[2254] Pity Party

Meredith:

I pause.

"Uhm, yes. Yes that is a Trydein."

I pick up Desmond defensively.

"What did he say about them?"

I question the girl unsure.

Juliet:

Wow, the girl has no fear. Holding a dangerous creature like that.

My imagination wanders.

I jump-started at the strange robot thing and stare at it alarmed. My antennas were straight up at attention.

"Oh uh..."

There was a guy somehow on the ground too...

What?? The Raven King's Kingdom was such a scary place. How many lethal things were there everywhere??

"I'm not... Suppose to say." I add in slowly as an afterthought while staring at the downed guy and gape at him like it was an omen.

And the machine thing talks too... Like a person.

I tense at the machine's eerie perfect sliding to not spill a thing.

So much perfect precision... It could certainly do 'other things' precise...

Shivers.

Hot.

I shake my head trying to focus and turn towards the kitchen before I get zapped to death next.

My antennas droop warily as I pass the girl and her.. Trydein. Shivers at all the hot sexy danger everywhere at every turn. Inner sobs and blushes green.

(("You didn't hear it from me but... he said that Trydein's have a bite that can kill you at any moment."))

The thought of my own bite drains the colour of my blush away with wariness.

(("Is that true?"))

Meredith:

I stare at Tully on the ground shocked before slowly looking up at the robot waitress.

That..

The new girl distracts me with another thought and I set Desmond down, embarrassed I touched him at all without his permission.

"Sorry."

I apologize to him before responding to her.

"Of course not!"

I call out to her because I couldn't do that mind thing everyone can apparently do.

I turn back to Desmond worried.

"Your bite isn't fatal is it?"

I question now considering it.

Then I think about Tully and come join him on the floor.

He was out cold.

I use my own communicator to try and get help.

Juliet:

(Desmond): (("Beo made me sick with his pee pee. I think he's the one with the death fluids."))

The scary striped feline thinks aloud to everyone.

I make a choking sound.

Right... A sample... Err...

I glance to big sister then look at the tablet thingy I was given.

Now I wonder if any of the ingredients are... Fluids...

Shivers.

"B4. B9. They're B's.. They must be near by right?"

Tries to figure out where the freezers are.

The cat looks over at the other girl.

(Des): (("Ettie!")) Bounds over and rubs against her legs purring, not caring about the scary robot lady potentially shocking him.

Meredith:

Desmond says something gross.

Beolan what?!

*Dry heaves.*

Ettie comes over in response to my call.

"Tully was shocked. I think he's unconscious."

I glance over at the robot waitress concerned.

"Why did you do this?"

I ask it.

Ettie:

I zone out a little at the striped figure thinking it a moment from my nightmares/dreams faded and twisted away. I felt far away, not here. Somewhere else.

Why I even came in here seemed to be blank. 

I hear Desmond and felt tethered back to reality, then the fur of the striped creature touches my leg, its.. real. 

Its here.

I scream, telepathicly shattering a meat freezer cube  before fainting, near by Tully.

(Jem): "This is some sick test they are dropping like flies.."

She holds Juillet close. 

********

(Server Slider): "I didn't DO anything! READ your task list and gett'em done."

The serve makes a angry face smiley at Merdith on its screen. 

It sparks a little as Ettie blew up the glass it was holding  and pop got on everything.

Desmond:

Lowers ears, wincing, and hair going poofy startled at the reaction. Then lowers head dejected.

Right... She doesn't know 'me' like this.

Internal emotional crisis wondering if we're even friends.... It hurts my heart! I need to try and put effort into that! I've been a terrible friend! I clearly haven't tried enough! 

I want to try to nuzzle her awake but I don't want to freak her out... again...

Heads to the kitchen sadly, with head and tail low.

Juliet clings back onto her sister.

I stop and start morphing, hissing, and stretching with the pain to go humanoid to not freak her out as much when she wakes up. As if my nudeness is preferable to everyone.

Juliet stares at the nude blonde while still clinging to her sister.

Gets up and walks past them to the freezers nonchalant.

Suddenly the smell of meat bombards my tiger senses.

Wrinkles nose and leans back disturbed with a grimace. There was so MUCH of it. Yuck!

Meredith:

Ettie passes out too.

What the hell???!

I back up confused at what just happened.

The robot server denies its involvement and redirects me to my task list.

The thing was creepy.

I stubbornly drag both Tully and Ettie away from the robot and lean them against the wall.

The King's appliances were malfunctioning. It wasn't safe to leave them alone with it.

I run to the kitchen to get some water and am taken by surprise by Desmond.

"Desmond!"

I flush and turn away from him.

"You need to get some clothes on, an apron. Something!"

I scold before edging to the sink to fill up a glass.

I take a moment to look at our task list and am immediately overwhelmed.

How are we supposed to change the color of the lights??? And what are..... 7-Tav-Zero.

I mouth that last bit trying to understand.

"What are 7-Tav-Zeros?"

I ask the others.

Those don't sound like birthday candles!?! 

Desmond:

I fumble with and loosen the collar around my neck so I'm not strangled to death.

I'm not surprised at the request to hide my humanoid ugliness. (Cause that's what it is. Not like anyone tells me to put on clothes in my other form or looks away unable to stand the horrid sight of me. )

"Sorry."

I shrug at Mer's question having no idea what tav zeros are but it sounded like we needed seven of them.

"I don't know. Fancy zeros? To.. Put on the cake?..."

Glances around for the aprons and puts two on, one to cover the front and the other to cover the back.

"Hmm, maybe Beo is... a lot of years old. Like seven digits worth of zeros old?"

However many that is. My mind feels weird just trying to think about it. Ugh. Math.

Meredith:

Oh boy..

I rub my eyes and stare at the other items.

"Could you start clearing up the dining area for.... er.."

I hand Desmond my communicator so he can read Task 4 properly.

"I am going to figure out the light... thing."

I wander back out to bring water to Ettie and Tully for when they wake up before setting out to do these very strange tasks.

Juliet:

The blondie looks at what has been handed to him while I look at the blondie.

Now covered...

Shame.

There was almost a silver-lining to this death and doom at any second kingdom, which was looking like if we can die at any moment might as well be free and freaky with it. But I guess that was just wishful thinking.

Or maybe it is normal but the human girl just wants that particular blondie to gaze at for herself and he's going with it.

Hmm.

Meredith:

I come back with some blue rubber medical gloves after looting Ettie's medical bag.

These should work.

I stretch one out to test its elasticity.

.......

I think?

I stand on a chair and stretch a rubber glove over each light bulb to give off a blue glow as instructed in Task 6.

"Are you and your sister working on Task 5?"

I call out to the one that was looking at Desmond.

We really should hurry.

I glance over at the conveyor belt still running with the food in the dome still inside.

We really should have tried doing this in order.

If only Tully and Ettie were awake to HELP

Juliet:

I warily look from Jem to the other girl.

..

I look at the list.

"How about we deal with these 'candles'?"

It looks like the easiest task...

Meredith:

"What?! No??"

I respond in exasperation.

"Fine, I'll handle 3 and 5 and you can do 1 and 2 as it does not require two people to handle 7."

I snap a little.

"Desmond can you help HER with 2 once you are done 4?"

I storm off to the kitchen to the freezers to grab the ingredients for the cake.

Jem:

Poor Juillet, she didn't understand the EVILNESS the Sulez were.

 The bossy dark curly haired bee-yatch pretends to be kind but just bullies us around some more, even telling her blonde slave boyfriend what to do.

Like I should THANK HER for ordering him around to help us.

((Don't let her push you around, your supposedly FREE here arent you?)) I tell the blonde boy with the nice looking bod. She doesn't DESEVE HIM.

I stay close to Juillet. 

I'm NOT letting her go down these hallways of horny disgusting monstrous soldiers ALONE....

"Lets get the candles! Together."

I take her hand. I hear giggling and girlish whispering down the next hall  along with a man's voice, really putting on the moves and go the long way to avoid the DIEASTER waiting us there.

Crystal:

(Juliet): "Oh! Yes, lets!" She says happily thankful. She was worried she might get distracted and wander off and get incredibly lost by herself if she went alone.

Before Desmond can come to a conclusion on if he's really a 'free cadet' or 'Bash's pet' I peer in at the doorways as the sisters are leaving.

"Surprise! Behind the scenes party pics for the school newspaper."

I snap shots of Mer and Des with the flash on. Des hisses and rubs at his eyes.

The passed-out people were intriguing as well as the weird hangglove lights.

Takes pictures of Ettie and Tully together.

"Gasp. What is this?"

Kneels down taking shots of the two.

I can see it now! The next couple gossip! The 'great' bear cadet Tully got drunk and passed out with little Ettie! The scandal!

Still will never be as big a love story as Klauseph.

Desmond growls.

(Desmond): "She just got scared.. Leave her alone."

I look over at him and pout but bite at the info.

"Scared? Did Tully pressure and scare her into underage drinking?"

(Desmond): "No! And they're not even drunk!" Des defends, thoroughly distracted from actually doing any 'work'.

Meredith:

I am blinded by a flash and almost crash into the wall.

"Crystal!"

I whine and blink several times trying to recover from that.

I was so stressed and not really in the mood for anymore distractions. We had so much to do and so little time to do it all and NO ONE WAS COOPERATING.

I can't do it all, I just can't!

I pull out the ingredients and begin hauling it all to the counter. This takes several trips of course and once everything is laid down. I really start to question if we had enough space.

The cake was the approximate size of a man and completely made out of meat.

At least it was hollowed out on the inside.

.............
.............
.............

Is this for real?

I read the instructions several times in confusion.

Crystal:

I ignore Des peering over Ettie making sure her positioning was okay, as I peer around and take pictures of the glove lights.

*Sets text to speech.*

"Today a god was given to us. And today we celebrate that fact."

I lift a hand towards a 'glove light' and snap some shots, interpreting the lights as a hand of god from 'haven' ceiling thing.

Meredith:

"I can't do this!"

I storm out of the kitchen on the verge of a breakdown.

"How am I to make a meat cake that large?!? We don't even have an oven big enough! I could slice up the levels and cook each level separately but that will take hours!"

I rant.

"Why does it have to be THAT BIG anyways???"

Crystal:

Des just shrugs having no answers to Mer's size point.

I look past the current complaining and more at the fact she even tried in the first place.

"It's telling you're even here working on it..."

I lean forward smirking.

"You know, I can't tell if you actually like Beo or not... Makes me think you must actually be a 'tsudere'?"

Yeah, I can know human words. I write things after all!

Meredith:

I frown at Crystal.

"Our communicators told us if we helped with the party it would give us more credit."

I respond in the nerdiest way possible.

Ugh.

............

"Beo... thinks he is better than everyone else and maybe he is, but I don't like how he flaunts it."

He also always seems to be picking fights with everyone.

Or something.

I had no real basis for that last comment so I kept it to myself.

"I dunno, Desmond what do you think of Beolan?"

I ask wondering if I was way out there with my assessment of him.

Desmond:

Crystal nods, listening.

I tilt my head thoughtfully.

"I think you're right. He gives off those vibes. He is a part of these people's godly pantheon with his wings and all... Maybe he feels like he needs to prove it to himself and the universe, but mostly to you Mer. Maybe you not fawning over him validates his ungodly insecurities so he needs to be around you and stuff and hope you see it in him so he can see it in himself."

I don't know how I fit into it though. Guess just by Mer friend association. Or could be the universe working in its mysterious ways.

Crystal rolls her eyes.

(Crystal): "Or maybe cut the philosophical mumbo jumbo and it's more simple." She grins. "He has a crush on her and is an ass alpha male about it and wont take no for no."

I thought Crystal had implied that Mer liked Beo back right before this. Maybe she's just testing the waters or re-forming her theories on the spot. Whatever. Weird ship gossip.

Meredith:

I flush from embarrassment.

"Or maybe it's not even that at all. I'm the last human woman right? That's my gimmick, that's why I'm a freak!"

I shake my head in frustration.

"I'm an easy target to pick on that's all."

I mumble quietly to myself not knowing what else to say.

Crystal:

Mer gives a real good theory.

Ooo.

Yes... A MOTIVE!

Not that inner emotions hippy crap Des was peddling.

Turns and looks at Beo.

Time for a bad ass girl's moment.

"What's wrong is you lusting over exotic endangered species!"

Points dramatically.

"No means no! You have a problem and you need to admit it and get some help!"

Stops pointing to take a picture of him.

"Oh and happy birthday. My gift to you was this intervention. And isn't that the real gift? Self improvement?"

Camera flashes again.

Meredith:

My eyes widen and I stare at the floor saying NOTHING.

If I don't say anything, or make eye contact, it will seem like Crystal is speaking of someone else entirely.

Juliet:

The candles are so big... Almost as if... They're being used to compensate for something.

Imagination considers this possibility....

I jump startled from my thoughts when said compensated man has a moment with Jem.

Looks over Beo as if I can tell somehow.

I watch him sulk away.

Hmm..

He does seem short.

I hear the director's words.

"Time for the cake." I smile at Mer and the blonde and head for to the kitchen to help do my part for the movie magic.

(("Sounds like it's going to be an interesting scene but not as glamourous as the poor director hoped,")) I think to Jem sadly.

I roll up my sleeves.

(("Hopefully we can salvage this for him!"))

Meredith:

Well that was embarrassing.

The two sisters return with the giant candles and I shake my head at them needing a break from that "cake".

Heads off to attend to task 1 and 2 because no one else was.

"Come on Desmond!"

I whine at him for just standing there

Desmond:

Crystal wanders off to who knows where. Maybe it's best I don't know.

I trail off following Mer and peer at the list.

Then watch the convert belt of food go round and round.

My eyes follow a covered dome dish go past, the look to the next one.

I hesitate wondering what would be the best way to do this.

Should we turn off the machine first? But would food be unassassable somewhere? Or do we do taste one first and go for dishes. But then how would we know if we got the all if we recover the dishes for presumably whatever machinery messes with it or could we leave the lids beside the plate and not mess anything up that way?

....

Why is the food guide so complicated??

I sigh and uncover the next dome that passes. I take the dish and set the lid beside it on the belt.

"If that was wrong then maybe they should give a warning next time," I say as if Mer might be on the same wavelength as me.

Heads off to refrigerate and repeat.

Meredith:

I follow Desmond's lead in annoyance.

Why can't the food just be left on the belt?!

It's a party! People eat at these things right? Surely not everyone will want a slice of that monstrosity in the back!

"We better be getting a thousand points after this."

I tease despite my grumpy mood.

"You would think a robot waitress would know how to clear the dining area."

I throw shade at the inadimate object next before filling the fridge and going back for more.

Desmond:

(("It might just be a fancy robot table with wheels. You set a drink on it, it rolls over to the customer, the customer picks it up and it just goes back, right?"))

I don't know if that's actually the case. I try not to stick around in here. Too much stuff going on for the senses and instincts to be annoyed and triggered by.

"I guess we could even try to use that. One hangs out at the freezer room entrance and the other passes stuff to the droid to pass to the other so we don't have to keep walking back and forth, but that might get boring waiting."

And make time feel like it's going slower and possibly take longer unless the droid can really book it.

Meredith:

Desmond responds to me telepathically.

I wonder why? Surely he's not concerned about hurting the robots feelings.

"We could do a test run to see how it goes?"

I respond up for anything at this point.

"Hey you!"

I call out to one of them.

Jean Accent- Slider Server:

"Honey child, less yapping and more action."

I beep coming over to her on que but I do not have to be pleased about it no how

Screen device flickers showing the progress levels, they we're almost done and in the green zone of success.

All almost all of them. Some levels were on zero.

"How about you do something bout your little buddies, they are eyesores! Its looking like the END of the party not the START!"

Juliet:

I nod.

Getting to help make a big scene and getting to experience it firsthand after this! And seeing what Jem does for all her movies! It was so cool!

I smile and flutter my ear wings.

(("So exciting!"))

I look over our work.

Topping ideas... For a carnivore's cake...

"Um..."

I tilt my head.

My first thought is something small and meaty but... The cake was already meat or who knows what type or types.

I think back to what the birthday boy had said.

"Beo said they eat dear so what about using twigs as antlers?"

Then lower my head wondering.

"Wait, the place is all metal... There probably aren't trees..."

I look to Jem.

"But we're here... So maybe there's vegetation, right? To eat?" Expression turns wary. "We're not just- They don't expect us to starve, do they? Or.." Looks at the cake. "Eat meat too?"

This was the evil raven king! Who knows!?

I glance over to the door that leads to the big refrigeration room with so many units... There got to be...

"But.. Even if there is maybe we shouldn't waste branches on a carnivore's cake..."

I try to think if red meat was off the table what else to add on top. Meat from the sea?

"How about uh.. aquatic food, instead? Like uh... Shrimp or..."

What else would give it visual appeal?

"Tentacles? Turtle?"

Wht color was turtle meat?... Would that stand out? Maybe a beak then or a shell hat i don't know.

Meredith:

"Little buddies?"

I question the Slider Server completely confused.

(Server) "I reckon y'all gunna LOSE points with that get up. Ya can’t make a silk purse out of a sow’s ear, best ya start all over."

.....................

"Take these to the fridge and get your friends to HELP!"

I snap at her before setting a couple more trays on her table and grabbing a few more to follow her lead.

The Server huffs and wheels it back to the kitchen.

"Maybe if I station myself at the fridge I can unload the trays in there while you stay here and hand them off to the lovely wait staff?"

I shrugg before following after in a mood.

Desmond:

I blink watching her go.

"Yeah... okay..."

It's fine. We can pretend this was her idea. Besides, maybe it was for her and she just didn't hear me. Whatever helps bring her zen. It looks like she needs all the help she can get in that department. Besides she's enlisting all the bots instead of just one so she did improve upon it. And she did make the final decision about who was stationed where too.

I turn back to the converter belt and pick up a plate to start the hand offs when the robots come around.

Meredith:

I get frustrated with the Servers and end up doing most of the work anyways.

Whatever..

I go back to the machines once we moved all the trays to the fridge and help Des with turning off the equipment.

Task 1 was completed last and nothing was cooled off... great.

The girls were still busy with the cake and a part of me just wanted to sit down but I am distracted away once again by those lights.

I really had no other ideas how else we could make them blue.

Yes, they were an eyesore, I was well aware of that. If I wasn't those Slider Servers sure didn't hold back with reminding me so.

I turn to look at Desmond and feel like I may have overstepped my bounds with him too.

Great..

I sit down on the floor completely over this party set up.

Juliet:

Jem goes with everything.

"Oh neat!"

I bounce up and down on my heels as I observe the cake trying to visualize it.

Des looks to Jem a little surprised, with a tinge of confusion at first but then processes it and is overall touched by her caring.

Des lowers his head blushing slightly

(Desmond): "Oh uh, thanks... Um.. Right on. Keep your power from the man."

He says supportive of the whole anti-blonde slave thing for her and others, even if he's a bit unsure himself or not.

I look over the spoils and eyes light up at the antlers.

"Ooo. So pretty!"

I gaze at the sugary thing fascinated.

Then nod at her turtle comment.

Hmm... What would the carnivores use them for then if they don't much on shells? Bowls?... Hats?.. Oh well.

I bounce with enthusiasm, ear wings fluttering, proving I was fine without the turtle bits.

"That's okay! Look at all this stuff!"

Picks up a tentacle and shivers at the cool fleshy feeling.

"Freaky. It's going to be the best carnivore cake ever!"

Lyratisan sisters for the win!

Gets to work sticking in the antlers and digging holes in the meat and using that meat and holes for the tentacles and add around the sushi decorations.

Meredith:

The King enters our scene unannounced.

I quickly stand up like a SUCK UP, trying to appear useful again.

Lucky for me I was not reprimanded.

The King then sends me to go get Beolan.

Ok, maybe I was..

I leave the room to go do as I was told.

After wandering around for a bit I eventually find Beolan on his own, in his usual pissy mood.

"Your party is ready."

I fold my arms trying to remain neutral.

Desmond:

I peer at the... Disgusting thing.

Ew. I do not vibe with that. So much... Death and... Food...

Shivers disturbed. Dark energies... How many bodies were slain for it?... Or was it lab grown?... And even if it was lab-grown, maybe there's the clinical sterile lack of nature to it...? I don't know what it is. It's just giving wrongness.

I can't tell what's worse beyond the full embodied aura of it. The bloody meaty monstrous appearance or the smell.

....

NOPE. Never mind! I've changed my mind! I do know what's worse! It's most certainly the smell!

At least I could look away from the cake but I can't 'smell away' from the cake. Ugh. I feel like I'm going to throw up but I don't. For now at least.

I don't get the luck of leaving to find Beo but the King mentions washing up so I take that offer at least...

I shouldn't have.

Oh Goddesses, the stench of the meat and seafood is worse in the kitchen where it was made.

Bows head over the sink as I wash my hands and closes eyes swaying a little.