Afterparty 5.0

[forcegalactic]

[There's not much that can be believed about that trial. Or that execution. Still, like before, two hours after everyone leaves, they'll find a note slipped underneath their doors.]

We have to stick together. The dining room is there for anyone that needs a quiet space, and I cooked dinner.

Hibiki made some coffee and dessert for all of us.

-Mordecai Benmont Jiminy and Hibiki Ganaha

[Today's selection includes potato pancakes and a light coffee cake. Hibiki has lit two more candles in the dining hall. It doesn't take long before Mordecai lights a third.]

Comments

[forcegalactic]

Whadya mean? Sure, you're mighty gloomy, but it ain't like you any crazier that most folks that live anywhere. You don't hide out in your apartment with a rifle, ready to shoot anyone that looks funny, don't you?

[ninehundredlives]

Of course not. I don't even own a gun. Haven't they got any crazy cat ladies on Mars?

[forcegalactic]

We got cats. There's crazy folks all over Mars, but I don't think I know one with lots of cats.

[ninehundredlives]

Oh. It's...it's sort of a thing. I don't know.

They don't like that I feed all the cats, or that they can hear the piano through the walls. And I don't really like most of them either, so I guess it all works out.

[forcegalactic]

Don't see why it'd be an issue. Unless doin' that is causin' problems for everyone else, of course. [But it's not like Susan bangs on the piano in the middle of the night, right?]

[ninehundredlives]

[ABOUT THAT...]

It's a lot of a cats? But honestly, they don't even live with me. There were stray cats ages before I got there, and they'll be there long after I'm gone.

[forcegalactic]

...Don't seem like anythin' too bad, long as you don't steal food to feed 'em with. Besides, we can always use more cats to get rid of pests, Earth or Space varieties both.

[ninehundredlives]

[Shrug]

People can be like that sometimes. The guy upstairs once called pest control to come kill all the cats.

[forcegalactic]

[???]

Alright, so I may have a theory that the guy who called them might be a little overzealous and crazy himself.

[ninehundredlives]

He's an asshole.

[Yep]

[forcegalactic]

[New target of gossip: cat-hating asshole.]

Might wonder what he's got against cats, anyway. You don't see folks tryin' to kick out Mars Lizards from a ten mile radius just 'cause they ain't their favorite animal.

[ninehundredlives]

He's just a nasty, angry little man. It's gotten worse in the past few years...I think his wife might have left him. I haven't seen her in ages.

[forcegalactic]

Huh. His wife left him? Didja hear what kind of arguments they used to have?

[ninehundredlives]

I tried not to pay too much attention. But it's not surprising. He's just angry all the time - hates his job, hates himself, and takes it out on eeeeverybody around him.

[For real though, fuck Bryan]

[forcegalactic]

Oh my god. Sounds like he's the type to cause trouble no matter where he goes, which is the worst type of troublemaker that can exist.

Good for his wife. You all should follow hwe example if you can, but there's one of those no matter where you go. It's like every town requires someone that don't never get along with no one.

[ninehundredlives]

You're right. There's always someone - even here.

[RICK

...well, he gets on with Sukuyo okay, doesn't he? The Conductor for sure though.]

[forcegalactic]

[Rick insulted his wife. He's Mordecai's least favorite person here, not counting the Conductor.]

Then you got the crazy folks that keep to themselves, probably hates one particular species, and shoots most anyone they don't agree with. Those usually live far from town, but I feel sorry for those poor neighbors.

Of course, not everyone that keeps to themselves turns out to be crazy, just crazy sad. Like the Widow Johnson. Wonderful person, but she barely left her house when her husband died. At least I know she's a lot better now, judgin' from what I remembered last week.

[ninehundredlives]

...yes. It can be like that, when people die.

[forcegalactic]

[It's what many of them have been doing after the trials. Loosing a new friend can just be as devastating as losing family.

He hopes Harriet is still alive.]

...But we got each other to help us outta it, right? Even when we're grievin'. Like I said to Dio...humans weren't meant to be alone.

[He folds his arms to his body tightly and looks at the candles.]

[ninehundredlives]

...I suppose that is one good thing about such close quarters.

[It's hard to hide away here. She's tried.]

[forcegalactic]

...That's the good thing about a small community in the middle of danger. We have to stick together, make sure we're all workin' to prevent trouble from happenin' to our place or to each of us. That's how it is on Mars, that's how it is here.

[He turns to look at Susan.] What's it like, livin' in a big Earth city?

[ninehundredlives]

Not like that.

I guess I haven't really got much to compare it to. But we don't talk to our neighbors often, unless we need something from them. Obviously people have friends, but I'm not sure I'd use the word "community".

[Susan is fully aware that some of that is her own fault, but still. It's not like everyone else in London is...like it is here.]

[forcegalactic]

Sounds mighty lonely.

[Not the best place to help Susan be more social.]

I'm guessin' they only talk to you when they wanna complain about your cats.

[ninehundredlives]

Got it in one.

[now he's a fucking psychic too]

[forcegalactic]

[Some things the Force Galactic can't do. For everything else, there's social smarts.]

That's one awful neighborhood if I ever heard of one. What about your friends? Why not move in closer to them instead?