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Downtime Log - 04
Log 04 - Downtime
Outcome to The Mine Car
And so, Minecraftia is saved! Overall, characters opted to focus on closing the mines. Passengers will receive a summary of their results on their phone (though there's still no sender), and will see it play out around them.
- With the deep mines closed off, the fungus responsible for the plague will no longer escape to the surface. Thanks to your thorough efforts, the dynamite has exposed new silver ore and treasure that the townsfolk can live off of, and the ancient mole civilization has also been laid to rest. They pass along this message:
- Totally radalicious for ya to do us a solid like that bros. You wouldn't believe how bad those acid spores were harshin' my buzz. See ya on the flip side. Cowabunga, dudes!
- Mayor Chadsef has been slain. The people of Minecraftia are grateful that his devious plots have been revealed, but are unsettled by some of your behavior. They are left without much leadership.
- Continue to fulfill objectives. Do not dwell on completed cars.
Though passengers can stay in Minecraftia for a while, the exit door is now open! Because presumably some of them killed and ate Chadsef, the denizens will eventually chase them out for being weirdos.
Numbers: All numbers will change as a result of this log. Overall, those who focused on the mines will see their numbers go down, and vice versa. However, this is character-driven: a character that went to the mines solely to loot for treasure may still see their number go up, and likewise, those that attacked Chadsef may still see their numbers go down if it coincides with character growth.
Illness: Those who fell ill will have lingering effects, but the plague will clear without exposure to the spores. Symptoms can fade as quickly or slowly as players wish.
Then, as characters exit Minecraftia, they will receive another new message.
FROM: clownductor one
Well, that was unexpected.
Regular train cars will now resume. Please note that to end your journey aboard the Existential Express, the numbers located on your body must go down to zero. Indulging in your bad habits will cause your number to increase indefinitely and infinitely. Do not think of it as a prison sentence, but...
...A journey along the railroad of self improvement.
And from here on out, we're back to our regularly scheduled downtime log! Good work, everyone!
The Dinosaur Car
As characters enter the car, their phones will notify them of a new objective…
That's not really an actionable objective, but you probably don't have much time to worry about it because in this car… there are dinosaurs! They seem to be engulfed in a vicious turf war between bickering herbivores and carnivores, and in the middle of the fighting is a flock of baby dinosaurs separated from their parents. :( Their size easily dwarfs the passengers, but compared to the adults, they're small and helpless and could use someone to take them back to their dens.
Unfortunately, not all the babies are cooperative. Some have no sense of danger, and others have too much sense of danger. While others won't stop crying, and some have decided that you're their new mother! Navigating them through the bickering adults won't be an easy task.
All carnivores except velociraptors have poor senses, so they'll only see you if you move. The herbivores will largely leave you alone... because they won't notice your presence at all, and will stomp on you with no reservations. Both sides will react poorly to violence against their own, so be prepared to run or fight if you're the hack-and-slash type. That said, these oversized reptiles are no pea-brains, and may actually be open to diplomacy…
The Crystal Car
As the characters enter the car, their phones will notify them of a new objective…
The inside of this car is peaceful and #aesthetic — everything is made of varying types of crystal, geodes, etc, and the pink sunlight glitters across every surface. What does this have to do with the objective? Nothing! Not everything in life has a meaning, you know?
However, there is one particularly shiny crystal not far from the door here, with a few fairly obvious hand-shaped indents. When touched, the crystal will shimmer and shine to an emotional song. But not just any song — it has to have sentimental value to the singer. That's right, you can't just pick the classiest tune of your Sp*tify to pretend you have good taste to your friends. This is about a mother's lullaby, or the horrible mix tape your first boyfriend made you, or the randumb song you made up with your friends as a kid. Once the crystal is satisfied with your performance, the exit door will open.
The Otome Car
As the characters enter the car, their phones will notify them of a new objective…
The assorted NPCs of this neo-noir world are occupied with solving grisly murders. Passengers will find themselves in roles such as jaded private investigator, lackadaisical forensics tech, vigilante hacker, bright-eyed and bushy-tailed dame, etc... but more importantly, above every character's head is what looks like a progress bar.
When someone encounters another passenger, the bar will fill up according to how much they trust and/or like them. (Yes, this will out anyone who's been sneaky or dishonest about their feelings.) In order to fill this 'trust gauge' to max, characters must pick the right dialogue options with each other (i.e. not piss each other off, flatter one another, etc. You may also interpret this as literal otome dialogue prompts, if you like), or otherwise convince all the NPCs that they care for each other. Maybe it's by holding hands, or fake dating, or pretending Wheatley is your beloved son orb (sorb).
Once both bars are completely full, characters will abruptly discover the murderer was the cop all along. They'll receive a bag of Sn*ckers for their detective work. Good end! If characters do poorly at this get-along task, they may get various Bad Ends, which will usually result in them nearly dying (or actually dying) before starting over from a previous checkpoint. Successive bad ends will turn more and more ridiculous over time.
The GBBO Car
As the characters enter the car, their phones will notify them of a new objective…
Upon entering the car, passengers will find themselves in a large tent. The tent contains rows of baking stations, equipped with ovens and a variety of kitchen equipment. Along the sides of the tents are fridges and freezers, and at the back of the tent is a pantry which will manifest any ingredient a passenger can think of. As passengers bake however, they'll find that they need to work together as access to the gadgets and ingredients is split between individuals. Whether it's the oven refusing to start, or eggs consistently slipping from their grasp, passengers will need to rely on a partner regardless of skill level. Characters that try to work on their own will consistently end up with a terrible tray of brownies, no matter what they're trying to bake.
Passengers will have 3 hours to create the dish listed on their station before being subjected to the scrutiny of celebrity judges: Haul Pollywood and Bary Merry. Ready... set... bake!
The Hand Holding Car
As the characters enter the car, their phones will notify them of a new objective…
Upon entering this car, passengers will find themselves in total darkness. There is nothing around them except, visible by the light of their phones, a single torch. They'll find that they can't light it using magic or matches, and that it only blazes bright when they hold the hand of another passenger. As soon as that contact is lost, the torch will go out.
There is no path or indicators as they trek forward—nothing but the black nothingness, their fellow passenger and the torch. But eventually, whispers. A cold sensation crawling up their spine, and the sudden, unshakeable fear of the person whose hand they're holding. A voice will warn them of the evil hidden in their partner's heart, the weapons they carry, and describe to them in vivid detail all the ways they could end their life, or worse. There's nothing more terrifying to you than this person, but if you let go, then there's only darkness.
One final catch: this connection goes beyond fear. Characters will find themselves able to read each other's thoughts while holding hands.
The Vacation Car
As the characters enter the car, their phones will notify them of a new objective…
The vast interior of this car is filled with a white, sandy beach. Clear water stretches as far as the eye can see, and the shoreline is dotted with everything you'd find at a popular boardwalk: food stands, cool drinks, tacky swimsuit huts, a brightly lit ferris wheel. Vendors don't accept money, but will gladly share their goods in exchange for good deeds. The beach is open to all, and sports all manner of coral and sea creatures.
(This may include flying sharks and giant octopi.)
And to top it all off, there's an enormous seaside spa! There are various different rooms, providing all kinds of treats to relax: bathing pools both hot and cool, luxurious showers, wet and dry saunas, lounging areas with refreshing drinks and snacks, and even several outdoor hot springs! Above them is always a clear night sky, with auroras dancing against the darkness if you get lucky. How does this all work in the same climate? Don't worry about it.
The spa is largely autonomous: bathing products automatically replenish themselves, food and drink appears and cleans itself up on its own, and there are somehow always warm towels and fluffy robes. This also means that no one is actually running some of the stations — namely the manipedi and massage rooms — so you may have to lend a helping hand or two.
OOC Notes
Car Order: While the cars are linear and in the order shown, characters can freely move between these six cars for the next three weeks — players may assume 1:1 IC:OOC time ratio.
Locks: Passengers may follow other characters out of cars after they've been unlocked — so in general, players can assume optional cars on downtime months are unlocked if they don't want to play in them. Likewise, if your character ICly would not participate in a car but you still want to play with those prompts, you can assume they're locked in and must complete objectives. Feel free to pick and choose what you'd like to play from any downtime log!
Update: We will also have a small update in the coming weeks — the setting won't change, but there will be a few more (optional!) aspects to play with later.
Feel free to direct questions to our Discord help channel. Have fun!
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no subject
Or use that shit for a sight gag.]
Well, hello nurse.
[He pulls the square frames on and off his face to simulate the cartoony eye boy-yoi-yoing motion... You know the one.]
You look cute today.
[His words towards her may be described as callous or even bombastic, but Rex's fondness for Toko is now very blatantly on display over his head. The 70 percent (look, a passing grade) quickly jumps to a 75, and he leans over her library desk to put a direct visual blockade between herself and he body.]
'Kay, so. Good news is? It seems like this is all a simulation or whatever so I'm pretty sure we can assume that's not a real dead guy. I'm workin' at the coroner's office. Actually, I think I am the coroner. Weird, huh?
[He takes a peek at the NPC investigators, winking. Murder and crime-solving is actually not at all a bad gig for him. While some would assume that the link between his competence in this regard stems from the superhero life, it's Rex's dark past that's given him a cutting edge. He successfully killed an array of decorated military heroes, foreign dignitaries, and high-ranking government officials all before he got his first pubic hair... And without getting caught.]
Can you believe this loser-town outfit they've got me struttin' around in? I know I could look hotter than hell in an old sack of potatoes, but this is just rude! I think somebody's got it out for me.
You doin' okay?
no subject
Rex's arrival signals that A) she's less likely to be arrested on sight and B) that she needs to get her wits together. She's already looked like a complete fool in front of him several times, and now she's dressed like this and he's walking over, pulling out a pair of glasses.
Glasses?
The gag has her slapping one arm over her chest and the other stretching to tug her skirt even a smidgen lower. It is not very successful. Toko has gone beet red at once, and he may note the flush extends past her collar.]
P-p-put your eyes away, pig! [It's not fair to say crap like that. She already knows he finds her vulgar, this is just cruel.
Oh, but he's getting to business. For once she seems to listen attentively. And did he — did he scoot squarely in front of the body? Funny, he pulled a similar move back in the tavern that one time.]
Do you actually kn-know how to deal with a body? Or just punch them? [She can't imagine superheroes are universally forensics experts. They probably make more messes than they clean up. Still, he's got a point. It's in the train's murky water between real and not real. Plus none of the passengers have been here long enough to be the cause of this horrible plot twist.] I c-can't believe this. Just as long as nothing starts pointing to me! I w-won't stand for being framed, you know!
[It doesn't sound like a passing fright.
When he complains about his costume, Toko's bar wobbles. If you'd asked her to call it, she'd put it at five percent. She wants Rex out of her hair, not in her face. She'd be sickened to know it's swelling to forty-eight.]
Here I was g-going to say you look better when you're not dressed like a traffic cone. [She scowls. It's...much better than his usual outfit. He dresses up well. Looks halfway dapper, even. Infuriating.] H-how do you think I'm doing?! A man is dead! And what's with this —
[She reaches up to slap at his status bar. It shimmers in the air, but does not budge.]
What is th-this thing? Get rid of it.
im sorry i responded so quickly
Ex-murderers, however? A professional hitman, one with hundreds of kills under his belt, someone who was never caught... To the credit of the investigators that were unable to pink him down, by virtue of being scouted, trained, and genetically engineered, his abilities were a secret to the world, and unique. Rex Sloan, and then Rex Splode, is and was one in a million as a result.]
Slow down, Booksquirm. I asked how you were doin'! Obviously, that dude over there has just had the worst day of his life, and the last.
[Fukawa digs her own grave as usual. Her gawking is nothing new, but Rex does not miss that little compliment for a second. He opens his mouth to address it, then tapped on his shoulder by one of his NPC "colleagues."
Annoyed, he turns to fire back at the poor bastard. Verbally-speaking.]
Oh, for the love of god, you lunatics! I'm tellin' ya, it's not her. If it was, she'd've been caught on camera! Look, look, look- You know there's a way to tell if that cinema reel was fucked with.
The cams they've got around here are pretty old-timey, so they've got a stamp at the bottom. If anyone screwed with the security footage, those minutes are gonna be missing. If little miss lewd library girl has an alibi for that amount of time, like if anybody saw her anywhere else, etcetera etcetera, we can probably rule her out!
And if that doesn't convince ya, I'm positive the autopsy's gonna give us some real clues.
[Rex waves a hand at Fukawa, resisting the urge to snap at her with his fingers. Baby steps.]
When you came to, is this what you saw?
[also these slacks are tight as hell have fun lookin at dat ass horny girl]
no subject
[Honestly, what does he expect? Any normal person would be upset.
Unless you were...well. Some of her classmates could be rather callous. And her own other half, she knows. And maybe lots of people were desensitized to carnage by now, having seen nothing but since the Incident. She's never been able to shake her queasiness, nor her nerves. The mystery element only sets her frazzled nerves on fire, and not in a pleasurable way.
Toko flinches back as the other officer approaches, huddling away like a suspicious animal. That's when Rex goes off on one of his unholy tirades. This time there's something halfway intelligent in between the offal.
Her eyes narrow at him. Either he watches way too many cop dramas, or something's fishy. She answers his question slowly, suspiciously.]
Y-yes...I just got here...
[Her eyes flick up to the security cameras in question. One, two, three and four. The ceilings are high and vaulted, it's hard to get a good look at them, but there's one in each corner, glinting down upon the messy scene like watchful gargoyles. Then her brows shoot up.]
Wait. [She almost pats at his shoulder but aborts the motion, still halfway through her thought. Instead, she points up at the third camera, in the northeast corner.] That one...it's n-not reflecting light.
[The lenses look black from afar, but they're just glass over components. All but one have gleaming spots, mirroring the fluorescents strung up around the room. The third looks matte, like a chip of paint. Could someone have blocked it?]
no subject
[At that, Rex's brow furrows. Fukawa's reaction to death is a telling one. Anyone familiar with carnage, accustomed to the stench of rotting bodies or unhappy endings, grows a sense of detachment over time. She is from a world in which the Apocalypse has arisen, but she wasn't born into it. She couldn't have been. Not if she retained that aspect of her humanity.]
Whoa! Hey, aaaah-
[Rex whistles, tilting his body so that he can make eye contact with one of the NPCS. Is it just him or does this guy look kinda of... Pixellated? The Guardian's head tips down as he reads a name tag aloud.]
Tex? Your name is Tex? God, whoever wrote this shit needs to be fired, fucking lazy ass... Uggggh! Anyways... Could you go take a look at that camera she pointed out? I'm gonna pull my friend aside and see if we can figure out what she saw.
[While his "coworker" goes to deal with the device in question, Rex saunters over with a fairly remorseful expression, his green eyes sincere, lacking mirth for once.]
Sorry. The stuff I see on a daily basis tends to be a lot worse than this, aaaand... Usually there's more than one? Body! Body, I mean...
So I can be kind of an asshole about it. It's real fucked up, but... If you think of a corpse as not quite a person anymore? It makes things a whole lot less scary.
[He reaches out, fingers hesitating before he commits to giving her shoulder a very, very gentle squeeze.]
We'll get outta here.
no subject
When Rex comes back, it's as if his face has been wholly rearranged. Sure, she's seen him deflated back in that shitty, festering mining town, but there's a softness to this that morphs his features.
He looks like someone palatable for a change. None of that braying and bluster. Nothing like the mockery he always insists on.
Then he puts a hand on her shoulder and she flinches up from head to toe. Her heart pounds in her ears. It's like he's a whole other person, costume and all. But he's not, is he?
(Silent above her head, the meter swells and settles on 55%.)]
I — G-g-g— it's not like I've never seen them! There's... [Piles. Mounds of them in Towa City. Some left to rot in the street, some made a mockery of. Nowhere to bury them in the concrete.] You d-don't have to patronize me, I'm just...
[Her lip wobbles. Without thinking her eyes find the corpse again, and she looks away with a sharp wince. Strangely, she doesn't fight to get free of his hand.]
It's this f-fucking set up. M-making us play detective, like it's a game...locking us in this crappy car until we find the killer... [Suddenly, there's a flash of teeth. Her sneer turns furious, and she's glowering at a spot on the floor as if she'd fancy setting it on fire.] It w-wouldn't surprise me if this conductor turned out to be another ps-ps-psycho bitch.
no subject
The way she says that suggests that she has very specific person in mind, a woman. Fukawa is not the type to explain herself unnecessarily, but as Samson put it, Rex is surprisingly diligent when he wants to be. So this girl's from a world where the apocalypse is happening, has a greatly warped and highly negative self image, and it seems like there is some kind of mastermind behind her misfortune. He frowns at the word "patronizing."]
Why is it always this routine with you? I mean, really, is it that hard to believe that somebody else just wants to check in and see if you're still in one piece?
[The words aren't angry, for once. Frustrated, yes, but not yelled as per usual.]
You think I pull this shit to play "nice?" You've seen me! Also, this place doesn't really have the kind of clout or tail that I usually chase, no offense.
[that's a fucking lie he fucked the pretty elf man and he'd do it again, too]
No shit, it sucks.
[The murder set-up.
A voice echoes in the back of Rex's head, his own mixed with something deeper.
What if these are real people?
He doesn't want to think about it.]
no subject
[Her first instinct is always defense, regardless of where the conversation's going. It sounds like it should be an insult and her hackles are already up, familiarity breeding ferocity in a setup too close to Hope's Peak.
Then he keeps on. The knot between her brows softens, gives way for a puzzled tilt.]
Huh?
[What was he saying? This isn't his place. There's no need for him to give a single shit about a girl like her.
You don't have to lie to yourself anymore.
The world is a kinder place than you think.
Komaru. Hagakure's mother. Both had stated it so plainly, but Toko still can't believe what she hears or sees. Not this far from home. It should go doubly here, that people would have even less reason to care about some revolting stranger. Their focus should be on improving themselves, not chasing after wastes like her.
Rex is right. He's not the type to play nice. He's always looking for a laugh. An audience even, probably a fight. Something where he gets to show off. Is looking out for her some part of that drive? Does he think she needs saving? That he'll feel like a better hero for it?
Then he kiboshes that thought too. This place doesn't have the clout he's after. All Toko can do is stare, dumbfounded, until he pipes up with the only sentence she can form a solid consensus with.]
...It really sucks.
[Let's just. Ignore all that other stuff. Toko rubs at her temples, unaware that her meter has crept up yet again. 60%.]
B-but we don't have much choice. [As usual.] So. It's up to us to do it, no matter how b-bullshit this whole affair is. That's the deal on this train.
me crying as i watch toko's meter dip
[Rex, so do you.]
You tend to start by cussin' me out all Shakespearean-style, then you make some off-beat, awful comment that tends to circle back to how ugly you think you are, and finally, you always come up with some kind of reason as to why I couldn't possibly give a fuck about'cha. Well, too bad! 'Cause I do. Don't ask me why! I don't know.
[He does know.
Rex may not seem like the type, but he's always secretly rooting for the underdog, or at least, who he sees as the underdog. This does not mean that said person isn't smart or capable or deserving, it's just...
That they didn't have enough to make good on all of those things in the first place.]
And if you're worried it's just cause I wanna fuck, well! If that was the case, it would already have happened by now, 'cause I'm the kind of stud who likes to move hard and fast.
[*with appropriate consent of course but he's too much of a douchebag to clarify??? jerk]
Then again, you've never really seen me in action, so I guess you wouldn't know.
[is this how he's ending the conversation with her before going back 2 the body
it is.]
Okay. It's time to figure out who clapped geekbait into the Great Beyond.
they're never getting out of this car
That's not r-remotely true! [Toko thrusts a finger at him, accusatory. Predictable.] And wh-what about you, huh? As if you're not following some stupid script thinking it'll g-get you what you want, when you—
[Oh hey look it's our fave NPC Tex! Tex is smiling and waving, just a beacon of sunshine in this grim scenario.
"Hey there you two! You look like you're getting awful cozy."]
...Excuse you?
[Tex has no time for the stink-eye Toko is carving him to pieces with. It's almost as if he's impervious to the logic of the situation!
"So, we checked that camera and there's definitely an obstruction on the lens. We're getting the boys to bring us a ladder. In the meantime, why don't you have Miss Fukawa show you where we can get some hands on the security footage? There still might be some clues, if not for the murder itself then maybe who blocked off the camera. Besides," he gives Rex a wink that is far too pointed for professionalism. "You've always had a way with the ladies, haven't you Sloan?"
He hands Rex a file (how did they print one out if they just arrived at the crime scene?) and goes off to rejoin his buddies (who seem to be?? standing around??? not doing anything??), leaving the pair to their own devices. Toko gives Rex a bewildered look.]
Why...are they m-making you check cameras if you're the coroner?
[Is this not actually about the murder after all?]
nsfw kabby if this is 2 much...
Well, yeah? But... How do you know that? Wait... This place has a pre-set backstory?! HUH?!
[He would really appreciate it if the whole kinky clone sex while cheating on his ex-girlfriend thing didn't make it into this fake mystery-nerd backstory.]
I don't... Okay, when it comes to security? I'm no cop, but I'm pretty sure that everything about this place is topsy-turvy. Dicks for butts! Butts for dicks.
[The paperwork lands in his hands, and while Rex doesn't outright reject or drop it, his acceptance of it is rather limp.]
Shit, fuck! Am I supposed to flirt with you? Is that the point of this car? Are these...
[He flicks his own """health""" bar with an index finger.]
Stamina bars? No. No! That can't be right. Superpowers, hello! I last practically forever. My recovery time's like, two... Three minutes tops? Yo.
[As if this wasn't already enough of a nightmare, Rex has the audacity to ask-]
Fukawa? Isn't your whole thing, like, bein' stepped on?
icki pls unless you're getting into coprofagia we're probably good
[Where the hell did he get that idea
from
Toko looks down to her chosen wardrobe for this car.
She blanches. Rex rambles. It's their thing now. This is just what they do.]
Wha— st-st-stepped on?
[Excuse her, the shock put a few seconds delay on her thoughts. Three, two, one...
There's another affronted gasp, but this time it comes with a flurry of frantic slaps to his arm. She hits with the prowess of a wet napkin but that's only because she's on the brains half of her dual identity. Feel lucky, Rex.]
Shut up! D-don't blurt shit out just to humiliate me!! You're the worst!
[She probably should have denied the accusation instead...]
no subject
[In the midst of Toko's nerd fury, Rex takes hold of both her hands and simply squeezes them in an attempt to calm her down. He seems to harbor no sense of hesitation or nervousness when it comes to physical touch, channeling the air of a guy who has pulled this move a thousand and one times. He runs his thumbs back and forth over whatever skin he can touch, and there are two observations Toko will be able to glean from this.
Rex's hands run quite warm due to his elevated body temperature, yet not sweaty in the slightest. Additionally, due to his accelerated healing factor and the enhanced regeneration of his epidermis, for a man who uses his hands for just about everything, his skin is surprisingly
supplesoft.]And before ya squawk at me a whole bunch, I'm not callin' you one of those.
Look. We're in weird getups for this one. Maybe this is some kind of roleplay car? Tex definitely insinuated that we were gonna bone, and, you know what? I, for one, am insulted! I mean, what if I'm not the kind of guy who fucks on the first date?
I am, for the record? But-
[💀💀💀]
Oh, fuck. Who am I kidding?
There's no need to be embarrassed! Plenty of people like bein' stepped on. That makes you just like everybody else! Which means your fantasies are pretty run-of-the-mill.
[Rex leans in, pressing their foreheads together. His voice lowers into something of a whisper-]
You're not as much of a freak as you thought you were. Congratulations! It's party time.
no subject
[She's been captured. Toko squirms at once, but there's a curious air to the way he squeezes her hands that puts a pause on her escape gambit. He's just very awfully close. At this point that she'd usually start yelling about biting her tongue off or screaming bloody murder, but she feels strangely cowed, even if her ire over the jab has yet to abate.
Maybe it's the odd heat in his soft palms. Maybe it's the fact that they're this close, and both dressed in ludicrous get ups. Maybe it's the fresh body still cooling several meters away. Her eyes blow wide behind her glasses, darting between his own. It takes a moment for her voice to resurface, about the time she darts her gaze to the floor.]
I don't care what that d-degenerate is insinuating...he can burn alive for all I care...
[How Tex would find himself in such a predicament is someone else's problem.
It surprises her none-percent that Rex would rush straight to the bedroom. What shocks her is that this is his response to his own joke. Why the hell does he feel like he needs to placate her? Over a fantasy? Which she has fuzzy recollections of nattering on about her love for Byakuya and, um...Chadsef (UGH), which may or may not have included a desire to serve as their doormat. Among other things.
But now, he's telling her it's normal. Widespread, even. Then why does everyone always look at me like I'm a three-headed troll? He dips his head down and presses their foreheads together, and Toko's mind wipes blank.]
...
........
[Boy? Boy putting face on her face. Handsome glasses boy??? Very broad shoulders. Big warm hands holding hers.
"It's Party time." Party????
Party??!!]
...Is this... [Toko gives a little shiver. If she contorts her face any further that befuddled frown might connect with her jaw.] ...Are y-you offering to step on me?
1/?
2/3
3/3
[Okay, he'll bite. Maybe if he flirts back he can figure out what the fuck is going on here. That low rasp in his voice is... Sort of his signature? It's hard to tell if he's taking this seriously or not, but he's maintaining his physical proximity.]
But I'd have to be real gentle about it.
I wouldn't wanna actually kill ya, after all. You know! Superpowers.
[Unfortunately for Toko, Rex also has a strict "no banging normies" policy. They are breakable, and he doesn't want to accidentally be responsible for yet another murder. Highly combat proficient types, like martial artists or SWAT team members, are still on the table. But a normal schoolgirl? Oh no.]
They are good for sexy times, though! Sure, I can blow someone's head or arm off. Or even an entire building! But then there's the teeny-tiny, bursts of energy that can go just about anywhere.
You're a smart girl! You do the math.
1/?
B-b-bursts?
[Toko has become a statue. For all of ten seconds she says nothing, rigid beneath the press of his forehead.]
2/?
IS HE DOING IT RIGHT NOW?]
3/?
4/4
KYEAAAAAAAAAAAAAGH!!!
[Have you ever seen a rocket in a mini skirt and heels? Well you have now. Toko has shot straight into the bookshelf behind them, knocking a few volumes loose on the way. Her glasses slip to the end of her nose, her knees are knocking. She points at him like it's Salem in the pilgrim days and she's outing a witch.]
You! You fiend! You're j-just using your powers of raw m-masculinity against me! I won't be fooled! I'm not so weak! I won't succumb to your wiles!! You think p-putting on those glasses is enough to sway me? Touching my hands like that?! Using your powers for filthy deeds...too bad! I'm not like those other cheap whores!
[Hold on is her bra still showing?
Toko's arms snap over her chest at once.]
I won't fall for it! T-try whatever you might! My — my body still belongs to Master!
[For the record, her meter is going haywire. Shooting up and down by forty percent at a time.
Help.]
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I like the sound of that.
[Well, that certainly was a reaction. Oh, now he gets it. The meter is meant to measure attraction, or fondness, or kinship or something of the like. Does that mean he actually has the hots for Toko? Well, he is horny and it's been a minute since his last bang... And Rex has been known to lack discretion? So, for now, he won't overthink it too much. Instead, he lords it over with that cocky, lopsided grin of his, reveling in the fact that he is right about having a fairly universal appeal.]
Lemme ask ya somethin'- Why does it make a girl cheap if she knows what she wants? You're into girl power and all that shit, right? You write books, for cryin' out loud! Isn't your body, aaaah, your body?
[He points an accusing finger at her.]
Why should it belong to some guy who isn't even here?
[Rex resists the urge to say "loser." Oh, he knows how to change his game when he really has a target in mind.]
First and fucking foreplay? Aha, I mean foremost-
[He did that on purpose WHY IS HE PUTTING IDEAS INTO HER HEAD he's a jacKASS-]
What really matters is that everybody involved is on board, has a great time, and isn't gettin' gonorrhea in the next few days. You're livin' through the apocalypse! You've gotta recharge your batteries somehow.
Have you even kissed this Master guy? How do you know he's any good? It doesn't sound like you have any reliable sources who can give you a performance review.
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[Damn. She needs to pull herself together and hit him where it hurts. Even if he is oddly impervious to nearly every blow she deals him.
She comes to much the same conclusion about the meters as he does, eyes flicking up to scowl at his bar. Nearly three-quarters full. Why? It can't wholly be romantic attraction, he's still hung up on his ex and casts a wide net (very wide) when it comes to flirtation. That he'd even consider hounding her of all people? No standards! Not one bit!
She ought to paint lipstick on a hole in the wall and leave them alone for the night.]
Th-that isn't — it's not the same thing at all! [How has he so smoothly turned this back on her?] Ugh! You wouldn't understand! If it's my choice then I'm choosing to belong to the one I love!
[This is the second time he's pushed for her to explain how she unwinds in an apocalyptic hell hole, but the first where he makes suggestions. Toko's nose scrunches and her head bobs back, affronted.]
No? I already t-told you, we're not in the same place right now, does everything I say leak out of those floppy ears?! And the only person there I can stand is Komaru, and she's a girl! [Meaning Toko is Straight. Which should go without saying
even though we all know better :/] Not everything has to be about s-slapping genitals together![Performance Review?
In the blink of an eye, the image of Byakuya with a thousand lovers from across the globe, each more resplendent than the last, buffets her mind like a wrecking ball. Her face heats to boiling. Her fingers clench on thin air.
She isn't winning many battles, but now she may just lose the war.]
We haven't— there's more to love than — I don't need some other sk-skank's input! And there aren't any, before you start spewing more garbage in my face!
[But...are there?
Toko snarls and musses her hair. Some stands fall loose of the perfectly coiffed bun, but because this is otome land they form fetching swoops to frame her face. This place is better than a snapchat filter.]
I d-don't want to do things just to try it out! Or pass the time, or j-just for fun, or because no one else would offer! I want—
[Her throat is closing up. Her eyes blaze wide, transfixed by the ground between them.
She can't say it here. This is absurd. This is all wrong. Suddenly she feels like a balloon, stretched to the absolute limit. One touch would make it pop.]
—And a-anyway, shouldn't you be trying to fix yourself? Why are you flopping around making passes at anything that talks?! If your heart is broken you can't mend it with meaningless f-fucking! That's like...like eating sawdust instead of sashimi! Just filling yourself up with worthless crap!
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he doesn't need a lipstick gloryhole toko??? he has markSome of it really does hurt, especially the jab at the broken heart, which he is still nursing to a large degree. But that's the thing- He's been nursing it for years, long before he and Eve had ever met. If he is affected, however, none of it shows on his face.]
Whoa.
Call me a "skank" again? And we're gonna have some real fuckin' problems.
[Also, he'll have to wait to find love after returning to his home planet, and even then, he's now a Guardian of the Globe. Sure, that's enough leverage to bang any hot supergroupie he wants, but the life of a hero leaves little time for relationships. Rex, even less so than most other superheroes his age, doesn't have much in common with civilians.
He reaches over to idly tuck some tufts of Toko's hair back into that bun, very experienced in this regard, because... Manbun-]
Ooh. Oh-ho-ho! You meant the other girls. Hehehe. Someone sounds jealous.
I can't be lookin' for love in this looney-bin on wheels! I have to do somethin' about this number bullshit and get home! I have a job. The shifts are twenty-four hours. Seven days a week! Might as well have some fun while I'm here. What's the point in being miserable?
[He shrugs. With or without the meaningless sex, it would all just be the same.]
Look, my last girl and I.... We waited! For a long-ass time, okay? I was like fourteen when I met her. Ch'yeah! We definitely kissed a lot, sure... But we just spent a lot of time together. Did fun stuff! Threw barbs at each other.
It doesn't sound like you really get to do that.
[Rex is bullshitting, but he's fishing for an answer.
Anybody with a loving significant other wouldn't be... This brand of bitter. Right? Then again, he had been. Well.
Only recently.]
What the hell do you even want, anyway?
Like, do you even know?
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then does mark need lipstick?]Not you. [She manages to spit out, just before he breaches the gulf of argument to come...fix her hair? For the record she had valiantly leaned back before he made contact, but there's no helping it.] Ghh!
[She is being doted on. This is weird. Not as weird as the forehead touching but still weird. Familiar in ways most people would never dare be with her. Is that what his seventy-some percent is for? Just plain old affection? It's still indecent. She opens her mouth to shout him off.
He cuts her off by realizing his error, then sliding into an explanation. Toko squawks and ducks her head away.]
Well you won't b-be having fun with me!
[Is that what he's trying for? No. Yes? No. But before — but now—
Now, he's telling a shockingly wholesome anecdote about his old girlfriend. Fourteen isn't too young for love, but it's still young. And she can't help thinking that it does sound rather sweet. The sort of thing she would have killed to have.
He asks her again what she wants. Toko stares up at him through the swoop of her bangs.
She feels rather small, suddenly. Like a bright light has been spun around and caught her scurrying across the floor. She didn't want to be cornered like this.]
I want...
[Byakuya calls her horrifying. Tells her to take baths because she stinks. To stay 100 meters away. That she needs to go fetch this thing in less than this amount of time, or he'll erase her existence from his mind. Stay here. Go there. Stop speaking. Every time, she finds herself drawn back to his heel. More, more, more. Waiting for the day.]
I want to be... [Her lip trembles. She tries again.]
Wo...w-w-wor—
[Worthy.
She can't spit it out. Because then she has to make it come true, and she's not sure she can.
The tears come sudden and strong. Toko rips out from his reach to the side, hands pressed hard to her face and glasses shoved up her brow to make way.
Pathetic. Stupid. Useless. Revolting. Vile. No one would miss you. No one would want you.
Maybe no one does.]
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cw: self esteem issues, unhealthy relationship dynamics, capital punishment, child abuse
not me spotting typos in the rex tag before this, *PUT UP WITH gomen