A Night in West Egg

[professorlionface]

WHO: EVERYBODY OF ALL AGES
WHERE: The Xavier Institute
WHEN: The night of June 16th, all night!
WARNINGS: Who can really tell anymore? Probable language. Possible violence. Copious dancing.
SUMMARY: PROM PROM PROM PROM PROM PROM PROM
FORMAT: OPEN

The guests into an auditorium transformed. Through the magic of papier mache, the room has been decked out like a speakeasy, the refreshments laid out on a very makeshift bar that will not stock alcohol as long as they can prevent it. The whole room is cast with a cool blue light, and a jazz band's been hired to take the stage for an hour before leaving the rest of the evening to the DJ.

It was time to get this party started.

quick-links!
DANCE FLOOR
REFRESHMENTS
SIDELINES
OUTSIDE

Comments

[cawky]

Not sure I'd call this asking.

[Still, one guy is better than an entire police force.]

Disagreement. She provoked me, I socked her in the face, she opened an old cut for my trouble. Pretty simple stuff.

[professorlionface]

It's a delicate situation, you'll pardon me if I'm mildly aggressive about this.

[He rubs his temple with one finger.] That is was sparked by a disagreement is a fairly simple extrapolation. Maybe you could help me understand what that disagreement was about?

[cawky]

Personal business, broski.

[...nope, looks like he's not budging, even with the police threat.]

Which means it ain't nobody's business but mine.

[professorlionface]

When personal business is kept private, perhaps. But bringing it to our doorstep, you've gone and involved quite a few others with it, as well.

[cawky]

You gonna call the cops, then? Cause from the looks of it, spiderbitch gave you the slip.

[professorlionface]

I'm sure she must have an actual name beyond that.

[cawky]

Yeah, but who gives a fuck about that?

[There's a short pause.]

Its Vriska.

[professorlionface]

Vriska... [It isn't one he's familiar with. As he figured, she's not one who's been a student in the past, unless she only started while he was in the mental hospital.]

She's from the Alternian set, correct?

[cawky]

Yeah. One of the trolls.

[professorlionface]

Was it a...hmm, romantic dispute?

[cawky]

[Is he deadpanning hard enough for you?]

Are you kidding me?

[professorlionface]

[He puts up his hands defensively.]

Hey, it wouldn't be the oddest thing I've seen!

[cawky]

Hell no. I'd rather slit my wrists while hanging myself off the cliff I just jumped off of.

[professorlionface]

Duly noted.

[He sighs and hunches a little.] Well, lacking any more information than you've seen fit to give, the only advice I can really give...which I'm sure you'll find useful, is to avoid her as best you can.

If something like this looks like it may happen again, please, please find someone else to step in before it comes to blows!

[cawky]

Whatever, dude.

[He pulls his arms up behind his head which, admitably, sounded like a better idea in his head considering the fact that there is still a needling in his arm. It hurts his arm and it stresses the muscles at this stomach, but he makes no display of it.]

[professorlionface]

Yes, that was about the response I expected. [Because it not only felt like lackluster advice, but the exact kind Dave wouldn't really take.] Do please mind the IV.

You know, John's a good kid. He's expressed concern for your...counterpart before, and I'm sure this will only extend it for yourself, as well.

[cawky]

[Dave's expression doesn't change, but he inwardly frowns. John must have been the one who called the ambulance then, seeing as he had made absolutely sure that John wasn't around when he had confronted Vriska initially.

He supposed he should've been happy to hear that, but for some odd reason, he wasn't. Maybe because he wasn't looking to be anyone's (especially John's) responsibility.

He also doesn't seem to care about the IV.]

What does he have to do with anything?

[May as well check to make sure.]

[professorlionface]

[Partly that this has proven an effective way of getting the attention of the Dave who isn't a bird in the past.]

He seems to take on a lot of responsibility for someone his age, I wouldn't like to see it piled on even more. And I imagine you wouldn't, either.

[cawky]

[Dave doesn't say anything to that, mostly because anything he can say could be too easily turned around. In the end, he settles on a hollow:]

Egbert can do what he wants.

[professorlionface]

As could be said of any of us. But there are large differences between "can" and "will". ...Or "should", for that matter.

Do you really think it would be better if he started ignoring you?

[cawky]

[Dave gives him a look at that. He sees what you're trying to do, and he's not falling for it.]

[professorlionface]

[He shifted a little uncomfortably. Well, he may have overplayed that hand. No point trying to be sneaky, at this point.]

Listen, the thing of it is, I'd like to avoid this happening once more, if I could. But I can't help you take preventative measures if you don't help me.

[cawky]

I'd have to care to take preventative measures.

Either way, you're probably not gonna see me back here. I came 'cause I was asked, not because I wanted to.

[professorlionface]

I'll admit that you'll be under no obligation to do so once you're in sufficient health to be released, but just because someone isn't a student here doesn't mean they shouldn't be entitled to the same safety we'd hope to extend to all children in this City, imPorts especially.