Fifty-Sixth Theory [Action]

[i_speak_softly]

((Forward-dated to Sunday the 26th, after the village has cleaned up from the ice storm.))


[That was a good last try, Winter, but you are rapidly losing your hold over this ectotherm. He was trapped in C5 for several days, after Luke Skywalker’s guests shook off their movie-marathon stupor to realize they were iced in, but since making it safely back to House 55 he’s been increasingly alert and moving around with greater purpose.]

[Today he put on his heated snowsuit and struck out across the snowy village to the library. He had found this puzzle-box among his things, and he wants to work on it without his housemates hanging over his shoulders.]

[He also wants to strike up a conversation with anyone who so much as glances at him. Cold weather and semi-torpor don’t present many opportunities for socializing, and the normally-quiet Turtle has a lot of pent-up conversation in need of an outlet. It won’t be at his normal intellectual level, but it should at least be better than it has been in recent weeks.]


((Feel free to help Don with the puzzle-box, but I don’t want it to be opened yet.))

Comments

[herotypical]

...What's it like? Is that too rude to ask?

[i_speak_softly]

[Being a country probably has weird side effects too, but Don already irritated Poland with his questions, so he'll be quiet.]

Would you... like to sit down? Sir?

[i_speak_softly]

[Shrug, headshake. You're lucky his inhibitions are shot.] It's normal for me. Restful.



Sometimes annoying.

[miniaturization]

D-do I seem to need it....? A-ah, I should...ask you if the temperature is acceptable...? I could find...the thermostat...

[herotypical]

Like a post-workout crash. Nice to indulge; then you realize how much you haven't been doing. Only...seasonally. Am I right? Am I close?

[i_speak_softly]

[Nope.]

You get to crash after a workout?

[i_speak_softly]

No! Yes! I mean -- if you want...

[miniaturization]

...

I-I'll go look for the thermostat.....

[omg rolling away to sob in a corner about how royally he messed up that little meeting]

[i_speak_softly]

[Don thought he was pretty well-trained in Japanese customs, but... he has no idea what just happened.]

[herotypical]

...If that work-out ends pre-sunset.

[i_speak_softly]

[At another time of year Don would reason this through pretty quickly, but right now it's going to take him a while to figure out the subtext.]





[He's trying though.]

[herotypical]

...Vampires. They tend not to come out before dark.

[Action]

[tailasoldastime]

[Standing here some more, trying to figure out what to do, before he remembers... he's a giant animal standing in the middle of the library rubbing his paws. Somebody must notice this!

Ohhhh, what to do, what to do... Don is still sitting there. Well... Don knows him, right? Maybe he wouldn't mind if he came over. Just... just for a little while. Maybe he could even teach him about libraries, like how Robert teaches him about everything. Or at least give him some advice...

Yes... yes, he thinks he'll do that before he draws attention. Slowly... sloooowly creeping forward to sit down in one of the chairs.]

[i_speak_softly]

[Ah, gotcha.]

You go out at night, then?

[Action]

[i_speak_softly]

[Oh, hi, Beast. Don is just going to launch into conversation at you.]

I was hoping you would sit with me. It gets really boring sitting at home with the same people all the time, doesn't it? I mean, you like them, but you want to talk to someone else once in a while. Or just not talk to your housemates, because they're always asking questions or trying to help you when you need to figure something out on your own.

[He knocks the puzzle-box against the table in frustration.]

You understand, right?

[Action]

[tailasoldastime]

[He flinches at the unexpected talking, and then, as Don goes on, he just sits there in plain confusion. Why is he talking about this? It... seemed to come out of nowhere.

But he asked him a question, so he should probably answer it. After all, there have been times where he wanted someone to talk to besides all of his servants.] I-I... yes, I... think so.

[herotypical]

That's me. Buffy the night owl. Not...literally, of course.

[Action]

[i_speak_softly]

[He nods - of course you do.]

I'm working on opening this box. I know it will take time to solve, but there's something worthwhile inside, and getting it myself will be more satisfying than asking someone else to open it for me. [He jiggles a piece ineffectively - it doesn't move the way he thought it would.]

... I wouldn't mind a little help, though.

[i_speak_softly]

I used to go out at night. [... That doesn't sound right.] You know. To do night-time things.

[herotypical]

...Maybe I know. What kind of night-time things? There's a variety.

[i_speak_softly]

Scavenge in dumpsters. Help homeless people. Stop petty criminals.

[Typical night-time activities.]

[herotypical]

Wait wait wait. Scavenge in dumpsters?

[i_speak_softly]

For food?

[Oh. Wait. Most people don't do that.]

Um...

[herotypical]

I didn't realize you were one of those...what are they called? Freegans.

[i_speak_softly]

Who?