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

[swirlied]

They waited until I was old enough. I wasn't taken to Shin Makoku until less than a year ago. While they waited, Lady Celi was the queen in the meantime.

[forcegalactic]

But you ain't nobility, are you? 'Cause that sounds like they took someone from a different country just to be their new leader. Which don't make much sense, politically.

[swirlied]

No, I'm not... I'm actually not even from the same planet as Shin Makoku.[ To make matters even more complicated. ]

[forcegalactic]

...So you ain't a actually a demon? Are you...from Earth?

[swirlied]

I'm only half. My mom is human, but my dad is a demon.

[ He nods at the second question. ] I am from Earth, though. Do you know Japan?

[forcegalactic]

Yeah, we still got Japan on Earth when I'm from. Never heard of half-human, half-alien kids, though. I thought that was biologically impossible, genetics and all.

[swirlied]

I thought it was too, honestly. I didn't even think demons were real. [ Until he found out that, hey, he is one. ]

So, what is Earth like where you're from?

[forcegalactic]

[A little over a week ago, Mordecai would have had an easy answer. Earth isn't too special, it's been modernized by a thousand years. But there's a lot more to his universe than he initially thought.]

Can't say much about it. I was born there, yes, but I've visited it only a few times. It's green, there's a lot more high-tech buildings than on Mars. I'd say it's impressive, but thought I enjoy candy as much as the next person, but I ain't sugar-coatin' my words.

[Yuuri is a king. He should know the truth about how the world works.]

It's dangerous. There's always aliens and robots, sure, but in more recently history, Earth has had an uptake in mad scientists, which are a whole 'nother kind of trouble. Mars got 'em too, but all the mad scientists came from Earth.

...And the government of Earth isn't the most forgivin' kind. About seventy years ago, the folks livin' on the Moon decided to rebel and become independent by relocatin' it. Earth responded by instatin' Punishment Soccer and bloodsports, and they collect teens from all the districts to fight for survival.

Compared to that Mars, is a pretty okay place. Always a threat somewhere, but we're far away from the Earth do not have to deal with politics too much. Out on the frontier, we're a bit more free, you see?

[swirlied]

[ Yuuri's stunned into silence for a few moments, unable to even imagine an Earth like that. ]

That's awful... [ And now he has so many questions, too. He pauses, wondering what to ask first. ] What do these mad scientists do?

[ He thought mad scientists were only in fiction... ]

[forcegalactic]

[Mordecai eats some of his food. It's nothing surprising to him.]

Practically anythin' they set their minds to. Makin' science guns that turn things and people inside-out, science guns that switch bodies, science guns that shrink things, makin' the animals of Mars talk. One we had a war between science and technology beings right on that planet. Took over my saloon AI and nearly turned Mars into a giant metal weapon.

[swirlied]

That's so scary...

[ It doesn't even sound real. ]

[forcegalactic]

Well, you get used to it. That's why we need the Marshal and the military to make sure the rest of society is safe enough to function.

[swirlied]

Do they do a good job?

[forcegalactic]

The Marshal? Yeah, he love his job, almost too much. You can count on him to stop someone from breakin' the law, even when he's out on a date. Which...ain't a healthy attitude. But I try to remind him to have a social life.

[He pauses his eating and contemplates. Always thinking he was a lone hero that didn't need help, that Sparks Nevada. Shooting all of his problems. If he were here, would he have tried something as stupid as Dio?]

And now we got a sheriff. So I think the town's protected mighty well while I'm gone, even if there ain't nobody to run it.

[swirlied]

[ Yuuri takes another bite of cake. ]

That's good to hear. At least you don't have to worry about everyone being safe while you're gone. You probably have a lot of work to catch up on, though.

[forcegalactic]

[He groans and holds a palm to his forehead.]

A whole month! All this paperwork and meetin's I'm missin'! Who knows what state the town'll be in once I get back!

[swirlied]

[ Yuuri can't help but smile a little at that. He totally knows the feeling. ]

I'm sure you'll be able to get everything back in order.