AFTERPARTY III: Never Have I Ever Been Quite This Drunk

[mirrite]

[There's absolutely nothing celebratory about this drinking party. "Party" isn't even the right word, not really-- it's more like a "drink until you forget and/or black out" session for anyone who wants to participate, and even the bartender isn't immune from that much. Please forgive him if your drink isn't mixed quite right; he's trying his best under the circumstances.

There's food, too, if anyone wants to attempt to stave off a hangover tomorrow, or just get something in their stomach after the events of the day: stirfry from Makoto, vegetable soup from Nageki (mediocre, but hey, a genuine effort was made and that's what counts), and some tea for those who would rather abstain from the harder stuff. (Is that even many people tonight? Probably not.)

Come on by the bar if you're hungry or want a drink, or even if you just don't want to be alone right now. That much, at least, is something that can be guaranteed tonight.]

Comments

[goldencave]

[ Norton's at the bar, with some stir fry in front of him and his scarred arm on the table, holding a shot glass full to the brim with wine. Not his usual drink, but it's not for him. It's for Pericles.

Seems the promise of treasure is worth opening a bottle for the bird... Then again, acting as a parrot's butler for a little while is a cheaper price than murdering someone.

After the parrot's had his fill, Norton meanders about the bar, wordlessly checking in on everyone. There is... Some hesitance at points, but now he's just lost in his thoughts. ]

[hellochildren]

[It doesn't take long for the parrot to get drunk-when someone his size is drinking? And he has a lack of prior experience? It is quite similar to someone deciding to down a shot of vodquila for the night's first drink.

And he hasn't even gotten half-way through the shot!

The parrot sits on the bar, partially muttering to himself, partially muttering to Norton.]

Zat woman-has ze gaul to cry about not saving people, zen goes ant stabs a min-man in ze chest. And zen to say nosing of aftervarts-and teh-the humiliation-

[It devolves into angry German grumbling at that point as he takes another sip from the shot glass.

He really needs this.]

[goldencave]

[ You asked for this, Polly. Now Norton has to talk to a drunk parrot.

... Actually. "Talk" is a strong word. He's mostly sitting there, listening to the parrot speak. Norton's not feeling up for talking at the moment, so all that ranting feels like background noise. There are some things he picks up on, though. ]

... Didn't she try to stab that crazy kid, too? During the trial?

[hellochildren]

[Suddenly louder] She dit! She sue-srew a knife at him, ant-ant vhat did we do? Not even qvestion it!

And to zink-sink, I sought it vas wise to keep emotions in mind. Chalk it uv-up to grief, like some dummkopf!

[If looks could kill, the shot glass in Norton's hand would've shattered into a million pieces by now.]

[goldencave]

[ Thank god it didn't, he does not need more scars right now. ]

To be honest, I thought she would be too dumb to pull off the flour trick in that echo house.

[hellochildren]

Exactly, sank you!

[Another sip of the wine.]

Dat-Zat sort sting-sing I expected from ozers! Moriarty or Yeager-or, Hölle, even Reston if he managed to be competent for five minutes! Ant she tied-tried to play dumb to avoid suspicion!

Not only dit zat work, but it even worked on me-me, of all people...

[mutter mutter German noises mutter]

[goldencave]

[ Norton goes silent again, mulling over the parrot's ramblings. Was she really playing dumb, or...?

Well. It's obvious he won't be able to get anything from her now, so his thoughts wander to other topics... Like that parrot, maybe. ]

"You, of all people?" What do you mean by that? Are you some kind of... Super smart parrot or something?

[hellochildren]

[A sigh.]

I am azooming-assuming you dit not hear of my robots, den-then?

To put is as simply as pozzible-possible, yes, I am 'some kind of super smart parrot.'

[Using his wings to do the air quotes.]

And dezpide-despite zat, I vas fooled by her. Humiliated by her, having not even sought of her as a zuspect-suspect.

[And yeah, he is bitter.]

[goldencave]

[ Hang on. ]

Wait, no. I didn't hear about any robots.

[ What even are those? ]

[hellochildren]

[To himself] I sought I discushed-discussed zis more openly... [Louder] no matter.

I have a large suppie-supply of robots under my command, originally craded-created by a former colleague, but maintained and continvually-continually mate by myself.

And before you asg-ask, robots are similar to automatons, but more advanzed-advanced.

[goldencave]

[ Thanks for explaining the robots, but that doesn't explain... ]

Why do you have so many robots?

[hellochildren]

Ze same reason you haunt-vant half ze treazure-treasure I've promised you raser zan being contend-content wis all you can pilfer from Ze Piver-Piper.

[Unless Norton's reason isn't 'Just to have a lot of them']

[goldencave]

Why are you haunting the treasure with robots?!

[ Sorry, but this motive is starting to get silly. Either that, or the heavy accent made Norton misunderstand. ]

1/2

[hellochildren]

[Congrats Norton, you surprised a drunk bird enough to get him to jump and fall on his butt.]

2/2

[hellochildren]

Nein, du depp.

I meant I just vant to haf-have a lot of robots. Both becauds-because I want to condin-continue my college's vork ant to have assistance vith vartious-various sings.

[Since, you know, small bird.]

I vas tryhink-trying to compare my motv-motivation to your own, as I zought-thought you desired treasure just to have it.

[goldencave]

Oh. Nah. You got it wrong.

[ Should he just... Fuck it, he may as well. ]

I don't need treasure just to have it sitting around somewhere, I need it for my finances. They don't pay folks like me enough to enjoy a decent lifestyle, you know? I bet if I was able to cash in all the gold and jewels I've found so far, I probably could afford to get out of the mining industry and go into something more profitable.

[ Twenty years of scrounging around in the dark, and all he ever got from his various employers was hardly a living wage. ]

Maybe I'd even have a decent amount of cash in a savings account thanks to the treasure you promised me.

meandering;

[biyishuangfei]

[ The trial hadn't been the best of times, but eventually, Norton could find him here, poking at the food. ]

...it seems I wasn't the only one who had an unpleasant revelation today.

[ ... ]

[goldencave]

...

[ He's gonna sit next to the guy for a while. ]

... Guess we all did, more or less.

[biyishuangfei]

I hope...we could all come to terms with what happened. Though I know most of us will need time.

[ Him included. ]

[goldencave]

If we even get time.

[biyishuangfei]

...It really does feel like we won't have much time before we're in another same situation again like we were hours ago.

[ Situation, as in trial. Their entire predicament was one in of itself. ]

I wonder if it's meaningless to hope that we can still manage. But, Wei-xiong would've wanted us to, so I want to believe in that, just a little.

[goldencave]

[ He nods... ]

... There's gotta be a way out. If the bastard managed to get us here, then there's gotta be an exit or something.

[ Norton seems to be giving up on that wish of his here... It doesn't feel more important than their lives right now. ]

[biyishuangfei]

That's right. And this group has proven that we could work together, even after getting into a terrible disagreement, so maybe we could make it work.

[ That's his honest hope, anyway. ]

[goldencave]

[ Norton nods with a smirk. ]

That's the spirit. Now if only we could get a good lead...

[biyishuangfei]

[ Huaisang was too tired for that. But he would smile in return if he weren't. ]

Yeah, that'd be nice. Hopefully next week too.

Though after today I'm going to sleep in tommorrow like nobody's business. It's fortunate enough I don't drink a lot to relax.