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thisdiscontentedwinter · 5 years

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Stella and the Wolf - Chapter 15

You can read it on AO3, or find the Tumblr Chapter index here.

The branches of the trees make strange shifting shadows on the surface of the road in the moonlight: lines and shapes that twist and move only to realign into something new. Stiles thinks of runes, of the pattern on the piece of bone that the nurse had and that Deaton snapped. Are the shapes the shadows make magic too? Is Stiles being engulfed in a constantly moving tide of spells and incantations, natural and random like the waves of the ocean? He feels like maybe he is—half under a spell and half drowning.

He’s dizzy, so dizzy, and his limbs feel weird and heavy, and they don’t move in the right ways.

There are monsters in the woods, he remembers suddenly, and wants to cry.

He needs to find Derek, to…

So that Derek can help him find Dad and Stella.

He’s not even sure how his brain makes that connection, but it’s there, and it’s about the only thing that feels solid right now. He presses a hand to the pocket of his pants, and wonders why he can’t feel the piece of bone that Stella found in Peter’s hospital room, and then he remembers these aren’t his usual pants, and that Deaton snapped the bone anyway.

The lines on the road look like the runes on the bone.

“Derek?” he calls, stumbling forward. “Derek!”

He loses the name on a ragged sob.

And then there’s light, and Stiles is dozy as a fat bumbling moth caught in its beam. He turns, squinting, and puts his hand out to steady himself but finds nothing except air.

He stumbles again, and this time someone catches him.

“Stilinski?”

Stiles squints up into a stupidly handsome face he’s always wanted to punch.

What… what the fuck is Jackson doing here?

***

Stiles gets blood and dirt all over the back seat of Jackson’s fancy silver Porsche. Lydia is with him, dabbing his face worriedly with something gauzy and a little bit stiff. Like a scarf or something? But a pretty glittery scarf girls wear with formal dresses. There’s probably a special name for it, but Stiles can’t remember it now.

Lydia looks like a princess. He tries to tell her this, and the words come out wrong.

“You need to go to the hospital,” Lydia says.

“No.” Stiles bats her hand away. “Derek.”

“Stilinski,” Jackson says. “What the fuck happened to your dad’s car?” Like, Stiles is the one with the concussion, but even he knows that’s the wrong question to be asking. Jackson should be asking what happened to Stiles’s dad, shouldn’t he?

Lydia’s eyes are wide with worry.

She gets it.

She knows.

“I need Derek,” Stiles manages. “Derek will find my Dad and Stella.”

Lydia’s short, sharp intake of breath is the loudest sound in the world.

Jackson starts the Porsche, and they continue on into the woods.

***

The old Hale house is a ruin. A skeleton. The bones are there, but it’s a dead thing. The moonlight shines down on the charred walls. It looks like something out of a horror movie. And it is, Stiles thinks. It’s Derek’s horror movie. His burned down house with his sister’s grave out the back. All his ghosts and nightmares must come from here, made all the more monstrous because at one time this house must have been beautiful. And at one time it must have been filled with the laugher of the people that Derek loved.

There’s a black SUV parked out the front of the house. Why does everyone in this town drive black SUVs anyway? And there’s a man standing there, dressed in black, and he looks like he’s had the absolute shit kicked out of him. There’s blood on his face, and he’s gripping his side like he’s holding the pieces together.

Stiles knows how he feels.

It’s Chris Argent, Allison’s dad.

“What the fuck?” Jackson asks in a low voice. “Is he a werewolf too?”

Jesus. Jackson really hasn’t got any fucking idea, has he? He really shouldn’t have come out here tonight—Stiles told him not to—but at the same time it’s good that he ignored Stiles so that Stiles didn’t collapse in a heap on the road a half mile back.

Stiles stumbles out of the car, Lydia and Jackson following.

“Where are they?” Stiles wavers, and puts a bloody hand on the hood of the Porsche to steady himself. “Where are they?”

He’s not even sure who he means. Derek and Peter, or Dad and Stella?

“Did you kill them?” he demands, staggering closer to Argent. “Where are they?”

Chris Argent catches his gaze and holds it. “Gone,” he says, his voice rasping like sandpaper, and there’s a good chance he’s as physically fucked up right now as Stiles. “They got away.”

Stiles hears a low whining noise. It takes a moment to realize it’s coming from him.

“Stiles,” Chris Argent says. “What happened to you?”

Stiles blinks slowly. “Mrs. Phillips did.”

Mrs. Phillips is six hundred years old and lives on Telegraph Road. This is all her fault, actually, because she always calls the police if she thinks kids are going down to the old Hale house at night to “make trouble”, by which she means smoke weed and have sex or anything else that Republican Jesus would disapprove of. Stiles is pretty sure that Mrs. Phillips is glued to her TV most of the time, but god help anyone who tries to drive into the private road leading to the old Hale house during a commercial.

A whole fucking vendetta of werewolves and hunters going on for years out of sight of the police, and some old woman running her own personal Neighborhood Watch in Jeopardy ad breaks accidentally blows the whole thing wide open.

Like, how is this even real life?

Everything comes down to chance though, doesn’t it? Chance and dumb luck. There aren’t any rules. The universe is nothing but chaos, a maelstrom, and anyone can get swept away at any second. Stiles knows that better than most.

He’s drowning right now, isn’t he?

“Stiles,” Chris Argent says again, and steps forward.

And that’s when Stiles hears the growl. It’s close. It’s loud.

He turns around, Lydia catching his elbow before he faceplants, and sees the animal stepping out of the trees into the moonlight.

It’s a wolf. It’s huge, and it’s coming right towards Stiles.

And then it’s shifting, changing, and it’s a man, and Stiles’s scant composure shatters when he sees the moonlight hit the angles and planes of that familiar face, and he stumbles forward, tears running down his face.

“Derek!”

It’s a cry of both relief and heartbreak.

Because Derek is here, and Derek and alive, but Dad and Stella are gone.

“Derek!”

He staggers, stumbles again, and Derek catches him as he falls.

***

“Wake up, Stiles,” Derek tells him softly. “Open your eyes.”

Derek is framed in starlight.

Stiles blinks up at him. His head hurts a little less than it did before, and it feels a little clearer. Derek’s hand is cradling the back of Stiles’s neck, his fingers rubbing the soft bristles of his hair. It feels nice. Stiles feels fuzzy again, but not in a nauseous way.

Clearly some time has passed, because Derek is wearing pants now. Which is kind of a shame, and also kind of weird, because they’re BHHS lacrosse sweats, and they might have come out of the trunk of Jackson’s Porsche.

Lydia and Jackson are standing close by, and Chris Argent is kneeling beside Stiles and Derek, a first aid kit open.

Stiles flinches at the smell of an antiseptic wipe a fraction before it touches his face. It’s wet and clammy and it stinks.

Also, Derek is growling again, a low, rumbling sound as Chris Argent touches Stiles.

“Someone took Dad and Stella,” Stiles says. “They were leaving from here. They hit Dad’s cruiser.”

Derek’s gaze fixes on Chris Argent. He grinds out, “Kate.”

Chris Argent’s mouth presses into a thin line.

“What happened though?” Stiles asks. “Peter… he was coming to get you. We tracked Scott’s phone and it said you were here. How did she get away if Peter was coming to get you?”

The Alpha’s a fucking killing machine, with the body count to prove it.

“He got away,” Derek says, and another laden gaze passes between him and Chris Argent. “He was going to kill her, but Chris got in the way.”

They’re on first name terms? Weird.

“I saved your life, you mean,” Chris Argent snaps right back.

“You saved hers.”

“I told you. I don’t want any bloodshed.” Chris Argent shakes his head. “He’s feral.”

Derek’s eyes flash, but he doesn’t argue the point.

Also, fuck Chris Argent. Because if he doesn’t want any bloodshed, he’s about six years too late to the party, isn’t he?

“He needs putting down,” Chris Argent says. “He killed your sister, didn’t he?”

Derek’s fingers twitch against the back of Stiles’s neck but he doesn’t flinch. “That’s pack business, not yours.”

“Killed your sister,” Stiles echoes faintly, squinting at the shifting branches in the trees, lit from behind by moonlight.

Shapes, lines, runes.

And then the entire Preserve seems to hold its breath, as a man steps through the trees at the edge of the clearing. Even in silhouette, there’s no mistaking his swagger. No mistaking the way a predator moves.

Lydia gasps, gripping Jackson’s hand tightly.

Chris Argent drops the antiseptic wipe and reaches for the firearm in his thigh holster.

Derek growls lowly and leans over Stiles, shielding him, his claws out.

And Peter Hale moves closer.

Stiles blinks, and sees the runes again.

Hears the snap of Deaton breaking the thin piece of bone.

Remembers Laura Hale’s body, buried here, or at least the clean-cut torso, her gravesite circled in wolfsbane.

And just like that the pattern makes sense. Laura never fit because Laura didn’t belong.

“Peter didn’t kill Laura,” he says. “The nurse did. If Peter had killed her, she would have had been torn apart, not cut. If Peter had killed her, the nurse wouldn’t have needed that magic token to make sure the Alpha spark went to him.”

Derek’s eyes are wide. His bare chest expands rapidly as he pulls in a sharp breath. He stares at Peter as though he’s seeing him for the first time. As though his world had flipped.

Stiles’s reaches for Derek’s free hand, and squeezes it. He opens his mouth and says something he never thought he would: “Peter’s not the bad guy here.”

Peter moves into the moonlight. There’s blood on his clothes. His claws are extended.

“Clever boy,” he says, his voice low. “I knew you were.”

“Yeah.” Stiles struggles to sit up, Derek helping him. “Kate couldn’t get to you in the hospital because of the nurse, right? Because she had some mojo that was keeping you on a sort leash—pardon the expression—and it was also keeping hunters away. She’s the one who killed Laura, because she wanted an Alpha attack dog, and she already had you in her control.”

Peter tilts his head. “Wolves should never be chained, Stiles. We don’t like it.”

He’s still at least ninety percent unhinged sociopath, Stiles figures, but Stella was right about him, wasn’t she? She and Stiles aren’t on his murder to-do list. It’s more comforting that it should be, but screw that. Why shouldn’t Stiles have a killer on his side? A killer might be exactly what it takes.

And—the last piece of the puzzle slots together for him—it’s because of Peter that Kate took Dad and Stella anyway.

“You said Kate tried to take me as bait,” he says. “But you were wrong.”

The look on Peter’s face—half curious, half scornful—tells Stiles he doesn’t hear that very often.

Stiles pushes on. “It’s not Derek she wants. Well, she did, but only to get to you. And now she’s got Stella and my dad.”

“She has Stella?” Peter’s lip draws back, showing his fangs. His eyes flash red.

Derek’s hand is warm on the back of Stiles’s neck.

The murder in Peter’s gaze is even warmer.

#my fics #sterek #Stella and the Wolf #discontentedwinter

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stupidinspadesconstantine · 6 years

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Continued from here:

For @vulptexvenator and @riphunterrp. John and John discuss Rip and Rip.

John felt a pang of guilt as he watched Rip swiftly leave the room, and then the other Rip followed him. He was about to make to go after him when he felt a hand on his good arm, and there was his counterpart.

“Best leave that pair for the moment. I recognise the look your boyfriend just got on his face, and the two of them have some serious brooding to do if I’m any judge. Besides, I know that arm hurts like hell. I know my own tells.”

The fox shifter let out a sigh, and shook his head. He turned his attention back to the problem at hand. He’d made the painkilling recipe far too much lately. It had been the only way of helping to ease Rip’s pain when he’d been poisoned, and John had made it every day for him.

“You’re going to need basil, sage, shepherd’s purse, willow bark, foxglove and feverfew. Then you’ll want to add...”

The other John showed him the contents of the bowl, and half the ingredients were already there. He nodded, a little impressed.

“Yeah, that.”

“No willow bark, but aspirin should do and digitalis for the foxgloves. Rip keeps a well stocked med bay. I’ll need to grab my bag for the last few bits. Boil it up in milk, right? Then mumble the Hippocrates Incantation over it?” asked his double.

“Right, which is nothing to do with Hippocrates...”

“... but starts “primum non nocere”.”

“And now we’re finishing each other’s sentences...”

“Yeah, well, it makes sense we’d at least think a bit alike. My day isn’t complete without a good dose of weird, and alternate universe versions of myself definitely come under that. Give me a sec, I’ll grab my bag and some milk from the galley.”

The other him disappeared for a few minutes, and came back with a leather bag and a bottle of milk. He began pulling out ingredients. John watched with some fascination.

“So, you and your Rip,” he asked. “You’re not together?”

The other John laughed. “No, just friends. I’m not even sure he’s interested in blokes. He’s definitely not looking for a relationship right now. There’s too much pain in those eyes for him to be moving on yet. I admit he’s pretty cute though. If he was on the market, I wouldn’t kick him out of bed.”

“You’re kidding me, he’s god damn gorgeous! His nose is sodding adorable, and those cheek bones are perfection,” said John, with a touch of indignant pride.

Other John laughed again, as he mixed ingredients. “Yeah, yeah, you picked a looker.”

“There wasn’t a lot of picking. He was my best friend long before we got together. We’re not even sure when our anniversary is. I go with the first kiss, he prefers to count the day we bought the double bed. We usually celebrate both to save arguments.”

He smiled. Arguing about when they’d actually got together was the kind of thing he didn’t mind some playful squabbling over.

“Why the long face earlier then? You two couldn’t keep your hands off each other until Rip mentioned his dead family. I’m guessing he hit a nerve.”

John let out a sigh and he watched the other him find a Bunsen burner and start heating up a crucible with the milk and other ingredients in it.

“Rip, my Rip, he’s never wanted kids. I hadn’t really thought about it until he asked me to marry him...”

“He asked you to marry him...?! Wait, can we just stop there. Rip Hunter is marrying John Constantine?” The other John was laughing again.

“Yeah, like I said, we’ve been together a long time. I’d have asked him if he hadn’t got there first.”

“I’m definitely not the marrying kind,” said the other John in explanation of his amusement. “So he didn’t want kids and you do, right?”

John nodded. “I get the impression you and I both had screwed up childhoods. Dad was a bastard, and I used to go to Rip and his Mum when things got bad.”

“Lucky you. All I had was Cheryl and she left as soon as she could. I blamed her for that for years. But like I said, I turned to magic to escape. Unfortunately that had its own consequences, but it did turn me into the distinguished warlock that you see before you today.”

John raised his eyes. “Right you are, mate. Anyway, there was my screwed childhood, and then there was this kid in Newcastle...”

His double stiffened. “Astra. You had an Astra?”

“Yeah, she was murdered. Fifteen years ago now. You too?”

John shook his head. “Nothing so clean and neat as murder. Astra was dragged to hell by a demon I summoned to fight another demon. Death would have been a mercy, but I will save her, and those demons know their days are numbered.”

John frowned. He hadn’t thought that there could have been anything worse than finding Astra’s dead body, but apparently he had been wrong.

“I’d never considered that I had it easy,” he said.

Other John decanted off the boiled herb and milk mixture into a beaker, and turned down the Bunsen burner.

“Not easy, never that when there’s a dead body at your feet, just different,” said the double. He intoned the spell required for activating the mixture, and handed it over. “Drink up.”

John did as he was told. Painkillers were comfort to his brain. He’d lost count of how many times Mary had made them for him when he was a kid. Often she didn’t ask if he needed them, she’d just pushed the mug of milk in his direction. She could tell when he was hurting without needing to ask, and John had been too proud to request them half the time. Of course now the mixture had also developed an association with Rip’s illness that wasn’t quite as pleasant.

“So you wanted to fix your mistakes. I’m going to get Astra out of hell, you wanted to adopt a kid to make up for the fact Astra was murdered.”

“I was right there... I knew her old man was a toerag of the worst sort. I even persuaded her not to run away because I knew what happened to kids that ended up on the streets...”

“Nothing good,” agreed the other John. “I’d have said the same if it was me.”

“Right, because you’ve seen it. I should have been able to save her...” He handed back the beaker to the other John. He could feel it was working and the break was hurting less already. “All I wanted was to save one kid, give them the life that Astra and I never got. And I was angry with Rip when he couldn’t give me what I wanted. I didn’t want to admit that even to myself, because I love that man more than life itself and I don’t want to hurt him. And he isn’t a selfish bloke. He’s loving and caring, he’d probably be great at being a parent if he’d give it a try. It hadn’t even occurred to me he wouldn’t be up for the idea of adopting. We had a massive fight, both of us threatened to leave at various points, and I gave up any idea of ever having a kid, because I didn’t want to leave him. My choice. But it’s something that’ll always be there between us now, so I’m still not sure it was the right decision. I keep wondering if Rip would be happier without me, because I just represent guilt for him now.”

“And then my Rip drops the little bombshell that he had a family, including a son,” said the other John.

“Yeah, your Rip... It’s weird. It doesn’t make any difference. I don’t want Rip to change, and it’s not like I’d ever want to swap him for yours, they’re so different... But it’s like looking at what could have been, if things had been different maybe he would have decided to adopt with me, and it brings all the hurt back to the surface.”

John rested his head on his hand, the one that wasn’t encumbered by a splint. The other John dumped his clothes on the end of the couch.

“Can’t say I’ve ever thought one way or the other about having kids, but then I’ve never found the right person to have them with. And in my line of work, they’d just be something else for my enemies to use against me. It’s probably better that I never had any of my own.”

“Yeah, we’re the wrong way around. You’re the one my Rip would want.” He sighed, because really it would be so much easier if he’d had that attitude to the entire thing, if he didn’t care so much.

The other John looked at him. “Come on, you’re me, and even I’m not that stupid. Or blind. We may look the same, but we’re not, and I’m not the one he’s in love with. He didn’t put a blanket around my shoulders now did he?”

John began to dress, pulling on his boxers and trousers. He raised his eyebrows at the comment. “Maybe not, but I don’t think he’s very happy with me right now.”

“Yeah, well, screw Rip bloody Hunter, both of them. He isn’t always right about everything. You probably both just need a moment. Anyway, get your keks on and I’ll take you to the bridge, and you can kiss and make up. If we’re lucky we might even manage to make my Rip blush a little, and then we can raid his spirits cabinet.” His counterpart grinned.

He couldn’t help but grin back. Rip was adorable when he blushed, and John would love a drink.

It was then that a loud thud reverberated through the hull of the ship. A second louder one followed it.

“Bollocks!” both Johns exclaimed in unison.

#vulptexvenator #riphunterrp #v: caught in the undertow #t: crossover #and that's what's going on whilst the Rips talk on the bridge #also the bad guy finally arrived #foxfic #fanfic

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everyonesomething · 7 years

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Session Eighteen

Capridi: "So is it time for a road trip?"

Edith Runekill: "Guess so."

Malkas: "Yep. Unless we can scrape together money for a flight."

Pepper: "We'll probably have better luck than the train trips we've had."

Edith Runekill: "Unless we run into the dreaded highway kraken."

Capridi: "What, did you hijack the trains or something?"

Pepper: "We only took over that one because the engineer got brain-jacked out the window."

Sydney Gaydos: "We then drove it into a Kraken."

Pepper: "We got on the news and everything."

Malkas: "Fewer Krakens on the road."

Edith Runekill: "Don't forget the last train, with the manticores."

Pepper shudders.

Malkas: "Oh, I remember the manticore."

I completely forgot to mention last session that Capridi is a full new party member and is played by Sewbro! Oops! I suck!

In this session we learn some valuable information. Then we teach someone a lesson. Then we do some more learning.

This write-up is pretty hefty because we got a lot of RP done.

The set-up: We're off to the Baldur's Gate museum for a history lesson on our lich buddy.

The Game: It's a somewhat relaxing morning back at the hotel, considering all of everything that happened to us the day before. Mal and Edith enjoy a nice breakfast in bed—Edith still feels awful about how things shook out between her and Grim—Mal reassures her she didn't do anything wrong. Syd and Pepper have their own conversation about how things shook out between Grim and the rest of the group—Syd is determined to have all her gumshoes get along, darn it.

Sydney Gaydos: "Hm." Thoughtful look. "Gaydos... understands the need to do one's job. So she knows where Grim is coming from. But on the other claw our newest Gumshoe didn't do anything."

Pepper: "She didn't do anything to us anyway. Except the whole 'kept us from not dying' thing."

Sydney Gaydos: "Rightly so. So conflict is very sure to arise. This is why Gaydos did this--" from her coat next to the bed as she's still in her pjs, Sydney pulls out her notebook. "--she wrote down a few ideas to better create harmony within our group."

Pepper tries to peer at the notebook--why are you so tall. "Anything good?"

Capridi lets out a jovial "GOOD MORNING" to Grim. She can't resist poking the bear.

Pepper: "'Don't shoot each other' better be high on that list."

Edith Runekill starts doing her makeup but she's very distracted and keeps on having to fix her eyeliner after she messes it up approximately 700 times.

Grim: "Mornin'."

Edith Runekill puts on a dignified dark grey dress with a white collar. She doesn't have a hat to wear. :C

Sydney Gaydos bends down and shows Pepper a few pages. "First, we will introduce ourselves and talk about who we are as people. This is Step 1 of The Great Detective Gaydos' Plan for Great Gumshoe Getting-Along."

Grim and Cap are waiting for us in the lobby, they're keeping a healthy distance from one another. For good reason, probably. We collect everyone in the hotel lobby and make our way to the museum—Edith and Mal are hoping someone will have information on where Szass Tam might keep a phylactery or at least some idea of his motivation. He had been a high-profile public figure some centuries back, but then he disappeared from the historical record before showing up again the other week at the Fair.

An employee at the museum—Morvayn—greets us and starts talking shop with Edith. Their best guess is Szass Tam had been trapped under Thay, a city known for a large network of magical ley lines running through and under its foundations. The people in charge of Thay are wary of letting strangers dig around the city, so information is hard to come by. It's an outside chance, but if we could convince them Szass Tam is back, they might let us in to do some exploration.

Morvayn also suggests we stop by Prastuil University before going to Thay—it has a large library and more information about Thay in general than where we are currently. It's a long trip, Prastuil is far to the southeast, through Plaguewrought Land and past the Underchasm, assuming we don't want to drive through the middle of a desert to get there instead. Grim is concerned we don't have time for such a detour, but Edith assures her it will be worthwhile. Information on Szass Tam is hard to come by and any little thing could help.

Morvayn then takes us to the divination office to get our scry on.

Katalina Winemi'zer: "Do ya haff somethin' of the Liss's for me to focus on?"

Pepper: "I got a real bad first impression of him from when we met."

Katalina Winemi'zer looks at the bewildered faces.

Edith Runekill looks down, embarrassed. "No. We never got close enough to him"

Katalina Winemi'zer: "Is fine, is fine. I can do this without."

"Everyone hold hands pleass."

Malkas: "Why are your hands so sticky, Sydney?"

Edith Runekill gives Mal's hand a li'l squeeze.

Capridi sighs and holds out her hands for Edith and Pepper to hold onto

Malkas squeezes back. Saps.

Pepper makes a big show of wiping her hand off before taking Capridi's

Grim just takes people's hands jeez

Sydney Gaydos: "... oranges." She says simply.

Malkas: "Fair enough."

She scries for us a nice view of the lich flying the car, unfortunately there's few clues to be had since he's in the middle of the air. Edith manages to spot a blue shimmering reflection in the undercarriage as if he's over a body of water, but it's anyone's guess which body it could be. Our vision is cut short when he detects us and dispels the scry, leaving us with more questions than anything else but we do our best to puzzle through it.

Edith Runekill: "It could be the Sea of Fallen Stars?"

"If he kept heading east after he was through in Secomber."

Malkas: "But it could be the Sea of Swords. There's plenty of magical stuff left on the Moonshae Islands."

Pepper frowns. "I don't see what business he'd have going to the Sea of Swords."

Edith Runekill: "If he were trying to get somewhere else up or down the coast without attracting attention by flying over populated areas, maybe."

Edith Runekill: "Back to Waterdeep or Neverwinter. Further south to Velen or Tehtyr. North to Luskan or wherever."

"But-- I dunno. Heading east seems more plausible."

Grim: "He won't backtrack."

"He's looking for new sights. Doubt he'd waste his time."

Edith Runekill: "Yeah. But Secomber was a detour, remember? He might have had other business along the coast."

Edith Runekill: "I feel like eventually he's gonna be headed to Thay. But he's obviously got things he needs to square away first."

"Gathering resources for a takeover? Retrieving things he'd stowed away? I dunno."

Malkas: "Maybe he wants to have a tropical island vacation in Chult."

Grim: "So we call around, learn if there's been any sightings round the coasts."

Pepper crosses her arms. "I mean. There's a lot of elvish magic crap at Moonshae but there's also a lot of Baelnorn. And it just took one to keep him away from Candlekeep right? I mean. If he was ever even going to Candlekeep in the first place."

Grim glances at Pepper, mildly surprised for a split second

Edith Runekill: "Yeah. Maybe check the foreign papers, too. See if there's any news of unexplained disasters or mayhem."

"Hm, that's right, though. Tharnis seemed very confident about being able to hold Tam off, or keep him confined if he'd walked into the trap set for him."

Malkas: "Okay, well. I think we should continue on to Prastuil, unless we get word of Tam somewhere."

Edith Runekill: "Yeah."

Our course of action stays the same, we're heading to Prastuil and then further on to Thay. But first—shopping. Edith gets to work enchanting a wizard hat so she won't lose it after the next monster fight, Syd looks over gifts, and Grim, Mal, and Pepper scope out the local Army Surplus store.

Mal and Grim chit-chat a bit about Syd—she's a different sort of paladin than the holy-rolling assholes they're used to. While they're talking, they spot some suspicious merchandise in the store's display cases: bits of animals and humanoids of questionable legality. Pepper calls Mal over to look at some tacky hats

Pepper lets out a stifled laugh at a hat with an Elvish phrase on it.

Malkas: "What?"

Pepper: "It uh. It wouldn't really translate too well."

Pepper: "It's completely filthy though."

Pepper turns the hat around in her hands, obviously desperate to buy it, but puts it back. "I'm pretty sure you'd get kicked out of like EVERYWHERE if you wore that in public."

Malkas: "Just get it."

Pepper: "We'd never see Edith again."

Grim, meanwhile, stays to strike up a deal with the shop owner.

Grim: "That goblin hand genuine?"

Grim definitely says gen-yew-wine

Helia (GM): "Oh yeah. Got it off a gerblin trader."

"I bought it from 'im, already severed."

Grim nods and studies the case, sucking on her cigarette, then gestures at it

Grim: "How 'bout them hydra fangs?."

Helia (GM): "Can't reveal my sources on that one."

Grim: "Uh-huh."

Helia (GM): "You with the guard?"

Grim: "Shit no."

Grim looks at him

Grim: "I look like a guard to you?"

Helia (GM): The dwarf shrugs.

Grim: "You in the market for trophies, say I had a line on some unusual game?"

Helia (GM): "Maybe. Depends."

Grim: "Here's how it is. I'm a bounty hunter by trade, come into contact with a lot of...real exotic types."

Grim: "Once in a while, a perp don't make it home all in one. You know what I'm saying?"

Helia (GM): "Why don't you give me some more details about what you got a line on, eh?"

Grim regards the dwarf for a moment, then reaches into her pack and pulls out a couple of wanted notes. Specifically, Mal's and Capridi's.

Helia (GM): The dwarf examines them.

Grim: "So happens I'm, uh, travellin' with a couple folk right now as might have some interest to you."

Helia (GM): "Hm. That's a weird lookin' Dragonborn..."

Grim: "Never seen one the like've her," Grim mutters back."Pelt like a sheep, but tougher'n leather."

Helia (GM): "Hm..."

He writes a number down on the back of Malkas's bounty paper.

(2500 gp)

Grim: "Whole package, or horns 'n tail?"

Helia (GM): "Both, an' the Dragonborn."

Grim: "Shit, you gouge your clients almost as bad as your merch."

Grim straightens up and raises her voice along with her rifle

Grim: "Hey Malkas? This sorry sonovabitch just offered to buy your hide."

Malkas: "... What?!"

"... For how much?!"

Pepper: "Uh."

Grim: "2500, you an' Capridi both."

Helia (GM): "Your pal here offered to sell it!"

Malkas: "That's not nearly enough!"

Grim: "What d'you reckon on our doing with a rotten ass poacher?"

Pepper squints her eyes shut and rubs the bridge of her nose.

Malkas: "Uh... We're legally allowed to beat the hell out of him, I think?"

Grim: "That's about what I wanted to hear."

There's a minor scuffle with the shopkeeper pulling a rifle on us, but Pepper deftly panics and knocks a rack of merchandise onto his head as she dives for cover under a table. Mal and Grim only got shot a little bit. Pepper's not too happy with the turn of events, but thanks to the Baldur's Gate laws of “finders, keepers” she scores a free lewd hat out of the deal.

Success! And it only took up most of the morning!

Later that afternoon, Pepper spies Edith on the street. Mal's gone off to run an errand and she's looking for a place for lunch so she invites Pepper along into a local diner. Edith orders a burger while Pepper can't resist ordering the mushroom and spider-meat stew. Edith shows off the darkvision goggles she picked up for the road trip that might come in handy, Pepper seems to have spent her time thinking about what she's going to eat.

Edith gets in to the philosophy of the different schools of magic—she was drawn to Evocation because of the inherent excitement, but she's always admired the ways wizards can be useful with magic, even if it's less flashy.

Edith Runekill: "See, now, I went into wizardry for the excitement of it, which is why I ended up majoring in Evocation even though my school's so famous for useful schools of agricultural magic like transmutation or enchantment."

"But wizards who do useful stuff are so, so important? They're the reason Plaguewrought Land isn't so wrought with plague these days."

"Maybe I was just selfish..."

"Or too fascinated by setting things on fire."

"Both, probably."

Pepper: "Seems like being into something useful just gave my mom an unhealthy obsession with legumes."

"Which--and I'm still trying to puzzle this one out--leads to setting a lot of fires in its own right."

Edith Runekill laughs. "Well, we all got our specialties."

Edith Runekill: "Legumes and fire?"

Edith Runekill considers this.

Edith Runekill: "Culinary magic?"

Pepper eats another sugar cube and sips some coffee. "Got that in one."

Edith Runekill dumps like three sugar cubes into her coffee cup.

Edith Runekill adds an amount of cream perhaps best characterized as "too much"

Pepper says nothing to the massacre in a cup happening across the table and digs around in her soup for more legs.

Edith Runekill: "Always wanted to try something cooked up by a culinary wizard. But it won't happen with what I make as an assistant curator. Or at least not if I want to pay both rent and eat for the rest of the week."

The topic then naturally turns to family, we'll be driving straight through Plaguewrought Land where Edith's from. She's not looking forward to going back home, but she feels obligated to do so, though Pepper doesn't see it that way. At best, Edith anticipates a lot of farm chores to which Pepper jokes it's a good thing they have Grim along. Which just gives Edith something else to fret over—she's still trying to see how she could have handled the Cap situation differently, but she's at a complete loss.

Edith Runekill: "Yeah. You SEE that look she gave me? Her tone of voice when she talked to me? And. Like. I GET it, since-- like-- catching bounties and bringing lawbreakers to justice and stuff is her THING, but... but I can't really APOLOGIZE since... since she really was wrong there? That really wasn't the right thing to do?"

"But it's even more messy because like now I know WHY I care so much about what she thinks of me????????"

Pepper spoons some pie onto Edith's plate. "Settle down, it's not like she hates you. Or even dislikes you."

Edith Runekill drops a french fry in surprise. "She... doesn't?"

Edith Runekill: "I... I figured I'd burnt my bridges...?"

"Making friends with her at all was so hard... worth it, but it was hard..."

Pepper: "She doesn't strike me as the type to hang around people she doesn't like."

Edith Runekill: "Well. I mean. We all got a job to do, here..."

"And it's important to me, and it's important to HER, too, which is why how she handled things with Capridi burns my butter so much?"

"Capridi helped us NOT DIE so we can CATCH THE LICH and isn't that more important than jaywalking in High Imasker or whatever?"

"Everything's all mixed up with everything else and I'm just flying in like six different directions at once."

Pepper: "I think she's just got different priorities. She just spent 20 minutes by herself getting a shopkeep to admit to blackmarket bodyparts trafficking instead of, oh, calling the police."

"Like, if it's a law problem she can fix she just goes for it?"

Edith Runekill: "Well. That's good detective work, at least."

"And-- like-- I get that. I live by a code too, even if-- as I'm learning-- it's a pretty different one. It's just. Like. The Lich is breaking any number of worse laws in worse ways? Shouldn't we be triageing our priorities a bit? Or at least sorting things out before just shooting people?"

Pepper: "Well sure, but if you think about it, we were heading to the police station anyway, so we didn't really waste much time--" she trails off, catching Edith's expression. "I mean, it was a crummy thing to do, don't get me wrong."

Edith Runekill: "Yeah..."

Pepper scratches her chin. "But I think she's just used to doing things her own way. She doesn't seem the type to do a lot of uh, group activities, anyway."

Edith Runekill: "Yeah, that too. Which is maybe why she didn't realize that between all of us there were way better ways to keep Capridi form bolting before we got everything worked out."

Pepper: "I mean, it's hard to get used to working with a group if you've been alone for awhile." Her face flushes and she shoves a forkful of pie into her mouth. "'At's just wha' I fink, 'nyway," she mumbles.

Edith Runekill: "I guess so."

Pepper then does her best to reassure Edith that unexpected crushes aren't the end of the world and you can even still be friends and coworkers with a crush. Pepper also starts to come to terms with the fact that she's been a complete ass.

Pepper clinks her mug to Edith's, which is weird because Edith's mug is sitting on the table. "At least you figured it out with a girl you LIKE, and not one that keeps hiding your shoes at camp."

Edith Runekill: "I guess," Edith says, sounding a bit unconvinced. "Sure makes things complicated though. Also, hiding your shoes sounds pretty mean and I'm sorry somebody did that."

Pepper: "Joke's on her, I got to go home a week early because of it." She laughs, but her brow's a bit furrowed.

"Anyway. It's not complicated so much as. Hm. Wrinkled? You can pal around with someone you've got a crush on, y'know."

Edith Runekill: "You... can?"

Pepper: "I think modern society would crumble if that weren't the case."

Edith Runekill looks thoughtful as she contemplates the mysteries of modern society.

Pepper: "I mean, you work with so many people one of them's bound to've had a thing for you and kept it to themself," she says, eating another sugar cube.

Edith Runekill: "Leave some of the those cubes for me," Edith says, as she absentmindedly puts another one in her cup of coffee. Then: "Wait, really? On li'l ol' me?"

Pepper: "I guess I am taking it on faith there's more than one person out there who'd be interested in you."

Pepper pauses. "That was mean. Was that mean? That was mean."

Edith Runekill: "That... that was kind of mean. Sorry."

Pepper: "Right." She nods and eats a too-large bite of bread.

Edith Runekill: "Well. Thanks for realizing it and saying something, anyway. You... you've been nice to me, these past few days."

Pepper rubs her chin. "Yeah, I sorta had you pegged wrong from the start. I thought--" she trails off and rubs at her chin like there's a smudge she's trying to get rid of.

Pepper: "Well, nevermind what I thought."

Pepper tries to paint Edith a picture, anyway: To her, Edith was a stone-cold hardass willing to tangle with a lich and then hunt down some muggers for street justice. Edith gets upset remembering the showdown in the alley, it's something she's been avoiding thinking about. In doing so, though, she realizes that maybe she shouldn't keep these things to herself—that it's better to talk about what's bothering her. Pepper agrees, it's no good to keep your troubles bottled up inside.

On that note, Pepper asks if there really is a chance the lich is headed over the Sea of Swords—it turns out her parents live in the Moonshae Isles, just off the coast that way. Edith doesn't think it's likely, she agrees the baelnorn in the area would keep Szass Tam away and going by history, he's much more interested in the Eastern part of the world. Still, Pepper says she'll let the group know if her parents have anything lich-related to say the next time she calls them.

Pepper: "Fingers crossed pops doesn't bring up skeletons next time I call home, then."

Edith Runekill: "Or he does but it's just the friendly baelnorn next door." She smiles, but then a guilty look flickers over her face. "Wait, you been calling home? I... I haven't since the Secomber thing..."

Pepper flushes and looks up at the ceiling. "Well. Y'know. Not like EVERY day. Just every few. If I have something to say."

Edith Runekill: "Ah..." Edith wrings her hands, anxiously. "I... I know I ought to call more often, but I don't... I don't think they'd be all right with how dangerous what I'm doing is. They aren't even thrilled about me living in Neverwinter, or the little expeditions me and Mal go on, or... well, Mal at all, really. Ma was really mad,,, or-- or really worried, maybe-- when I called her during the Secomber thing. But. But if we're headed in their direction?"

"I... I guess I GOTTA call?"

Pepper: "Edith, I call my folks because I like to. You don't gotta if just thinking about it gives you a peptic episode."

Edith Runekill: "Ah..."

"Well, I still probably oughta call before we just show up unannounced. Even if that would actually be pretty funny, come to think of it."

They finish up their meal and head out. +1 to social bonding between Pepper and Edith achieved!

Edith meets up with Mal who gives her a present: a bracelet with 5 enchanted charms. Each charm can summon a different party member to Edith—useful if we get separated during the trip. A very thoughtful gift! Mal's such a good boy.

They talk about the upcoming trip, Mal is understandably nervous about visiting Edith's parents at their home. They've never been too keen on him in the past—the word “half-breed” may have come up a time or two—but it's important to Edith that she stops in. She tries to reassure Mal that things will go as smooth as possible, she's positive her parents will come around on him.

Edith Runekill: "They like you better than my high school boyfriend. Low bar, I know, but..."

Malkas: "Ha, really?"

"What did he do?"

Edith Runekill: "Tried to elope at the age of 18."

Malkas: "Wh-What!"

"You ... What?!"

Edith Runekill: "He wanted us to get married and run off together right after high school. And I'm standing there with an acceptance letter to PA&M like, what? I think he was just trying to save the relationship before I went away..."

"And. You know. My parents 100% had my back on that. They want me to marry a nice local boy, but, sweet Auril, not like that."

Malkas: "Not at eighteen, no matter how thick-necked and tow-headed he was?"

Edith Runekill: "Yeah. And not when I had a future ahead of me. Of course, turns out the future they imagined and the future I imagined were pretty different."

Malkas: "Fewer ravenous monsters in their future?"

Edith Runekill: "But at the time they were proud of me for going away to college. But I reckon they counted me on coming back with a degree in agricultural magic and ideas about how to modernize the farm. And not... well, all the things I found that've made life worth living."

Malkas: "Edi, you're gonna make me blush."

They head back to the hotel and the scene fades to black.

Ahem.

After waiting a polite amount of time, Grim—who had been in her room when Mal and Edith got back to the hotel—goes to pay Edith a visit. Edith is noticeably flustered to greet Grim while wearing a bathrobe, but it's not as if she's the type to pretend she didn't hear the knock at the door.

Edith Runekill opens the door. She's wearing a fuzzy hotel bathrobe, and her generally carefully-styled hair is in disarray. She has an obvious hickey on her neck; she tugs on the collar of the robe in a vain attempt to try to cover it up.

Edith Runekill: "Oh... Grim! When did you get back?"

Grim looks at her

Grim: "Bout an hour back."

"Don't mean to interrupt."

Edith Runekill: "Um... an hour, huh. Um."

Edith Runekill sweats.

Edith Runekill is having a waking nightmare.

Edith Runekill: "Um. Anyway! What can I do for you?"

Grim: "Wondered when y'all reckon on leaving. Ain't heard from none've the others."

Grim is just as completely :| as ever

Edith Runekill: "Oh! Um."

"Sometime this afternoon, depending on how long it takes for everyone else to finish getting things together."

"I've already done all the shopping I needed so... I guess... I can get ready whenever?"

Grim shrugs

Grim: "Ain't out to put a rush on the two've you." She glances across Edith's shoulder for a split second, then back at her.

"Only wonderin' is all. Got no feel for the temperature round here lately."

Edith apologizes for accidentally disregarding Grim's feelings back at the library and the museum; she feels like she took the reins on where the group should go and what they should do without taking Grim's views into account. Grim doesn't seem too upset, Edith is more equipped at dealing with libraries and museums than she is.

Edith emphasizes she thinks Grim is an important member of the group, Grim in turn tells her not to be upset if they're at odds occasionally—it's not a bad thing that Edith stood by her convictions in the library about Capridi.

Grim: "You ain't gotta like me, Edith. Or agree with half what I do. I got no place to ask that from anyone. Don't make no difference to my bein' here to see this through."

"Truth be told, I reckon it's the mark of a good person. When your conscience won't lay flat on what you see just 'cause it'd be a whole lot easier."

Grim shrugs gently

Grim: "I ain't one to do what's easy. And you ain't neither. Don't mean we always gotta agree on the right way."

Edith Runekill nods.

Edith Runekill: "Yeah..."

Grim: "I don't want you thinkin' I'm a good person, or a smart person, or the kind you gotta tear yourself in two to please. Just so long as you do what comes right to you, I got no quarrel."

Edith Runekill looks visibly relieved. Even though she's standing there in nothing but a bathrobe, with a hickey, and a look that sort of evokes the 17th century fashion concept of "romantic negligence".

Edith Runekill: "I do think you're good, though, and smart. I think I can still think that about you, even if I don't always agree with you."

Grim snorts softly

Grim: "Guess I talked myself out've arguin' you on that one."

Edith Runekill smiles a bit for the first time in this whole conversation.

Edith Runekill: "Guess you did."

Grim eyes her, considering her words again

Grim: "Didn't reckon on you carin' for me, for as much as you ever did. Ought've been different to you if I realised."

Grim isn't exactly apologising but she looks vaguely abashed

Edith Runekill blushes, and looks away. "Guess it was obvious to everyone but me."

Grim 's brow furrows

Grim: "It was, huh?"

"Didn't figure on it myself 'til I heard it out've your mouth last night."

Edith Runekill: "Ah..."

Look at these two.

But, now that it's all out in the open, Edith is a lot more comfortable with things and the situation has more or less resolved itself. They come to a mutual agreement that Edith can just say what's on her mind next time, rather than keeping it all to herself.

They chat a bit about going back to Edith's hometown—Grim seems to be the only one vaguely encouraging about her making the trip.

Edith Runekill: "I dunno. I been thinking a lot about how... how dangerous this thing we're doing is. We might not come back from it. So... so I guess I don't want to regret having missed what turned out to be my last chance to see home again."

Grim takes this in and nods, eyeing her cigarette

Grim: "You got folks there, too. For good or bad, there's a place that made you."

"I got no answer for it, all I know is it's somethin' that don't stop being true. No matter how far you go."

Edith Runekill nods. "I might spend my days in dusty tombs or overgrown temples or stuffy museum offices. But Plaguewrought Land is still in my bones, Auril's ice is in my blood, and that'll be true until the day I die."

Grim: "It's somethin' I like about you Runekill. You got feet that know the ground, hands that know the soil. Ain't met so many magic types that way."

"Ain't nobody else where you are now who came by the roads you did."

Edith Runekill nods again.

Edith Runekill: "Maybe getting back there for a bit really will do me some good. Or at least it'll be a chance to see my nieces and nephews again..."

Grim: "Worst comes to worst, you got a half decent right hook these days."

These two, I swear to God.

And with that, bridges are mostly mended and we're ready to be crammed in a car together for hours at a time. Good luck to us all.

#previously on #summary #neverwinter 1933

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gulescamisade · 7 years

Text

New York: Day 17, Trickster Party

RUFIOH: -even being indoors was making him restless. Rufioh emerges from the safety of the hotel rooms, breathing out. Interestingly, the cold isn't biting at his skin but then... even while he was living on Avalon, it wasn't. Just an interesting thing as he stuffs his hands into his pockets. Trudging thru the snow.-

KANKRI: -It would seem Rufioh wasnt the only one feeling antsy, however after all that has been happening Kankri feels it is a reasonable uncomfortable sensation. He had even for the time being stopped checking the message board, if only to save himself from worrying about things he did not really have any control of right now.-

KANKRI: -He was actually returning from a brief walk when he saw Rufioh exit out of the hotel and he has to do a double take because didnt Rufioh drop off the face of the uu and go to be a farmer or something??-

[The town seems to have an unusual kind of energy today. Some kind of... sweet scent rising in the air. No one seems to be outdoors, marching around brandishing weapons, but all of the buildings are lit up with lights. ESPECIALLY the candy shop. It's been closed ever since they got into town, sure, but now it's practically lit up like a christmas tree-- BRIGHT SHOWLIGHTS showcasing dozens of kinds of candies. CHOCOLATES AND JAWBREAKERS AND SKITTLES AND EVERYTHING UNDER THE RAINBOW.]

ROSE: -She's standing just outside it, looking in through the window with her arms folded. OBVIOUSLY CURIOUS-

KANKRI: -Bright lights AND rufioh?? This is getting weird fast.-

RUFIOH: -No... that's not... well. It's not like Ruf kept in contact with Kankri of all people. It's easy for him to catch sight of him and fix him with a shrewd look. For some reason he hadn't made the connection that Kankri would be here too.-

RUFIOH: ...

RUFIOH: -Before he can bother trying to shoot a greeting to him, he is immediately distracted by the bright lights of the shop. And Rose standing by the shop. With an nimble flap of his wings, he lands next to her.- uh. hey, rose.

RUFIOH: long t1me, no see.

KANKRI: -WOW. Okay well hes going to go stand on the other side of Rose, and not because he's being petty but because yeah this is actually strange and hes curious too.- This st9re has n9t 9nce 6een active 9nce since we have g9tten here...right?

RUFIOH: -kind of mesmerizing... he gazes.-

JOHN: huh. they sure are feeling festive.

RUFIOH: ............ -where the fuck did John come from.-

ROSE: No.

JOHN: -PHASED INTO EXISTENCE BEHINDT HEM. jk. or not???-

RUFIOH: -Don't...-

KANKRI: -From the creation of joy in the universe thats where.-

JOHN: -aww........-

KANKRI: Then this is a little 6it strange.

KANKRI: Als9 hell9 J9hn.... And Rufi9h. -Still inspecting the store front.-

ROSE: Perhaps.

ROSE: ...

RUFIOH: hey. -He can be petty too.-

ROSE: I don't suppose you're curious.

Because I am.

KANKRI: En9ugh t9 g9 inside?

ROSE: Yes.

ROSE: But probably not alone.

KANKRI: Hm. Frankly I am hesitent t9 d9 s9.

RUFIOH: anybody got cash cuz... 1'm out.

JOHN: i'll heroically sacrifice myelf to the cause. and i'll even be the official taste tester if there is actual candy inside. -wink-

KANKRI: Did y9u c9me t9 ask f9r m9ney?

JOHN: -snort- kankri that's rude.

JOHN: -he's laughing tho-

KANKRI: Its a genuine questi9n.

JOHN: -what a penis-

KANKRI: -But John dont worry for once he is intending to be one.-

RUFIOH: }:/ RUFIOH: can't walk 1nto a candy shop w1th no money, dogg.

ROSE: And we are in canada.

KANKRI: 9h I think y9u certainly can, y9u w9uld just n9t 6e leaving with anything.

ROSE: I have managed to find one single coin of canadian currency.

ROSE: It is called a Loonie.

ROSE: I find it bizarre and unsettling.

JOHN: can i see? -hovers-

ROSE: -Holds up the shiny coin in two fingers.-

RUFIOH: a loon1e... RUFIOH: -also swishes a horn, opting to NOT discuss this with Kankri.-

JOHN: :O -ooooooh.-

KANKRI: - BI -

ROSE: Here.

ROSE: -HANDS IT OVER TO JOHN-

ROSE: Please don't drop it.

JOHN: wouldn't dream of it! what do you take me for? -rolls it into his sleeve-

RUFIOH: buy yourself someth1ng n1ce, yo. -aww. This is cute.-

KANKRI: -Turns to peep at it with John since Rufioh wont answer his question.-

JOHN: hey, i'll share. or maybe they use the barter system.

JOHN: -come to think of it how have they even been staying here with no money...-

RUFIOH: -Ask the adults probably.-

RUFIOH: -wait, we're adults...-

JOHN: soooooo....are you guys coming or what? we're loitering.

KANKRI: -More or less.-

KANKRI: I still d9 n9t kn9w if I wh9ly trust any place 9n this planet.

KANKRI: I am s9rry if any9ne takes 9ffense t9 that.

JOHN: -sighs- nah. it's okay. i have to admit, they really let the place go.

JOHN: -just walks into the shop-

KANKRI: -John no.- KANKRI: -Hhhhh, he hesitates to go in but he doesnt want him to go in there alone.-

KANKRI: -Deep breath and hes trailing Johns heels like the pathetic worrier he is.-

RUFIOH: -This is the gayest thing he's ever seen in his life. And he's Rufioh.-

RUFIOH: -keeps hands in his pockets and waits back, just in case Rose wants to go first.-

KANKRI: -Rufioh you cannot judge.-

---

[For the most part, the "LEGAL HUNTERS" have been offering hospitality, if suspicion. Especially with their story of escaping from Flavor Town. It's meager living, sure, but they're helping, so long as the group continues to hunt for their own food and doesn't ask too many questions or attract too much attention. They're a lot more willing to part with necessities like water and a place to sleep than they are anything else, after all. ]

[IT SMELLS SWEET IN THE STORE, regardless. And it's bright! Much brighter than anywhere else in town has been. Everything's been pretty dismal and dark, what with the snow rolling in in waves, but this place is bright and lit and a practical BOMBARDMENT OF COLOR. The candy is extravagantly expensive, worth a whole ASSTON OF LOONIES PER QUARTER POUND, but there's a giant taffy pull, a soda station, ice cream... really, almost anything you could imagine in this deceptively large building, ]

[There is also a clerk. Dressed in pink and white candystripe pants with an apron and paper hat, with a grin from ear to ear. They look pretty heavy, and... human-like? They don't have horns, but most of the other details of their appearance seem ambiguous. Not like looking at a mannequin, no, but it's pretty hard to retain even the slightest memory of this person's general... anything.]

[Aside from the demeanor. The demeanor is FRIENDLY.]

CLERK: :D

KANKRI: -Well at least they seem friendly.-

RUFIOH: -Awww.... he bets Emilet would like a treat from this place. Damn. Rufioh will be careful of his horns in case he swoops by a display.-

RUFIOH: ...sup. -raises hand to the clerk.- sorry to barge 1n outta nowhere.

CLERK: Ha ha! Everyone comes from somewhere! And it's just the right day for a barge! Consider me a harbor, in fact!

JOHN: -he has so many questions, but the most pressing at the moment...is ASSTON a real unit of measurement? and if so, how many Loonies in an ASSTON?-

JOHN: hi there!

JOHN: -he's kind of salivating???-

CLERK: Hi there, son! What can I get for ya?

KANKRI: -John please.-

RUFIOH: -Yeah... this much candy proximity is really distracting.-

KANKRI: -Although this is quite this display, he will give it that.-

KANKRI: Y9u have an extensive c9llecti9n 9f c9nfecti9nary items here.

CLERK: Well, it's a candy store, don'cha know!

JOHN: uh yeah well. nice place you got here.

ROSE: Yes.

ROSE: It is certainly...

ROSE: Colorful.

JOHN: what could we get this for this? -SMOOTHLY PLACES HIS SINGLE, SOLITARY LOONIE ON THE COUNTER.-

JOHN: -nothing but confidnece, folks-

KANKRI: -So smooth..-

JOHN: -sparkles-

CLERK: -LEANS OVER AT THE COIN... peers at it. PICKS IT UP AND BITES IT.-

KANKRI: -Isnt that unsanitary.-

CLERK: Well, I can tell ya that this here is a legitimate piece of currency, yessir!

CLERK: Tell ya what, you seem like nice kids.

CLERK: -he reaches over the counter... and pulls out one of those LARGE SWIRL LOLLIPOPS.-

CLERK: -He holds it out, RIGHT TO JOHN-

JOHN: wow thanks! that's generous of you. C: -his eyes get... VERY big. he's magnetically drawn to it. IT'S SO COLORFUL.-

RUFIOH: -Bruh... Also mesmerized by the swirly colors.-

KANKRI: -Man he just has an odd feeling about this he cant shake but on the other hand thats really actually pretty generous of the clerk, maybe they are a nice guy after all.-

JOHN: well if you guys don't mind my cooties i'll totally share. -kind of distracted now. he wants this in his mouth like NOW.-

RUFIOH: -Lmao. Snrks.- clerk's got swag, 1 th1nk.

KANKRI: I w9nt say swag 6ut I d9 think that it is really nice 9f y9u, mr...?

JOHN: -he can't wait another minuite, he's gonna LICK IT.-

[it tastes...]

[OVERWHELMINGLY SWEET]

[ 🍭]

[Sweetness invades his senses. SWEETNESS IS EVERYTHING.]

JOHN: -!!!!!!! OH SHIT. this is the best thing he's ever tasted. touched heard? felt? just kinda goes quiet as all the colors in the store go all MARIO STAR POWER on him. He even hears the music.-

CLERK: Ha ha! Please leave the premesis.

JOHN: -THESE COLORS SMELL DELICIOUS!!!!-

RUFIOH: um................... -Oh my g od.-

RUFIOH: -backing away slowly before BOLTING OUT THE DOOR.-

KANKRI: ...? Wait what? -Looks back at John for a moment and then goes wall eyed.-

RUFIOH: -FUCK THIS SHIT BYE.-

KANKRI: -FUCK.-

KANKRI: -IS THIS WHAT HE THINKS IT IS.-

JOHN: -he doesn't really realize it but he has started YELLING, losing all conception of an inside voice- HAHAHA WOW!!!! CANADIANS REALLY KNOW A THING OR TWO ABOUT CANDY, I GOTTA SAY. THIS IS THE LEGIT FLAVORTOWN!!! HAHAHAHHAHA!!!

ROSE: -STEPS BACK-

ROSE: Oh.

ROSE: I see.

JOHN: ROSE ROSE!!! YOU GOTTA TRY THIS!!!

KANKRI: -Steps back with her but isnt fleeing like Rufioh.-

KANKRI: R9se, d9 n9t try it.

KANKRI: D9 n9t d9 it, d9 n9t g9 near it, I am n9t even certain y9u sh9uld g9 near J9hn at this p9int.

JOHN: WHAT THE HECKITY, DON'T GO NEAR ME? BUT ALL I WANT TO BE IS NEAR YOU.

JOHN: I LOVE THE TWO OF YOU SO MUCH!!! I CAN BARELY CONTAIN IT.!!!

JOHN: -phases out of existence.-

KANKRI: -HHHH NO.-

KANKRI: That.

KANKRI: That is very sweet 6ut als9 J9hn I think y9u really need t9--

KANKRI: -Where did he go..-

JOHN: - I GUESS YOU COULD SAY HE'S GONE...WITH THE WIND.-

ROSE: I'm... not...

KANKRI: -WHY DOES THIS HAPPEN.-

KANKRI: UM. -Hes turning around and scanning for any sign of his rail, this is a nightmare.-

ROSE: -She's gonna slowly back out of the store.-

RUFIOH: -Outside the shop, Rufioh is flying OUTTIE. He saw this happen last time and it was HORRIFYING. Never again!!!!!!!!!!!!!!-

RUFIOH: -rapidly typing something with his comm.-

JOHN: -POPS! right in front of rufioh- NOT SO FAST, BUDDY! BATTERRRRRRR UPPPPP!!!

JOHN: -HE'S SWINGING THE LOLLIPOP RIGHT AT HIM.-

KANKRI: -Hears Johns voice and he is bolting outside the godforsaken shop.-

ROSE: -She's sitll not much more than MILDLY PERTURBED BY THIS.- ROSE: You seem to have some understanding of this.

ROSE: As a thing that's happening.

JOHN: -His appearance has changed somewhat.-

JOHN: http://static.tumblr.com/e4acae9096a43fe04e7d2ef3de8e0637/kfbxgjb/eydn4clnm/tumblr_static_emvxq80dwfcoocksos0cogg.gif

RUFIOH: -freezes in the air, fumbling and then dropping his communictor as John bat swings the whole lollipop at his face. He keel spins in the air with a holler... at least until the spinning colors fill his vision and everything feels and tastes PIXIE STICK ROCKIN'.- johnnnnnnNOOOOOOOOOOOHYEAH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

JOHN: -thumbs up- geeEEEEEEEET DUNKED ON!

ROSE: o-o

KANKRI: 9nly s9mewhat...

KANKRI: If I am c9rrect in my assumpti9n s9mething like this t99k place while we were still 9n Aval9n, its like an 9ut6reak 9f a temp9rary disease 9r drug. I had the... unpleasant misf9rtune 9f 6eing c9ntaminated with it. It is n9t lethal I think, h9wever I will n9t say its n9t destructive 9r danger9us c9nsidering I came 9ut 9f the high c9vered in 6ruises fr9m 6ein sh9t with a p9wer h9se and--.........

KANKRI: 9h dear.

RUFIOH: -The next time the other two see Rufioh, his vest is lit up with a rows and rows of flashing pixie stick candy and the grin is wide on his face. He flies but has no need to flap his wings. He flaps them anyway, spreading SPARKLING SUGAR EVERYWHERE.- WHAT'S UP, DOGGS!!!!!!!!!!

ROSE: ...I--

ROSE: Should we do something about this?

ROSE:

ROSE: Did the hose actually work?

KANKRI: -He is covering his nose and mouth with his hands to keep the dust out of his lungs just in case.-

KANKRI: -Looks at Rose and shakes his head, his voice coming out muffled.- (N9 it didnt.)

KANKRI: (I had t9 wait until it left my system.)

ROSE: Oh.

RUFIOH: -bounces to the beat of some music, summoning up a giant candy sword.- HEY YA'LL LOOK A L1L FUCK1NG GLOOMY DOWN THERE!!! WHAT G1VES??? THE N1GHT'S YOUNG AND 1 TH1NK 1T'S T1ME WE CELEBRATE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! }8D

ROSE: -She holds up her hand, just in case. A TINY SPARK FIZZLES OUT OF IT. Nothing, still. Crap.-

ROSE: Hngh.

JOHN: -POPS IN RIGHT BESIDE ROSE.-

KANKRI: -Rufioh no please.-

JOHN: I COULDN'T AGREE MORE, BUDDY!!!! A FRIEND DOESN'T LET A FRIEND STAY DOWN IN THE DUMPS. THIS PLANET MAY BE FUCKED BEYOND ALL RECOGNITION, BUT IT DOESN'T MEAN WE CAN'T HAVE A GOOD OLD TIME! ROSE! YOU LOOK MORE BEAUTIFUL THAN EVER! THAT HAIR! THOSE EYES! OH GOOD GRAVY! OH MY STARS AND GARTERS! YOU'RE SUCH A SPECIAL GAL. SUCH A FRIEND!!!

ROSE: Please stand still.

RUFIOH: -swooping down to crack the candy sword clean in half over Kankri's head.- YEAH BO1!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

ROSE: I am trying to work majyyks upon you.

ROSE: Nhgh.

JOHN: BUT HOW CAN YOU WORK YOUR MAGIC...WHEN YOU ALREADY HAVE ME UNDER YOUR SPELL??? -POPS ALL AROUND HER, CACKLING.-

ROSE: How are you doing that????

KANKRI: -He turns to look at the suddenly appeared John and had lowered his hands to say something when suddenly fucking Rufioh comes in and cracks the sword over his head and not only does that SMART but when he inhales a gasp of shock hes taking in the cloud of pixi dust that explodes from the broken sugar weapon.-

JOHN: -APPEARS RIGHT NEXT TO HIM, TO CATCH HIM IN HIS ARMS.-

JOHN: -BUT HE SPINS HIM A LITTLE, LIKE THEY'RE DANCING.-

ROSE: -She's not entirely sure whether or not she should yell for help. MAYBE SHE SHOULD.-

KANKRI: -Coughing in a thick cloud of sugar dust but before it even fades his wheezing is turning into giggles. His wardrobe has had a complete color change, his hair is green, and is littered with chalky candy hearts with various #warnings on them.-

KANKRI: -And who?? Spin ME??-

RUFIOH: LOL LOL LOL. THAT WAS WAY TOO FUCK1NG EASY DOGG!!! I LOVE 1T WHEN YOU MAKE SH1T EASY FOR ME! }8D RUFIOH: KANKS, MY MAN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! LET'S GET CRUNK!!!!!

JOHN: WHO ELSE??? :DDDD -DIPS HIM-

KANKRI: -OH WELL THIS IS JUST LOVELY, He is spun and poses with his leg out when dipped.- HEH99!

KANKRI: 9H MY I TH9UGHT ID NEVER FEEL LIKE THIS AGAIN.

JOHN: WHAT A SILLY QUESTION! IT'S EASY! LIKE EVERYTHING IS EASY RIGHT NOW.

KANKRI: -Turns head to Rufioh.- CRUNKED Y9U SAY, RUFI9H??

JOHN: YOU JUST NEED TO ACCEPT WHAT YOU CAN'T CHANGE AND BECOME THE CHAOS!!!!

RUFIOH: -pumps his arms and spins in the air, wings tucked close to him.- CRUNK'S THE WORD THE VERB OF THE N1GHT!!!!!! A1N'T NOTH1NG HOLD1N' ME BACK NOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

KANKRI: I W9ULD 6E M9RE THEN WILLING T9 D9 S9 WITH Y9U 6UT 9NLY IF J9HN MAY J9IN AS WELL!

ROSE: That is certainly a philosophy that has very little to do with the candy on your head, yes.

KANKRI: 9H!! -Dramatic two hand gasp.- AND R9SE T99!

KANKRI: -360 degree spin in Johns arms to stare right at her.-

KANKRI: -8D-

ROSE: ...

ROSE: I don't like that someone just said my name.

RUFIOH: ROSE 1S BOSS!!!!! HAVE YOU SEEN HER DO ANYTH1NG, DOGG???

KANKRI: YES THAT WAS ME I SAID Y9UR NAME, R9SE.

ROSE: This is growing increasingly worrying.

JOHN: ROSSSSSSSEEEEEEEE. YOU'RE SO GREAT!!! I JUST WANT YOU TO BE HAPPY AND SAFE.

JOHN: FOR A MILLION BAJILLION YEARS!!!

KANKRI: ALS9 YES RUFI9H, SHE IS INDEED THE 69SS! MY 69SS EVEN HAHA. SHE IS S9 PATIENT AND PUTS UP WITH MY C9NSTANT INC9MPITENCE SHE IS S9 W9NDERFUL.

JOHN: -SPIN ATTACKS KANKRI INTO RUFIOH'S ARMS AND GOES TO EMBRACE ROSE IN HIS TID.- YAHOOO!

ROSE: HRK.

ROSE: -SHE IS CRUSHED.-

KANKRI: -WOOP there him go Hi Rufioh-

KANKRI: -Crashes into him-

ROSE: CAN YOU. PERHAPS.

JOHN: SO GOOD. SO PRECIOUS.

ROSE: PUT ME DOWN?????

JOHN: IF I MUST!!! I'D DO ANYTHING FOR YOU!!!

KANKRI: -Also pulls out his comm device feeling the notifications of Rose's posts.- 999H!

KANKRI: R9SE Y9U ARE 6RILIANT AS ALWAYS YES EVERY9NE SH9ULD KN9W A69UT WHAT IS TAKING PLACE RIGHT N9W, QUICK RUFI9H W9ULD Y9U PLEASE D9 ME THE H9N9R 9F TAKING VISUAL D9CUMENTATI9N WITH ME HEEHEE.

JOHN: WHAT A GREAT IDEA!!! -FLIPS OUT HIS OWN PHONE FOR SELFIE MAGIC! - SAY CHEESE, MISS LALONDE!!!

ROSE: -SHE IS STILL KINDA CRUSHED HERE THOUGH. PLEASE SAVE HER FROM THESE BOYS-

ROSE: -MAKES THE SIGN FOR 'HELP'-

RUFIOH: -hups Kankri up in his arms.- DUDE, 1 WOULD DO ANYTH1NG FOR YOU!!!!! WHY DON'T YOU JUST CH1LL 1N ONE ARM AND 1'LL USE THE OTHER FOR BANGARANG1N' SELF1ES, BRO???? HAVE YOU NOT1CED 1'VE BEEN WORK1NG OUT??????????

JOHN: -GIVES HER A BIG FAT SMOOCH ON THE HEAD, BUT HE HAS ALSO RELEASED HER. fortunately he's got the attention span of a lemur on aderall.-

MEULIN: -hiding in the bushes.... but then LEAPS OUT to tackle Rose-

MEULIN: ... -HOW CONVENIENT HE ALREADY LET HER GO. GREAT. NOW SHE'S JUST. TACKLING HER AWAY FOR NO REASON.-

ROSE: -She falls from John's arms... ONLY TO IMMEDIATELY GET TACKLED AWAY FROM MEULIN.-

KANKRI: -Settles in his arms.- WHY YES I HAVE ACTUALLY!! -feels the muscle with his free hand.- VERY IMPRESSIVE! KANKRI: ALS9 HERE KINDLY USE MY DEVICE! -hands it to him.-

ROSE: -WHEEZES MORE.-

ROSE: -she's gone limp and accepted her fate.-

ROSE: ...Hi Meulin.

MEULIN: -ROLLS, and tries to scoop Rose up- RUUUNNN!

RUFIOH: 1 GOT YOU MAN!!!!!! -holds the device up and snaps a sweet selfie.- }8D

ROSE: -She is carried, limply, like luggage.-

MEULIN: 😤

ROSE: I see you have some experience with this too.

MEULIN: NOPE!!!!

KANKRI: -YES take all the selfies.-

ROSE: I am incredibly weirded out.

ROSE: ... ROSE: Please keep carrying me.

MEULIN: YOU CAT IT!

JOHN: -SQUEEZES BETWEEN RUFIOH AND KANKRI AND STICKS OUT HIS TONGUE-

KANKRI: PERFECT! MAY I HAVE THE PH9NE 6ACK S9 I MAY-- J9HN!! -Smooches the humans cheek.-

RUFIOH: HAHAHAHA, WOAH! THREE DUDES AND A CAMERA! SEEN ENOUGH HENTA1 TO KNOW WHERE TH1S 1S GO1N'!!!!! -laughing.- YA'LL ARE FUCK1NG ADORABLE!!!!!

JOHN: HOO HOO!!! FUCK YEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEESSS!!! SHOWER ME IN KISSES!!!

MEULIN: ε=ε=ε=ヾ(э^・ｪ・^)э -dives into snowy bushes and tucks them both down-

ROSE: -wheezes.-

ROSE: Thanks.

ROSE: I, um.

ROSE: According to Kankri?

ROSE: We have to just...

ROSE: Wait it out.

ROSE: It's some kind of magic.

ROSE: He said drug, but I'm sure this is magic.

JOHN: I WANT TO BATHE IN THE GLOW OF FREE AND LOVING MALE AFFECTION!!!

RUFIOH: THAT'S THE WAY TO GO, DUDE!!!!!!!!!!!! 1T'S GREAT, 1SN'T 1T???????????

JOHN: IT'S SO!!!

KANKRI: RUFI9H THAT IS A VERY VULGAR T9PIC T9 INTR9DUCE T9 THIS SU6JECT, AS HANDS9ME AND W9NDERFUL J9HN IS I W9ULD NEVER DREAM 9F ENGAGING IN SUCH ACTIVITIES WITH MY M9IRAIL. KISSES WILL SUFFICE JUST FINE! -Peppers john's face in them. please take a picture of this.-

JOHN: L I B E R A T I N G!!!!

MEULIN: IT LOOKS PRETTY MURRGICAL...

MEULIN: BUT WHAT THE HELL IS IT? (=ΦェΦ)

ROSE: -wait god damn it-

ROSE: -She actually leans up a lil-

ROSE: (I refuse to believe these are the circumstances John is coming out.)

JOHN: -MAKES THE DIAMOND SIGN IN SOME OFTHE SELFIES.-

RUFIOH: -snap snap snap 📸- };D };D };D

MEULIN: COMING OUT OF WHAT?

KANKRI: -Hate to break it to you rose but john has been gay for some time.-

KANKRI: -Reaches for his comm now.- THANK Y9U S9 MUCH RUFI9H!

ROSE: Nothing.

ROSE: Forget it.

KANKRI: I THINK EVERY9NE SH9ULD GET T9 SEE THE GL9RI9US SIGHT 9F 9UR THREE WAY AFFECTI9NS HEE H99!

ROSE: ...I suppose we just live here now...

RUFIOH: HEY KANKR1!!!! YOU KNOW WHAT 1 HEAR??? 1 HEAR...................................

RUFIOH: A FR1END. }833 -sprouts a little anime cat ear headband up at his horns.-

MEULIN: YEP. -nestles into the snow... she doesn't need this-

JOHN: COULDN'T HAVE SAID IT BETTER MYSELF KANKS!!! MY LOVE FOR YOU IS PURE AND UNAFFECTED BY LUST!!! BUT NOTHING COULD BETTER SERVE TO DISTRACT ME FROM THE DEAD AS DOORNAILS LOVE OF MY LIFE THAN EXPLORING THE UNCESSARILY TANGLED AND COMPLICATED JUNGLES OF HUMAN SEXUALITY!!!

KANKRI: -Wait on his horns or your horns.-

JOHN: I MEAN REALLY, WHAT A TRIP!!!!

MEULIN: BUT IT'S NICE TO SPEND THIS CLAWLITY TIME WITH YOU, ROSE.

ROSE: If that's what you'd like to call this.

ROSE: ...Wow, that sounded kind of mean.

RUFIOH: -On his own horns, obviously. And now he has cosplay piddy paws on his hands. Shit's getting mega furry up in here.- THE Y1FFEN1NG 1S FUCK1NG NYA-GH, BRO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

KANKRI: 9H J9HN I AM S9 T9UCHED I C9ULD CRY!! IN FACT I MIGHT 6E RIGHT N9W IF IT WASNT F9R MY C9MPLETE INA6ILITY WHEN I AM S9 G9SH DARN HAPPY THANKS T9 THE UNG9DLY SUGAR C9URSING THR9UGH MY VEINS.

KANKRI: I T99 L9VE Y9U S9 DEARLY.

MEULIN: IT IS WHAT I AM CALLING IT IN ORDER TO BE IN DENYAAL. (´⊙ω⊙)

ROSE: Without the circumstance of mind-bending sweets, it would be unambiguously nice, sure.

KANKRI: -Rufioh give him his comm device back before you become a furry.-

JOHN: DUDE YOU LOOK SO CUTE!!!

RUFIOH: -puts the comm back in his butt pocket.- };33 HELL FUCK1NG YEAH 1 LOOK KAWA11 AS SH1T!!!!!!!!!!

MEULIN: ... DID SOMEONE JUST SAY YIFF?

JOHN: THAT ANIME BULLSHIT HAS ME LIKE...!!!

MEULIN: MY GLASSES ARE GETTING REALLY CONFUSED RIGHT NOW. -pulls them off and wipes at the lenses-

MEULIN: (^･ｪ･^)ﾉ⌐■-■

KANKRI: -Rufioh oh my-

KANKRI: THANK Y9U F9R RETURNING MY DEVICES, I D9NT EVEN MIND THAT Y9U JUST T9UCHED ME.

KANKRI: ALS9 RUFI9H I AM S9 GLAD Y9U ARE ACTUALLY HERE, I CANT 6ELEIVE Y9U WERE G9NE F9R S9 L9NG H9W DID ANY 9F US SURVIVE.

JOHN: RUFIOH I HAVE TO BE HONEST, MY FRIEND AND PAL I HAVE NO IDEA WHY YOU HAVEN'T BEEN AROUND ALL THIS TIME, NOR WHERE YOU CAME FROM. BUT PRETENDING LIKE I KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON IS SO FUCKING STUPID. I'VE DECIDED TO EMBRACE THE CHAOS! HAHAHAHHAHA!!!

ROSE: :T

RUFIOH: THAT'S HOW 1 FEEL TOO BRO!!! D1D YOU KNOW 1T WAS DR1V1NG ME BATSH1T NOT KNOW1NG 1F YOU WERE OKAY??? EVEN 1F 1 WANT TO PUNCH YOU 1N THE GODDAMN FACE! MAYBE ESPEC1ALLY!!!! BUT HEY! HOLD THAT THOUGHT! -the shape of him dissolves in the air... until he shows up behind Meulin in all his anime candy catboy glory.- }833

MEULIN: -OBLIVIOUS. She's working on these lenses.-

ROSE: I don't know if you can read this, but it's probably true. It is all probably terrifyingly true.

RUFIOH: };33 -at Rose.-

ROSE: ...

ROSE: Oh.

ROSE: You see us.

ROSE: -SHIFTS... BACKWARDS...-

MEULIN: -slides shades back on- DO WHAT?

KANKRI: MY TH9UGHT SHALL INDEED 6E HELD! -he calls out after the vanishing Rufioh and clings to John 83-

RUFIOH: 1 SEEEEEEEEEE YOU, MEU MEU. -spreads paw beans in saccharine disposition.- }8D

JOHN: DANCE WITH ME BUDDY! WE'LL DANCE TO THE RESPECTIVE MUSIC IN OUR HEADS!

KANKRI: HE IS S9 L9VELY, EVEN F9R A TR9LL WH9 ATTEMPTED T9 MURDER THE EQUIVILENT 9F MY STEP FATHER, I AM S9 GLAD HE IS HERE AND 6ACK.

JOHN: OH IS THAT WHAT HAPPENED??????????????????????????? RIGHT!!!!

ROSE: ...

JOHN: I REMEMBER NOW!!!

ROSE: Hey, um.

ROSE: Run.

MEULIN: .... FURK. -SCURRIES under the bush and liquids beneath it-

JOHN: EVEN THOUGH I FUCKING HATE DAVENFORTH FOR BEATING THE SHIT OUT OF DAVESPRITE I DON'T KNOW IF HE DESERVED TO BE STABBED! STILL! I REMEMBER HOW BAD I FELT FOR RUFIOH AND EVERYONE IN THAT SITUATION!!! I DID MY BEST TO ENSURE HE'D BE WELL TAKEN CARE OF!!! BUT IT SEEMS HE'S DOING FINE AND DANDY THESE DAYS!!!

JOHN: LOOKS LIKE EVERYTHING WORKED OUT FOR EVERYONE! WHAT A JOY!!!

KANKRI: YES! IT IS WHAT HAPPENED, AND HE AND I ALS9 ENGAGED IN C9UNTLESS FIGHTS WHERE I AM QUITE CERTAIN HE WISHED ME PHYSICAL HARM DEPSITE US 6EING NEAR 6EST FRIENDS F9R A TIME UNTIL HE SUDDENLY SEEMED T9 DISPISE ME 6UT THANK G9SH THAT IS ALL IN THE PAST AND N9W WE CAN JUST 6E HAPPY AND CHEERFUL!! KANKRI 9H AND YES I WILL DANCE WITH Y9U J9HN! I AM IMAGINING THE PERFECT SIMPLE MEL9DY F9R US T9 C9NTENTLY SWAY T9.

RUFIOH: WOAH!!! WHY ARE YOU RUNN1NG AWAY??? THAT HURTS MY FEEL1NGS!!!!!!!!

RUFIOH: YOU WOULD TH1NK YOU WERE T1RED OF 1T AFTER 1 OPENED MY BLOCK AND HOUSE FOR YOU!!! 1'VE ALWAYS JUST WANTED TO HELP, YO!!!!

ROSE: Yes, that is... completely... untenable... and... ROSE: -FLINGS A SNOWBALL AT HIM AND DASHES-

ROSE: -NAILED IT-

JOHN: YOU'RE SO GOOD AT IMAGINING, BRO!!!!

JOHN: WHY CARE ABOUT ANY OF THAT WHEN WE CAN JUST!!!

JOHN: SWAY TOGETHER.

KANKRI: 9H J9HN Y9U ARE S9 RIGHT AS ALWAYS.

JOHN: -SINGS- I JUST WANNA

JOHN: KEEP ON LOVING YOUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU!!!

MEULIN: -WHEEZES under this bush. it's taking time to read all this dialogue on her glasses but it all makes her... kinda sad. because it all feels like stuff she might have said once, trains of thought she might have had.-

MEULIN: YOU CAN'T, THOUGH!!!! -why is she even trying to argue, she sort of laughs anxiously under this bush. THE HECK.-

KANKRI: -Look at these two gayly sway.-

JOHN: -They sway in the air.-

RUFIOH: -DOOFS and eats snow a little bit. Shaking his head with a sparkly laugh.- HAHAHA, THAT'S COOL. 1 M1GHT BE A FUCK FOR BREAK1NG YOUR HEART BUT. LOL! THAT'S 1T! 1'M JUST A FUCK! HEY MEUL1N!!!! YOU KNOW WHAT YOU SHOULD DO??? FORGET ABOUT ME TOO! YOU'RE DAMN GOOD AT THAT! 1 TH1NK THAT WOULD HELP EVERYONE 1F YOU ASK ME!!!!!!!!!!

RUFIOH: WHY D1DN'T 1 TH1NK OF THAT SOONER?? HOLY SH1T!

JOHN: (that's the spirit, buddy)

JOHN: -distracted and hypnotized by swirling around in the air with kankri)

KANKRI: -He is so content air dancing with John, he doesnt even mind the heart breaking shit happening with Rufioh right now.-

KANKRI: THIS IS S9 L9VELY I AM THRILLED I DID N9T PAY ATTENTI9N WHEN RUFI9H SMASHED THAT WEAP9N 9VER MY HEAD.

RUFIOH: -cups hands around his mouth and hollers at Kankri.- HEY KANKR1!!!!!!!!!! BRO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

RUFIOH: DO YOU WANT TO BE MEUL1N'S NEW BFFS1E??? YOU'D DO A HELL OF A LOT BETTER A JOB THAN ME! 1 COULDN'T EVEN ST1CK AROUND TO SEE 1T THROUGH THE END! D1D YOU KNOW YOU'RE JUST A BETTER PERSON THAN ME???

RUFIOH: YOU SHOULD TEACH ME TO BE MORE L1KE YOU! }8D

KANKRI: -suddenly owl turns, craning his neck too fast to be comfortable.- I W9ULD L9VE T9 6E HER NEW 6EST FRIEND, 9H AND RUFI9H IF Y9U W9ULD LIKE LESS9NS 9N H9W N9T T9 ALIENATE PE9PLE FR9M Y9UR LIFE DUE T9 Y9UR NATURAL 9FF PUTTING NATURE I CAN CERTAINLY D9 MY 6EST T9 ASSIST Y9U!!

JOHN: HAHA! KANKRI IS TERRIBLE AT INTERPERSONAL RELATIONSHIPS TOO. THAT'S WHY YOU GUYS SHOULD BE FRIENDS. YOU HAVE A LOT IN COMMON.

KANKRI: H9WEVER I AM ALS9 DESPISED 6Y ALM9ST EVERY9NE I KN9W S9 I CAN 9NLY H9PE I CAN S9ME H9W TEACH Y9U T9 6E 6ETTER THEN ME!

KANKRI: HAHA!

RUFIOH: -hands on his hips and laughs heartily- HAHAHAHA, 1 TH1NK JOHN 1S R1GHT! THERE'S JUST SOME TH1NGS 1 SHOULD HAVE BEEN UPFRONT AND FREE TO ADM1T! 1'M GLAD 1 DON'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT THAT ANYMORE!

KANKRI: THAT IS S9 TRUE!! RUFI9H PLEASE D9 N9T EVER W9RRY AGAIN A69UT V9ICING Y9UR SH9RT C9MINGS!

JOHN: I KNOW EXACTLY HOW YOU FEEL. I SUPRESS LITERALLY ALL MY EMOTIONS ALL THE TIME UNTIL THEY BURST FORTH IN A SPASMODIC GEYSER OF AGRESSION AND ANGST!

KANKRI: ITS TRUE HE D9ES THIS ALL THE TIME!

KANKRI: -Wraps his arm around John's shoulders.-

JOHN: I'M GLAD I DON'T HAVE TO BE INSECURE ANYMORE ABOUT WHETHER MY FRIENDS STILL CARE ABOUT ME AND WANT ME AROUND. I'VE REALIZED THAT I AM AWESOME AND FLAWLESS. WHO WOULDN'T WANT ME AROUND?

KANKRI: I CERTAINLY WANT Y9U AR9UND J9HN!

KANKRI: Y9U ARE MY FAV9RITE PERS9N AND DESERVE T9 6E THE FLAWLESS C9NFIDENT PERS9N Y9U ARE!

KANKRI: REALLY THANK G99DNESS Y9U AND I F9UND EACH 9THER WHEN WE DID 9R I MIGHT HAVE ACTUALLY L9ST THE ENTIRETY 9F MY SANITY AFTER L9SING MY PLANET, MY H9ME, MY DIGNITY, AND ALM9ST THE ENTIRETY 9F MY WILL T9 C9NTINUE EXISTING! KANKRI: EVEN IF ALL THAT STILL MATTERED ANYM9RE IM JUST S9 GLAD I HAVE Y9U REGARDLESS T9 PICK UP THE PREVI9USLY DEFECTIVE PIECES 9F MY 6EING. -paps his face.-

MEULIN: -What's worse than what he's saying is the fact that she's quiet amongst the leaves and sharp twigs that she knows she's going to tear out hair to free herself from, and she feels more trapped here than she had in the infirmary.-

MEULIN: -And yet, they all just keep going. She isn't sure if it's the pain behind their words or her own emotions that sting more, but, eventually it's too much, and she squirms out of the bushes, scraping and tugging and scratching herself up, wet with snow and flushed with green.-

MEULIN: YOU... ARE ALL... MEULIN:

WRONG!!!!!!!!

MEULIN: THIS ISN'T HOW TO HELP YOURSELVES OR EACH OTHER... OR ME.

MEULIN: THIS ISN'T HOW F33LINGS WORK.

MEULIN: THIS ISN'T WHAT YOU WOULD WANT.

MEULIN: PLEASE... STOP.

MEULIN: I DON'T WANT TO S33 MY FRIENDS HURT ANYMORE.

KANKRI: MEULIN THERE Y9U ARE!!

KANKRI: ARE Y9U READY T9 6E 6EST FRIENDS??

RUFIOH: -This should be breaking his heart but it just makes him giggle. Throwing his hand out at Meulin like OH YOU.- WHO'S HURT?? NOT ME!!! 1 FEEL H1GH AS THE SKY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! WEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE! -zooms up, doing a loop de loop.-

KANKRI: -applauds Rufioh's trick.-

MEULIN: YOU DON'T S33 IT, BUT I DO.

MEULIN: I ALWAYS DO.

MEULIN: IT DOESN'T JUST GO AWAY... EVEN WITH MAGIC.

MEULIN: AND THERE'S NOTHING WRONG WITH THAT!!!

MEULIN: THERE'S NOTHING WRONG WITH F33LING BAD!!!!

KANKRI: -Wiggles out of John's arms to slide over to her, hands tucked behind him.-

KANKRI: MEULIN Y9U S9UND RATHER D9WN AND 9UT! IT PAINS ME T9 SEE ANY9NE THIS WAY. -Yet his smile is still uncomfortably wide.-

RUFIOH: LOL! YOU SAY THAT BUT HEY!!!! 1SN'T FEEL1NG BAD WHAT LEAD US TO HURT PEEPS, MEU????? WHAT 1F WE STOPPED DO1NG THAT AND JUST FELT GREAT ALL THE T1ME! THAT WOULD BE FUCKIN' BANG1N'! -kick dances in the air-

JOHN: -HE WAS SO WRAPPED UP IN KANKRI'S DECLARATION OF LOVE, THAT HE STARTED SINGING "HOW CAN I LIVE WITHOUT YOU" AND FLIPPING CONTINUOUSLY IN THE AIR.-

KANKRI: CAN I 9FFER Y9U AN 9P9RTUNITY T9 FEEL IMMENSELY 6ETTER? I PR9MISE IT D9ES N9T HURT AND Y9U WILL 6E QUITE ALIVE AND FINE AFTER!

KANKRI: I SPEAK FR9M EXPERIENCE!

ROSE: (You did not concur with that point several minutes ago.)

JOHN: IF I HAD TO LIVE WITHOUT YOU. WHAT KIND OF LIFE WOULD THAT BE.

KANKRI: -Somehow is able to whisper in roses ear from where he is.- (9PINI9NS CAN CHANGE MY DEAR.)

JOHN: I NEED YOU IN MY ARMS! NEED YOU TO HOLD!

MEULIN: -she considers backing away... but she doesn't. she stands there and meets Kankri's gaze, balling up her fists.-

MEULIN: I DON'T WANT TO F33L BETTER.

JOEY: =With no sudden movements (and nearly laying down on the floro so no one can see her), she carefully pulls her curtains closed=

ROSE: -FLINCHES.-

KANKRI: -Keeps smiling at her.-

KANKRI: 9H 6UT I THINK THAT Y9U D9! EVEN JUST F9R A LITTLE WHILE. IT REALLY IS N9T ANY DIFFERENT FR9M Y9UR RECREATI9NAL ACTIVITIES IN FACT IF ANYTHING IT IS S9 MUCH 6ETTER!

KANKRI: WITH 9NE YES Y9U WILL FEEL 9N CL9UD NINE AND N9THING WITH 6E WR9NG ANYM9RE! ITS REALLY JUST WHAT EVERY 9NE 9F US NEEDS RIGHT N9W WHILE WE ARE TRAPPED HERE!

JOHN: YOU'RE MY WORLD, MY HEART MY SOUL. IF YOU EVER LEAVE!!!

KANKRI: -Moves his hand from behind his back to offer her a small candy heart that says "#Happy!! <3"-

KANKRI: -It all somehow fits on there.-

RUFIOH: -floating in the air, chinhandsing with a happy smile on his face.- DAAAAAMN, KANKR1'S GOT GAME!!! HAHAHA!

MEULIN: -stares at Kankri, and then down at the candy heart. She stares at it for a long moment, her mouth a serious frown, and then glances back up at him.-

MEULIN: ...

MEULIN: -swipes out her hand and SNATCHES the candy heart.-

KANKRI: -HE CERTAINLY DOES.-

KANKRI: 8D

RUFIOH: }8D

KANKRI: Y9U CERTAINLY WILL N9T REGRET THIS MEULIN!

JOHN: NOW THAT I MENTION IT, ISN'T IT FUCKED UP THAT FEFERI'S BEEN DEAD FOR ALMOST AN ENTIRE YEAR AND WE HAVEN'T EVEN GROWN THE BALLS TO HOLD ANY KIND OF MEMORIAL OR FUNERAL SERVICES? HONESTLY I'VE BEEN AFRAID TO BRING IT UP BECAUSE I'M JUST WAITING FOR HER TO COME BACK! THIS WHOLE TIME!!! I STILL BELIEVE WE'RE GOING TO RAISE OUR CHILDREN TOGETHER AND GET MARRIED. BUT I CAN SEE HOW SAD EVERYONE'S FACE GETS WHEN I MENTION HER RETURNING. I DON'T CARE WHAT THEY THINK THOUGH!!! HAHAHAHAHHA!!! I DON'T GIVE A CRAP!!!

KANKRI: HEEHEE!

RUFIOH: LOL LOL! WOAH, JOHN!!!! THAT'S SOME HEAVY STUFF!!!! 1T'S SO GREAT TO CLEAR THE A1R AROUND A1N'T 1T????????

JOHN: IT'S SO!!! LIBERATING!!!

KANKRI: THATS IT J9HN!! D9NT EVER GIVE UP Y9UR H9PES EVEN IF IT IS VERY UNLIKELY THAT SHE WILL!! I THINK ITS S9 ADMIRA6LE THAT N9 MATTER WHAT Y9U STILL C9NCIEVE THE N9TI9N THAT SHE WILL C9ME 6ACK T9 LIFE!

KANKRI: AWE INSPIRING TRULY!

JOHN: THANKS BUDDY! I THINK SO TOO!!!

RUFIOH: YOU'RE AWE 1NSP1R1NG, BRO! 1F YOU CAN NAB ONE CHO1CE MO1RA1L L1KE JOHN, ANYBODY CAN!!!!

KANKRI: 9H RUFI9H Y9U ARE T99 MUCH!

RUFIOH: HELL YEAH, 1 KNOW! };D

MEULIN: -She practically crushes it in her grip, but it's all too quick. She changes color, and now she's flooding with cotton candy pink, red, and green.-

ROSE: Oh.

KANKRI: I THINK S9ME DAY Y9U T99 WILL FIND AN9THER EVEN IF Y9UR LAST 9NE LEFT Y9U! LET N9THING STAND IN Y9UR WAY!

KANKRI: -👀 meulin-

KANKRI: -welcome to the party!-

ROSE: -She draws in a deep breath, and just sits in the snow.-

KANKRI: -Throws his arm around her.-

RUFIOH: MEU MEUS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

RUFIOH: LOL, DUDE! HE NEVER LEFT ME! HE WENT BACK TO BEFORUS AND BLEW THE FUCK UP! 1SN'T TH1S WHY WE FOUGHT 1N THE F1RST PLACE?

MEULIN: -she winces, tail puffed out, still standing there... and then blinks open her eyes.-

RUFIOH: 1 SURE AS SH1T D1DN'T WANT TO L1VE ANYMORE AFTER THAT! WOW!!!!!!! JOHN! D1D YOU KNOW YOU SAVED MY GODDAMN L1FE??? YOU'RE A HERO!

JOHN: -POPS NEXT TO ROSE- YOU DON'T WANT TO JOIN IN THE FUN, ROSE? I KNOW YOU'RE SAD AND TIRED. I KNOW YOU FEEL HELPLESS SOMETIMES. MAYBE THIS COULD RELIEVE SOME OF THE PRESSURE!!! I'D JUST BE OVER THE MOON IF I COULD HELP YOU.

MEULIN: ....

KANKRI: 9H I HAD N9 IDEA THEY WERE DEAD! I JUST REMEMBER 6EING CREAPED 9UT 6Y H9W IT FELT LIKE Y9U MIGHT HAVE 6EEN TRYING T9 USE ME AS A SUBSTITUTE F9R THEM, HAHAH!

MEULIN: -chucks off her sunglasses.- NO!!!!!!!!!!!

KANKRI: -owl turns to meulin.-

KANKRI: -8000-

KANKRI: N9???

RUFIOH: YEP!!!!!!!! HE SURE WENT BACK TO BEFORUS TO D1E! AND 1 SHOULD HAVE GONE W1TH H1M!!! THAT'S HOW YOU MADE ME FEEL, DUDE! 1T WAS SO MESSED UP! NO WONDER 1 HATED YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!

KANKRI: DID Y9U N9T LIKE Y9UR GLASSES?

MEULIN: NO!!!!!!

ROSE: -She looks like she's about to say something, face... barely certain of what to make of this, before the shout.-

MEULIN: THIS IS ME.

MEULIN: THIS IS HOW I'M GOING TO BE.

KANKRI: ALS9 RUFI9H I AM S9 GLAD Y9U ARE TELLING ME THIS N9W, THAT MAKES A L9T M9RE SENSE!

RUFIOH: -does more dances in the air. ^w^ -

JOHN: WOW. THE GIRL IS PERSISTENT! GIV EIT UP FOR MEULIN!!!! -CLAPCLAPCLAP-

KANKRI: HM?? WHAT IS Y9U MEULIN? D9 Y9U FEEL 6ETTER N9W?

KANKRI: H9W A69UT N9W?

MEULIN: I F33L. LIKE I'M SUPPAWSED TO F33L. BECLAWS I'M ME!

ROSE: -She rises, slowly, stepping over towards Meulin.- ROSE: What just happened here...?

KANKRI: -smiles at Rose and keeps his arm around Meulin.-

KANKRI: -Grins with his pointy teeths.-

MEULIN: I DID WHAT YOU WANTED. BUT IT DOESN'T CHANGE ANYTHING!!

JUDE: -takes notes outloud while he's recording this mess- this candy may or may not only effect men... or they're just weak willed...

MEULIN: -shrugs off Kankri's arm and reaches out a hand to Rose-

KANKRI: IT D9ESNT?? -Doof is shrugged.-

RUFIOH: -👀 the voice on the wind. Grins in Jude's direction.-

KANKRI: 9H DEAR!! -Slides over closer to Rufioh even if he is in the sky.-

ROSE: -GRABS THE HAND.-

JUDE; -HE'S INSIDE THE HOUSE DON'T EVEN TRY IT.-

ROSE: I am not sure why or how but I consider this a miracle. ROSE: Thank you.

KANKRI: RUFI9H I D9NT THINK MEULIN IS ENJ9YING HERSELF ALL THAT MUCH..

JOHN: -HE'S STILL APPLAUDING- LET'S HEAR IT FOR THE GIRLS!!!

KANKRI: WILL Y9U 6E HAPPY WITH ME INSTEAD?

MEULIN: -hups her up and fucking... FLOATS INTO THE AIR??? YOU KNOW WHAT FINE SHE CAN DO THAT NOW.-

MEULIN: -THIS IS INCREDIBLY STRANGE BUT SO IS EVERYTHING-

RUFIOH: WHOOP WHOOP! -loops arms with Kankri, beaming.- THAT'S COOL, DUDE!!! NOT EVERYONE 1S GO1NG TO FEEL THE SAME AS YOU. THAT'S WHY WE SHOULD ST1CK TOGETHER!!!

RUFIOH: BTW, WHO'S THE HOT W1NDOW PEEPER???? 1 KNOW FOR SURE 1'VE NEVER SEE H1M BEFORE!

ROSE: -She is HAULED LIKE PRINCESS PEACH.-

ROSE: That was... very well spoken, you know.

JOHN: THAT'S MY COUSIN. JUDEY JUDEY JUDEY JUDEEHHHHH.

JOHN: I MEAN I'M SAYING COUSIN BUT HE MIGHT BE MY UNCLE OR FATHER OR SOMETHING.

KANKRI: H9T WIND9W PEEPER Y9U SAY??? -Make those hand telescopes and looks around until some how he makes dead eye contact with Jude even this far away.-

JOHN: I DON'T HAVE ANY CLUE HOW MY FAMILY WORKS AT ALL!!!

RUFIOH: HE'S HOT, DUDE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! A HOT DAD!!!! HAHAHAHA!

JUDE: -clears throat, speaking up- half brother... technically...

JOHN: -YELLS BACK- THANKS JUDE!!!!

JUDE: wait, don't-- JUDE: don't look at me

KANKRI: 9H YES HIS FACIAL SYMMETRY IS RATHER PLEASING T9 L99K AT.

JUDE: -DIVES AWAY FROM THE WINDOW-

JOEY: =slapping/pulling on Jude's pant leg trying to get him to duck down=

KANKRI: J9HN Y9U HAVE EXCELLENT GENES.

JOHN: YEAH, I KNOW.

KANKRI: -Links arms with Rufioh, look at them being best buddies.-

JOHN: -SPINS IN THE AIR AND KISSES HIS OWN BICEPS-

KANKRI: J9HN Y9U ARE S9 6EAUTIFUL.

RUFIOH: YOUR FACIAL SYMMETRY HAS ALWAYS BEEN GOOD TO LOOK AT, KANKS. -arms over Kankri's shoulder now.- }BD

JOHN: HE HAS A REALLY CUTE BUTT TOO!!! -SHOUTING-

KANKRI: S9 ARE Y9U RUFI9H REALLY QUITE STUNN-

KANKRI: 9H THANK Y9U!!

KANKRI: -Then his arm is going around Rufiohs waist.-

RUFIOH: THANKS, BRO!!! 1 ALWAYS FELT L1KE MY GOOD LOOKS GAVE ME MORE TROUBLE THAN 1T WAS WORTH BUT HELL!!!! 1F 1T MEANS MY FR1ENDS ST1CK AROUND FOR EVEN A L1TTLE WH1LE, 1'LL SMOOCH ALL OF THEM!

JOHN: I ALSO REALLY LIKED YOUR COOL COSPLAYS!!! REMEMBER WHEN YOU MADE ME THAT GHOST BUSTERS OUTFIT?

JOHN: THAT WAS SO RAD!!!

RUFIOH: FUCK YEAH, 1 REMEMBER, JOHN!!! THAT WAS FUN AS HELL!

MEULIN: -She twitches her ears -- somehow, she feels like she can hear Rose, even without hearing. Maybe she's reading her lips. It doesn't have to make sense, but she's trying to ignore how her eyes are stinging as she glides over the rooftops, trying to put the chaos of her yelling friends behind her.-

MEULIN: ... I'M SORRY. -sniffs and smiles at Rose, just a little.- FOR NOT BEING ABLE TO HELP.

MEULIN: I GUESS IT JUST DOESN'T MATTER ANYMORE... I'M MORE SCARED OF NOT BEING ME.

KANKRI: Y9U MADE THAT F9R HIM?? THAT IS S9 GENER9US 9F Y9U RUFI9H!

JOEY: (what the actual heck is going on out there?) =peeks under the curtain a little=

KANKRI: ALS9 I SHALL A6S9LUTELY STAY 6Y Y9UR SIDE N9W THAT Y9U ARE HERE WITH US AGAIN, F9R ANY PRICE!

JUDE: -ALIENS hand gesture- cherub magic...

RUFIOH: 1 TOTALLY L1KED JOHN BEFORE YOU D1D, HAHAHAHA. F1GHT ME BRO!

JOHN: NOW, NOW MY GOOD BROS. THERE'S ENOUGH JOHN TO GO AROUND.

ROSE: -She smiles a little bit, sadly.-

ROSE: I...

ROSE: Yes, I understand.

ROSE: You don't say things like that so easily. Not unless it becomes impossible to care.

ROSE: I think I prefer this.

ROSE: I don't believe I've ever been rescued quite so gallantly before.

ROSE: In defiance of all known physics.

KANKRI: WHAT?? I SHALL N9T FIGHT Y9U 6UT RUFI9H TH9SE S9UND LIKE CHALLENGE W9RDS!

RUFIOH: AND WE BOTH KNOW YOU L1KE CHALLENGES, KANKS. };D

RUFIOH: WHY NOT TRY TH1S ONE ON FOR S1ZE???????????? -then swoops down to plant a sugar smooch to Kankri.-

JOHN: :O!!!!

JOHN: -GASP-

JOHN -THE SCANDAL-

KANKRI: -HELLO!!-

KANKRI: -Is so smoothly smooched, he leans with the swoop and places his hands on either side of Rufioh's face for this wonderful kiss. What a reunion!-

JOHN: I SUPPORT AND FULLY ENDORSE THIS WITH NO REGRETS WHATSOEVER!!!

JOHN: I JUST WANT YOU AND KANKRI (BUT ESPECIALLY KANKRI) TO BE HAPPY!!!

RUFIOH: -Thanks bro!! He's had practice, dipping Kankri back to perpetuate the SUAVE. Insert spanish guitar riffs here.-

KANKRI: -Swooning to the part.-

JOHN: -UNCAPATCHAS....HIS KEYBOARD. HE'S GOING TO GIVE THIS LOVELY MOMENT SOME THEME MUSIC. Nevermind that he's playing it without it being plugged in at all. Magic.-

KANKRI: -John you are perfect.-

MEULIN: HEHEH33. WELL... I ONLY TOOK YOU BECLAWS YOU WANTED TO GO WITH ME.

MEULIN: AT LEAST... I'M ABLE TO HELP YOU.

KANKRI: -Also takes pictures of this kiss too somehow.-

RUFIOH: -volcanos explode, dragons swoop, everyone is so jealous.- <333333333333

KANKRI: -If anyone is jealous he can smooch them too!-

JOHN: -HE'S CONTENT WITH SMACKING ON HIS KEYBOARD JOYFULLY FOR NOW. Somehow the music sounds like xylophone and a trombone.-

KANKRI: -Breaks the kiss for a moment however.- RUFI9H HAVING PREVI9USLY ENTERTAINED TH9UGHTS 9F WHAT IT W9ULD 6E LIKE T9 KISS Y9U IN THE FAR DISTANT PAST I WILL SAY IT IS RATHER SATISFYING!

ROSE: You are.

ROSE: ...

ROSE: -She frowns, suddenly.-

ROSE: I imagine it must be terrifying to lose control like that.

ROSE: But you've grown a lot stronger since we first met.

ROSE: As hard as it's been, I have seen it. I am seeing it now.

ROSE: Even if the only evidence you have is overpowering the strength of whatever bewitching candy demon presented us with that hell-sucker.

RUFIOH: -snuggling him close, the happiest bull.- HAHAHA, DUDE SAME!!! 1 THOUGHT WE WERE GONNA BE BEST FR1ENDS FOREVER UNT1L YOU PULLED THAT EX-MO1RA1L SH1T!!! BUT NOW WE'RE TALK1NG ABOUT 1T AND MACK1N 1NSTEAD OF F1GHT1NG AND 1 TH1NK TH1S 1S POSS1BLY THE BEST OUTCOME OF ALL!!!!!!!!!!!!

RUFIOH: LET'S RUN OFF TOGETHER DUDE! LET'S L1VE ON AVALON AND BU1LD UP BEFORUS L1KE 1T WAS ALWAYS MEANT TO BE!

ROSE: These things happen in degrees. It tends to make them a great deal more surprising, in the end.

ROSE: ...So.

ROSE: Thank you.

JOHN: DON'T HOLD YOURSELF BACK, KANKRI! YOU DESERVE EVERY EXPERIENCE THIS UNIVERSE HAS TO OFFER!!!

JOHN: YOU'VE BEEN THROUGH SO MUCH!

KANKRI: -Brightens more, if thats even possible when hes in this state.- 9H THAT S9UNDS S9 W9NDERFUL!!! I W9ULD L9VE T99! I HAVE STR9NGLY C9NSIDERED CHANGING 9CCUPATI9NS SINCE I AM A FAILURE AT THE 9NLY THING I TH9UGHT I MIGHT 6E G99D AT, THERAPY! PERHAPS I C9ULD 6E A C9NSTRUCTI9N W9RKER! I C9ULD 6UILD A R99F!!

KANKRI: 9H 6UT J9HN SH9ULD C9ME T99! AND GAMZEE I W9ULD N9T WANT T9 LEAVE EITHER 6EHIND, THEY ARE QUITE FRANKLY TW9 9F THE M9ST IMP9RTANT PE9PLE IN MY LIFE.

MEULIN: -She doesn't know what to say anymore, and at this rate, her throat feels too tight even if she wanted to. Her eyes are blurring quickly with -- what is that, lime green?? That's not normal, and she drifts down to a snow-covered rooftop in the more dimly lit areas of town, just sort of caving down to sit with Rose when she starts to cry.-

KANKRI: AND THEY DESERVE S9 MUCH 6ETTER THEN THEY ARE DEALING WITH N9W!

ROSE: -She rests a hand on her shoulder, giving it a gentle squeeze.-

JOHN: HELL YEAH! FUCK THIS WAR! I'M TIRED OF PRETENDING TO BE STRONG WHILE WATCHING MY FRIENDS CONTINOUSLY SUFFER AND DIE.

ROSE: -Silence. She ignores how bright and vibrant her colors are, right now. Or the absurdity down below-- how hard it all is to process. That feeling of helplessness when faced with a barrage of everything wrong with her friends-- her family-- and the hellish situation they've lived with for so long.-

RUFIOH: -looks both astonished and delighted to hear Kankri's suggestion. Wafting off more sparkling sugar.- THAT'S THE BEST FUCK1NG 1DEA 1 HAVE EVER HEARD OF 1N MY L1FE!!!!!!!!!! RUFIOH: LET THE FOUR OF US L1VE TOGETHER, BRO! YOU, ME, JOHN, AND THE LOVE OF MY FUCK1NG L1FE!!!!!!!!!!

ROSE: -Better to just... be herself. She cozies up against Meulin and wraps an arm around her fully.-

KANKRI: YES I AGREE FUCK THIS WAR! -Snuggles Rufioh, this is so great.-

KANKRI: WE ARE ALL S9 6RILLIANT THIS IS PERFECT!

RUFIOH: -smooches all on Kankri's face.- YOU'RE PERFECT, DUDE! 1 DON'T WANT ANYBODY ELSE TO TELL YOU YOU'RE NOT!

KANKRI: -Laughs loudly as he is so smooched.- LIKEWISE RUFI9H LIKEWISE! I MAY HAVE SAID TERRI6LE THINGS A69UT Y9U T9 9THER PE9PLE 6EHIND Y9UR 6ACK 6UT FR9M N9W 9N I WILL DEFEND Y9UR NAME AND THE G99DNESS 6EHIND IT WITH MY DYING 6REATH!

JOHN: AWW YES!! I'VE ALWAYS WANTED TO LIVE WITH THREE OTHER DUDES ON A FARM IN BUMFUCK NOWHERE. I'LL BE A PEDIATRICIAN AND KIDS WILL NEVER GET SICK UNDRE MY WATCH. HELL, MAYBE I'LL RETIRE FROM DOCTORING AND JUST BE A KINDERGARTEN TEACHER.

JOHN: AND RULEUS CAN GROW UP WITHOUT ME HAVING TO WORRY THAT HE'LL BE SHOT OUT OF THE SKY.

RUFIOH: -spins with Kankri in his arms.- YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS. 1T CAN ONLY GET BETTER FROM HERE, DOGG!!! YOU AND ME VERSUS THE WORLD! }8D

MEULIN: -A part of her still wants to feel embarrassed at knowing how hard she's crying already, but then, she can't. She doesn't want to. And the heavy warmth of Rose's arm around her confirms that this is right.-

MEULIN: -She leans into Rose, and she lets herself feel the emotions she's been carrying. At last, she feels sure this is the way to heal.-

KANKRI: -They spin!! And its Rufioh's turn to get so many face kisses! Hes feeling so affectionate and its so W9NDERFUL to have Rufioh back and the thought of rebuilding beforus is great too.- TRULY Y9U ARE S9 RIGHT! RUFI9H NEVER LEAVE MY SIDE AGAIN!

JOHN: HAVE A GOOD TIME YOU CRAZY KIDS! I HAVE SOME BUSINESS TO TAKE CARE OF!!!

JOHN: BUT I'LL BE BACK!!!

JOHN: *NYOOM. POP!!!-

JOHN: -HE POPPED OUT OF EXISTENCE AGAIN.-

RUFIOH: BYE JOHN! HAVE FUN! }8D

KANKRI: !!

KANKRI: G99D6YE J9HN, I L9VE Y9U 6E SAFE!!! <><> -Who knows how he emotes those diamonds.-

JOHN: -THE LEFT OVER BREEZE TENDERLY RUFFLES KANKRI'S HAIR.-

KANKRI: -('8B-

#tenebrousThorns #circuitousgrievance #aerugotourBillon #ardentcupid #effluentBalatron #gyratingEonian #euphobicGeotech

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