFORTH: -But he's also thinking about Beforus, Europa, the people here on Earth. How much would it mean to end the figureheads of their subjugation. Would it spur them on to fight? Would Condy's grasp on Earth slip even a little bit?-

JODIE: -She's thinking about how aginst this James would be.-

JODIE: -Sorry charlie!-

JODIE: -If somebody stronger was here in her eplace.-

RILEY: -she wasn't thinking about the consequences much before. but where the hell is she going to have to wait around while all this happens?-

DAVENFORTH: I think everyone who doesnt want in should continue to minnesota

RILEY: -from the back, a little irritated- and wait?

JODIE: no. i'm gonna help. -SPITEFUL-

JODIE: -maybe you get to do this, but she's not going to let you HAVE this-

DAVENFORTH: Thats your choice

DAVENFORTH: You just gonna wait in dc riley

JODIE: -She's liking Davenforth less and less all the time. Stupid jerk.-

RILEY: i don't fucking know. i sure as hell ain't going out of state away from you three while you try to pull this off.

DAVENFORTH: -It's fine he's used to it-

RILEY: i don't want to leave anybody behind.

DAVENFORTH: I respect that

DAVENFORTH: I dont want yall in danger for somethin you didnt sign up for i aint forcin that on anyone but im doin this

ROXANNE: Do you honestly think you would be doing it alone. Not everyone on this bus is okay with letting some of us go on a possible suicide mission.

DAVENFORTH: You should know me by now ro

JODIE: -Snorts.- so charitable.

RILEY: look, if i didn't have a tiny person inside of me, then i'd jump in and help.

ROXANNE: Guess I thought I did. -She shrugs.- 

ROXANNE: Im doin' it with you two, but im not happy 'bout it. Actually Im pretty pissed. 

ROXANNE: We do live through this I'm kicking your asses myself after we get back to the ship.

QIRIN: =clears her throat after a very long time of being quiet= I would like to hear more of this plan of yours if you or...we are to go through with this.

DAVENFORTH: Everyones kicking my ass after this one probably

TAKODA: -all these bad vibes... he's just going to go back to driving since they uh... have a plan now, he guesses. he's mostly uneasy because he knows, as a part of the resistance, they should take an opportunity as it's presented to them...-

RILEY: -rubbing her forehead-

DEREK: -his guilt isn't obvious, but it's definitely there. he doesn't want to endanger anybody here, and it ain't as if he wants to orphan any of his kids, but... sometimes you gotta follow your gut. he's just keeping quiet for now.-

RILEY: -she puts her hood of the jacket she's wearing up and turns so that she's watching everything pass by, damn hormones and emotions making her eyes all watery-

JODIE: -drinks-

[ For those daring souls brave enough to heed the school teacher's plight... The elementary school building greets them at the top of a steep hill overlooking the central plaza of the colony. It's a fairly new addition to the landscape, as priority had been laid elsewhere. Nestled between tall blooming apple trees, the red and white building lays as a colorful contrast to the surrounding greenery. A short earth tone clad troll is standing outside the school steps, wringing her hands with worry while pacing back and forth, tossing the occassional glance upwards to the big clock attatched to a small tower jutting from the school's ceiling. She is visibly distressed. ]

JORUNN: (Ouh der... Wil dey be cømming? Hwat hæv yu gøtten yurself into nå Jorunn? Æsking dese strængers før help.) =Mumbles to herself, brows knitted while sighing and huffing the words despairingly. :< =

WQ: =Never fear! Qirin is here! She greets the sighing and huffing educator troll with a small wave.=

WQ: Hello, there. Are you Jorunn? Was it you who requested aid of sorts?

NEPETA: =She's here also, scampering in behind Qirin, show her to the HOOLIGANS=

DAD: -Anything to help the children. James is also here, admiring the quaint simplicity of the schoolhouse. Who would cause a ruckus in a place like this?-

DAD: -He's also glad Nepeta is here. Did she have a snack before coming out here? She better have.-

DAD: -doffs his hat in stern politeness at the school teacher.-

EQUIUS: -How dare a child's education be disturbed? He is here and sweaty, muscles RIPPLING AND GLEAMING IN THE LIGHT. He is ready to mess up some ruffians-

NEPETA: =Gross=

DAD: -Here is to hoping violence isn't the answer. Where is your shirt, young man.-

EQUIUS: -A tank top is a shirt-

DAD: -It is drenched mysteriously. This is concerning.-

WQ: =She wouldn't have been surprised if he flexed it off on his way here=

JORUNN: =Jumps a good few inches off the ground as Qirin speaks, completely caught off guard as she was too busy fussing. She "stares" wide eyed (even though it doesn't look like her eyes are open at all, perhaps she is related to a certain Bhrock) at the group, a hand over her chest to still her pusher.= Ouh..! Yes. Dayt whuld be me. Yu are thea cræw frøm the U.U, yes? I wuld like to thænk yu før cømming! Trulæy, it is such a rælief.

EQUIUS: D --> Greetings

NEPETA: =Calm down equius wtf=

WQ: Yes, ma'am that would be us. =in no way she thinks youre her mother, jorunn=(edited)

JORUNN: De childræn ær æll inside. =Gestures behind herself to the building.= Sø dey wøn't be hæving to witnæss whatævver must bæ døne. =Fuss fuss explain.=

NEPETA: =she beams at the lemony troll though=

NEPETA: :33 < well make it as clean as pawssible!

NEPETA: :33 < espacially if mew have a hose!

EQUIUS: D --> We'll do what is necessary

DAD: -He's here for cleaning. Removes his hat altogether.-

WQ: The violence shall be very minimal.

NEPETA: =Minimal splatter=

WQ: ...Though yes, I agree with Nepeta in that a hose may help clean up should we require it.

JORUNN: Dayt is such a rælief. Thænk yu all... Thea childræn hæv ben too fræightened to ævæn go øutside to plæy. =Wrings her hands and frowns small.= Dayt hørriblæ øld mæn... Suddænly shøwwing up tø bæbbel nønsense æt ævvery høur of da dæy. =Frustrated huff! THe nerve of some people.=

JORUNN: Hæ is ønly spøuting nønsens, ænd no mætter hwat peøople dø he alwæys cøms bæck.

DAVE: -alongside James, taking in the surroundings of this place- like cleaning blood is that what we are going on about over here

NEPETA: :33 < an old man?

NEPETA: :33 < thats not as fun but well get to the pawttom of it!

DAD: -This is suddenly even more concerning. Dave is your shirt tucked in.-

WQ: What form of nonsense?

EQUIUS: D --> Probably only fit for glue at this point

DAD: THAT IS UNNECESSARY.

EQUIUS: D --> So is his disruption of these children's education

EQUIUS: -Let a motherfluffer disrupt Ananya's education-

DAVE: -feels that gaze and subtly tucks in his shirt-

JORUNN: Ouh... =Waves a hand in the air some, her cheeks thoroughly puffed with annoyance.= Åll kæinds of lunæcy. It is clærly søm issuæ with his hæed. He næeds help, sure-ly, but he cannøt bæ døing whæt hæ døes..! It is disruptivæ. I æm sur hæ might see resøn næww, with æll øff yu tælking to him..?

DAD: IT WOULD BE BEST TO ASSESS THE SITUATION BEFORE JUMPING TO CONCLUSIVE OPINIONS.

DAD: WE WILL DO OUR BEST, MISS SITRON.

EQUIUS: D --> We will speak to this old geezer. However, all of us are probably not necessary for the task. This amount of crew members is absurd

WQ: I would not say so. Our numbers may be sufficient to sway him.

DAD: IT IS DISRESPECTFUL FOR ONE TO REFER TO ELDERS AS GEEZERS, BY THE BY.

JORUNN: Øff cursæ! Dayt is a sænsiblæ... =Oh. Equius' words makes her wring her hands a little more.= Ouh. Wæll... I ønly thought it wul-- yes! =Looks a little sheepish at Quirin and the rest, oh dear. She is the one getting schooled now, how embarrassing.=

EQUIUS: D --> My fists are sufficient

DAD: I APOLOGIZE, QIRIN.

DAD: THIS YOUNG MAN IS BEING NEEDLESSLY AGGRESSIVE.

DAD: PERHAPS HE SHOULD STAY BEHIND.

EQUIUS: D --> That is no ones call to make but my own -Try him, James-

WQ: =To Equius= Do attempt to restrain yourself. We may only require speaking to the disruptor. Besides...

WQ: =sweeps a hand towards the schoolhouse= If the children are watching, what examples shall we show with the use of violence?

WQ: Actually, i rephrase my statement. The children are watching as they are children.(edited)

CHILDREN: =They were indeed squishing their tiny faces to the windows, staring wide at the interesting group of strangers outside. However at the moment attention is brought to them, they all go wide eyed and duck out of sight.=

EQUIUS: D --> They should be doing their sch001work -Children why-

WQ:  Doing schoolwork when supposed excitement is underway? =smiles= I believe you seriously underestimate the priority of young ones.

JORUNN: Yes... Dey shuld be. =Stern gaze towards the school building.=

JORUNN: In anæ cæis. I wuld bæ so græitful if yu culd ræmøve him, perhæps  cønvince him to not cøm bæck..? I æm at my læst stråw hære. :<

EQUIUS: D --> You have our word -Ignores Qirin-

WQ: =How wude.=

WQ: We will succeed. ^_^

JORUNN: =Smiles bright.= Thænk yu..! =Hands to her heart.= Dis is suech a rælief..! JORUNN: He is behæind the bøuilding, møst like. Scæming æt the playgråund. =Steps towards the corner of the building and gestures down the little stone path leading to the back.= JORUNN: I will... Ouh. Læt yu dø hwat must be døne... Wørk in pæce. Whilæ I løøk æfter the childræn.

DAD: -Oh... poor old man. Nods in the direction she gestures.- THANK YOU. DAD: -if no one else is taking the lead, James will begin moving down the path.-

[With James at the front, the group makes their way behind the building. Jorunn watching them go before disappearing inside with the children, trying to keep their curious eyes in check so that what must be done could be done.]

[ In the far back of the trimmed grass part of the playgrounds there is a, by the looks of it, extremely old troll. He is shaking profusely, even if there is no breeze, which causes his impossibly long beard to rustle all the way down to the tip. His hair stands out to all ends, and it is difficult to say where hair stops and beard begins. He is donning a bright yellow robe, and upon seeing (maybe? hard to say when you cannot see his eyes) the approaching group, he raises his thin shaking hands to the heavens. ]

CHEZWHEZ: The SUN HAS GROWN DARK, but LO! Here comes THE DAWN. The warriors of FONDUED JUSTICE cometh to bring PEACE upon the RAVAGED LANDS of the VOICELESS! HEAR, HEAR! The GOLDEN BANNERS will be FLYING TRIUMPHANT once more..!

The People's Elbro-Last Friday at 9:04 PM

EQUIUS: D --> A zealot. Of course

DAD: -Oh my. The troll is certainly old, all the more reason he should be reasoned with. He dips his chin in greeting.- GOOD AFTERNOON, SIR.

WQ: =she sighs. Mostly with relief. Now they really can't fight him. Look at him Equius. He can barely hold himself up.=

EQUIUS: -He will reserve judgment-

WQ:  Lovely day we are having?

[Upon the group coming closer it would appear that he is, in fact, not shaking. The cause of his rattling bones and beard that of something moving around in his robes.]

CHEZWHEZ: As FORETOLD the BRAVEST ONES have come FORTH from BEYOND THE STARS THEMSELVES. CLEANSE the USURPERS with BLESSED and HONEYED! Our HOMES RECLAIMED from the BARBARIANS that POLLUTE our MOST BLESSED! The FERMENTED GLORY of our MOST HOLY! =He steps towards James, his bushy brows raising to reveal two big and bright yellow eyes.=

CHEZWHEZ: Was it the MOTHER? Her ALL KNOWING MOOS that brought you to our STEPS? To BLESS US with CHEESED SALVATION?

WQ: =Yes, James. Was it the moos?=

DAD: -Does not appear alarmed to be approached by the old man as he spouts off cheesy nonsense.- HELLO, STRANGER. WE ARE HERE TO ASSIST ON BEHALF OF THE UNBREAKABLE UNION. MY NAME IS JAMES EGBERT. DAD: DO YOU FIND YOURSELF WELL, GOOD SIR?

CHEZWHEZ: JAMES the UNBREAKABLE! =Tosses his hands into the air with such vigor that his whole robe does a little jump, for a second revealing a pair of very hairy legs.= He has COME! His ARMY of the UNIFIED BLESSED! SMITE the WICKED to bring forth another ERA OF PEACE, FEAST AND CHEESE! =His eyes gloss over with emotion, and he stares to the heavens.= Oh... MOTHER. On this day, the CHEESE. MY PEOPLE will feast. The CHEESE, the CHEESE. =Lip quivers with emotion.=

DAD: -How can he not be so moved by his speech?- DAD: WHO ARE YOUR PEOPLE, MISTER... DAD: I APOLOGIZE. I DO NOT KNOW YOUR NAME. DAD: -eyes... the hairy legs peeking from his robes.-(edited)

WQ: =cheese...=

NEPETA: = she wants to bite him, does he smell like cheeses and weird gamey meat?=

[ He smells like a cornucopia of cheeses that have all been laying out just a tad too long in the sun. Also smells of... Tiny squeakies. Many tiny squeakies. ]

CHEZWHEZ: The VOICLESS are my PEOPLE! The FORGOTTEN and now LOST! Their HOMES! INVADED! Taken from our DELICATE SNOUTS by the LIARS and BETRAYARS! =Puffs his chest slightly.= CHEESE WHEEZE THE WIZARD! This is MY NAME! My HOLY TITLE! Given UPON ME from the HOLIEST OF MOOS on the FULLEST of GRAND MOON EVES!

NEPETA: 833 < do purrr peopawl squeak?

DAD: I FIND MYSELF INTRIGUED. -Underneath the cheese exclamations and all, there's a story James is sure.-

WQ: Tell us more of these liars and betrayers.

CHEZWHEZ: =He has sort of been gradually shuffling closer to James and further away from Nepeta and her unsettling eyes.= We SQUEAK only the MOST SACRED of TRUTHS! Our cause is PURE our FAITH is STRONG! SALVATION has finally COMETH.

CHEZWHEZ: For LONG i have SCOUTED these OVERGROWN LANDS for the MOST BLESSED to UNVEIL themselves onto ME! To BRING THEM BACK to our HOME! To EXTERMINATE the INVADERS! The ones that EXPLOITED our KINDNESS with VILE DEEDS! CRUSHING! CRIPPLING! WASHING! From the INSIDE! From under our very SNOUTS! =He is reaching into his robe for something. Rustle rustle.=

CHEZWHEZ: =Finds what he is looking for, and with a flourish pulls out an extremely soft and soggy looking slice of cheese. He holds it with utmost reverence towards James, looking at him with expectant eyes and breath held.= WILL the PACT be MADE? The HOLIEST of HOLY TASKS be DONE?

WQ: =slow turn to look at james.=

DAD: I ONLY WISH TO UNDERSTAND TO UNDERSTAND YOUR PLIGHT. -gently sets hand over the old man's. Not quite accepting the cheese offering yet but just holding him steady. There, there.- THE VOICELESS YOU SPEAK OF AND AN INVASION YOU MAKE REFERENCE TO. DAD: THIS TASK TO EXTERMINATE THOSE WHO HAVE TAKEN ADVANTAGE OF YOUR KINDNESS. DAD: WHO DO YOU SPEAK OF? IS THERE ANY WAY THIS PROBLEM CAN BE SOLVED?

EQUIUS: -Tucks Nep under his arm just in case-

NEPETA: =is football=

CHEZWHEZ: =Eyes go wide when James reaches out, but looks confused as the cheese remains untaken.= FROM RAVAGED HOMES they came seeking our CAVERN! Our SACRED GROUND! For SAFE! For SANCTUARY! Our HEARTS laid in the OPEN to AID our BRETHEREN! But BETRAYAL! FOUL AND VILE! Our HOMES TAKEN! All away! WANDERING HOMELESS! PURPOSELESS! Those DISGUSTING RATS! =He hisses low, his beard shaking with fury.= VILE! WRETCHED! LITTLE LIARS! RED EYES and SNEAKY THIEF PAWS!

DAD: CAVERN? -cocks his head to the side.- YOU ARE REFERRING TO VERMIN? DAD: PLEASE... REMAIN CALM. IT HELPS NO ONE TO EXHAUST YOURSELF.

NEPETA: =Tell her more about those..... rats=

WQ:  Those who have stolen your home are rats? WQ: In the figurative or literal sense?

CHEZWHEZ: =Anger beard shakes!!! Dooohhh!!! He is PEEVED! BAGOSH!!!!=

CHEZWHEZ: VERMIN! PESTS! LYING SCHEMERS FULL OF PUS! The HOLY MISSION it must be DONE! Our HOME must be CLEANSED of these INVADERS! To bring PEACE to bring JUSTICE to our PEOPLE! =Insistantly shoves his cheese hand at James.= Their PITTER PATTER! PITTER PATTER! Leaving DIRT and ROT wherever they WANDER all over our SACRED GROUNDS!

NEPETA: =She will cleanse the entire home, watches the chezwhez=

DAD: -Oh well. Suddenly cheese hand. He glances towards WQ.- DAD: IF IT IS A MATTER OF RAT VERMIN AND ASSISTING THIS DISTRESSED SOUL. SHOULD WE ACCEPT?

EQUIUS: D --> I fail to actually understand what he asks. Sounds like kerfuffle to me. E%cuse my language

NEPETA: :33 < no, mew have to do thr33 meowllion squats fur purr pawtty mouth

WQ:  =sidequests forever= WQ: It may be prudent to ask a favor for our services. =Nods toward the schoolhouse= WQ: =She swept her skirts into her hands and gave a deep curtsy.= WQ: Oh, Cheese Wheeze, the Wizard. We shall aid you in your problematic rat infestaton, however, we only have one humble request.

EQUIUS: -Squeezes her gently-

CHEZWHEZ: =Bright eyed staring as the cheese is ACCEPTED. Qirin's following curtsy making his eyes water. Oh joyous day..! His entire being seems to quiver with emotion, or at least his beard and hair is certainly moving a lot.= Oh BLESSED DAY! SALVATION is UPON US! For such a HOLY DUTY DONE, there is NO REQUEST too LARGE! All shall be PAID their DUES! For so the MOST SACRED OF MOTHERS have MOO'D!

NEPETA: =Gimme the mice old man=

EQUIUS: -Down, neppers-

NEPETA: =Here eyes focus on all that movement but she purrs lowly, watching. waiting=

EQUIUS: -Continues to reign in The Terror ™-

NEPETA: =Be glad old man=

NEPETA: =The horse will falter. Then she will have her fun=

CHEZWHEZ: =Miss he is a holy man, he cannot give you what is his robes, no matter how appealing that thought may be.=

WQ: =equius, she appreciates your restraint, more than you know.= WQ: Oh great Cheese Wheeze. It is simply the children here. =She gestured again to the school= They do not understand the words you speak  as they are still learning the ways of this world. Their minds have yet to expand and the deliverance of such prophetic words are....intimidating so to speak. Our only requestfor your wisdom be told elsewhere. WQ: =places a hand over her heart and dips her head=(edited)

CHEZWHEZ: Once the HOLY CAVERNS have been CLEANSED we will all return ONCE MORE to our homes, for our GLORIED WISDOM only to be shared for those PILGRIMS that seek it! =Wets his lips.= The DUTY? The PACT? Is it DONE? It is MADE?

WQ: =Nods= Yes. Please lead us to your holy caverns. ^_^

DAD: -nods in agreement. Take the lead, Mister Wizard.-

NEPETA: :33 < (and to his furrrriends and foes)

NEPETA: =She has things to gain here=

EQUIUS: -Puts Nep on his shoulder-

EQUIUS: D --> (You are forbidden from action until I deem it necessary)

NEPETA: =She is now a sack of potatoes, small trill= NEPETA: :33 < (mew dont d33m pawlot of things necessfurry)

NEPETA: :33 < (demeowcracy takes too log, we cant ALL get votes)

EQUIUS: -Pets her gently and feeds her some kitty treats-

NEPETA: =......purrs and nibbles these treats=

EQUIUS: D --> (I'm wary of him. My judgment is la%)

CHEZWHEZ: SQUADALA! =Exclaims joyously.= The VOICELESS now have VOICE! The HOLY WARRIORS found! Our CAUSE JUST! =Extends his arms to the air, once more showing the hairy(?) leg.= Our PURPOSE NOBLE! =While he speaks, all the hair on his body appears to be... Moving. All on it's own. No longer flat against his body, now moving in little blobs. There's a squeaking filling the air.= The HOLY GROUNDS! Shall be RECLAIMED!!! =All his "hair" squeaks joyously, and it all scatters from his body. Hundreds of mice swarming from him, in and out of his robes. Some filling it while others dangle from the outside. Turns out The Great Wizard was actually entierly bald. His round blank head practically glowing against the sun.=

CHEZWHEZ: We will SHOW YOU! We will GUIDE YOU!

DAD: -Oh.-

NEPETA: 833 !!!!

NEPETA: =LET HER AT EM=

WQ: =bald peeps unite!=

WQ: =She has half a mind to give him a high five, but she will refrain.=

The People's Elbro-Last Friday at 10:44 PM

EQUIUS: D --> (Do not)

NEPETA: =She would also like to give him a high five=

NEPETA: 833 < (theres so MANY)

CHEZWHEZ: =Skips and waggles a janky leg in what is supposed to be a merry jig. The mice hanging onto him and squeaking happily, they are moving over and around each other, making it look like he is wearing nothing at all except from a exceptionally energetic fur coat.= CHEZWHEZ: We're OFF! To END the VILE THINGS! =Happily hobbles into the forest. There he go!=

WQ: ... WQ: =follows!=

NEPETA: =MNGGNNGN=

[ Chezwhez guides the lil group of holy warriors into the forest, moving easily despite his fragile frame. The road is winding up into the mountains, and as they go he sings a happy song, with the mice squeaking along. It goes as follows: Ære være osten! For den er god og deilig! Den viser den hellige vei, melket fra den hellige mor, den er bare herlig! Ja, ja, ja! Ost er bra! Hurra for de hellige krigere! For de skal knuse, smadre, skvise! De råtne fæle, som tok alt fra oss! De skal nå bli kastet i bakken! Fytti rakkern! En ny era er her! Med ost fra der til alle og enhver! Ja, ja, ja! Hurra, hurra, hurra! Soon they arrive at a cave entrance, and both song and movement stops.] CHEZWHEZ: Here it IS! Here it BE! Our holy SANCTUARY! =Full body Ghibli shiver.= The USURPERS! Are within!

NEPETA: =those squeaks were tempting but the song is catchy! Still tho she wants to GET THE RODENTS. Leans up from Equius' shoulder, getting FIESTY=

WQ: And so we shall boldy go. =Takes out one of her heavy duty medical flashlights.=

EQUIUS: -Pets the rail DOWN. BE DOCILE-

NEPETA: =TAIL FLICKS, heavy purrs and big pupils. She wishes to hunt=

CHEZWHEZ: =Looks to Qirin.= We will PRAY for your SUCCESS! For we must remain OUTSIDE. We are a people not of WARRIORS. This HOLY TASK is not for US. It has been SAID, it has been MADE, it has been DECIDED. The WARRIORS will PURGE ALL. =The mice squeak in agreement, all starting to crawl inside the robes, making the thin troll look like he just gained several pounds.=

NEPETA: =that makes this easier... but is also no sport.    Bleh=

WQ: =they should have called pest control tbh. Does the planet even have pest control?= WQ: Yes, please remain safe, all of you. =Dips her head= ^_^

WQ: =Nepeta, you may yet get to fulfill your heart's desire=

CHEZWHEZ: =How can he call pest control to come when he has all the mice friends? They would try takin' them away too.= CHEZWHEZ: =Raises his hands high into the air.= BLESSED BE! Our PRAYERS with YOU, HOLIEST of HOLY!

NEPETA: =Giddyups on Equius, she's gonna cat wriggle free to nyoom at Qirin who has the right idea. Getting the food!=

WQ: =oh. good point, cheese wheeze. Let's keep your mouse pals happy and alive= WQ: Come friends. ^_^ =INTO DARKNESS theme plays=

EQUIUS: -Sighs and makes an Equius shaped entrance in-

[ Chezwhez sings another song as they go, a soft hymn to bolster their spirits. The muffled enthusiastic squeaks of the mice joining in. The cave itself is quite dank, water dripping from the ceiling. Thanks to Qirin's flashlight it's an easier task to avoid stepping on the more loose and slippery looking parts of the steps crudely carved into the rock. There's a distant sound of the pattering of feet, that echo hollow against the walls. ]

WQ: =she's committing all these songs to memory.= WQ: =she peers into the darkness, her eyes adjusting to the dim lighting her flashlight provides=

NEPETA: =That distant patter is going to meet the sharp end of her everything=

[ The way goes down, down, down for some time, growing darker and darker as they go. Luckily the flashlight keeps them from being completely enveloped in it. Eventually the little group would realize they are no longer descending, and are walking straight ahead. The flashlights falls on a gap in the rocks ahead. ]

[ Rock WALL i should say, whoops. ]

WQ: Hm. =she angled the flashlight into the crevice. Will they be able to squeeze through? Is there movement beyond it?=

[ The light doesn't seem to reach far enough into the crevice to be able to see if there's any movement. It's simply too dark. It will be a tight squeeze, but a person should be able to squeeze through. With enough Determination ™ ]

NEPETA: =Examines this wall= NEPETA: :33 < i think i can get through! or rafurr i know i can to pawssibly see whats on the other side :03

WQ: Are you certain? =Still she passes the light over to nepeta=

NEPETA: =shucks off her jacket and puts it right on the dank cave floor= NEPETA: :33 < of purrse! ive crawled through tighter spaces! =scampers up to the crack in the wall. the wall crack. and starts to liquid cat her way in=

[ Thanks to Nepeta's ability to cat, she is able to get through the crack. As she gets deeper it is getting warmer, more moist. Once she reaches the other side she will find herself on the edge of a subterranean lake. ]

NEPETA: :0( < OH gross! NEPETA: :33 < theres watpurr over here NEPETA: =looks around is there anything in this lake? can she see? Her cat eyes are doing their best=

[ It appears to be a round enclosed space. There's a little bit of light rising from the bottom of the lake thanks to some bioluminescent moss, and should her cat eyes try to scan the bottom of it there appears to be a tunnel of some sort underneath the water. There's pitter patter closeby, and there's a sudden PLOP as something enters the water. A black blob wiggling and swimming towards the tunnel, long tail swishing behind. ]

NEPETA: :OO  =GASP!!!!!!!=

WQ: =!= WQ: Everything all right, Ms. Leijon?

NEPETA: :33 < the rodent! NEPETA: :33 < there's a tunnel and a lake mmn, do mew think you can get through? i can go get it though....... even.... though its in water. NEPETA: :33 < ill be so fast ill DRAG IT OUT

WQ: =looks at the gap. Can she squeeze through? She is trying anyway.= WQ: If you can, however please use caution. I shall be there in a moment should you require assistance. =she hopes=

NEPETA: =That confirmation was all she needed before she .... dives on in after the long tail. Guess what's gonna get GRABBED=

[ Is Qirin determined enough? Then she can. She can do anything! The blob wiggles furiously once something dives in after them, trying to get away. However the cat is too speedy, and the tail is grabbed. Turns out it's a big rat, who is now flailing wildly against the hold on it's tail. ]

WQ: =she's slowly making her way through the gap; she isn't quite as flexible as the troll.= WQ: =She sure hears that splashing though= WQ: Are those the sounds of success?

NEPETA: =Oh.... worth the water! Nepeta lets herself swim rather clumsily backwards but she is sinking her claws into this tail and steadily pulling the rat to her= NEPETA: =Can it see her glowing eyes with all this moss? Regardless she can't respond to Qirin as she's underwater and water is DUMB=

[ The rat can only see it's brief life flashing before it's eyes, flailing and trying to twist around to BITE Nepeta's hand. ]

WQ: =still shimmying!=

NEPETA: =HOW RUDE, Nepeta hisses.... glubs? UGH, SWIPES paw at the rat's snoot. BAD FOOD=

[ Qirin will find herself on the other side soon enough! Witness the bubbles rising from the water at this underwater battle. The rat is hanging on for dear life on Nepeta's hand, even at the swipes. This is the final battle... It's not like it can keep it's breath for a lot longer either. It was supposed to be a short swim back to their home, how did it end up like this. ]

NEPETA: =It's an air battle at this point, it can bite ALL IT WANTS. Nepeta bares her fangs and keeps trying to haul this rat to land. Oh boy, oh buddy. You wait. Just you wait.=

Hana-Last Saturday at 9:17 PM

WQ: =pop! she's through! Finally.=

NEPETA: =Gaze upon the bubbles of battle=

[ The rat is hauled sure enough, as all the power and energy it has is going into the BITE. ]

WQ: !! WQ: =she would take out her spear, but she wouldn't dare with Nepeta in such close proximity.=

WQ: =she's going to try to punch the rat in the head instead=

NEPETA: =Thank you Qirin for being her other hand.... Nep's glad to be free of the water. She's going to plunge her claws and maybe even her entire hand into the rat's vitals. She will take the heart. It's squeaky beaty=

[ Somewhere out there in the universe the One Punch Man theme is playing, and know that it is playing for Qirin. The rat lets go of Nepeta's hand upon having it's head thoroughly BONKED, then goodnight sweet prince; and flights of angels sing thee to thy rest. Nepeta has the rat heart. ]

[ The DEAD text is surely floating above the rat's corpse somewhere as it lies motionless on the lake's edge. ]

WQ: =oh sweet carapacian jesus=

karen from finance-Last Saturday at 9:28 PM

NEPETA: =lifts her bloody hand victoriously... well they're both bloody. The one with the heart= NEPETA: :33 < we did it!

NEPETA: =Get me filletin knife Qirin=

WQ: =she has a throwing knife. Will that work?= WQ: =tuts and takes Nepeta's bitten hand before sanitizing the area and wrapping it in the aforementioned cat bandage.= WQ: I admit, I am surprised there was only one.

EQUIUS: -Appears. Thank you Qirin for taking care of his cat.-

NEPETA: =BOO HISS N- ... oh..... those are cute....... she will... allow this. BEGRUDINGLY=

NEPETA: :33 < well it was swimming to that tunnel down there purrhaps theres more, there never is just one!

NEPETA: =she's also captcha-ing this corpse=

[ Secret tunnel, secret tunnel... ]

NEPETA: =SECRET TUNNEL WITH MORE FOOD=

WQ: =there is probably a fillet knife in the kitchens on the UU= WQ: Shall we surge forward into the enchanting darkness and locate the rest of these sneak thieves? ^_^

NEPETA: :PP < i guess SO... bluh =DIVES in the water to swim to the tunnel=

WQ: ... WQ: =Oh yes...the water. Bucks up and wades through it.=

[ The underwater tunnel doesn't go very far, so luckily they don't have to be masters of holding their breath. Straight ahead for a short while, then straight up. Once they emerge they will see another closed off cave. This one with countless tiny houses carved from, and in, the rocks surrounding them on all sides. There's torches attatched to the walls, and in some of the tiny houses there's a singular tiny tealight. Warm light flickering and dancing across the walls. There's loud pitter pattering about, scurrying and scampering once these strange beings emerge from the pool. Beady red eyes in the relative dark staring. In the middle of the "town" is a fountain, of which has a golden cow at the top that is standing on it's hind legs like a beautiful stallion. Fondue pouring out from the udders and into the fountain. Absolutely beautiful. ]

WQ: =oh=

NEPETA: 800 NEPETA: :33 < ...... (im gonna steal that fur tafurros)

WQ: It is such a glorious centerpiece for the town. It would be a shame if the mice discovered it gone.

NEPETA: :33 < we only have to get rid of the rats though right? :33 NEPETA: =here come the clawkind. Stares back into those beady eyes=

[ Mice and Chezwhez both most like, not to mention the terrible wrath the scorned cow mother might inflict upon Nepeta for stealing her statue away. Upon the clawkind coming into play, some of the rats squeak and hiss loudly. Those terrible mice! Playing dirty by sending these devils! Some of the rats begin to swarm the plaza, all gathering in a big dark lump that seems to move like a single entity. They rush forth towards the intriders as a big terrifying mass of claws and teeth. ]

WQ: =Addressing the rats, she said,= I suggest you all leave or b-- =oh wow, that sure is a large something= WQ: =to Equius= Let us refrain from causing any structural damage. WQ: =takes out her throwing knives=

NEPETA: =Yessssssssss! She's definitely no diplomat and well, when there's a fight over territory not many words need to be spared. Nepeta is fast to jump into action, leaping on the figure with slashing claws and  kicking feet. Sorry Qirin were you saying a thing?=

WQ: =PEW PEW PEW=

[ The mass hisses with fangs bared, more rats joining the swarm until they are all part of the hivemind. As rats fall from it, bloodied and limp from claws and feet, other rats move to fill in the gaps. They lash and gnash with teeth and claws at the pair, a constant offensive force that pushes and pushes. ]

WQ: =All right, enough of this. Out comes her spear. She's attacking the limbs, attemping to get the rats to dissolve.=

NEPETA: =through all her scratches and punctures and kicks to the throat she scans, is there some kind of.... alpha rat? a glue that holds them all together?=

[ (Silver the Hedgehog voice) It's no use. No matter how many rats that fall it doesn't appear to make any noticeable difference, as other's take the places of the fallen as soon as they drop. There's considerable movement in the middle of the shape however, rats moving rapidly over one another to keep a constant meatshield over a exceptionally large white eyed rat. ]

NEPETA: =There you are! Nepeta drops with the next rat she kills and regroups with Qirin, standing defensive to dodge blows= NEPETA: :33 < (theres a big one in the meowddle! with HUGE beady white eyes i want to try and get that one!)

WQ: Ah, yes, I see it. =she nods= I have your rear.

WQ: =poises spear to the ready to shishkabob any rat that attempts to attack Nepeta in her quest=

NEPETA: =Nods and starts back off, running then sprinting and drops to all fours eventually. She jumps onto the hulking mass and runs along the limb before quickly trying to swooce in between some seams of the meat sheild. If she can penetrate that and cat the rest of the way in it's shank-city=

EQUIUS: -He punch-

[ The rats do not appreciate these punches or stabs or pounces AT ALL. They hiss and snarl, biting and scratching at anything in proximity. However even as rats keep filling up the gaps, the overall size of the blob is now shrinking. When Nepeta jumps forwards, the mass tries to shrink away out of her way. Starting to dissolve to give her nothing to climb on. Rats skittering to and fro rapidly to give the Alpha Rat a means to get out of eyesight before they try to reform. ]

NEPETA: :33 < get back here!! =Chases them!!!!=

NEPETA: :33 < face purr demise with pawnor!

EQUIUS: D --> Nepeta, to me. I have a plan

NEPETA: =But the chase..... she huffs but scampers back to Equius= NEPETA: :33 < did mew s33 where the big one went? whispurr it to me =leans up on tiptoes=

WQ:  =hacking away at rats to prevent them from coming closer to them=

[ Congrats Qirin, your spear has now a multitude of rat corpses attatched to it. One by one like a shishkebab. The other rats are now reforming into the larger shape, the Alpha Rat in the middle of it as they swarm around and stack on top of each other. ]

EQUIUS: D --> I believe so. Do you remember that maneuver I told you was e%tremely dangerous and silly? We're going to do it -Picks up the cat-

NEPETA: !!!!!!! NEPETA: :33 < yessssssssssssssssssssssss!!!!! =Is lift, is also a ball=

WQ: =she's gonna...try to slide them off down the pole.=

EQUIUS: -He eyes the Alpha rat, winding up and LAUNCHING Nepeta at the center of this rat mech. Catball special-

[ Squuuelllchhh... The dead rats slide off of Qirin's spear and fall to the cavern floor with disgusting splats. Rip in rest. ]

[ The mass of rats have the no fear. They have the courage of at least 50 whole rat. It tries to seperate so that Nepeta would just go through nothing, but as she is tossed at the Alpha, they are unable to seperate in such a way without completely unfusing. They hiss loud, rats swarming swiftly to protect the center, though Nepeta is easily making most of them splat from the sheer force behind the throw alone. Still they swarm. ]

WQ: =she's going to ignore that she found the noise highly satisfying=

NEPETA: =She's gonna get that disgusting splat meat soon.. But HERE COMES A HER. Claws pointed and ready. She might even though clean through them. In the best way possible=

[ Some of the rats throw themselves at Nepeta out of desperation, biting down on any and all that they can reach of her. Be that exposed skin or her clothes, anything to keep her away from the center of the swarm. It's small by now, just a desperate pile of flailing bodies that hiss and squeak loudly. ]

WQ: =still punching rats in the FACE.=

EQUIUS: -STRONG punching rats-

NEPETA: =She bites THEM back and keeps on DIGGING and cutting through to the center, pupils dialted she's pretty thoroughly covered in scratches and bites and blood and fur= NEPETA: 833 < i can hear purr heart beating! SOON!

[ This is all just incredibly gorey. Rats fall one by one in bloody chunks to the cavern floor. Blood splattered across the tiny houses and the cow fountain. The Alpha Rat bares it's fangs at Nepeta as it is exposed. Flinging it's big self right at her face with chomping fangs and scratchy paws. ]

NEPETA: =HEY FRIEND! Nepeta is more than happy to tussle you, rising to meet it and buries her claws deep into its torso while they roll=

[ It screeches, hissing froth from it's mouth and clawing at Nepeta's face. Fangs snapping at her as blood seeps from the claw wounds. The few remaining rats try to bite at her as well, at her legs and arms. ]

NEPETA: =She's taken on packs before. Workin them muscles Nepeta twists her claws and turns to fling the alpha away from the group. Hopefully enough to mortally wound it but also give her enough time to quick jab these UNDERLING PUNKS=

[ The Alpha Rat is flung into one of the tiny buildings with a sickening crack upon impact, flailing it's upper paws and trying to drag itself away while hissing. The underlings are swarming Nepeta, but their strength is gone and their leader needs help. Their uncertainty is their downfall. Only one remains. ]

NEPETA: =Here she stands, bitten and scratched and bloody with blood that isn't all hers. When she's finally staring at that one crawl away Nepeta treads over the bodies of the alpha's fallen comrades. Steps over to it and crouches= ..... NEPETA: :33 < im going to tame mew NEPETA: :33 < purr name is hissy! =Stares into its eyes. SUBMIT=

[ Nepeta please, this rat is BLIND. It is oblivious to the stares, but knows something big and bloody is in front of them. It HISSES LOUD, trying to move, but is too weak. ]

NEPETA: =Awww, it's blind. That's okay, she HISSES back and presses its head down. Submit DARN YOU=

WQ: =life is weird=

EQUIUS: D --> Nepeta

EQUIUS: -Life is strange-

NEPETA: :33 < (im in the meowddle of negotiation, pawlease!)

EQUIUS: D --> Cut the fiddle faddle

NEPETA: =DO YOU KISS YOUR LUSUS WITH THAT MOUTH?=

[ The Alpha would rather die than submit to the murderer of it's people. It hisses and struggles against the hold. Spitting more froth and blood everywhere. ]

NEPETA: =That makes her want to keep it MORE..... but fine. She'll make it quick. Shinkshank= NEPETA: :33 < bluhhhhhhhhhhhh

WQ: =She is appreciative of your attempt, Nepeta=

EQUIUS: -unfazed like yep that me moirail-

[ And so this rat is no more! He has ceased to be! 'E's expired and gone to meet 'is maker! 'E's a stiff! Bereft of life, 'e rests in peace! If you hadn't nailed 'im to the perch 'e'd be pushing up the daisies! 'Is metabolic processes are now 'istory! 'E's off the twig! 'E's kicked the bucket, 'e's shuffled off 'is mortal coil, run down the curtain and joined the bleedin' choir invisible!! THIS IS A EX-RAT!! ] [ The city is covered in death and gore, but that is the way of war. The mice city has been taken back from the invaders. ]

EQUIUS: -Stands here like Saitama-

EQUIUS: D --> Ridiculous -Horsey sigh-

NEPETA: =Runs around gathering ones that look like they'd make decent meals=

NEPETA: :33 < purride is a dangpurrous thing but i can respect it!

EQUIUS: D --> Put those down you don't know where they've been

NEPETA: :33 < on my claws duh!

WQ: =the least they can do is clean up their mess. She begins collecting the corpses Nepeta doesn't take and will later go on to return the dead to the earth. Such is the circle of life.=

WQ: =She collects them in her sylladex. There is no way she has enough arm space for all of them=

[ With the evil defeated, Chezwhez and fellow mice may once more move back into the holy cheese city. No more will they wander aimless and lost, nor scream at children. The holy warriors each is rewarded with a cow idol carved from the finest of cheese, and it is said that statues of the heroes have been carved into the cave walls to always remember their noble quest. From Jorunn and the school children they all recieve a variety of all kinds of baked goods and hand drawn thank you notes featuring lots of colors and poor grammar. ]

WQ: =she is deeply humbled and shall treasure these gifts forever=

EQUIUS: -He is moved deeply. However he has to clean this cat-

CALIBORN: -a not-so-jolly green giant is draping himself dramatically over a table in the cafeteria, expelling the deepest sigh in all of the known universe.-

CALIBORN: -and he will continue to lie there and sigh until someone notices him. don't think he won't do this all day.-

WQ: =She is no longer stressed tf out now that a certain patient has been released with no chance of escaping. If it had gotten any more ridiculous, she would have asked Dirk to lend her two guards stationed at this certain patient's door and manhandle them if necessary back into bed. She'd even considered placing this certain patient into a medically induced coma with how intent they were on refusing to allow themselves to HEAL. Luckily, she did not have to take any drastic measures other than restraints.= 

WQ: =ANYWAY=

WQ: =She hungers and decides to take her break out here rather than retreat back into the wards. Walking to the line, she noticed Caliborn and gave a cheerful smile.= Good afternoon. It certainly sounds like you have a very healthy set of lungs.

CALIBORN: -FINALLY. who's this cueball headed motherfucker? he asks himself, not finding it ironic at all to question.- DuH. I AM IN PEAK PHYSICAL CONDITION IN BASICALLY EVERY MEDICAL CATEGORY. 

CALIBORN: -rolls to sit up, crosslegged.- GET A LOAD OF THIS PHYSIQuE. IT'S A GODDAMN SHAME THAT MY MuSCLES, IN MY BODY OR MY MIND, ARE NOT BEING IMPLEMENTED INTO WHATEVER RANKINGS THEY HAVE ON THIS SHIP. 

CALIBORN: IT ISN'T AS THOuGH. I NEED TO BE CONFINED TO MY QuARTERS. SO WHY, I ASK YOu, HAVE I NOT BEEN PROMOTED TO GENERAL OR SOMETHING? THIS IS BuLLSHIT.

WQ: =She laughed, piling a few things onto a tray.= I cannot answer that. It is not my department. You will have to ask one of the junior officers here why such a grave injustice has befallen one such as you. I believe Officer Redglare is one whom you should direct your queries.  ^_^

WQ: =Or perhaps the captain, but Dirk is stressed enough already. Besides, Caliborn must be joking. Right?=

CALIBORN: REDGLARE. IS THAT THE ONE WITH THE RED GLASSES. AND THE RESTING BITCH FACE? AS THE NAME IMPLIES. -makes glasses shapes with his hands over his eyes.- 

CALIBORN: WHO THE FuCK TITLES THEMSELVES THAT LITERALLY ANYWAY? -is that even how troll titles work? what does he care, actually-

WQ: Yes, though not so much the latter, I believe. =She's seen redglare smile! Once.. She thinks.= 

WQ: Ah, many of the older trolls here, actually. Darkleer. Dualscar. Signless. The Psionic. Disciple. Not all adopt a name for themselves. At times it is given upon the accomplishment of a great feat.

CALIBORN: MOST OF THOSE ARE STuPID TOO. CALIBORN: WHAT IS SO EXCEPTIONAL ABOuT THE WAY HE LEERED DARKLY. THAT GRANTED HIM THAT MONIKER FOR THE REST OF HIS MISERABLE EXISTENCE? -he is making assumptions about this darkleer fellow. if only he knew how spot on he was.-

WQ: =she shrugged, feeling another smile creep up= I am unsure of that. Perhaps you should ask him. ^-^

CALIBORN: MAYBE I WILL. IF I CARED ENOuGH. -slips off the table to hover over her- 

CALIBORN: AND WHO ARE YOu? I'M CALIBORN. IF YOu DON'T KNOW BY NOW. WHICH YOu SHOuLD.

WQ: =Slightly relieved he didn't take her seriously. Ha! Imagine asking Darkleer that to his FACE. hm... Perhaps she shouldn't.= 

WQ: I have seen your name upon the roster. You and you sister have both been quite scarce. It is my pleasure to finally meet you in person. I am Qirin. Resident doctor.

CALIBORN: -squints at her- I DON'T LIKE DOCTORS.

WQ: Ah, well, most do not. I cannot fault you for that. =hmm...milk or juice?=

CALIBORN: SO LONG AS YOu DON'T STICK ME uNEXPECTEDLY WITH ANY NEEDLES. WE SHOuLD BE FINE.

WQ: Oh? You mean... =slowly looks over at him= ...right in this very moment?

CALIBORN: -recoils a little defensively. SQUINTING MORE.- 

CALIBORN: I MEAN! EVER!

WQ: I am kidding. I promise you, I shall keep all needles away from your person. If you do happen to get stuck with a needle by any of the medical staff here, it is very more than likely to save your life. 

WQ: Personally, I would prefer a needle over dying. 

 WQ: Since the ship has a variety of blood types, we do stick volunteers with needles when they donate blood, but again, they are volunteers. WQ: We will not take from you without permission. =hand over her heart. It's a PROMISE. She looked him over and smiled again= 

WQ: Luckily, you do not appear sickly, nor do you have a grievous wound, so it appears you are safe.

CALIBORN: ... -relaxes, but he's still glaring- FINE. BuT DON'T THINK THIS MEANS I TRuST YOu. 

CALIBORN: I'LL BE KEEPING A CLOSE EYE. -demonstrates with the Rock Eyebrow-

WQ: =Sure YOU shouldnt be called Redglare, Caliborn?= Of course you will. ^_^ =she turned back to her her tray and pointed at the various food items presented.= 

WQ: Fruit cup or chicken breast?

CALIBORN: ... CHICKEN BREAST. -nods firmly- NO CONTEST.

WQ: =slides him a plate of it= You have been eating your greens?

CALIBORN: -oh... it's for him? WELL. OF COURSE IT IS. he takes the plate and just starts picking it apart with his fingers.- GREENS?? WHAT?

WQ: =waves around a lettuce leaf=

CALIBORN: -he has never looked more offended in his life. or atleast, in this conversation.-

WQ: =stuffs it right in her mouth=

CALIBORN: EuGH! DISGuSTING! -recoils further with his chicken-

WQ: =leans in= Do you know what else it is? 

WQ: Excellent needle repellent. =Adds more lettuce to her tray=

CALIBORN: -squints at her again- JuST HOW STuPID DO YOu THINK I AM?

WQ: It is true! I have not required a single needle as I have not suffered a single ill.

HORSE DRONE: -It wanders about the ship aimlessly- having been told to "go play", which is an order it can't figure out how to complete properly. It is naturally drawn to the area with the most commotion.-

JAKE: -peering out of the kitchen with LOUD SQUINTS. He fucking hates that thing why did it find him. Let the man concentrate on his community service, horse drone.-

DIRK: -you're welcome for everything about those thoughts-

HORSE DRONE: -! it's ears lift when it spots one of it's secondary masters. It gallops towards Jake, standing at the ready, wheezing- waiting for commands.-

JAKE: - N O. NO. FUCK. The galloping??? There is a lot of swearing streaming out from the kithen now. He can't believe it found him again.-

WQ: =she is so glad she can witness this=

CALIBORN: I DON'T CARE WHAT YOuR DIET MIGHT REQuIRE FOR YOuR OWN "GOOD HEALTH." BuT I'M CARNIVOROuS. AND I INTENDED TO FuCKING STAY THAT WAY-- 

CALIBORN: WHAT THE SHIT IS THAT ATROCITY? -watches it gallop past-

JAKE: ONE THOUGHTFUL SPEC OF A MARITAL PRESENT!!!!  -yells from a distance.-

CALIBORN: JAKE HuMAN. IS THAT YOu? -peeps into the kitchen-

WQ: =sips her pineapple juice. Dont come crying to her when needles begin to haunt your dreams.= 

WQ: ... 

WQ: A gift. =she summarizes. A gift to Dirk, and also a gift to behold.=

JAKE: -bursts from past the kitchen entrance, wearing an apron over his uniform.- The very same! How do you do!!! 

JAKE: And youre darn tooting its a gift. -quotation marks in the air as he turns and sees yep. It's still following him. And wheezing. He hates how it wheezes. Throws it a dirty look.- Why this heap of asthematic mechanics was given to dirk by none other than daelos the ma(ch)inist zahhak himself! 

JAKE: ARENT WE LOOKING PRETTY DARN FREAKY TODAY OLD CHAP???

JAKE: Eugh look at it... the wheezing. It wheezes! Robots arent supposed to emulate BREATHING. What the fuck honestly!

CALIBORN: THIS THING BELONGS TO DIRK? -looks at it with similar feelings of disgust-

JAKE: Its his own personalized beast of burden. 

JAKE: So yes. Yes it is.

MEULIN: -distantly eyeballing the horse drone... And also the Calicorn?-

CALIBORN: AND HE WANTS IT? JuST WHEN I THOuGHT THAT MAN COuLD NOT GET ANY  MORE FuCKING BIZARRE.

MEULIN: -him big... And there's something about him that sure seems strangely familiar.-

CALIBORN: -QUIT STARIN AT ME WITH THEM BIG OL EYES-

MEULIN: - 👀  -

JAKE: -also staring at the horse drone. He is imagining taking out a pistol and violently putting it out of its misery right now.- 

JAKE: -eeeeeeeeeeeedges back into the kitchen, not making too many sudden movements.-

HORSE DRONE: -it makes disturbing snuffling noises from inside it's mask as it circles the kitchen in confusion. It just wants to "play"- thereby fulfulling it's commands. Where Jake?-

HORSE DRONE: -Apparently it doesn't have the best vision- one minor caviate of having skin made out of a leather mask.-

JAKE: -This is the worst.-

DUALSCAR: =Is in the cafeteria, maybe slightly hung over. It had been the anniversary of the death of his mentor the previous night, and he went a little overboard in drinking to her memory. Still, nothing too bad. He had a pretty high threshold to it. 'Least that's what he's telling himself while slouching in his chair, two fingers steadily rubbing his temple while holding a mug in his free hand. Said mug had a foul stench of mystifying spices.=

SIGNLESS: -There he be, the really big fish himself. Kasvik happened to be in the cafeteria getting food when he spots Dualscar. When was the last time they talked? Signless couldn't exactly remember. But it had been a while, he knew that much.-

SIGNLESS: -He carries his tray over to the table dualscar is at.- Any of these seats taken?

DUALSCAR: =Cringes as a voice breaks the silence. Even with Kasvik speaking at his regular volume, his current state caused it to amplify in his ears. He might as well have shouted it into a megaphone placed two inches from his ear. He turns his head upward, directing his unblinded (and bloodshot) eye at Kasvik.=

DUALSCAR: IF YER PLANNIN' ON BEIN' SO BLEEDIN' LOUD, THEN AYE. THEY BE.=Tired squinting.=

SIGNLESS: -he raises a brow- Sorry I was not aware normal volume was now newly dictated as too boisterous, I guess the whole world is now a paper copy information hub.

SIGNLESS: -He takes a seat and puts his tray on the table.- You look like you had a rough night. Or possibly a really great one.

DUALSCAR: =His earfins pin backwards as Kasvik proceeds to say a lot of words. Too many, actually. His head sinks some, his arm moving to curl over it.=

DUALSCAR: =Watches Kasvik sit, then grunts, shutting his eyes.=

DUALSCAR: BOTH AN' NEITHER.

SIGNLESS: -He watches him for a little, lifting a spoonful of oatmeal into his mouth.-

SIGNLESS: That doesn't really make that much sense.

DUALSCAR: =Another grunt, followed by a long pause. His throat feels really dry.=

DUALSCAR: MEANS. COULD'A BEEN BETTER. COULD'A BEEN WWORSE.

DUALSCAR: NEITHER HERE NOR THERE.

SIGNLESS: So why did you not just say that first.

DUALSCAR: =Opens his eye to SQUINT at Kasvik.=

DUALSCAR: I DID.

DUALSCAR: NOT MY FAULT YE DON'T FUCKIN' GRASP THE BASICS A LINGUISTICS.

SIGNLESS: -He shrugs and eats more oatmeal.- SIGNLESS: So what was the occasion for this neither Here nor there event.

DUALSCAR: =Increased squinting as Kasvik is only shrugging instead of further sassing. He might be hungover, but he still notices it.=

DUALSCAR: =Turns his face downwards so it's facing the table. It's dark there, good against his tired squinty eyes. His voice muffled.= ANNIVVERSARY.

DUALSCAR: FOR ME OL' CAPTAIN. MENTOR.

SIGNLESS: Oh.

SIGNLESS: Well that would be as good a reason as any I would think.

SIGNLESS: -Shh you notice nothing.-

DUALSCAR: =He notices everything.= DUALSCAR: =Raises his head up and out from under his arm and takes a sip of that mysterious liquid that reeked so badly.=

DUALSCAR: WWOULD HAVVE BEEN BETTER HAD THE OL' CREWW BEEN 'ROUND.

DUALSCAR: 'LEAST THEY SENT ME THEIR REGUARDS. COUNTS FOR SOMETHIN', BUT AIN'T THE SAME. =More sips.=

SIGNLESS: -his nose wrinkles at the stinking drink that the old fish is nursing.-

SIGNLESS: That is very nice of them in the least.

SIGNLESS: Also what are you possibly stomaching that is in that cup. It smells awful.

DUALSCAR: =Snorts.= SENTIMENTAL FOOLS, THAT'S ALL.

DUALSCAR: =Raises one brow, his earfins now at half mast instead of pinned back. His head still pounding, but not as bad. He smiles crookedly.=

DUALSCAR: REMEDY A MY OWWN CREATION. GOT ALL THAT YE NEED TA BEAT ANY ILLS COME 'ROUND BY GIVVIN' YER LIVVER A BEATIN'. =Holds out the mug towards Kasvik so he can look into it. The liquid (if you could call it that, it looked sort of clumpy) had a sickening dark green color with darker, borderlining black, splotches. It smelled even worse up close.= WWORKS ON OTHER SHIT TOO, I'VVE FOUND.

SIGNLESS: -He just had to look at it. Had to lean in closer and catch a whif of whatever putrid bile was in the cup. One sniff and glance was all it took before Kasvik reared back, covering his mouth and nose before he could breathe any more of it in- Ugh!!

SIGNLESS: That shit is festering, how is it not eating a hole through your body?? -So much for eating.-

DUALSCAR: =Kasvik's reaction makes him guffaw. Well, briefly anyway. It hurt his head too much to laugh, so he quit halfway with a bit of a cringe.= HAH..!

DUALSCAR: MIGHT EAT THROUGH THOSE DELICATE FLOWWERS SUCH AS YERSELF, AYE.

DUALSCAR: =Grins at him then takes a huge swig of the mug. Actually he drinks it all down. Puts the mug down rather firmly, it clacking against the table.=

SIGNLESS: -disgusting.-

SIGNLESS: Please. There was a time in my life where I ate actual garbage my stomach is not a delicate flower.

DUALSCAR: =Glances to the oatmeal then back to his face.= NOTHIN' CHANGED MUCH THEN. =Oatmeal is disgusting garbage, txt it.=

SIGNLESS: -He follows dualscars gaze and scowls.- Look it's healthy okay.

SIGNLESS: I never said I have a huge need for flavor.

DUALSCAR: =Snorts, amused.= THEN THAT BEIN' THE CASE I'M SURE YE WWOULDN'T MIND ME WWHIPPIN' UP A MUG FOR YE TOO. =Inclines head towards the empty mug on the table.=

SIGNLESS: That is like threatening to poison me.

DUALSCAR: OH, IS IT? THOUGHT YE JUST SAID THAT YE WWERE NO DELICATE FLOWWER.

SIGNLESS: I'm not but that doesn't mean that I want to drink it.

SIGNLESS: -He drags his bowl back over to himself and picks up the spoon again to point at the cup.- You should have that taken to a toxic waste dump.

DUALSCAR: =Snort.= MEANS YER A CHEEPBEAST IS WWHAT.

DUALSCAR: =Double snort.= IT IS GONNA BE PART OF A DUMP ALRIGHT. =Lmao poop jokes. He even laughs about it.=

SIGNLESS: -dramatic eye roll-

SIGNLESS: Your tact and grace knows no bounds. We should all take lessons on how to be such an upstanding troll such as yourself.

SIGNELSS: -He returns to eating his food after that comment. His oatmeal is already starting to get cold and gluey in texture but he doesn't care.-

DUALSCAR: IF THE LOT A YE DID THEN WWE MIGHT NOT HAVVE ALLA THIS DOOM AN' GLOOM. =Snorts with an eyeroll of his own. Reaches out to give Kasvik a pat on the shoulder.=

DUALSCAR: SURE I CAN'T DO ANYTHIN' FOR YE? =A mug of his remedy. Things in general.=

SIGNLESS: -He almost chokes on the food in his mouth when Dualscar pats him on the shoulder, not that it was a strong hand, he just wasn't expecting it.-

SIGNLESS: N-No I'm alright. Your company is enough.

DUALSCAR: =Gives him a long look, the hand still on his shoulder. Nods slowly.= AS YE SAY THEN.

DUALSCAR: =HIs head gives another painful throb, so he moves his hand away and goes back into the slouched position from before.=

MEULIN: -Here comes a cat. She hasn't been having the best time, as usual, but she is trucking along. At least smoking doesn't give you hangovers. She's piling a bowl -- not a tray -- with various meats and fish and sweet things all together, and a glass of fresh lusus milk (thanks Aurthour). She gazes around sort of sleepily before spotting her own mentor and trilling softly in her throat, walking right over to plop down in a seat next to him. Somehow, her sunglasses make her look either more sleepy or more nonchalant about this whole thing. Noms a cupcake.-

DUALSCAR: =Might have dozed off a little bit in his seat, embarrassingly enough. But he was a light sleeper, so when there's movement next to him his eyes open. Slowly he raises his head to look at Meulin, squinting just a little bit then blinks, appearing more awake afterwards. Kasvik seeing him hungover wasn't such a big deal since they were close, but it was more of an embarrassment when it was someone else. Maybe he should'a just kept to his block.=

DUALSCAR: =Clears his throat and runs a hand through his hair to make sure it's slicked back properly. Gives Meulin a nod of recognition.= MISS LEIJON.

MEULIN: PRRP. -pries a little bit of fish meat from fish corpse and offers it over to him.- HI SIR.

DUALSCAR: =Thank God he drank that remedy of his before she showed up, otherwise he wouldn't have been able to keep his face straight. His head doesn't hurt as bad anymore, just numb.= DUALSCAR: =Raises a hand with his palm to her.= I THINK I WWILL PASS, THOUGH THE THOUGHT IS APPRECIATED.

DUALSCAR: =Lowers his hand again.= I TRUST YER KEEPIN' WWELL? AH. WWELL. ALL THINGS CONSIDERED.

MEULIN: -pulls her hand back and noms the fish bit instead.- YE...

MEULIN: I'M STILL ON THE PURROTEIN. MEULIN: -slyly peers at him and the mug. That sure is a smelly smell that smells smelly.- WHAT ARE YOU ON, THOUGH?

DUALSCAR: =Scrunches his nose and leans back in his chair, arms crossed.= I AIN'T "on" =Makes airquotes.= ANYTHIN'.

DUALSCAR: I'VVE HAD SOME TIME OFF, AS I'M SURE YE HAVVE NOTICED, AN' SO I DECIDED TA INDULGE IN A GLASS A WWINE OR TWWO YESTERDAY.

DUALSCAR: =Inclines his head to the mug.= THAT THERE WWAS A REMEDY A MY OWWN CREATION TA SOOTHE HEADACHES AN' WWHAT ELSE MIGHT COME FROM SUCH HIJINKS.

MEULIN: OOOOOO...

MEULIN: SO YOU GOT CRUNK. THAT'S COOL.

MEULIN: I KNEW YOU WERE A PURRTY ANIMAL.

MEULIN: -leans closer to get a better sniff at the mug- I THINK YOUR DRINK IS FUNKIER AT HEART THAN YOU, THOUGH, NOT GONNA LIE...

DUALSCAR: =Squints at her again. This time not because he's hungover.= I'VVE GOT WWHATNOWW.

DUALSCAR: =The mug smells of a great mixture of strong spices and a overabundance of ginger. Spinach? Coconut water? A faint hit of tomato juice and asparagus. It's a disgusting mess all together, honestly. Good thing he had already downed it all so Meulin was not getting the full effect.=

DUALSCAR: =Snort.= SO I'VVE BEEN TOLD.

UNCLE BRO: -Guess who's escaped yet again? This time he's wheeling in for some soup, nothing too crazy this time. Oh shit it's Tokyo Meu Meu and Shitty fish-

UNCLE BRO: -He's gonna get a bowl of chowder and wheel over-

DUALSCAR: =New phone who dis. But no, right. That's the Strider that got stabbed, wasn't it? He watches him out of the corner of his eye while he approaches.=

UNCLE BRO: -And you the lil bitch that punched my brother. He'll handle it when he's at least 80% again.- Sup

DUALSCAR: =""""Lil'""". Sure jan. Also he had it coming. He had it coming. He only had himself to blame. If you had been there, if you had seen it, I bet'cha you would have done the same.= DUALSCAR: =Formal nod towards Derek.= HELLO TA YE. DUALSCAR: =Raises a brow.= I WWAS NOT AWWARE THAT YE HAD BEEN RELEASED ALREADY. GLAD TA SEE YER UP AN' ABOUT.

UNCLE BRO: -Only he gets to punch his brother in the face for being an idiot.-

UNCLE BRO: I could only stay in that bed so long

UNCLE BRO: Looks like everyone is having a lovely lunch

DUALSCAR: 'COURSE. =Slow nod.= SURE YER EAGER TA GET BACK TA WWORK.

DUALSCAR: AN' THAT WWE ARE. =He is reluctant, but he can take a hint.= WWOULD YE LIKE TA JOIN US?

UNCLE BRO: Dont mind if i do -He scoots up, placing his bowl at the table and signing a "Sup Tokyo Meu Meu" to Meulin-

MEULIN: -EAR PERKING. She's been watching him all wide-eyed behind her shades, trying to process this whole thing. He's... okay?-

MEULIN: DAVE DAVE... MEULIN: HI...

UNCLE BRO: -Grins at her. He's in a wheelchair for now, but he's fine.-

MEULIN: -sets down her fish and leans over to nuzzle his shoulder affectionately. HE'S OKAY.-

UNCLE BRO: -Awwww, kitty. He pets her gently.-

UNCLE BRO: I havent really been updated on whats been happening

UNCLE BRO: Anything important i miss

WQ: =speedwalks in like she's on a mission!!=

WQ: =Her eyes scan the room before they LOCK on Davenforth (you can practically hear the beep...........beeep...beep, beep beepbeepbeep). She's going to take a page out of the Strider book and stride on over. On closer inspection, she appears slightly frazzled, and traces of wearyness are on her face.=

WQ: Good afternoon to you all. =Still has a dead eyed stare on Dave even as she addresses everyone.=

MEULIN: -prrr prrr....-

MEULIN: NO... NOT REALLY... -peers up at Qirin- HI...!

UNCLE BRO: -Clears his throat and scratches at the base of one of Meus horns-

WQ: Hello, Ms. Leijon. How have you been? =Yup. Still staring at Dave.=

UNCLE BRO: Hey rami -Don't make him go back, he'll go insane.-

WQ: Oh hey, Dave. I did not see you there. I was unaware that anyone authorized your release.

UNCLE BRO: Oh you know paperwork gets misplaced all the time -He's gonna keep petting this cat and acting like everything is all good-

UNCLE BRO: Want some chowder

MEULIN: -prrrrr...- (=^-ω-^=) MEULIN: I'M GUUUUD... -or at least she is now.-

WQ: The other departments, perhaps. The medical department runs 'a tight ship' if you catch my meaning.

WQ: =eyes the chowder=

WQ: ...

WQ: =begrudgingly= Yes, thank you.

UNCLE BRO: -Hands her the bowl-

WQ: ...

WQ: =squints at Dave, takes it, pulls out a chair, and sinks into it.= ... =Oh, no spoon? i guess im just gonna have to eat this with my hands, then.=

MEULIN: -she'd do it.-

UNCLE BRO: -He is petting a cat, he only has one hand free. She is handed a spoon shortly.-

WQ: =Ah, there you are, SPOON!= Thank you. =takes a couple very delicate bites, then seemingly rejuvenated, her head snaps to face Dave again.=

WQ: You do realize you are in a very delicate portion of the healing process. Though the outer layer of skin has healed, it isn't for certain if the deeper portions have, yet. =Takes another bite= Continuous movement can cause these unhealed areas to tear again and cause even more scar tissue to form. There is the potential for lasting discomfort in the area.

WQ: Best case scenario.

WQ: =stares at the spoonful before placing it quietly into her mouth= ^_^

UNCLE BRO: -He was very aware, his chest ached, almost burned constantly. He couldn't keep still though, there were things to do. He had things to accomplish. Even now he felt he was being smarter than usual.-

UNCLE BRO: You patched me up didnt you

UNCLE BRO: That means im fine

WQ: =she sobered a little at this= It was a joint effort between Mitzi, John and myself, in addition to most of the nurses.

WQ: It means you still have a lot of healing to do, and making a prison break once every twelve hours can reverse that effort.

UNCLE BRO: You cant exactly keep me locked up in there

UNCLE BRO: There are things i gotta do and take care of and i feel alright doing most of them

MEULIN: -chirps at him and sits up to give him a GAZE over her shades.-

UNCLE BRO: Sorry i aint down for staying in a room all day

MEULIN: YOU'RE JAIL BREAKING AND BREAKING YOUR HEALING BUTT???

MEULIN: DAVE DAVE NO.

UNCLE BRO: I aint breaking anything but the rules

MEULIN: YOU DON'T KNOOOOOW THAT.

MEULIN: WHAT WILL WE ALL DO IF YOUR BUTT IS BROKEN AGAIN?

MEULIN: WHO WILL PET ME?

MEULIN: (^./_.^)

UNCLE BRO: Derek probably

MEULIN: I DON'T WANT DEREK TO PET ME!

MEULIN: ... RIGHT NOW.

UNCLE BRO: -Scratches her head-

MEULIN: -puts paw on his face.-

UNCLE BRO: Why

MEULIN: -eat beans.-

UNCLE BRO: -Smooches beans-

MEULIN: -sqUEAK giggle-

WQ: Getting up on your own requires seven muscles, even more if you use your arms. Three of those are in the abdominal region.

WQ: We are "keeping you locked up in there" for your own wellbeing. Think of it as avoiding a longer stay in the future.

WQ: I do not understand why you are so insistent upon bringing yourself to closer potential for additional injury. =Frowns as she returns to eating. Albeit it is a concerned frown.=

MEULIN: -shoves sunglasses up her nose- YEAH. WHAT SHE SAID.

UNCLE BRO: Because fuck that

MEULIN: (^./_.^)ﾉ

WQ: =makes ene face=

WQ: What is your reasoning?

UNCLE BRO: Cant be tamed

MEULIN: SHUP MEOWLY CYRHISS.

WQ: =Dave is resurfacing memories of Qirin's wilder days. She will flip a table, dont think she won't.=

WQ: Do not tell me... It is the wallpaper. =She has found at least twenty someodd shapes in the flowery mess so far. There are at least two cats, a dog, a teapot, a syringe, a bicycle, a manta ray, a rat, and slipper, among other.s=

UNCLE BRO: We got things to do im bein careful theres too fucking much going on for me to be layin in a bed all fuckin day and thats that

MEULIN: YOU DON'T HAVE TO DO THEM YOURSELF. MEULIN: ESPECIALLY IF IT SENDS YOU RIGHT BACK. (=^･ｪ･^=)

UNCLE BRO: -Groans. His chest hurts. He's tired of this already.-

WQ: =Glances over at Meulin. You, miss, would make a good healthcare professional.=

WQ: I do not think anyone would blame you if you did. As you are resting. =Gives him a glanceover.= You are /supposed/ to be, anyhow.

WQ: It is not as though we are being unreasonable. You are not to do excessive movement for a reason, and that reason was a severe traumatic chest injury. =That means NO gym visitations, sparring, and heavy lifting for quite a while.=

WQ: If you want a change of scenery, in the very least ask someone for assistance. =blinks. LIKE ME FOR EXAMPLE YOU BUTT= I stress the importance of—

WQ: =brow furrows at the groan= Dave. Please.

UNCLE BRO: -Groans louder. He's an adult.-

WQ: =Puts down her spoon. And her plate. She can't tell if it is a groan of pain or a groan of exasperation. She will not chance it, though.=

WQ: Do you require medication?

WQ: =she brought your HORSE PILLS, Dave.=

UNCLE BRO: No i need my motherfucking freedom

WQ: =Quietly exhales that sigh of relief then checks her medbag= Unfortunately, we are all out of stock. I can put you on the waitlist, but that may take at least a month.

UNCLE BRO: Startin to think death would have been preferable -He's forty percent serious-

WQ: Taking things easy cannot possibly be that bad. =Time to continue turning this fuel into energy as she picks up her plate again. Looking at you with all the skeptical looks, Dave.=

UNCLE BRO: -He's quiet, pissed off, and petting a cat.-

WQ: =is that a pout? no...is that a sulk? Is he SULKING?=

WQ: I am sure we can come to a compromise and allow you fresh non-infirmary air. Informing staff you intend to leave your assigned hospital room would be a nice start.

UNCLE BRO: Or you could just release me

WQ: Do not make me put you on permanent bedrest, Dave.

WQ: Because I can.

WQ: And I will.

WQ: =look at her face. This srs bsnss face.=

UNCLE BRO: -He will literally metal gear solid out of here-