[Event Mingle] Great Full Day!

[trpmods]

At last it is here, the day An Nu and Ga Re told you about has arrived. While the last few days may have been a bit of a trial with the whole replicator going a bit wonky thing, but that’s no reason not to celebrate, right? Right! Good thing too, because the Whale Comb Sent Her is absolutely awash with what must be seasonal good cheer. The whole outside of the building is wrapped in vines, though thankfully this time they seem to be made primarily of a thick sort of cloth, and the fall colors to them are also painted on. There’s no doubt that the decorations come from your friendly Agrii either, because apparently they feel that pink and purple are also very valid color choices for fall foliage, so enjoy those splashes of color too.

Inside the decorations continue, the fabric vines ringing the room at a height that would clearly be natural for the Agrii. Amid them are painted cloth banners announcing things like WHALE COMB and EAT MUCH and GREAT FULL and of course the ever present THANK YOU. Around all of these are cloth and paper pictures that wouldn’t look out of place in an elementary school classroom around Thanksgiving. You’ve got your handprint animals, foam shape plants, and vividly painted pictures of tables full of food with Agrii around it as a group. And sometimes in those last ones there are little drawings that… wait, He Row, is that you? Well, they did say you were celebrating together, so maybe that’s what they meant.

But of course people didn’t just come here for the wonderful decorations. You’re here for the food, for the feast, for the togetherness. Good news is that the Agrii have you covered on that as well. A series of tables have been set up in the Sent Her, much like when He Rows first arrived on Agra-10. Along one wall is a long series of tables covered with pink and purple cloths, and over the majority of these are the foods the Agrii have sent down. There are platters of hamburgers (which taste like peanut butter), and plates of peanut butter sandwiches (which also taste like peanut butter). There are pies that look like they’re apple and taste like iced tea. There are more ‘traditional’ things too, which are things like green bean casseroles, vegetable lasagnas, and even some seventeen layer dip to go with all of the chips. There’s apparently no meat though. Not from the Agrii at least.

The even better news is that this isn’t all there is. A whole two tables of space have been left open for the He Rows to bring their own food offerings, or the results of their replicator experiences. The Agrii have been kind enough to leave out plenty of extra plates and serving utensils as well, so no one should worry about there not being enough. And hopefully what your fellows have brought is very tasty. Or came out in a reasonable size or volume from the replicator.

Then there are the tables laid out in the middle of the room. They are round things with only a few seats at each, and there are name tags? Apparently the Agrii thought they might help you get to know each other this Great Full with random seating. Hope your table mate is fun. At each space there is also a little cloth baggie of… oh wow, is that candy? Yes it is! Those sweets are going to be a great reward for after dinner. Or during it. And surely there’s nothing strange that comes from eating them at all.

Finally, there’s even something for those whose entertainment isn’t to be found in eating. The Agrii have been studying their He Rows for a while now, and they know what you need. One side of the room is dedicated to other forms of entertainment. There’s a big poster drawn of what looks to be a glownie, but lacking a tail. Ah but don’t worry, there are tails made of cloth in a bowl nearby for He Rows to restore to the paper glownie. Don’t worry about injury to the paper glownie, it’s all done with magnets! For those who aren’t about tail pinning there are other fun things to be done. There’s a karaoke machine in the corner, clearly the Agrii remember how much fun that was. Wait… Is that the exact one that He Row Billy loaned to the Deep End? Apparently so. And last but far from least is the most important of celebration games: a booth with a stack of personal peanut butter pies and a sign saying ‘Eat Fast Count Is!’ Which probably means eating contests for those brave enough to face that much peanut butter.

FAQ
Do we need to make our own logs for this?
No. You’re welcome to use this post to make Top Levels for this mingle. Get out there and enjoy your celebration together.

We’re not obligated to that randomized seating are we?
Nope! We just felt it could be a handy way to explain mingling with other He Rows you might not normally talk to.

What if our character would bring food?
Our best suggestion is to note that in your TLs. Who knows, maybe your creativity with cooking or the silliness of your offering (or the results of a poor replicator situation) could be fun for others to enjoy.

Can we still use the replicator here and now?
Absolutely. If that sort of chaos is what you want to have fun with, then have at it. Besides people here can probably help you eat your way through any food you get.

That candy seems sorta suspicious. What’s up with that?
Great question. Each baggie will have a random assortment of little gummy candies that are shaped like Agrii heads, complete with three eyes, smile, and little teeth. Each one even has their own unique flavor. And their own unique side effects.

Yellow - Maple Flavored - Makes eater more energetic and friendly
Green - Sour Apple Flavored - Makes eater feels mischievous and is more likely to play pranks and tell jokes
Blue - Dark Lager Flavored - Makes eater tell the truth for half an hour (is not actually alcoholic
Purple - Chocolate Flavored - Makes eater very affectionate or romantically inclined
Red - Cinnamon Flavored - Makes eater easily angered or quick to challenge other people

Comments

Dustin | OTA

[quark_assassin]

I. Food

Dustin abhors a crowd. Parties, therefore, are a complete write-off for him. It takes a lot to get him to engage with such things - external motivations help, but personal obligation helps more. And in this case, the latter is what's driving him to show up to this one.

He arrives late, but not empty-handed. Dustin slinks into the Whale Comb Sent Her like he's in trouble, a savory-smelling dish tucked under his arm and partially wrapped in a towel to keep the heat off of his hands, sticking to the walls on a path to an empty spot on the serving table. His eyes flick between the decorations and the array of food, the full plates everyone has, though they never linger on the people themselves. Nametags are noted and subsequently ignored. Dustin places his dish down; it's a sort of baconroom stroganoff with a vegetable noodle base, not complicated but very warm and hearty and packed with protein. Then he grabs a plate of it for himself, not trusting any of the other food until he watches others eat it first, and plops into the nearest vacant seat to scarf it down like a feral animal.

Dustin pauses to cast a wary, sidelong glance at the person sitting next to him.

II. Candy

Once he's gotten his fill of food (and filled a few containers more of food that he's deemed safe to consume, for later), Dustin allows himself to be a little adventurous and try an after-dinner sweet. He watches others consume some of the candy around him. It seems safe; people aren't breaking out in hives or frothing at the mouth or anything, anyway, and he's bad enough at reading people's behavior to mistake their subtle personality changes as the giddiness or nerves caused by a raucous party environment that Dustin really doesn't get.

So he tries a couple - the yellow ones, which are almost sickly sweet. Dustin doesn't like them very much at first.

Then he gives them a second thought and decides that he likes them a lot. Actually, there's plenty more that he appreciates about this place, too. Free food? Company that he feels like he knows better than anyone he ever knew at home, and that have actually looked out for him? A relatively safe building to relax in? Dustin's ecstatic, about all of it.

A few minutes later, Dustin has loaded his plate up again with more food that he hasn't tried and is cheerfully - cheerfully, like with a big grin and everything - savoring every bite of it. "This is fucking delicious," he says through a mouthful of sandwich to anyone close enough to speak at. "Fucking love peanut butter! Fuck!!"

i

[small_compromise]

Omega's certainly become acclimated to being around other people, but it's a little easier here, or so she's found. Maybe it's because they're all strangers to this place like she is. That there aren't many others her age hasn't really bothered her, not that she hasn't been sad when those who had been had long since vanished, but she's simply used to being surrounded by adults, or at least those who look it.

While Dustin is wary of the food, the young clone is absolutely amazed by the spread. The overwhelming presence of peanut butter flavored food doesn't discourage her in the least, but it's not a flavor she's ever had until coming here and she and her brother probably enjoy it more than most people should. She's still considerate about what she puts on her plate, not wanting to take too much, even with all the encouragement to eat. She's even helped herself to some of Dustin's offering. It doesn't smell like peanut butter, which is probably for the best. There is too much of a good thing, after all.

"Hello," she greets cheerfully as she sets her plate down and settles into the seat beside Dustin. "Isn't all this food amazing? I've never seen so much."

[quark_assassin]

Over the course of the meal, Dustin has slowly started to branch out the types of food on his plate based on what he sees people eating and not getting violently ill from. Omega proves to be a valuable resource for this; she's smaller and likely has a faster metabolism, so any negative effects would show up in her first over anyone else, plus she's been very adventurous with her choices. His plate has ended up looking an awful lot like hers when she takes the seat next to him.

Dustin grunts as a returned greeting, frowning as he chews on a peanut-butter-flavored hamburger. The dissonance is...weird, but acceptable. Peanut butter was a favorite snack back home. "I guess," he shrugs. "Odd lack of flavor profile. At none of it seems immediately fatal."

[small_compromise]

The girl chews enthusiastically on a spoonful of what at least looks like mashed potatoes. She gives Dustin a bit of an odd look at his observations. "Were you expecting something to be poisonous?" She looks deeply concerned at that. It sounds like a terrible thing for something meant to be, so far as she can see, a welcoming sort of gesture prompted by the Agrii.

She pokes at stroganoff thing Dustin had brought, seeming a bit more hesitant about the pickings, but ultimately deciding she intends to finish what's on her plate as she gathers up noodles to pop into her mouth.

[quark_assassin]

For how suspicious and troubling Dustin's assertion might have been, he seems very unconcerned about making it. "I'm not going to discount the possibility," he answers, frowning at his burger. There's something on it that has the texture and actual taste of kale, and it is not meshing well with the peanut-butter overtones. Dustin peels the bun off to better inspect its toppings. "The Agrii seem to have a distinct lack of understanding of what we actually need here. Even if it wasn't intentional, they could provide us with food that most of us can't process appropriately."

[small_compromise]

The girl continues to chew, although she seems overall pleased by the taste of the noodle dish that she eagerly gathers up more from her plate. After all the peanut butter overload, a different flavor doesn't hurt at all.

"...I guess you have a point," she admits, looking thoughtfully at the remaining things on her plate. "All the food they've provided otherwise has been in dispensers." Omega tilts her head at Dustin. "And it doesn't explain why things that look completely different all have the same flavor, unless they've just been...reshaped?"

[quark_assassin]

"Or they just really enjoy the taste of peanut butter," he replies. Dustin's focus remains primarily on extracting the off-white strips of what he assumed were onions, but have now been positively identified as the unwanted greenery taste culprits, from his burger. "Just enough information to shape their foods into what they recognize we eat from home, not enough to actually make it palatable. Unresearched food substitutions sound especially dangerous."

[small_compromise]

A point conceded with a nod. Omega picks up her own burger-looking thing, studying it. She glances curiously at Dustin, watching as he picks apart the layers on his.

"So you've had food like this before?" she asks. "What do you call this one? ...and what's it supposed to taste like?" Carefully peeling back the top bun, she looks at the leafy greens sitting there on top of what at least looks like meat of some kind.

[quark_assassin]

Dustin glances up with a curious expression, but quickly shakes it away. Not knowing what a hamburger is really isn't the strangest thing he's heard, not by a long shot - people from his own world in different countries might've had the same reaction to it, even.

"Hamburgers," he explains patiently, starting to put his back together. "Primary components are meat - usually beef - placed between two slices of wheat bread, or 'buns.' Toppings vary based on preference and location. Predominantly savory, sometimes greasy or fatty palate."

II

[kree_soldieress]

The person close enough to speak at was, well, someone who had run into Dustin before. And who was not prepared for the chipperness from the human. Then again, perhaps that is just how humans react to peanut butter.

Yes, she decides, that must be it. And Lauri-Ell, who had already popped a blue candy, definitely reacted to his eagerness.

"You do not seem as sour as you have before."

[quark_assassin]

Dustin, mouth currently too full to answer verbally, simply gives an emphatic nod until he's done chewing.

"I've got a lot to be happy about," he eventually says through an open-mouthed grin. "I dunno--is that weird? It feels kind of weird. I feel kinda weird, but in a good way? Do you?"

[kree_soldieress]

Well, that makes her smile warmly at the young man.

"You are adjusting to being around us. To being part of our community. This is good. I am very glad for you."

[quark_assassin]

Dustin's face flushes and glances away in mild embarrassment. Happy and energetic as he is, Lauri-Ell's praise is still a bit much.

"I mean, I guess," he shrugs bashfully. "Shit kind of sucks here in a lot of ways, but also, it's been a long time since I've trusted so many people, so. Yeah! Community and stuff."

There's a beat.

"...I feel like there's more, though?" Dustin scratches the back of his head. "I really feel...fucking weird. You don't feel weird at all?"

[kree_soldieress]

She is glad he had found them as a community then. It is good that he could learn to be comfortable. They were all learning that together. EVen with the mean people. Like York.

"No. Well, I am hungry."

[quark_assassin]

"Hmm." Dustin lets his chin dip into his hand in a brief moment of pensiveness, but his mind is churning faster than it normally does. Sudden burst of energy, inexplicable change in mood, general restlessness--

"--Ah!" he says, abruptly perking up with a look of excited enlightenment. "I've been drugged!"

[kree_soldieress]

What?

"What do you mean?" Lauri-Ell asked.

[quark_assassin]

"Well it's obvious, isn't it?" Dustin explains, shoving a spoonful of what looks like mashed potatoes into his mouth. He sounds entirely too casual about this conversation. "The Agrii have added some kind of mind-altering agent to this food. Based on the sequence of events, I'm going to have to assume it was the candy."

His eyes narrow on Lauri-Ell with curiosity. "...Which you've had, right? I saw you eat one of the blue ones."

ii

[art_of_war]

Candy of seemingly dubious origin is a lot like the fruit of seemingly dubious origin that Thrawn saw the first day he ever was in Temba. Thrawn sat where his nametag indicated though he wasn't very good at picking up on social cues either, he would see a marked change in behavior after someone else ate the candy. While he didn't trust it enough to consume it himself, he certainly now saw the candy's effect on Dustin. While enjoying a bowl of the stroganoff that Dustin brought, Thrawn has the same neutral expression that he always had.

"It is considered bad table manners to try to speak with your mouth full."

[quark_assassin]

Dustin abruptly turns to face Thrawn, blinking owlishly while continuing to chew his food. This would normally be where he'd say something snarky or rude, and those thoughts do still cross his mind - defiance of politeness and apparent authority are staples of his personality, difficult to shake even with the mind-altering candy he's eaten. Instead, such impulses are simply redirected.

"Oh, get the stick out of your ass!" he laughs impishly. "Or, what - are you squeamish?"

Not waiting for an answer, Dustin decides to test his theory by sticking out his tongue with an exaggerated bleh, showing off the half-chewed food still on it.

[art_of_war]

Thrawn did not react at all to Dustin's antics, though internally he felt definite distaste for Dustin's terrible table manners.

"Now you're just being childish."

Though, in all fairness, Dustin very well could be a child.

[quark_assassin]

Thrawn's words are reaction enough. Dustin barks another laugh, careful not to choke, and guzzles down a mouthful of drink. It has the faint aftertaste of peanuts - disturbing at first, though by now (and like a lot of things) Dustin just finds it amusing.

"My mom always said I should act more my age," he says, more or less answering Thrawn's unspoken question. A sixteen-year-old probably should have moved past 'see-food' levels of humor, sure, but Dustin has a lot of unspent childhood to catch up on and very little time to do it. "You should lighten up."

[art_of_war]

Well, the exact age didn't matter as much as the fact that Dustin was a mid-ager, meaning he had not yet reached the age of majority. Also meaning he was still closer to a child than an adult. Thrawn's facial expression never changed while he looked at Dustin though.

"Since your behavior was very different, which in this instance probably means you have ingested one of the dubious candies, it is likely you will regret this conversation later."

[quark_assassin]

"Eh! Probably," Dustin shrugs. He eyes the bowl of candy nearby and picks up another yellow one, popping it into his mouth while defiantly staring Thrawn down from across the table. "That sounds like a problem for later. You're not gonna try one? They're kind of fun!"

[art_of_war]

"No, thank you."

And since Dustin was aware he was likely going to regret this conversation later, and was also fully aware he was under the influence of the dubious candy...

"May I please know about the world you come from?"

Dustin was rather prickly to talk to before, but Thrawn judged it a better time to ask personal questions.

[quark_assassin]

Dustin's eyes narrow and his mouth curls into a mischievous smirk. He might be out of his mind on alien candy, but he still has the coherence to recognize what Thrawn is trying to do here.

"Only if you eat a candy first," he says, lifting his chin with an exaggerated, imperious frown. "I think it's only fair that we exchange information on an equal footing, yeah?"