IC INBOX

[stresstokens]

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

( to be prettied up later )

Comments

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.

[her_own_rules]

Affirmative.



[ A beat. ]



A question—what would you like your name on the network to be?

[stresstokens]

Are we all using secret IDs on this thing?

[her_own_rules]

Many heroes do as part of protecting their identity, but it is not required.

[stresstokens]

Protecting it from everyone besides you, huh?

[ It's not meant accusingly. He admires it. He'd want to be able to do the same. ]

I might as well fit in. I'll go with Aazat.

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?

[stresstokens]

What?! [ Riz squawks, immediately breaking his internal promise to be extremely Chill. ] That's what happened to her? Dude, I snuck past her like, six times to avoid killing her!

[ He leans back in a huff, looking a little put-out, lip jutting out in an unbecoming pout for about ten seconds before it registers to him that the reason he hadn't killed her obviously wasn't a factor anyway. She was technically an innocent lion, but she could also technically try to maul, maim, or eat anyone who passed by, so fair is fair. ]

I thought she could've been someone's pet, or familiar, or mount or whatever. Why else would she be hanging around an apartment building? But I guess she wasn't?

[ It's not as though they haven't collectively killed the shit out of way more animals than just a lion, so it's not really the principle of the thing. ]

So I guess it doesn't really matter. [ He considers this. ] Did she put up much of a fight?

[ Fabian, please tell him you didn't just skewer a sleeping lion. That feels bad, spiritually speaking. ]

[tinflower]

[ Food switch? Food switch? The not-fish are being offered to Gorgug, so he'll take them with his free hand, awkwardly, if the bowl isn't actually taken from him. Takes the opportunity to plop the packet down, and bring as well the bowl back onto a surface so he can look at these biscuits and see...

Hm, yes. They are not real fish, are they. An assessment that Gorgug makes all by himself, and he's happy to continue studying this by actually tasting the goldfish for himself--one at first. Then, deciding the taste isn't offensive to himself (and not finding they have that strong of a taste with just one) takes a handful and directly deposits that into his mouth too.

He knows he can east like a trash bin around his pals. Please, friends, talk about lions. He's listening!!! ]

[maximumlegend]

[ Your habits are so valid, Gorgug. It's probably telling how little of a reaction there is to Gorgug definitely eating twice the combined others' share. Fabian will only whine if it turns out Gorgug ate all of one of the good snacks, but he can have the bland fake fish. That's a sacrifice Fabian is graciously willing to make.

Besides, he's too focused on his lion story here to think too hard about the food. ]

She started to attack! Of course I was going to kill her!

[ It doesn't even sound defensive as much as it sounds like he's just explaining - given that the Bad Kids have never really needed an excuse to just jump to violence.

It's often the best solution! ]

I first got her with my sword, but it only downed her, rather than killing her. I was going to go for the killing blow, but Amy insisted that she'd take care of it. [ ...

Fabian is.. kind of realising the other two might not necessarily know who Amy is.

But he's not stopping to explain anyway. If there's any questions, he'll surely hear it. ]

Apparently she can kill things by just touching them. It didn't really look like any spell I've ever seen before. She called herself a healer, but she had no idea what clerics are.

[ It's followed up by a slight shrug of his shoulders.

The worlds represented in this place are weird, gang! He doesn't know what else to tell you two! ]

[stresstokens]

Okay, okay! I had to ask. Every time I saw her, it was just snooze-central.

[ In honour of the sleepover, Riz has switched from coffee to soda, which has roughly the same amount of caffeine but enough carbonation to make him belch enormously when he least expects it. He swigs it down with a speed that would be alarming if his competition wasn't currently shoving goldfish crackers into his mouth. ]

I've met Amy. She can just -- touch people dead? [ Which isn't unique to her, Riz supposes. But something like Power Word Kill is beyond even Adaine's capabilities. He frowns, a little discomfited by this knowledge; Amy seems perfectly nice, but the only people he really wants around with that sort of power are the Bad Kids and maybe one or two useful adults. Amy's a wildcard. ]

Maybe she absorbs their, like, life power into herself? Or else I don't see why she'd want to kill the lion herself. [ He taps his chin. ] Especially since that gives his whole deal away.

[ Weren't they supposed to be debriefing Gorgug? He's gotten immediately derailed. ]

[tinflower]

[ You need to be doing a what now with Gorgug? Because he's just here, continuing to vibe; getting closer and closer to the bottom of that goldfish bag like you fellas wouldn't believe as this talk about the lion and some Amy girl goes on.

His contribution to this, is: ]

Dying out slowly and dying both suck.

[ Does that help come to a conclusion as to why Amy chose the method she did? No, but that's Gorgug's thoughts on the matter, as he lets himself take a break from demolishing the fish crackers for what should always be had with their company: a soda. His mouth is kinda getting chewy in there, fellas.

Please, continue on about Amy or lions, or both. ]

[maximumlegend]

[ Fabian gestures in Gorgug's direction with one hand. ]

That's it, yes. Or at least-- That is the reason she told me, that she did not want it to die slowly. Even though I was totally going to finish it off! [ There's a tiny bit of offense in that, but considering it's been so long since then and they've gone through quite a few wild things too, there's no real hurt in it at all.

It's just the usual Fabian whining, really. He may not be drinking or eating even remotely as much as these other two, but it seems that he's making up for it by just being entirely unable to close his mouth to talk. Everything is in balance. As it should be. ]

Of course she could have been lying to me. [ It's not like Riz's theory is impossible either. And Fabian doesn't know enough about Amy to be able to tell which is the truth.

So he just pulls his shoulders up into a shrug, grabbing a bit more popcorn. ] Anyway, that's not the important part-- We can go over people Gorgug should maybe learn about later!

[ Especially when that is an entire mountain of information by itself. Fabian has truly met too many people, sorry, he is just too sociable.. ]

The lion is the main first thing we encountered, really, and then a little while after that we were sent into the maze.

[ Okay, let him now shove some popcorn into his mouth. So Riz can tell Gorgug about the maze. C'mon, The Ball. ]

[stresstokens]

Right! The maze.

[ And then Riz just proceeds to kind of... stare at them both for a full thirty seconds without saying anything or looking as though he's about to say anything. Sorry fellas. Just give him a second to think about what to say. In actuality, he's just sifting through all the bullshit that they'd collectively experienced, sorting them into piles of Normal Amounts Of Detail and Extraneous Facts. He doesn't want to talk Gorgug's ear off about things that don't matter, after all.

And then, abruptly, as though he'd never stopped talking in the first place, he dives into it. ]

So, the first mission we were here for was to survive this big magic maze. They told us they were gonna suck all the oxygen out of the city, so basically? They have ways of forcing you to do whatever dumb stuff they want us to. We were stuck in the maze for -- what, a week?

[ He glances over at Fabian questioningly. There had been no obvious shifts between day and night, and Riz himself hadn't really slept much, so his entire sense of time was completely off. ]

The walls moved to make sure all of us were separated and had to work with a bunch of strangers. Basically, the rooms were either puzzles that you had to figure out, monsters you had to fight, or rest stops. I've never seen magic that impressive before. Fabian even ran into a dragon.

[ Dean had filled him in on it. ]

But eventually everyone got out. I don't think anyone died. None of us did, anyway.

[ He has decided to leave out the part where he'd dined on several monsters. A guy's gotta eat. ]

[tinflower]

[ Ah, Riz is doing... the thing. It still hypnotises Gorgug even now (after he should be more used to how this goes), watching him stay in that lagged-looking state where he might speak any second, staring at him in a bizarre form of suspense. Fortunately, while he does that, one of his hands is slowly going for another one of the snacks present: cookies.

His hand doesn't need to be reaching so slowly, but it is until the point he snatches the packet, and then leans back properly in triumph.

There are very tiny quiet crinkling sounds as Riz divulges on previous events, and Gorgug finally gets into his (his!!!) cookies. Nibble nibble nibble....

And by the time Riz comes to the end, there's...well, a frown Gorgug wears. Somehow, even while snacking on cookies. ]

It's a good way to test an individual person, [ he points out, which is fairly clear, ] but... are we meant to be doing something to save our own worlds? It doesn't sound like the kind of test you...

[ Wait, let him go back a step. ] Could you find drinks and foods? Were you pushed to choose between saving yourself or other people? --I'm just trying to see what this has to do with the big picture.

[ The universe saving picture. ]

[maximumlegend]

[ They're very used to Riz's thing at this point, honestly. Fabian is also just casually chewing on some snacks now, only occasionally glancing at Riz to see how long he's been stuck like that already. Mostly since he's readying himself to be able to nudge Riz with a foot in case the other sticks in that mode for too long..

But-- there he goes. No foot nudging necessary. Fabian shifts a little where he's sitting on the bed as he listens to his friends. ]

I think it was trying to make us work together. [ He points out after swallowing a mouthful of snacks. ] I, at least, ran into some challenges that no one would have been able to pull off on their own, forcing you to cooperate with whoever you got stuck with in that particular part of the maze.

[ Ah, right, since Riz didn't mention that part yet, he explains to Gorgug: ]

The maze kept shifting around us. Sometimes walls would appear between you and whoever you were with, forcing you to move on by yourself. That's actually the way we got separated. The two of us went in with Adaine, naturally, but soon enough the maze forced us to go off by ourselves. And-- [ He pauses, getting a little huffy in that dramatic way Fabian always gets huffy, and waves his hands. ] I get that it was likely about cooperating with new people and all that, but I think it's extremely stupid to not just let us stick with our party.

[ He looks from Gorgug over at Riz, pointing at him. ]

The Ball, you sent me at least thirty messages after that asking if I was okay! And I didn't even read those until it was about a day later! [ Because clearly that is Riz's fault, right. And not Fabian's. ]

[stresstokens]

No food and water, unless you got lucky and found some in the chests that were scattered around. [ Riz scratches his cheek. ] But there were monsters around for if you were in a pinch, so I just ate those.

[ Sorry, Fabian, this is absolutely the first you're hearing of it! But it's a little embarrassing how quickly he'd lost his rations, and the reactions from everyone who caught onto the fact that he was just chowing down on the monsters to keep going were less than positive. He jabs a finger at Fabian, accusingly. ]

And I wouldn't have had to send thirty of them if you'd just checked your crystal and responded to one of them! Something bad could've happened to you!

[ But Riz is, at all times, extremely concerned about something bad happening to everyone. It's okay. Gorgug gets it. He also seems very worried all the time about something happening. It's a reasonable concern. ]

Anyway, other than the criminal neglect of his crystal, Fabian's right. They clearly wanted us to cooperate with people other than those we already knew and trusted. I think they wanted to see how we'd act under pressure without our usual safety net. It's all very social experiment-y.

[tinflower]

[ Gorgug tips his head when Riz says about eating monsters--in that 'well, you might as well' way, the small wrinkle of the nose that isn't one of disgust, but agreement. Maybe they should get better at cooking and eating monsters and animals, really.

More important is: ]

You should check your messages. [ It's Gorgug backing Riz up, looking at Fabian as he says it. Sorry, bro. :( But this is an intervention and it's how you're bad at checking on very important things!! But Gorgug falls silent between that small part about his crystal, listening as Riz continues. Cooperation does sound like a key factor in this mission, working together... ]

And no one died, so there were enough resources for everyone. [ Even if they were in chests or they had to kill monsters--it seems worth noting, saying out loud. It wasn't about pushing people to make sacrifices, or so it doesn't sound like it.

...but this is Gorgug, so he's fine with saying that much, and allowing the other two to continue.

His hands will eventually reach for new snacks. ]

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

[stresstokens]

I can, but it'll die in like a minute.

Are you fighting a snake like right now?

[tinflower]

[ Know what's even better than a reply?

NO REPLY!!!! GIVE HIM AN HOUR. will you give him an hour. ]

[stresstokens]

[ NO HE WILL NOT!!! In fact, in not very much time at all, if Gorgug doesn't in fact pick up, he will find on his phone: ]

MISSED CALL: THEBALL

MISSED CALL: THEBALL

MISSED CALL: THEBALL

MISSED CALL: THEBALL

MISSED CALL: THEBALL

MISSED CALL: THEBALL

[ Which is cool. He's normal. ]

[tinflower]

[ Look, sometimes your pal tells you something really useful and you start looking into it.

And you forget to answer a very important question because sometimes you get easily distracted, and you only happen to read a long list of missed calls for a semi-related-but-also-not reason and--

THE BALL????

R-riz, Gorgug is calling you back!!!!!! ]

[stresstokens]

DID YOU GET EATEN BY A SNAKE?!

[ Is he huffing and puffing? You bet he is. Riz is running on foot to the new city in his tendency to jump to immediate alarm and --

He hasn't gotten very far, actually. He's not a fast runner. ]

[tinflower]

What happened--

[ Okay, Riz beats Gorgug in the volume department, but that still makes it a pitch of noise where the only word he can make out is snake. Snake?? SNAKE? ]

Snake?! Did Fabian get eaten by a snake? H-hold on, I need to find a ride!

[ There's no way he can run to the city in time! ]

[stresstokens]

What?! When did Fabian come into the equation? You were the one who sent me snake texts and then didn't pick up your phone!

[ Riz is yelling, which helps make it sound less like he's going to die of a heart attack. Which he is, probably. His legs are only so long, Gorgug. He needs a car desperately. ]

[tinflower]

--Oh.

[ That's an 'oh' that takes a moment to come through, since Gorgug needs to register everything that Riz just said, coming to a stop in his own running. ]

I thought-- [ Does it matter what he thought? No, explain the more important part here: ] uh, I was looking for an air bubble-- I thought we needed an air bubble for the snakes.

Wait, you're not in the city, are you?

[ Wait shit Riz are you okay!! ]

[stresstokens]

No, but I was heading there, 'cause I thought you were there and you were talking about snakes and then you stopped answering--

[ Okay. He's calming down now. He's cool. He's super cool. This is how cool people act. ]

But we're all good! We're okay. It's all good. Fabian's good too. So is Adaine. So it's all... yeah.

[ ... ]

Wait, why would you need an air bubble for the snakes?

[tinflower]

Sorry. [ He does manage to slip that in, small as it is before Riz's question, enough sheepishness in the face of Riz's previous frantic explaining.

But, why does he need an air bubble? Um. ]

You said they would die after a minute, so, that sounded like they needed air.

[ The thought process is really that simple, Riz! ]

[stresstokens]

Okay, actually, let's back up a little. Why do you want to transport the snakes in my briefcase in the first place? Are we not killing them?

[ Hypocrite! Wasn't he just appalled at Fabian for killing the lion? ]

[tinflower]

Oh, well, we can kill them, [ that's an option! ] but some of us were thinking- maybe, we don't need to kill them?

We can just move some of them and-- put them somewhere they can live and not eat everything. [ A pause. ] We might have to kill some of them. Most of them.

[ That part is still being worked out, Riz. ]

[stresstokens]

Yeah? We could do that. Like a giant snake-zoo.

[ Riz was personally on Team Kill, but if Gorgug wants to save them, he'll give him a hand. He's not sure why, but he knows on some level that you can't just go around killing things because it's the most convenient thing to do. ]

But what're they gonna eat? Like, are they gonna be your pets now? 'Cause I think you'd probably need to visit them every other day and throw some meat or something in. I don't think there's actually enough animals around for them to hunt on their own.

[tinflower]

That's why I think we'd need to cull them--the person I was speaking to didn't sound against it, and there's some that wanna help keep them around.

[ They'll have to hope they can do something about it, but hey, it's not just a Gorgug thing. At least his feelings on it are... ]

We might just need to kill them in the end, but I don't think it's a bad idea to see what we can do. These people are judging us and our actions, and I don't know how much a good idea doing the easy thing in this scenario is.

[ Which, the easiest thing for the Bad Kids? Murder the shit out of some snakes. ]

[stresstokens]

If they wanted us to solve problems without killing anything, they gotta stop giving us problems that are solved by killing things, [ Riz gripes. He doesn't think that Gorgug is wrong, per se - nor doe he think that he's altogether right; it's his experience that the whole saving the world gig is often defined by how many things and people you can kill to make it happen - but it's pretty annoying. ]

The least they could do is give us some sort of rubric.

[ If he's going to be judged, he wants an A!!!!! ]

But yeah, let's at least give it our best shot. As far as I can tell, our food provisions are more or less unlimited, so we could start by trapping them and just throwing a bunch of steak at them every day.

[tinflower]

[ Damn, Riz, that's so much effort.... Gorgug kinda wants to just kill them when he's talking about feeding them every day. He's never had a pet! This sounds like a hassle! ]

...Let's hope someone gets a better idea about how to handle them.

[ Really a vote of confidence in this idea, Gorgug. You started it!! Even if he did so by speaking to others who seemed to think keeping them around was better, and--he can still see the reasoning behind it. It's so hard not to feel like they're being judged. ]

Maybe we can ask the companion buddies to feed them.

[ Maybe? ]

[stresstokens]

You know what? Yeah! They're this place's fucking snakes, they should be their problem.

[ Riz is not, in fact, gung-ho about making the actual effort; he just lets his mind run away from his common sense. The more realistic vision of this picture is that they're really good at feeding the snakes until they both get wrapped up in their respective projects and are a little afraid of what they'll see when they return. ]

[tinflower]

Were they always around? I don't get how they're a problem now. It's gotta be a test.

[ It's bizarre, really, and he only asks because he thinks if anyone would know, wouldn't Riz? He's the one you ask things and will likely get an actual answer.

And it's only because this is a test--and because a couple of people spoke about being nice to the snakes--that Gorgug is going through this effort that doesn't involve (full on) killing.

But he will absolutely forget about the snakes at some point. ]

[ 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?

[stresstokens]

You just want to hang out? Now?

[ If that reads as incredulous -- it's because it is. This seems like a really weird time to just want to hang out. They're busy! Gorgug's even busier than Riz is!

But... they reach out to each other like this so rarely. He's not gonna say no. ]

Okay, sure. Everyone else is out of the house for a bit, but even if they come back, we can hang in my room.

TO ACTION

[tinflower]

okay. ill bring snacks
and myself

[ And that's all you're getting from text, Riz, unless you text something back!!! One surely wouldn't think to bring snacks to their friend in their "home" where there is bound to be a lot of snacks, but this is Riz. He always needs back-up food (and a reminder that he has food on him), so Gorgug definitely brings along his backpack that is always filled with snacks as it is along with him.

It takes ten minutes or so for him to reach the house Riz is staying in, knocking on the front door, and following it with a "Riz, it's Gorgug"--because you should always try extra hard to get Riz's attention.

And he always prefers to know who is knocking next to not knowing--even when he's got planned company coming around.

Gorgug shall wait the customary minute for Riz to answer the door (any longer, and you would try to force your way in, probably). But he'll be standing there, waiting to look down at Riz with a warm (read: Gorgug) expression. ]

[stresstokens]

[ Luckily for them, everyone else is out at the moment -- doing what, Riz doesn't rightly know, and hasn't felt as though it was appropriate for him to ask. He knows what he's been doing, but he has to imagine the rest of them are doing some investigation of their own... or just doting on that robot baby of theirs with an affection that Riz finds frankly bewildering. So when there's a knock on the door, it's Riz who throws it open.

He's been working tirelessly over the past week, but it doesn't show; despite the perpetual bags underneath them, his eyes are bright and clear, his posture straight and tall, a smudge of ink smeared across one cheek, a pen tucked behind one large ear, and a loop of string still tied around his finger, evidently ready to be strung to some conspiracy board or another. ]

Hey, man. How's it going?

[tinflower]

[ It's true: Riz has been alive and giddy throughout their stay here. There's a mystery to dig his (serrated) teeth into, and the fear of the unknown is what makes it a thrill of the unknown for their little friend. Really, it almost makes coming over and talking about what he wants to with Riz a waste. Isn't this Riz having the time of his life?

But Gorgug is here, pulling off the bag from his shoulder and hanging from his hand. ]

Okay. I brought the snacks. [ He didn't let you down!! He lifts the bag. ] What did I get you in the middle of?

[ It's as good as any way to let Riz ramble while they go inside. This is still Riz, and maybe there's something new found for Riz's info-mapping--or it's Riz going over the clues to find anything he might've missed. ]

[stresstokens]

Just looking over our maps to figure out our best routes. Stealthing through suburbia is kind of a nightmare, honestly? In more rural areas, there's at least paths through forests or swamps or whatever you can hide in, and in the really urban areas, there's plenty of buildings and dumpsters and shit, but here? It's just empty roads. By design, I'm assuming. But luckily everyone here has some weird affection for shrubbery, so I've actually been working on adding more branches to the shrubs a little bit every day, and nobody's noticed yet. I've just been noting every area I've been working on, [ Riz says, cheerfully rambling as they head upstairs. As Gorgug's well aware, once Riz gets to talking about this sort of thing, it takes a concerted effort to shut up -- but with his friends, he knows he doesn't need to shut up. They're happy to listen.

Or, well, they're happy to let him talk. The listening part is a completely different story, depending on who he's talking to and how long their attention spans are (he is vaguely aware that Kristen has wandered out in the middle of his talking more than once because she'd managed to make it fade so effectively into background noise), but he's just happy to have a body to talk to.

He continues rambling until they're safely in his bedroom. It's likely identical to Gorgug's own, save for the fact that instead of moving in tinkering tools, he's pushed every single piece of furniture to one wall in order to make more room for his clueboards, three cups of days-old coffee still on his desk, as well as what appears to be a couple plates of untouched food (toast, mainly) that his housemates had helpfully shoved at him. He'd meant to eat them. He really did. He just forgot. ]

It's cool, though. I'm pretty much done with that part. [ He glances at the map with a sense of satisfaction. ] It's nice having an actual mission instead of just going to that stupid school.

[ He's still going to that stupid school, incidentally. It's just to evade notice as an undercover mission instead of whole-heartedly attending, which has made a world of difference. He's not a student! He's a spy. ]

[tinflower]

[ Gorgug listens, but in a way where he does know what Riz is saying, but the underlying thought and consideration behind it--even when it's laid out to him--probably sounds the same to Gorgug as it would Gorgug explaining artificing to Fabian. But with a lot more confidence in there, for sure.

So it sounds like smart planning, even if Riz gets to adding branches to shrubs, and he kinda gets stuck on that. ] Oh. Your shrubs are gonna get really big.

[ Is that the point? Is that the purpose? There's branches and shrubs now in Gorgug's mind that doesn't know if he wants to see the shrubs just to see what's being done to them, or if he would notice if one of his home's shrubs was gaining branches. (should he check? not because he thinks Riz did anything to them, but could he tell if they were off??

...this isn't what he came over for.)

But the room when they enter is very Riz-like, for a lack of a better descriptor: everything has made way for his clues, and Gorgug wonders if anyone else has ever come into the room to see this. He only notes the map and clue boards briefly, and from a distance (again: not the reason he came over). ]

What do you think about when we don't have anything going on? You know... we've been-- you've been here for a while, and I know you're from a really different point in time from the rest of us, so, I-- I wanted to touch base with you. I don't feel we ever did that.

[ When he arrived. And it feels kinda awkward to bring up, standing there and looking down at Riz when he knows anything outside of this mission is far from Riz's mind, but--this is the time he's actually thought about this. Apparently, Fabian having his small personal crisis was enough to make Gorgug think about this, which he's felt bad about already, before approaching Riz today.

And it coming out of the blue now may seem bizarre, but Gorgug can handle that. Isn't checking up on a friend important, after all? His expression is sincere, as well as his tone. ]

[stresstokens]

Touch base with me? About what?

[ Riz blinks owlishly at Gorgug, his speedy little brain screeching to a halt as Gorgug brings the conversation from what Riz is most comfortable rambling on about (mysteries, plans, theories) to what he's by far least comfortable talking about (emotions. namely, his own). He'd had a feeling that Gorgug didn't want to come over here just to hang out. They don't really... do that a lot. Not at such pivotal moments, when everyone's busy getting geared into their upcoming operation.

It's just that he thought that if Gorgug wanted to talk about anyone's emotions, it would be his own. About his work, or about missing his folks, or about missing just being able to hang out for a while or how weird it is to be saddled with a third Dad. That it would be about him has completely blindsided him. He doesn't actually need to ask the question; he's just filling space. ]

Oh, um... [ To his credit, he takes a second to think about it. If Gorgug is asking sincerely, he wants to answer sincerely too. It's just hard for him to figure out what to say, or what he's supposed to be saying, or what the greater meaning of all of this is. ] Huh. I haven't thought much about it. It's better when I have something to do. Clues help.

[ He doesn't have to think about why they're trapped here, or that horrible maze, or how much he misses his Mom. He can just focus on the job. ]

I'm okay. [ That's the kicker, isn't it? He always thinks he's okay. ] I don't think I would be, if I were here all by myself. But I have you guys with me, so. Even if being trapped here sucks, I know we can find our way out eventually.

[ He has faith in his party. That's all part of being an adventurer, in his opinion. If you don't have faith in them, you might as well fly solo. ]

[tinflower]

[ It doesn't feel right, does it? Asking, getting the answer, though maybe it's premature--maybe he could've said more, given the chance. Explained himself better, though there's only so far Gorgug can go with doing that. How have you been? Do you miss home? Do you miss your mom?

Of course he misses his mom. They all miss their parents (and that includes Adaine, surely, on the adoptive side). Gorgug takes a seat nonetheless while Riz speaks, inviting himself on the edge of Riz's bed just so he isn't looking down as much at him, chipping at some of the distance. But also--even if he isn't very well-prepared for his own reason for coming here, he wants to try. ]

We'll try. [ It's an affirmation to the last of what Riz says, acknowledgement before a pause. ] I'm glad you're okay. It was just... we weren't really having time to catch up with other back at school, and I don't know how good we are talking about stuff that isn't world threatening, or-- or something other than about how we're feeling. And I don't think that coming up to you like this will mean you have something to say, but...

[ But. His knees are higher than his waist from where he's sitting, and his rests his hands on top of them from where they had been on his bed. Eyes on Riz, or following him, wherever they might be. ]

I guess I wanted to think about it better. How you're doing. I never ask it as much I should.

[ He never probes deeper than surface level. It's one of those things about his relationship with Zelda he realised, way too late. Or was the true problem that he knew, but he didn't work to fix it anyway? It's easy for everyone to say that they're okay, and that's the answer you should accept, and if there's anything deeper, a distance growing, then--

You wonder if it was always meant to end up this way, or you just didn't do enough to make it a real and lasting relationship in the first place. ]

[stresstokens]

You think? I think you ask enough.

[ Riz scratches thoughtfully at his cheek. Gorgug really doesn't ask him how he's doing all that much, but nobody does, other than his Mom. That's just normal. In all honesty, it's what Riz prefers to be normal. His truthful response to how he's doing at all times seems to swing wildly, and he's very rarely doing well, by anyone else's metric of functionality, which is something he prefers not to talk about by virtue of the fact that he operates best under stress.

If all the plates are spinning, who really gives a shit about the guy spinning them? Riz sure doesn't. ]

But it is nice of you to care. So. Thanks for that. I'm okay, though! I'm always doing pretty good.

[ He does appreciate it, really. Even if it does feel a little weird to realize that Gorgug actually thinks about him when he's not around. It's not that he doesn't believe his friends love him - they clearly do - but it never occurs to him that others could possibly be thinking or talking about him while he's not around, even though he's spent full hours considering them. It's nice. And scary. He can't decide if it's more nice than scary, or more scary than nice.

Maybe the latter. But that's stupid and it sucks, so he'll pretend it's the former. ]

Sucks that Junior Year's so busy, though. I can barely imagine it. [ They've spent all their time together during Sophomore Year. He almost thinks some of them will welcome not having to spend 24/7 breathing down each other's necks -- not Riz, who thrives on that sort of thing, but the girls especially seem ready for some personal space. And because he is who he is, he turns the question right back at Gorgug. ]

How are you feeling? [ He waves an arm in an exaggerated arc, as though gesturing to the world at large instead of what is objectively a poky little bedrom, even if it feels palatial to Riz. ] You got here a little later, which is a whole different kind of weird.

[tinflower]

[ Does he ask enough? Gorgug has to wonder, though he doesn't want to doubt Riz about it, either. It's tricky, when he doesn't notice until it's too late, but he'll try and keep it in mind more recent--try to be more attentive to his friends, about how they're feeling. Keep track of it, just so he can feel like he is doing a good job. He doesn't know if friends have to do that, or if it comes naturally, but he's okay feeling odd and uncertain about something so basic if he can do a better job about it going forward.

(That's the plan.)

But to the question posed back to him, Gorgug simply tips his head, a meaningless motion. ]

I'm okay. I just have to learn about this place and act like I belong here? And that doesn't make sense for saving the world compared to when you all got stuck in a labyrinth, which sounds like something that would happen to us anyway. But I don't really care.

[ He would care more if he obsessed over the absurdity of it, or had Fabian's tendency to latch onto his grievances. Being stuck playing family for how ever many weeks and have it be some factor to whether his universe gets to stick around in the future?

He needs more time to cook about it, really.

So, for now: ] Is your fake family okay? You're not feeling weird about that?

[stresstokens]

I don't think this place runs by any rules of logic we'll be able to wrap our heads around, mission-wise, [ Riz grumbles. He can't say he'd rather be in the labyrinth - that fucking sucked, man - but it had at least made sense with the conceit that they were all fed upon their arrival. This makes little to no sense, but at least he has a bed, ample access to food, can hang out with his friends provided that there's not too many sleepovers.

Honestly, in many ways, this place feels far more like home than Etraya ever did. It's the sort of thing that could lull someone into a false sense of complacency, if they're the type of person to do that. Which Riz isn't, of course, meaning that he's hypervigilant about the fact that they very well could. ]

It seems mainly like an excuse just to fuck with us at this point. [ He's got it all written down on boards and notebooks and charts, but no matter how much he squints at it, he just can't figure it out. ] My fake family's okay, though. They're all nice.

[ Idly, he kicks his legs. ]

It's like, weirdly normal, though. They're really trying to hammer home the whole suburban bliss angle. And everyone here is really good at playing along with it. I dunno what their angle is, beyond just being -- normal people, I guess?

[ For some reason, this place's idea of an idyllic future being one where every adult is married and has kids has been rankling at him. It's probably just because he's still pretty young, he figures, and because it pays no respect to the life of an adventurer. Everyone wants to do this sort of thing eventually, after all. He will too, one day. ]

[tinflower]

Getting together and marrying's probably a big thing across different universes. I've never asked, but-- a lot of people get married or make families, right? And if they're aiming for making everything seem normal and what people do day to day...

[ Then it makes sense, if that's what's considered normal. An idea that's trying to hit all the boxes, but lacks the experience in getting it right. You can throw random people into family units and then make them do a checklist of family activities, and that's good enough, right?? That makes a family. ]

It upsets some people. [ He shrugs, a meaningless motion. ] One guy I know's got a wife after his wife died, and we're both... I dunno, would it be weirder if they made you live with other goblins? I think I'd be creeped out more if they put me in with gnomes. Or orcs.

[ Living with humans (or human-shaped people) just makes it so--whatever. Like it's not a situation that could be mistaken as a family unit, and just people living together in the same space.

But would it be weirder for Riz at all if he was with a goblin family? Or even with a single 'mom', that's also a goblin. ]

[stresstokens]

Yeah, of course. It'll probably happen to all of us one day.

[ Okay, so that's maybe overcompensating a little -- but who's to say it won't? His Dad said they were all late bloomers too, and there's got to be some truth to that. Gorgug is gaga over Zelda, Kristen and Tracker can't keep their hands off of each other, Fig is always out macking on adult men (creepy), and Fabian is obsessed with the idea of kisses, even if he's not getting many of them. That just leaves him and Adaine, and he's certain Adaine will find someone someday too. She's just busy concentrating on her studies, just like Riz is.

Yeah. That's gotta be it. ]

But -- you're right. That's super uncomfortable for some people. And, like... I dunno, I feel like I rarely meet people whose families are, uh. Good? [ He rubs at the back of his neck. ] Your parents are awesome, obviously, and my Mom's the best, but everyone's got too much weird family baggage to get squashed into roles like this. [ Idly, he kicks his legs. ] It'd be weird to get matched with Goblins, but mostly 'cause I've never really hung out with other Goblins? It's just us and that one really intense kid in town.

[ Pot, kettle. Don't call him out, Thistlespring. ]

It'd be a different kind of weird to match you with Gnomes. That's less normalcy, more replacement.

[ Though... he hasn't seen a single Gnome either. Not here, and not in Etraya. He wonders if that's as weird to Gorgug as it is for Riz not to be around any other smallfolk. Sure, there's no Goblins around, but he and his Mom and the various Halfling families around Elmville have always had something of an understanding. ]

[tinflower]

[ Maybe Gorgug's thought about it before, but never brought it up; one of those few things that he notices, but couldn't say if it was true or not without prompting a discussion about it in the first place. About the few goblins there are in Elmville, and Gorgug's aware of the reputation around them--every species has their reputation, and half-orcs aren't excluded from that. There's a way that it comes back to you, whether directly or indirectly; whether through playground teasing, or through osmosis. ]

Did you ever feel out of place back home in Elmville?

[ Their situations aren't similar, and yet, while the answer might be an obvious yes, Gorgug wants to ask it--he wants to know. Curious, and there's more to it than simple curiosity, but Gorgug doesn't elaborate immediately.

Because they shared the similarity of being deemed losers at the start of freshman year, and Gorgug, at least, had that honour prior to starting school. Held it even amongst other half-orcs, and to other kinds of species, for not being half-orc enough.

But who ever talks about the reasons they're a loser, even to a fellow loser? ]

[stresstokens]

[ Riz shrugs. This has all gotten a little more personal than he was expecting it to, when all they're really talking about is the obvious -- their own obvious differences, in a place where humans and elves were more or less running things, and guys like them... weren't. The truth is, he's always felt out of place. But he doesn't know if that really has anything to do with him being a Goblin, or if it was just him being him, or the secret third option that he's like this because he's a Goblin.

He doesn't think so, though. His mother had sat him down once to gently tell him that life would be a little bit harder because he was a bit different from the rest of the kids, and he'd asked her if it was because he was a Goblin. He still remembers her answer, a mortified little grimace and a swift: that too. ]

I guess? [ He scratches at his cheek. ] Elmville's not really built for... well, either of us, really.

[ For every time he has to climb up a piece of furniture, Gorgug's breaking one. They even each other out that way. It's also an easier slant to take than the more obvious, uncomfortable answers of schoolyard bullies and hushed judgment at the grocery store and the stray unfortunate remark from a teacher or two. ]


Did you?

[tinflower]

[ He grimaces, from the pull of his mouth to the wrinkles by the sides of his eyes becoming prominent at the awkward expression he makes at the question. Because it's obvious, or so Gorgug thinks it should be, and either it's an obvious question for one back, or it's a deflection from answering too deeply. ]

Yeah, [ he answers slowly, because he's still working out how to phrase the next part. ] People don't.... people used to make a big deal out of my parents being gnomes when I was younger. You know-- I wasn't a good half-orc. Except when I broke stuff.

[ It's embarrassing to admit, and maybe he should've kept it to himself; it's not like he hasn't gotten over these things since joining the academy. Witnessing a version of himself that led to who he was when he first walked into the hallways of the Aguefort Adventuring Academy to get punched by Fabian, and it's-- cringe-worthy, if Gorgug's honest.

Is it worth dredging back up? He doesn't mind admitting to things, but maybe he doesn't know if he should be, picking now at some loose threads of his already messy jeans. ]

I guess I-- I never really hung out with half-orcs 'til Ragh. And his mom.

[stresstokens]

[ Riz was asking just to deflect the question back. His own relationship to being a Goblin isn't something he cares to think on too deeply. It's too hard. It doesn't bother him as much anymore, really, not now that he's more used to it, but it had been hard being the Goblin in class as a kid. It'd been hard only ever really knowing two other Goblins in his dear old Mom and Dad, never quite knowing what parts of him were because of the Goblin, and what parts of him were because of the whole... Riz of it all.

Maybe it's not fair to make Gorgug dredge up his own painful memories so he doesn't have to talk about his own - being adopted sounds a lot rougher than just being a minority, he thinks - but Riz isn't always the fairest person. Not when it comes to wiggling out of things like this, where he has to admit that certain things still hurt, and that they'll probably never fully go away. ]

I don't think that there's really like... a bad way to be a half-orc, [ he says slowly. ] But I get what you mean.

[ Riz had his parents, at least. The Thistlesprings are great, their overzealousness in sex-ed aside, but they're not exactly beacons of orcish culture. Probably. He doesn't really know. They probably have a binder for that too. ]

Did hanging out with Ragh and his Mom make you feel, like -- better about it?

[ The unspoken is, of course, that they could easily make Gorgug feel worse about it. Ragh was an enormous asshole during Freshman Year, but since then, he's just seemed so comfortable in his own skin, comfortable taking up space and being loud, being seen, while Gorgug still occasionally seems as though he's trying to shrink himself as small as possible. ]

[tinflower]

[ It is awkward to talk about. To think about, when he's stopped putting weight on these things, and so looking back on his younger self (even if it's only by a couple of years) is, honestly, cringe-worthy. And there's the things he did, or didn't do, like: ]

They're nice, but... I never talked to them about it. [ Should he have? He had opportunities, but the idea of taking them was, well--he liked anything else he did around Ragh. And as much as he likes Ragh now, he's never wanted to slip into a conversation about being half-orcs or what it was like growing up as one. Especially, as Gorgug explains, ] --But, I'd found my dad and mom around that time, and, my dad's an orc, but, I... I got over it. I had you guys, so... I had friends that wanted me to hang out with them.

I stopped caring what other people thought about me as much.

[ Being part of the group that beat up the old vice principal does give you some good respect, too, so. He's no longer a freshman, no longer banking on getting friends with his parents' tin flowers, having nothing but hope and desperation to make a difference for him.

He's just who he is, and he's come to accept that better over time. But who he is doesn't have to include being a friendless loser anymore, and so he can handle the other parts about himself that felt wrong or bad growing up.

You get used to it. You put up with it. ]

[stresstokens]

Hey, that's great, man! Friends help. What you are or... who you are seems less important when people wanna spend time with you anyway.

[ It's how he feels too. He thinks it's how all of them feel, a little. For various reasons, they all seemed to live a fairly lonely life before they'd met each other, but him and Gorgug are the most similar of them all, he thinks. Their stories are the most mundane. They weren't isolated because they were raised in a cult, or because they were off having pirate adventures instead of going to school, or because their parents were too strict, or because they flat-out changed species mid-way through their lives. They had every opportunity to make friends, really. Other people just... didn't feel the same way.

Riz doesn't understand why, really, even though he's vaguely aware that they probably wouldn't have ever been friends either, if not for landing up in detention together ages ago. But having that shared understanding is kind of nice. Kind of sad too, admittedly, but that's all right. ]

I dunno if we'd fit in much better even if we were raised in the Mountains of Chaos, or whatever, [ Riz points out. Besides, what Gorgug says is illuminating: his focus wasn't on what he thought of himself as a half-orc, but how others thought of him. Jawbone would probably have something really poignant to say about that. Thank god he's not here. ] People can be shitty anywhere.

[tinflower]

[ It's probably not untrue. Who they were mattered less than the skills they provided on their quests, jumping from freshman year and into sophomore with the search for the Nightmare King's crown--all the personal shit faded into the back, and Gorgug was doing much better in his social life than he'd ever done before the academy. He was not Fabian, not even a Kristen, but he didn't feel like an outcast anymore.

But he nods to what Riz says as he goes on, how a change of environment wouldn't have made much of a difference, probably. Growing up somewhere other than Elmville is...difficult for Gorgug to imagine, even with all his issues about fitting in. ]

We wouldn't be a team if we grew up somewhere else. [ Which feels more important to Gorgug, or what he feels about that: how their very special set of circumstances had to happen the way they did, or they would never have slotted together. Or maybe it's the fact that in the face of sharing his awkward, kinda history with himself, he'd rather look to the positive of it all--and there are positives. There's a team, and the closest group of people he can call friends. That actually feel like friends, and not just the loser dredges on the playground that sorta hover around each other in class work because they're the leftovers.

He taps the heel of a foot on the ground, happier to think about them than just himself; happy with the idea of getting away from talking about his cringey childhood, and so- ]

I wouldn't mind hearing about stuff that... I don't know, more about you and your mom? If you ever miss anything, or you wanna talk about the stuff people say about goblins--I hear some stuff about gnomes. [ That gets Gorgug to make a face, half confused and half a grimace. ] And I can tell people look at me weird.

[ Which is saying something, considering how often the small things can past Gorgug's notice.

Regardless: ] I just wanted to put it out there, [ he says. ] We can talk about the mission, since I still wanted to hang out.

[ And are there things other than the mission that Riz would think to talk about now, just because of what they've been chatting about already? Gorgug doesn't know how this works. He'd offer that they could do something else other than mission talk, but Riz has nothing else in his room that stands out as another activity, unless Gorgug suggests they leave his house to go to the arcade or something.

He might. But he also wants to hear what Riz wants, doing his best here to give his friend his attention--doing his best to be a pal. ]

[stresstokens]

That's okay. There's not that much more talking that needs to be done about the mission anyway, it's more just... the doing that's left. It's really sweet of you to ask about this stuff. [ Riz scratches at his cheek, dappled with dark green freckles that he'd always thought he'd eventually grow out of, but never did. He's a little awkward about this stuff, averting his gaze from Gorgug with a small smile. ] I just don't know how to, like, uh -- I've never really talked about this stuff before? Like, ever? Except with my Mom, obviously, and that was just safety stuff. Where she didn't want me going alone, and how to act, and everything.

[ His mother, harried as she was, had only had enough time to focus on how to keep her son safe, to explain the realities of the world they lived in, to try desperately to keep him from getting into even more trouble than he already had. The rules were clear: be on your best behaviour, especially in places run by the Helioic Humans, or the High Elves. No hissing and growling and chittering, no speaking Goblin if you think it might not be safe, eat slowly and carefully in the cafeteria or else people might make fun of you, mind your claws, mind your teeth.

Gorgug might have grown up with that sort of thing too, had he been raised by other half-orcs. No growling and snarling, no baring your tusks; act right. But he hadn't been raised by parents who'd even teach him how to growl in the first place. Gorgug as Riz had met him was a quiet, timid boy who had to be taught the opposite, how to grow rather than how to shrink. Riz is relearning the same thing, he supposes. He hadn't hissed in what felt like years, not until he got to Hell and Fig egged him on. ]

I've been ignoring that stuff a little more now, though, 'cause I've got a gun? [ His Mom would probably not be thrilled to hear that he's less concerned with fitting in now that he can just shoot people. ] And Fig said it was cool, and Fig's cool, so.

[ He's not sure if anyone else has even noticed, honestly. They're all so incredibly accepting that nobody's even mentioned it, that he's been hissing and biting and doing all that weird, fucked-up Goblin shit that he's tried to subdue for so long. He still won't do it unless under duress, if he's around anyone other than the Bad Kids... but it's been nice to be able to do it anyway. Like his Mom and Dad did, alone in their poky little apartment, but would never dare to do at work. ]

[tinflower]

[ Safety stuff. It sounds like something that should be obvious, though Riz sorta explains it, but it's vague enough despite the insinuation being there: how to act and be around people. In general. A glimpse into a world that's foreign to Gorgug, or so he assumes: it doesn't sound like the kind of lessons his adoptive parents imposed of him. Of being kind and giving people chances, to know that the bad tempers and remarks from others was never about yourself, but about the person they came from. It was good to be considerate, to never let a bad time get you down, and to always get back up on your feet if you do fall. Because remember: your parents will always have your back.

It makes him curious, admittedly. What did it mean? What was it that Riz had to grow up learning that Gorgug never thought about? ]

Fig is cool, [ Gorgug agrees wholeheartedly, as if that's important to address first. Because it is. ] Do you act how you wanna act around us? Fabian acts the way he wants all the time, so you should too.

[ There's no malice or joking behind the example--it's blunt in an honest way, harmless. If Fabian is one to run off his mouth about anything, why can't Riz act the way he wants or do the things he wants, gun or no gun? Not that Gorgug knows what these things are--there's Rizisms, but are Rizisms the same as what Riz has to be thoughtful about?

...Gorgug doesn't know enough about goblin peculiarities (or any race peculiarities, at that). ]

[stresstokens]

[ Gorgug's remark about Fabian makes Riz burst out in a sharp bark of laughter. Gorgug may not have meant it in a mean way, but... he's not immune. ]

Learn from Fabian, huh? He is starting to act how he wants to more often what with the, uh... [ He flaps a hand. ] Dancing anti-toxic-masculinity stuff.

[ Less pirate posturing, more -- other kinds of posturing. It's still pretty funny, though. He looks at Gorgug, eyes bright with amusement, still a little touched by Gorgug's intent, patient regard. He's such a sweet guy. Someone like Riz probably doesn't deserve all this patience, Gorgug earnestly trying to be a better friend as though he's not already a great one. ]

I'm pretty sure I act how I wanna act. If this was me holding back... [ He gestures up at the mission board, side by side with his clueboard. It would be dire, is what he's saying. The little ways he's holding back are ways that he himself isn't quite aware of, so accustomed to it that it's just second nature to him. ] I don't have to hold back much with you guys. Nobody else does.

[ It's easy not to feel as self-conscious when they've got Kristen in the back of the van enthusiastically talking about 69ing with her girlfriend. ]

You do too, right? When you're not feeling shy, I guess.

[ Gorgug is a really shy guy. It's at odds with the Barbarian strength and the rock star career, but that's Gorgug for you. ]

[tinflower]

[ He didn't know what he said was that funny (or funny at all), but Gorgug does end up smiling before long at Riz's laughing, the cheery tone it leaves in his voice.

But he does think--and he does hope--that Riz is being all who he wants to be, even if Gorgug knows that's something that can take time to figure out. He's been working himself to answer it, knowing better than ever what the answer is, but just needing to implement it; work out the kinks, what works and what doesn't.

And have being an artificer be a part of that. He really hasn't missed bloodrush, though.

Apparently though, Riz's assessment of him, small as it is, a single word--that makes Gorgug balk, as he blinks at him, his features becoming uncomfortable. ]

...I'm not shy. [ He even sounds sulky saying it, and maybe...awkward, in the way a shy person would sound in protest. ] You think I'm still shy? I guess I've been nervous around all these people from different worlds and if one of my fake dads was gonna try and bully me...

[ Is being nervous the same thing as being shy? ...He has been trying to stand up for himself more. Or better! Gorgug drops his head to look at his hands, palms faced upward on his lap, as he considers the possibility of his shyness more than Riz possibly knew was going to happen. ]

But it's weird, right? No one else is from Spyre, and you don't know if someone's gonna be weird with you. I don't wanna get the wrong idea about people, but then sometimes I say something stupid. [ He looks back at Riz. ] Do I still suck at people?

[ Oh, man. Did he just get away with this because he never got kidnapped to a different planet with people from different universes? This sucks. This sucks!!! ]

[stresstokens]

Wha -- where the hell did you get sucking at people from being a little shy? [ Riz protests, leg shooting out to kick at the leg of Gorgug's chair. Not hard enough to knock it over (he couldn't even if he tried), but a little teasing jolt. Riz hadn't even known that being shy was something Gorgug was even self-conscious about.

Which makes sense, come to think of it, considering that being self-conscious was the primary reason for being shy, but Riz had never thought of it as a bad thing, not when surrounded by big, brash personalities like Fig and Fabian's. (Hypocrite that he is, Riz does not consider himself in their ranks, as though his own personality is less big for being less pleasant than theirs.) ]

You don't suck at people. Everyone likes you, Gorgug, [ Riz says firmly, because it's more or less true. After the first stint of bullying, everyone pretty much gets along with him. He's a nice guy. He's hard not to get along with. Though Riz does pause to appraise his judgment, and adds: ] Except for Aguefort, for some reason? And Fabian's stupid grandpa. Don't tell Fabian I called his grandpa stupid. He'll get mad at me.

[ Like Gorgug might be now? Riz supposes he hurt his feelings a little. That sucks. ]

But honestly, I wouldn't know what you're like around people here. We don't, like... hang out with any of them? As a group? [ He scratches his cheek, considering the fact that he spends most of his time with Fabian and Gorgug... exclusively with Fabian and Gorgug. The rest of the time, he meets people one-on-one, usually by happenstance, and the one time there had been a party, he'd hid in the corner the whole time. ] Or at least I don't.

[tinflower]

[ Riz doesn't think he ever sucked at people? That's confusing, because even Gorgug will admit he used to suck pretty bad at getting people: it made it easier just to not talk to them at all, or to agree with his parents to take a tin flower into school and try to make a friend through the power of bribery.

But it doesn't make Riz's assessment wrong--things have gotten better over time, or at least -- people like him better than they used to. No one bothers him anymore in a bad way, and he likes his classmates, especially his artificer ones. But being outside of Spyre and in Etraya, especially Moorecroft, has made him feel his nerves returning about how he should act. Life was more comfortable back at home or when it was just him and the other Bad Kids living out of his van: he wasn't being tested or watched, judged for the future of his friends and family.

Though, there's one thing he really won't disagree with: ] His grandpa's stupid. I'm glad I don't have to see the guy.

[ We're agreeing with that right off the back. No remorse. This is a secret between the green Bad Boys. Sorry, Fabian.

But he does relax, or tries to seem more relaxed. Not overthink it, his thing and people. It's been nicer when he's not had to worry, or let himself worry about what other people think, and it's not been so much that that's been his core problem... it's that he's been trying to be chattier. Under normal circumstances, he wouldn't care, but being kidnapped into a really dumb test isn't a normal situation to begin with.

He lets of a breath, and kicks his feet out by the heels, watching out for Riz or any of his limbs in the motion. ]

I was told to talk to and get to know more people... open up, get to know our fellow captives, you know. It doesn't matter back home or in Spyre, 'cause I have you guys and I'm doing stuff that makes me happy, so, I'm fine, normally. But when I was on that spaceship without you guys, and when we've been in Etraya... it's hard approaching people or keeping up conversation. You know what you want out of someone.

[ Because if he's thinking about Riz and how he speaks to people--Fig and Kristen speak to people so easily, and Fabian's an extroverted example of his own; but when it comes to Riz, even he's got a goal: he goes for it.

And Gorgug, it's like he has a vague idea of what he wants, or what he should go, and then he's trying to make the pieces connect to be a good ally. To other people.

He can't help but wonder if he's doing an okay or bad job at it. And being called shy doesn't really point towards doing well. ]

[stresstokens]

I don't think knowing what I want from a person makes me a good, uh, conversationalist? Or friend, [ Riz says thoughtfully. ] It just makes me a decent interrogator, which is a different thing.

[ It's said without any hint of self-recrimination, guilt, or remorse. It's not a bad thing. He's always prioritized being a good detective over being a good person to talk to, and he knows it. There are certain sacrifices he's always felt that you need to make in order to operate at your best, and while Riz personally regards himself to be a friendly, sociable kind of guy (and he honestly likes people as a general rule and would like to be liekd in return), he knows that it will never be one of his priorities. Even in this place, he can count on one hand the amount of interactions he's had that haven't led directly into discussions of this place's mysteries or interrogating people about their home worlds.

He only has one mode, and that's on, baby. ]

You actually set out to like, make friends? [ Which isn't not what Riz sets out to do, admittedly but he gets distracted. ] That's different. Have you made any friends, since you've been here?

[ That's the real question here! The proof is in the pudding. ]

[tinflower]

[ Does it have to be about friendship, Gorgug wonders? It's what he gets caught on, when Riz says friend, and-- is he trying to be friends, or friendly? It's not the first time the subject of being friends or making friends has come up for Gorgug, and he doesn't really have set limits on what constitutes as a friendship and what is just a friendly acquaintanceship, but... ]

I don't know that I... there's people that I like. But I think it was, I was just supposed to get to know people and create a kind of... feeling of community? Help us know we're all in this together.

[ ...but now that he's said that out loud... ]

...I don't know that I was meant to do all that. Just. Help it feel that way.

[ Just so there's no expectations or ideas of what Gorgug thinks he can do. ]

[stresstokens]

So... more strategic?

[ That's not what he was expecting from Gorgug, actually. It makes sense. Fostering a sense of community can only benefit them; if they feel a sense of loyalty and obligation to each other, it means that once they're in dangerous situations, they're a lot less likely to get stabbed in the back. And if this whole thing about saving their worlds is true, then perhaps they'll be more invested in each other's worlds too.

It's not a bad tactic. Not a tactic that Riz himself can get on board with - more through skill than through ethics - but not a bad tactic nonetheless. He taps at his chin. ]

I don't think you need to do all that, though. I mean, you should only do it if you want to, not 'cause this place somehow thinks that's what we oughtta do. But life's a lot better if you like the other people in it anyway.

[ He shrugs. ]

And if you like them, and they like you back, then you guys are all basically already friends, right?

[ That's how it works, right? Right???? ]

[tinflower]

[ It's almost like Gorgug didn't come up with the idea himself, though even listening to it being called strategic--Gorgug shrugs his shoulders in a manner to say 'I guess so'.

He may not be suited to bolstering community through charisma, either. If only they were Fabian. ]

Yeah. [ But Riz's following logic is flawless. ] I mean, I wasn't trying to do it because the people [ The Man(TM) ] want us to, although... I guess I was doing it because someone suggested it. It made sense.

[ He pauses though, thinking. ]

Do you think people would keep secrets about what they find out to themselves or their own groups if it doesn't look like we're willing to work together? This... the set-up, why we're here-- they might make us work together sometimes, but then they make us fight each other, too. [ Or so it was reported from that other bubble city. ]

I just wondered... that it wouldn't be bad to step out of my comfort zone, if it's for a good cause. I'm not really good at investigating.

[ But maybe being somewhat....friendly with others can't hurt? ]

[stresstokens]

I think... it depends on how much people here decide to trust in the word of the people who brought us here. If they truly believe that it's their world versus ours, then they'd have reason to keep to themselves. But I haven't met many people who totally buy into that.

[ There's no proof. There's no trustworthy source. How could anyone possibly put their trust into an entity that was responsible for kidnapping them and separating them from their home in the first place? Not to mention these horrible tests they've all been put through with no sign that it's for any real purpose. ]

It's more up to people's nature than anything else, [ he decides. ] Some people are just naturally sneaky.

[ Riz himself is arguably one of those people, but not when it comes to sharing clues, not when it comes to something that affects them all. It would feel completely contrary to his nature to keep those sorts of things close to his chest for long. They're underneath almost constant surveillance anyhow; all keeping secrets would serve to do is to push people further away.

The thing is... he can't talk to that many people about it in the first place. He's not what he'd call a naturally likeable person. He's more of what people would call, say... an acquired taste. Oh, people are nice enough to him here, but he doubts any of them would feel willing to put their trust in him, or even think of him when it comes to disseminating information. ]

You're a better investigator than you think, [ he says absently, one nail worrying at his lip as he considers the matter. ] But of course it's not a bad thing to step out of your comfort zone. If you can find people who you trust, people you trust in return... that can never be a bad thing, right?

[ Besides, he thinks privately. People can disappear from this place at any moment. If god forbid he and Fabian disappear leaving Gorgug behind, he wouldn't want him to feel entirely alone.

Riz knows he would. ]

[tinflower]

[ He's better at investigating than he thinks? ...Gorgug thinks that's just Riz being nice, but he's also not going to push against it. It's not that he feels bad about being a poor investigator, but just that: he knows it's one of his weaknesses. For the same reason he's attempting to get more into socialising with the others around them in a manner outside his wheelhouse. Maybe he could become better in time like (he hopes) getting to know people will help him, but that might be better to ask Riz about than to grope around in the dark on. ...or should he take tips from Fabian again? He was pretty sure about himself when it came to talking to people on the spaceships about going ons.

(Did he ever figure out anything interesting from that process? ...not really. But he tried!)

Regardless, Gorgug nods to Riz's ending assessment. ]

We have a bigger chance of figuring something out if we work with the people around us. I don't know a lot about AIs or robots. Yet.

[ ...it's the finicky side of artificing, but you know, there might be a proud half-orc inside Gorgug that tacks on that yet for the highs that he wants to go. He wants to make cool, sentient shit! Better than the temporary principal that went haywire on them and that he can absolutely not get into with Riz right now. ]

But there's... if they're bringing in people from all kinds of different worlds, there's gotta be something we can figure out from what we know. There's got to be more to everyone than most the people with us being human.

[ They've got to have more noticeable features, right?? Look at Kristen! ]

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?

[stresstokens]

For real? You didn't even get saddled with one of those robot babies? Lucky!

Not to sound ungrateful. The people who were assigned to me were all really nice. I just would have preferred to live alone than have to play out fake families. It was just weird, you know?

[infirmiere]

It was lonely after a while

You wouldn't have gotten bored?

[stresstokens]

Nah. If anything, I was busier there than I was around here. There was so much to do. And I'm fine living on my own. It's a lot more familiar than living with a bunch of strangers.

Have you got roommates here in Etraya?

[infirmiere]

Sort of

Ramsey Farm is a mine, a lot of the kids here hang around there so there's always someone around.

[stresstokens]

Oh yeah.

I remember seeing that post on my crystal. Communicator. Whatever you call it. A clubhouse for twelve and under, right? They were pretty emphatic about you being the only adult allowed in. Either they really wanted the clubhouse, or you must have really won them over.

[infirmiere]

They really wanted the clubhouse, I just came with it.

[ she knows what is up. ]

[stresstokens]

Then congratulations on being deemed the lone cool adult. I know you haven't actually been a kid for a long, long, long time, but somewhere in between all those lives of yours, I'm sure you know what a rare honour that is.

It means you're very formally not a snitch.

[infirmiere]

Snitches get stitches

I don't trust authority so I refuse to be one

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!! ]

[stresstokens]

A positive thing??

[ Fabian knows his buddy well enough to know the skepticism in his voice, even through text. They don't usually get to text each other about positive things. Even this makes Riz feel doubtful (do positive things exist in this place?) but... he'll trust Fabian. ]

A positive thing that is also a secret. Okay. I'll be there in like half an hour.

You PROMISE it's a good thing?

[maximumlegend]

yes
DUDE
why are you not believing me????????

have i EVER pranked you even once in my life

[ Well, maybe not pranked, but Fabian certainly has done things that should make Riz rightfully distrustful of this, really. For Fabian reasons, even, not just Etraya reasons. ]

[stresstokens]

Sometimes you and I have very different ideas about what constitutes as a good thing.

[ Parties. Drinking. Parties. Dancing. Parties. His Grandpapa. Parties. ]

But okay, okay, fine. I'll see you soon.

[ Which Fabian does, or at least as soon as Riz can muster at the whims of the new trolley system that's been put into place, and thank god for that. Riz has gotten real tired of only ever being able to hitch rides with his friends or just resign himself to aching legs at the end of the day. He is not a walking Adventurer, thank you very much.

He still looks a little trepidacious as he steps foot in Seacaster Manor (his own home now, as surreal as that feels), eyes darting around to take in any potential clues before calling out, ] Fabian? Still alive?

[ There's still heart-shaped confetti wedged in Riz's curls; he's clearly come directly from the strange, strange festivities Etraya's holding. ]

[maximumlegend]

The Ball!

[ Well, at least he's getting a cheery greeting. In fact, the way Fabian seems to emerge from down the hallway, speedwalking over to where Riz is-- It's very reminiscent of the way a golden retriever may greet its owner when returning home. Especially since he seems weirdly excited about something.

It doesn't seem like Riz is going to have to guess what said something is though. Not for long, anyway, since Fabian isn't waiting around. The moment he's right up to the other, he's just moving a hand behind Riz's back, holding it there to move the other right along into the Manor. ]

Today I will take this chance to show you that I only have impeccable taste. [ So if Riz thinks his good things are actually not good things, then-- well, that's on him, okay!! Egg on your face, Riz!!

... Showing Riz the something apparently takes a few moments though, because.. you know. Huge manor and all. They're just walking down hallway after hallway. How big is this place? Nobody knows. ]

Besides, don't you much rather want to be in here with me than out there with that entire hearts mess that's going on?

[stresstokens]

[ There's a moment where the thought crosses Riz's mind: does he know? But he quickly sheds it (as much as he loves Fabian, he doesn't think he bothers thinking too deeply about his friends' orientations or lack thereof; growing up with a sentient tornado probably makes all of that seem relatively irrelevant), deciding instead that Fabian is probably as cross as Riz is about being forced into the whole affair. As much as Fabian is enthused over the idea of kisses, an enforced kisses event is a little much even for him.

He trails after Fabian, two steps and a hop for every one of his long strides, staring curiously up at him. He's clearly excited about something, so even Riz's own ambivalence about surprises can't get in the way of that. It's been an awfully long time since he's seen Fabian excited about anything at all. ]

Impeccable taste, huh? [ He muses aloud, a glint of amusement in his eye. Maybe Fabian redecorated one of their common areas? That seems like a Fabian kind of thing to get excited about. ] I thought you'd be all about that whole Valentine's Day thing. It's not my style, but, you know.

[ It doesn't give away much that it's not his style. Most things aren't. The concept of having fun is a recent development for Riz Gukgak. ]

[maximumlegend]

[ He lets out a huff, though he doesn't seem too particularly annoyed in this moment. Fabian mostly still seems excited for whatever is waiting for them once they're done wandering the endless hallways of this manor, but he apparently just can't skip even a single opportunity to complain about this place all the same. ]

Please. You know I would be getting my kisses in if it was just about any other situation. [ Oh, Fabian.. Riz sure knows.. He really does.. ] But it's a different thing if they are attempting to force it on us!

[ Indeed, it seems like the Riz's assessment was pretty correct. A true detective when it comes to Fabian's.. Fabianness. ]

In fact, them trying to get us to do it makes me want to do it even less! So what should I instead do but spend some time with my good friend The Ball, huh?

[stresstokens]

So kisses are a yes, but state-sanctioned kisses are a no, [ Riz repeats, a little amused (though it is not entirely lost on him that the way Fabian feels about them today is the way Riz feels about them all the time; it always feels weirdly like something you're just supposed to do), a wry smile on his face. He hooks one thumb into the pocket of his trousers. ] Well, I'm not gonna say no to anything that means more, uh, more chill hangs.

[ He's always trying out new terminology to see if it sounds cool. He thinks this one might stick. Chill hangs. That's Riz and Fabian, right? The Captain and The Ball: super chill.

He's a little touched, too, that Fabian's clearly set something up just for them, as though he -- well, Fabian might not know-know, but maybe a part of him has figured it out? Riz isn't sure if he likes that or not. But the part that he does like is the part where it results in more hang-outs and drags Riz out of the whole mess of pink and hearts and everything else that was making him immeasurably grumpy out there, even if he persisted in the service of clues.

His mind is clearly churning, trying to figure out what it is that Fabian thinks is a good time. Maybe something... physical? ]

So it's something in the manor... are we breaking things?

[ It comes second to his first thought: are we throwing things? ]

[maximumlegend]

State-sanctioned anything is a no. [ He grumbles.

Perhaps he's taking after his papa in that regard. Or perhaps - and more likely - it's just that all the Bad Kids are this way, right. Even if some of them are more of a stickler for the rules than others are, they're the Bad Kids for a reason. Someone has to rage against the machine. And Fabian is always ready to do it, especially in this place.

Enough so that he's even turning against his very own beloved kisses. A cruel fate for sure.

At least he doesn't continue his whining-- if not just since he's too distracted by what Riz is saying. Fabian turns his head to look at the other, eyebrows rising as he asks: ]

Dude, you want to break my house?

[ It's hard to tell if Fabian is offended by that idea or not, honestly.. He mostly just sounds kind of confused by that being Riz's first assumption of all things. ]

[stresstokens]

Wh -- I don't know! [ Riz says loudly, a heated protest at odds with the fact that he's the one who brought it up in the first place. ] It was just the first thing I could think of!

[ Even after years of living together, Riz hasn't considered it to be intentional hanging out. They haven't done planned activities, they're just living together.

Throwing rocks, and busting shit up. That's just guys being dudes. ]

There's entire rooms of busted up shit in here. It's like... a rage room.

[ Riz does not, notably, look at all raged out at the moment. He appears to be equally as confused about himself as Fabian is. ]

[maximumlegend]

[ Fabian blinks. ]

Wait, how do you know?

[ The answer to that is obvious, of course, considering that it's in Riz's nature to investigate. But Fabian is looking at this from his own point of view, and despite him having lived in this manor for so many years, he's never really felt that need to go exploring.. Hence why it's so wild to him that Riz apparently knows more than he does.

.. but he does sense the potential to get sidetracked here, so if Riz opens up his mouth to answer, Fabian quickly shakes his head. ]

No-- No, of course it's not that! We are-- hold on, we're here!

[ He quickly sprints a few steps ahead of Riz, pulling open the door to a room. Said room seems to be decorated with green and golden balloons, a fancy banner on the wall reading - with calligrapher font - 'Happy Palentine's!'

There's a large table on the room, and on top of the table is what seems to be a very, very large cake that looks like a clue-board. Not photo-realistic 'Is it cake' style, it's still clearly icing, but-- it's a themed cake!! It's a themed Palentine's cake!

Fabian proudly puffs out his chest, like he's waiting for Riz to acknowledge that he's doing something awesome and not rage-room-y at all here. ]

[stresstokens]

[ Rude as it may be, it's a wise decision to cut Riz off, because the moment he starts talking about all the shit he's found in Fabian's house - it's basically an endless wonderland for a Rogue like him - it'll all be over for him for the next five minutes at least.

All thoughts of yakking Fabian's ear off about his on-going map of Seacaster Manor slip away the moment he sees the sight before him, the room decked out in decorations (their colours, Riz realizes), a cake, a banner, it's not often that Riz finds himself at a loss for words, but now is one of those times. ]

Wha -- you --

[ He just gapes, slack-jawed at Fabian, pointing at him, and then pointing with increasing emphasis at the room before him, completely gobsmacked. Not only is it a shock to have Fabian assemble all of this for even something like his birthday, but for this? Valentine's Day? Palentines Day? Is this really okay? Isn't this a day for Fabian and Gorgug?

For the second time in a row, Riz looks dangerously like he's going to burst into tears, but he manages to keep it together, the tips of his ears going a bright red. ]

Holy shit. You did all this? [ He takes a step forward like he's stepping into a Church instead of a random room of the Manor, one hand pressed to his cheek. ] This is the nicest thing anyone's ever done for me.

[ Funny how that works. The briefcase and the business cards just so happen to be the second nicest thing anyone's ever done for him. ]

[maximumlegend]

[ At first he's inhaling in that sort of way that indicates Fabian is about to start bragging about every single detail of this.

But then Riz speaks on, saying this is the nicest thing anyone's ever done for me, and Fabian immediately exhales that breath again before he's been able to even say a single thing. It's a good thing that Riz is standing ahead of him, because it gives Fabian an opportunity to let some surprise and near-fluster cross his face without the other seeing it.

He quickly pushes it down, trying to sound as huffy as he can when he speaks up with: ]

Oh, come on, The Ball! It's just a cake and decorations!

[ .. ones that Fabian worked pretty hard to get and put up, but-- sshh, this is like the gifts all over again. Fabian can't just say these things, not even two years after the initial gift incident. ]

That's nothing!

[stresstokens]

[ That's the thing, though. Growing up, Riz didn't have the cake and decorations, not really, not after his Dad died. Not because his Mom wouldn't have been able to figure it out - she's a whiz with a coupon book, that Sklonda Gukgak - but because he hadn't really had anyone to invite to something like a birthday party after they'd grown out of the tendency to have the whole class over. One year, he'd given out invitations, and...

It was fine. Him and his Mom gorged on cupcakes and soda. And now he has friends to celebrate birthdays with, and they have all the cake and soda they like, and it's awesome, and he's so, so happy about it! They even have parties when it's nobody's birthday, just so they can have fun together! It's the happiest he's ever been in his life! But this isn't that, either. This is for him, and only for him, on a day that Fabian should by all rights be sharing with -- well, with his romance partner. Fabian chose him to celebrate, and it's not even his birthday. He's pretty sure that Palentine's Day isn't even a thing.

Not that long ago, Riz put that necklace on Fabian more or less by force. ]

Hey! Don't you dare call my Palentine's gift nothing! [ And of, course, he whips out his crystal and starts taking pictures of everything. It's all going to get eaten, and the decorations are gonna be taken down, and he wants to remember this, damn it! He's going to have to hassle Fabian into taking some selfies too, he thinks. ]

Seriously, man. Thank you. This is, this is so -- [ he struggles to think of a more masculine word and immediately gives up ] so sweet. [ His smile doesn't dim, though his brows furrow as he asks, tentatively, ] Is this okay, though? I mean, isn't this, like... supposed to be a day you spend with Gorgug?

[ Riz wouldn't have minded. As weird as it is to suddenly become the third wheel, so to speak, it'd bother him on birthdays or the holidays, but something like this? This is for them. ]

[maximumlegend]

[ Somewhere between the copious amounts of photos that Riz is taking and the way he's calling it sweet one of the muscles in Fabian's face twitches.

Not in anger. Of course not. No, this is utter embarrassment. It's a wince out of realizing how cringe this is becoming. Toxic masculinity may be dead and all, and Fabian loves being admired and all that too, but-- gods, if Riz ever brings this up again, Fabian will die. Especially in front of other people. And the problem is that it's definitely a risk, somewhere between the photographic evidence and Riz's motormouth. ]

Yes, of course it's fine.

[ It is the reason he's sounding a little bit huffy as he's saying that - though he does fully mean the words, crossing his arms across his chest. ]

Surely you are aware how long a day is, The Ball. Do you really think I'm not capable of dividing that time up?

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!! ]

[maximumlegend]

[ Well, at least it's good to see everything here looking more or less the same. Fabian did think that the city looked about the same when they returned, but-- you can never know for sure, especially with the reason in mind that Gorgug stayed back in the first place, rather than coming on the mission with the two of them.

Seems like nothing bad happened though. Which is good. Especially when it means that Gorgug is just the same as ever - which, in this case, means a little bit slow on the upkeep. ]

Damn, are you saying we look like ghosts? [ Fabian says - lightly, clearly just teasing the other.

And yes, he is reading the nervous puppy energy Gorgug has going on here, but he's pretty sure that Riz is going to jump up on Gorgug's shoulders any second now, so Fabian will let the other go ahead first. He can wait a second! ]

Surely we look better than that!

[stresstokens]

[ There's a lull after Fabian speaks in which Riz doesn't say or do much of anything, instead looking questioningly between the two of them as though expecting something else. They've both been pretty chill about this whole boyfriends thing so far, but they've been separated all month! Isn't now around the time where they should, like... kiss? Relish in being reunited with their romance partner? The last thing Riz wants is to get in the way because he's too excitable about seeing Gorgug again.

Which he is, to be fair, itching to greet him with the same enthusiasm he feels. The mission hadn't been entirely bad, but he'd missed Gorgug an awful lot, and had thought to himself several times that everything would've been easier if Gorgug was around too. But once he realizes Fabian isn't moving (maybe they'll get their kisses in in private? Riz appreciates that, frankly, though he doesn't want them to withold on his account, except for the part of him that does), he takes the hint and all but hurls his entire body in Gorgug's direction, implicitly trusting that Gorgug will catch him.

Even if he doesn't, he'll just latch on like he always does. ]

We're back! And we missed you! [ Riz shouts loudly right in Gorgug's ear (ouch). ] Fabian, get in here!

[ It's hug time! Toxic masculinity is dead, and hugs are cool now! ]

Sorry we took so long.

SNIPES THE TAG ORDER LIKE A REBEL!!!

[maximumlegend]

[ Yup, this is about what he expected. Even Riz calling out for him to join in isn't all that strange - really, if Riz hadn't, then Fabian figures Gorgug might have - and he just responds with an eye roll that seems more fondly exasperated than genuinely annoyed at any of this.

So he is moving over to join in on the hug. Obviously just in the normal way, rather than climbing all over Gorgug the way Riz is saying, but he moves an arm around Gorgug's back, playfully nudging Riz's side with his other hand. ]

Alright, alright. You don't have to make it mushy.

[ Says the guy who also makes things mushy sometimes.. ]

woe....

[tinflower]

[ Gorgug, in all his wisdom, wouldn't say they look like ghosts--and doesn't think that, either, other than to decline the comparison to himself. What he does do is shake his head, that slowness to him that's stuck on what to do. It's odd, seeing them; this mix between where it's so peculiar to see them again, but he feels like the odd one out in this scenario. Maybe he's the one who's just come back from a month long mission.

Being Gorgug is like that, sometimes.

And you know what helps to get him out of it? His friends. And one friend hurling himself at him, and fortunately enough, Gorgug does open his arms to catch him, and, feeling Riz latch onto him with a hug, he wraps his own arms around him too. Tucks his head down, and remembers what a Riz hug feels like.

Oh. His friends are back. They're really back.

This time he's a nod when Riz tells Fabian to join them, though he's delayed (still) and does so when Fabian's walking over. He removes one arm from around Riz (and even with one, he can well secure Riz against him) to put around Fabian. One ear ringing from Riz's well-placed shouting ("well-placed"), but it doesn't stop him from hearing Fabian's odd complaint. ]

You love mushy.

[ A call out! A call out!! While Gorgug is hugging both his pals and mushy cuddling with them...!! ]

[stresstokens]

Yeah, Fabian. You're the mushiest one here, [ Riz shoots back at Fabian, as though he doesn't have one arm hooked around the back of Gorgug's neck and one foot wedged into his side to keep his perch, turning a little to tease him properly. They're not altogether wrong, but they're not altogether right either; the three of them as a collective are pretty mushy without one of Adaine's barbs or any of Kristen's nonsense to help balance out their propensity for intense support.

He still reaches out with one arm to hook it around Fabian, pressing all of them closer together for a moment - his arms are only so long - before letting him go. ]

All this is is an appropriate reaction for being apart for a whole month. [ See? He's normal! This is normal! This is cool! ]

[maximumlegend]

You guys are the worst. Do you know that?

[ Or so Fabian is saying to what is literally his best friend and his boyfriend right there, while he's hugging and getting hugged by them both.. Yes, clearly the worst. Clearly Fabian doesn't like them at all. That's why they are mushy hugging in the moment.

After a moment of it, he does press a quick kiss to Gorgug's cheek before removing himself from all this mushyness. Not too far, but just-- taking a step backwards. It's too awkward to talk in a hug pit, okay! ]

So, Gorgug, did you get a whole lot done without us here?

[tinflower]

[ Gorgug has no shame for being mushy. It's only as the other two draw away that Gorgug does too--receiving that kiss, and his mouth pulling into a brief, wider smile where he ducks his head for a second. Because he might not have shame, but he might be still shy about getting that mushy in front of Riz.

But he does look at Fabian for a second, a quick thing of acknowledgement before he raises his arm on Riz's side to help him have a better perch. If he needs it; he could also tilt his neck to make space in that area if Riz decides not to just drop down. Regardless, Gorgug's been asked a question, and so while doing any of that: ] I made around six camera bots and put them outside Etraya. I need to make more, but, I spaced them out so there's a good view from every direction. I just need to make sure they're picking up strange activity and telling me, but I, I think I did okay. It's a start.

[ Look, he's being positive! There's plenty more he wishes he got done, or could get started on right away, but that takes time, and there's other things to consider. Like looking between his friends, and pointing out rather happily: ]

Neither of you died. You didn't come back early.

[ A positive! Right?? They didn't die, right?? ]

[stresstokens]

[ Riz jumps off Gorgug's shoulder easily enough, landing in a slight crouch on the ground below as Gorgug rattles off everything he'd managed to do in their absence and leans slightly away from him, eyeing the well-populated lab behind him. ]

Damn, you were hard at work. [ It was probably easier for him to work without him and Fabian around to distract him, Riz thinks. Riz works better when nobody's around to distract him too. But that's fine for a few days, or even a week at a time... after a month, he thinks he'd get kind of miserable. Still, he can't fault his productivity. ] I'm pretty sure you accomplished more than Fabian and I. We got to see one of those dying worlds, but we didn't really find out that much.

[ They'd been distracted by the prospect of staying alive. Fabian especially. His eyes dart over to Fabian, knowing how close he'd come to death, the thought of which still nags away at him, but it worked out! It was fine! It's okay! He did a good job! So instead of saying any of that, he just gives Gorgug a thumbs-up. ]

But neither of us died! So hey, success on that front!

[ He didn't want Fabian to die, obviously. That would be awful. He also didn't want to have to be the one to tell Gorgug that Fabian died on his watch, though, and he's deeply relieved that he doesn't have to. ]

[maximumlegend]

[ As Fabian slowly pulls out of the hug now Riz has jumped down, he's definitely staring right back at Riz while Riz is looking at him - and Fabian knows what the other is thinking. He's pretty sure it's the exact same thing he's thinking about, with all the emphasis here on not having died.

Which, technically, he didn't. But Fabian also knows he sure did get closer than he ever had before in this place. Does that mean he should tell Gorgug? Or shouldn't? He doesn't want to put his friends into a weird or bad mood, but he also doesn't want this to turn into a Thing if it ever comes out later and it turns out Gorgug cares..

Ugh. Uggggh. He just came back from that dumb mission, he doesn't immediately want to have to contemplate all of this! Why make him!

It's why Fabian looks like a kid getting dragged to the dentist against their will as he admits, not directly looking at either of the other two at first: ] Well, I almost died, I suppose. But The Ball made sure it did not actually happen.

[ Once more, internally: Ughhhhhhhhh.

He sucks in a breath, trying to act all Cool and Casual and Nonchalant as he fully turns back towards his friends. ]

So, really, nothing important happened!

[ Nailed it. ]

[tinflower]

[ Being apart from them for a month--or, really, any form of social interaction--has mucked with Gorgug's brain chemicals in a way where, maybe, the sight of the two of them isn't quite connecting right. Are they the odd thing out, or is he? Even after a hug that was very real, and Gorgug's listening to Riz now, who only cements how very much the pair didn't die.

He doesn't notice the subtle intricacies of Fabian's state of mind that might be reflected in his posture, until the other speaks up--and then, it's only surface level. That pouting face of his before he huffs it away. And Fabian's really trying to make it a point that nothing actually happened.

...they do nearly die all the time, so this is--one of those times when he should trust what Fabian says, right? There isn't anything deeper to this, and Gorgug stares at Fabian for a few seconds as he stays in a buffering state.

... ]

Okay, [ he finally says, reasoning, ] Almost dying isn't dying.

[ ...

He turns to Riz. ]

Did you kill the thing that almost killed Fabian?

[ That goes without saying, right? ]

[stresstokens]

[ Riz is visibly surprised that Fabian relented and told Gorgug the truth; he's got a shit poker face when he's not actively trying to have one, and his wide eyes and open mouth tell the tale there. He was leaving it to Fabian to talk about it himself, really, but Fabian never wanted to talk about any sort of perceived weakness, even if it was some dude poisoning him. He lets his mouth snap shut again, instead nodding to back Fabian up.

Besides, Gorgug's next question is confronting something that Riz didn't exactly tell Fabian about. It just didn't seem important. He thinks that it's possible that Fabian caught on, if he wasn't too busy just recovering from the whole ordeal, but he never said it out loud. Instead, he had simply slipped out of their shared apartment, telling Fabian he had to go pick up a few things (he did come back with a couple of sandwiches, to be fair), and then returned with all of that nervous energy he couldn't quite get rid of finally having left his body. It didn't seem important to address, not if it would upset Fabian more when his body was still frail from his near-death experience, but it's not like he's going to lie.

So instead, he turns to look Gorgug in the eye -- not satisfied, necessarily, but sure of himself. ]

Yeah, [ he says bluntly. ] I shot him in the head.

[ He had given him a chance to do better. Hand over the points Riz himself had lost gambling for his life, or meet the wrong end of his gun. Giving away his points would have killed him eventually, granted, but Riz likes to think he dealt with it well enough. ]