[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

[stitch_witch]

"Let's find a table then," she says, gathering her own bowl and bread before moving away.

"My dear, the thorns wouldn't like you. She's a plant person. Your sorts of innovations would make her very annoyed."

[in_extremis]

The thorns themselves being able to judge Tony did make this negotiation more difficult, he couldn't imagine what he could offer to some plants, but that didn't mean he understood what Lark meant by his annoying innovations. "What--what 'sorts of innovations'? Am I not growing enough plants? They do that on their own, I don't have to invent a plant that grows, they've got the system down."

[stitch_witch]

"Rosethorn is an Earth Dedicate whose whole life, and magic, is plants," she points out. "And there's the difference. Your innovations are about people and tools and devices. Rosethorn rarely cares for said things."

[in_extremis]

This description Rosethorn was ignoring a very obvious outlier, which Tony had to acknowledge with a dubious pout as he finally managed to free his hands with his food pushed onto a table, just to plant one pointedly on his hip. "You must have been laying on the gas to get her attention," he prompted, skepticism softening to an appreciative quirk of his eyebrow. He was an avid supporter of a ridiculous romantic gesture, after all.

[stitch_witch]

Oh dear, what a conclusion. Lark laughed and nodded.

"She was beautiful, and prickly. Her skin is a warm golden from all of her time in the sun, with a healthy glow to it. Her hair is crimson, like the rose she chose to name herself for. She's prickly and sharp, but below it all, nurturing and sweet. The rose, and the thorn. And I loved her dearly when we first met."

And oh but the warmth on her face, and the longing.

"I was lucky, that she would even look at me."

[in_extremis]

"No way it was all luck," Tony tried again to draw out, though he was pretty sure even someone with their head in a fern could sense the energy that Lark was putting out. It would be hard to ignore if she really had gone radioactive at first sight. "Come on, what's your move? Did you cook for her, too? That's got to work nine times out of ten, I fall in love with most people that bring me food. That might be the uniforms, though, you know, waiters."

[stitch_witch]

"I asked her for advice about linen fibers," Lark admitted, smiling. Such a small thing, but something that had connected them quite quickly.

[in_extremis]

There was no way that was the whole story. Tony's eyebrows crept up slowly, expecting Lark to continue, and when she didn't he gave a theatrical look around like that might fill in the blanks. "Hot," he eventually had to acknowledge. "I'll have to try that one out the next time I don't have a date for the party."

[stitch_witch]

"A woman doesn't kiss and tell that deeply, Tony. What I have with Rosethorn is... special to us."

And that didn't mean she would share it all.

[in_extremis]

"Come on, you know all kinds of embarrassing stuff about me, and there's no Gamecube here, I don't know how else you expect me to entertain myself," Tony complained, casting himself down into his seat to contemplate his soup like he was being punished. This profound betrayal was just as easily shrugged off for him to continue, "I'm even running out of people here to watch fall in love. That's something that's supposed to happen every day."

[stitch_witch]

"You like to share your embarrassing thing," Lark pointed out. "And... it may hurt a little? I have not been away from her for so long."

ANd the memories are so precious that she holds to them only at night when no one may catch her moved to tears.

"What about that boy that wanted everyone to sign a card to compliment Shiro?"

[in_extremis]

Tony took umbrage with the suggestion that he enjoyed the embarrassing things that fell out of him and was quite sure they'd both rather it didn't keep happening, but he didn't have much time to be offended before he was frowning apologetically. It had seemed to him that Lark liked talking about Rosethorn, so he hadn't thought much deeper about what that was like, even when he avoided naming his own missing parts.

"He wanted everyone to sign a card to compliment Shiro," he gladly accepted the diversion, and spread a hand open, the whole necessary story presented. The love had already been very publicly declared, there was no further encouraging meddling for Tony to do. This seemed so obvious that Tony realized he had to press, "Are you telling me they're not actively swapping spit as we speak? Unbelievable. That's embarrassing."

[stitch_witch]

"Not so far as I know. Shiro and I are friends, and he seems a relatively lonely young man," she noted with a shrug. Which wasn't entirely her business, but she did like gossip too.

[in_extremis]

That was surprising. Tommy's whole thing was to move fast. Like big, public declaration fast. Unable to interpret what exactly this meant, there were too many variables and he couldn't begin to explain what actually went on in Tommy's head when directly having a conversation with him, let alone from this far away, Tony contemplated his soup for a moment before he asked, "What are we going to do about that?"

[stitch_witch]

Even those who might move fast might be traumatized and fearful. Lark had seen things like that before. Lack of confidence wasn't that shocking.

"Other than be supportive and hope they understand what they might want or not?"

[in_extremis]

Tony flapped this incredibly mature response away with an expression like Lark was suggesting crafting a love potion. Gross. "We could give them a job," he said, so yes, they were well into 'other'. "So they have to work in close proximity to each other and smell each other's hormones."

[stitch_witch]

"Doesn't the young man already have a job? I help him at the diner."

And clearly that means he's working.

[in_extremis]

"No, not like--gainful employment," Tony corrected, looking baffled that this was even an interpretation of his scheming. It was all very logical, try to keep up. "Like a task, a specific end goal they are working toward, ideally while trapped in a cupboard or German car. Against a common enemy, that's even better. I could steal something of theirs."

[stitch_witch]

Why would someone be trapped in a cupboard?

"What would that serve?"

She really didn't understand.

[in_extremis]

With an irritable sigh and expectant frown, hoping Lark would eventually get up to speed if he gave her a second, Tony eventually had to concede, "You're no help at all. fine, you do your dumb 'supportive' thing, I'll do it my way, and we'll see which one of us gets results before one of those kids dies of old age."

[stitch_witch]

"I'm not sure I understand your approach," she admitted with a sigh. "As the saying goes, one and bring a horse to water, but you can't make it drink."

[in_extremis]

There was something briefly charming about Lark not knowing what Thanksgiving was, but sharing this arguably more challenging idiom that had many more chances to be distorted from across the universe. This was very serious, though, so Tony's curious smile was brief before he was insisting, "It's more like they're already drinking, they're just missing the water." Okay, it wasn't a perfect adaptation. "At least, Tommy is. Is that the problem, the other kid isn't buying what he's selling?"

[stitch_witch]

"I think Shiro is a bit old to be calling a kid, but please, I am happy to hear this plan of yours, if it is deeper?"

Because she sees no reason not to make sure Tony doesn't do something too forceful and uncomfortable for the other two.

[in_extremis]

Lark's answer was evasive enough that Tony narrowed his eyes skeptically, but didn't have a reasonable enough accusation to put on the table. He didn't actually know what her relationship was like with Shiro, it was probably unlikely that they had some weird agreement together to humiliate Tommy. Probably. "Still working on the details," he said, starting slow but more than happy to work through it out loud. "The plan is to get them sharing space, make them think about it. Align them toward a certain future. Tell them--tell them we need help, that there's something in the lake, that someone has to go out and get it. Then take their clothes."

[stitch_witch]

"Take their clothes?" Lark said, chuckling. That was silly. "You know that being naked around another person does not guarantee love, yes?"