[Nex][Now it's a musical] To Her Perfect Place in the Sun and in the Dirt

[Beans]

Chris will find himself in an on-its-side wheelbarrow.

All around him is what would have been a nice cornfield.

If not for the utter lack of life.

Every stalk of corn is stiff and dead and brittle. Some still lurch upright while others lay broken on the ground.

The sky is bleak and a halfhearted grey murk of a sun does nothing to make the air anything other than lukewarm.

[InyutheBeatIs]

Chris opens his eyes to find himself in this position. As he climbs out of the wagon, he gets up and stands on top, looking around and seeing what is around him. "Beam me up Scotty, there's no life down here." Chris then shakes his head, and jumps down off of the wagon, looking around when he gets back up. "Carrie!" He yells. "Carrie! It's Chris! You're safe! You can come out now!"

[Beans]

It would be unfair to say there's nothing around for miles.
There's stuff around for miles, but it is terrible.

He's at the edge of a bunch of dead fields; from atop the barrel he can see an asphalt road leading around a bend.

What's in all other directions?
...
Well, lots of fun if you like barren, blighted fields.

... Yeah, road's your best bet.

[InyutheBeatIs]

Chris shakes his head. Best get running at this point.

So he does. He runs down the asphalt road, occasionally calling out for Carrie along the way.

[Beans]

The road is scattered with broken bottles, crumpled cans...

Eventually he'll come around the bend to see what looks sort of like a pitchfork, but maybe twice as large, laying broken on the ground as a young woman with pale blond hair stands in the doorway of a shed, her back to Chris.

[InyutheBeatIs]

Chris looks curiously at the woman, before taking a couple of steps towards her, catious. "...Carrie? Is that you?"

He sounds hopeful.

[Beans]

The closer he gets, the clearer it becomes that it ain't her. It's not the whitegold color of Carrie's hair, it's standard platinum blond. The girl is wingless and of different height.

She doesn't turn around, but walks into the shed and out of sight.

[InyutheBeatIs]

Chris then goes on the defensive, and follows her, always careful about any traps that he might spring, and always keeping in mind the thought of avoiding them.

[Beans]

She's gone when he enters.
There's something scrawled on the wall, but it's only legible up close:

FIRST WAS NERINE
GAVE A GOLDEN SYMBOL OF HER LOVE AROUND MY NECK
JUST LIKE ALL HER OTHER BED-TOYS
MEANT WELL BUT DON'T WE ALL

THEN BRI
HAVE YOU EVER TAUGHT SOMEONE TO HAVE FREE WILL
AND THEN HEAR THEM TELL YOU THEY DON'T LOVE YOU


This all happened IC a good while ago.
Poor Carrie.

[InyutheBeatIs]

Chris examines the message, then shakes his head as he walks away from it.

He crosses his arms in front of his chest. "What now? Come on, you have to be somewhere..." Chris then starts to walk away, aiming to get out of the barn and look elsewhere.

[Beans]

He'll hear the rustle of feathers if he continues down the road, but also a thin snarl.

[InyutheBeatIs]

Chris looks around as he hears this. He's getting closer...at least he thinks he is.

He keeps moving. She's gotta be somewhere...

[Beans]

There is a leash empty on the ground... and somebody cross-legged a ways off.

Black feathers are scattered about.

A GIRL WITH THE LOYALTY OF A DOG
BUT IN THE END SHE DIDN'T HAVE THE BRAINS TO SEE IT COMING
SHOULD FEEL SORRY FOR HER
DON'T

[InyutheBeatIs]

Chris decides not to advance so much. Instead, he cups his hands and gives a shout. "Carrie! Is that you?!"

[Beans]

The person gets up.

Her steps seem out-of-sync with her distance covered. Each step goes too far... and suddenly she's right there, coyote ears ragged and tail matted.
"She... says hi..."
Her shirt is scrawled on.

THE GIRL LIKE A DOG FELL PRAY TO THE COYOTE
THEN AGAIN SO DID I
THE COYOTE CAN'T SCHEME ANY MORE THOUGH
BUT I FEEL LIKE I WON NOTHING BY IT
"That way."
The coyote girl points. Something glints in the distance.

[InyutheBeatIs]

Chris looks down that way. "Thanks..." He then looks around at all of the writing. "What's with all the writing? Are they past lovers?"

[Beans]

"Mmm-hmm.
We hurt her.
All of us.
Some more than others."

[InyutheBeatIs]

Chris nods his head. "Thanks...thanks for telling me."

Chris waves goodbye to the woman, before walking over to where she pointed.

[Beans]

More scattered feathers. Another broken pitchfork thing.


NERINE SAW HOW I WANTED ARI
SHE DIDN'T SEE HOW I TRIED TO KEEP MYSELF OFF HER
SHE DIDN'T SEE HOW SHE WAS ENGAGED
WOKE UP WITH AFTERTASTE OF LUST POTION IN MOUTH AND SELF IN ARI'S BED
CAN I BE BLAMED FOR BLAMING NERINE

BUT IT ALWAYS CAN GET WORSE

LIKE IT DID FOR ME

A glinting pile of something golden lays at the edge of a town.

[InyutheBeatIs]

Chris only gives a passing glance at the writing, before running towards the golden shimmer. Come on, Carrie...I'm here! Let me find you!

[Beans]

The gold is a pile of empty wrappers.

AND ON THIS DAY, CAROLINE JANET KAURA HUNG HERSELF IN HER BEDROOM AT AN INN.
THANK YOU, ELODIE
YOU MAY BE OF GOLD AND YOU MAY GLITTER BUT YOU KILLED MY WILL TO LIVE

More beer cans and empty broken bottles...

There's a dull, sick sound far off.

[InyutheBeatIs]

Chris shakes his head as he reads this. He says a quick prayer to Big Guy Upstairs for all of the people talked about in that writing, before turning his head to the source of the sound. He starts running towards the source.

[Beans]

It's the sound of vomiting.

Coming from a dull building. Brutalist architecture renders it not much more than a large block of a building.

Door's open.

[InyutheBeatIs]

Chris mutters something. "Good God, what is this, Silent Hill?" Chris shakes his head, before walking inside the building.

[Beans]

The ladies' room door is open. Puking is there.

Can't type when I'm eating a lame orange.

[InyutheBeatIs]

Chris investigates, careful of what might happen.

Now the parallels were getting a little too close.

[Beans]

He'll see Carrie as she was.

Black hair, up in the back and not hanging down. Black wings like a vulture's.
She wears battered black work jeans, a bomber jacket, and a tank top.

She wipes her mouth and looks up at him, bumping empty bottles and cans as she does.
... C...
Wh...

I...

[InyutheBeatIs]

Chris tilts his head. "...Carrie? It's me, Chris...you're alright."

[Beans]

... But I...

... I s-slept with that demon... she tricked me, I fell for it... I was stupid enough to fall for it when Vo was lying on the ground with her eye blasted open and the person I thought was you was standing over her...

She looks at her knees.
You don't want me back.

[InyutheBeatIs]

Chris crouches down, looking her in the eyes. "Carrie...listen to me. You didn't know. You thought she was me, and you did what you would've done if it were me. You're not at fault for that. I do want you back, and it isn't just me. Thyna wants you back, Amanda wants you back, Summer wants you back...we all want you back Carrie."

Chris puts his hands on her shoulder. "I. Love. You. Okay? I want you back."

[Beans]

She starts to stand shakily.
I-I love you too...

Looking up potato-based foods on Wikipedia when I'm hungry around midnight (getting food from the kitchen is nigh-impossible since my dad has taken to sleeping in the room just next to the kitchen) is terrible.

Blah dedtiem.

[InyutheBeatIs]

Chris helps her stand up. When she's standing, Chris gives her a big hug and kiss. "Carrie...please come back...please..."

[Beans]

I... I d-don't know...
I love you and Thyna, but... am I really what's best for you?

[InyutheBeatIs]

I... I d-don't know...
I love you and Thyna, but... am I really what's best for you?

Chris smiles at her, hand on her cheek. "Carrie...you're my wife. I'm yours and you're mine. I don't care if it's for the best or not...I'm willing to stand by you. I'm willing to help you. As far as I'm concerned, you are the best for me. Besides, Genkai made it clear if I slept with another woman I'd suffer for all of eternity." Chris chuckles at this point.

[Beans]

She smiles a little, gloved hands brushing his hair as if she's afraid to touch him.
O... Okay...

As if it will be that easy.

[InyutheBeatIs]

Chris reaches up to her hands, pressing them against the sides of his face. "It's alright, Carrie. You don't have to be afraid. You don't have to be hurt anymore. I'm here...I'm right here."

[Beans]

I...
C-Chris, I love you, but I'm so afraid.

I'm afraid I'll hurt... everyone...

[InyutheBeatIs]

"Why? How could you hurt anyone? You're one of the sweetest women I've ever known...why do you think you would hurt someone?"

[Beans]

She pulls off her glove, keeping her hand away from his face or any part of him.

And what a hand it is. The elbow-length leather glove was justified... her hand is gaunt and long-fingered, with dry and calloused dirty-orange skin.
D-don't touch... they burn.

[InyutheBeatIs]

Chris looks at it, confused. He then looks Carrie in the eyes. "So? That's just symbolic...unless you have it in the real world, somehow..."

"But it doesn't matter! We can fix it, together. Trust me Carrie."

[Beans]

This---this black-haired vulture-girl with hands that burn---is what I was before I became a goddess.

A-and... I know I'm not a Blightwalker any more... but I still feel like everyone I touch is hurt...

[InyutheBeatIs]

Chris shakes his head. "I'm not."

"You didn't hurt me. Not one bit. In fact, you gave me something. You gave me Thyna. You gave me Amanda. You gave me your love. You gave me an angel to wake up next to. You gave me a family...you gave me hope."

"You didn't hurt me, Carrie...the pain stops here."

[Beans]

She puts the glove back on and holds herself to him tightly.
... I-I'll come back...

[InyutheBeatIs]

Chris holds her tight. "...Thank you, Carrie..."

Chris kisses her again. "Thank you..."

[Beans]

She lays her head against his.

There's the sound of footsteps on broken glass and beer cans, and the world floods with warm light as they return to the land of the physical.

[InyutheBeatIs]

Chris holds her close as they return to the physical.

((Back to HALO?))

[Beans]

Saving a thread! ENVIROMENT!
Ahem.
---

The scenery outside the bus is not very exciting.
Trees. Houses. Lawns.
Houses. Lawns.
Houses.
... Ground. Maybe plants.
... Dirt.
Dude, where's all the... stuff?
A girl of about 17 looks out the bus window, red-headed with black horn-rimmed glasses in front of her emerald eyes.

[InyutheBeatIs]

RECYCLING HO!!!
:smallbiggrin:
----

Chris looks at this girl, curiously. His green eyes look her up and down, not in a perverted way, but in examination. "Well...hard to tell. Maybe a drought, maybe something else. Whatever it is...it's bad news. No wonder they're sending us here." His hoodie and worn jeans give a bit of a punk look.

[Quinsar]

Jen stares at her feet silently, tapping a beat on her knee.

[Beans]

Is Jen on the bus or in town?

Vo herself wears faded jeans and a pale grey sportcoat (y'know, with the elbow patch things) because she's geek-cool.
Jeez, I know, right?

[Quinsar]

Probably town. sitting on the ground.

[InyutheBeatIs]

Chris looks over to this girl, with a charming smile. His sideburns are glorious, and his hair is dark brown. "Well, we shouldn't be strangers, since we're going to be seeing each other for a looong time. Christopher Grimm. You?"

[Beans]

From the dead tree near Jen there is a ragged sigh and a girl drops to the ground by her on her feet.
Wearing black camo pants and staving off the rather-cool summer's mild lower 60s with a bomber jacket, her hair is black and contrasts with her orange eyes.
Status report: every day is exactly the same.
---
My name's Vo. Nice to meetcha.

[Quinsar]

Y-yes ma'am... I thought I saw a lizard earlier, and I chased it!...
But it was a rock...

[InyutheBeatIs]

Chris nods his head. "Nice to meet you too. Call me Chris, please." Chris looks back out. "So, why are you on this bus anyways?"

[Beans]

Didn't wanna go on the aid retreats out-of-country, so I got this one... It's nearing the town.
---
Carrie sighs.
Jen. Sweetie.
Did you take your meds today?

[InyutheBeatIs]

Chris winces. "Ouch."

Chris then looks back. "I won't ask." He then looks back out. "I think we might be getting close."

[Quinsar]

...
Ye-...
No...
...
Things are more fun when I don't...

[Beans]

... We've gone over this before. You need to take your meds, Jen.

... What's that bus over there doing?
---
It pulls up by a nice white house that's next to a nice green house that's next to a nice blue house that's next to a nice... yeah.
Vo gets off with her luggage as a woman steps out of the house.
"Hi there, you're Vocusta and Chris, aren't you?"

[Quinsar]

I dunno...
It's so boring here...

[InyutheBeatIs]

Chris slings a bacpack over his shoulder, and a suitcase full of what possessions he has. He nods his head towards the woman.
"Yes ma'am. I'm Chris." Hm. Rather polite.

[Beans]

And I'm Vo.
"Nice to meet you. I'm Mrs. Borden. Come inside and let's get your luggage dealt with."
---
Yes, Jen, boring is a religion around here. I mean, what have we done for the last week?

[Quinsar]

... I dug a hole...

[InyutheBeatIs]

Chris nods his head. "Yes ma'am."

Chris then walks inside, looking back to Vo when he does so. "Need help?"

[Beans]

Yes.
And I'm still sleeping next to you to record your nightmares and dreams and things.
And... ugh, I hate this bleach stain of a town.
---
And I thought chivalry was dead. Vo chuckles.
Thanks, but I'm alright.
She shows them each to a rather nice room.

[Quinsar]

Jen nods,a bit shakily. Then she smiles, and skips towards the bus.
Thanks for saying I don't have to take my pills, boss!
HI NEW PEOPLE!

[InyutheBeatIs]

"Well, I like to think myself as a gentleman." Chris chuckles, before coming to his room.

He looks inside. "Nice, I like it. Very cozy."

[Beans]

I never said---oh, to hell with it. Carrie heads back up the tree.

Mrs. Borden nods, then sees Jen out the window.
"Oh, that's Jennifer. She's a nice girl."
Vo looks at Jen with part interest and part 'uh-oh'.

[Quinsar]

She skips for the house.

[InyutheBeatIs]

Chris quirks an eyebrow. "...Should we go talk to her?"

He sets the suitcase down, as well as his backpack.

[Beans]

"Sure, go on ahead."

Vo nods, setting her stuff down. While Mrs. Borden takes their stuff up, Vo walks out to greet Jen.
Uh... hiya there!

[Quinsar]

HI! I'm Jen! Who are you!

[InyutheBeatIs]

Chris waves towards Jen. "Hi there! I'm Chris. It's nice to meet you."

[Beans]

I'm Vo... nice to meet you. She smiles.

Carrie clambers up into the treehouse, a wide structure tall enough for average teens to stand in. It's in a wide tree but not especially high up; it's a leftover from some forgotten decade where people made these things.
She watches Jen meet the others.

[Quinsar]

Vo? It's nice to meet you, Vo! I'm Jen! Who are you? Vo? It's nice to meet you Vo! I'm Jen! Who are you? Vo? It's nice to meet you Vo! I'm Jen! Who are you? Vo? It's nice to meet you Vo! I'm Jen! Who are you? Vo? It's nice to meet you Vo! I'm Jen! Who are you? Vo? It's nice to meet you Vo! I'm Jen! Who are you? Vo? It's nice to meet you Vo! I'm Jen! Who are you? Vo? It's nice to meet you Vo! I'm Jen! Who are you? Vo? It's nice to meet you Vo! I'm Jen! Who are you? Vo? It's nice to meet you Vo! I'm Jen! Who are you? Vo? It's nice to meet you Vo! I'm Jen! Who are you? Vo? It's nice to meet you Vo! I'm Jen! Who are you? Vo? It's nice to meet you Vo! I'm Jen! Who are you? Vo? It's nice to meet you Vo! I'm Jen! Who are you? Vo? It's nice to meet you Vo! I'm Jen! Who are you? Vo? It's nice to meet you Vo! I'm Jen! Who are you? Vo? It's nice to meet you Vo! I'm Jen! Who are you? Vo? It's nice to meet you Vo! I'm Jen! Who are you? Vo? It's nice to meet you Vo! I'm Jen! Who are you? Vo? It's nice to meet you Vo! I'm Jen! Who are you? Vo? It's nice to meet you Vo! I'm Jen! Who are you? Vo? It's nice to meet you Vo! I'm Jen! Who are you? Vo? It's nice to meet you Vo! I'm Jen! Who are you? Vo? It's nice to meet you Vo! I'm Jen! Who are you? Vo? It's nice to meet you Vo! I'm Jen! Who are you? Vo? It's nice to meet you Vo! I'm Jen! Who are you? Vo? It's nice to meet you Vo! I'm Jen! Who are you? Vo? It's nice to meet you Vo! I'm Jen! Who are you? Vo? It's nice to meet you Vo! I'm Jen! Who are you? Vo? It's nice to meet you Vo! I'm Jen! Who are you? Vo? It's nice to meet you Vo! I'm Jen! Who are you? Vo? It's nice to meet you Vo! I'm Jen! Who are you? Vo? It's nice to meet you Vo! I'm Jen! Who are you? Vo? It's nice to meet you Vo! I'm Jen! Who are you? Vo? It's nice to meet you Vo! I'm Jen! Who are you? Vo? It's nice to meet you Vo! I'm Jen! Who are you? Vo? It's nice to meet you Vo! I'm Jen! Who are you? Vo? It's nice to meet you Vo! I'm Jen! Who are you? Vo? It's nice to meet you Vo! I'm Jen! Who are you? Vo? It's nice to meet you Vo! I'm Jen! Who are you? Vo? It's nice to meet you Vo!
She gets... Stuck occasionally.... Then her eyes snap to Chris.
HI HI HI! MY NAME:S JEN!

[InyutheBeatIs]

Chris just stares at Jen as she goes on a tangent, eyes widening as it continues. When she's done, Chris smiles at her as though nothing happened. "So...quaint little town here. What do you...do around here?" Chris narrows his eyes and looks around.

[Beans]

Carrie opens up a spyglass with a professional snap. Binoculars are lame. Spyglasses are so much cooler.
She looks at them.
---
... Definitely no lack of enthusiasm around here...

[Quinsar]

It's boring here, but we get by!

[InyutheBeatIs]

Chris nods his head, sighing. "Yep. Definitely the reason why we're here instead of The Rock or something..." Chris shakes his head. "Although I'd probably prefer something like that to this...how do you get by, Jen?"

[Beans]

Vo looks slightly unnerved by Jen being so... keen.
Yes, keen.
Ahem.
---
Carrie watches in distaste (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C2DJS45u2X8), sitting back against a wall.
She's got her eyes open wide
she's got the dirt and spit of the world
her mouth always moving, the lips of
a scared little girl

I'm not an angel in the lobby
Stop trying to put me in line
Please don't ask forgiveness
my faith has gone dry

She's got suburban prescriptures
and death has crawled in her ear
like elevator music of songs
that she shouldn't hear

and it spins around 1...2...3
and we all lay down 4...5...6
some do it fast
some do it better in smaller amounts

and it spins around 1...2...3
and we all lay down 4...5...6
some do it fast
some do it better in smaller amounts

[Quinsar]

I dig sometimes... Or I'll play with my other friends! Like tag or something.

[Beans]

Carrie watches them.
---
Oh... cool.

[InyutheBeatIs]

Chris nods his head. "That's...that's good! It's good to know that sort of thing." Chris looks around at this point.

[Quinsar]

Jen giggles. Other than Carrie, all of her friends are imaginary.

[Beans]

Wanna... do stuff?

[Quinsar]

OKAY! Like what?

[InyutheBeatIs]

Chris shrugs. "...How about you introduce us to your friends? I'd really like to meet them."

[Beans]

Yeah, that sounds like a good idea.
---
Carrie sighs. Poor Jen.
Of all the people to have as her only friend, she had to get me.

[Quinsar]

Um um um um um um... They're gone?...
But Carrie is here!
CARRIE!:smallbiggrin:

[InyutheBeatIs]

Chris looks around for this Carrie. "Okay. Can't wait to meet her!"

Chris looks to Vo with a quirked eyebrow, as if to say "you sure we should do this?"

[Beans]

Carrie grimaces.
If she doesn't respond, Jess will look like even more of a crazybox.

She climbs down from the tree.

Vo shrugs.
... Oh, hey, there she is.

[InyutheBeatIs]

Chris looks at Carrie, curiously. He gives her a smile and waves at her. "Hello there!"

[Beans]

... Hi there.
The girl in camo pants and a bomber jacket blinks.

[InyutheBeatIs]

Chris extends his hand to shake. "My name's Chris. It's nice to meet you Carrie."

[Beans]

There is an awkward pause.
She holds up a hand. Gloved.
Nice to meet you too...
Vo introduces herself as well.
... So what brings you here?

[InyutheBeatIs]

Chris chuckles. "A community-aid project to help build our character, according to a certain pamphlet. You?"

[Beans]

My hometown.
And you and I know that character is more overrated than Elvis is dead.

[InyutheBeatIs]

Chris chuckles. "Try telling that to my aunt. Then again, I did kinda mess up her house in a fit of teenage rage, among other things, but that's not important now, is it?" Chris sticks his tongue out in a joking manner.

[Beans]

I set fire to a box of copies of Catcher in the Rye.
Classic literature or not, it's a book made entirely of a crazed kid whining and it keeps on going. One star out of ten.

Carrie smirks.

... Quiiiiiiiinsaaaaaaaar?

[InyutheBeatIs]

I think he's gone.

Chris quirks an eyebrow. "...Okay, that's a bit overkill, I've gotta say. I mean, sure, I understand hating a book, but that's what the trash is for. You don't have to start a bonfire to make a point...just right a bad review on Amazon, that's all."

[Beans]

He's still on, methinks.
Vo shrugs with a "haters gonna hate" expression despite the lack of haters or hating.

[Quinsar]

Jen watches, grinning.

[InyutheBeatIs]

Chris just quirks an eyebrow and looks at Carrie, as if to say "now what?"

[Beans]

... Catcher in the Rye... didn't we have to read that for school, Jen?
I hated that book...

Anyway, let's drop the pretense that we're not overgrown 9-year-olds. To the treehouse!

[Quinsar]

I don't like books.
Jen heads to the treehouse.

[InyutheBeatIs]

Chris looks back at Vo and shrugs. "To the treehouse, then." He then walks over.

[Beans]

There are wooden rungs bolted to the tree; Carrie clambers up them into the rather large treehouse---about 10 feet by 8 feet.

Vo is the last up.

There's plastic crates for use as seats and the top section of a bigger one as a table and stuff.

[Quinsar]

Jen sits, giggling.

[InyutheBeatIs]

Chris sits down on a crate, looking around. "It's a nice place you've got here."

[Beans]

Carrie helps Vo in; they sit.
Thanks. This thing was built before I was born...

Vo looks around with interest.

[InyutheBeatIs]

Chris nods his head. "I might be able to get used to this place after all..."

He then turns to Carrie. "So...what do you do here?"

[Quinsar]

Jen grins at Vo.

[Beans]

... A whole lot of nothing.
Not many people do stuff around here. Oh, it looks like they do, but it's so hollow and empty that there's really nothing to their actions.

Vo smiles unsurely back at Jen.

BRB.

[InyutheBeatIs]

Chris rests his chin in his hand. "Well, sounds like fun." Obvious sarcasm is obvious.

"...Why are we here again?"

[Quinsar]

Hi Vo!:smallbiggrin:

[Beans]

... Ugh, I dunno.

Vo waves a tiny wave back to Jen.

[InyutheBeatIs]

Chris taps his fingers on his knees. He is completely lost as to what to do right now. Not only that, but what he's going to do. I mean...there's nothing. Nothing.

"...I'm open for suggestions."

[Beans]

... I can haul the laptop and projector up here for a movie, I guess.

[InyutheBeatIs]

Chris nods his head. "I'll help you with that."

[Beans]

Thanks.
She'll get the stuff from her house; the laptop and projector are each in a bag with a shoulder strap. She hands the 'jector to Chris.

[InyutheBeatIs]

Chris puts the bag around his shoulder and climbs up the ladder with it.

[Beans]

Carrie gets the stuff set up.
Movie suggestions, anybody?
Jen?

[Quinsar]

I dunno....

[Beans]

Well...
She thinks.

[InyutheBeatIs]

Chris blinks for a second, before coming up with something. "Citizen Kane, anyone?"

[Beans]

... Works.
Go, go, power ranger.
That is what I actually say instead of "go for it".
*awesome*

[InyutheBeatIs]

Chris then finds Citizen Kane on the internet. At least, I think that's how this is supposed to work. *shrugs*

He then sits back and watches.

[Beans]

The movie plays, yay.

[InyutheBeatIs]

ROSEBUD IS *is muffled before he can say anything*. :smalltongue:

Chris occasionally glances at the others, watching for how they act.

[Beans]

Carrie glances at Chris; Vo glances at Jen.

[InyutheBeatIs]

Chris lingers his glance towards Carrie for a moment, before he looks back to the projection.

[Beans]

Vo eventually dozes off.

[InyutheBeatIs]

Aaaand just like that, she misses the twist ending, and the movie comes to an end.

Chris then gets up and stretches.

[Beans]

Carrie glances at Jen to see if she's okay.

[Quinsar]

Jen is playing patty cake with no one.

[Beans]

... Come on, Jen. We should go to bed.

See you in the morning, Chris.

[InyutheBeatIs]

Chris gets up. "Alright...good night, Carrie."

He then walks over to Vo, and shakes her gently to try and wake her. "Vocusta...Vocusta, wake up. We've gotta go."

[Beans]

Bluh...
Oh!
Oh, okay.
Seeya then.
She waves bye to the two gals as she exits.

[InyutheBeatIs]

Chris smiles as they leave. "See you guys later."

Chris then leads Vo back to their house.

[Quinsar]

Night buddies!
She will follow.

[Beans]

Vo immediately flops into her bed.
---
Carrie goes with Jen; she's been sleeping on a folding cot next to Jen's bed lately to 1) record her nightmares or dreams by asking her when she wakes up, and 2) to make sure she doesn't hurt herself.

[Quinsar]

Y-you can have the bed tonight.

[InyutheBeatIs]

Chris decides to go to bed himself. He does pop in to Vo's room for a tiny bit. "Good night, Vocusta. I'll see you in the morning."

[Beans]

G'ni---ZZZZZZZZZZ.
---
If you insist...
She gets into Jen's bed.
Need help getting to sleep again?

[Quinsar]

Yes please.

[Beans]

Carrie hums a gentle, calming little tune for her, rubbing her back as well.

[Quinsar]

She sleeps peacefully.

[InyutheBeatIs]

Chris chuckles, and closes the door behind him when he heads for his room.

He unpacks a couple of things. One of them is a picture of him and another girl, about three, four years younger than him with blonde hair. They're both rather young, Chris about seven maybe. Another picture is one of a beautiful woman, also blonde, with a kind smile and a fair demeanor about her. This was their mother. He sets them both on the table in his room, near the lamp.

He sets the alarm clock to wake up early, then rolls onto the bed and puts the hood over his eyes as he drifts off to sleep.

[Beans]

Carrie nestles closely to her friend and sleeps.
---
Vo just... sleeps heavily. Doesn't hear his alarm go off.

[InyutheBeatIs]

Chris wakes with a jolt from a bad dream as the alarm clock blares...

Just that typical blare sound, you know?

Anyways, Chris gets up, and goes to freshen up a bit.