POST-ROUND 2 MINGLE

[idolpro]

[ Once the decisions have been made, everyone is ushered—though those gentle tugs—out their respective mud rooms into the courtyard. An impossibly tall and incredibly dense garden hedge divides one half of the courtyard away—moreover, it increasingly gets taller when climbed, preventing its residents from escaping their slice of the courtyard. From beyond, idols can hear the distant sounds of something rumbling—perhaps it's the ground shaking. . .

The roster is visible on a large screen, though as time progresses, certain names are blacked out. . . ]

[ Mouths and Hands will be able to transform into monsters at-will, though Hands are much more diminutive and Mouths have supernatural abilities at their disposal. Moreover, unit abilities are on. ]

Comments

[scattershot]

--oh!

[That startles her out of her daze. She gazes down at the little creature, the surprise on her face melting into a smile as she reaches down to rest a hand on his head.]

Hello.

[Who is this? It must be someone she knows.]

This is an awful game, isn't it?

[happydreamed]

[It nods before rubbing its head against her hand with an audible purr. Pets Achieved, Very Good.

He could turn back, but then less people would pet him. So this is better.]

[scattershot]

[It's comforting - mayhap for the both of them - which, if she's honest with herself, she badly needed. Alisaie rubs the creature's head, and tries to think about nothing but that.

[Why is there blood on this dragon. Why is there a dragon at all...?

[She has a theory, and it's an uncomfortable one, but she tests it anyway.]

Doctor?

[happydreamed]

[Another nod. It tilts his head a little. How is she holding up, he'd ask if he could vocalize words in this form.]

[scattershot]

[Not well.]

I'm sorry we couldn't have done more.

[Kept you out of it. Made it easier.

[Made what was coming next less... so.]

[happydreamed]

[It gives an exaggerated shrug. It is what it is, and they did their best. That's all anyone can do.

It then licks her hand. Feel better, teammate.]

[scattershot]

... and now you're trying to comfort me.

[Good grief.

[She laughs, dryly, shaking her head. I am an awful teammate and an even worse senior.]

These things normally run to three rounds. I wouldn't be at all surprised were there more.

[happydreamed]

[It looks surprised before jerking its head towards the roster. There's not even that many people left?? How are they going to continue?]

[scattershot]

Oh, they'll find a way or make a way. Should more be what they wish for, they always do.

[She scratches his head, behind where she believes the ears would be, on a dragonet.]

If there'd been any sense to this at all, they'd have stopped it after Round One.

[happydreamed]

[Hmm... It mewls a bit plaintively. This Sucks.

After a minute, it twists into a human shape underneath her hand.]

If there is a third round, our team... Will certainly be the prime target.

[scattershot]

[And now she's petting a grown man on the head. Of course she'd been doing that all along, but it seems somehow far more inappropriate now her fingers are disordering his hair. Alisaie colors, lifting her hand away.]

Aether will.

Everyone who fought Hurricane will know he's not the one that they want.

[And that's assuming he hasn't told Nemesis exactly what he is.]

[happydreamed]

Excuse me, I was enjoying that?

[Priorities???]

-Is there anything we can do to protect him?

[scattershot]

You didn't mind?

[In this form?

[Well, that's told her. Hand: replaced. If Doctor was finding something in all this to enjoy, even something as simple as having someone gently touch his hair, then who is she to say him nay?]

I'm not certain. This game's new to me, too, I'm afraid. Mayhap Hurricane would know a way - though you'd have to be the one to ask him. But then, mayhap he wouldn't.

If someone summons Aether, he'll die. It's that simple.

[happydreamed]

Thank you.

[Pets very much approved.]

We were lucky that he wasn't targeted this round, but next...