(too late) you're at the party

[scouserer]

[Well, it's safe to say that trial fucking sucked. Therefore, some sort of afterparty is in order. Constantine is admittedly not good at throwing parties without some sort of liquor or other drug involved, but that's where Data and Sylvando guide him.

First order of business--invites. Upon returning to your rooms, crumpled pieces of paper have been taped to the doors. Written in poor handwriting is the following:]

meet at the lounge
bring whatever you want
[Simple, but effective. The lounge itself has been livened up a bit with Sylvando's help. Some nicely patterned fabric has been draped around on the tables to liven up the place a little, and snacks from the café and vending machines have been placed out for people to peruse.

A few supplies from the first aid room have been gathered, as well, for those who may need it. But perhaps the help is unnecessary, as tomorrow will likely bring another New Years Eve. And with it, another week of despair and frustration.

But for now, they can forget about that and pretend that all that matters is the present.]

Comments

[magycks]

[ Powerless. Weak. Small. There's only so many ways you can feel after All That happens right next to you, and none of them are pleasant for a megalomaniac!

Magica ignores the invite, grabs every token from her room, and stalks off to the vending machine before she does anything else. Somewhere in there, buried among all the other trifles it dispenses, is her amulet. She's certain of this, if only because Magica's own mind won't allow her to be anything else — all that remains is getting it out, feeding coin after coin to it until one finally sends her magic and her menace tumbling forth.

Unfortunately, tonight, nothing tumbles forth but Duckolas Cage and the Bee Movie 2 screenplay, and also a basket full of living turtles. This is about what she expected, but it certainly doesn't help boost her mood, and when she pays a visit to the lounge all she has to offer is: ]

Right, go get your things before I throw them into the abyss.

[ She grabs a cake pop, turns on her heel, and promptly buzzes off! True to her word, you can find her chucking shit off the deck by the library. It doesn't seem to please her, or anything. She's just doing it because the stuff is there, and so is the ocean. ]

Don't suppose you have a light.

[ Still later, she brings her second corkboard to the teen zone, where she affixes it to the wall opposite the TV... at a height relative to her, so it's kind of down there! Next to it, with a brush and deep red paint, she begins to write.

Eventually, this turns into the inscription DAYS SINCE OUR LAST MURDER, but you can encounter her at her work at any stage! Once she's done, she pins up a big blank sheet of paper to the board. She regards the violet glow from Kate Bush doin' it to 'em as she speaks. ]

Planning on staying up tonight? We've only got an hour or so left in this 1995. Might as well wait for the ball to drop.

lounge /gently touches this two days late

[hypnowhip]

[Sylvando knows he and Magica aren't on the best of terms, and frankly, he's still Super Unsure about her in general, but...that's his recorder. She found his recorder!!

All of his sadness over today dissipates if only for a moment as he gasps and rescues his red recorder from the ill-fated pile.]

Thank you so much for bringing this out, Magica! You have no idea how I've been missing this baby...!

[Get ready for obnoxious circus music soon...!]

[magycks]

[ You can literally see regret hit Magica in a wave as she realizes she could have potentially held this item over Sylvando's head... well, it's too late to snatch it back now, and the memory of everyone going after Alice is fresh in her mind, so she might as well preserve some currency of good will while it's still in her possession. ]

... sure. Now you can play taps off the top deck, or whatever.

[ sorry did i say preserve some currency of good will, i meant the opposite of that ]

[hypnowhip]

[Wow!! He didn't even engage in any of that!!

Sylvando's expression falls immediately, and he crosses his arms.]

I'm not going to do something depressing like that! This recorder only plays uplifting music!

[Because he said so.]

[magycks]

[ It took less than fifteen seconds for her to completely lose the plot, and honestly, this is probably for the best! The eyebrows which she, a duck, should absolutely not have, climb precipitously. ]

Too depressing. Is that right?

I mean, some might use that word to describe a murder and the subsequent ritual offering of one of our own to a bootleg psychopomp, but that's none of my business.

[hypnowhip]

[Meanwhile, Sylvando's giving Magica a "why are you like this" look.]

Honey, I think you know that I do too. I just...can't bear the thought that one day I'd use my recorder for a tradition of mourning. It's supposed to bring smiles, not tears.

[magycks]

[ Magica initially smirks in response to this look, because she's just doing her, babey!!! But Sylvando's actual response throws her. The next thing she says is delivered with wild-eyed bewilderment and appears to be utterly genuine. ]

... hold on, have you never heard a recorder before?

[hypnowhip]

[...

With the most serious look on his face, he raises the recorder to his lips and plays a jolly little tune on it. It actually sounds really good!]

[magycks]

[ oh, good, she hates it! ]

Okay, okay! You've proven your point, stop showing off.

[ or what, exactly, 3'9" duck? or what? ]