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WEIRDER STUFF - Over The Rainbow


WS ST

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Sara found herself still walking beside Sean since he was still talking then his abrupt change of focus to another girl whom he offered some of his fries caused her to stop.

What the hell am I doing, she thought then looked closer at the other girl. "Holy fuck, Avalon Wilson? Damn girl you look different. I didn't even recognize you."

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Marias Medical Complex

Urgent Care room 107

"Not to rain on the parade of good news I've been having all day doc... but," Devin motions to his two rather obese nurses.  "For a hospital, these two don't look very healthy... this doesn't do a whole lot to boost my confidence in this place or it's proficiency at treating me.  I mean, this guy is obviously going to drop dead from heart disease any day now," the fact that he motions to the female with the mustache as he said 'guy' further cemented him being a prick.  "And bro over there?  He's just one sad, pathetic night of World of Warcraft and two cases of Mt. Dew away from diabetes... but at least his cartoon pillow can blow him after he gets the bad news, right bro?"

"I mean... come on... this is like a three hundred pound dude being on the Dietary Committee... are you really gonna trust what the guy has to say about health and healthy eating habits if she looks like he swallowed a Twinkie flavored everything?"  He nodded at the Doc, as if cutting to the chase.  "C'mon... where y'hiding the hot sexy nurses at?  Gimme two of them... I'm dying over here.  I'm sure there's some geezer down the hall that Creature Feature and Yu-Gi-Oh here can go help speed on his way..."

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Marias Medical Complex

Urgent Care room 107

With a glance from the doctor the two nurse, fuming leave the room. Cook pulls a chair close to Devin's bed and sits. He smiles at Devin, but ignores the boys remarks.

"We can't..ah... initiate any tests until we have permission from your parents, so we don't really know if there is anything wrong with you health wise. But since you were brought in by emergency services and your a minor we are going to keep you here in case you seize again.

Now you being a minor I'm not supposed to talk to you without your parents permission but your moms not here yet and well I have looked over your general medical records and I don't see any history that would account for you having a seizure. So if there is anything you would like to tell me or just talk about before your mom gets here I promise you it will stay between us."

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Clara had packed herself up and grabbed half her sandwich while the Sheriff proved that being a prick to teens wasn't a Jauntsen Twin exclusive. She shouldered her backpack and headed out after Cassie. She glanced at Lona and her coterie, making sure not to make eye contact with her housemate, and said quietly, "I can take people somewhere else, if needed. The heat is dangerous to walk any distance in." 

None of them had been in Bunnee's that long and the sun was still glaring down on them. Clara's eminently practical and fuel-conscious Ford C-Max E was sitting just a few parking spots down, offering a have of AC and a quick ride to wherever they were planning on going next. Clara sighed inwardly - she was also offering because, as she'd told Cassie, she was bored and everything she should be doing was emotionally hard and complicated. 

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Bored, Lona watched Lilly defty handle Bannon, wondering why the other girl even wanted to shut down his rant. It was like watching the ocean swell out of its bounds and swallow what you had previously thought was safe land. It was like a force of nature, and it was a shit ton more interesting than dwelling on her wasteland of a future after the coming Marissapocalypse, the loss of Clara’s humanity, or her mother’s inattention.
 
She took some of Sean’s offered fries, popping the cold potato spears into her mouth with unabashed delight. “Maybe I should do breakfast through Fair,” she mumbled to herself as she clapped her hands to get greasy salt off her fingers. Unfortunately, the fries only reminded her stomach that food was a thing it could do, and she was hungrier than before, so Cora’s offer to pay was met with a relieved grin and a mental upgrade of how much food she was going to order.
 
She fidgeted as Cade came out of the shop, awkwardly adjusting the straps on her guitar case and trying to not look like she was melting into the sidewalk while considering if she could catch a starling with her bare hands. “Don’t apologize for your dad, man,” she told Cade with a shy smile. “Parents are lame, even the ones that try to be cool. Your dad is just… being a lame parent.”
 
Speaking of lame… Avalon, what is wrong with you today? Please speak 100% less.
 

Quote

Sara found herself still walking beside Sean since he was still talking then his abrupt change of focus to another girl whom he offered some of his fries caused her to stop.

What the hell am I doing, she thought then looked closer at the other girl. "Holy fuck, Avalon Wilson? Damn girl you look different. I didn't even recognize you."


 
“That’s the point of makeovers,” Lona said with a shrug. “And it’s Lona, or Ava, if you can’t stand Lona like my grandma.”
 
“Your grandmother doesn’t like the name Lona?” Sean asked, frowning.
 
“Yeah, she had a friend in school who was a total bitch to her,” Lona said, trying to remember who had upset Granny Flora so much when Clara joined them. 

 

Clara had packed herself up and grabbed half her sandwich while the Sheriff proved that being a prick to teens wasn't a Jauntsen Twin exclusive. She shouldered her backpack and headed out after Cassie. She glanced at Lona and her coterie, making sure not to make eye contact with her housemate, and said quietly, "I can take people somewhere else, if needed. The heat is dangerous to walk any distance in."


 
Lona winced and glanced at Cade. “I’ll take that backseat,” she said quickly. Even the most socially awkward of the teens knew she’d claimed a spot to avoid having to take Clara’s offer.
 

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6 hours ago, Sean Cassidy said:

Sean nodded further down the side of the Diner at a scratched-up green hybrid bike locked up at the twisted metal of the bike-rack. "Thanks for the ride, but I got my bike. I don't want to have to come back for it."

"Aw damn. If only we had some sort of vehicle with, like, an enclosed area that was designed for hauling stuff, so your bike could be transported without you having to ride it all the way over there on a hot-ass day. it would need to be some sort of box-ish thing, on wheels, that could be driven... Hmm..." Lilly teasingly joked aloud, feigning deep thought at the consideration of this 'fictional' vehicle she was describing.

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Cade smiled at Lona's comment.   "I know that I shouldn't, it sorta comes naturally.   He's beyond pissed right now, mostly at Devin, though someone else didn't help matters.   He'll calm down eventually.  If not, I'll just ask Haruka to work her magic.   He can't say no to her, or stay mad when she's around."  

With Lona claiming one of the spots in the back seat he looked to the others?  "Anyone else?"

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Charlie quietly waited out Bannon's rant and the whole mess with the Sheriff. "What you said, Lona. Fathers suck." They really did. The proposal of the Griddle sounded good to him. Devin had screwed him out of the lemonade. "Well, once we're done setting up Sean's bike in this fantastical creation, I'll take a seat again, if that's not a problem."

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"I'll, uh...I'll go with you, Clara," Cassandra offered.

Not that anyone seems to care what I do. Jeez, tough room.

Then again, none of them knew her as anything more than 'that girl who sometimes bothers them about stuff for the paper.' Who could blame them for hardly noticing her? She wasn't in their circle.

So she tossed the empty wrapper for her burger away when she polished off the last bite and wiped her hands on the napkin before heading over to join Clara.

"Want any fries? Cass offered. "I barely even got started on them."

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Sean rolled his eyes, snorting at Lilly's teasing.  "Yeah yeah..."  he grumbled, moving to unlock his bike.   "I couldn't make out whatever it was under the rust, okay?"  He wrestled his own beat-up transport out of the stand and wheeled it over to Lilly's truck.

"She may not look like much, kid, but she's got it where it counts."  Bannon deadpanned as he hopped up into the back of the old Chevy.  Sean swiped a drop of sweat from his eyes and glared at Jase for a moment as his sometimes-worrying friend made himself comfortable up against the back of the cab.

"Did you really just compare Lilly's truck to the Falcon?" he demanded.  The only answer was the snap of a lighter as Bannon lit a handmade cigarette, tilting his head back and taking a deep drag of the fragrant smoke before lowering his gaze once more to Sean, his features immobile but for an ancient amusement in his eyes as he exhaled again, the twin plumes curling from his nostrils making him reminiscent of Smaug regarding a juicy hobbit.  "Right."  Sean said, grunting as he starting lifting the heavy bike up into the flatbed.  At first Lilly wondered if Bannon was going to help, but as the rangy youth made no move to do so she stepped forward, one or two others following her lead, but a grunt from Sean stopped them.

"I got it!"  Sean waved them off before with a Herculean grunt he managed to get the bike up into the flatbed.  Bannon blew another twin plume, the smoke smelling nothing like a normal cigarette, being almost pleasant by comparison, more like scented pipe or cigar smoke as one corner of his mouth twitched in a barely visible smile.

"Looks like we got us a convoy, Big Lil." he drawled in a terrible trucker accent, nodding towards Cass and Clara in wordless acceptance of their presence.  "Let's get gone before Smokey shows up."

"Griddle, then?"  she asked the others at large, receiving a variety of nods in the theme of 'yes'.  People sorted out who was riding with who, and the convoy did indeed start moving, leaving Bunnee's parking lot and rolling across town to the second most popular place to eat in Shelly...

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Clara twitched just a bit of a smile to Cassie. "Thanks, but despite my Papa's best efforts, I do not like fries. I think he sees it as my greatest moral failing," she said with a roll of her eyes. She hefted up her mostly uneaten sandwich to show she still had a lunch to eat anyways. 

She shot Lona's new friend group one last annoyed look - they could have at least acknowledged that she offered them a ride, but whatever. Her phone buzzed again and this time she did actually send out a short text before setting her full attention back on the budding journalist. "You wanted to talk, right? About the fair? Or GMO crops? I've lost where we ended on that."

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Cassandra nodded. "Yeah, I kinda lost that train too. Something you said made me think, hey...some kind of piece on how these crops are affecting local farmers or something..."

She watched everyone piling into their respective cars.

"Everyone's going to the Griddle. You want to go there too? We can still talk, and...not gonna lie, they seem like huge trouble magnets, so it'll probably be more interesting than hanging out somewhere else."

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As various cars started, Sean turned to the stool waiting Sara and said, "Want to meet us there? You didn't get to eat either.” 
 

I’m assuming that Sara says yes due to PC interactions, but will leave the post open for a no.


 
Lona climbed into Cade’s jeep, her instrument getting buckled into the seat next to her. When Cora looked back, her expression quizzical, Lona sheepishly admitted, “If we’re in an accident, the guitar would really hurt as a projectile bouncing around the inside of the car. Plus, I really cannot afford to replace it.”
 
She fell silent for the rest of the trip, watching the back of Cade's head as he drove and listening idly to his explanation of D&D. Cora asked questions that Lona herself had been asking for weeks now, and Lona stifled a sense of jealousy that she wasn’t gonna be the “new kid” anymore. It was never about the game, idiot. It’s about Dad.
 
Tears threatened, and Lona glanced down at her hands, forcing them back. She’d cried enough in the last several months; it was time to move on with her life. Her father wouldn’t want her to mope around forever.
 
At the Griddle, she climbed back out of Cade’s jeep, dragging her guitar with her. She glanced across the parking lot to see Bannon jumping out of the back of Lilly’s truck like a surly, lanky goat. Charlie and Lilly got out of the cab, and Cade and Cora joined her in the parking lot. “Let’s get a table,” Lona suggested as the group headed toward the door. “Is Sara coming?”
 
“Maybe,” Sean said. “Let’s get a table for seven, just to be safe.”
 
“Okay,” Lona said, and in short order, they were inside and seated. 
 

There is room for Sara to join, and we can always have another table pulled up if Cass and Clara join them.


 

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Sara didn't answer right away just watched as Sean struggled to load the bike into the back of the truck while Bannon, who was quickly becoming asshole in her head, just watched. Both she and  Lilly started forward but stopped when Sean grunted.

4 hours ago, Bannon said:

"I got it!"  and waved them off before with a Herculean grunt he managed to get the bike up into the flatbed.

Sara just stared as Sean got in the back of the truck with asshole then she looked around at everyone else getting in various cars and then the procession was heading off Sean waved at her and called out as the truck turned onto the road. "See you there."  No one else had said a single word to her and why should its not like any of them were friends. And whose fault was that. Sara looked inside of Bunnee's and considered going back in but didn't most of the customers had gone back in and settled their bills and left. The only vehicles in the lot now were the Sheriffs cars, Devin's motorcycle and her dads truck.

She had groceries to get she could eat later. She crawled in to the wrecker and pulled out of the parking lot and headed up the road. She had to pass the Griddle on the way. Without thinking just acting she pulled into The Griddles lot and parked by Lilly's truck and sat there looking at the windows and the people inside.

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Clara heaved a teenaged-sized sigh, but nodded. "Yeah, keeping an eye on L-them is a good idea. You'll be doing an article on this, right?" 

At Cassie's nod, Clara unlocked the doors and the two of them piled into the car. The drive to the Griller was short and accompanied by Clara's latest Evergrey download. They pulled into the restaurant and parked a few spots down from Sara. Clara hesitated, her eyes locked on the same view as Sara. She glanced over at Cassie and motioned for her to lead the way, following after with a nervous frown. 

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Bannon remained outside to finish his smoke as the other teens bundled into the air-conditioned interior away from the heat.  He stood to one side of the Griddle's door, eyes distant and head bowed in thought as he stood still but for the movements of his hand lifting the cigarette to his mouth.  His emotional outburst earlier was cause for some wincing, upon reflection.  He worked hard to pack everything up tight, bury it deep down, only for it to come up like magma under the right pressures.  He felt it there still, roiling and simmering as he piled cold control over the top of it once more - contempt for small minds with a cosmically insignificant amount of authority or importance and an overinflated sense of how much worth it gave them or their opinions, outrage at the fundamental hypocrisy  and double standards of authority figures... and deeper still the fundamental passionate nature that had taken so long to control, roiling like a molten core of iron, seeking an outlet.

You're not that important either. he reminded himself.  Self-importance was a trap he didn't want to fall into himself.

I don't pretend to be.  I don't want to be.  I don't try to make others do what I want regardless of what they want.  It's a huge universe and for all my intelligence I'm just one self-aware speck floating around it.

Okay, so what do you want to do now? he asked himself.  The answer came readily.

I want to throw a party.  And for that I will need help.  He spotted Valedictobot and Newspaper Girl as they got out of Clara's car and headed for the Griddle's door too.  Huh, seems they're curious  as to what's going on.  Hmmmm...  As he finished filing that datum away, he flicked the end of his smoke into the sand bucket and stepped forwards, opening the door for both girls.

"Might as well sit over with us this time."  he stated in his normal low tone, giving them both a cursory eyemeet as the corners of his own eyes crinkled slightly.  "Exiles from Bunnee's should stick together."  He glanced round as the wrecker pulled into the Griddle's parking lot, pale eyes regarding Sara as she sat behind the wheel.  He half-lifted a hand in her direction as a greeting, then swept it almost gallantly towards the door he was still holding open.  Another exile?  Or just drawn like an electron towards other electrons?

Sara saw the gesture and it moved her, she jumped out of the truck and walked up to Bannon. She decided to hold off judgement for now. "Thanks."

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Menus were brought for everyone fairly fast, and so far there weren't as many people here as had been at Bunnee's.   On the ride over he'd answered what questions he could, and now it was time for a good meal, and most likely the discussion they'd actually meant to have.  He settled on what he wanted quickly, but waited for everyone else to order.   Hell, not everyone was even inside yet, and it was looking like they may even have more here.  Well free food had that effect he guessed.  It was turning out to be a good thing he'd done the extra work this morning, and that Mr. Bancroft always paid cash.

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12 hours ago, WS ST said:

Marias Medical Complex

Urgent Care room 107

Devin always kept a pretty hard exterior, especially around people like Doctors, his parents or anyone with authority.  The simple truth of the matter was though... Devin was scared.  He'd never had anything like this happen to him before.  Hell, the last time he was sick was when he was eight.  He was a star athlete (not that he'd ever allow Shelly to capitalize on his talents), he worked out regularly, ate healthy (for a teen at least) and was hands down one of the fittest kids in Shelly.

For all his snark and bravado... he couldn't strong arm or sarcastically swindle his way out of something like this.  A smile curled on his lips as his sister spoke to another nurse in a very assertive tone.  Nothing like the insults and defamation she napalmed the fields of her peer's self-esteem with, but she was very concerned about her brother and was just about done with getting the run-around.  "Doc, you may as well let her in here.  She's my twin sister.  And while I may be a minor, she is immediate family.  Trust me, she won't shut up."

"She seems to care for you a great deal," Dr. Cook smiled.  "She's been at it for about forty minutes now, I think the nurse said."

Devin laughed.  It was only a second or so long, but it was genuine.  "Yeah, we're all we got.  Look, uh, nothing like this has ever happened to me before.  I'm in perfect health.  There's no reason I should have had a seizure like that.  Do I have something?  Like, a disease?"

"Well, that's what I'm here to find out, Devin.  Would you mind going over what happened?"  Dr. Cook raised his hand up, palm out in the universal stop motion.  "And, please, kep in mind this is strictly voluntary.  You're not obligated to say anything until your parents arrive."

"I dunno," he shrugged.  "I don't really know what happened.  I remember Chet implying my sister was a slut,"  He looked out the room to see Marissa at the nurses station, still raising hell.  Dr. Cook looked back with him, trailing the young man's field of vision.  "Doc, eyes over here.  She's sixteen."

"Okay, he implied," Doctor Cook didn't seemed phased by Devin telling him to look away from Marissa.  To the Doctor, Devin was a just like the thousands of other tough guy smart asses he'd helped through the years.  He had admit though, the kid a certain charm about him.  "Then?"

"I moved."  Devin's eyes suddenly looked off into the void of memory, recalling that moment, that instant.  "Like... I really moved.  I didn't mean to hit him, I just thought about it and... then I hit him.  Then Super Skank tackled me and I before I knew it, I don't know, I was just lying there with no control.  I could see, I could think... I could hear, but it wasn't the diner it was, like the ocean or rivers or something, I don't know, just... water.  Lots running water."

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Marias Medical Complex

Urgent Care room 107

Cook nodded "Hearing the ocean isn't uncommon, your senses turned inward and the increase in your heart rate pumped a lot of blood through your brain, that sounds like water flowing. Kind of like putting those big seas shells to your ear. Was that the only thing you heard? How about vision did you see and colors or geometric shapes especially around the periphery of your vision?"

While he talked his fingers tapped on the tablet. Outside where Marissa was berating the nurse a similar tablet sounded an alarm and the nurse looked down at it and frowned. See looked up at Mari. "The doctor says you can come in."

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Lilly had paused when Sean grunted at her moving to help him put the bike in the bed of her truck, causing her to think for a moment. Where as she had been physically and athletically talented, Sean had always been small and struggled with such things. He was still a boy though, at least in mentality for the most part anyways, and had pride. So he wanted to accomplish certain things on his own, to prove he could. She had no considered how two girls, herself and Sara, moving to help him must have made him feel. She would try to be more cognoscenti of it in the future as the last thing she wanted to do was hurt a friend's self esteem.

Once the bike was loaded and her passengers were in, be in the bed or cab, Lilly hopped in the drivers seat and ejected the tape cassette. She set it aside and popped in another in its place. She paused for the music to start playing, before she backed out of her parking spot and led the makeshift caravan across town toward The Griddle.

Lilly didn't mind Jase's smoking since he was considerate enough to sit in the bed, but she could occasionally get a whiff of it, and as usual, it really didn't smell bad and smoking seemed to calm him down, which was a good thing. She mad managed to diffuse much of anger, at least on the surface, after his uncharacteristic outburst, especially at the Sheriff, but it would not hurt for him to chill out more.

When the small convoy pulled into the parking lot of The Griddle, Lilly killed the engine (and therefore music) and hopped out. She stood for a moment, feeling the back of her head. It was still a little tender, but did not seem to be particularly swelling or anything, so she shrugged it off. She'd taken worse in football practice, after all, usually thanks to Chet.

Once inside she ordered an all together too healthy breakfast, which made some of the others cringe.

"What? I gotta watch what I eat now so I can cheat at the fair. And to be honest, it'll prolly be more than a little cheating." she countered with a grin.

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Intercut

Location Unknown

The room is of indeterminate size, cold from air conditioning,  the lighting is a mixture of blue and red and very subdued most of the space is filled with shadows. Multiple stations with computers and control panels fill the floor giving an impression of a crowded room.

Two control stations are separated at the front of the other consoles,  both have what look like hi-tech chairs with built in flight controls the forward section of these stations have multiple view screens lined up like the cockpit of an airplane, showing nearly a 360 degrees. The stations are together yet angled away from each other at 120 degrees. In each station sits a person wearing a hi tech VR helmet. One is a man one a woman, each is wearing a military jumpsuit. The other stations are also maned by jumpsuit wearing men and women. At the back of the room is a raised section for observation, there are persons there too, in the shadows.

At the front of the room is a wall full of screens each screen showing different views some of the same thing others of the sky, maps, pictures of people, etc. Fully one third of the wall is a single screen. On this screen is a building an ope area with several SUVs and men with rifles, the building and open area is enclosed by a tall wall I one corner of the building what looks like a machine-gun can just be seen.

 

 

“Standby...”

“Reaper 1-6, make your altitude two five zero zero zero feet I repeat two five zero zero zero feet, over”

“This is reaper 1-6 copy that two five zero zero zero feet executing, over”

“Open-eye, how are we on the target? Over.”

“This is Open-eye, still working on the facials. Over”

 

On the screens which show the building flashes of light appear over the heads of the people in view. Each flash cause another screen to fill with a face matched a second image which flickers from facial picture to facial picture trying to find a match. There are six screens doing this.

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Bannon pulled up a chair by Sean and Lilly and sat back on it as the others ordered food, taking only a black coffee for himself.  "Already ate."  he explained with a shrug.  

"Might want to cut back on the caffeine, too.  It's making you cranky."  Sean advised with a good-humored smile.  It did seem at times that the marvellous engine that was Jase ran on equal parts cynicism, tobacco and caffeine, though after the eruption at Bunnee's Sean wondered if his friend's cynicism wasn't just scabbed-over rage.  Now however Bannon just snorted, which was as good as a laugh.

"Caffeine doesn't make me cranky.  People make me cranky." he retorted, his features composed as usual.  "Caffeine gives me the energy to tolerate them."

"Which people?"  Lilly asked with a grin.  She knew the answer to this one, but it was part of the regular gaming table banter.  Those new to the group needed to learn that Jase's snarl was (probably) worse than his bite - at least in normal situations.  Though it was hard to really qualify that statement, as so far he hadn't bitten anyone - so far. 

"All people"  Bannon answered, with Sean and Lilly both echoing him in a passable imitation  of Bannon's dour tone.  The lanky youth glowered, then shrugged, his lips curving in a slight smile as he glanced sideways at each of them 

"So are we going on with the meetup, or you two going to keep busting my balls?"

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"Has has to make sure that he never has too much blood in his caffeine system." Lilly joked with a smile.

She then sat back and popped a small cube of cantaloupe into her mouth, chewing for a moment s she thought about the situation.

"Well, the Fair starts in two days, on our normal game night. So we need to decide if we are still gonna play this week and if so, then where and when." Lilly explained as she took a sip of her glass of milk. The Griddle served milk in frosted glasses fresh from the freezer, if you knew to ask for it, which was something only know to the locals and which Lilly had discovered over a year ago and greatly enjoyed.

"We could try to play that night, but might not be the best idea. We'll prolly be tired, and or bloated, from the Fair." she said, thinking aloud. "Though I doubt Chet would be dumb enough to still have his party at Aloe Lake on the opening night of the Fair." 

Lilly paused for a moment.

"Wait. Scratch that. He might be dumb enough, but others around him probably aren't. So his party isn't an issue." she corrected herself.

"Though if the dumbass hadn't made frickin' flyers the Sheriff would not have known. Good thing he can play ball, 'cause that's prolly his only chance of getting into college and having it paid for." Lilly mused, shaking her head.

"Dumbass." she muttered again, rolling her eyes at the thought of Chet.

"Coach is not gonna be happy though. Ah well. Luck may be a lady. But Karma? She's a bitch." she joked and took another sip of milk, licking away the mustache.

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Inside the Griddle, Lona ignored Clara, as normal, and Cass got a polite nod, as did Sara. She found herself seated next to the latter as they both sat and ordered. After the larger girl had settled and was eating, Lona paused in her consumption of a breakfast scramble smothered in extra cheese and asked, “So what did you do this summer? I mean besides putting on the height and muscle?”
 
Once conversation turned to gaming, she glanced at her group. “I’d like to play this week,” Lona said, failing to hide the plaintive whine in her voice. The thought of not getting her weekly diversion from her life left her feeling sad and anxious. Getting out of the house and hanging out with this group had initially been a way to feel closer to Dad. Now, it was a refuge from her stupid mother and callous Clara. “As I was saying when Devin douched all over Chet, we can play at my place.” Realizing that Clara was right there, she quickly added, “If you don’t have plans for our living room, Clara. I mean, once we know when we’d be doing it.” 
 
Her father had always marveled that his little Avalon could sound brilliant and beautiful when singing any song, but take away the guitar and microphone, and she turned into a social train wreck. 

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Cade had ordered the big breakfast platter, with pancakes, bacon, and scrambled eggs, along with sweet tea as a drink.  When it finally came, he was quick to apply syurp where needed and some salt to the eggs before digging in.   He'd worked up a big appetite this morning and hadn't eaten before coming, so this was the best option for him.

Hearing Lona's offer, he nodded.  "It may be for the best.   I had text Sean saying I could arrange for us to play at my home, provided we didn't mind my little sister being there,  since my parents would be gone, but I'm not certain of that now, considering today.  It would likely be alright, but we can just save that for a backup in case we have nowhere else to go for now.  I'll take the flak for it as needed."  In truth, he knew his mom would say yes, and his sister would behave, so it wasn't likely to be an issue.  Mostly the issues stemmed from how mad his father was currently, and who'd angered him.   

"I'd kinda rather we play this week too, I don't want to lose the momentum we've got going, Plus, there's bound to be times later in the year where we simply don't have the option to play that week, thanks to everyone's commitments, so I'd rather we play as often as we can now."  He went back to eating, savoring the mixture of flavors as he dipped his bacon in the syrup.   His meal wasn't healthy, but it was damn good. 

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Cassandra headed over to the table the others were at. It felt a little awkward, but it would be way worse to follow them all the way over here, then sit at another table like they didn't know each other. This was what she wanted, right? Hell, reporters had to deal with social tension all the time. This should be child's play.

"Soooo," she said as she found her place. returning Lona's polite nod. "Game night? What are we talking about here? Something...portable. Something a lot of people can play. Something pretty time-consuming."

She wasn't ordering anything, because she'd had food at Bunnee's, but she did get a glass of water which she now stirred with the straw as she looked around at everyone.

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"Cassandra, right? DnD, actually. Assuming it works out, they were kind enough to give me a shot at joining their trou… Er, game this week," Coraline answered with her usual smile, having worked her way through most of some scrambled eggs and toast, having performed the quick mental arithmetic of calories now vs exercise later.

"If nothing else, Sean, I'd be happy if you could look over what I came up last night. Cade said she looked okay, but I know I've made some basic mistakes. Always happens first run through any routine," she commented back at their, up to this point, silent leader in the tremendous seriousness of a lifelong performer, "My dad expects me for an event on opening night, but I can hopefully arrange to leave somewhat early if the rest of you are good. But don't let me hold you up."

 

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1 hour ago, Avalon Wilson said:

After the larger girl had settled and was eating, Lona paused in her consumption of a breakfast scramble smothered in extra cheese and asked, “So what did you do this summer? I mean besides putting on the height and muscle?”

"Mostly that actually, I don't really have a social life. Training takes a lot of time and I still have a ways to go if I'm gonna be able to participate in the Youth League when I turn 17." She took a big bite of the burger she had order and continued while she was still chewing, "Plus there's the jobs dad left and a few that have popped up since. the regulars know that I help him so they let me do the regular stuff. You know tune ups, oil changes some simple repairs, you know,  stuff I don't need to order special parts for."

When the conversation switch Sara grew quiet and just ate but she was listening and her curiosity was growing.

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The Griddle
Shelly, MT

Sean ordered the Big Bird - a turkey club sandwich - with a side of sweet potato fries and a lemonade, ignoring the waitress' disapproving glance at the tightness of his shirt with an effort. It isn't like they're retractable, lady! He needed to get some new underwear and shirts, maybe do some tailoring... That would take a trip to Great Falls or further, and a hit to his vehicle fund.

Sean was quickly taking a couple of bites of his club sandwich and chewing them as the others spoke their preferences and suggestions. He washed down his last bite with a big sip of lemonade when Coraline began talking to him, worried about her character, and leaned forward so he could catch her eye several seats over.

"Don't worry about any mistakes, Coraline," he said in an easy, assured tone, reaching over to take his newest player's folder. "I'll take a look at your character, and drop you some surprises and goodies, so you aren't too far behind the others."

Sean nodded at Cassandra, reiterating, "D&D, dungeons and dragons. This campaign has been going for about two years now and the group has almost doubled since it started, Lona joining a few months ago, and Coraline just nowish."

Sean turned back to the tall dancer. "I'll send you a link to an app to download onto your phone or laptop that'll help you manage your character, Cora. It also lets me send individual notes and messages and makes it much easier to track gear and treasure, spell durations and combat modifiers and stuff. And it has a dice roller."

Sean was proud of that app. It was stable and worked really well, if being a bit bigger than he liked. It just needed a little more polish before he felt it was worthy to put up for download on the various app stores. He didn't care for ads, despite the revenue, so was still debating on a price point that would generate at least some sales without completely giving it away.

Sean leaned back in his chair and nibbled on a few sweet potato fries, before addressing his gaming group in whole. "Charlie said he wanted to game this week too, instead of skipping it or doubling up tomorrow. I have to go to the fair, since Laurie is participating with Rascal, so if it's this week, it's gonna have to be tonight or tomorrow, if we don't want a short gaming night." Sean hesitated for moment, taking a deep breath, then nodded at Cade before looking towards Lona with the occasional glance towards Clara. "If you're okay with gaming at your place, Lona, it would be appreciated." He gave Jase a wry smirk. "It would probably best to make sure we're keeping our distance from the Sheriff, no offence Cade."

He blew an errant lock of red hair from his face, his gaze going around the three tables pushed together. "Does tomorrow night work for everyone? It gives us some time to arrange things without dropping it on the parental units at the last minute. Oh, Lona! At your place - if there's no objection to it - do we have access to an oven or a grill, or should we just bring over snacks and ready-to-go stuff for food? Do we need to bring drinks?"

At several lowered or raised brows, Sean scowled. "I don't mean like that. I mean pop, or fruitopia or lemonade or whatever?"

At the Barn, Sean had a fridge usually full of various drinks and during gaming nights, his friends who could manage it usually brought some sort of food or snacks or chipped in a few bucks, and they grilled hamburgers and hotdogs, or cooked something more ambitious.

Spoiler

Laurelei Cassidy's pet pygmy goat Rascal

pygmy-goat-1.jpg

 

 

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Sara ate and listened her eyes darting back and forth. She didn't have a fucking clue what they were talking about except that it was a game and she was finding herself getting intrigued.

She never could have imagined all these different kids some of them like her fringe rats teased and bullied for years some of them star jocks. All friends because of a game, and Sean Cassidy, little weird Sean Cassidy, seemed to be thier leader?

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Jase listened as he sipped his bitter black beverage, his gaze focusing somewhere other than the present as Sean and others explained what the hell was being discussed to the uninitiated newbies.  When Sean finally got around to proposing game night as tomorrow, he nodded absently.

"Sounds good."  he agreed.  "Opening night is going to be busy." he added with an enigmatic glint in his eyes which sent 'Danger' signals to those who knew him.

"Meaning you're going ahead with the party idea."  Sean sighed rather than stated.  "Dude, I'm busy-"

"Yeah, yeah.  You've got to show up for Laurie and Rascal."  Bannon said with a dismissive snort.  "Unless that cute little pot-roast can dance like Michael Jackson and sing like Freddie Mercury I doubt it's going to take up your whole night, Sean."

"Never let Laurie hear you call Rascal a pot-roast."  Sean warned, alarmed at the thought of the shitstorm that would unleash.

"Hey, I said it was a cute pot-roast."  Jase shrugged.  "Look, Sean.  This is a Matrix moment we're talking about here.  We are about to launch ourselves into High School.  Junior year awaits.  Now you can take the red pill and go into your junior year as normal: keep your head down, get pushed around by the Devins and Chets who don't have half of your brain power, end up with your bra-strap being pinged endlessly..."  Bannon's eyes met Sean's, his gaze fierce and clear.  "Or you can take the blue pill, help throw a summer party that will be talked about well into the coming school year, be recognised as the hero who stepped up when the footballing brain trust drooled on themselves and helped set it right through superior planning."

"I think you got the pill colours mixed up..."  Lilly chimed in.

"Red pill, blue pill, whatever."  Bannon snorted again.  "The point is: stop being a pussy and take some control over your destiny.  For fuck's sake, nobody is demanding you do a keg-stand and then run topless around the football field.  It's a party. Grow a pair- or rather, grow another pair."  He finished with a lopsided razor-sharp grin.

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"You know the sheriff is going to be on the big time extra hours alert, probably not watching you guys, but the other kids likely to throw a party, yeah. What you need is a place where he can't go no matter what."

She looks at Bannon and tilts her head. "I know a place, its a little further away but... they can't do jack shit to you there."

Bannon takes a sip of coffee and raises his eyebrows with a silent 'go on I'm listening.'

Sara puts whats left of her burger down, "When my dad was teaching me how to ride a motorcycle, we used take the dirt bikes and go up in the hills by the river." Everyone knows that by the river she means the Marias river and by the hills she means by the Blackfeet reservation which is on the other side of the river. "When he... was away a couple of years ago, I would sneak out and go riding by myself.

One day I ran into some res kids they were on our side of the river riding. It was cool I hadn't ever met any Blackfeet before I ended up riding with them they thought I was older. The showed me an old logging road that went to a big old wooden bridge that crossed the river. I guess way back when the old logging companies would sneak across and take trees from the res. Anyway the res kids showed me a camp in the hills on the other side, on reservation land. Its about 15 miles but its easy to get too and the sheriff can't go there, I can show you how to get there."

Spoiler

 in the 1800 the hills in the area were heavily forested and were terribly over logged, Logging pretty much died as a industry in this part of Montana in the nineteen sixties it is still a huge concern in the western part of the state. 

 

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"What's gotten into you, Jase?" Charlie being more curious so far than concerned as he put down his cheeseburger and fries. "You are the last person to give a hoot about being a hero to the school or popularity, yours or ours. You can't be that torqued off at the Sheriff to stick it to him like that." Although a big party did sound great, and Sara had just offered an excellent-sounding spot to host their shenanigans.

"Or is this a case where you can't stop the beat?" At everyone's blank looks Charlie sighed. "Hairspray? I swear, one day I will lock you all in a room and you will listen to all the great musicals and be enlightened."

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25 minutes ago, Charlie Cole said:

"What's gotten into you, Jase?" Charlie being more curious so far than concerned as he put down his cheeseburger and fries. "You are the last person to give a hoot about being a hero to the school or popularity, yours or ours. You can't be that torqued off at the Sheriff to stick it to him like that." Although a big party did sound great, and Sara had just offered an excellent-sounding spot to host their shenanigans.

Lilly looked to Charlie and dryly said, "You wanna bet?" Before tsking another sip of her milk.

Lilly could tell earlier than Jase was pretty irked at the sheriff, so him wanting to pick up the reins of the party and salvage it was not that shocking.

Lilly's eyes went big as a thought crossed her mind.

"Ooo! I'll make the flyers!" Lilly said excitedly before looking at Jase and laughing.

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"Okay, whoa whoa whoa," Cassandra said, waving her hands. "Slow down. This is a lot to process."

She nodded at Sean. "Okay, so...playing the Devil's game, sounds good. I'm down with it. So that's a thing where you guys run around pretending magic and monsters are real, and play parts kinda thing, yeah? Except..."

Then Cass looked at Bannon, "...now you want to have a party, in direct competition with Chet's, and..."

Sara got the next look. "...it's going to be on reservation grounds?"

Cassandra put her fingers to her temples, then splayed them as she moved her hands away; the 'mind-blown' gesture.

"You guys are killing me here," she said with a laugh. "I don't even know where to start."

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"I'll have to duck out early too, gotta make that appearance opening night myself, so i can give ya a ride back then Sean, if you want."   He was happy they were going with Lona's place, it would be better given how much Bannon and Devin had aggravated his dad today, and would give them time to calm down some.  "i'm good with either night for playing, I'll pick up some drinks and snacks."

He looked over to Cassandra, and shrugged.  "Is it really so hard to believe?  There's not exactly a whole lot to do here in Shelly, so D&D seemed a different and potentially fun option."   He smiled at Sean.  "And Sean's proven to be a great Gamemaster, so it has been pretty fun."   He knew it was likely seen as odd that both the star athletes of the school played, but to be fair, it was fun, and he enjoyed just being able to relax with people he considered friends.

He looked at Charlie, and shrugged.   "Musicals are fine, in that "once a month" way.."
 

Going to the Res, provided they got permission, the party in general, well, he didn't see any big deal with that, and knew there'd still probably be hell to pay for going from his dad, but he wasn't going to be the one to rain on the fun parade this time.   He was more intrigued that Bannon was the one suggesting this, because it wasn't something that he'd ever thought the taciturn young man would ever suggest.

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Sean got the barest of grateful nods from the tall brunette before the conversation went rampant as conversations oft did. Long as she had a token presence with her parents, she shouldn't have too much trouble getting away...

"Throw Strictly Ballroom into that marathon and I'll help you hold the door shut, Charlie," Coraline grinned mischeviously, wondering how many of the old musicals in her family's collection over lapped with his. Hairspray wasn't in her top ten, but she wouldn't fault him that.

"Change is the only constant, Cassandra. Go with the flow or get out of the way," she added, smile turning slightly introspective. She was really, really uncertain about this party idea, but long as it didn't get out of hand, they should all be fine. Having one sober person would keep it from escalating too badly out of control, right? Right. Yes. Hope for the best, prepare for the worst. 

 

 

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2 hours ago, Lilly Pryor said:

Lilly looked to Charlie and dryly said, "You wanna bet?" Before tsking another sip of her milk.

Lilly could tell earlier than Jase was pretty irked at the sheriff, so him wanting to pick up the reins of the party and salvage it was not that shocking.

Bannon thumbed in Lilly's direction as punctuation on her answer, and Charlie remembered with how much effort and skill Bannon had plotted the downfall of one of Sean's NPCs over a slight. To his fictional character.  In a game.

"Okay, you can be that torqued off.  Sheesh."  Charlie rolled his eyes, but grinned a little.

 

2 hours ago, Cassandra Allen said:

Okay, whoa whoa whoa," Cassandra said, waving her hands. "Slow down. This is a lot to process."

She nodded at Sean. "Okay, so...playing the Devil's game, sounds good. I'm down with it. So that's a thing where you guys run around pretending magic and monsters are real, and play parts kinda thing, yeah? Except..."

Then Cass looked at Bannon, "...now you want to have a party, in direct competition with Chet's, and..."

Sara got the next look. "...it's going to be on reservation grounds?"

Cassandra put her fingers to her temples, then splayed them as she moved her hands away; the 'mind-blown' gesture.

"You guys are killing me here," she said with a laugh. "I don't even know where to start."

"I only joined in because I thought it was real devil worship."  Bannon commented dryly as he regarded Cass.  "By the time I realised there would be no sacrificing nubile virgins I was hooked."

"And the Rez is a fucking brilliant idea, Sara."  he nodded at the burly girl.  "Perfect, out of the way, Deputy Dawg can't come and bust us...  Yes."  He rubbed his hands together, grinning like a caffeinated Cheshire Cat.  "The Rez will do nicely."

"As for 'direct competition' with Chet's doomed gathering?  I resent the implication it would even be a contest."  The grin turned wicked.  "For not only is Chet's party doomed anyway, I intend to cheat like a motherfucker.  For you see, my unwitting co-conspirators, supplies and location are just two of the three main ingredients.  To really make a party, one needs attendees.  And I... have a plan."

There are times when statements like "I have a plan" are accompanied by lightning strikes, or rolls of thunder, or a cutaway to someone like, say, the sheriff having an uncomfortable premonition and passing it off as a bad burrito.  Sadly, that stuff only happens in TV shows and movies, so Bannon's statement of having a plan did not get the proper fanfare that was it's due.

But it totally should have.

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"Throw a party on Res land, and all that's going to happen is that the Blackfeet sherrif is going to hand everyone over to the Shelly sherrif and now you've got trespassing charges on top of everything else." Clara spoke with exasperation covering up th concern of maybe having to bail Lona out of jail. She sighed and pursed her lips. "You can use the poolhouse for both. Papa won't care about the game at all, and he thinks the drinking age law is an unhealthy American obsession."

She was thoughtful for a moment and added, "The estate sits on enough acreage on the edge of town, so bothering neighbors shouldn't be a problem." She fixed Lona with a warning stare, "But, it'll be your fault if anyone tries to get into the lab or the main house." The two locked eyes for a moment, both thinking how much that could ruin their lives in Shelly.

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2 hours ago, Clara Lys Wright said:

"Throw a party on Res land, and all that's going to happen is that the Blackfeet sherrif is going to hand everyone over to the Shelly sherrif and now you've got trespassing charges on top of everything else." Clara spoke with exasperation covering up th concern of maybe having to bail Lona out of jail. She sighed and pursed her lips. "You can use the poolhouse for both. Papa won't care about the game at all, and he thinks the drinking age law is an unhealthy American obsession."

"Except the Res Police aren't looking for a party to bust like Sheriff Allister is, much less one in a backwoods, out of the way, long abandoned campsite." Lilly countered Clara before popping another piece of cantaloupe in her mouth, chewing thoughtfully for a moment.

"Now, it is trespassing  and underage drinking. Hmmm... You know. It might not be underage drinking on the reservation. You know, the whole 'sovereign nation within our nation' thing with the reservations. I dunno. Something to look into." commented with a shrug.

"But Sara's right, Sheriff Allister won't be looking there and wouldn't find it unless somebody narc'ed to him, and there would not be any worries about A) getting adults in trouble for underage drinking on their property, and B). no worries about 'labs' or whatever, much less drunk idiots falling into a pool." she added.

"I'm not saying I condone this idea of a party though. Just pointing out some things is all." she shrugged.

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