Indictment

[in_extremis]

WHO: Absolutely everyone.
WHERE: The diner.
WHAT: A decision has to made about threats to the community.
WHEN: After an attempted murder, a chaotic rescue, and an awkward reunion. Now.
WARNINGS: Nothing yet. Mark it if something comes up because...
NOTES: Structurally, this is a mingle, so you can decide what part of this is actually important to you. What you talk about in here doesn't have to be directly Beck-related, but for details about the incident, further organizing, and if you want to determine what your characters might have done/seen/heard in the meantime, this post is still good!

[NETWORK//text @ everyone]

Come to the diner. We have to talk.
If you don't show up, I'll assume you agree with me because you're incredibly intelligent and graceful. The city of Temba thanks you for your contribution to our justice system.

This was the last thing Tony wanted to do. The diner at least felt familiar, neutral--somewhere he could be in control, without having all of the attention on him. Being able to bask in the attention would have been so much easier. As it was, that felt like he would be inviting everyone to really examine the cracks in the armor. They were here because he had already lost control.

As if that didn't already feel enough like an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting, Tony found himself standing in a circle of seats that he had arranged, the tables pushed up against the walls, and couldn't honestly say how much that had been intentional. He raised a lip, and looked to Felwinter as though he would have any illuminating insight about productive interior design. He seemed like he wanted to be here even less than Tony did. Beck was his charge for the time being, though, and as awkward as it was to stand in his stupid chair-circle with the pair of them, Tony did appreciate having Felwinter there to keep an eye on their...problem. Even if having witnesses to his restless energy made it all the more humiliating. Felwinter couldn't sit on Beck forever just to make sure he didn't lure anyone else off the edge of a cliff, so they were all going to have to survive a little humiliation.

"I think the coffee's done," Tony declared, with absolutely no idea what state the coffee was actually in and readily moving toward the kitchen regardless. "Do you want one? I'll get you one. Do you do that sort of...?" He was still talking, and what Felwinter did or didn't eat and drink might have otherwise been something Tony pushed him about, but he was already mentally in the kitchen and trailed off as he went, flapping a hand to wave off any refusal of his offer or explanation about Felwinter's digestive situation. Maybe he would just stay in the kitchen and listen, let Beck hang himself.

Tony took a deep breath, pushing his sunglasses up his nose and squaring his shoulders, readying himself for a performance.

Comments

No, but seriously. What the fuck?

[mrsklover]

Richie had been gone for awhile. Where? Good question. All he knew was his vision was still a little blurry and his whole body ached like he got some exercise (ew). Oh, and that this whole place was now suddenly fucking nuts.

He got Tony's message and showed up to the diner mainly to make sure that no one could possibly confuse him for someone smart or graceful. Inside he saw what looked like a weird meeting of the ilk he used to do. But just a lot more serious and with a dude sitting in a chair apparently under trial. Which was something they did, now?

He blinked and scratched his head, baffled.

"So. Uh. Did we get like... a Bill of Rights or something in the last...whatever time? Because if we're still discussing that, I absolutely want to add on 'The Right to Bear Arms'. Not guns. Just like, big hairy bear arms. It would be hilarious."

See? Not intelligent or graceful.

[owneroftheworstroom]

While Richie is still baffled, Bruno simply walks past him, back towards the diner's door, a box of pizza in his hands and chuckling as he picks up the unfamiliar man's words.

"Good one!" Bruno comments without really turning towards Richie or even stopping. He, also, has received the message, but this entire thing isn't really something he feels to be the right person to engage with. But someone dropped off food. And Bruno is not one to turn down free food.

[mrsklover]

Richie turns toward the voice, ready to thank them for the compliment, but then he sees it. He sees the one thing he's wanted for so fucking long he's almost convinced he's dreaming now that it's there.

Pizza. Fucking pizza!

Richie lets out a small shout of thrilled surprise and almost tackles Bruno's retreating back to get the pizza back in sight.

"HOLY SHIT! IS THAT PIZZA?! What demon did you make a deal with in order to get that incredible box of cheesy goodness? Tell him I will fuck him. I will absolutely fuck him to get a regular supply of pizza. Or her. Look, I pretended to be straight for ages, I can keep that shit up if there's pepperoni."

[owneroftheworstroom]

The sudden shout has Bruno jump and nearly throw the food against the ceiling as he quickly backs away from the man. "WOAH! Wha- W-why-? What do you- I did wha-- Huh??" Bruno stutters as he stumbles to get some distance, then eventually catches up enough to cast a bewildered look down at the box in his hands. "Uh- This?"

Hey. Free food is nice, he knows that well enough. But this reaction? Is a bit much. He nods over to the table where Cayde has dropped off the pizza boxes. "O-over there...?"

[mrsklover]

Richie looks at the table and throws up a cheer. He dive-bombs it, getting two boxes for himself and shoving an entire slice in his mouth. He's moaning as he walks back over, beaming around the cheese and crust.

"Fuck, man. It's been so long. Pizza! Real pizza. Oh man. I feel like I should be like, savoring every bite. I'll do that with the next one."

He juggles the boxes so he can slam a hand on the dude's shoulder.

"You're my best friend. You showed me the pizza and therefore I will die for you. Uh..." Richie realizes his best friend's name is a mystery to him and squints a little.

"Huh. You're new. What's your name?"

[owneroftheworstroom]

This is the fastest Bruno has ever seen anyone devour such a large amount of food in one go. At least anyone that wasn't a rat.

Unfortunately his bafflement means he misses his chance to swiftly slip away and from one moment of the next, he is someone's best friend.

"Umm..." He starts, then chuckles nervously as he shrugs. "I- I'm Bruno. And I am.... New-ish...?" That's good for an answer, yes?

[mrsklover]

"Hi there, Bruno. I'm Richie Tozier. Earth resident but from a really dumb one that only has magic for demon clowns. Who, for the record? I would not fuck for pizza. He's the exception."

He smiles wider and extends a hand.

"So what about you? Cool Earth? Cool other place? Can you fly or do cool shit like everyone else here except me?"

[owneroftheworstroom]

"It's actually pretty warm back home..." Bruno answers somewhat cautiously before scratching the back of his head with one hand. "But Earth is correct." He doesn't have to give further details, he hopes.

As for the rest... Well. That's easy for Bruno to ignore because he's confused by some of Richie's words anyway. So as the same hand he used to scratch his head comes down to accept Richie's offered one, he asks. "Demon... Clown?"

[mrsklover]

Richie, the garbage troll he is, doesn't even blink at taking the hand for a shake. At the question though, he just sort of flinches a little and shakes his head.

"Nah. Trust me, long story that has no good endings. The thing is dead now, most likely. That's the best part."

[owneroftheworstroom]

Bruno nods in agreement. "Oh, yeah. That's good. Definitely good." Another pause as Bruno cradles his box of pizza again. "...what's a... Clown?"

[mrsklover]

Richie blinks, not sure how to deal with the question. Bruno is from Earth but doesn't know what a clown is? He looks up and down the guy, trying to find a hint about why he's missing such basic information.

He frowns, finding nothing glaringly obvious.

"Uh. It's like. A guy. Paints his face? Red nose? Crazy hair? They're supposed to be funny, for kids. You seriously never heard of a clown? A circus?"

[owneroftheworstroom]

In turn, Bruno just blinks at Richie with wide eyes. "...no?" That's not something his mother has ever told him and his sister about and everything he has ever seen is their little town. Their safe space secluded from the rest of the world.

Granted. Some of his visions has given Bruno sneak peaks into this unfamiliar world. Only that these glimpses rarely made much sense to him.

"So.... They are meant to be funny, but sometimes are evil...?" That's a very confusing concept for Bruno as well.

[mrsklover]

"Eh... I mean. The evil one from my world was kind of from another planet? Or Hell? I dunno, man. Usually clowns are at worst sort of creepy and not funny. The one in my town that ate children was an outlier in the clown world."

He squints at Bruno a little, interested now.

"So...uh. Where are you from? Like specifically? No clowns or circuses is weird... No offense."

[plate_builder]

"A bill of whats?" Reeve asked, clearly confused by the reference being used here.

This wasn't a term that Reeve knew anything about, so yes, he was intrigued.

"And in my world if you asked for something like that you... would mean something very different."

Yes, Reeve's world has a concept of 'bears'.

[mrsklover]

Richie snorted a laugh, only able to imagine what Reeve was probably talking about.

"In my world, there was like. A law thing that said people had some basic rights. Like, you can talk freely, the press could write shit, you could have guns. Stuff like that. The 'bear arms' is actually like. You know. Bearing arms in the weapon way."

Jokes weren't funny when you explained them.

"It was a pun. But. Nevermind. Not really important."

[plate_builder]

"One needs a law for that?" Reeve asked, raising an eyebrow at that. Though he supposed Migar could have stood to have that.

"And here I thought you were talking about a hairy man."

Yep, Reeve went there.

[mrsklover]

Richie choked on his own saliva, realizing what Reeve said.

"Wait. Wait a fucking second. You know what that sort of bear is? Holy shit, man. I thought that was like a pervert Earth thing. I just got so much more respect for you!"

[plate_builder]

Oh come now Richie, don't be silly? He smiles.

"Why shouldn't I know what a bear of that sort is? While it's not normally my sort of interest in a man, it's still a thing."

He is clearly amused that being aware of 'perverted' things earns him respect.

[mrsklover]

Richie barks a laugh and slaps Reeve on the shoulder.

"Fuck, man. That is hilarious. Did you actually know there's like a whole zoo for gay dude body types?"

Richie grins wide.

"Okay. I'm hooked: what's your type then. Let's just make up more animals if there isn't one."

[plate_builder]

"I'm most familiar with bears and otters," Reeve admits with a shrug. "Though if you really must know, my type tends to be around my height or taller, darker hair than me, and clearly dangerous in some fashion."

Yeah, he's just an idiot like that. Most of the men he found interest in could kill him in one way or another. Such was life.

[mrsklover]

"Ah yes. Tall, dark, and deadly. The big three." Richie looks over toward the accused and can't help but grin.

"Hey! Look at that! I dunno if he's tall but dark hair and a murderer, right? Match made in heaven. If he doesn't get executed, you should ask him out!"

[plate_builder]

He can't help that he had a thing for men who could easily protect him, or destroy him. His taste in women tended to run to commanding types who would step on him. It's just who he is.

But Richie? He gets a look so icy that really, if Reeve had the appropriate materia around then his very gaze would activate the spell.

"Because every man can't help but want a piece of the man who almost murdered one of their best friends. That's absolutely how it works. Wait, no it isn't."

[mrsklover]

Richie blinks at Reeve's outburst.

"Uh. Dude. I was like, 85% joking. Also didn't realize you were super friends with Tony which...yeah. Okay. My joke might not have been in the best taste, there. But seriously. Just kidding."

Richie whistles low.

"I'd make a 'he protesteth' follow up joke but I'm pretty sure I'd be the one dying in this room if I did."

[plate_builder]

Not just friends. Former lover> but very former at this point.

"He seems a very poor replacement for Poe," Reeve suggested, his voice definitely saying something like 'go with the gut instinct to not offend me here.'

[mrsklover]

"No argument there. I guess you'll just have to wait for the fountain to bring in the next eligible bachelor..."

Richie glances around the room and then clears his throat.

"So. Uh. You lookin' to have Beck put out to pasture?"