Olive Syncopton's Blog

I looked at the Visitor for an hour and all I got was this lousy arm. [profile picture made through Didimdal's Picrew]

[free-high-15s]

Y'know, when my dad told me on my way out the door that my college years were gonna be an adventure, I don't think he meant this. Not that I'm complaining much. This is way more interesting than sitting through core classes and studying for tests.

Anyway, hi. My name's Olive. College junior. Double arts majors- culinary and fine. Both coming in reeeeeal handy right now, of course. I knew I shoulda gone into medicine.

I'm a bit busy nowadays, but I'm down for a chat if you are. Or lending a hand with something. I've got three of 'em, after all. Just don't be weird. Everyone's got enough to deal with without throwing creeps into the mix.

Stay safe out there, yeah?

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Made this mainly for RPs I'm already a part of, but you can send asks if you really want to. I meant what I said about not being weird. No tolerance for suggestive/NSFW stuff.

I'm also a perfectionist, so be prepared for me to fiddle with... everything here.

Tags:

> Let me cook! -> IC ask answers > Bachelor's in rambling -> IC posts > Anyone got an aspirin? -> OOC stuff > Dots and dashes -> ... I wonder...

[notanarmyman]

Considering the circumstances that Memorial is in, would you most expect someone to walk into their room holding:

A) A sapper charge

B) Some sort of firearm

C) A cookies-'n'-cream cake

or

D) A deactivated landmite?

...

The "someone" in question is Olive Syncopton. Does that change your answer.

Hey Memorial!! Sorry for popping in unexpectedly, I made a cake and turned out not to be as hungry as I thought I was. Any interest in having some...? Figured you probably don't come many sweet treats these days, eheh...

-Olive

Y... y'know. Top 10 things they never thought they'd taste again being stuck here. It's weirdly specific.

Wow. Hey. Uh. Okay, sure. I'm not that much of a cake guy, but I'm down for something sweeter...

Of course, despite that, they still hesitate to approach! Aaaaaaaawwwhatever. It's seamless. Probably. Like that small window between walking into a room at a party and figuring out what to do and where to walk. They don't actually look up at Olive's face.

[free-high-15s]

Olive grins.

Alright, great! Sorry again to bother you.

Now, to cuuuuis there somewhere to put this down? Uh. There's a table. Right. Yeah. A table. A table that she kinda has to. Walk directly away from Memorial to get to, so that's a bit awkward, but hey! Since when have these two ever had an interaction that wasn't at least a LITTLE awkward? It's practically a given.

Gingerly brushing the grenade to the side (this isn't gonna go off if she touches it, right? That's not how grenades work? How DO grenades work? Note to self: look up how grenades work), she plops the cake down. She brought two plates and some plastic utensils. One of those dinky plastic knives to cut it with. Lucky the cake isn't frozen.

You're not a cake guy? I get that. Some of 'em can be reeeeeeeal sweet. What kind of things do you like better?

[notanarmyman]

Their hands took steps closer until they were hanging there next to her, over her shoulder. Man. When was the last time they ate something sweet again? Couldn't quiiiite remember if... she had brought them anything or not. And you can't really have much of a preference if you've never experienced it before.

Hmmmh... maybe cookies, I guess? Better than cake, in my opinion. Less jam-packed with sugar...

Ehhh, good enough. Sounds like a them thing. Whatever.

[free-high-15s]

More portable than cake too, huh. Should've thought of that. I got some weeeeeird looks from some of the non-lucids on the way here. On the plus side, though, I think I kept 'em confused enough that they didn't shoot at me! Unexpected benefits.

The cutting goes... surprisingly smoothly! Not that clean, obviously, but nothing terrible happens. No frustrated sawing at a spot that just won't cut or anything. Just a few seconds and plop. Slice on a plate. Fork. The normal deal. Olive hands Memorial theirs before cutting her own.

Here you go! Hope it's good, heh... I mean. It should be. This isn't the first time I've made stuff like this, don't worry. Not even since the Visitor arrived. And people thought the other stuff was good! Or. Well, they liked it! I think. I mean. They didn't shoot at me! Much. So! Win in my book.

... A) Why is she trying to justify herself to someone who has most certainly tasted her cooking before, and B) Why is she talking herself into a lot of questions she's not gonna wanna answer.

Anyway! Uh. So what's new with you?

[notanarmyman]

They hum, looking at the slice for a moment before leaning up on the nearby wall to eat. Because putting it BACK on the table would be Weird.

Tch... not much, to be honest. It's been weirdly quiet.

Besides the strange sixth conscript from awhile ago that they were 100% sure had some kind of attraction to them and that one guy with the pasta, that was. But they don't wanna unpack either of those.

The usual, for the most part. Random other conscript encounters veeery rarely... which is also usual. Mm. You're pretty lucky you got to, what, stun-lock them??

Nom. Man, the taste was a shock after having nothing like it in so long.

[free-high-15s]

I guess!! Think I even saw one of 'em do a bit of a double take. Walked into the room right as I was going across it and just stopped dead in their tracks. Pretty funny I'm not gonna question it. Sure would be nice if I could find a way to acclimate to 'em permanently, though. I do genuinely like talking to you, but it's... stressful to have to run the gauntlet every time. Think if I got my hands on one of your guys' helmets or something...?

Olive leans back against the table, setting her own plate down.

Or you know, maybe this is my sign that I should bring you guys more food. Unless they get used to it and start wanting some themselves. Then they might be. More likely to attack me? Normally I don't think it's a good idea to let wild animals associate people with food. Not that non-lucids are wild animals, but there's definitely some similarities...

... not that the situation now is a huge deal, though! Trust me. I can manage. At least a little bit. Not my first rodeo and all that. Or, well, it kinda was my first rodeo... not my only rodeo? Sure. The whole apartment building is dangerous, after all. There's obviously different kinds of danger, but the general rules stay the same. For the most part you just gotta be a little careful and you'll be fine! As far as I know. There might be some, like. Insta-death spots I don't know about, but I. I think I'm fine not knowing about those. There's definitely something to be said about knowing too much and all that. I'm one to talk, obviously, but...

.... wheeeeeeere is she going with this.

Buuuuuut the point is. Uh. Don't worry about me. And I'm glad things've been calm here! Probably means it's really boring, but that's better than whatever the heck is going on in the trenches out there. Shells dropping out of nowhere and all that. Still. I don't know if I have much, but... I could try to see if I have anything in my apartment to help you pass the time...? Like a Rubix cube or something. If you'd like!

Nod and grin like she didn't just unload an entire novella in about five minutes. Good grief...

[notanarmyman]

Ah, yes. Not quite the sacred "yapper and listener" duo, however the close sibling called "yapper and zone-out-er". Just nod back, chew, and say something that kinda seems like you were listening, Memorial.

If they are anything like wild animals, maybe it could be more like. How crows make little trades with humans. Y'know, food for shinies or money or whatever? Except it's food and... not getting assaulted, I guess.

Hooray!!!! You're so good at conversations, Memo!!!!! Why are they using that nickname, wait. Sssaaafghhhrhghsssscrew you, Sapper, for always using that and 'Mimi'.

...have they ever played with a Rubix cube??? At all??

I feel like I'd suck at a Rubix cube... hmmhh...

[free-high-15s]

Me too, honestly. I never understood 'em. Feel like there's a line between "pleasantly tricky" and "annoying" and they're on the wrong side of it. Eh. Probably shouldn't try to distract you too much, anyway.

Good idea about the trade-offs, though. Hm. I could probably come back with something and test it out. Some sort of pasta...? Guess I don't know how great they'd be with utensils. ... or how they'd handle me approaching them at all, food or not.

... well! Worst case scenario I just throw it in their face and run, right? I'll think about it.

[notanarmyman]

If they've been working with guns for as long as they can remember, I'd hope they know how to use a fork.

Bite. Chew, chew. Roll their head back for just a moment just as they swallow and get that weird feeling where their throat bulges slightly from the cake going down. Get reminded that they have no idea how their innards work anymore and become slightly distracted. Eugh.

...then again, maybe I shouldn't have high standards. Like. At all. But, hey, maybe you being around randomly enough times does get them used to you. As if you wouldn't risk getting killed just to test that theory.

[free-high-15s]

If Olive hears that last part, she doesn't call it out. Or maybe she has to admit it's true.

I dunno... I still feel like I get some pretty suspicious glances even from the ones that don't immediately shoot at me. Then again, I guess the fact that some of them don't immediately shoot at me to begin with miiiiiiiight be considered an improvement? And there's sometimes a guy in here, right? They haven't, like. Tried to assault me while I'm talking to you. So there's that... one can hope, right? It's nice to be optimistic sometimes.

[notanarmyman]

Mmh...

...don't let it get awkWARD, DUDE. WHY IS THE SILENCE SO UNCOMFORTABLE. For them, at least. Dunno if she was physically capable at this point felt the same in any way whatsoever. Egh. Chew, chew...

Still. Sometimes. If I were you, I would be expecting them to change their minds at any moment suddenly.

[free-high-15s]

Yeeeeeeeah, sounds like something they'd do. Fun...

... wait, that reminds me, where is that guy? I feel like it's common knowledge there's sometimes a non-lucid in here, but I couldn't tell you if I've ever actually seen them in here. Not... sure how I feel about that. Should I. Should I be concerned about that?

[notanarmyman]

...their head hesitantly looks in the direction where that conscript uuuuusually should be? Somewhere? They don't keep track. Getting slightly side-tracked from the whole 'being self-conscious' thing.

Mmmmaybe??? I've just been grateful that I get to be alone in here, but. I... never really wondered what it could be up to, I guess. Whatever those guys do in their free time...

[free-high-15s]

Olive stays rather silent for a moment, processing things.

Wait, so that implies that there's time that isn't free. Isn't it all technically free time? Does Henderson, like, give you guys jobs to do every once in a while? I don't even think I've seen Minesweeper ever laying mines or anything.

[notanarmyman]

Oohh. Getting real into the technical aspects of things, are we. Sigh.

...uhhhhh. Now that I think about it. Is all of their time non-free time? They seem... busy, but also not busy??? It's quite literally impossible to really... get into their heads and think how they think, so.

Are they making sense. The non-lucids always seem like they're on the move, always doing something... but they also like to go on their own things sometimes??? Too often to think they seem overworked?? Like. What are they even doing.

I just, eh... assume they don't have that much of it? Just a guess, though.

[free-high-15s]

Hm. Maaaaaybe it's just standard army duties stuff? Like I feel like from the little I know about military conditions it's like. People are decently busy but still have time to chat. I guess I could see it being like that. Same sort of mentality...

Gee, Memorial's almost done with their slice, and... oh, she hasn't had any. Okay. Glad they're completely on the same page. Glad both of them are enjoying the cake she made. Glad she's not currently just staring at them eat like a weirdo, that would be weird. Thank goodness that's NOT what's going on.

... Olive picks up her slice. Let's, uh. Let's actually get somewhere with this.

... I guess them being gone is better than them just staring at us, though! I don't reeeeeeally wanna be judged at by a non-lucid, eheh...

[notanarmyman]

It's... not like Memorial noticed the fact they were the only one eating, though. Too busy looking off to the side or down at their cake. Barely batted an eye.

Enough time to chat and enough time to fool around, apparently...

A lovely little grudge from times before!

...good point. At least they aren't staring. Usually. They make up for it by being creepy as hell when they do.

The tiniest of shivers creeps down their... back? Yeah, sure. That comment did hit a bit close to home. Not saying it was her fault! Just... something of their's... something that nags at them every time it happens. Even if they don't show it. Even if they WEREN'T looking directly at her.

[free-high-15s]

Olive doesn't really notice the shiver, but she does glance up when she hears their dog tags jangle a little. Looks a little confused before she blinks it off. Eh. More important things than a little dog tag movement.

Yeah, I get that. There's a whole lot of weird eyes around here. Sapper's in particular, but I swear I've seen some weird glowy ones occasionally. I... don't even wanna know with those, honestly. Ugh.

Wait, there was an important detail in there that probably needs to be addressed.

... fool around? Did something happen??

[notanarmyman]

From what I've seen, yeah, you don't wanna know...-

...hm. Maybe they, uh. Should not have made that comment. That was. A lot more obvious than they thought it would be. How were they gonna... explain that?? Y'know??? Because what came to mind as the truth was. Embarrassing.

Their tags rustled again under the scrutiny.

Uh. They... kind-of. I've had a handful of run-ins, we'll just say...

That's. Not good enough, probably, but whatever.

[free-high-15s]

IMMEDIATE attention. Cake gets set down again. Fork too, this time. Going all in. Already doing some sort of quick look-over, searching for... what, bullet holes? Sure, Olive. Memorial would tooooooootally be able to effortlessly hide a bullet wound so well for the past twenty minutes that she couldn't have noticed until now.

Run-ins? What sort of run-ins? Are you okay?

[notanarmyman]

Oookkkay and they literally just made it worse. That is all they did. Way to go. A third jingle.

...uh... yeah, yeah, I'm fine.

Their plate was empty now. They didn't notice it until they spared a glance down to it. After setting their fork in the middle, they just slid their plate back onto the table, wiping off the small amount of crumbs that stuck to them still.

It's... just that they really know how to make themselves look stupid.

Technically not untrue! They just really didn't want to tell stories at the moment, especially when they're. Being. Stared at.

[free-high-15s]

Olive had to think long and hard about whether or not she buys that. Sure, Memorial had lived in this warzone for twelve long years, in some capacity or another, and had spent at least some of them with full lucidity and absolutely zero love for General Henderson. And they hadn't gotten too badly hurt yet.

... that being said, this was still a warzone, and just because Olive wasn't adverse to getting into risky situations herself didn't mean she wasn't concerned when others got into them.

Maybe a sliiiiiight narrowing of the eyes. Undecided.

... oooooooookay. If you're... sure.

[notanarmyman]

...What? It's not like I'm lying. All I've gotten was... some bruises, maybe a couple cuts?? It's alright.

A pair of arms crossed themselves. Okay, they'll admit, maybe they're getting a bit too defensive here, but General god forbid they prefer to keep some things to themself... even if they brought it on themself by mentioning it first... whatever. Offhand comments. Change the topic. Don't let it get too weird.

Never-mind, just, uh...

...well. The... the cake's good, by the way. Thought I'd mention.

[free-high-15s]

... fine. Sure. Olive still wasn't comfortable with pressing TOO hard. It would've been better if Memorial hadn't gotten hurt at all, but given the circumstances it probably could've been a lot worse. Maybe she'd offer to get them some Band-Aids later, even so. She knew how much they disliked Surgeon...

Anyway. Yes. Cake.

Aw, thank you!! I'm glad to hear that. You want more? I can cut you another slice!...

[notanarmyman]

Considering the circumstances that Memorial is in, would you most expect someone to walk into their room holding:

A) A sapper charge

B) Some sort of firearm

C) A cookies-'n'-cream cake

or

D) A deactivated landmite?

...

The "someone" in question is Olive Syncopton. Does that change your answer.

Hey Memorial!! Sorry for popping in unexpectedly, I made a cake and turned out not to be as hungry as I thought I was. Any interest in having some...? Figured you probably don't come many sweet treats these days, eheh...

-Olive

Y... y'know. Top 10 things they never thought they'd taste again being stuck here. It's weirdly specific.

Wow. Hey. Uh. Okay, sure. I'm not that much of a cake guy, but I'm down for something sweeter...

Of course, despite that, they still hesitate to approach! Aaaaaaaawwwhatever. It's seamless. Probably. Like that small window between walking into a room at a party and figuring out what to do and where to walk. They don't actually look up at Olive's face.

[free-high-15s]

Olive grins.

Alright, great! Sorry again to bother you.

Now, to cuuuuis there somewhere to put this down? Uh. There's a table. Right. Yeah. A table. A table that she kinda has to. Walk directly away from Memorial to get to, so that's a bit awkward, but hey! Since when have these two ever had an interaction that wasn't at least a LITTLE awkward? It's practically a given.

Gingerly brushing the grenade to the side (this isn't gonna go off if she touches it, right? That's not how grenades work? How DO grenades work? Note to self: look up how grenades work), she plops the cake down. She brought two plates and some plastic utensils. One of those dinky plastic knives to cut it with. Lucky the cake isn't frozen.

You're not a cake guy? I get that. Some of 'em can be reeeeeeeal sweet. What kind of things do you like better?

[notanarmyman]

Their hands took steps closer until they were hanging there next to her, over her shoulder. Man. When was the last time they ate something sweet again? Couldn't quiiiite remember if... she had brought them anything or not. And you can't really have much of a preference if you've never experienced it before.

Hmmmh... maybe cookies, I guess? Better than cake, in my opinion. Less jam-packed with sugar...

Ehhh, good enough. Sounds like a them thing. Whatever.

[free-high-15s]

More portable than cake too, huh. Should've thought of that. I got some weeeeeird looks from some of the non-lucids on the way here. On the plus side, though, I think I kept 'em confused enough that they didn't shoot at me! Unexpected benefits.

The cutting goes... surprisingly smoothly! Not that clean, obviously, but nothing terrible happens. No frustrated sawing at a spot that just won't cut or anything. Just a few seconds and plop. Slice on a plate. Fork. The normal deal. Olive hands Memorial theirs before cutting her own.

Here you go! Hope it's good, heh... I mean. It should be. This isn't the first time I've made stuff like this, don't worry. Not even since the Visitor arrived. And people thought the other stuff was good! Or. Well, they liked it! I think. I mean. They didn't shoot at me! Much. So! Win in my book.

... A) Why is she trying to justify herself to someone who has most certainly tasted her cooking before, and B) Why is she talking herself into a lot of questions she's not gonna wanna answer.

Anyway! Uh. So what's new with you?

[notanarmyman]

They hum, looking at the slice for a moment before leaning up on the nearby wall to eat. Because putting it BACK on the table would be Weird.

Tch... not much, to be honest. It's been weirdly quiet.

Besides the strange sixth conscript from awhile ago that they were 100% sure had some kind of attraction to them and that one guy with the pasta, that was. But they don't wanna unpack either of those.

The usual, for the most part. Random other conscript encounters veeery rarely... which is also usual. Mm. You're pretty lucky you got to, what, stun-lock them??

Nom. Man, the taste was a shock after having nothing like it in so long.

[free-high-15s]

I guess!! Think I even saw one of 'em do a bit of a double take. Walked into the room right as I was going across it and just stopped dead in their tracks. Pretty funny I'm not gonna question it. Sure would be nice if I could find a way to acclimate to 'em permanently, though. I do genuinely like talking to you, but it's... stressful to have to run the gauntlet every time. Think if I got my hands on one of your guys' helmets or something...?

Olive leans back against the table, setting her own plate down.

Or you know, maybe this is my sign that I should bring you guys more food. Unless they get used to it and start wanting some themselves. Then they might be. More likely to attack me? Normally I don't think it's a good idea to let wild animals associate people with food. Not that non-lucids are wild animals, but there's definitely some similarities...

... not that the situation now is a huge deal, though! Trust me. I can manage. At least a little bit. Not my first rodeo and all that. Or, well, it kinda was my first rodeo... not my only rodeo? Sure. The whole apartment building is dangerous, after all. There's obviously different kinds of danger, but the general rules stay the same. For the most part you just gotta be a little careful and you'll be fine! As far as I know. There might be some, like. Insta-death spots I don't know about, but I. I think I'm fine not knowing about those. There's definitely something to be said about knowing too much and all that. I'm one to talk, obviously, but...

.... wheeeeeeere is she going with this.

Buuuuuut the point is. Uh. Don't worry about me. And I'm glad things've been calm here! Probably means it's really boring, but that's better than whatever the heck is going on in the trenches out there. Shells dropping out of nowhere and all that. Still. I don't know if I have much, but... I could try to see if I have anything in my apartment to help you pass the time...? Like a Rubix cube or something. If you'd like!

Nod and grin like she didn't just unload an entire novella in about five minutes. Good grief...

[notanarmyman]

Ah, yes. Not quite the sacred "yapper and listener" duo, however the close sibling called "yapper and zone-out-er". Just nod back, chew, and say something that kinda seems like you were listening, Memorial.

If they are anything like wild animals, maybe it could be more like. How crows make little trades with humans. Y'know, food for shinies or money or whatever? Except it's food and... not getting assaulted, I guess.

Hooray!!!! You're so good at conversations, Memo!!!!! Why are they using that nickname, wait. Sssaaafghhhrhghsssscrew you, Sapper, for always using that and 'Mimi'.

...have they ever played with a Rubix cube??? At all??

I feel like I'd suck at a Rubix cube... hmmhh...

[free-high-15s]

Me too, honestly. I never understood 'em. Feel like there's a line between "pleasantly tricky" and "annoying" and they're on the wrong side of it. Eh. Probably shouldn't try to distract you too much, anyway.

Good idea about the trade-offs, though. Hm. I could probably come back with something and test it out. Some sort of pasta...? Guess I don't know how great they'd be with utensils. ... or how they'd handle me approaching them at all, food or not.

... well! Worst case scenario I just throw it in their face and run, right? I'll think about it.

[notanarmyman]

If they've been working with guns for as long as they can remember, I'd hope they know how to use a fork.

Bite. Chew, chew. Roll their head back for just a moment just as they swallow and get that weird feeling where their throat bulges slightly from the cake going down. Get reminded that they have no idea how their innards work anymore and become slightly distracted. Eugh.

...then again, maybe I shouldn't have high standards. Like. At all. But, hey, maybe you being around randomly enough times does get them used to you. As if you wouldn't risk getting killed just to test that theory.

[free-high-15s]

If Olive hears that last part, she doesn't call it out. Or maybe she has to admit it's true.

I dunno... I still feel like I get some pretty suspicious glances even from the ones that don't immediately shoot at me. Then again, I guess the fact that some of them don't immediately shoot at me to begin with miiiiiiiight be considered an improvement? And there's sometimes a guy in here, right? They haven't, like. Tried to assault me while I'm talking to you. So there's that... one can hope, right? It's nice to be optimistic sometimes.

[notanarmyman]

Mmh...

...don't let it get awkWARD, DUDE. WHY IS THE SILENCE SO UNCOMFORTABLE. For them, at least. Dunno if she was physically capable at this point felt the same in any way whatsoever. Egh. Chew, chew...

Still. Sometimes. If I were you, I would be expecting them to change their minds at any moment suddenly.

[free-high-15s]

Yeeeeeeeah, sounds like something they'd do. Fun...

... wait, that reminds me, where is that guy? I feel like it's common knowledge there's sometimes a non-lucid in here, but I couldn't tell you if I've ever actually seen them in here. Not... sure how I feel about that. Should I. Should I be concerned about that?

[notanarmyman]

...their head hesitantly looks in the direction where that conscript uuuuusually should be? Somewhere? They don't keep track. Getting slightly side-tracked from the whole 'being self-conscious' thing.

Mmmmaybe??? I've just been grateful that I get to be alone in here, but. I... never really wondered what it could be up to, I guess. Whatever those guys do in their free time...

[free-high-15s]

Olive stays rather silent for a moment, processing things.

Wait, so that implies that there's time that isn't free. Isn't it all technically free time? Does Henderson, like, give you guys jobs to do every once in a while? I don't even think I've seen Minesweeper ever laying mines or anything.

[notanarmyman]

Oohh. Getting real into the technical aspects of things, are we. Sigh.

...uhhhhh. Now that I think about it. Is all of their time non-free time? They seem... busy, but also not busy??? It's quite literally impossible to really... get into their heads and think how they think, so.

Are they making sense. The non-lucids always seem like they're on the move, always doing something... but they also like to go on their own things sometimes??? Too often to think they seem overworked?? Like. What are they even doing.

I just, eh... assume they don't have that much of it? Just a guess, though.

[free-high-15s]

Hm. Maaaaaybe it's just standard army duties stuff? Like I feel like from the little I know about military conditions it's like. People are decently busy but still have time to chat. I guess I could see it being like that. Same sort of mentality...

Gee, Memorial's almost done with their slice, and... oh, she hasn't had any. Okay. Glad they're completely on the same page. Glad both of them are enjoying the cake she made. Glad she's not currently just staring at them eat like a weirdo, that would be weird. Thank goodness that's NOT what's going on.

... Olive picks up her slice. Let's, uh. Let's actually get somewhere with this.

... I guess them being gone is better than them just staring at us, though! I don't reeeeeeally wanna be judged at by a non-lucid, eheh...

[notanarmyman]

It's... not like Memorial noticed the fact they were the only one eating, though. Too busy looking off to the side or down at their cake. Barely batted an eye.

Enough time to chat and enough time to fool around, apparently...

A lovely little grudge from times before!

...good point. At least they aren't staring. Usually. They make up for it by being creepy as hell when they do.

The tiniest of shivers creeps down their... back? Yeah, sure. That comment did hit a bit close to home. Not saying it was her fault! Just... something of their's... something that nags at them every time it happens. Even if they don't show it. Even if they WEREN'T looking directly at her.

[free-high-15s]

Olive doesn't really notice the shiver, but she does glance up when she hears their dog tags jangle a little. Looks a little confused before she blinks it off. Eh. More important things than a little dog tag movement.

Yeah, I get that. There's a whole lot of weird eyes around here. Sapper's in particular, but I swear I've seen some weird glowy ones occasionally. I... don't even wanna know with those, honestly. Ugh.

Wait, there was an important detail in there that probably needs to be addressed.

... fool around? Did something happen??

[notanarmyman]

From what I've seen, yeah, you don't wanna know...-

...hm. Maybe they, uh. Should not have made that comment. That was. A lot more obvious than they thought it would be. How were they gonna... explain that?? Y'know??? Because what came to mind as the truth was. Embarrassing.

Their tags rustled again under the scrutiny.

Uh. They... kind-of. I've had a handful of run-ins, we'll just say...

That's. Not good enough, probably, but whatever.

[free-high-15s]

IMMEDIATE attention. Cake gets set down again. Fork too, this time. Going all in. Already doing some sort of quick look-over, searching for... what, bullet holes? Sure, Olive. Memorial would tooooooootally be able to effortlessly hide a bullet wound so well for the past twenty minutes that she couldn't have noticed until now.

Run-ins? What sort of run-ins? Are you okay?

[notanarmyman]

Oookkkay and they literally just made it worse. That is all they did. Way to go. A third jingle.

...uh... yeah, yeah, I'm fine.

Their plate was empty now. They didn't notice it until they spared a glance down to it. After setting their fork in the middle, they just slid their plate back onto the table, wiping off the small amount of crumbs that stuck to them still.

It's... just that they really know how to make themselves look stupid.

Technically not untrue! They just really didn't want to tell stories at the moment, especially when they're. Being. Stared at.

[free-high-15s]

Olive had to think long and hard about whether or not she buys that. Sure, Memorial had lived in this warzone for twelve long years, in some capacity or another, and had spent at least some of them with full lucidity and absolutely zero love for General Henderson. And they hadn't gotten too badly hurt yet.

... that being said, this was still a warzone, and just because Olive wasn't adverse to getting into risky situations herself didn't mean she wasn't concerned when others got into them.

Maybe a sliiiiiight narrowing of the eyes. Undecided.

... oooooooookay. If you're... sure.

[notanarmyman]

Considering the circumstances that Memorial is in, would you most expect someone to walk into their room holding:

A) A sapper charge

B) Some sort of firearm

C) A cookies-'n'-cream cake

or

D) A deactivated landmite?

...

The "someone" in question is Olive Syncopton. Does that change your answer.

Hey Memorial!! Sorry for popping in unexpectedly, I made a cake and turned out not to be as hungry as I thought I was. Any interest in having some...? Figured you probably don't come many sweet treats these days, eheh...

-Olive

Y... y'know. Top 10 things they never thought they'd taste again being stuck here. It's weirdly specific.

Wow. Hey. Uh. Okay, sure. I'm not that much of a cake guy, but I'm down for something sweeter...

Of course, despite that, they still hesitate to approach! Aaaaaaaawwwhatever. It's seamless. Probably. Like that small window between walking into a room at a party and figuring out what to do and where to walk. They don't actually look up at Olive's face.

[free-high-15s]

Olive grins.

Alright, great! Sorry again to bother you.

Now, to cuuuuis there somewhere to put this down? Uh. There's a table. Right. Yeah. A table. A table that she kinda has to. Walk directly away from Memorial to get to, so that's a bit awkward, but hey! Since when have these two ever had an interaction that wasn't at least a LITTLE awkward? It's practically a given.

Gingerly brushing the grenade to the side (this isn't gonna go off if she touches it, right? That's not how grenades work? How DO grenades work? Note to self: look up how grenades work), she plops the cake down. She brought two plates and some plastic utensils. One of those dinky plastic knives to cut it with. Lucky the cake isn't frozen.

You're not a cake guy? I get that. Some of 'em can be reeeeeeeal sweet. What kind of things do you like better?

[notanarmyman]

Their hands took steps closer until they were hanging there next to her, over her shoulder. Man. When was the last time they ate something sweet again? Couldn't quiiiite remember if... she had brought them anything or not. And you can't really have much of a preference if you've never experienced it before.

Hmmmh... maybe cookies, I guess? Better than cake, in my opinion. Less jam-packed with sugar...

Ehhh, good enough. Sounds like a them thing. Whatever.

[free-high-15s]

More portable than cake too, huh. Should've thought of that. I got some weeeeeird looks from some of the non-lucids on the way here. On the plus side, though, I think I kept 'em confused enough that they didn't shoot at me! Unexpected benefits.

The cutting goes... surprisingly smoothly! Not that clean, obviously, but nothing terrible happens. No frustrated sawing at a spot that just won't cut or anything. Just a few seconds and plop. Slice on a plate. Fork. The normal deal. Olive hands Memorial theirs before cutting her own.

Here you go! Hope it's good, heh... I mean. It should be. This isn't the first time I've made stuff like this, don't worry. Not even since the Visitor arrived. And people thought the other stuff was good! Or. Well, they liked it! I think. I mean. They didn't shoot at me! Much. So! Win in my book.

... A) Why is she trying to justify herself to someone who has most certainly tasted her cooking before, and B) Why is she talking herself into a lot of questions she's not gonna wanna answer.

Anyway! Uh. So what's new with you?

[notanarmyman]

They hum, looking at the slice for a moment before leaning up on the nearby wall to eat. Because putting it BACK on the table would be Weird.

Tch... not much, to be honest. It's been weirdly quiet.

Besides the strange sixth conscript from awhile ago that they were 100% sure had some kind of attraction to them and that one guy with the pasta, that was. But they don't wanna unpack either of those.

The usual, for the most part. Random other conscript encounters veeery rarely... which is also usual. Mm. You're pretty lucky you got to, what, stun-lock them??

Nom. Man, the taste was a shock after having nothing like it in so long.

[free-high-15s]

I guess!! Think I even saw one of 'em do a bit of a double take. Walked into the room right as I was going across it and just stopped dead in their tracks. Pretty funny I'm not gonna question it. Sure would be nice if I could find a way to acclimate to 'em permanently, though. I do genuinely like talking to you, but it's... stressful to have to run the gauntlet every time. Think if I got my hands on one of your guys' helmets or something...?

Olive leans back against the table, setting her own plate down.

Or you know, maybe this is my sign that I should bring you guys more food. Unless they get used to it and start wanting some themselves. Then they might be. More likely to attack me? Normally I don't think it's a good idea to let wild animals associate people with food. Not that non-lucids are wild animals, but there's definitely some similarities...

... not that the situation now is a huge deal, though! Trust me. I can manage. At least a little bit. Not my first rodeo and all that. Or, well, it kinda was my first rodeo... not my only rodeo? Sure. The whole apartment building is dangerous, after all. There's obviously different kinds of danger, but the general rules stay the same. For the most part you just gotta be a little careful and you'll be fine! As far as I know. There might be some, like. Insta-death spots I don't know about, but I. I think I'm fine not knowing about those. There's definitely something to be said about knowing too much and all that. I'm one to talk, obviously, but...

.... wheeeeeeere is she going with this.

Buuuuuut the point is. Uh. Don't worry about me. And I'm glad things've been calm here! Probably means it's really boring, but that's better than whatever the heck is going on in the trenches out there. Shells dropping out of nowhere and all that. Still. I don't know if I have much, but... I could try to see if I have anything in my apartment to help you pass the time...? Like a Rubix cube or something. If you'd like!

Nod and grin like she didn't just unload an entire novella in about five minutes. Good grief...

[notanarmyman]

Ah, yes. Not quite the sacred "yapper and listener" duo, however the close sibling called "yapper and zone-out-er". Just nod back, chew, and say something that kinda seems like you were listening, Memorial.

If they are anything like wild animals, maybe it could be more like. How crows make little trades with humans. Y'know, food for shinies or money or whatever? Except it's food and... not getting assaulted, I guess.

Hooray!!!! You're so good at conversations, Memo!!!!! Why are they using that nickname, wait. Sssaaafghhhrhghsssscrew you, Sapper, for always using that and 'Mimi'.

...have they ever played with a Rubix cube??? At all??

I feel like I'd suck at a Rubix cube... hmmhh...

[free-high-15s]

Me too, honestly. I never understood 'em. Feel like there's a line between "pleasantly tricky" and "annoying" and they're on the wrong side of it. Eh. Probably shouldn't try to distract you too much, anyway.

Good idea about the trade-offs, though. Hm. I could probably come back with something and test it out. Some sort of pasta...? Guess I don't know how great they'd be with utensils. ... or how they'd handle me approaching them at all, food or not.

... well! Worst case scenario I just throw it in their face and run, right? I'll think about it.

[notanarmyman]

If they've been working with guns for as long as they can remember, I'd hope they know how to use a fork.

Bite. Chew, chew. Roll their head back for just a moment just as they swallow and get that weird feeling where their throat bulges slightly from the cake going down. Get reminded that they have no idea how their innards work anymore and become slightly distracted. Eugh.

...then again, maybe I shouldn't have high standards. Like. At all. But, hey, maybe you being around randomly enough times does get them used to you. As if you wouldn't risk getting killed just to test that theory.

[free-high-15s]

If Olive hears that last part, she doesn't call it out. Or maybe she has to admit it's true.

I dunno... I still feel like I get some pretty suspicious glances even from the ones that don't immediately shoot at me. Then again, I guess the fact that some of them don't immediately shoot at me to begin with miiiiiiiight be considered an improvement? And there's sometimes a guy in here, right? They haven't, like. Tried to assault me while I'm talking to you. So there's that... one can hope, right? It's nice to be optimistic sometimes.

[notanarmyman]

Mmh...

...don't let it get awkWARD, DUDE. WHY IS THE SILENCE SO UNCOMFORTABLE. For them, at least. Dunno if she was physically capable at this point felt the same in any way whatsoever. Egh. Chew, chew...

Still. Sometimes. If I were you, I would be expecting them to change their minds at any moment suddenly.

[free-high-15s]

Yeeeeeeeah, sounds like something they'd do. Fun...

... wait, that reminds me, where is that guy? I feel like it's common knowledge there's sometimes a non-lucid in here, but I couldn't tell you if I've ever actually seen them in here. Not... sure how I feel about that. Should I. Should I be concerned about that?

[notanarmyman]

...their head hesitantly looks in the direction where that conscript uuuuusually should be? Somewhere? They don't keep track. Getting slightly side-tracked from the whole 'being self-conscious' thing.

Mmmmaybe??? I've just been grateful that I get to be alone in here, but. I... never really wondered what it could be up to, I guess. Whatever those guys do in their free time...

[free-high-15s]

Olive stays rather silent for a moment, processing things.

Wait, so that implies that there's time that isn't free. Isn't it all technically free time? Does Henderson, like, give you guys jobs to do every once in a while? I don't even think I've seen Minesweeper ever laying mines or anything.

[notanarmyman]

Oohh. Getting real into the technical aspects of things, are we. Sigh.

...uhhhhh. Now that I think about it. Is all of their time non-free time? They seem... busy, but also not busy??? It's quite literally impossible to really... get into their heads and think how they think, so.

Are they making sense. The non-lucids always seem like they're on the move, always doing something... but they also like to go on their own things sometimes??? Too often to think they seem overworked?? Like. What are they even doing.

I just, eh... assume they don't have that much of it? Just a guess, though.

[free-high-15s]

Hm. Maaaaaybe it's just standard army duties stuff? Like I feel like from the little I know about military conditions it's like. People are decently busy but still have time to chat. I guess I could see it being like that. Same sort of mentality...

Gee, Memorial's almost done with their slice, and... oh, she hasn't had any. Okay. Glad they're completely on the same page. Glad both of them are enjoying the cake she made. Glad she's not currently just staring at them eat like a weirdo, that would be weird. Thank goodness that's NOT what's going on.

... Olive picks up her slice. Let's, uh. Let's actually get somewhere with this.

... I guess them being gone is better than them just staring at us, though! I don't reeeeeeally wanna be judged at by a non-lucid, eheh...

[notanarmyman]

It's... not like Memorial noticed the fact they were the only one eating, though. Too busy looking off to the side or down at their cake. Barely batted an eye.

Enough time to chat and enough time to fool around, apparently...

A lovely little grudge from times before!

...good point. At least they aren't staring. Usually. They make up for it by being creepy as hell when they do.

The tiniest of shivers creeps down their... back? Yeah, sure. That comment did hit a bit close to home. Not saying it was her fault! Just... something of their's... something that nags at them every time it happens. Even if they don't show it. Even if they WEREN'T looking directly at her.

[free-high-15s]

Olive doesn't really notice the shiver, but she does glance up when she hears their dog tags jangle a little. Looks a little confused before she blinks it off. Eh. More important things than a little dog tag movement.

Yeah, I get that. There's a whole lot of weird eyes around here. Sapper's in particular, but I swear I've seen some weird glowy ones occasionally. I... don't even wanna know with those, honestly. Ugh.

Wait, there was an important detail in there that probably needs to be addressed.

... fool around? Did something happen??

[notanarmyman]

From what I've seen, yeah, you don't wanna know...-

...hm. Maybe they, uh. Should not have made that comment. That was. A lot more obvious than they thought it would be. How were they gonna... explain that?? Y'know??? Because what came to mind as the truth was. Embarrassing.

Their tags rustled again under the scrutiny.

Uh. They... kind-of. I've had a handful of run-ins, we'll just say...

That's. Not good enough, probably, but whatever.

[free-high-15s]

IMMEDIATE attention. Cake gets set down again. Fork too, this time. Going all in. Already doing some sort of quick look-over, searching for... what, bullet holes? Sure, Olive. Memorial would tooooooootally be able to effortlessly hide a bullet wound so well for the past twenty minutes that she couldn't have noticed until now.

Run-ins? What sort of run-ins? Are you okay?

[notanarmyman]

Considering the circumstances that Memorial is in, would you most expect someone to walk into their room holding:

A) A sapper charge

B) Some sort of firearm

C) A cookies-'n'-cream cake

or

D) A deactivated landmite?

...

The "someone" in question is Olive Syncopton. Does that change your answer.

Hey Memorial!! Sorry for popping in unexpectedly, I made a cake and turned out not to be as hungry as I thought I was. Any interest in having some...? Figured you probably don't come many sweet treats these days, eheh...

-Olive

Y... y'know. Top 10 things they never thought they'd taste again being stuck here. It's weirdly specific.

Wow. Hey. Uh. Okay, sure. I'm not that much of a cake guy, but I'm down for something sweeter...

Of course, despite that, they still hesitate to approach! Aaaaaaaawwwhatever. It's seamless. Probably. Like that small window between walking into a room at a party and figuring out what to do and where to walk. They don't actually look up at Olive's face.

[free-high-15s]

Olive grins.

Alright, great! Sorry again to bother you.

Now, to cuuuuis there somewhere to put this down? Uh. There's a table. Right. Yeah. A table. A table that she kinda has to. Walk directly away from Memorial to get to, so that's a bit awkward, but hey! Since when have these two ever had an interaction that wasn't at least a LITTLE awkward? It's practically a given.

Gingerly brushing the grenade to the side (this isn't gonna go off if she touches it, right? That's not how grenades work? How DO grenades work? Note to self: look up how grenades work), she plops the cake down. She brought two plates and some plastic utensils. One of those dinky plastic knives to cut it with. Lucky the cake isn't frozen.

You're not a cake guy? I get that. Some of 'em can be reeeeeeeal sweet. What kind of things do you like better?

[notanarmyman]

Their hands took steps closer until they were hanging there next to her, over her shoulder. Man. When was the last time they ate something sweet again? Couldn't quiiiite remember if... she had brought them anything or not. And you can't really have much of a preference if you've never experienced it before.

Hmmmh... maybe cookies, I guess? Better than cake, in my opinion. Less jam-packed with sugar...

Ehhh, good enough. Sounds like a them thing. Whatever.

[free-high-15s]

More portable than cake too, huh. Should've thought of that. I got some weeeeeird looks from some of the non-lucids on the way here. On the plus side, though, I think I kept 'em confused enough that they didn't shoot at me! Unexpected benefits.

The cutting goes... surprisingly smoothly! Not that clean, obviously, but nothing terrible happens. No frustrated sawing at a spot that just won't cut or anything. Just a few seconds and plop. Slice on a plate. Fork. The normal deal. Olive hands Memorial theirs before cutting her own.

Here you go! Hope it's good, heh... I mean. It should be. This isn't the first time I've made stuff like this, don't worry. Not even since the Visitor arrived. And people thought the other stuff was good! Or. Well, they liked it! I think. I mean. They didn't shoot at me! Much. So! Win in my book.

... A) Why is she trying to justify herself to someone who has most certainly tasted her cooking before, and B) Why is she talking herself into a lot of questions she's not gonna wanna answer.

Anyway! Uh. So what's new with you?

[notanarmyman]

They hum, looking at the slice for a moment before leaning up on the nearby wall to eat. Because putting it BACK on the table would be Weird.

Tch... not much, to be honest. It's been weirdly quiet.

Besides the strange sixth conscript from awhile ago that they were 100% sure had some kind of attraction to them and that one guy with the pasta, that was. But they don't wanna unpack either of those.

The usual, for the most part. Random other conscript encounters veeery rarely... which is also usual. Mm. You're pretty lucky you got to, what, stun-lock them??

Nom. Man, the taste was a shock after having nothing like it in so long.

[free-high-15s]

I guess!! Think I even saw one of 'em do a bit of a double take. Walked into the room right as I was going across it and just stopped dead in their tracks. Pretty funny I'm not gonna question it. Sure would be nice if I could find a way to acclimate to 'em permanently, though. I do genuinely like talking to you, but it's... stressful to have to run the gauntlet every time. Think if I got my hands on one of your guys' helmets or something...?

Olive leans back against the table, setting her own plate down.

Or you know, maybe this is my sign that I should bring you guys more food. Unless they get used to it and start wanting some themselves. Then they might be. More likely to attack me? Normally I don't think it's a good idea to let wild animals associate people with food. Not that non-lucids are wild animals, but there's definitely some similarities...

... not that the situation now is a huge deal, though! Trust me. I can manage. At least a little bit. Not my first rodeo and all that. Or, well, it kinda was my first rodeo... not my only rodeo? Sure. The whole apartment building is dangerous, after all. There's obviously different kinds of danger, but the general rules stay the same. For the most part you just gotta be a little careful and you'll be fine! As far as I know. There might be some, like. Insta-death spots I don't know about, but I. I think I'm fine not knowing about those. There's definitely something to be said about knowing too much and all that. I'm one to talk, obviously, but...

.... wheeeeeeere is she going with this.

Buuuuuut the point is. Uh. Don't worry about me. And I'm glad things've been calm here! Probably means it's really boring, but that's better than whatever the heck is going on in the trenches out there. Shells dropping out of nowhere and all that. Still. I don't know if I have much, but... I could try to see if I have anything in my apartment to help you pass the time...? Like a Rubix cube or something. If you'd like!

Nod and grin like she didn't just unload an entire novella in about five minutes. Good grief...

[notanarmyman]

Ah, yes. Not quite the sacred "yapper and listener" duo, however the close sibling called "yapper and zone-out-er". Just nod back, chew, and say something that kinda seems like you were listening, Memorial.

If they are anything like wild animals, maybe it could be more like. How crows make little trades with humans. Y'know, food for shinies or money or whatever? Except it's food and... not getting assaulted, I guess.

Hooray!!!! You're so good at conversations, Memo!!!!! Why are they using that nickname, wait. Sssaaafghhhrhghsssscrew you, Sapper, for always using that and 'Mimi'.

...have they ever played with a Rubix cube??? At all??

I feel like I'd suck at a Rubix cube... hmmhh...

[free-high-15s]

Me too, honestly. I never understood 'em. Feel like there's a line between "pleasantly tricky" and "annoying" and they're on the wrong side of it. Eh. Probably shouldn't try to distract you too much, anyway.

Good idea about the trade-offs, though. Hm. I could probably come back with something and test it out. Some sort of pasta...? Guess I don't know how great they'd be with utensils. ... or how they'd handle me approaching them at all, food or not.

... well! Worst case scenario I just throw it in their face and run, right? I'll think about it.

[notanarmyman]

If they've been working with guns for as long as they can remember, I'd hope they know how to use a fork.

Bite. Chew, chew. Roll their head back for just a moment just as they swallow and get that weird feeling where their throat bulges slightly from the cake going down. Get reminded that they have no idea how their innards work anymore and become slightly distracted. Eugh.

...then again, maybe I shouldn't have high standards. Like. At all. But, hey, maybe you being around randomly enough times does get them used to you. As if you wouldn't risk getting killed just to test that theory.

[free-high-15s]

If Olive hears that last part, she doesn't call it out. Or maybe she has to admit it's true.

I dunno... I still feel like I get some pretty suspicious glances even from the ones that don't immediately shoot at me. Then again, I guess the fact that some of them don't immediately shoot at me to begin with miiiiiiiight be considered an improvement? And there's sometimes a guy in here, right? They haven't, like. Tried to assault me while I'm talking to you. So there's that... one can hope, right? It's nice to be optimistic sometimes.

[notanarmyman]

Mmh...

...don't let it get awkWARD, DUDE. WHY IS THE SILENCE SO UNCOMFORTABLE. For them, at least. Dunno if she was physically capable at this point felt the same in any way whatsoever. Egh. Chew, chew...

Still. Sometimes. If I were you, I would be expecting them to change their minds at any moment suddenly.

[free-high-15s]

Yeeeeeeeah, sounds like something they'd do. Fun...

... wait, that reminds me, where is that guy? I feel like it's common knowledge there's sometimes a non-lucid in here, but I couldn't tell you if I've ever actually seen them in here. Not... sure how I feel about that. Should I. Should I be concerned about that?

[notanarmyman]

...their head hesitantly looks in the direction where that conscript uuuuusually should be? Somewhere? They don't keep track. Getting slightly side-tracked from the whole 'being self-conscious' thing.

Mmmmaybe??? I've just been grateful that I get to be alone in here, but. I... never really wondered what it could be up to, I guess. Whatever those guys do in their free time...

[free-high-15s]

Olive stays rather silent for a moment, processing things.

Wait, so that implies that there's time that isn't free. Isn't it all technically free time? Does Henderson, like, give you guys jobs to do every once in a while? I don't even think I've seen Minesweeper ever laying mines or anything.

[notanarmyman]

Oohh. Getting real into the technical aspects of things, are we. Sigh.

...uhhhhh. Now that I think about it. Is all of their time non-free time? They seem... busy, but also not busy??? It's quite literally impossible to really... get into their heads and think how they think, so.

Are they making sense. The non-lucids always seem like they're on the move, always doing something... but they also like to go on their own things sometimes??? Too often to think they seem overworked?? Like. What are they even doing.

I just, eh... assume they don't have that much of it? Just a guess, though.

[free-high-15s]

Hm. Maaaaaybe it's just standard army duties stuff? Like I feel like from the little I know about military conditions it's like. People are decently busy but still have time to chat. I guess I could see it being like that. Same sort of mentality...

Gee, Memorial's almost done with their slice, and... oh, she hasn't had any. Okay. Glad they're completely on the same page. Glad both of them are enjoying the cake she made. Glad she's not currently just staring at them eat like a weirdo, that would be weird. Thank goodness that's NOT what's going on.

... Olive picks up her slice. Let's, uh. Let's actually get somewhere with this.

... I guess them being gone is better than them just staring at us, though! I don't reeeeeeally wanna be judged at by a non-lucid, eheh...

[notanarmyman]

It's... not like Memorial noticed the fact they were the only one eating, though. Too busy looking off to the side or down at their cake. Barely batted an eye.

Enough time to chat and enough time to fool around, apparently...

A lovely little grudge from times before!

...good point. At least they aren't staring. Usually. They make up for it by being creepy as hell when they do.

The tiniest of shivers creeps down their... back? Yeah, sure. That comment did hit a bit close to home. Not saying it was her fault! Just... something of their's... something that nags at them every time it happens. Even if they don't show it. Even if they WEREN'T looking directly at her.

[free-high-15s]

Olive doesn't really notice the shiver, but she does glance up when she hears their dog tags jangle a little. Looks a little confused before she blinks it off. Eh. More important things than a little dog tag movement.

Yeah, I get that. There's a whole lot of weird eyes around here. Sapper's in particular, but I swear I've seen some weird glowy ones occasionally. I... don't even wanna know with those, honestly. Ugh.

Wait, there was an important detail in there that probably needs to be addressed.

... fool around? Did something happen??

[notanarmyman]

Considering the circumstances that Memorial is in, would you most expect someone to walk into their room holding:

A) A sapper charge

B) Some sort of firearm

C) A cookies-'n'-cream cake

or

D) A deactivated landmite?

...

The "someone" in question is Olive Syncopton. Does that change your answer.

Hey Memorial!! Sorry for popping in unexpectedly, I made a cake and turned out not to be as hungry as I thought I was. Any interest in having some...? Figured you probably don't come many sweet treats these days, eheh...

-Olive

Y... y'know. Top 10 things they never thought they'd taste again being stuck here. It's weirdly specific.

Wow. Hey. Uh. Okay, sure. I'm not that much of a cake guy, but I'm down for something sweeter...

Of course, despite that, they still hesitate to approach! Aaaaaaaawwwhatever. It's seamless. Probably. Like that small window between walking into a room at a party and figuring out what to do and where to walk. They don't actually look up at Olive's face.

[free-high-15s]

Olive grins.

Alright, great! Sorry again to bother you.

Now, to cuuuuis there somewhere to put this down? Uh. There's a table. Right. Yeah. A table. A table that she kinda has to. Walk directly away from Memorial to get to, so that's a bit awkward, but hey! Since when have these two ever had an interaction that wasn't at least a LITTLE awkward? It's practically a given.

Gingerly brushing the grenade to the side (this isn't gonna go off if she touches it, right? That's not how grenades work? How DO grenades work? Note to self: look up how grenades work), she plops the cake down. She brought two plates and some plastic utensils. One of those dinky plastic knives to cut it with. Lucky the cake isn't frozen.

You're not a cake guy? I get that. Some of 'em can be reeeeeeeal sweet. What kind of things do you like better?

[notanarmyman]

Their hands took steps closer until they were hanging there next to her, over her shoulder. Man. When was the last time they ate something sweet again? Couldn't quiiiite remember if... she had brought them anything or not. And you can't really have much of a preference if you've never experienced it before.

Hmmmh... maybe cookies, I guess? Better than cake, in my opinion. Less jam-packed with sugar...

Ehhh, good enough. Sounds like a them thing. Whatever.

[free-high-15s]

More portable than cake too, huh. Should've thought of that. I got some weeeeeird looks from some of the non-lucids on the way here. On the plus side, though, I think I kept 'em confused enough that they didn't shoot at me! Unexpected benefits.

The cutting goes... surprisingly smoothly! Not that clean, obviously, but nothing terrible happens. No frustrated sawing at a spot that just won't cut or anything. Just a few seconds and plop. Slice on a plate. Fork. The normal deal. Olive hands Memorial theirs before cutting her own.

Here you go! Hope it's good, heh... I mean. It should be. This isn't the first time I've made stuff like this, don't worry. Not even since the Visitor arrived. And people thought the other stuff was good! Or. Well, they liked it! I think. I mean. They didn't shoot at me! Much. So! Win in my book.

... A) Why is she trying to justify herself to someone who has most certainly tasted her cooking before, and B) Why is she talking herself into a lot of questions she's not gonna wanna answer.

Anyway! Uh. So what's new with you?

[notanarmyman]

They hum, looking at the slice for a moment before leaning up on the nearby wall to eat. Because putting it BACK on the table would be Weird.

Tch... not much, to be honest. It's been weirdly quiet.

Besides the strange sixth conscript from awhile ago that they were 100% sure had some kind of attraction to them and that one guy with the pasta, that was. But they don't wanna unpack either of those.

The usual, for the most part. Random other conscript encounters veeery rarely... which is also usual. Mm. You're pretty lucky you got to, what, stun-lock them??

Nom. Man, the taste was a shock after having nothing like it in so long.

[free-high-15s]

I guess!! Think I even saw one of 'em do a bit of a double take. Walked into the room right as I was going across it and just stopped dead in their tracks. Pretty funny I'm not gonna question it. Sure would be nice if I could find a way to acclimate to 'em permanently, though. I do genuinely like talking to you, but it's... stressful to have to run the gauntlet every time. Think if I got my hands on one of your guys' helmets or something...?

Olive leans back against the table, setting her own plate down.

Or you know, maybe this is my sign that I should bring you guys more food. Unless they get used to it and start wanting some themselves. Then they might be. More likely to attack me? Normally I don't think it's a good idea to let wild animals associate people with food. Not that non-lucids are wild animals, but there's definitely some similarities...

... not that the situation now is a huge deal, though! Trust me. I can manage. At least a little bit. Not my first rodeo and all that. Or, well, it kinda was my first rodeo... not my only rodeo? Sure. The whole apartment building is dangerous, after all. There's obviously different kinds of danger, but the general rules stay the same. For the most part you just gotta be a little careful and you'll be fine! As far as I know. There might be some, like. Insta-death spots I don't know about, but I. I think I'm fine not knowing about those. There's definitely something to be said about knowing too much and all that. I'm one to talk, obviously, but...

.... wheeeeeeere is she going with this.

Buuuuuut the point is. Uh. Don't worry about me. And I'm glad things've been calm here! Probably means it's really boring, but that's better than whatever the heck is going on in the trenches out there. Shells dropping out of nowhere and all that. Still. I don't know if I have much, but... I could try to see if I have anything in my apartment to help you pass the time...? Like a Rubix cube or something. If you'd like!

Nod and grin like she didn't just unload an entire novella in about five minutes. Good grief...

[notanarmyman]

Ah, yes. Not quite the sacred "yapper and listener" duo, however the close sibling called "yapper and zone-out-er". Just nod back, chew, and say something that kinda seems like you were listening, Memorial.

If they are anything like wild animals, maybe it could be more like. How crows make little trades with humans. Y'know, food for shinies or money or whatever? Except it's food and... not getting assaulted, I guess.

Hooray!!!! You're so good at conversations, Memo!!!!! Why are they using that nickname, wait. Sssaaafghhhrhghsssscrew you, Sapper, for always using that and 'Mimi'.

...have they ever played with a Rubix cube??? At all??

I feel like I'd suck at a Rubix cube... hmmhh...

[free-high-15s]

Me too, honestly. I never understood 'em. Feel like there's a line between "pleasantly tricky" and "annoying" and they're on the wrong side of it. Eh. Probably shouldn't try to distract you too much, anyway.

Good idea about the trade-offs, though. Hm. I could probably come back with something and test it out. Some sort of pasta...? Guess I don't know how great they'd be with utensils. ... or how they'd handle me approaching them at all, food or not.

... well! Worst case scenario I just throw it in their face and run, right? I'll think about it.

[notanarmyman]

If they've been working with guns for as long as they can remember, I'd hope they know how to use a fork.

Bite. Chew, chew. Roll their head back for just a moment just as they swallow and get that weird feeling where their throat bulges slightly from the cake going down. Get reminded that they have no idea how their innards work anymore and become slightly distracted. Eugh.

...then again, maybe I shouldn't have high standards. Like. At all. But, hey, maybe you being around randomly enough times does get them used to you. As if you wouldn't risk getting killed just to test that theory.

[free-high-15s]

If Olive hears that last part, she doesn't call it out. Or maybe she has to admit it's true.

I dunno... I still feel like I get some pretty suspicious glances even from the ones that don't immediately shoot at me. Then again, I guess the fact that some of them don't immediately shoot at me to begin with miiiiiiiight be considered an improvement? And there's sometimes a guy in here, right? They haven't, like. Tried to assault me while I'm talking to you. So there's that... one can hope, right? It's nice to be optimistic sometimes.

[notanarmyman]

Mmh...

...don't let it get awkWARD, DUDE. WHY IS THE SILENCE SO UNCOMFORTABLE. For them, at least. Dunno if she was physically capable at this point felt the same in any way whatsoever. Egh. Chew, chew...

Still. Sometimes. If I were you, I would be expecting them to change their minds at any moment suddenly.

[free-high-15s]

Yeeeeeeeah, sounds like something they'd do. Fun...

... wait, that reminds me, where is that guy? I feel like it's common knowledge there's sometimes a non-lucid in here, but I couldn't tell you if I've ever actually seen them in here. Not... sure how I feel about that. Should I. Should I be concerned about that?

[notanarmyman]

...their head hesitantly looks in the direction where that conscript uuuuusually should be? Somewhere? They don't keep track. Getting slightly side-tracked from the whole 'being self-conscious' thing.

Mmmmaybe??? I've just been grateful that I get to be alone in here, but. I... never really wondered what it could be up to, I guess. Whatever those guys do in their free time...

[free-high-15s]

Olive stays rather silent for a moment, processing things.

Wait, so that implies that there's time that isn't free. Isn't it all technically free time? Does Henderson, like, give you guys jobs to do every once in a while? I don't even think I've seen Minesweeper ever laying mines or anything.

[notanarmyman]

Oohh. Getting real into the technical aspects of things, are we. Sigh.

...uhhhhh. Now that I think about it. Is all of their time non-free time? They seem... busy, but also not busy??? It's quite literally impossible to really... get into their heads and think how they think, so.

Are they making sense. The non-lucids always seem like they're on the move, always doing something... but they also like to go on their own things sometimes??? Too often to think they seem overworked?? Like. What are they even doing.

I just, eh... assume they don't have that much of it? Just a guess, though.

[free-high-15s]

Hm. Maaaaaybe it's just standard army duties stuff? Like I feel like from the little I know about military conditions it's like. People are decently busy but still have time to chat. I guess I could see it being like that. Same sort of mentality...

Gee, Memorial's almost done with their slice, and... oh, she hasn't had any. Okay. Glad they're completely on the same page. Glad both of them are enjoying the cake she made. Glad she's not currently just staring at them eat like a weirdo, that would be weird. Thank goodness that's NOT what's going on.

... Olive picks up her slice. Let's, uh. Let's actually get somewhere with this.

... I guess them being gone is better than them just staring at us, though! I don't reeeeeeally wanna be judged at by a non-lucid, eheh...

[notanarmyman]

Considering the circumstances that Memorial is in, would you most expect someone to walk into their room holding:

A) A sapper charge

B) Some sort of firearm

C) A cookies-'n'-cream cake

or

D) A deactivated landmite?

...

The "someone" in question is Olive Syncopton. Does that change your answer.

Hey Memorial!! Sorry for popping in unexpectedly, I made a cake and turned out not to be as hungry as I thought I was. Any interest in having some...? Figured you probably don't come many sweet treats these days, eheh...

-Olive

Y... y'know. Top 10 things they never thought they'd taste again being stuck here. It's weirdly specific.

Wow. Hey. Uh. Okay, sure. I'm not that much of a cake guy, but I'm down for something sweeter...

Of course, despite that, they still hesitate to approach! Aaaaaaaawwwhatever. It's seamless. Probably. Like that small window between walking into a room at a party and figuring out what to do and where to walk. They don't actually look up at Olive's face.

[free-high-15s]

Olive grins.

Alright, great! Sorry again to bother you.

Now, to cuuuuis there somewhere to put this down? Uh. There's a table. Right. Yeah. A table. A table that she kinda has to. Walk directly away from Memorial to get to, so that's a bit awkward, but hey! Since when have these two ever had an interaction that wasn't at least a LITTLE awkward? It's practically a given.

Gingerly brushing the grenade to the side (this isn't gonna go off if she touches it, right? That's not how grenades work? How DO grenades work? Note to self: look up how grenades work), she plops the cake down. She brought two plates and some plastic utensils. One of those dinky plastic knives to cut it with. Lucky the cake isn't frozen.

You're not a cake guy? I get that. Some of 'em can be reeeeeeeal sweet. What kind of things do you like better?

[notanarmyman]

Their hands took steps closer until they were hanging there next to her, over her shoulder. Man. When was the last time they ate something sweet again? Couldn't quiiiite remember if... she had brought them anything or not. And you can't really have much of a preference if you've never experienced it before.

Hmmmh... maybe cookies, I guess? Better than cake, in my opinion. Less jam-packed with sugar...

Ehhh, good enough. Sounds like a them thing. Whatever.

[free-high-15s]

More portable than cake too, huh. Should've thought of that. I got some weeeeeird looks from some of the non-lucids on the way here. On the plus side, though, I think I kept 'em confused enough that they didn't shoot at me! Unexpected benefits.

The cutting goes... surprisingly smoothly! Not that clean, obviously, but nothing terrible happens. No frustrated sawing at a spot that just won't cut or anything. Just a few seconds and plop. Slice on a plate. Fork. The normal deal. Olive hands Memorial theirs before cutting her own.

Here you go! Hope it's good, heh... I mean. It should be. This isn't the first time I've made stuff like this, don't worry. Not even since the Visitor arrived. And people thought the other stuff was good! Or. Well, they liked it! I think. I mean. They didn't shoot at me! Much. So! Win in my book.

... A) Why is she trying to justify herself to someone who has most certainly tasted her cooking before, and B) Why is she talking herself into a lot of questions she's not gonna wanna answer.

Anyway! Uh. So what's new with you?

[notanarmyman]

They hum, looking at the slice for a moment before leaning up on the nearby wall to eat. Because putting it BACK on the table would be Weird.

Tch... not much, to be honest. It's been weirdly quiet.

Besides the strange sixth conscript from awhile ago that they were 100% sure had some kind of attraction to them and that one guy with the pasta, that was. But they don't wanna unpack either of those.

The usual, for the most part. Random other conscript encounters veeery rarely... which is also usual. Mm. You're pretty lucky you got to, what, stun-lock them??

Nom. Man, the taste was a shock after having nothing like it in so long.

[free-high-15s]

I guess!! Think I even saw one of 'em do a bit of a double take. Walked into the room right as I was going across it and just stopped dead in their tracks. Pretty funny I'm not gonna question it. Sure would be nice if I could find a way to acclimate to 'em permanently, though. I do genuinely like talking to you, but it's... stressful to have to run the gauntlet every time. Think if I got my hands on one of your guys' helmets or something...?

Olive leans back against the table, setting her own plate down.

Or you know, maybe this is my sign that I should bring you guys more food. Unless they get used to it and start wanting some themselves. Then they might be. More likely to attack me? Normally I don't think it's a good idea to let wild animals associate people with food. Not that non-lucids are wild animals, but there's definitely some similarities...

... not that the situation now is a huge deal, though! Trust me. I can manage. At least a little bit. Not my first rodeo and all that. Or, well, it kinda was my first rodeo... not my only rodeo? Sure. The whole apartment building is dangerous, after all. There's obviously different kinds of danger, but the general rules stay the same. For the most part you just gotta be a little careful and you'll be fine! As far as I know. There might be some, like. Insta-death spots I don't know about, but I. I think I'm fine not knowing about those. There's definitely something to be said about knowing too much and all that. I'm one to talk, obviously, but...

.... wheeeeeeere is she going with this.

Buuuuuut the point is. Uh. Don't worry about me. And I'm glad things've been calm here! Probably means it's really boring, but that's better than whatever the heck is going on in the trenches out there. Shells dropping out of nowhere and all that. Still. I don't know if I have much, but... I could try to see if I have anything in my apartment to help you pass the time...? Like a Rubix cube or something. If you'd like!

Nod and grin like she didn't just unload an entire novella in about five minutes. Good grief...

[notanarmyman]

Ah, yes. Not quite the sacred "yapper and listener" duo, however the close sibling called "yapper and zone-out-er". Just nod back, chew, and say something that kinda seems like you were listening, Memorial.

If they are anything like wild animals, maybe it could be more like. How crows make little trades with humans. Y'know, food for shinies or money or whatever? Except it's food and... not getting assaulted, I guess.

Hooray!!!! You're so good at conversations, Memo!!!!! Why are they using that nickname, wait. Sssaaafghhhrhghsssscrew you, Sapper, for always using that and 'Mimi'.

...have they ever played with a Rubix cube??? At all??

I feel like I'd suck at a Rubix cube... hmmhh...

[free-high-15s]

Me too, honestly. I never understood 'em. Feel like there's a line between "pleasantly tricky" and "annoying" and they're on the wrong side of it. Eh. Probably shouldn't try to distract you too much, anyway.

Good idea about the trade-offs, though. Hm. I could probably come back with something and test it out. Some sort of pasta...? Guess I don't know how great they'd be with utensils. ... or how they'd handle me approaching them at all, food or not.

... well! Worst case scenario I just throw it in their face and run, right? I'll think about it.

[notanarmyman]

If they've been working with guns for as long as they can remember, I'd hope they know how to use a fork.

Bite. Chew, chew. Roll their head back for just a moment just as they swallow and get that weird feeling where their throat bulges slightly from the cake going down. Get reminded that they have no idea how their innards work anymore and become slightly distracted. Eugh.

...then again, maybe I shouldn't have high standards. Like. At all. But, hey, maybe you being around randomly enough times does get them used to you. As if you wouldn't risk getting killed just to test that theory.

[free-high-15s]

If Olive hears that last part, she doesn't call it out. Or maybe she has to admit it's true.

I dunno... I still feel like I get some pretty suspicious glances even from the ones that don't immediately shoot at me. Then again, I guess the fact that some of them don't immediately shoot at me to begin with miiiiiiiight be considered an improvement? And there's sometimes a guy in here, right? They haven't, like. Tried to assault me while I'm talking to you. So there's that... one can hope, right? It's nice to be optimistic sometimes.

[notanarmyman]

Mmh...

...don't let it get awkWARD, DUDE. WHY IS THE SILENCE SO UNCOMFORTABLE. For them, at least. Dunno if she was physically capable at this point felt the same in any way whatsoever. Egh. Chew, chew...

Still. Sometimes. If I were you, I would be expecting them to change their minds at any moment suddenly.

[free-high-15s]

Yeeeeeeeah, sounds like something they'd do. Fun...

... wait, that reminds me, where is that guy? I feel like it's common knowledge there's sometimes a non-lucid in here, but I couldn't tell you if I've ever actually seen them in here. Not... sure how I feel about that. Should I. Should I be concerned about that?

[notanarmyman]

...their head hesitantly looks in the direction where that conscript uuuuusually should be? Somewhere? They don't keep track. Getting slightly side-tracked from the whole 'being self-conscious' thing.

Mmmmaybe??? I've just been grateful that I get to be alone in here, but. I... never really wondered what it could be up to, I guess. Whatever those guys do in their free time...

[free-high-15s]

Olive stays rather silent for a moment, processing things.

Wait, so that implies that there's time that isn't free. Isn't it all technically free time? Does Henderson, like, give you guys jobs to do every once in a while? I don't even think I've seen Minesweeper ever laying mines or anything.

[notanarmyman]

Considering the circumstances that Memorial is in, would you most expect someone to walk into their room holding:

A) A sapper charge

B) Some sort of firearm

C) A cookies-'n'-cream cake

or

D) A deactivated landmite?

...

The "someone" in question is Olive Syncopton. Does that change your answer.

Hey Memorial!! Sorry for popping in unexpectedly, I made a cake and turned out not to be as hungry as I thought I was. Any interest in having some...? Figured you probably don't come many sweet treats these days, eheh...

-Olive

Y... y'know. Top 10 things they never thought they'd taste again being stuck here. It's weirdly specific.

Wow. Hey. Uh. Okay, sure. I'm not that much of a cake guy, but I'm down for something sweeter...

Of course, despite that, they still hesitate to approach! Aaaaaaaawwwhatever. It's seamless. Probably. Like that small window between walking into a room at a party and figuring out what to do and where to walk. They don't actually look up at Olive's face.

[free-high-15s]

Olive grins.

Alright, great! Sorry again to bother you.

Now, to cuuuuis there somewhere to put this down? Uh. There's a table. Right. Yeah. A table. A table that she kinda has to. Walk directly away from Memorial to get to, so that's a bit awkward, but hey! Since when have these two ever had an interaction that wasn't at least a LITTLE awkward? It's practically a given.

Gingerly brushing the grenade to the side (this isn't gonna go off if she touches it, right? That's not how grenades work? How DO grenades work? Note to self: look up how grenades work), she plops the cake down. She brought two plates and some plastic utensils. One of those dinky plastic knives to cut it with. Lucky the cake isn't frozen.

You're not a cake guy? I get that. Some of 'em can be reeeeeeeal sweet. What kind of things do you like better?

[notanarmyman]

Their hands took steps closer until they were hanging there next to her, over her shoulder. Man. When was the last time they ate something sweet again? Couldn't quiiiite remember if... she had brought them anything or not. And you can't really have much of a preference if you've never experienced it before.

Hmmmh... maybe cookies, I guess? Better than cake, in my opinion. Less jam-packed with sugar...

Ehhh, good enough. Sounds like a them thing. Whatever.

[free-high-15s]

More portable than cake too, huh. Should've thought of that. I got some weeeeeird looks from some of the non-lucids on the way here. On the plus side, though, I think I kept 'em confused enough that they didn't shoot at me! Unexpected benefits.

The cutting goes... surprisingly smoothly! Not that clean, obviously, but nothing terrible happens. No frustrated sawing at a spot that just won't cut or anything. Just a few seconds and plop. Slice on a plate. Fork. The normal deal. Olive hands Memorial theirs before cutting her own.

Here you go! Hope it's good, heh... I mean. It should be. This isn't the first time I've made stuff like this, don't worry. Not even since the Visitor arrived. And people thought the other stuff was good! Or. Well, they liked it! I think. I mean. They didn't shoot at me! Much. So! Win in my book.

... A) Why is she trying to justify herself to someone who has most certainly tasted her cooking before, and B) Why is she talking herself into a lot of questions she's not gonna wanna answer.

Anyway! Uh. So what's new with you?

[notanarmyman]

They hum, looking at the slice for a moment before leaning up on the nearby wall to eat. Because putting it BACK on the table would be Weird.

Tch... not much, to be honest. It's been weirdly quiet.

Besides the strange sixth conscript from awhile ago that they were 100% sure had some kind of attraction to them and that one guy with the pasta, that was. But they don't wanna unpack either of those.

The usual, for the most part. Random other conscript encounters veeery rarely... which is also usual. Mm. You're pretty lucky you got to, what, stun-lock them??

Nom. Man, the taste was a shock after having nothing like it in so long.

[free-high-15s]

I guess!! Think I even saw one of 'em do a bit of a double take. Walked into the room right as I was going across it and just stopped dead in their tracks. Pretty funny I'm not gonna question it. Sure would be nice if I could find a way to acclimate to 'em permanently, though. I do genuinely like talking to you, but it's... stressful to have to run the gauntlet every time. Think if I got my hands on one of your guys' helmets or something...?

Olive leans back against the table, setting her own plate down.

Or you know, maybe this is my sign that I should bring you guys more food. Unless they get used to it and start wanting some themselves. Then they might be. More likely to attack me? Normally I don't think it's a good idea to let wild animals associate people with food. Not that non-lucids are wild animals, but there's definitely some similarities...

... not that the situation now is a huge deal, though! Trust me. I can manage. At least a little bit. Not my first rodeo and all that. Or, well, it kinda was my first rodeo... not my only rodeo? Sure. The whole apartment building is dangerous, after all. There's obviously different kinds of danger, but the general rules stay the same. For the most part you just gotta be a little careful and you'll be fine! As far as I know. There might be some, like. Insta-death spots I don't know about, but I. I think I'm fine not knowing about those. There's definitely something to be said about knowing too much and all that. I'm one to talk, obviously, but...

.... wheeeeeeere is she going with this.

Buuuuuut the point is. Uh. Don't worry about me. And I'm glad things've been calm here! Probably means it's really boring, but that's better than whatever the heck is going on in the trenches out there. Shells dropping out of nowhere and all that. Still. I don't know if I have much, but... I could try to see if I have anything in my apartment to help you pass the time...? Like a Rubix cube or something. If you'd like!

Nod and grin like she didn't just unload an entire novella in about five minutes. Good grief...

[notanarmyman]

Ah, yes. Not quite the sacred "yapper and listener" duo, however the close sibling called "yapper and zone-out-er". Just nod back, chew, and say something that kinda seems like you were listening, Memorial.

If they are anything like wild animals, maybe it could be more like. How crows make little trades with humans. Y'know, food for shinies or money or whatever? Except it's food and... not getting assaulted, I guess.

Hooray!!!! You're so good at conversations, Memo!!!!! Why are they using that nickname, wait. Sssaaafghhhrhghsssscrew you, Sapper, for always using that and 'Mimi'.

...have they ever played with a Rubix cube??? At all??

I feel like I'd suck at a Rubix cube... hmmhh...

[free-high-15s]

Me too, honestly. I never understood 'em. Feel like there's a line between "pleasantly tricky" and "annoying" and they're on the wrong side of it. Eh. Probably shouldn't try to distract you too much, anyway.

Good idea about the trade-offs, though. Hm. I could probably come back with something and test it out. Some sort of pasta...? Guess I don't know how great they'd be with utensils. ... or how they'd handle me approaching them at all, food or not.

... well! Worst case scenario I just throw it in their face and run, right? I'll think about it.

[notanarmyman]

If they've been working with guns for as long as they can remember, I'd hope they know how to use a fork.

Bite. Chew, chew. Roll their head back for just a moment just as they swallow and get that weird feeling where their throat bulges slightly from the cake going down. Get reminded that they have no idea how their innards work anymore and become slightly distracted. Eugh.

...then again, maybe I shouldn't have high standards. Like. At all. But, hey, maybe you being around randomly enough times does get them used to you. As if you wouldn't risk getting killed just to test that theory.

[free-high-15s]

If Olive hears that last part, she doesn't call it out. Or maybe she has to admit it's true.

I dunno... I still feel like I get some pretty suspicious glances even from the ones that don't immediately shoot at me. Then again, I guess the fact that some of them don't immediately shoot at me to begin with miiiiiiiight be considered an improvement? And there's sometimes a guy in here, right? They haven't, like. Tried to assault me while I'm talking to you. So there's that... one can hope, right? It's nice to be optimistic sometimes.

[notanarmyman]

Mmh...

...don't let it get awkWARD, DUDE. WHY IS THE SILENCE SO UNCOMFORTABLE. For them, at least. Dunno if she was physically capable at this point felt the same in any way whatsoever. Egh. Chew, chew...

Still. Sometimes. If I were you, I would be expecting them to change their minds at any moment suddenly.

[free-high-15s]

Yeeeeeeeah, sounds like something they'd do. Fun...

... wait, that reminds me, where is that guy? I feel like it's common knowledge there's sometimes a non-lucid in here, but I couldn't tell you if I've ever actually seen them in here. Not... sure how I feel about that. Should I. Should I be concerned about that?

[notanarmyman]

Considering the circumstances that Memorial is in, would you most expect someone to walk into their room holding:

A) A sapper charge

B) Some sort of firearm

C) A cookies-'n'-cream cake

or

D) A deactivated landmite?

...

The "someone" in question is Olive Syncopton. Does that change your answer.

Hey Memorial!! Sorry for popping in unexpectedly, I made a cake and turned out not to be as hungry as I thought I was. Any interest in having some...? Figured you probably don't come many sweet treats these days, eheh...

-Olive

Y... y'know. Top 10 things they never thought they'd taste again being stuck here. It's weirdly specific.

Wow. Hey. Uh. Okay, sure. I'm not that much of a cake guy, but I'm down for something sweeter...

Of course, despite that, they still hesitate to approach! Aaaaaaaawwwhatever. It's seamless. Probably. Like that small window between walking into a room at a party and figuring out what to do and where to walk. They don't actually look up at Olive's face.

[free-high-15s]

Olive grins.

Alright, great! Sorry again to bother you.

Now, to cuuuuis there somewhere to put this down? Uh. There's a table. Right. Yeah. A table. A table that she kinda has to. Walk directly away from Memorial to get to, so that's a bit awkward, but hey! Since when have these two ever had an interaction that wasn't at least a LITTLE awkward? It's practically a given.

Gingerly brushing the grenade to the side (this isn't gonna go off if she touches it, right? That's not how grenades work? How DO grenades work? Note to self: look up how grenades work), she plops the cake down. She brought two plates and some plastic utensils. One of those dinky plastic knives to cut it with. Lucky the cake isn't frozen.

You're not a cake guy? I get that. Some of 'em can be reeeeeeeal sweet. What kind of things do you like better?

[notanarmyman]

Their hands took steps closer until they were hanging there next to her, over her shoulder. Man. When was the last time they ate something sweet again? Couldn't quiiiite remember if... she had brought them anything or not. And you can't really have much of a preference if you've never experienced it before.

Hmmmh... maybe cookies, I guess? Better than cake, in my opinion. Less jam-packed with sugar...

Ehhh, good enough. Sounds like a them thing. Whatever.

[free-high-15s]

More portable than cake too, huh. Should've thought of that. I got some weeeeeird looks from some of the non-lucids on the way here. On the plus side, though, I think I kept 'em confused enough that they didn't shoot at me! Unexpected benefits.

The cutting goes... surprisingly smoothly! Not that clean, obviously, but nothing terrible happens. No frustrated sawing at a spot that just won't cut or anything. Just a few seconds and plop. Slice on a plate. Fork. The normal deal. Olive hands Memorial theirs before cutting her own.

Here you go! Hope it's good, heh... I mean. It should be. This isn't the first time I've made stuff like this, don't worry. Not even since the Visitor arrived. And people thought the other stuff was good! Or. Well, they liked it! I think. I mean. They didn't shoot at me! Much. So! Win in my book.

... A) Why is she trying to justify herself to someone who has most certainly tasted her cooking before, and B) Why is she talking herself into a lot of questions she's not gonna wanna answer.

Anyway! Uh. So what's new with you?

[notanarmyman]

They hum, looking at the slice for a moment before leaning up on the nearby wall to eat. Because putting it BACK on the table would be Weird.

Tch... not much, to be honest. It's been weirdly quiet.

Besides the strange sixth conscript from awhile ago that they were 100% sure had some kind of attraction to them and that one guy with the pasta, that was. But they don't wanna unpack either of those.

The usual, for the most part. Random other conscript encounters veeery rarely... which is also usual. Mm. You're pretty lucky you got to, what, stun-lock them??

Nom. Man, the taste was a shock after having nothing like it in so long.

[free-high-15s]

I guess!! Think I even saw one of 'em do a bit of a double take. Walked into the room right as I was going across it and just stopped dead in their tracks. Pretty funny I'm not gonna question it. Sure would be nice if I could find a way to acclimate to 'em permanently, though. I do genuinely like talking to you, but it's... stressful to have to run the gauntlet every time. Think if I got my hands on one of your guys' helmets or something...?

Olive leans back against the table, setting her own plate down.

Or you know, maybe this is my sign that I should bring you guys more food. Unless they get used to it and start wanting some themselves. Then they might be. More likely to attack me? Normally I don't think it's a good idea to let wild animals associate people with food. Not that non-lucids are wild animals, but there's definitely some similarities...

... not that the situation now is a huge deal, though! Trust me. I can manage. At least a little bit. Not my first rodeo and all that. Or, well, it kinda was my first rodeo... not my only rodeo? Sure. The whole apartment building is dangerous, after all. There's obviously different kinds of danger, but the general rules stay the same. For the most part you just gotta be a little careful and you'll be fine! As far as I know. There might be some, like. Insta-death spots I don't know about, but I. I think I'm fine not knowing about those. There's definitely something to be said about knowing too much and all that. I'm one to talk, obviously, but...

.... wheeeeeeere is she going with this.

Buuuuuut the point is. Uh. Don't worry about me. And I'm glad things've been calm here! Probably means it's really boring, but that's better than whatever the heck is going on in the trenches out there. Shells dropping out of nowhere and all that. Still. I don't know if I have much, but... I could try to see if I have anything in my apartment to help you pass the time...? Like a Rubix cube or something. If you'd like!

Nod and grin like she didn't just unload an entire novella in about five minutes. Good grief...

[notanarmyman]

Ah, yes. Not quite the sacred "yapper and listener" duo, however the close sibling called "yapper and zone-out-er". Just nod back, chew, and say something that kinda seems like you were listening, Memorial.

If they are anything like wild animals, maybe it could be more like. How crows make little trades with humans. Y'know, food for shinies or money or whatever? Except it's food and... not getting assaulted, I guess.

Hooray!!!! You're so good at conversations, Memo!!!!! Why are they using that nickname, wait. Sssaaafghhhrhghsssscrew you, Sapper, for always using that and 'Mimi'.

...have they ever played with a Rubix cube??? At all??

I feel like I'd suck at a Rubix cube... hmmhh...

[free-high-15s]

Me too, honestly. I never understood 'em. Feel like there's a line between "pleasantly tricky" and "annoying" and they're on the wrong side of it. Eh. Probably shouldn't try to distract you too much, anyway.

Good idea about the trade-offs, though. Hm. I could probably come back with something and test it out. Some sort of pasta...? Guess I don't know how great they'd be with utensils. ... or how they'd handle me approaching them at all, food or not.

... well! Worst case scenario I just throw it in their face and run, right? I'll think about it.

[notanarmyman]

If they've been working with guns for as long as they can remember, I'd hope they know how to use a fork.

Bite. Chew, chew. Roll their head back for just a moment just as they swallow and get that weird feeling where their throat bulges slightly from the cake going down. Get reminded that they have no idea how their innards work anymore and become slightly distracted. Eugh.

...then again, maybe I shouldn't have high standards. Like. At all. But, hey, maybe you being around randomly enough times does get them used to you. As if you wouldn't risk getting killed just to test that theory.

[free-high-15s]

If Olive hears that last part, she doesn't call it out. Or maybe she has to admit it's true.

I dunno... I still feel like I get some pretty suspicious glances even from the ones that don't immediately shoot at me. Then again, I guess the fact that some of them don't immediately shoot at me to begin with miiiiiiiight be considered an improvement? And there's sometimes a guy in here, right? They haven't, like. Tried to assault me while I'm talking to you. So there's that... one can hope, right? It's nice to be optimistic sometimes.

[notanarmyman]

Considering the circumstances that Memorial is in, would you most expect someone to walk into their room holding:

A) A sapper charge

B) Some sort of firearm

C) A cookies-'n'-cream cake

or

D) A deactivated landmite?

...

The "someone" in question is Olive Syncopton. Does that change your answer.

Hey Memorial!! Sorry for popping in unexpectedly, I made a cake and turned out not to be as hungry as I thought I was. Any interest in having some...? Figured you probably don't come many sweet treats these days, eheh...

-Olive

Y... y'know. Top 10 things they never thought they'd taste again being stuck here. It's weirdly specific.

Wow. Hey. Uh. Okay, sure. I'm not that much of a cake guy, but I'm down for something sweeter...

Of course, despite that, they still hesitate to approach! Aaaaaaaawwwhatever. It's seamless. Probably. Like that small window between walking into a room at a party and figuring out what to do and where to walk. They don't actually look up at Olive's face.

[free-high-15s]

Olive grins.

Alright, great! Sorry again to bother you.

Now, to cuuuuis there somewhere to put this down? Uh. There's a table. Right. Yeah. A table. A table that she kinda has to. Walk directly away from Memorial to get to, so that's a bit awkward, but hey! Since when have these two ever had an interaction that wasn't at least a LITTLE awkward? It's practically a given.

Gingerly brushing the grenade to the side (this isn't gonna go off if she touches it, right? That's not how grenades work? How DO grenades work? Note to self: look up how grenades work), she plops the cake down. She brought two plates and some plastic utensils. One of those dinky plastic knives to cut it with. Lucky the cake isn't frozen.

You're not a cake guy? I get that. Some of 'em can be reeeeeeeal sweet. What kind of things do you like better?

[notanarmyman]

Their hands took steps closer until they were hanging there next to her, over her shoulder. Man. When was the last time they ate something sweet again? Couldn't quiiiite remember if... she had brought them anything or not. And you can't really have much of a preference if you've never experienced it before.

Hmmmh... maybe cookies, I guess? Better than cake, in my opinion. Less jam-packed with sugar...

Ehhh, good enough. Sounds like a them thing. Whatever.

[free-high-15s]

More portable than cake too, huh. Should've thought of that. I got some weeeeeird looks from some of the non-lucids on the way here. On the plus side, though, I think I kept 'em confused enough that they didn't shoot at me! Unexpected benefits.

The cutting goes... surprisingly smoothly! Not that clean, obviously, but nothing terrible happens. No frustrated sawing at a spot that just won't cut or anything. Just a few seconds and plop. Slice on a plate. Fork. The normal deal. Olive hands Memorial theirs before cutting her own.

Here you go! Hope it's good, heh... I mean. It should be. This isn't the first time I've made stuff like this, don't worry. Not even since the Visitor arrived. And people thought the other stuff was good! Or. Well, they liked it! I think. I mean. They didn't shoot at me! Much. So! Win in my book.

... A) Why is she trying to justify herself to someone who has most certainly tasted her cooking before, and B) Why is she talking herself into a lot of questions she's not gonna wanna answer.

Anyway! Uh. So what's new with you?

[notanarmyman]

They hum, looking at the slice for a moment before leaning up on the nearby wall to eat. Because putting it BACK on the table would be Weird.

Tch... not much, to be honest. It's been weirdly quiet.

Besides the strange sixth conscript from awhile ago that they were 100% sure had some kind of attraction to them and that one guy with the pasta, that was. But they don't wanna unpack either of those.

The usual, for the most part. Random other conscript encounters veeery rarely... which is also usual. Mm. You're pretty lucky you got to, what, stun-lock them??

Nom. Man, the taste was a shock after having nothing like it in so long.

[free-high-15s]

I guess!! Think I even saw one of 'em do a bit of a double take. Walked into the room right as I was going across it and just stopped dead in their tracks. Pretty funny I'm not gonna question it. Sure would be nice if I could find a way to acclimate to 'em permanently, though. I do genuinely like talking to you, but it's... stressful to have to run the gauntlet every time. Think if I got my hands on one of your guys' helmets or something...?

Olive leans back against the table, setting her own plate down.

Or you know, maybe this is my sign that I should bring you guys more food. Unless they get used to it and start wanting some themselves. Then they might be. More likely to attack me? Normally I don't think it's a good idea to let wild animals associate people with food. Not that non-lucids are wild animals, but there's definitely some similarities...

... not that the situation now is a huge deal, though! Trust me. I can manage. At least a little bit. Not my first rodeo and all that. Or, well, it kinda was my first rodeo... not my only rodeo? Sure. The whole apartment building is dangerous, after all. There's obviously different kinds of danger, but the general rules stay the same. For the most part you just gotta be a little careful and you'll be fine! As far as I know. There might be some, like. Insta-death spots I don't know about, but I. I think I'm fine not knowing about those. There's definitely something to be said about knowing too much and all that. I'm one to talk, obviously, but...

.... wheeeeeeere is she going with this.

Buuuuuut the point is. Uh. Don't worry about me. And I'm glad things've been calm here! Probably means it's really boring, but that's better than whatever the heck is going on in the trenches out there. Shells dropping out of nowhere and all that. Still. I don't know if I have much, but... I could try to see if I have anything in my apartment to help you pass the time...? Like a Rubix cube or something. If you'd like!

Nod and grin like she didn't just unload an entire novella in about five minutes. Good grief...

[notanarmyman]

Ah, yes. Not quite the sacred "yapper and listener" duo, however the close sibling called "yapper and zone-out-er". Just nod back, chew, and say something that kinda seems like you were listening, Memorial.

If they are anything like wild animals, maybe it could be more like. How crows make little trades with humans. Y'know, food for shinies or money or whatever? Except it's food and... not getting assaulted, I guess.

Hooray!!!! You're so good at conversations, Memo!!!!! Why are they using that nickname, wait. Sssaaafghhhrhghsssscrew you, Sapper, for always using that and 'Mimi'.

...have they ever played with a Rubix cube??? At all??

I feel like I'd suck at a Rubix cube... hmmhh...

[free-high-15s]

Me too, honestly. I never understood 'em. Feel like there's a line between "pleasantly tricky" and "annoying" and they're on the wrong side of it. Eh. Probably shouldn't try to distract you too much, anyway.

Good idea about the trade-offs, though. Hm. I could probably come back with something and test it out. Some sort of pasta...? Guess I don't know how great they'd be with utensils. ... or how they'd handle me approaching them at all, food or not.

... well! Worst case scenario I just throw it in their face and run, right? I'll think about it.

[notanarmyman]

Considering the circumstances that Memorial is in, would you most expect someone to walk into their room holding:

A) A sapper charge

B) Some sort of firearm

C) A cookies-'n'-cream cake

or

D) A deactivated landmite?

...

The "someone" in question is Olive Syncopton. Does that change your answer.

Hey Memorial!! Sorry for popping in unexpectedly, I made a cake and turned out not to be as hungry as I thought I was. Any interest in having some...? Figured you probably don't come many sweet treats these days, eheh...

-Olive

Y... y'know. Top 10 things they never thought they'd taste again being stuck here. It's weirdly specific.

Wow. Hey. Uh. Okay, sure. I'm not that much of a cake guy, but I'm down for something sweeter...

Of course, despite that, they still hesitate to approach! Aaaaaaaawwwhatever. It's seamless. Probably. Like that small window between walking into a room at a party and figuring out what to do and where to walk. They don't actually look up at Olive's face.

[free-high-15s]

Olive grins.

Alright, great! Sorry again to bother you.

Now, to cuuuuis there somewhere to put this down? Uh. There's a table. Right. Yeah. A table. A table that she kinda has to. Walk directly away from Memorial to get to, so that's a bit awkward, but hey! Since when have these two ever had an interaction that wasn't at least a LITTLE awkward? It's practically a given.

Gingerly brushing the grenade to the side (this isn't gonna go off if she touches it, right? That's not how grenades work? How DO grenades work? Note to self: look up how grenades work), she plops the cake down. She brought two plates and some plastic utensils. One of those dinky plastic knives to cut it with. Lucky the cake isn't frozen.

You're not a cake guy? I get that. Some of 'em can be reeeeeeeal sweet. What kind of things do you like better?

[notanarmyman]

Their hands took steps closer until they were hanging there next to her, over her shoulder. Man. When was the last time they ate something sweet again? Couldn't quiiiite remember if... she had brought them anything or not. And you can't really have much of a preference if you've never experienced it before.

Hmmmh... maybe cookies, I guess? Better than cake, in my opinion. Less jam-packed with sugar...

Ehhh, good enough. Sounds like a them thing. Whatever.

[free-high-15s]

More portable than cake too, huh. Should've thought of that. I got some weeeeeird looks from some of the non-lucids on the way here. On the plus side, though, I think I kept 'em confused enough that they didn't shoot at me! Unexpected benefits.

The cutting goes... surprisingly smoothly! Not that clean, obviously, but nothing terrible happens. No frustrated sawing at a spot that just won't cut or anything. Just a few seconds and plop. Slice on a plate. Fork. The normal deal. Olive hands Memorial theirs before cutting her own.

Here you go! Hope it's good, heh... I mean. It should be. This isn't the first time I've made stuff like this, don't worry. Not even since the Visitor arrived. And people thought the other stuff was good! Or. Well, they liked it! I think. I mean. They didn't shoot at me! Much. So! Win in my book.

... A) Why is she trying to justify herself to someone who has most certainly tasted her cooking before, and B) Why is she talking herself into a lot of questions she's not gonna wanna answer.

Anyway! Uh. So what's new with you?

[notanarmyman]

They hum, looking at the slice for a moment before leaning up on the nearby wall to eat. Because putting it BACK on the table would be Weird.

Tch... not much, to be honest. It's been weirdly quiet.

Besides the strange sixth conscript from awhile ago that they were 100% sure had some kind of attraction to them and that one guy with the pasta, that was. But they don't wanna unpack either of those.

The usual, for the most part. Random other conscript encounters veeery rarely... which is also usual. Mm. You're pretty lucky you got to, what, stun-lock them??

Nom. Man, the taste was a shock after having nothing like it in so long.

[free-high-15s]

I guess!! Think I even saw one of 'em do a bit of a double take. Walked into the room right as I was going across it and just stopped dead in their tracks. Pretty funny I'm not gonna question it. Sure would be nice if I could find a way to acclimate to 'em permanently, though. I do genuinely like talking to you, but it's... stressful to have to run the gauntlet every time. Think if I got my hands on one of your guys' helmets or something...?

Olive leans back against the table, setting her own plate down.

Or you know, maybe this is my sign that I should bring you guys more food. Unless they get used to it and start wanting some themselves. Then they might be. More likely to attack me? Normally I don't think it's a good idea to let wild animals associate people with food. Not that non-lucids are wild animals, but there's definitely some similarities...

... not that the situation now is a huge deal, though! Trust me. I can manage. At least a little bit. Not my first rodeo and all that. Or, well, it kinda was my first rodeo... not my only rodeo? Sure. The whole apartment building is dangerous, after all. There's obviously different kinds of danger, but the general rules stay the same. For the most part you just gotta be a little careful and you'll be fine! As far as I know. There might be some, like. Insta-death spots I don't know about, but I. I think I'm fine not knowing about those. There's definitely something to be said about knowing too much and all that. I'm one to talk, obviously, but...

.... wheeeeeeere is she going with this.

Buuuuuut the point is. Uh. Don't worry about me. And I'm glad things've been calm here! Probably means it's really boring, but that's better than whatever the heck is going on in the trenches out there. Shells dropping out of nowhere and all that. Still. I don't know if I have much, but... I could try to see if I have anything in my apartment to help you pass the time...? Like a Rubix cube or something. If you'd like!

Nod and grin like she didn't just unload an entire novella in about five minutes. Good grief...

[notanarmyman]

Considering the circumstances that Memorial is in, would you most expect someone to walk into their room holding:

A) A sapper charge

B) Some sort of firearm

C) A cookies-'n'-cream cake

or

D) A deactivated landmite?

...

The "someone" in question is Olive Syncopton. Does that change your answer.

Hey Memorial!! Sorry for popping in unexpectedly, I made a cake and turned out not to be as hungry as I thought I was. Any interest in having some...? Figured you probably don't come many sweet treats these days, eheh...

-Olive

Y... y'know. Top 10 things they never thought they'd taste again being stuck here. It's weirdly specific.

Wow. Hey. Uh. Okay, sure. I'm not that much of a cake guy, but I'm down for something sweeter...

Of course, despite that, they still hesitate to approach! Aaaaaaaawwwhatever. It's seamless. Probably. Like that small window between walking into a room at a party and figuring out what to do and where to walk. They don't actually look up at Olive's face.

[free-high-15s]

Olive grins.

Alright, great! Sorry again to bother you.

Now, to cuuuuis there somewhere to put this down? Uh. There's a table. Right. Yeah. A table. A table that she kinda has to. Walk directly away from Memorial to get to, so that's a bit awkward, but hey! Since when have these two ever had an interaction that wasn't at least a LITTLE awkward? It's practically a given.

Gingerly brushing the grenade to the side (this isn't gonna go off if she touches it, right? That's not how grenades work? How DO grenades work? Note to self: look up how grenades work), she plops the cake down. She brought two plates and some plastic utensils. One of those dinky plastic knives to cut it with. Lucky the cake isn't frozen.

You're not a cake guy? I get that. Some of 'em can be reeeeeeeal sweet. What kind of things do you like better?

[notanarmyman]

Their hands took steps closer until they were hanging there next to her, over her shoulder. Man. When was the last time they ate something sweet again? Couldn't quiiiite remember if... she had brought them anything or not. And you can't really have much of a preference if you've never experienced it before.

Hmmmh... maybe cookies, I guess? Better than cake, in my opinion. Less jam-packed with sugar...

Ehhh, good enough. Sounds like a them thing. Whatever.

[free-high-15s]

More portable than cake too, huh. Should've thought of that. I got some weeeeeird looks from some of the non-lucids on the way here. On the plus side, though, I think I kept 'em confused enough that they didn't shoot at me! Unexpected benefits.

The cutting goes... surprisingly smoothly! Not that clean, obviously, but nothing terrible happens. No frustrated sawing at a spot that just won't cut or anything. Just a few seconds and plop. Slice on a plate. Fork. The normal deal. Olive hands Memorial theirs before cutting her own.

Here you go! Hope it's good, heh... I mean. It should be. This isn't the first time I've made stuff like this, don't worry. Not even since the Visitor arrived. And people thought the other stuff was good! Or. Well, they liked it! I think. I mean. They didn't shoot at me! Much. So! Win in my book.

... A) Why is she trying to justify herself to someone who has most certainly tasted her cooking before, and B) Why is she talking herself into a lot of questions she's not gonna wanna answer.

Anyway! Uh. So what's new with you?

[notanarmyman]

Considering the circumstances that Memorial is in, would you most expect someone to walk into their room holding:

A) A sapper charge

B) Some sort of firearm

C) A cookies-'n'-cream cake

or

D) A deactivated landmite?

...

The "someone" in question is Olive Syncopton. Does that change your answer.

Hey Memorial!! Sorry for popping in unexpectedly, I made a cake and turned out not to be as hungry as I thought I was. Any interest in having some...? Figured you probably don't come many sweet treats these days, eheh...

-Olive

Y... y'know. Top 10 things they never thought they'd taste again being stuck here. It's weirdly specific.

Wow. Hey. Uh. Okay, sure. I'm not that much of a cake guy, but I'm down for something sweeter...

Of course, despite that, they still hesitate to approach! Aaaaaaaawwwhatever. It's seamless. Probably. Like that small window between walking into a room at a party and figuring out what to do and where to walk. They don't actually look up at Olive's face.

[free-high-15s]

Olive grins.

Alright, great! Sorry again to bother you.

Now, to cuuuuis there somewhere to put this down? Uh. There's a table. Right. Yeah. A table. A table that she kinda has to. Walk directly away from Memorial to get to, so that's a bit awkward, but hey! Since when have these two ever had an interaction that wasn't at least a LITTLE awkward? It's practically a given.

Gingerly brushing the grenade to the side (this isn't gonna go off if she touches it, right? That's not how grenades work? How DO grenades work? Note to self: look up how grenades work), she plops the cake down. She brought two plates and some plastic utensils. One of those dinky plastic knives to cut it with. Lucky the cake isn't frozen.

You're not a cake guy? I get that. Some of 'em can be reeeeeeeal sweet. What kind of things do you like better?

[free-high-15s]

thththththahahahahanakaksk

*Carnage takes the tupperware and walks to the door; they look back and attempt an awkward wave before they leave. Then they're gone.*

Alright, bye!!

Olive shuts the door behind Carnage. That was... strange. Not bad, but odd. You really do come across all sorts of things here, don't you...?

Oh well. She might as well make some more food, just in case. Can't go wrong with being prepared, huh? Seems doubtful. So she goes back to the kitchen and finds another recipe. What should she make now...

[free-high-15s]

*Carnage takes the turnover from Olive; they avoid taking some of her fingers with them, but they don't avoid eying her hand hungrily all the same. Then they bite into it, overwhelming heat be damned. It's good; a little too hot but that's obvious.*

gigigigigigigigimgmgmem alalalalalalll ofofofofofofofofoof ththththehehehehemememem

Oh, uh... sure! Here, lemme see if I have...

Olive goes to a cabinet and pulls out a Tupperware before pilling the rest of the turnovers into it and putting the lid on. Then she gives the whole thing to Carnage.

Here you go! Hope you find some help, really. I wish I could do more. Stop by anytime, yeah?

[free-high-15s]

mamamamamayayayaybyybybyee asasassasasadtttereere ttgtgtgeggegegen

*Carnage looks a little disappointed, but they understand; everyone has their own troubles and it'd be unfair for them to try to take priority over everyone else. As long as they figure out how to avoid eating people, or maybe even not getting so hungry all the time, they'll be able to take care of themself again. They already survived Panopticon once, after all; it was before they mutated but it still counted, they still clearly had some sort of survival skills they could fall back on.*

ororororororo jeejejejejejejejanananananan. wheheeerree dodododooeoeoso asasasassststster lilliilliliivvevevevev?

Oh- he's on this floor too, actually! Right near the stairs. Hard to miss.

Mercifully, the timer dings before this can stretch on any longer. Olive pops the turnovers out of the oven, puts the pan on a pot holder to avoid burning the counter, and offers one to Carnage.

Be careful, it's definitely still really hot-

[free-high-15s]

mamamammaaayayyybybe

*Carnage looks unconvinced; maybe that's just because they already ate someone, though. It's hard to think to the future when you're caught up about the past.*

whwhwhwhwhwhhwwowowowoso'ss's's yoyoyoyououoru ffififiririririeenenenendn? iihihihihihiyiyiyi mimimimijgihghghtt thththtyryryryry ttototoototot ememememememet hthhthththththemmeemememem iififhfifhififif iiyiyyiyiiyiyiyi cncncccnanananana

... Olive probably SHOULDN'T sic a potentially bloodthirsty Cursed on someone who has quite enough on their plate already, huh.

... ah. I mean. Name's Memorial. They're one of the people in Mr. Henderson's apartment. You know, the place that's a giant warzone now. Not. Having the best time of it, but at least they're sane...? It's a fairly dangerous place, though. I guess I'm one to talk, I've been in there before, but it's still definitely not somewhere I really want to walk around casually in. I can. I can ask them for advice, if you'd like, but... I'm not really sure they know how they got their sanity back either, so I'm not sure how helpful it would be...

...

... hm.

Olive glances at the stove. Aaaaaany minute now. Please. Before it gets too awkward.