IC INBOX

[stresstokens]

"You've reached Riz Gukgak. Leave a message at the tone."

( to be prettied up later )

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photo;

[maximumlegend]

[ Ping! Suddenly you receive a photo of.. a piece of paper with text on it? Apparently someone wanted to send you something, but didn't want to bother finding out where everyone lives..

It's a photo of a card that has text on it in perfect yet somehow also still legible calligraphy. It looks ridiculously fancy for what's written on it, which is-- ]

You are hereby cordially invited to:

ADAINE AND FABIAN'S BREATHTAKING BIRTHDAY BASH!

It will be held today, June 3rd, in the rec room of the apartment building. Presents are not necessary, but a good attitude is most definitely required! There will be drinks, dancing and general merriment, because we all deserve something good after that labyrinth!

Trust me - it will be the party of the century here, and you DO NOT want to miss it!

- Fabian Aramais Seacaster

P.S. If you do not know my good friend Adaine yet, make sure to get to know her at the party. She is an absolute delight, and I want her to have the best birthday party possible!

P.P.S. Yes, The Ball, I KNOW you already know about this and that you OBVIOUSLY already know Adaine, I just did not want to leave you out by not sending you an invite too, alright! And I have been writing so many of these that I wrote the same stuff as on all the others out of habit!

[ For all characters who would attend, there is a log right over here! ]

Backdated ;; 1 Week Ago || un: oracle

[her_own_rules]

A 2nd network has been built for the heroes who fight for all people and all worlds to survive. Its purpose is to connect and unify everyone in the field, especially during mission separations and for the quick relay of information in emergencies. Your actions have shown you to be one of these people. Once you have acquired a second earpiece through your requests, leave a message here and I will connect you.

Pass the message to anyone else you consider trustworthy and similarly dedicated.

[stresstokens]

Thanks for including me. I'll let my team know.

I'll work on that earpiece. We won't let you down.

[her_own_rules]

[ Let it never be said that poiteness, professionalness, and gratitude doesn't register on the otherside of dozens of firewalls, and the digitally monotonedvoice. A corner of Barbara's mouth still curves. It might not be noticeable, but it does still happe. ]

Confirmed.

Once you've spoken to them, if they agree and acquire the same,
contact me back here with their names, and I'll connect them as well.

pre-mission! a couple weeks later:

[stresstokens]

My team is holding off for now. There are other things they need to get ahold of first.

But I've got my own now, so add me to the list when you can.

action; (with gorgug, you two can't stop me)

[maximumlegend]

[ What do you do when another one of your friends shows up belatedly in this place compared to the rest of you and you have to catch them up on everything that's happened so far in this place?

That means it's time for a Boys Sleepover, of course. What else. It's the only way he'd actually let Riz into his room. (He's still locked the walk-in closet though. Just in case. Not that it'll stop Riz, but it might just slow him down a touch enough for Fabian to realise what he's doing before another shirt has suffered!)

He's a great host though. There's mattresses that have been dragged in, now lying across the floor. Where are they coming from? Maybe better to not ask. Or better to hope those apartments weren't actually occupied.. There's a pile of various snacks too. There's all the things one might expect from a Boys Sleepover.

Like Fabian, sitting cross-legged on top of his bed. Wearing his pyjamas. It's a sleepover, my dudes, we have to wear pyjamas!! No, The Ball, this can't just be a regular information-sharing session, it's THEMED. IT'S A SLEEPOVER!! ]

Anyway--

[ Fabian starts, already busy opening a bag of snacks.

It's goldfish. He's never had any.. It's a mystical snack.. Maybe he's hoping they're kippers or something.. ]

Where do we even start? [ ... ] With the lion? Gorgug should probably know about the lion, huh.

[stresstokens]

[ Riz is a man on a mission.

The mission tonight? To be normal. To win at Sleepover, which is something he thinks he'll be able to achieve. He knows that between the whole clue board debacle (which is all still valuable information, he maintains, even if the ensuing spiral wasn't altogether helpful), the horrible Kalina-plushie, and Riz's general Rizness, Fabian's had to put up with a lot. Riz is a lot, he's aware, and it's very possibly an attempt to spare his feelings that Fabian hasn't brought up the idea that maybe they should have separate apartments after all.

He's not going to go on any long rants about his hypotheses, theories, and proposed impending doomsdays. His clue boards are staying safely in his room, where nobody is allowed to step foot on account of the fact that it looks like Memento vomited in there. He's wearing PJs (really, just a pair of loose pants and an oversized T-shirt that makes him look more or less like a twelve-year-old boy who's really intense about the fact that this is what will make him look like he's a part of skater culture), he's brought snacks, he's got his game face on. It's time to Sleepover, which he is doing Normally.

To that end, he even made fresh popcorn in a pot, just like his Mom used to do it. Some pieces got a little burnt, but it's nothing that a liberal amount of butter can't hide. He shoves a handful in his mouth, then slides the bowl across to the others. ]

Oh yeah, the lion. That's probably the simplest place to start? [ Wait, where did the lion go? Did someone kill it? ] So, Fabian and I met up here day one? And while we were finding a place to stay, there was a lion in the middle of the lobby just, like, chilling? It's not so different from what's going on with the snakes.

[ He shrugss. ]

We snuck past her, and by the time we had to leave again, she was gone. Maybe the snakes will just disappear too.

[tinflower]

[ Scene setting: Gorgug will take the popcorn, thank you.

Fortunately, getting PJs was part of his earlier adventure with Adaine in getting clothes, and said PJs for Gorgug means a short-sleeved that puts his tattoos on display, and then some simple cotton pants. We don't go for matching wear here, fellas. We just wear the plainest shit our hands land on, and go along with it.

Which, hands. Gorgug's taking a handful--a much bigger kind of handful than Riz's--of that popcorn and sticking most of it in his mouth in one go, only a few escaping it by hitting his tusk, or rolling off his palm in the motion. He's focusing on Riz right now as the speaker in the room, though does turn from his spot on the mattress floor bed to make a motion if Fabian wants some. You want some of this one out of twenty snacks we're having??

Because Gorgug will have one of every twenty snacks they're having tonight. Most likely even more than that. He's got a big stomach. ]

Did anyone say you had to sneak past the lion? [ Just- ] The lion sounds like the dragon in this equation, maybe. But more in the way.

[ There's that. But did they have to go into the lobby to find a place to stay, Gorgug wonders? Or did they pick that because life just led them in that direction than, say, a building without a lion. ]

[maximumlegend]

[ Yes, there's a serious discussion going on. Yes, it's the entire point as to why they're here together in the first place.

Yet while Riz and Gorgug speak, Fabian is very focused on tasting these Goldfish, and.. he's definitely making a face, likely interrupting conversation with a: ]

Yuck, these don't taste like fish at all!

[ Top ten anime betrayals. You know what, he will gladly lean forward to grab a handful of popcorn instead when Gorgug offers, instead holding out the bag towards the half-orc. Please take these offensive crackers away from him, thanks.

But once he's gotten the popcorn, he goes silent again, listening to the other guys while he starts munching on the popcorn.

It's pretty good, actually. Good job, Riz. ]

Oh, actually-- [ He finally pipes up near the end there. ] I went back with Amy to kill the lion. So that is what happened to it.

[ MAYBE.. WOULD HAVE BEEN MORE HELPFUL IF HE SHARED THAT INFORMATION FIRST, HUH.. ]

I thought that was the entire point. See how we deal with threats lingering around and the ways in which we keep other people safe. That sort of thing, right?

un: gorgug, text (backdated)

[tinflower]

[ Just sent while he's talking to someone-- ]

does your briefcase work

[stresstokens]

Yep! I didn't come here with it, though. I had to ask for it back.

Need me to hold onto something for you?

[tinflower]

want to stick snake in one

[ slow, distracted texting: ]

try to

[ during july mission, text ] un: gorgug

[tinflower]

[ Gorgug's had a rather heavy conversation with one of the Bad Kids, lately.

A rather heavy, personal one. One that doesn't need to make Gorgug think at all about the others, but he does, and the thing is: he's worried about them. Not in the sort of way where you're fretting over them internally or out, but the kind where you start to think about what your friends have been going through, and if you really know how they've been feeling, and-- maybe you want to check up on them. Maybe you want to know.

Maybe it's the most awkward, weird kind of worry to do anything about, especially in the middle of Important Investigating Missions (and Gorgug knows he can never overestimate how much Riz is throwing himself into it, even with what Riz readily supplies to him), but even though Riz is in his most Riz Mode, and Gorgug is never sure if you should get in the way of Riz being in his element, but he also thinks one night can't hurt, and so: ]

hey riz. can you be free tonight? i wanted to hang out
my place or somewhere quiet. or yours
or we can do another day

[ The 'can' is very important question in requesting availability from Riz, you see. ]

[stresstokens]

[ It doesn't speak very well of Riz that he's thriving underneath the pressure of planning, feeling more clarity now than he has in what feels like months. The Bad Kids are finally back, acting instead of reacting, and as busy as he's been? It feels good just having something to focus on beyond aimless, paranoid speculation.

But it also means that he has a one track mind, which is to say, he completely misreads Gorgug's text message. Clearly, there's something else that they need to do, or something Gorgug needs to run by him. It can't just be a normal hang, right?

And so he responds: ]

I can do today. What's up, did you hear anything from Cammy?

[ Code for camera. Nobody has ever accused Riz of being a creative person.

And, because he's Riz: ]

You okay?

[ He always has to check. ]

[tinflower]

im okay. cammys okay

[ Should he make this sound like it's important in a way that isn't personal? Make it sound like a task?? It is true that personal hang-outs isn't a thing any of them ask for much.... ]

i just want to hang out [ No, he'll go for the honest answer (even if it might be the most confusing). ]
ill come over to your place then?

text — un: willa

[infirmiere]

Hey kiddo, how are you doing?

[stresstokens]

I'm okay. Glad to be out of Moorecroft.

[ For a given value of okay -- he's definitely punched with more bullet holes than he'd been the last time they talked! ]

Long time no see! Did you handle that whole mess okay?

[infirmiere]

It was fine. I was alone so I didn't have to pretend happy families with anyone, very easy to play my part of reclusive writer.

Your fake family was good to you?

backdated to 12/09 | text un: mason

[ingestion]

you are invited to (1) cool party at the maximum on 12/13
from 7pm-???
pet rock contest, best decorated rock wins a prize
party games, drinks, sleepover, and a SNES!

rsvp with heather mason

ps: if you cannot come, donations for the cause are happily accepted

text to soon/eventual action; post-mission

[maximumlegend]

[ Hey, Riz. While you're hanging out somewhere that isn't the manor during the day on Valentine's Day, you'll suddenly receive a text. Fabian's username is attached to it. ]

hey
could you come over to the manor real quick

[ No further context, apparently. ]

[stresstokens]

Yes, what happened? Are you okay? Is Gorgug okay? Is the Hangman okay???

Did you lose something?

[maximumlegend]

[ .. oh.

Maybe this is something Fabian should have taken into account, given that it's definitely not the first time he has texted one of his fellow Bad Boys only to be greeted with this.. Sorry, Riz. If your bestie had used a few more of his brain cells, he could've spared you the instant neuroticism. ]

no
i am fine
everything is fine

[ At least he texts back relatively quickly. Especially by Fabian standards. So hopefully Riz shouldn't have to worry too much.. ]

i am inviting you over for a positive thing

[ He's still trying to navigate maintaining the surprise, though! So it's still going to be vague.. sorry, bud!! ]

action; threeway post-mission!

[maximumlegend]

[ Could they send a message to Gorgug that they're back?

Of course they could. Even though Fabian is sure the other must be immersed in work - that's the whole reason he was staying back, after all, right? To get stuff done - he's pretty sure Gorgug would notice the message relatively quickly and come to see them.

But where's the fun in that when you can have a surprise. Of course Fabian is going for the surprise, and he's immediately doing everything he can to convince Riz that they should totally surprise Gorgug. And it's not like they can't get into their own compound.

Which means that as soon as possible after they have arrived back, Fabian and Riz are standing in the entrance way of the lab, with the former calling out obnoxiously loudly: ]

Gorgug, we're back!

[ Sorry for your poor eardrums, Riz. At least you're some distance away from Fabian's loud mouth because of the height difference and all.. ]

[stresstokens]

[ Riz had initially argued against surprising Gorgug. Partly because he knows he'd want to be texted immediately upon the others' arrival - what if someone else texts Gorgug, and he thinks something happened? - and, if he's being honest, even more in part because he kind of wanted a ride home in the van. Which he's not saying out loud, but it certainly was a chief priority in his mind.

But Fabian had argued so hotly in favour of a surprise that he'd relented, following Fabian's lead with only a little bit of eyerolling. He does, however, wince a little as Fabian yells at the top of his lungs.

Still, he'd missed Gorgug an awful lot last month, and he's excited to see everything he's been working on, so he summons up the appropriate enthusiasm when he calls out, ] And we're both alive!

[ It seemed important. Just to clarify. ]

[tinflower]

[ The lab is about the same as it's always been: a mess. Projects that they possibly saw before they left are still somewhere on a table over there and over here, the humanoid limbs he's been practising to make still shoved creepily into a corner.

And as for Gorgug, he's in the middle of a table putting together a skeletal base of some new bot when the pair wander in. Pop rock music is playing from some corner, a softer kind of choice from his usual playlists, and there's a few of the forever floating fish that exist around his dome bumping their heads into the workshop itself, likely letting themselves in too through the open door.

But, Gorgug. When he hears their voices, his head snaps up, baffled and confused and all those regular Gorgug expressions when anything happens. He's staring at the pair, goggles on over his eyes, echoing Riz's last word in his head as a question only to himself. Alive? They're alive?

He pulls up his work goggles, blinking at the pair of them in his doorway. ]

You didn't die? You did it? You're back?

[ He may be slow about approaching--a regular walking speed, but is that appropriate at a time like this?--but he's vibrating and giving every impression of a dog that wants immediate attention. Please jump him. Please hug him. We know dogs do that first, usually, but sometimes Gorgug questions reality and is slow about these things!! ]