Timelined Before 'Best of Box'
<Clarice> Clarice had intended to spent ... well, a long time in her underbed nest, but the problem with comfort eating was that the food ran out quickly. She needed more milk and more cookie dough. She didn't want to potentially startle anyone by teleporting in so she made her way by foot downstairs and tried to avoid people.
<@Fabian> "I don't suppose you've heard anything from your cousin about when we might be 'cleared' to leave?" Fabian asked, stepping up on the bottom shelf of the pantry so he could see the back of the top shelf. Ooh, pretzles, those were a go with the can of frosting he had found. "Because, I don't know about you? But I am so ready to leave."
<Lukas> "Ankka hasn't spoken to me since that first time after we were outed. But I....don't have anywhere to go. Can't go home, too much conroversy, it's probably safer for me to stay here," Lukas reached into the freezer and pulled out a handful of tube popsicles, taking all the green ones.
<@Fabian> "You know you can always stay with me, yeah?" Fabian asked, claiming a seat at the barstool. One thing about the whole x-force thing being out in the open? He wasn't exactly worried about anyone trying to kill him now so he wasn't even giving a second thought to casually plopping himself around.
<Clarice> ... Oh ... fiddlesticks, there was someone ... someones already in there ... but she didn't recognise the voices, some of the new students that had arrived while she was away?
<Clarice> For a moment she considered skuttling back upstairs and waiting till they had gone before trying again ... but no. She was going to be strong like Professor Kincaid had asked her to be. She was going to be the goshdarn superhero she'd always wanted to be. She was going to walk in there and get her milk and cookies like a grown up.
<Clarice> ... And just hope that she didn't scare them. She squared her shoulders and walked through the doorway, "Umm ... hello?"
<Lukas> Lukas had opened two popsicles and eating them double fisted. In deference to the slowly growing heat in the region, he was in a t-shirt and boxers with green swirls on them. He looked up at the newcomer, popsicles paused halfway to his mouth.
<@Fabian> Fabian, however, was dressed like a proper human being, or, rather, a person who had been raised on ridiculous levels of heat and didn't understand what it was people were complaining about. "You know, you're like a perverted cartoon character sometimes. You're just waiting for the joke to go along with those popsicles."
<@Fabian> He turned at the hello though, not able to school the look of surprise off of his face. "Hello, Clarice."
<Clarice> ... Oh heck, they were a couple of hotties! Clarice suddenly regreted the choice to wear hotpants and a vest to avoid irritating her stitches, leaving her scars on show ... and when had been the last time she'd shaved? And she had no idea what her shorne hair was doing at all but it probably wasn't pretty.
<Clarice> She then realised she was doing something as normal as worrying about her apperance and boys and found it oddly amusing, and started to chuckle to herself unintentionally.
<Lukas> "And you've been waiting for ages to be able to use that line. I'm not the only cartoon character here," Lukas smirked ", yes, hello there. Um.....popsicle?" He offered a blue popsicle to her.
<@Fabian> "Untrue...I typed it earlier." Fabian pointed out. "And I would make a horrible Lector. I can't make the little slurping noise sound menacing at all."
<@Fabian> "Yes, join us, have a seat."
<Lukas> He looked at Fabian and did a perfect imitation of the slurping noise.
<@Fabian> "...I have never been more envious of you in my entire time of knowing you."
<Clarice> During thier banter Clarice managed to get her inapropiate laughter under control ... randomly breaking out into laughter might not be the best thing when she was trying to convince people she wasn't a super-villian, "Umm ... thanks," she took the popsicle and her eyes flickered to the ginger boy. She really didn't feel like sitting down but she didn't want to seem rude.
<Clarice> "Um ... hey, weren't you the one who talked to me on the internet thing? Fabian yeah?" She asked polietly, sticking the popsicle in her mouth.
<@Fabian> "Yes, that would be me, Fabian Cortez." He offered his hand to shake. "And this would be my good friend, Lukas Laufeyson. Usually he wears pants."
<Lukas> "Well yes, but it's very hot and I'm from someplace that isn't usually this warm," he stuck his tongue out at Fabian ", plus I prefer to be cold." Lukas held out a hand to her as well.
<Clarice> Why? He's got nice legs, a bit pasty though. She took his hand and shook it, "Nice to meet you, and you too, Lukas," she shook his hand as well.
<Clarice> "So, you guys new students then? How long have you been here?"
<@Fabian> "Well...students might be stretching." Fabian admitted with surprising delicacy. "We've been here for a few weeks though now."
<Lukas> "I'd say white collar 'guests', wouldn't you, Fae," he smirked and started sucking happily on his popsicle.
<@Fabian> "I'd say that covers it." Fabian nodded.
<Clarice> Clarice frowned in thought as she tried to decipher what they meant, "Wait ... you're the ones that ... that were working for my Uncle ... arn't you?" She asked, eyes going wide.
<Lukas> "Hmmmm knew she'd catch on. Yes, that would be us," Lukas leaned against the table and crossed his legs in a casual manner, made hilarious by his boxers.
<@Fabian> "...yeaaaah, that would be us." Fabian admitted, scooping his pretzel into the icing for something to do.
<Clarice> Clarice stared between the two of them for a few moments, popsicle melting in her hands ... what did she even say to this? "I ... you ... you guys are not as all like I expected you to be ..." she managed at last.
<@Fabian> "You mean you've forgotten how awesome we are?"
<Lukas> "Well....I mean, I could practice my evil laugh for you. If that would make us more villainous in your eyes, but I'd really just like to eat my popsicles and badger Fabian into downloading that Scooby Doo porn parody for shits and giggles."
<Clarice> The wide eyes were replaced with the thinking-frown, "Forgotten? You ... you knew the Herald? You know it wasn't-wasn't me right? It was like a ... a fake, artifical personality they put in my head," she realised her hand was gettng sticky and licked some of the juice off automatically, "I don't remember anything she-it did."
<@Fabian> "You just want me to feed your sad Daphne fantasies when it's really Velma who's the secret fox of the show. That baggy sweater is hiding something, damnit, hiding something." Yes, they were obviously diabolical geniuses at work.
<@Fabian> "I met you once before you were made into Herald, actually, just the once though."
<Lukas> "Frankly, Fred, Daphne or Velma would do it for me. I'm not picky. Not Shaggy though," he shugged and wrinkled his nose ", I never did meet you."
<Clarice> On the sexiness of Scooby Doo characters, Clarice had no opinion. For one thing she was tryng to decide exactly what she should do here, Jean-Paul had advised her to give it some time before asking them, but now that they were here ... she was tempted to ask.
<Clarice> "Before?" She looked thoughtfuly at the cealing while she sucked her popsicle, "I ... never thought about it, but you're right ... I must have been taken before so they could put the Herald in ...but I don't remember anything," she looked a little distressed. They could have done goodness knows what and she didn't know!
<Fabian> "I met you!" Fabian actually laughed fondly at that. "I was plenty surprised you actually did hit me."
<@Clarice> "... Why, what did you do?" Clarice squeaked.
<Loki> "I've never actually met you as you. So hello," Lukas smiled and saluted with a popsicle.
<Fabian> "Oh, you were trying to escape and I just happened to be your escourt out of the room you had been put in." Fabian waved the question off, chuckling a bit.
<@Clarice> "... I must have hit you pretty hard for you to find it funny ..." oh dear, evil minion or not she hoped she hadn't given anyone brain damage!
<Loki> "Nah, he giggles at anything anyway. Always been like that I fear," another popsicle was gotten out of the freezer. Lukas was going to town on the popsicles.
<Fabian> "I got so much shit about nearly being taken out by the pink Buddhist girl."
<@Clarice> Was it wrong that she felt a little bit of pride in how she must have taken down ne of her captors? And was it wrong that Lukas was pretty atractive sucking on that popsicle, weren't only guys meant to enjoy that sort of thing? And was it wrong that she felt not real ... animosity towards these two boys, she didn't remember them after all?
<@Clarice> If they hadn't told her, she wouldn't have know, just how was she meant to feel here? "Umm ... can I ask you something?"
<Loki> Stretching his legs out and resting his feet on another stool, Lukas watched her ", sure, shoot. You're one of the first people around here that's been....pleasant to us."
<Fabian> "Yeah, and you've got the most reason not to be." Fabian raised his own popsicle to her. "Of course, we have gotten a lot of cake while we've been here."
<@Clarice> "Jean-Paul's usually the one to do with cakes but ... umm ... well ..." she flushed and looked down at her own melting popsicle, "Nothing ... sordid happened ... during that time?" She asked delicatly, trying to ignore Fabian with the popsicle now.
<Fabian> "...." Fabian blinked then let his jaw drop a bit. "Oh god! No, no! I mean...trusting you mean what I think you mean by 'sordid'...I mean, not that i wouldn't with you in your right mind and onboard but no...no."
<Loki> "Well....Fabian and I played strip poker with some of the other Acolytes. But you and the others weren't involved in any of that," he waved a hand ", wasn't what anyone was there for."
<@Clarice> ... And now she was blushing for an entierly dfferent reason, she wasn't used to people finding her attractive like that and saying anything about it, which was a bit inapropiate considering her next question, "And did ... did either of you have ... anything to do with my parents- with my parents murder?" She managed to get out.
<Fabian> Fabian shook his head. "We hadn't realized that happened until we were here, actually. I am sorry for that."
<Loki> "We weren't exactly very high on the food chain as far as the Acolytes went. We had no knowledge of any plans we weren't directly involved in or had to train any of you for."
<@Clarice> Clarice let out a breath she hadn't realised she'd been holding and some of the tension drained out of her shoulders, "Thanks ... I ... makes me feel a bit better," she made a game effort of finishing off her popsicle, "So, what're you two gonna do now?
<Fabian> "That's....a really good question." Fabian admitted with a laugh.
<Loki> "I.....don't know. I might stay here, try to get an education," Lukas smiled and shrugged a shoulder. "Nothing wrong with trying to better oneself."
<Fabian> Fabian looked over to Loki, surprised he had just said he was thinking about staying and that surprise rather evident on his face.
<@Clarice> "You might be the most hated people at school for a while if you do," Clarice gave Lukas a shy smile, before turning to Fabian, "You gots other ideas?"
<Loki> "I don't really have anywhere to go other than home and....I'd rather not go home. I have my reasons but I think being here would have it's advantages."
<Fabian> "We're still on for roadtripping this summer though, yes?" Fabian asked Lukas, not really sure what to think about him staying here at all.
<Fabian> "I will more than likely return home, I'm not certain yet."
<@Clarice> "Can't say I blame you," Clarice nodded, finishing off her popsicle and pondering for a moment on the right course of action here.
<Loki> "Of course I'm still on for the roadtrip," he laughed ", why wouldn't I be, it'll be great fun."
<@Clarice> She was suffering enough right now, and these two boys felt some remourse for what they'd done ... well Fabian did, she wasn't too sure of Lukas, and she couldn't remember any of the bad stuff they may or may not have done, and they both seemed pretty genuine in thier answers to her questions ...
<Fabian> "Of course it will be." Fabian laughed with Lukas but sat back, actually thinking for a moment as well. He didn't know exactly what he was going to be coming home to without Anna-Maria but...maybe this wouldn't be dreadful...well, it'd be dreadful but an option at least.
<Loki> Lukas reached into the freezer to grab another popsicle, throwing one to Fabian ", provided they actually let us out of this place to go on said roadtrip."
<Clarice> "If ... if you stay," Clarice said eventually, reaching a decision, "I'll be a friend to both of you."
<Fabian> Fabian laughed and caught his popsicle. "Yeah, hopefully we're not prisoners that long." Okay, that'wasn't actually funny but considering all the rumblings that was going on at this place he wouldn't be surprised. "...you're serious?" He looked to Clarice, not really sure how to take the offer at all.
<Loki> Lukas' eyes widened as he looked at Clarice ", after everything we've done to you? To your friends?"
<Clarice> Clarice gave a small shrug, "I don't remember what you did," she said sadly, "and to be honest, I'm suffering enought right now. The Buddha says that suffering is arises from attachment and desire, and that when they cease, suffering ceases."
<Clarice> She rubbed her face, feeling very tired all of a sudden, "I'm not so attached to finding out exactly what happened to me when I was the Herald that I'm willing to risk more suffering."
<Clarice> "And ... there would be no point in my resenting or hating you for something I don't remember you doing ... so, we could start afresh I guess, thought I doubt the others'll agree with me."
<Fabian> Fabian looked to Lukas, then to Clarice and shrugged. "Well...I can deal with that."
<Loki> "I can always do with another friend. The more the merrier," Lukas smiled at them.
<Clarice> "Just ... don't talk to me about what happened with the Herald or ... any of that. I'm sure I'll know all about the worst of it once I watch the footage," she winced at the thought.
<Fabian> "We can handle that. I'm not really in any big hurry to just chat about any of that anyway. Definitely makes people around here twitchy and even though we're not going to be murdered in our beds now or anything I'd rather not be a constant reminder anymore than I naturally am."
<Loki> "And I would certainly like to hope that I'm a much more subtle person than that," Lukas shrugged ", most tactful at the very least."
<Clarice> Clarice licked her fingers clean of the sticky, popsicle residue, "Okay then, so long as we all remember that, we'll be friends then," she said finally, giving them a shy smile.
<Fabian> "To being friends then." Fabian raised his popsicle at that. "...does that mean I can't hit on you?"
<Clarice> Despite everything Clarice blushed bright pink and giggled girlishly at Fabian's question, glancing away.
<Loki> "Oh, Fae, I think that means yes you can," he smirked at him,
<Fabian> "Then the world is that much brighter."