i know this crazy life can be a bitter pill to swallow, so forget about tomorrow

[cons]

CHARACTERS: Wichita & VARIOUS
LOCATION: ..various.
WARNINGS: mostly language, but there's nothing hideous planned so far.
SUMMARY: takes place over the next week, so the 16th to the 22nd
NOTES: I'll be adding threads to this base post, so. no cut. right. if you want a thread with Wichita! ping me here by leaving a starter comment, or! catch me on plurk so we can plannn. pickpockets

Comments

locked to simon silverton;; 2nd floor holodeck

[cons]

[ welp, this month sucks. it sucks worse than most months here have sucked, and she hasn't even run into any zombies ( real or in her head ) at all, so that's saying something. in the grand scheme of things, there aren't a ton of people locked up in their jump pods for some extra sleep time, it's not like the ship's crew was suddenly cut in half... but it sort of feels like it was. for her, anyway. as far as she sees it, the crew has been cut in half. Brendan, Brian, Tate, Hayley. she might not've been on the best terms with those second two, but still. the idea of them being trapped in there is fucking with her more than she likes to admit. there are others too, of course there are, but her mind keeps zooming back to the people she's gotten entirely too close to here, one way or another.

but.

that's why she's making a point to get in touch with everyone that's still awake before the month's over and they need to get back into the pods. because what if one of them is next? what if she's next? screw that.

so she texts Simon, convinces him that she's bored and the only remedy is hanging out in the holodeck with him, as per usual, watching as he tinkers with whatever it is that makes the holodeck ..holo. she's sprawled out in the center of the floor with a few stolen pillows from unoccupied rooms, staring up at the ceiling when she isn't tilting her head this way and that to see what he's come up with. but speaking of all that- ]

How'd you learn all this tech stuff anyway? I mean, I know you're into video games, but this isn't exactly learning how to take apart and rebuild your old Sega system, dude.

locked to simon silverton;; 2nd floor holodeck

[player_not_slayer]

[To be fucking honest, it isn't all that hard to convince Simon to go along with her to the holodecks, because the lack of network shit's made him bored out of his skull over the past couple weeks. Nothing to read, nothing to mock, and he can only spend so much time down in the Oxygen gardens before Heather threatens to put him to fucking work or something, so that's right out at the moment.

And considering his only other options are like, tearing apart the kitchens in his fruitless search for some goddamn space nutbutter, or wallowing in his room like some loser neckbeard who lost his last online friend (though if any one asks, fuck you he's not missing Kable at times like this), he might as well be social. And Wichita? Total bro.

The holodecks in this place are pretty rad, too and while it's taken him a bit to learn the interface, it's nothing worse than the OS he has for his computer at home, though with a metric shitton more customizability. Because dude, if he can think it he can make it in this place, and this shit beats out anything Castle's ever creamed his pants over making by a fucking mile.

The trick though, is coming up with a setting that'll be entertaining to the both him and Wichita which totally rules out zombies even though that shit had been boss, being in her world for a bit. So as he pokes and prods at the controls, scenes shift and flash over the walls-- dinosaurs wandering in a lush jungle warping into a vaguely alien landscape with a blue moon and strange flying creatures which shed their feathers to become mechanical skeletons diving over a gritty destroyed city, with steam-powered dirigibles in the backdrop.

She can feel free to stop him at any point; just dicking around is almost as much fun as actually experiencing the virtual reality.]

This shit's nothing compared to the system I've got at home, man. I know your place bit it before total user interfaces came out, but this? [He waves his hands at the wall, making it zoom in towards a bright spot of green in the ruined city, a tree that now just looks like it sprouted up behind Wichita's head. Her pillows were covered over by grassy hill as the ruins disappear with another poke at the controls.]

Simple shit. Been doing this since I before I could hack my dad's porn stash. But games, that's where I fucking own, you dig?

[cons]

[ oh right, the future. a future she'd never get to see because of the stupid virus. let's not think about that. and honestly, it's actually kind of easy not to get all nostalgic over the future of Earth, because she's stuck here. coming up on a year now she's been stuck, so the odds of her ever getting back to Zombieland? not so likely, anymore. the ship wants to keep them, after all. creepy shit.

it's a little bit dizzying, trying to watch the walls as they shift to each different setting, but that's only because she keeps trying to take it all in before he changes it. which is impossible, considering the size of the room, and the fact that she's being lazy as hell about it. ]

Yeah, I dig.

[ it's still impressive, though. not that she'll EVER tell him that, but she can't find her way around a GameBoy, let alone a ..total user interface. whateverthefuck. she's sure if she did exist in his world, she still wouldn't be able to make a dinosaur run across her virtual wall. so, she's impressed. but again, yeah, not saying that. in fact; ]

I totally dig that you're an uber nerd. [ SNERK. she tips her head back to try and look at him, smiling wide because she knows he hates that word, and she's about to continue on the same ramble about his nerdiness, but- ] Hey wait, hold that- [ she's settling flat on the floor- grass? again, shutting her eyes ] Can you feel that? It actually... feels like sunlight. Quit nerding for a second and come feel this. [ IT'S CHEESY? POSSIBLY? but when was the last fucking time they were in the sun? really? she can't not be kind of in awe of it. ]

[player_not_slayer]

[A year. It's been a fucking year in this place, a year since he practically saved the goddamn world, a year since he's bitched at his sister or played Slayers or coordinated his online contacts.

A year since he got Kable his freedom. Shit, that thought still stings, that the guy, his bro, his Slayer might be gone, not here, not home, not anywhere but dead when they'd fought so goddamn hard to keep him alive and whole through twenty-nine motherfucking matches, which they'd been completely unstoppable all the way through.

...Fuck thinking about that shit, he has reality to reprogram. Thankfully, Wichita's enough of a bitch to make it easy to be distracted.]

Oh fuck you, man. This shit I'm doing is fucking badass don't even lie- huh? [His hands still on the interface as she flops back against the hill, squinting at her a moment before he shrugs a bit and moves to join her. And unceremoniously yanks a pillow out from underneath her so he has a more comfortable bit of hill to lie on.

Shit that totally does feels like sunlight and warm breezes and soft grass and all kinds of nature-y shit that he would have scoffed at a year ago but fuck you they've been stuck in space.]

Admit it, I am a goddamn high holy programming God.

[cons]

Badass in a nerdy way, sure.

[ but there's no heart behind the diss this time, not when she's too distracted by the feel of the sun on her face. on some level, she knows it's not perfect, it's digital and pixelated, but it's actually been long enough that it doesn't register as an immediate this is fake feeling. she doesn't snap out of it until he snatches one of her pillows- ] Um, ask next time, maybe! [- then she's shifting around, pushing her bangs back off her forehead so she can really feel it on her face. and if she accidentally elbows him in the shoulder once she's putting her arm down again, well. it's truly an accident, so sorry~ ]

I think you're the only programmer I know, so. Sure. You can be their God.

Their nerdy, loud-mouthed God with a nutbutter addiction. Which, by the way, still hasn't shown up in my locker, and I'm sure it never will. I've been asking around, but people just tell me to go find the peanut butter in the kitchen. Shit's gross though, and not just because it's chunky style.

med bay; 20th.

[backbiter]

[There was a bottle in his hand as he walked around the people who were still asleep in their pods. He wished he were one of them. Stuck in the blue goop so that he didn't have to be here. With them, Percy and Annabeth, the happy couple. The caramel colored liquor splashed around in the bottle as he brought it to his lips.

When he had seen her. All those feelings came back. Feelings he's only ever felt for two people in his whole life. Thalia and her. Annabeth. He loved her. Don't ask him why he figured it out too late. Maybe it was because he knew she liked someone else. Didn't matter now. She was with him and they somehow were falling into Tartarus. Great. Good for them.

He was making plans to be at their at wedding.

Taking in a deep breath he stopped in front of Brain's pod. His boss? Though he never really spoke to the guy. He seemed peaceful in there. His eye closed. In a sleep. A deep sleep.]

Why you not me? [He asked as he placed a hand on the pod.] Bet people liked you.

[He's not so drunk that he's not making sense. Luke is in that tipsy feeling of maybe you had too many and shouldn't have anymore.]

med bay; 20th.

[cons]

[ oh, yep. Luke's drunk. not stumbling or anything, she notes, but drunk enough to not notice her sitting against the opposite wall from Brian's pod, legs crossed and her communicator on her lap. she's not exactly trying to make herself known, and he's obviously distracted by the pods moreso than anything else that's going on in the medbay, so. she doesn't mind it. plus she's not really doing anything, just hanging out and fussing with her comm to pass the time, scrolling through old conversations, clicking on menues she's never bothered with before. but once he walks by, she looks up to make sure it's not another member of Security trying to tell her to head back up the lift until there's word of any change. luckily! it's not.

her eyes linger on the bottle he's got in hand, trying to gauge how much he's had. not that she knows how much was in it to start with. oh well. she's not about to judge ]

Nope, nobody likes Brian. [ her voice is quiet, and way too fond considering what she's saying ] But that's only because Brian usually decides he doesn't like them first.

Re: med bay; 20th.

[backbiter]

[He had not seen Wichita there. The bottle in his hand lowered before he get another drink. It was the first time he drank since his time on the cruise liner. But somehow it helped ease the pain so why not pick it up again?] Guess he doesn't like me then.

[Which wouldn't be a surprise. Rarely did Luke find people who actually liked him these days. Not that he's tried here.] Haven't even spoken to him.

[Luke turns to her and offers up the bottle.] You know what sucks about people showing up from back home? It reminds you of all the bad things you've ever done. [This is probably the most he's ever said anything to anyone, on this ship, about his life before.] It.. it sucks.

[He nods his head as he looks up at Brian again in his pod before taking a deep breath. This wasn't good. This feeling of dread. What if more people come through? What if he does it again? Luke can't slip that far back.] What ya up to? [Change of subject.]

[cons]

[ she almost protests it, almost mentions that he's probably in the bossman's good graces just cause he helps out around the bar, but. that's obviously not what this is about. not once he brings up home. she just squints a little bit as the pieces slide into place - Percy's girlfriend shows up and Luke's not into it, so there's obviously some beef there. more than she realized before. but she's worked with Luke well enough to know he's not some evil villain with an agenda ( not here at least, which is all she cares about ), so she doesn't let it worry her. there's only so far a grudge from back home can go here, right?

hm.

she'll ask Flipper about it later. ]

I imagine that does suck, yeah. Maybe. [ said the con artist. she has a pretty hard time feeling bad about the stuff she did back home, but then, she's always justified her actions with one word - survival. in the long run, that's why she does the things she does. but anyway! she's trying to sympathize, she is ] Things are different here though, we've all got bigger fish to fry than whatever we got into back home. [ maybe she shouldn't be talking about frying fish to someone that didn't get along with Percy back home oh jesus Wichita you're bad at this ] Uhh, I'm not up to anything really, besides watching Brian turn into a pickle. Join me! Come sit. And pass that bottle, please and thank you.

[handelaar]

[So. Clippers.

Netherlands is standing in the 002 restrooms, in front of the line of mirrored sinks, looking at an innocuous pair of hair clippers like they might just come to life and buzz his eyebrows right off. On - bzzzt - off. On, off. There's a row of guards laid out across the counter like so many points on a map and he can't seem to figure out which one should should be perched atop the thing he's holding.

The fuck are these space measurements, man. For that matter, the fuck are clippers and how does he use them.

He's not about to try it out, untested, on his precious but way-too-long hair, which means... Yeah, he's got his shirt off and is trying out the different guards on his chest hair. Probably something he should be doing in the privacy of his room, but since when did he give a fuck about decorum.

It's all organized, of course, each stripe corresponding to the placement of its guard upon the counter. No use if he can't remember which guard is the one he wants to use.]

[cons]

[ this is probably a dick move. ..okay it definitely is. but Wichita's currently waiting in one of the stalls of the bathroom, after facing that moment when she's all done with her business, and she's about to open the stall door and go wash her hands and go on her merry way, but then someone comes in and breaks the norm by not going straight into a stall. so she avoids the awkward "hello, I just peed" greeting that comes with bathroom interactions by deciding to wait it out. like a ninja, she waits, silently, watching through the crack in the door to see what he's doing, judge when he'll leave.

but now it's been literally five minutes, maybe six. she's been waiting way too long. it's too awkward to come out and make herself known because he's going to know that she's been standing there waiting that whole time and just the thought of that makes her laugh, more than anything she's stood there watching this whole time. it's just one burst of a laugh, and then she's lifting her arm to she can press her smile into the crook of her elbow, trying to muffle the sound. her eyes squeeze shut, oh god you idiot, she can't pull herself together.

but she's not coming out of the stall yet either.

maybe he'll be embarrassed and leave.

which is mean ( dick move, like I said ) but it's better than trying to explain no I was not laughing at your chest hair ]

[handelaar]

[That... is a laugh. He blinks and jerks his head up to the mirror - the way this place echoes it's impossible to tell where it came from and for all he knows it could be from right behind him - sees that it didn't. Or if it did it's from below the line of the mirror, which is the next place his eyes snap to and unfortunately he nearly shaves off his nipple in the process.]

Fuck - !

[And the trimmer falls into the sink with a clatter, buzzes and chatters around and makes a horrible racket that is ten times worse with the echo. Who the hell thought that making cathedral-like restrooms was a good idea, anyway. After a remarkably pissy scowl sent the way of the clippers he cautiously makes a grab for them, snatches them up, turns them off with a huff.]

Who's there.

[The tail end of it comes out as more of a question than he'd like. He's not sure if someone is actually there or if he's hearing things - while he doesn't have access to his mask any longer, he wouldn't put it past the damn thing to do some fucked up things down the line.]

sdkfjdbfg omg

[cons]

[ noooo none of that is making it any easier for Wichita to stop laughing, although it isn't really getting any louder at least. at first. just muffled chuckles into her sleeve. and she's not sure why she thought opening her eyes again to look through the crack in the door was going to make it any better, because now she can see him scrambling to try and get the clipper out of the sink, and once the sound is cut short, she's already completely given up on hiding her laugh.

but alright, alright. she has to face this like a big girl. right. just come out of the stall and explain.

because really, she's not the one that was just man-scaping in a public bathroom, so. who's worse off here?

the door creeks as she unlocks it and pushes it open, and she holds both hands up like he's got a deadly weapon, a bright smirk on her face. at least she's not laughing now?? ]

I'm sorry. [ so much for not laughing ] I mean it. God, I'm sorry I freaked you out. I was just in here and then- I heard you, but then you didn't leave and I didn't want to make it awkward but- just- [ sighs! and gestures at the clipper in his hand ] What the hell are you doing? Like, what- what's going on here? I only ask because I can help, if you want. ..Not if you're just trying to shave your chest, that's- [ WICHITA STOP LAUGHING ] -that's not something I'm going to help with. But are you thinking about giving yourself a trim? Cause that I can do. It'll be penance for hiding out like a creep.

locke to peter burke;; second floor

[cons]

Neal, Neal, Neal-!

[ knock knock knock knock knock.

it's very obvious that Neal isn't answering his door, but she's going to keep knocking anyway, because maybe he's just asleep. she doesn't have anything all that important to tell him, in fact, she doesn't have anything to tell him at all. she just wants to be around him. needy as hell, she knows, but that's what happens when people are trapped in their pods and Neal was already gone for a month and immediately following that she was wearing a mask that made her keep her distance and so she feels like needy is okay right now. she can get away with it. right.

knock knock knock knock ]

Heyo, padre. Lemme in.

[ there's a very good chance he's just, you know, not there... BUT why would she text him and find out for sure when she could just keep knocking like a five year-old? yeah. this is more fun. takes up more time, anyway, which is good when she's got all the time in the freaking world. so she keeps knocking-

up until she notices someone else heading down the hall, and okay fine she'll stop. for now. she'll just turn and lean back against her door with her arms crossed over her middle and pretend this is normal. this could very well be her own door, she's just locked out. nobody has to know she's bugging the hell out of Neal Caffrey, especially someone that doesn't even live on this floor ( yes, she knows everyone on this floor, at least by face. and you sir, don't fit the description ). so she'll just wait it out.

oh here, have a friendly passing smile too.

unless he's not going to pass.

oh, why is he slowing down?

is he seriously stopping here-

at this door-

is-

damnit Neal!!! why doesn't she know all your friends yet? ]

-- Hi.

[ w a r y ]

[suit]

[ as a general thing, peter knows the names of the people neal has surrounded himself with. it's something he felt like he had to know and if the network wasn't down he'd have personally run what would have essentially been a background check.

but you know what, he's slowly but surely racking up the meetings with everyone who isn't asleep in their couches and— it'll do for now.

he's not in his suit, instead choosing to be in his blue jeans and t-shirt and well huh wichita you're interesting.

this is going to end badly. ]

Padre? [ because saying hi back? totally not on the menu just yet. ]

[cons]

[ there's a split second where she has to decide between two responses. one, being 'it's just a nickname', and the other- ]

It means 'dad' in el español.

[ naturally, she picks the worst of the two. and she's said it all matter-of-factly, like she's sure that's why he repeated it. ]

But... I guess he's out, so. I've got some time.

[ and she's assuming that means you have some time too, new guy. ]

Are you a friend of his?

[suit]

I speak it well enough to know it.

[ ...well sort of. look he's not another unicorn but it's enough to get by. but you know what just gonna barrel on here. ]

You should of actually texted him. Makes it so you're not stuck beating down his door.

[ a b e a t. ]

Yeah, I'm a friend from his home. [ which huh, is fun thinking about isn't it? neal caffrey might actually fucking stay in new york and his lessons are sinking in and this is lovely. ] I take it you know him from here.

[ implication: i know all his friends from home. you are not one of them. ]

KITCHEN; second floor

[peccadillo]

[ When he runs into her, he's eating.

Well, eating physical, actual you-can-touch food. He's holding a bowl... chex-mix, or whatever. He doesn't actually care for it until it goes scattering all over the floor.

Now, why is he on the second floor, of all places? Perhaps having his daily lurk until this place stroked at his interests, poking his head into every crevice he can manage, making mental notes here and there. He will know this ship in and out by the end of this day.

That was the plan until he became hungry. Patting at his stomach to quieten, yet grumbling how he might as well go blind this time, perhaps unmoving if this coma situation carries on. There are very few dreams for him to invade and chow for the day, so his presence must be obvious to someone at this point. A young face stepping on through until the dream shattered, blanking out and swallowed by a very hungry Dream Eater.

Today, he's trying to see how long he can last without doing that. Taking a step back from the possible danger of being recognized, involving himself in 'reality' and eating actual food.

Which is very little to help, actually. He's just bothered that the floor is dirty. ]

Well.

[ He simply stares down at the snack food crowding at their feet, furrowing his brows. ]

i'm only sort of sorry

[cons]

[ hup. what. why.

normally she'd have a wisecrack about this. normally, if someone bumped into her when she was raiding the kitchen, she would have some snarky distraction to throw out there just to take the attention away from the fact that her arms are full of random shit she probably shouldn't be taking out of the kitchen. but instead she's caught off guard, because she's managed to hold onto the few things she's picked up, so really her attention is just on the person she bumped into THAT CRASHED INTO HER(!!!), and the fact that he's looking ( key word here looking ) down at the mess on the floor ]

Aren't you blind?

[ oops that was rude ]

I mean, you're the kid from the network. You couldn't-

Really?

[ she thinks the blind thing was some kinda play now, and she's caught between feeling a tiny but offended and a tiny bit impressed. but mostly confused. ]

no ur not

[peccadillo]

[ And that is one mistake that he doesn't really see as mistake, but something to shrug off and forget. Despite the disagreement on Wichita's part, he just tilts his head so slightly, making sense of her tone.

Ah.

Noooope, not understanding it. ]

Was.

[ Bam, CORRECTED. There he goes crouching down to pick up the fallen pieces, keeping on his grouch face.

SUCH.

A.

WASTE! ]

NOPE I'M NOT

[cons]

So... You just... Got over it?

[ if you think she's going to let this go you are s o r e l y mistaken, sir. ]

Or was that just some kinda play? Feeling out how people react.

I did that when I first got here too.

Not by pretending to be blind, but I guess we can't all be as cut-throat as you.

[ squint ]

You're not planning on eating that are you? You should just leave it, I'm sure the space Roombas will be here any minute.

[showbizpanache]

[It's a day or so after his 'date' with Bells that Kurt decides to go find Wichita. Men have been driving him up the wall lately and he needs to spend time with a girl, goddamnit. That, and he feels like he really needs to check on the other TJ kids once in a while, just to make sure they haven't disappeared.

Maybe soon he'll check on John too, but not just yet.

He approaches her room with a box of cookies in hand, and knocks on her door.]

[cons]

[ lazy Wichita is being super lazy right now- ]

Who is it??

[ yes, she's laying on her bed. no, she doesn't want to get up. ]

[showbizpanache]

It's Kurt. May I come in?

[Because you never just walk into a girl's room, c'mon now.]

[cons]

Oh! Yeah, of course, dude. It's open.

[ WHICH ISN'T SMART, she knows. but. well. this time, it's worked out in her favor. ]