[network|text] @prettypinkflowers; oops on second thought have another; Night 189 [open]

[lacecase]

[Hello naughty children it's mania-o-clock. Although Ginger just put up a post earlier in the day, another one goes up fairly late into the night. Because she knows she needs to be quiet anyone trying their best to sleep. Also, emotes make her happy.]

Hi again everyone!!! ~ヾ(＾∇＾)
I realized when I made my announcement earlier that there are a lot of new faces I haven't met!
It got me to thinking that there are probably a bunch of us who have yet to really get to know each other.
So like I thought we could play another game! This time about...us! Ta-dah! (ﾉ^ヮ^)ﾉ*:・ﾟ✧

[Some of you might be able to guess where this is going. Ginger might seem like the sort of person who has a limitless supply of game ideas, but even she can only come up with so much that will allow people to talk about their personal lives to some capacity.]

How about 2 truths and a lie? It'll be a lot of fun! (∗❛ัᴗ❛ั∗)
And we can learn a bit more about each other! Team building you know???
Even if someone's already figured out the answer to someone's post you should still talk to them if you have questions! (*•̀ᴗ•́*)و ̑̑

[That's how friendships happen!]

Comments

[heroproceeding]

[ And that might be the sound of Zack off in the house somewhere guffawing at the sight of the stupid little frog in the space ship. ]

Ah, yeah! That's right! So, something like this!

[ And this might be... a whole fleet of them now popping up on Jim's tablet. Of course, they look a little different and they're all floating up in space. Oh, and by the way, there's some manned by moogles, too. And if Jim looks really hard, he might be able to make out that the couple stick figures of people Zack added may be one for each of them. ]

[rattlingthestars]

[ Zack's not the only one laughing out loud, though Jim's are a little quieter. ]

No, are you kidding me? Those are so ugly. Here.

[ Jim sends back a fleet of galleons, the biggest of which has four stick figures dotted around it. They're recognizable by helmet, tattoo, rat tail and ... hedgehog spikes.

There's a cat on the bowsprit.]

[heroproceeding]

[ Where there had been obnoxious laughter before, all's suddenly quiet from wherever Zack is as he opens the drawing. It looks so silly, he should be laughing. And it does get a little chuckle from him.

But mostly... Mostly, he finds himself just studying it, running a thumb over the edge of his tablet. It's a while before he responds again. ]

You seriously gonna grow back that rattail?

[ The usual tease to his voice isn't quite there. ]

-> action

[rattlingthestars]

[ Zack's taking long enough that Jim abandons his spot to go seek him out. He's at the doorway when Zack responds, and answers him in person: ]

Dunno. Don't really feel like myself without it.

audio > action;

[heroproceeding]

[ It's safe to say Zack was expecting the voice to come from his tablet and not from behind him by the way he almost seems to jump. Almost like he was caught in the middle of doing somethi- ]

Shit! [ No- Nope, no, no, no. Shit, shitshitshitshit. He glowers down at his tablet now, hunched over it and not seeming to hear what Jim has said now. How in the hell did he manage to hit the wrong button.

Just going to... stare. Stare down at it and very belatedly mumble: ] And here I thought you were gonna go for some spikes last time I checked. [ It's a weak tease and maybe not as humorous as he'd usually go for. ]

[rattlingthestars]

[ Jim stares in bemusement as Zack fumbles with his tablet. Almost... guiltily? And then there's that joke. One raised eyebrow turns into two. ]

Don't think there's enough hair gel in my world for that. What were you doing?

[heroproceeding]

...Uh. [ Not enough hair gel is right. Probably. Not that he seems that caught up in that part of the conversation anymore as he fidgets and stares down at his tablet.

And fidgets some more. Yep, he may be sort wiggling back and forth in his seat and looking far more forlorn than he should be before slumping his shoulders in defeat. He is definitely not looking up for this as he kinda mumbles into his tablet. ] Could you send me that drawing again?

[rattlingthestars]

[ Jim continues to stare in bemusement, wondering how a joking conversation about ships went to... well, whatever it is Zack's doing now. ]

-Yeah? Why do you want it?

[ Jim's already sending it over, but he can't help his curiosity. ]

Going to backmail me with my drawing skill?

[heroproceeding]

[ There's an odd pause between that question and Zack's answer. But the answer does finally come around at least. ]

...Yep. In fact, I'm gonna send it to Kunsel right now.

[ Only he might be just staring at the attachment instead. And very, very carefully making a point to save it instead of delete it. Not going to ask for it again, thanks. The first time was a bit awkward enough. ]

It sure seems like a wild ride. -You know, space.

[rattlingthestars]

Kunsel doesn't need more black mail material, come on.

[ Stop ruining his life Zack. And also stop with the reactions Jim can't seem to figure out.

Space, huh? ]

-You're gonna love it.

[heroproceeding]

Gonna love it, huh.

[ He says it quietly. Maybe more to himself than to Jim. Maybe it was only for him to hear at that with how soft his voice gets for a split second there.

Then, he throws something of a grin over his shoulder. Maybe a bit too abruptly. Maybe a smile overdone. ]

Kunsel might not, but I've been running low lately.

[rattlingthestars]

[ Jim continues to watch his friend in confusion, the way he switches from melancholy to ... almost manic? ]

...Hey.

[ His brows draw together as he considers Zack's expression, the slightly fake smile on his face. ]

Did I say something wrong?

[heroproceeding]

[ Zack's about to pack it in and leave it at that. His eyes are already back on his tablet and he's about to go forth and pester someone else with this game. At least up until he hears Jim's question over his shoulder belatedly. ]

-Huh? No!

[ That was... That was loud. He clears his throat. ] No, you didn't say anything wrong at all. [ And that's actually... the honest truth there at least. Even if he can't quite feign surprise out of this. ]

[rattlingthestars]

Huh.

[ Jim's still studying him, but in the end he just shakes his head. ]

Just - guess you were just acting funny for a second there.

[heroproceeding]

[ He can feel Jim's eyes lingering on him, but he does his best to try and ignore it. Whether it works or not's another story entirely. His comment kinda says as much. Zack finally shakes his head, himself, as he taps at his tablet. ]

I was just thinking about what it'd be like there. You know- in Benbow. That's all.

[ And how it seems so far away. Out of his grasp. Will it ever be in his grasp? ]

[rattlingthestars]

Boring, probably.

[ Jim's voice is soft, understanding. ]

Warm. Even in the wintertime it never gets like this, and if it does there's a fire in the inn.

[ He wants Zack to imagine it, a home to look forward to. ]

Especially when it's crammed with people, you know? Sometimes it gets so loud you can't hear yourself think, but it's pretty easy to slip away to the garden.

[heroproceeding]

[ There's a touch of something different in his expression at the mention of a garden. But it's there and gone in a flicker and then he's busying himself with sending another message out to someone. Just a quick dance of his fingers typing away at touch screen keys before he raises a brow. ]

I don't think that's that boring.

[ And the thing is, he's being serious, even as he closes his eyes. Even as he does try to imagine just what a place like Benbow would be like. The details might be sparse but sewn together with other things Jim's told him, it doesn't take a lot to build a general picture in his head. ]

I mean people travel all over space there, right? Wouldn't the crowd alone be a draw up of people like that? People who've been on all kinds of adventures out there..

[rattlingthestars]

Huh. Guess so. Most of 'em are just shipping things back and forth to the port, but you get some interesting characters sometimes. Good stories.

[ He's not thinking about Billy Bones dying in the public room. At least, not for more than a second. Instead he's imagining the four of them clustered around one of the big tables near the fire, mugs of something warm and a million shared moments between them. Something that would make the same old place feel less like a prison and more like a home. ]

Probably none of 'em as good as ours is gonna be.

[heroproceeding]

Maybe not, but I'm sure they'd be entertaining in their own way.

[ After all, from the stories Jim's already told them, his world sounds just plain weird. Even something that would be no big deal to them might be something that ends with Zack doing a double take. He takes another moment to shoot off another text and then shrugs again, maybe with a hint of a smile. ]

Bet the look on your mom's face will be priceless for the kind'a story you're gonna bring home though, huh.

[rattlingthestars]

Guess so.

[ Jim wonders if Zack might become one of them, when he gets too restless for the confines of Benbow. His friend's at least as reckless as he is, and while it had taken Jim fifteen years to chafe at the boundaries it would surely take far less time for someone who'd seen two worlds.

The mention of his mother both draws Jim out of his own musings and gets a wince out of him. He passes a hand over his eyes and huffs. ]

We're... going to tone things down, alright?

[ His mom doesn't need to know about the dying, or the jeweler's, or anything like that. ]

[heroproceeding]

[ Zack can take a hint when it's given to him. There's no way he can't in this case, really. It's enough that were they sitting side by side, he'd probably have a hand on Jim's shoulder by then. As it stands, he'd have to get up to do that, so he settles for something more comforting in his tone, smile a little easier. A little steadier. ]

No worries about that. Besides, we got a lotta good stories, too, you know?

[ Even if they often times feel like they're buried under all the bleakness. ]

[rattlingthestars]

[ Jim meets the smile with a tired grin. ]

What, like the time you mooned the network?

[heroproceeding]

Clenched. I clenched at the network and I was fully clothed that time.

[ Does this mean he might've mooned someone before though? Possibly! ]

Not sure if your mom'd like to hear that. [ But he's starting to grin now at least. Look, just because your mom would disapprove, Jim, don't mean it's not hilarious. ]

[rattlingthestars]

And he thinks that makes it better...

[ Honestly, Zack, what the hell. ]

My mom's probably seen worse. Spacers can get a little disorderly, you know?

-Doesn't mean you've got permission to show her your butt or anything.

[heroproceeding]

[ Honestly, he has the best ideas when it comes to shitposting his best friend, Jim. That's what. But that's not the only point to be made here. ]

If you think clenching's too much for your mom, I think that disorderly conducts gotta be pretty mild over there if you ask me.

[ His grin starts to fade though, even as he adds: ] But come on. Even I know how to be on my best behavior when I'm just meeting someone never mind someone who I'd maybe like to stay on their good side..