prismaticrap | ▶ TDM .007

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▶ TDM .007

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"Blue Oyster Cult - Shooting Shark" (Watch on YouTube)

You awaken amidst the darkness with only a faint light to greet you. Your body is hemmed in by shards of crystals, gently sparkling and possibly pricking your skin. The surrounding landscape is dyed in the pinks and purples of the dusk filled with crystals protruding from the ground, some as large as a skyscraper. Even the few shy moon creatures you find in the wild have strange crystal growths on their hides. This is far from home— perhaps a dream? You pinch your skin and slap your cheeks, yet nothing seems to do the trick. Searching for answers yields nothing but an endless expanse of purple dust as far as the eye can see. You have four options: one, panic; two, soil yourself; three, admire it all then soil yourself; or four, go into survival mode. Eventually, you’ll realize that you’re not alone.

▶ Keep all Hands and Feet inside the Burning Vehicle at all Times
Iris Moon, Government Center (Arrival) and Outer Space | top

After a day or two of living off the crystal wilderness, a group of people find you worse for wear. They are the gallant Moon Knights from the planet of Prismatica. After the strange phenomenon during the past months when scientists observed the sudden appearance of rainbow crystals in the sky, the government has been feverishly combing through the moon for more Moonblessed to be rescued. You’ll eventually be brought into Iris’s moon government center.

You all may have your usual inquiries — Where are we? Who are you? What's going on? Why did I mix tequila with xanax last night? — and the Prismals are almost too eager to answer. They tell you about their world and about the first appearance of the Moonblessed as the medical staff give you an examination to make sure you’re not carrying any viruses or biological hazards. If you react violently, you may be restrained and nerfed with a specialized neurotransmitting gun that releases a numbing agent through the top of your spine. Once the examinations are over, you’re informed that you will be provided accommodations on their planet during your stay.

While waiting for transport to be prepared, you may freely roam around the government center. Eventually you’re called back from exploring, escorted to the docks, and led onto a large transport vessel that makes frequent trips back and forth between the moons and the planet. Faces onboard vary from both old and new Moonblessed as well as Prismal locals. The next destination: Prismatica.

A. After settling into the ship and selecting the current in-flight movie, Back Door Slugs 9, you and those around you may eventually feel a bit of turbulence during the movie’s highly anticipated climax. Did anyone notice it, or is everyone too focused on the hot characters?

At first, it’s a small jitter that’s easy to miss or brush off. But as the transport vessel travels on, the shaking progressively escalates to erratic tremors strong enough to cause severe nausea. A minute later, a voice over the speaker announces the ship will have to make an emergency landing, citing technical difficulties.

Sparks can be seen overhead as more ship parts malfunction. This is a good time to hold your neighbor’s hand, say your last goodbyes, and apologize for that horrible thing you did in the sixth grade. Grip your seat with the might of every god you can think of.

B. Another minute later, a follow-up announcement states that external entities have breached the transport vessel. Everyone is warned to be careful and watch out for each other. Small fires will have to be put out before they worsen with either magic or emergency equipment onboard such as extinguishers. In-flight robotic attendants will be scuttling around to perform immediate repairs.

Eventually, an entire power panel bursts, and prismatic jellyfish unnaturally spill out. The jellyfish will try to latch and suction onto any technological devices close by such as the television screens on the seats or communicators and will show preference to Iris Moonblessed over the rest. Be ready to help and pull numerous jellyfish off both the faces of Moonblessed and Prismals!

▶ Jaws IV: Jaws Harder
Planet Prismatica, Outer Lunatia | top

The emergency landing successfully completes and the transport vessel will safely land on top of a gorgeous lake filled with tiny glaciers floating by. When reached out and touched, you’ll find out that the “glaciers” are surprisingly cool crystals and not ice.

The ship will be left hovering idly on the water surface while passengers are ferried to solid ground using portable emergency boats. However, civilization is still a distance away.

A. You’ve probably heard of flying sharks from a veteran Moonblessed. But how about sea lions? These aquatic lions are born with scaly skin and gills outside of their crystallized manes. Unfortunately, they haven’t tasted fresh meat in quite some time. If there are any injured onboard or near your boat, the chances of the sea lions detecting people will be higher as they are drawn to the scent of blood. Growling hungrily, they will be quick to latch onto the boats, biting the edges, and trying to knock everyone overboard for dinner.

After surviving through so far, the Prismals guide everyone to a nearby encampment run by humanoid rabbits. They are tall, built, and have a habit of mentioning their virility an awkward amount of times. They are also generous and will share their game meat and fresh crops while allowing everyone to rest for the night at the only inn in their village.

B. There is no running water all the way out here, so if anyone wants a bath, they’ll have to do it traditionally. The village protects a natural spring, which is a good place to bathe away the sea water. Around the spring, the rabbit folk’s friends — little scintilla chinchillas — will shock away any predators that dare to approach their sanctuary! Be at ease and feel free to offer your friends shampoo massages.

The next day, the rabbits can be seen hacking away at some of the wilder-looking plants for an easier pathway. If you wake up early enough, you can ask some of them for a tour of the beautiful greenery. They mention that it’s thanks to the Moonblessed that their crops have been doing so well lately — the result of all the chroma influx. The rest of the journey to the city will be smooth sailing.

▶ It’s Free Real-Estate
Level 2, City of Lunatia | top

Welcome to Prismatica’s hub, Lunatia, the city of your dreams! A bustling metropolis lush with bright lights, vibrant colors, luxuriant plant life, and all the conveniences of technology absent from your own world… It seems like paradise to all the uninitiated. After a quick tour of the city, new arrivals can find themselves getting cozy in their new homes.

A. Find new roommates and say hello to your neighbors! City officials will give you directions to the designated districts across Level 2 and instruct you to pick out a unit. Each apartment complex has a different aesthetic, some may look cozy, some stylish, and some bizarre. The free accommodations have a basic living space that can only fit two or three people at most in one unit.

Starter Chromaspace furnishings are provided which can be controlled with the touch of a built-in panel. Examples are color-changing curtains, transforming sofa beds, cabinets turning into tables, etc. Customizing your apartment or moving out will have to wait until you earn more chroma. Until then, why don’t you check out your new neighborhood or explore the city levels? Maybe your new roommates or neighbors can give you a “hand” with allowance for dinner.

B. A new high-end boutique, Prissy Polyp, has opened in Level 2. As compensation for what happened, both Moonblessed and Prismals that were affected in yesterday’s flight will receive 50% off their total purchase. Those unaffected will receive 30% discount coupons as a promotional gift. All are encouraged to visit with their friends or special someone, try on some things together, ~~enjoy each other in the fitting rooms~~, and deal with the loud, ear-blistering background pop music.

Their clothing collections are characterized by bright iridescent designs, some features such as design patterns may glow ethereally in the dark. One of their signature dresses features a one piece (also available on their trench coats) that can amplify the appearance of one’s decolletage, gluteal muscles, and/or bulge with the press of a neon button. Another item among their collection is the maiden sweater: a sleek, backless sweater that shocks those who attempt unwanted touches. Others include skin-tight leggings (also available on their shorts or pants) which produce pleasant and relaxing vibrations on all lower extremities and fashionable polyp-shaped hats for all kinds of people. It’s a huge shop, you never know what else to find in there.

▶ Questions
If you have any questions regarding this test drive meme, please ask them in the Questions thread below.

▶ IMPORTANT! By request, we've uploaded image samples for the Prissy Polyp clothing collections! Note these are merely samples for a visual guide and we will leave more selections to players.

▶ As a reminder, test drive memes are for new characters only. However, current players are more than welcome to use these prompts for their own posts in the IC communities, personal inboxes, catch-all posts, etc.!
▶ As our test drive memes are game canon, feel free to keep any threads that happen here as canon for your character should they be accepted.

Threaded | Top-Level Comments Only

[Greed grins.]

[Oh, she’s his type of woman alright.]

Yes is always an option.

[So he gets out a bottle of white and a bottle of red - table wines, since he goes for quantity and not quality - and two glasses.]

[Then, he sets them down and sits down.]

So, which one would you like to have first?

So there is a special someone. I must admit that I'm jealous. I don't have anyone like that in my life yet.

[One day. Hopefully. She hopes she's not a lost cause at any rate. That would be tragic.

And then her eyes light up and she reaches out to clasp Konoha's hand.]

That's a wonderful idea! Let me find something and then we can try things on together!

[He's alright with messes and he's okay with her wanting both kinds of wine? A man after her own heart! Manuela is more than happy to come sit with him. She should probably be bothered by it being table wine but honestly...she's not.]

Why don't you surprise me, handsome? I can't say I'm too picky when it comes to alcohol so long as it's in my hand and mine.

[She remembers saying that once and a man dumping her on the spot. The brute. (Don't get her wrong. She's all for a brute. Just don't tell her how to drink her alcohol!)]

[Someone of Ocelot's age honestly had no business in a shop like this, but abysmally tacky purchases have been a long standing form of entertainment for him and acquiring one of those trench coats was deeply tempting. Whether or not she meant to address him, he was going to answer anyway.]

Hmmm, I could but doesn't seem like the sort of thing you should test in the shop.

[Because clearly starting a fight in the middle of a shop is the biggest problem with him agreeing to participate in science.]

M- my husband, yes... We got married recently- or, I found out we got married recently? Oh, it’s complicated...

[Don’t mind her unclasped hand unconsciously rising to her cheeks again, a bad habit that didn’t actually do anything to stop or hide the pink color darkening her cheeks. It also did nothing to help her confusion in how to explain that the man she’d loved from afar had shown up in this city one day with memories beyond her own that happened to include a love confession from her she’d sworn she’d decided not to say aloud for his sake, but-

She shakes her head quickly, the large bun of hair bobbing along near comically.]

But that’s a long story!! Let’s find you something first!

Edited (oh no where are the hands) 2019-09-10 08:20 (UTC)

[Greed closes his eyes, and grabs a wine. And then, when he opens his eyes, he sees it’s the red wine. So he pours them each a glass of the red wine, and hands her hers.]

I’m the same way.

As long as it’s in my hand and mine, I’m happy.

[And Greed’s that way about far more things than just alcohol.]

Okay, fair. He definitely inherited that from Dirk, because he'd normally do the same fucking thing. What's social situations? Other than bad, that is. Anyway, he's definitely going to get a reputation here, though whether that's good or bad is a problem for the future.

"Antisocialism won," he says, about the dropping trou and fucking off for some wild sex party or something. He's been a fucking antisocial weirdo since he arrived, basically, and this is his first real foray into changing that. By finding and scaring his lil bro. "Admittedly the whole fuckbucks concept is a little out there, but, well." He's used to making porn for money. He'll be fine.

It's... Dirk wouldn't have done this, if he hadn't died. Which is awful. He would have passed by, looked in, confirmed Dave was present, and fucked off again. Worse, he would have instantly gone for the strife. He knows himself. Death did do him good, and if he had the capacity for shame, he'd be disgusted with himself.

But he doesn't, so he's not.

"You still growin'? Yeah, that tracks. Seventeen's still growin' age." He stretches out a bit on the couch, legs out in front of him, head tipped back in the cushions. Oddly relaxed. He listens, and he doesn't want to admit there's a tinge of jealousy that Dave has someone else to jam out with. Like they ever properly jammed out. "You make friends easy for a kid I raised," he says, not to say that Dave has an easy time of it, but admitting that he's shockingly well-adjusted for someone raised by Dirk Strider.

His head turns, real slow-like, and he's squinting behind his glasses but that's impossible to tell. "You don't want to live with me again." He says it real blunt, because he's pretty sure it's true. There's a thread of possessiveness in him, that he smacks down. "I've been lookin' at places, but I haven't settled in yet."

For once, he's glad that Bro is feeling anti-social. It keeps him from the general public and keeps Dave from having to think of explanations as to why he's acting like he's acting. Mostly those explanations would be a half-hearted shrug of his shoulder, but it at least is going to exist as somewhat apologetic. "Here's a magic concept." he sits up a little further, shifting in his seat so he can tuck one leg up and have the other hang off the couch cushion but face the older at the same time. "You know you can just sit in wholesome silence with people right? Long as you're touching in some way." What fun is that you ask? Better than the images in Dave's head.

A shrug of his shoulder very similar and less apologetic to the one that he's going to have to gear up to get ready to give most people is presented as the answer to still growing. But as for the rest of it, "No, I don't." In fact, he's trying not to go off about how badly he's been trying to just keep the friends that most understand him and how fucking suck it is that a lot of them seem to have outgrown him or not grown at all and stayed back where they were years ago and Dave is the one that outgrew them. Life sucks.

As a reiteration of what he'd just said, but in a context to go along with what Dirk has said, Dave replies easily: "No, I don't. But I can't keep an eye on you if you're running around not only pantsless but homeless too. You can stay here until you get your own place to throw your shit in as long as you're not going to start up with bullshit like amb--"

Dave stops himself. He's already saying dumb shit. "Yeah. Yeah. You don't gotta say you can't promise you're not gonna. I already know you're gonna." Shuffling back so his head was on the back of the couch and his hands were in his lap, linked together. "Don't trap the fridge and stay out of my room and we'll be cool."

It's not like Kankri hadn't had a mind to find out where the scents were coming from, and avoid them for the time being. That Karkat had found him at all was a bane to them both. It's not until his ear flicked backward and his eyes, shielded from the above sun, turned to see Karkat standing to his side. Or at first, at least, a hoodlum in a hood.

A Hoodlum easily recognizable by Vantas standards by the screaming bark of a word that he'd have to help Karkat realize the consequences of. He was used to Porrim taking her pot shots and then quipping back, and Karkat had done just that. It was primal to answer in kind right after being equated to trash. "First off, the use of "you" in a way that's only marker is to demean me at the first turn. You know my name, Karkat and you could have easily used it. You decided, instead, to use something unfamiliar and quite honestly a little aggressively in a way unbecoming casual conversation."

He pulls down his sweater a little more, not liking even an inch of it riding up in a place he's deemed full of degenerates. The last thing he needs is to give off the wrong impression, at least. "As for your extremely problematic classification of the Beforan race, to answer you simply, yes as far as I know, I am." To which is also a boon and a bane to him, too. He was glad Kurloz wasn't here, it made his life easier in the way that he wouldn't have to worry about a susceptible world. "Lastly, at the moment, as you'll notice I've not been dehorned or bugwinged, you can keep your disgusting terminology to yourself. I've half a mind to remind you that terminology can be both helpful and degrading to a person. Just because you can say something and are a vile representation of what happens when one remains uneducated about the issues, doesn't mean you should. There's enough degeneracy conglomerating in this one area of commerce and no other forms of it need to be added, Karkat."

"Boring," he says, "I know I don't look like some kind of romantic to you." Honestly, sitting next to someone and gently touching them is way too fucking intimate for him. No way. Just give him a quick fuck and he'll roll out the window and bail. Not that he's really done that since Dave came around. Even he has standards. He just got his fucking around done early.

"Compared to how you could've turned out." Simply. He's not going to press the matter. You know. Like him. And yeah, life sucks. It pretty much always will.

He rolls his eyes, glad they're still hidden. As always. "I got fucking pants on, kid." That's all he says, like it's a joke, but he's also visibly annoyed, a little tense around the shoulders. Dangerous, but not moving. "And you are still the kid. I don't need a chaperone."

He taps his fingers on his knee, otherwise unmoving. "Look. I appreciate the offer, but I built my shit up from nothing once, and I can do it again." This place should be goddamn easy. Pick a kink, rake in the chroma.

He pauses, and this shit is difficult. Finally, he adds: "You're grown. You clearly don't need me hanging around like some shitty poltergeist. I fucked off and died, I ain't got a place here."

[He looks up at Ye Xiu, and by looking up, I mean he stretches his neck over the armrest to look at Ye Xiu upside down, and his eyes light up. Another familiar face! That puts him at ease. Seriously, he doesn't like being lonely.]

Ye Xiu! Long time no see!

[He's not getting up...]

Well, I'd wear more clothes, but I'm kinda not into paying for things right now.

[And that's when he takes another helping of meat and puts it in his mouth.]

[An outdoor bath is a novelty Edelgard had not thought to experience basically ever, given her status and station, but none of that mattered here in the slightest. Still, she waited until she thought that the spring was empty before slipping inside, a heavy robe wrapped around herself as completely as possible just to be safe.

Movement to the left caught her attention and she froze, already ready to turn tail and flee...when she realized it was a familiar person. And a familiar voice.]

...Lysithea?

[O- Oh, what a gentleman? She’s just a farmers daughter and she gets a “my lady”, wow...

But as he goes on Konoha shakes her head enthusiastically in denial, blushing a bit at the idea of just finding the nearest person and... canoodling with them. Admittedly the blush is a bit harder to spot with her skin only a shade or two lighter than her brown coat, but.]

N- No, definitely not! I know it’s hard to believe, I had trouble at first too, but, as long as you’re touching skin to skin that’s enough! Even just holding hands will make the chroma stuff so you don’t have to do anything drastic- !

[Drastic? Drastic.]

And you don’t even have to do that if you really don’t want to... a lot of the Moonblessed say you don’t need to since it’s worth less than chroma, but there’s the demichroma the natives use and you can get that just by working a job! I’ve got one!

Dave also got the signature eye-roll from Dirk. There's a lot of things that he wishes he hadn't passed down to him, but there they are, in the current year of our lord. He's saved it for now for a heavy sigh. Bro isn't going to listen to him for nothing, is he? Who's the teenager with the hormones here? Probably Dirk in comparison. Further there's the idea that Dirk didn't have confidence in himself from the sounds of it. These aren't things he's ever even considered and he's probably going to sleep for a week trying to sleep off the stress of this conversation. "I guess..." he says with a cadence indicating he's simply hoping he's said something in the right vein of what he's supposed to there.

That and especially where Dirk casually swearing comes into play. That's not unlike him, it's not unlike either of them, but it's the posture and Dave raises his hands at casual chest level in surrender. He's still the kid. Don't. Do it. He's already looking straight ahead with his peripheral vision locked on Dirk and his silence is louder than any words he could've said even if he does manage out an almost demure sounding "Alright. Fuck. Sorry." The words are a farce, he's not sorry, he's back on edge and the thump of his heart in his chest and the tenseness of his muscles are evident. Bro on edge means Dave on edge even if he's slightly on edge. He could be full ass cheeks on the table and Dave would still call it edge.

All of what Dirk says passes without Dave knowing what to say in return, just get reminded of how small and insignificant he feels when there's a possibility of violence. He's never been good with it, not since Dirk's death and even before that, really. Not that he had a choice back then. What he wants to say is two different things. He wants to get upset at being on edge, but he wants to tell Dirk right off for.

Something.

"Okay, look. I'm not startin' trouble I Just kinda want to know what the fuck you're actually saying. I'm still the kid but I'm grown, you got nowhere, but you got no place here where I literally said you did." His hands are finally coming down and his eyes are starting to jerk little looks in Dirk's direction before maybe a muscle or two starts to settle down. "Think you're misunderstandin' me Bro, I'm so fuckin' mad." his hands helped the emphasis of his word by coming downa little more, "...like at you. I ain't even said half the shit I oughta, but I'm not fuckin' stupid and I'm not a fuckin' moron. You fucking died and ollied the fuck out on me when I needed you the god damn..." He's searching for a word and settles on a quick, "most. Now that I can half god damn tolerate your presence and we don't gotta be at each other's throats, you're findin' more reasons to ollie the fuck out on me." His monologue gives no real room for interruption and his eyes are slowly and more easily creeping over. Enough that he gives himself a moment to try to settle down and let the thud of his heart exit the canals of his ears. "What's the god damn point bein' made here, man? Just level with me on what the fuck you actually want. To check up on me? You did. To find out if I'm 'the right Dave'? Bullshit. Now don't get pissed at me because I'm tryin' here. I'm actually going out on a socially awkward motherfucking limb."

It's rough to hear all that shit. But Dirk listens. He also catalog's Dave's reaction to his even mild hostility, and where he should feel guilt he just feels nothing. There's something wrong with him, isn't there? Like, fundamentally.

He sighs.

He sighs and he leans forward and he rests his elbows on his knees, one gloved hand clutching the stupid juicebox still. He stares at it. And fuck, above all, he feels lost.

"I don't blame you for being mad," he finally says, a long-ass time after Dave is done talking. "And I know that's not all you're riled at me for, I ain't blind." He pauses. Doesn't take a drink. Continues. "You're grown, sure. An adult, nearly. That's some scary shit. But that don't mean you can act like you're gonna stick a six inch ruler between me and my date to the homecoming dance, you get me?" He's a little more slang-y like this, when he's genuine. Twangy, too. His mouth twitches, but this time it's a frown. "I didn't intend to die," he admits, "but I knew I was gonna, eventually. Just not when. I served my intended purpose the moment you got into your session." He probably should have died then. What a weird thought.

He finally lifts his head to look over at him, not blank but careful. "I don't know what the fuck I want. That's the whole goddamn point. I'm dead. I don't know what the fuck to do with that. I'm not supposed to be here. I was meant to stay dead."

An astute observation, but a depressing one. "I ain't thinkin' about leavin' because I want to, if you get my point. You don't fucking need me. So what's the purpose?" He's well fucking aware he's not likable, Dave, so it's certainly not that. "You want me around, I'm around."

[ His mind has already wandered... he's experienced enough with both being deaf and selectively pretending to be deaf that he can tune out whatever he doesn't want to hear. Not only that, but as the shock of everything begins to fade, it occurs to him that assuming he's dead or dying might just be self-indulgence. Because then, he doesn't have to think anymore about the absolutely staggering losses his country must be suffering: whatever happens now, his duty has bee discharged, and he can enjoy this sweet release...

But if that's not the case, then... whatever sort of place he's in now, whether real or imagined, he has to return from it. His eyes flick back to his companion... ]

Dead and returned, to the afterlife and back, truly a remarkable journey. How and by what means did you travel?

[ ...figment of his imagination or ambassador from hell, perhaps that nonsensical thing the man had said just now is a sort of way-marker or clue. ]

It's rough to say it, especially when he's feeling like he's got to walk on eggshells. He's walked on them before, not even figuratively, he's learned before he could just fly instead. He's essentially immortal and shouldn't be afraid of the same things he used to be, but god damn it. Things still hurt and he doesn't want that sort of thing to be the first thing that happens the moment he finds out his ... his dad isn't dead. Make of it what he wants, it's true.

The silence as a prefix for the talk, it's killer and Dave hates silence, too. It's why he talks so damn much when he gets nervous. At least Dirk has listened to him and it seems like even retained enough of it to give a fuck about his monologue which in itself is a surprise. Dave's eyes have strayed to the box in the strong hand holding it. That's going to be his first indicator if he has to stand up and move away, that juice box is a little easier to take the crushing brunt of any anger too late to quell.

There it is. The both of them are dropping all pretense. It's the accent coming out, the thing they both reserve for their most relaxed of times or the times when they're being the most real for a better set of terms. A Strider and a Strider in the same room is always going to be tense. Dave does get it and he "Yeah..."'s quietly so he's not interrupting but that there's a specific marker for him to tell Dirk he understands. It doesn't make any of this easier, but he's not wrong. Dave has no right to father his father. Technically it's not wrong but specifically it's not right.

The life of Dave feeling tense has drained out of him and poured into his shoulders drooping at the mention of just why Dave got into the medium at all. He didn't really do much of that on his own without Bro. He doesn't like hearing that he had a single purpose and has already worn that purpose through. In a mimic of what Dirk went through, minus the juice box, which Dave picks back up to take a small drink off of after Dirk gets it off his chest, too.

It's clear that Dave is trying his best to work through what he's supposed to say. Something that's going to make everything alright in some weird role reversal that he sort of threw on himself. It's not even Bro's fault. He licked his top lip again, his jaw hanging a little bit as if he's going to say something. There's so many somethings he should say.

However, he's gone with something that he hopes gets the point across. If it weren't for that smile, that damn smile, Dave might not have actually considered this after being scared by Dirk's aggression. Even a small one. But there really was a smile there, something that he can't remember the last time his guardian had done. If ever in his memory's reach. It's almost the same as the man who took him to stand at turn tables the moment he had coordination in his fingers to lift them past flailing.

"Fuck, Bro, don't make it weird. You're gonna make me say I want you around, I'm goin' to say it and then you're gonna make me dance around talkin' 'bout bullshit like your purpose. A purpose is what you make it dude." He stands up for a moment stretching his shoulders back with a few popcracks of joints, drinking a little bit of his juice while he stares at nothing in particular. "Don't make me into a sappy pussy when I'm tryin' to be upset with you. If I didn't want you around I would have told you to get the fuck out when I realized it was you. So..." he looks over his shoulder, shrugging the opposite one. "Stay until you find somewhere. I don't wanna cramp your style with all my six inches."

How about a dick joke to go with the ruler joke, that's a dick entendre joke. Besides if it gets bad, maybe the showdown would do them both good. Dirk would learn he can't push Dave around and if he does, he's messing with the grown man, not the baby he left. Which is lies. Dave wouldn't be able to fight for himself, but he can pretend.

Edited (What? A singular letter that needed a ' instead? You bet.) 2019-09-10 10:16 (UTC)

[ Of course he's already wondering it. She knows how his brain works. Which is a scary thing in itself. ]

Is a space salad safer? Maybe in space, the salad eats you.

[ They're old partners. Their jokes are terrible and half the time, only make sense to them. He's the only one she ever delves into anything like this with, and its both comforting and reassuring in its own way. ]

Fine, let's brave the space salad. But I'd kill for a space sundae right about now.

[ ...Maybe quite literally. ]

[ Now that gives her pause, a slight frown tugging on her lips as she ponders over the possibilities there, piecing together more of the bigger picture than she had before. ]

Are they trying to get rid of the unprepared, or are they just that badly equipped to understand how to run something like this?

A king? [ One eyebrow quirks for a moment before she gives him a smile, warm and easy. She settles down on the rock beside him, tugging off her boots. ] You're a long way from home as well, I take it?

I'm Natasha. It's a pleasure to meet you.

I don't know. I don't think it's necessarily deliberately malicious. Possibly incompetence coupled with trying to get as much out of us as they can. Why risk your own people when you have strangers turning up every month who you can throw at things?

[ She moves to follow him without hesitation, falling in at his side as she's done so many times that it just feels right now. There's something comforting in the familiarity of it, and she's grateful for it.

She's nodding before he even finishes his question. ]

I did. With Clint, actually. I saw Wanda briefly. And Bruce.

[ That hadn't been so brief, but she doesn't go into that just yet. Instead, she glances up to study his face, trying to gauge what information she can find there - and from the once-over she gives him automatically as they walk side by side, assessing. ]

How long have you been here?

I...suppose so.

[It's not the talk of murder that weirds her out, he's just...really focusing on it isn't he? She made him bring it up and now he keeps talking about it.

Hm.]

It's not as if I've never killed anyone myself, but I suppose I never approached it the way you do...

If you're self conscious, you don't have to try and defend yourself. I'm not going to leave just because you've a murderer.

[You know when someone does something embarrassing, so they keep talking about it as if it's no big deal? She's seen some of the other maids do that when they break a plate, or overcook food, things like that...

She can't say for sure that's what YQ is doing considering she barely knows him, but again, she doesn't want him to be uncomfortable if that is the case.]

[At the sight of the panda, Yan Qing's heart melts.]

Aww! Shh, shh, daddy's here now.

[He coos and scoops the panda cub up in his arms, rubbing its back and holding it close. Can you tell why it's so spoiled? Also, hate that he calls himself this. But the way he smiles at it is so gentle, one can hardly believe he's the same guy who joked about rawing Vietnam in the shower.

I'm not gonna take that sentence back.]

Aiya, Vietnam. You almost gave me a heart attack! Look at this baby! Ah, he's so cute... [he nuzzles his once estranged furry son...]

Oh now I'm really jealous. I'm still looking for Mr. Right For Me. Though you weren't aware that you two were married?

[That does sound complicated. How is that possible? Wouldn't she remember? She clearly has feelings for her husband so obviously that can't be the issue. Is it something else then? Hopefully not something sinister. She likes this girl, after all.

Manuela looks at her with concern for a moment before stepping back.]

Well if you'd rather look at clothes we can do that. Though I'll want to hear the story at some point, dear.

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Springs are Sprung

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YOU STARTED IT

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