Let's Have a Party!

[runs_on_batteries]

Who: Everyone!
What: Throwing a party
Where: Gym carriage
When: Early Evening- early morning, Apple 28

It was three days after the incident with the train and right at two weeks since they'd been allowed to get off this train and roam a new world. Sure somewhere in there, they'd had a brief reprieve involving a new platform and mess of newcomers, but that had hardly counted as a break from the train. So, the point was, they needed a chance to blow off some steam. What better way than organize a party and roll out the last of his ale to share?

He'd recruited Sarai and Maglor to play their harps and/ or sing for music; Ignis, Ash and Evie to make hors d'oeuvres, Dread and Peter to bring in some chairs; and rigged a lamp and some cloth to make a disco ball-like display in the room (which he made Peter to promise not to touch).

Now he just had to get the guests on the dance floor... to harp music? He misses 'regular' music. Sigh.

Comments

[afterburner]

"I don't know if we can. I mean...Tony's tech did nothing and I mean. As it goes, I'm not a wuss. I can't exactly describe it..."

Well. She could, Renee was just really wary about doing so... "If this was a regular train I could probably pick it up and carry it for a bit." Not bragging, not at all. Actually, Renee sounds more than a little embarrassed, because you're not supposed to talk about how you're a mutant freak.

"Though if we could figure a way to crack the defenses there? Count me in."

[siriusly]

"You--wait, huh?"

His eyebrows shoot back up.

"Wait, you..." He squints, then frowns. "Is that...are you, uh. Trolling? Again?"

[afterburner]

Now she looks confused. "Okay, where am I supposed to be trolling?" Because nope, considering the expression on her face? Not this time!

"I'm a mutant, where I come from, that means I get weird powers at puberty. Strong enough to lift a train? That's one of them."

Renee'd mention the spider kids, but she just doesn't know if they're keeping their powers on the down low, and she's not inclined to out them if they are.

[siriusly]

"Oh--"

He looks a bit blank-faced at first, processing that. Then a lightbulb goes off.

"Oh! So, like--yeah. That makes sense. There were people like that back in the other world I was stuck in! I remember now. Sorry, I just...well, it doesn't really..." How does one talk with a foot being shoved in their mouth? He sheepishly rubs the back of his head. "I just didn't expect that, at first-glance."

[afterburner]

"It's okay, I can see where it can be kind of off-putting. You don't expect it." Renee knows enough about talking with your foot shoved in your mouth to not give Manabu a rough time when it happens to him.

"That and yeah, I don't look weird. Not like Pixie or Artie or Leech, back home." Pixie was still cute, but she still had pink hair and faerie wings. Artie was bald with huge eyes, and Leech was green. She just glowed red in spots whenever she used her powers--unless she was taking off like a rocket.

"So you've actually encountered people with powers before?"

[siriusly]

"I ah, I actually had some for a time, too," he admits, his shoulders shrugging. "It looks like it was...exclusive to that world, because, thankfully, no one's actually gone and punched me in the face yet!"

[afterburner]

What. "You had a power that made people punch you in the face?" And here Renee thought that only one or two people she'd heard of had had that...and that was more because said individuals were freakin' annoyances.

Manabu was far from an annoyance.

"That must have been weird, I mean, I'm prickly and I've never wanted to punch you in the face once, nope." She shakes her head at that. "Weird and sucky." She leaned forward a little.

"Doesn't look like your nose took any permanent damage though." Reaching out and...boop.

[siriusly]

Manabu offers a wincing smile at her incredulous reaction, wondering if maybe he should've just been more vague. Honestly, he could've just said I got powers, too and left it at that, instead of sharing how incredibly uncool it was.

That's what he was wondering in hindsight when suddenly--

"Geh-!!"

Finger! In his face! The topic of face-punching is enough to have him recoil, but there's not much space to recoil, so he bonks the back of his head on the wall and slinks sideways, face red and shoulders drawn up.

"Je-jeez! Sorry, uh-! Yeah, no, no more powers for me! Just a...a normal human guy now."

[afterburner]

"Aww, I'm sorry, I wasn't trying to scare you like that!" But Renee's used to having most of her silly gestures backfire, so really, this wasn't any surprise.

"I'm sorry about that. I promise I won't hurt you." She actually looks a little bothered by that, but shakes her head. "Can't say I'm not a little jealous. Sometimes powers are more trouble than they're worth, if you're asking me."

Renee sighed just a little bit at that.

[siriusly]

Jeez. This girl's a great exercise in having to stay on one's toes, apparently, because she keeps throwing him for a loop. He squints at her, trying to follow the change in tone in hopes of avoiding getting bamboozled again.

He tilts his head, frowning a little.

"You think so? I mean, some of them are...not the best, but. They can still be put to good use, right?"

Heck, he was able to use punch-magnetism for some good now and then! He just wished he had a helmet more often for that.

[afterburner]

"Yeah, people just can be...really scared of people with powers where I'm from. I guess if they were more used to it or something...I don't know. I was getting training for mine and so I've got experience using them, at least."

So, not that Renee herself would say it, she can be a bit formidable, at least. She wouldn't brag, though. She was too used to being the scary one, honestly.

[siriusly]

"Right..."

Locals weren't always so jazzed about the "imPorts," were they? He remembers a lot of press fuss and the occasional griefing on the street, come to think.

"At least here, no one's really kicking up a fuss, right?" He hopes not. "I mean, we've got bigger things to worry about than who can do what and how."

[afterburner]

"I...haven't been telling a lot of people here. Unless it somehow comes up." Which it hasn't, much, either. But that's the safest, as far as Renee's concerned. She doesn't need a witch hunt happening here--she's got nowhere to go if she really pisses someone off or someone gets a hate-on because she's something that, to them, shouldn't exist.

"But yeah, so people just usually go on with their day. And I'm fine with that, you know?"

[siriusly]

"Oh--"

So it was a secret? Manabu didn't know that inherently, but now he's thinking...maybe best not to speak to it if it ever comes up. It's technically not his business! Not unless there's some kind of disaster at-hand, he supposes.

"Right, okay. Well, no one else will hear it from me in that case." He shrugs a little. "And that should be okay, right?" STARTS AND ENDS SENTENCES WITH RIGHT OKAY

[afterburner]

Renee's not sure she'd actually call it a secret--mostly because the first time they end up on a serious mission, it's gonna get blown wide open. She won't hold back using her powers if people actually needed help. Arguing about whether or not she's actually a hero? Yeah, that's something Renee would do, but she'd still do her best to help.

"Eh, I'm not gonna be mad if it slips. Things happen. And it's not gonna last that long, I'm sure. A mission's gonna come up at some point, and then it's probably a moot point, you know?"

She shrugs.

[siriusly]

"If the past stops are anything to go by, then...yeah, probably."

He doesn't look terribly pleased about it, but lets it go with a sigh. He can't just spend the whole time complaining about the way things are, can he? Well, he could, but it'd be annoying and counterproductive. He should be keeping his eyes forward with a focus for change and a way to help everyone, the way he would if this were any other train along the Galaxy Railways.

With that thought in-mind, he perks up a little, his posture straightening.

"It'll work out," he concludes, his mouth tugging on one side. "If it seems like it isn't, that just means we're not done yet."

[afterburner]

Renee's first instinct is to let out a peal of cynical laughter--but she stopped herself. What was so wrong about Manabu's attitude, anyway? It was a damn sight better than her own.

"Yeah, you're right. We'll see this through and eventually, we'll get back to where we're supposed to be. That what you mean?"

It's probably a way of thought that she ought to work on. So she goes against her usual inclination and nods, giving Manabu a grin. "It's a good attitude to have!"