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[dorkypantsuit]

The Psionic here with a very important announcement.

The sense of camaraderie in our department is at an all time low. So, to fix this, attendance at Rex the Rat's birthday party is now mandatory for all Labor Department members. Also I will be bringing twister and you absolutely will have to play.

Chiaki may have gotten out of planning, but Lars, don't think you won't have to make the food still. And I think we have someone new so if your name is Adrien and you're listening to this, please go ahead and publicly introduce yourself. Yes you will have to come to the party.

If anyone knows any party games that will force people to get up close and personal, I'm open to suggestions.

Comments

[dorkypantsuit]

[He actually... Doesn't remember a lot from before the vampire attack, though that sobered him pretty quick, and it's a little embarrassing.]

Yeah... Well, I went a little overboard that week I guess...

[dontpokethat]

[...Shit. Maybe he shouldn't have mentioned that week at all.]

...Seems like most people did. And, like I said, being straightforward is generally a good thing. I appreciate that you are.

[dorkypantsuit]

Well. Thanks.

[He genuinely does appreciate the compliment, even if his embarrassment from that week still lingers.]

You seemed to keep yourself pretty together though.

[Like he hadn't been with Ginko the entire time, but from what he remembers...]

[dontpokethat]

Probably because I hated it there.

[Just... no hesitation.]

Most of that stuff doesn't really appeal to me to begin with.

[dorkypantsuit]

[He doesn't know what to think of that response, but for some reason it makes him feel even worse. Probably because Ginko was having a terrible time while he was busy gallivanting around.]

What does appeal to you, Ginko?

[dontpokethat]

[This time, Ginko doesn't pick up on that, which at least means he's not backpedaling and apologizing again. The last thing he wants is for Psi to feel bad about having enjoyed the Celebration before things went wrong, as much as he might make fun of some of the things that were said there.]

Uuh... quiet, for one thing. Reading can be nice, food is good... I like being able to just sit and relax outside for a while, when I can.

[dorkypantsuit]

There weren't any book quiet food places there?

[dontpokethat]

Mm, I found a couple cafes and stuff that were closer. But there were always people around, and... I don't know. The whole place just... [He trails off for a moment, then:] Did you notice there was no way to get outside?

[dorkypantsuit]

[He frowns, because there had to be someway to be outside, but when he thinks about he cant even remember ever seeing a window.]

Wasn't there... A garden?

[dontpokethat]

On the roof. But it wasn't actually outside; the sky wasn't real.

[dorkypantsuit]

...Freaky.

[dontpokethat]

Yeah. It was... freaky is a good word.

[dorkypantsuit]

...Some of the people there were weird too.

[Now that he's thinking about it, it feels like all these small details are adding up. Not that he was in the best frame of mind then either.]

They'd go all out even if they looked exhausted.

[Could that have been him? Some kind of mindless party zombie? He hadn't even remembered to check up on his crew. He tries to ignore the guilt that realization brings.]

[dontpokethat]

Right. It was... kind of unsettling, in retrospect. [At the time, Ginko had mostly found it irritating, not to mention exhausting, but... yikes.] I guess it was just... an effect of the realm, or something.

[dorkypantsuit]

An effect that didn't work if all you want is to read a book in the sunshine.

[dontpokethat]

I mean... I think it did something, anyway. Might've made me worse than usual at handling what was going on, actually.

[dorkypantsuit]

Was there a better way to handle it?

[dontpokethat]

Probably. One involving less alcohol.

[And not being quite so rude to practically everyone he interacted with.]

[dorkypantsuit]

[Sometime he'd need to ask Ginko exactly what he got up during that trip.]

What a fucking bullshit week that was. Easily in the top ten for worst moments in my life. Maybe even top five.

[dontpokethat]

It was pretty awful. I'll be glad if we never stop in that world again.