[Open] Dr. Medic's Sleepaway Funtimes Camp

[mementomoritz]

I. So girl keep telling me [network post]

[About three hours after the whole post-Esmeeting kerfuffle, every phone included in the Executor group chat suddenly blares loudly with an incoming post that appears to have every possible alert and priority notice the person writing it could find attached to it.]

ANYONE WHO ATE ANYTHING AT ESME'S HOUSE REPORT TO MEDIC IMMEDIATELY YOU ARE POISONED


[Well, you can't accuse her of burying the lede.]

i'm in my lab in invidia [The exact address and coordinates of the lab are attached along with the message, including a helpful photo of a scribbled map just in case anyone is really bad with directions.] if you ate ANY of the food esme served or if you're feeling sick, come here so i can treat you
if you find someone unconscious or unable to move on their own, BRING THEM HERE
if you don't have anyone around and think you need help getting here, reply to this message immediately

i threw up, so i tested some of the leftovers i took home
and that food is very, very poisoned
(also, if you brought leftovers home, don't eat them)


II. pick me up whenever i'm feeling down [in-person log]

[True to her word, Medic is ready and waiting in her lab the second anyone arrives.]

[The living room of the apartment she commandeered has been turned into a makeshift hospital. She's dragged cushions and mattresses in, laying them out on the floor and covering them with clean sheets and blankets to make sickbeds. Next to every bed is a glass of water and a bowl for, uh. Any stomach issues you might have to deal with.]

[Anyone healthy who walks in the door will be cheerfully pressganged into nursing duty.]

[The beds are set up facing the living room's lone TV, but well... this is Invidia. Guess who's probably on every channel.]

[You might have better luck with putting on a movie, but no one actually saw this coming, which means your available selection consists exclusively of stuff Medic brought with her from the Limbo library when she came down to Invidia. By which we mean exactly one film.]

[Whether having to see Esme's face is better or worse than watching Brutal Instinct again is a choice you're going to have to make amongst yourselves.]

Comments

[cancrymods]

For a split second, Tagalong Girl is so overcome by this idea that all she can do is furiously pump her fists. But then she seems to catch on that exploding is probably the opposite of what they need her to do right now, so instead she composes herself a bit and just nods fervently.

"Y–yes! Definitely, absolutely! I just have to pretend it's like a meet and greet and I'll be fine!"

[schardynfreude]

If you're certain. [Just gonna give Beast a LOOK, she is his responsibility.] Information is key, just try not to spook her. She seems a sweet girl who didn't deserve what happened. [And also maybe record that shit!]

[discutio]

Quite. I don't want us to frighten her off, or worse yet end up making her a target.

[twibeast]

[ He sees that Look and just sort of... waves his hand a little. He knows, he knows. ]

Of course; believe me, there's nothing I would hate to do more than to scare her or make her uncomfortable.

[ The bigger issue is their little friend though and he knows it, so he addresses her again next. ]

And you understand as well, yes? These "meet and greets" have a certain level of etiquette and conduct and I fully expect you to follow them even if it's not actually one.

[ pause ]

And no more theme song humming, please.

[cancrymods]

For the first time since any of them have seen her (and honestly, probably ever), Tagalong Girl's general energy finally dials back to something in the single digits. She's giving the three of them a look, an expression of mingled concern and consideration on her face before she finally responds.

"She's really in danger, isn't she?" she asks. "It's not a joke or a prank, or anything like that. You guys really think she could get hurt?"

This is as serious as she's looked or sounded this entire time.

[discutio]

It's more likely than I would care to examine in detail, honestly. Even just approaching her feels risky, but it's an avenue we need to explore.

[schardynfreude]

Especially given what happened to her counterpart. There's a reason no one has seen hide nor hair of her in the wake of the competition as well.

We're not sure if she knows that detail, though. [Alice wasn't visibly there in the footage of that incident. Though even if she was, she wasn't exactly in danger of snatching the crown.] We don't want to drag up too many poorly memories, but it is important to speak with her.

[twibeast]

[ He nods in agreement with the others. ]

Enough people have gotten hurt now for it to not be more than a possibility.

Hopefully things will be fine but... caution is paramount.

[cancrymods]

"Right!" She's nodding along earnestly, looking eager but not quite as hyperactive as she'd been before. Which honestly, is a relief. "So we're going to meet up with her after her shift and ask her some questions... but uh..."

She looks between the three of them again, and frowns a bit.

"No offense, but literally all of you are kind of terrifying in some way."

[discutio]

...I'm afraid I'm not sure what you mean. True enough, Chiron is not exactly the type one would want to catch on an isolated road, but what's wrong with the two of us?

[schardynfreude]

Hey now. [He's not necessarily going to disagree, but goodness, is he that unsettling in general?] You have a certain intensity about you, and while your looks are downright ravageable at best, you are... certainly not someone to cross at significantly less than best.

Beast is certainly a sight to behold with his quite frankly ridiculous height and unusual appendage choice of wings, but I fear he might simply be the best choice of us to talk to a young woman without causing her to flee for her life on sight. Especially with someone so much less alarming in tow.

[twibeast]

[ ??????

He was about to act all mock hurt and what not, tease the spectre a little, but then Chiron mentions his height and it gives him pause. ]

...Is it really that unusual?

[ He knows it can be intimidating to shorter folk but he didn’t realize it was THAT strange. ]

[discutio]

First of all, I think you and I are going to have a conversation in no uncertain terms over when and when not to call someone 'ravageable'. Second-...wait, what do you mean 'wings'?

[??????????]

[twibeast]

Ah— [ oh god right Phoenix wouldn’t know ] yes, wings. I am what’s called a Feathered in my world, specifically of the crow variety, so I have wings on my back.

[schardynfreude]

You know I just like to throw you off guard, and yes, Beast, your height is, to most of us [GESTURES AROUND ENVY CIRCLE OF HELL] a bit of a reach.

Hm. Question: is it a faux pas to pet wings in your world? [asking for a friend]

[twibeast]

[ huh.

He pauses for a moment, then shrugs. ]

Not as much as it would be to say, grab someone’s tail or pet a Furred’s ears honestly. Unadvisable to do to a stranger or one with higher social standing but that’s just common sense for any physical contact.

[ In other words he don’t care, go for it. ]

[discutio]

Can we perhaps focus on the matter at hand rather than this sudden revelation everyone but me knew already?

[he’s not embarrassed. shut up.]

[twibeast]

[ SORRY FAM rip ]

[schardynfreude]

[He waves a flippant hand at Ignis just out of habit, not out of forgetting.] Yes, yes, the lady of the hour. Well then, my dears, if you've no issue with us nominating you to do the talking, perhaps I'll hang back somewhere sight unseen and record from a distance? I'm not sure how much sound will be picked up, however. Perhaps we should just leave it up to you two?

[cancrymods]

"Well yeah, duh." says Tagalog Girl with a dismissive flap of her hand. "I'm pretty sure he's the only one who's an actual Alice fan!"

She's still on that, huh. But just as she speaks, another voice speaks up--

"Oh, were you calling for me? Did you need something?"

... It's Alice making her way back with some menus tucked under her arm. Looks like she overheard a little. Uh oh.

[twibeast]

[ "The only actual Alice fan" she says, about the dude who didn't even see or hear the original videos.

Blessedly though before anything can be said about that the devil herself shows up and Beast leaps into action. ]

Ah, my apologies my lady. My companion and I were just discussing how much you eerily look like a performer we are both huge fans of.

[ And then, a face of awed surprise ]

Though if you mistook us saying her name for calling for you, could it be that you...?

[ He's watching closely for a reaction. If she seems way too uncomfortable with this or tries to deny it then they ditch the plan altogether, maybe figure something else out. But if not... ]

[cancrymods]

In the kind of gesture that's so second nature by now that she doesn't even appear to think about it, Alice lifts up both her hands in an apologetic gesture and says "Oh, sorry! But I'm on the clock now so I can't give out autographs!"

And then she blinks, looking a little taken aback by her own words.

"Wh... what did I just...?"

[twibeast]

[ Oho? That's interesting. There were a number of reactions that Beast expected but this wasn't one of them.

His face lights up almost comically. ]

Oh! So it really is you then, Lady Alice! Uh-- do not worry though, we would never dream of pestering you while you are working!

...But would it be a hassle if we had a chance to speak with you after your shift? My companion truly does admire you, you see: she even tried to imitate your lovely hair! It would mean oh so much to her...

[cancrymods]

"Sorry but– I think you're mistaking me for someone?" Alice says, but even she doesn't sound very sure of it. As she speaks, she starts slowly sinking herself into one of the chairs, looking a little shocked and a little scared. "I'm not... I mean, I don't remember, um..."

After a moment of uncomfortable silence, Tagalong Girl reaches out to touch her hand, comfortingly.

"... I don't know if you remember me, but um... a really long time ago, when you were performing, you sang a song that was really important to me, and it helped me a lot. And when I got the CD, you signed it for me and..."

She trails off as she watches the blank look on Alice's face grow increasingly distraught. But more notable is her eyes – while there'd seemed to be some sort of fog over them a moment ago, they're suddenly growing sharp and clear.

"I'd... I used to daydream about performing, but... for as long as I can remember I've always just worked here. But there's something before that. And it's so far back and I can barely see it but I... what was I doing up on that stage...?"

[twibeast]

[ Beast just... casts a look at the other dads for a moment, before dropping his starstruck fan act entirely for something more gentle. ]

My lady I can assure you, you were indeed once the very performer you daydreamed of.

If you would like to talk and learn more to fill in the gaps you've forgotten we would be more than happy to assist, be it here or outside when you're ready and able to.