In my defense I have no defense.

[splinterself]

CHARACTERS: Dirk Strider (splinterself) and various and sundry other people who can speak for themselves.
DATE: The 20th, thus allowing for people to tag into both. Huzzah.
RATING: PG13
SUMMARY: I joked about a bunch of horrified level 1-2 people staring at the level for the dungeon before going off and getting e-beers. I was encouraged. Also, I'm starting with prose just because that's how I roll with intro posts, but brackets are strongly encouraged if that's what makes your soul happy.

...and after some stuff which doesn't particularly matter Dirk was staring at the level info for Δ Choosing Superior Offerings. Level 11 temple dungeon? He'd get his ass kicked.

In time he would go back and deal with this issue, go find people to team up with, whatever. But for now? Now? Goddamn.

So he turned to the nearest person who looks plausibly lost, alarmed, bemused, or other such reactions and said, "Hey. I don't know about you but I'm tired of dungeons right now. Know where a guy can get a drink?"

Comments

[splinterself]

Man, you must be missing Roxy more than I am if you're giving me this speech. It sounds like the sort of thing you'd tell her instead.

[stubbornskeptic]

Oh, maybe. But I know you must have a lot more on your plate than normal without your autoresponder to pick up the slack, haha.

[splinterself]

Maybe just a bit, but I've got less to worry about as well. Hey, we can just go somewhere else if you're so worried.

[stubbornskeptic]

Oh, well. Maybe I need a drink too, now that you mention it, hoo hoo!

[She...wishes he'd just admit it. But at the same time, she doesn't.]

[splinterself]

[Great. Now he's worried.]

Seriously? [And he's leading her towards a small and charming place.] Something bothering you?

[stubbornskeptic]

[Oh. Damn, she miscalculated!]

Just...adjusting. And worried about Roxy. And. Yeah.

[Totally convincing, there.]

[splinterself]

Right. [Uh huh. They're going to a god damn cafe and she can deal with it. It's suppa kawaii desu.]

[stubbornskeptic]

[She follows, frowning a little.]

I don't think this is a bar, Dirk.

[splinterself]

One, it's not, so excellent gumshoeing there. Two, just because I specified 'drinks' it doesn't necessarily mean my heart's set on alcohol. I'm a flexible guy, Jane.

[stubbornskeptic]

[...She feels a little silly for not realizing that might be the case. Oops.]

I suppose I can get some coffee. Black. And sip it while I case the joint.

[splinterself]

[...and three: she seemed kind of uneasy.] That's the spirit. [He tends to the business of procuring drinks, getting some kind of...tea for himself, and one might note that he basically appears to be trawling his way through the menus of Mac Anu, randomly trying everything, black coffee for her.]

[stubbornskeptic]

[Jane sips her coffee. She peers over the rim of her cup at Dirk. She wishes she was better at interrogating. Or more confident. Or knew what she wanted out of any of this.

Fuuuuuu.]

I can't help but feel sometimes that I'm just crashing the boys-only party. Sorry if I ruined your drinking plans too. Can't stop being a tightass all at once, after all.

[splinterself]

...god damn, I'm going to have to be sincere, won't I? [Siii~iiip...




Actually, English might be onto something with this tea thing.] Jane, listen. You're not crashing any party. Seriously, metaphorical plush asses. Do I have to spell it out? Because I'll spell it out if I have to and embarrass both of us while I'm at it.

[stubbornskeptic]

[She snorts into her coffee, splashing some up into her face. As she wipes it away demurely, she sighs.]

I know, I know. It's just, without Roxy here too, I don't...

[Have a shoulder to cry on when this all falls apart.]

Ah, I'm being silly. I just miss her, is all. It feels like we're...unbalanced, without her. We can't pose as a team when shit gets real until she gets here, after all.

[splinterself]

...yeah. I know. I [really fucking miss her too, she was the only person I could seriously talk to about some things.] I've been trying to figure out if there's some way of getting to her, but...

[Grumble.]

[stubbornskeptic]

[And it's like in that instance she realizes how incredibly self-centered she's been, lately. Of course Dirk misses Roxy. Jake must too. And she's been sitting here feeling sorry for herself because Jake and Dirk might possibly maybe someday hook up...

She shakes her head, trying to dislodge whatever is gunking up the works in her head. She's not going to let this get her down anymore!]

What kind of things have you been trying? Is it something I could help with?

[splinterself]

Nah. Honestly, it's pretty much been me running around like a fucking idiot, trying to get somewhere above level two-...I'm level two and I've been here for a month. God damn. It's like running after Lil' Seb because he stole your strife deck, and no matter how fast you go that rabbit's one step ahead.

[stubbornskeptic]

Oh, I'd forgotten he didn't come with me! Darn, my life was always a little more interesting with him around, if not productive. [Hum.] But I guess we'll have to step things up to get a higher level. And maybe as we get higher we can get closer to finishing the game and going home? I mean. Who knows, maybe that's the entire idea behind all this flimflam.

[splinterself]

He's fine. He's probably taking over your house while you're away. And...maybe. Sounds more likely than most of my theories. At least it gives us a goal to work towards.

[stubbornskeptic]

It's certainly better than twiddling our thumbs and drinking ourselves into a stupor, huh?

[She gives him a wink. Here she was worried he was trying to gain the courage to confess to Jake and it's just as likely he's just wrapped up in trying to fix things like he always does.]

[splinterself]

Exactly. [He said, not realizing that any attempts to drink alcohol would result in him going BLUH. (Rose got it from someone.)] And this is why...

You know, I'll spare you this once. You're welcome. [Leeeeeader.]

[stubbornskeptic]

[Jane gives him a little kick in the shin anyway.]

You're insufferable, you know that?

[splinterself]

[Ow. Ish...owish.] I try to be. Keeps everyone on their toes. I considered conducting myself with only grave sincerity - for ironic purposes, of course - but then I realized that you got to be true to yourself. In my case, that means being insufferable.

[stubbornskeptic]

[She smirks.]

I just think you two would have been floundering without me if I was really such an important leader.

[splinterself]

You really didn't miss much, believe me. The party hasn't started yet and won't start, and until then you are the only force keeping English and me from floundering around like idiots some more.