APRIL EVENT: YOU HAVE NO POWER OVER ME (EPILOGUE)

[sailmods]

[one by one, they are brought out of the dream, finding themselves in a brightly lit world of sand and broken glass, of familiar faces and audible relief.

as they pass through the crew quarters, they may notice that some tubes seem to be unoccupied, merely sand and empty air.

when they finally push open the heavy door, they find themselves on deck zero. the familiar terrain of the Serena Eterna. they never really left at all.

it is still and quiet; none of the usual ghostly presences can be found anywhere on the ship; in fact, it seems as if there’s barely enough of… whatever it is to keep the lights on, and they’ll find that all internal locations are dimly lit, making it difficult to search them. and they will be searching.

because Fio wasn’t in any of the tubes.

and neither was the Captain.

and Sparkles is somewhere to be found.]

Comments

[myagic]

[She huffs, places her hands on her hips, and leans down to better look him in the eyes.]

Never.

Because I'm not the one with the weird dog brain here, unlike you.

[maximumcake]

Maybe you should try it. I don't know why you're so hung up on this dog thing but, seriously, after all this is over I'll take you for some ice cream in my human form. It might improve your mood.

[myagic]

I'm not hung up on anything. I'm just calling it like it is.

[Also, she's a jerk and Max doesn't deserve this, but when has that ever stopped her? So she starts being contrary just because she can.]

And what if the ice cream's not even there after all this?

[maximumcake]

If it's not, then I'll improvise. We can find something sweet to substitute with. You like chocolate? I have an easy bake oven, I can make you little baby cupcakes. I made some together with Pratt and he loved it.

[Welcome to Max aggressively being nice as a way to fight back.]

[myagic]

[Chocolate is good, but...no, nope, she's not going to fall for it that easily!! Probably!]

Pratt? You know that guy's self-admitted to having no standards, right? For all I know, they could've been terrible and he'd still stuff his face with them.

[maximumcake]

I know that's what he says, but I don't actually believe him about it. He knows his food. Pratt is a good guy and he's a good friend of mine so I'd appreciate it if you wouldn't insult him.

[She can insult Max, but he draws the line at his friends.]

[myagic]

How the hell is it an insult if he freely admits it?! Besides, you could probably batter and deep-fry a sock and that guy'd eat it!

["I'm not insulting him", she insists, then proceeds to definitely insult him.]

[maximumcake]

It's one thing for someone to say stuff about themselves, but you don't have to perpetuate it. You're doing it right now.

Maybe it's just me, but I like to see the good in people. If I deep-fried a sock and gave it to him, he probably would eat it because he trusts me, which is why I'd never do that because that's no way to treat a friend.

[myagic]

[Ew, a lecture on feelings and friendship? Gross. There's a time and place for that, she's decided it's not right now!]

Hey, I'm just saying it like it is! You don't have to listen, you know!

[It's not exactly a compelling counterargument...]

[maximumcake]

Yeah? There are ways to say things that are true without it being hurtful, you know?

[Max is not moved in the slightest.]

You don't have to be embarrassed if you didn't know comfort food was a thing. I learn new stuff every day and I'm already twenty-eight. But the offer to get some sweets later is still on the table if you want it.

[myagic]

Hey, I am not embarrassed! And I'm telling you, "comfort food" is seriously not a thing!

[The only concession here is that she's not calling him a dog-brain, for the moment.]

[maximumcake]

You're acting like you are. And I'm telling you that it literally is for people like me. Maybe it isn't where you are from, but it is for me so stop being so weird about it? What do you lose by admitting it was something you didn't know about?

[myagic]

I--I am not--just because you made up some stupid name for it, that doesn't mean it's a real thing, you know!

[Rita, doubling down over something ridiculous? Haha, of course not...]

[maximumcake]

I really don't know what to tell you. I didn't make it up. It's a real thing, but if you won't believe me just go ask someone else. Ask Mr. Wuthridge right now. Go ahead.

[theotherright]

[ Ah, his most favourite transforming dog man is having a heated debate with his most sometimes-briefly-talked-to teenager. Arthur could not be physically restrained from adding his two cents, and he adds them with a spirit of helpful innocence that's slightly betrayed by the fact that his mouth is trying to grin. ]

Comfort food, you say? I suppose mine has always been a very fried breakfast, eggs and black pudding and all the rest. Everybody has their own, of course.

[myagic]

[Her face starts to redden as Max eggs her on, and she wages an internal debate over asking someone to get it over with versus refusing to humour him... And then there's--oh, what was his name again? One of the many old guys on the ship--chiming in.]

Hey! Who asked you?!

[He has to be lying to make fun of her here, right? Comfort food is a stupid term!! No way it's real!]

[maximumcake]

See?!

[Max wags his tail triumphantly.]

I told you it's a thing.

I... don't know what you mean by black pudding, though.

[Pudding as a breakfast food? Sure, why not?]

[theotherright]

[ H-hey... he's only a year older than Max......... ]

Oh, you didn't have to ask, [ he says cheerily, ] I'm just in a helpful mood.

[ During a tense confrontation for their very lives... yeah, that ability to compartmentalise is coming in clutch right now.

To Max, with helpfulness that's more genuine and less performative: ] It's, ah, blood sausage. Very savoury. I've not been able to find anywhere in the States that quite does it justice, though. [ If they served it at all. ]

[ossie_oswald]

Not only is comfort food a 'thing', it just so happens to be one of the few truly universal food concepts that we have. Mine's a good roast chicken with a salad shared with friends. Or shawarma, if I'm hungover.

[ Not that he gets hangovers anymore. ]

[theotherright]

Shawarma?

[ Curiously. Shawarma wasn't really established in the USA of Arthur's time, and he doesn't think he's encountered it on the ship, at least not knowingly. ]

[ossie_oswald]

A sort of method of roasting meat on an upright grill, which is then cut into slices, and wrapped in flatbread along with lettuce and tomatoes and onions, among other things, and topped with sauces. The epitome of hangover food: greasy, flavorful, and arguably nutritious. Ah- bloody hell, now I want one.

[theotherright]

[ Oh this. This is the face of a man who wants to try shawarma now. ]

God, now you've made me hungry.

[ Or maybe that's the month in suspended animation talking...... ]

I wonder if one could approximate it using food from the buffet. I suppose it would all be in whether the right sauces are available.

[myagic]

If it's so universal, then how come I've never heard it?! [CHECKMATE??] I think you're just pulling my leg!

[ossie_oswald]

Because you're incurious enough about the way the wider world works to likely never have asked, and if your attitude is like this towards everyone, it would not surprise me if not a single soul has ever wanted to do you a good turn by bringing you some comforting food before now.

[prince_of_beasts]

[ OOF ]