reawakening of a muse

[overthroen]

Oh. Yes?

[ Rose is sitting cross-legged with a large book spread across her lap. ]

I don't suppose you approached me with the intention of doing anything actually productive? [ Purses her lips and glances at the mun's computer, sitting idle. ] No, I suppose not. You have studying to do, you know.

Unless you're here for more celebratory reasons. In which case I might remind you that you're actually half an hour late. Unless you're planning to move to the west coast in the next couple of hours. You'd better be quick, your plane is probably leaving soon.

Now if you don't mind [ she looks pointedly back at the mun's unfinished essay ] I believe we both really have better things to do than to sit around pelting stones at incorporeal pockets of air.

[ She couldn't just have said "shooting the breeze", now could she? ]

Comments

[engagedrunkmode]

hey now minimom

[Roxy throws herself into a sofa like she's bodyslamming it, legs going every which way. One of her shoes rattles on the arm of the sofa and bounces off.]

eighteen's nothin' to sneeze at yknow! scientific fax. fats. fact.

[overthroen]

[ The shoe clocks Rose in the head. She rubs the bruised spot and picks up the shoe, twirling it in her hand. ]

Is "minimom" really the most appropriate term in this situation? What are you, negative ... [ Does some quick calculations ] three hundred ninety-six?

[engagedrunkmode]

oh shit!! sorry rosie [She reaches out, a move like a rubber band flicking out of somebody's fingers, and then seems to lose momentum and collapses back onto the couch. She may have had a drink already. Just one. to celebrate.]

well, yeah. i mean, a) you're a paradox version of my mom, and 2) you're too young to have a daughter your age--i mean not counting time travel but that shit makes my head hurt. but mom minus like twenty years and a savvy gown (though you're fuckin rocking the dersejammies babe) and from a switcheroo universe? ipso facto meeny moe magico: minimom.

but if you'd prefer rose, that's cool too

[overthroen]

[ One drink? Or one factor of six drinks? ]

I think you've argued your point fairly admirably. [ She gets up with a sigh, depositing the book on the floor, and goes to the couch to drop her paradox mother's shoe next to her. ] But the point remains, that I am older than you by nearly twice the age of soggy tea parties and certain priceless governmental documents promoting a dubious idea of absolute freedom.

[engagedrunkmode]

[Just one drink! A singular drink. Of great size and alcohol content.]

thanks. and yeah, if you put it that way. but how much of it have you lived? [She slips a flask out of her sylladex and takes a quick nip. Of course, she's the best sort of host who offers her guests a drink! Or friend. Paradox relative-of-indeterminate-generaiton.] but whatevs. lookin' good for three hundred ninety somethin, by your really shit not-science count.

[overthroen]

[ Rose shrugs. She's not eager to take the bottle anyway. It's all maxi-daughter's. ] Not even all eighteen. I'm afraid we're all stuck in narrative limbo for the moment. It's a purely symbolic celebration.

[ She drags her book onto the couch and plops next to Roxy, opening back to the page she was at before. ] Feel free to continue celebrating, though. It's your birthday, too.

[a_bit_too_dapper]

Oh it's your birthday? or at least your belated birthday.

Then happy birthday Rose.

[overthroen]

Commendations are unnecessary. The anniversary has little to do with my actual age, nor do I feel I have "grown up" in any significant way due to an integeneric increment in the number of years I have lived.

... But thank you, nonetheless.

[ Squint. ] Forgive me, but you look familiar.

[a_bit_too_dapper]

[Oh this song and dance again. It really was weird talking to a new Rose each time.]

Ah excuse me I guess I should of introduced myself first.

My name is Jaspers Frigglish Lalonde. I have been made aware by being in this place that in your universe I am your cat while in my own universe you are my cat.

[overthroen]

[ ... Parallels. Damn. ]

I see. I can verify that that is indeed the case in my world. But I've never really considered what I would look like with whiskers.

I suppose that means that this is your birthday, as well?

[a_bit_too_dapper]

No, surprisingly it is a rather arbitrary difference between our worlds. My birthday is the 1st of October. And now that my mundane is checking the years are different as well. I am a year older than you, but as my journey has only just started you have far more experience than me.

[overthroen]

The placement of fictional dates in a nonfictional situation does tend to get a bit arbitrary. Which is why I find the whole practice a little bit unnecessarily redundant myself.

Still -- a very belated many happy returns. May I ask what stage you and your friends find yourselves on?

[ ... on second thought: ] And also, your friends' identities? Is there a former dog with you as well? Perhaps a crow?

[a_bit_too_dapper]

So far only our first player is in the medium.

To answer part of your second question that would be Bec.

[He gave an odd look at the mention of the crow.]

No crows. Just myself, Bec, Cal and Quinn.

[overthroen]

A cat, a dog, a doll, and... [ Shaking her head ] Sorry, I don't know who the last one is. That would be Egbert?

[a_bit_too_dapper]

Yes the lovely miss Quinn Egbert. As far as I'm aware John is a doll of the plush variety in my universe.

As far as I was told, this trend also continues with these mysterious players that keep talking to us individually.

[The frown on his face would suggest he isn't that fond of the individual that chose to talk to him.]

[overthroen]

[ John's a doll. So many questions. ]

Let me guess, you're being contacted by a crab, an octopus... [ She has to remember what other guardians the trolls have. ] A spider. Something like that? Is this a long unending parade of the too-many-legged?

[a_bit_too_dapper]

[Well he wasn't expecting that honestly.]

My mundane confirms this, but we have not physically seen any of the people contacting us. I imagine the opportunity will not arise until we are all in the game.

[overthroen]

So many exciting creatures in your future. [ She says somewhat drily. ] Imagine if I hadn't spoiled you. You might have been able to meet them head-on without any sort of warning.

[a_bit_too_dapper]

That would likely be the case. None of them have been too keen on telling us much.

And so far my mundane has only had me speak to your friend Kanaya out of those that are non-human.

[overthroen]

Has she? And have your interactions been instructive? What have you taken away from someone of a different culture? I'm curious.

[ And likes hearing her cat talk. ]

[a_bit_too_dapper]

My mundane is male actually. [He just mentions it offhandedly to avoid any confusion.]

Not much actually. Our primary discussion was about our version of her "lusus". She uh well made a claim to miss Egbert that I wasn't exactly pleased with.

That we are all going to die. I do not believe it is unfounded optimism to think that through the game's mechanics we can at least protect those closest to us.

[mapsincolor]

Is It Customary To Celebrate One’s Wiggling Day By Berating One's Narrator?

[If so, it’s a strange tradition, but Kanaya is striving to be Culturally Sensitive.]

[overthroen]

Human wiggling days are only rarely accompanied by a brief gaze through a gaping maw in the fabric of space-time, wondering where it came from and who was last using the sewing kit. But it is traditional for most to mark the occasion in some way. It's not the way I would have chosen, but I did set up shop in an unlocked room. I don't know what I expected, really.

[mapsincolor]

I Take It What Was Expected Was Not The Delivered Result?

And I Have Finished With The Sewing Kit. Along With Your Present. I Apologize It Is A Bit Late, Dave Was Not Very Helpful On What An Appropriate Token Would Be.

[She pulls out a package tidily wrapped in pink and black. Alchemizing wrapping paper had taken an extra hour, but she likes the effect!]

[overthroen]

It was -- [ She's interrupted in her quest to explain sarcasm by the unexpected arrival of the package. She reddens a little. ]

... Thank you. The gesture was unnecessary, but I appreciate it nonetheless. [ Cautiously, she takes the present from Kanaya's hands and unwraps it carefully, ripping the paper only a little as she looks to see what's inside. ]

[mapsincolor]

I Hope It Is The Right Size? Trolls Do Not Usually Wear Hairbands.

[She gestures ruefully at her horns.]

[overthroen]

[ The girl removes her current headband and fits the current one on snugly. It's just about the right size, actually. ] Surely there must be some replacement garment. A horn adornment, perhaps? You've been able to make hats work, after all. Perhaps a festive string of Christmas lights to link the two conveniently-placed poles atop your dome?

[mapsincolor]

[Kanaya is relieved. She'd been worried picking a green color for the headband would seem too Forward, but it looks lovely with Rose's hair!]

I Confess That Millinery Is Not My Specialty - [She narrows her eyes]
Why Do I Get The Impression You Are Not Being Entirely Serious?

[thevoidsdarkhorse]

Rosie~ [You are getting hugged from a thankfully sober ecto mom.]

How's it feel to be aaaaall grown up~?

[dontthesunlookgoodtoday]

And then there's the multi-million question we all gotta ask ourselves:

Can the plane outfly the light?

[even if we're several days late, whoops.]