MENAGERIE #51 - DANCE THE NIGHT AWAY

Apologies for innaccuracies. There was a lot of quick dialog going on. :-) Video here . Before the Dance Charlotte Noonish the day of. 6 hours before the dance. PTPP texts Charlotte: "Dinner? Wink wink" Charlotte debating whether it's better to have dinner to set ground rules, or minimize that interaction. Still at Duskshine's place for the makeup. Charlotte ["Pierce the Mask" --> 9] Alycia helps out (to 10) -- good idea to have some interaction with him first. And better to approach him while nobody's around. And he will probably respond to positive reinforcement. --> How do I get you to comport in a seemly fashion. --> How do I get Influence P "You have an idea for dinner? Or shall I decide?" Harry Harry gets a text from A10. "How are we going to go?" "Hopefully together?" "Duh. No, we getting a car? Are we sharing a car with a bunch of people? Are we going to run/fly? Do you even have a drivers license?" "I have a plan." [Texts Jason. Asks for a car.] Jason offers an autonomous electric vehicle he has. Its great, hands-off, convenient after the dance. It's also impossible to be killed in. "Are you taking one of those?" "God no. I have a Qdisc." "No." "You cannot be killed in this car." "Yes, but I'll want to die." Andi trusts he has a plan. Jason agrees to send an autonomous vehicle they send to the airport to pick up politicians WHO DON'T LIKE COOL SCIENCE. Alycia Alycia -- Jason is sending a car for dinner. It's a secret where.  Summer Then the Ponies announce they are going to be collectively crashing by hiding behind Summer's skirts and meet them at the dance. Adam Adam is getting his tie tied. His dad's not sure what to wear. "Well, you always look nice." "Um. Thanks. Do we need to pick up your friend-not-girlfriend-date Keri? Yeah. With the family. In the station wagon. Jordan's wearing the dinosaur outfit. Summer Summer getting a text from Jason. "Sorry haven't had chance to touch base. Going to be at the dance tonight?" Yup. "Cool. .. Had some questions about some Compound access logs. Not a problem, just wondering if there was anything I could do to help. No worries, if you want to talk business or not." Wouldn't dream of disturbing you at the dance. See you there. Summer adds "I'm very proud of you." "Okay ...?" Charlotte Dinner with Charlotte and Pietro --> Comport in a seemly fashion. --> Talk over dinner. Summer and Alycia coach her. --> Get Influence? --> Being firm without freezing him out.  "The Ocean Aire" seafood. Not coy about drinks. Order what you want. Pietro doesn't SAY the place was hard to get seats to, but implies it's very popular. Friends and family love it ... ... he mansplains about blackened fish and pepper and how it works. Showing off.  Charlotte works at engaging him in conversation. Pietro desperately wants this to work and to impress the girl. He immediately shifts to her topic, and then dominates the conversation. "Honey, that's fascinating, but I would like to have a conversation, not a monolog." He gets very pink. She picks a topic he's not well versed on (sweet tea). He errs on the side of not talking.  He starts to order salmon, then orders swordfish. A fish fry ... but not catfish. Lets him provide the next topic. "Is that the sort of thing you would have had ... in the past?" They get into conversation about the food. He chose swordfish ecause it's more like steak. And he didn't want to breathe salmon on him. Alycia. Parker looking down an unmanned Qdisc to pick A up. Pinching the bridge of the nose. Sadly shaking her head. Turns to other agent. "Sadly, he;s probably the best she could do. probably the best anyoen could to. And yet, an automated frisbee for the pickup." Off to Pinnacle's for dinner. .... which is generally a fine, interesting, engaging meal ... until they get in an argument over Alycia staying with him or even taking a Foundation job. Leo and Aria Instead of going out, they have a long, deep discussion of the future. And there's a pickup at the airport. Mary could be from anywhere in the Midwest. Hair tied back. Leather jacket, Metallica tee, piercings. Muscular. Dressed like ready for a motorcycle. She is looking for Otto, not them. Comes over, talking on the phone to Otto already. Chin-nods to Leo and Aria, starts to get in ..."Get in the driver's seat, woman." "Guess I'm chauffering you two?" (Moment where the doors are all locked, and they're having some very intense chat.) 30-40 secs later, windows open up. "Hi! I'm Mary , sorry." As they drive, they're talking a mile a minute about everything except actually meeting each other and forum stuff and things they've seen online, and there's a moment when they run out of that kind of random stuff and ... it gets a little awkward silence. They get everything coordinated on timing. After getting a commitment that if they go racing, they don't lose the pink slip. (Leo has built her an Otto scale suit and needs final sizing.) The Dance! Alycia and Jason arriving. Jason kvetching about the size of the Qdisc. Alycia responding that maybe he should build hisown. But he's repurosed the force field/ Pietro and rented limo. Ponies and Summer show up in mass transit. Alycia. Text from Daph. "Are you here yet? Moral support required! Where is my bathroom buddy? Just landing, see you shortly. LANDING?! Yeah, I'll explain. Adam's family is pulling up. They all go in together. Because he's back from a bad future, and wants to be with his family. Harry pulls up in that car from Jason.  Little weird just to drive. Any info about the Gale afterparty?. Incredibly concerned. Banter about dance class and dancing. Oh, god, is that a Qdisc? Aren't you glad I didn't take that? God yes! Alycia ... pauses only half a beat before taking Jason's arm to go in. ("take his arm ... please remember to apply a tourniquet") Taz shows up in the Pony crowd, next to Summer. Chats about dates and lack thereof. Summer says she's very happy because she doesn't have to be stressed about anything. Taz is dumbstruck by Charlotte showing up with Pietro. Eyes wide. First person to see Harry and Andi showing up is Kid Kelvin and Stingray hanging out front. Kelvin gives an snubbing chin nod ... or starts, and looks at date (Andi), and does a legitimate double-take. Elbows Stingray. They both look. Harry gives a head nod in their direction and continue walking past with Andi, arm in arm. She thinks that's awesome, and doesn't care that they seem surprised to see her in a dress. Alycia getting texts from Daph. Decides to take him with her, since she promised to explain. Walks up to her, still texting, moving out of the way. Does a double take. "OMG! You look amazing! All this for me!" Hugs. "He said, he was getting punch, and it is terrible."  Introduce ... "Jason Quill. And you landed because flying cars." Didn't tell her about date. Yes, did. But not Jason Quill!  Marion comes back. He looks ... unbelievably nervous. "I brought 2 punches, I didn't bring 4, I'm going to go back."  He has a tux. Full with vest and cummerbund and splurged on prom level attire. Alycia complements. Marion monologues about the capitalist system, his mouth is going on random autopilot. sort of like Jason does in a panic.  Alycia leans forward: "Daph looks very pretty. Hand her the punch in your left hand. Maybe dance." [Provoke --> 11!] Okay, Daph is suddenly a lot less scary (relatively speaking) Jason - That was artfully done.  I tend to be ... directorial in my motivational talks. I am not unaware of that. Punch, socialization, or dancing? Dancing, please. I programmed my suit with a dozen dance moves NO I DIDN'T DON'T PANIC!. (Horrified moment, then laughter) Prove it. Okay, but ... profound lack of skill Don't worry, I'll take care of you. Adam  My friends really wanted to make sure I could dance for this. ... (Charlote, Summer were his tutors) Harry Preferred dance in dance class? Jitterbug. No slow dance, though. Andi and Keri go to the DJ able and have words with the DJ. The boys look at each other, worried, and go grab a bite to eat (cake pops!) (Bill G.: Marty McFly is on stage performing "Jonny B. Quest") Charlotte. PIetro seems reluctant to go to the dance floor. Would you like to dance? But you still have a cake pop! ... I've been teaching some of the boys about dancing, would be happy to walk you through. (Find an appropriate corner near one of the chaperones.) Notes that most of the people "dancing" are just bouncing up and down. "See, you won't die of embarrassment." "Well, you would know" ... and then is (heh) moritied First really good laugh of the night. Aria wants to wait for a slow dance. Or a dance when all the ponies are out there.  Adam and Harry come up. Harry has one hand full of cake pops. Adam has a napkin in his hand. Aria leaves Leo with them while she checks with her friends.  Adam: Do you feel like we got set up? Leo: Yeah. Jason and Alycia are absolutely ... dance fighting. It's very bad. Dancing in rhythm to the music. Pretty sure that you can detect the kata she's cribbing off of. And Jason is ... not good. Grinning like idiots, though. Charlotte and Pietro are doing a box step in the corner. The song ends.  Summer and Aria and the Ponies  A techno remix of something that works for a jitterbug -- which leads to cheers for Harry and Andi doing the full dance, completely with a swing through the legs. Leo dances with Summer. And Aria. Aria and Summer dance.  Kelvin has to pull his flash drive of music from the DJ table. Which means the mix gets better. Marion's friends. The Ponies. Heroes Are Magic is taking video, pushed by Power Pony.  Summer dancing with Charlotte.  Summer dances toward Jason. Alycia requires her to dance one dance with him. He's still terrible. But brave. But he gets cut in on by ... one of Marion's friends, who's smiling a lot and trying to say things that can't be heard over the music. No-problem-another-time ... During the fast dancing, Nono manages to come up and dance with Alycia and Jason. Bucket list! Summer and Jordan improvising a T-Rex Tiny Arms Dance. Keri drags Adam in to do it, too.  Andi is flawless at the Macarena. Alycia thinks its the worst kata ever, but does it well. Harry asks Telekinesian to create a cone of silence for their circle of friends up in the bleachers. Slow dance. Alycia and Jason eventually ... kiss! ... a moderate length, but not so carnivorous as to warrant chaperone. It's ... nice.  Summer checking on Charlotte. Pietro seems mostly well-behaved. She's the only one he's comfortable around at the moment. Keri does a dance flying in the air with Jordan. Lots of fun, but GYRO chides. "No powers!" (Jordan keeps an eye on Summer because she knows Summer's secret. But she won't tell anyone, esp. that blabbermouth Adam.) Adam's parents dance. Jordan is adopted by the Ponies as their honorary "Spike". Everything seems to be going surprisingly well with Daph and Marion. Toward end of night, we all get a text: "Afterparty is ready!" Harry gets an additional text: "Bring them to the statue." (30 sec) "Please." Takes about half an hour after that for slow dances to wind down.  Charlotte complements Pietro for being the perfect gentleman, he's a lot more fun to be with when he's himself. This was really nice. Maybe we  ... could do it ... again. Other. Things. I would like that. (peck on the cheek) Gotta go. Yeah, me! Too! Eventually we all assumble at a small, out of the way park in the downtown area. About the footprint of a building. Couple of benches and a statue. Tempest and Streak are waiting for us. Chase comes up to the side. Streak: Harry, if you'll do the honors? Harry whispers something to the statue. And ... everything seems to expand out with a wavery effect. Chase swings the gate closed for the park, and it expands in that direction. too. In a park, still. Trees hung with lights. Tables laid. Food. Music playing. Andi is also here.  Harry expalins. "Since Jason left the team, we haven't had a place to gather together.  Grandma Swift had a keyring of places from the SOS days, and she offered one to me. The Twilight Glade (Andi has heard of it) has lots of stuff -- information, food, music, art, some healing equipment ("More of a field effect. An aura."). And the Gales aren't allowed in unless Harry invites them in. Which makes this next part kind of awkward. Maybe later Streak: Did you ask him if he wanted to join the HHL?  Tempest: Maybe you kids just explore your place. Charlotte thanks them. It;s all arboreal. There are flets (tree platforms with furniture), clearings, groves. Random, but sometime clustered, statues. Very realistic. Harry advises not hanging out around them tonight.  If you walk far enough, you wrap around.  Alycia wandering through the trees with Jason. About a 5 minute loop. Jason never heard about this -- SOS had a lot of stuff that was weird to explain, that Byron hated.  Walking back to the group from different angles and directions. The flets have railings, chaises, mounds-of-pillows beds. More Swiss Family Treehouse. But no plugs. Everything seems magicky and dimensiony.  Harry - things will recharge (just like they heal), and you can (with mods) get cell reception. But you're not going to set up an electronics shop ... Eventually it occurs to Alycia she's wandering through dark, secluded groves with Jason. Charlotte. Weird vibe. Concord. Kind of codeine cough syrup. Eventually, folk are hanging out. People are enjoying the food. Which never seems to run out. Which is convenient for Harry. Relaxing. Jason: You could have kept using the compound. I feel bad you didn't ... whenever you want to. Just because I'm not on the team, I want to help. Leo - You can help. Just not all the time. Alycia - But thank you. Leo stands up.  Aria stands up. Leo: I want to let you guys know, I need to retire from the team to be a student. During recent events, I asked Aria if after I graduated if she would marry me, and she says yes. And she asked me if I would be the father of her child. I have very strong opinions about fatherhood. (Half the group snorts.) And part of that is you have to be a father first, and that means i can't just recklessly endanger myself all the time, no matter how important it might be. (Aria elbows him). I'll be available for consultation and technology - helping city and world.  I'm going to do science, and its going to be great. ---> Paragon of the City! Ding! Gifts! For Harry - got some of his very fine/tough carbon nanotube fiber cabling -- tying up, tripping, etc. Alycia got a pair of undermounts of grapples for the pistols. Adam gets a handwritten journal of discussions. Personal philosophy. Charlotte - dump of every geneological / historical database in North Carolina. If ou don't have a computer.  (Quill Compound, coughs Jason) Alycia gets up. Half-bows to Leo and then to Aria. "Congratulations." Leo: Taking up study of time space dimensional physics. One, defenses vs Dr Infinity. Second, there's a lot of alternatives and parallels out there that need help. Third, time space dimensional physics relate to the quality of research in my means. My brain searches stuff out in parallel worlds. If I can replicate that, I can give that to the robot creations, and they won't need me any more. Jason - if you're looking for any help with that, or funding, or partnership funding ... that sounds really exciting. And kind of ties into stuff I want to do with our generation of superheroes. Leo - Jason, I wouldn't trust anyone else. Harry - Congrats, man! Wish both you guys the best. Andi - Did you hear what your dad said about being invited to the HHL? Or are we not talking about that tonight.  Mercury - I'm not sure what I want to do about that ... but I'd appreciate being able to discuss it with you. Oooookay. (emotional wham!) Wrap-Up! Alycia - Closer to the Team (Jason) - +Mundane -Danger --> remove Insecure. Summer - Closer to the Team (Alycia) - +Mundane, -Freak --> Insecure. (Also, second advance) Harry - Closer to the Team (Andi) - +Savior ... locked!  Charlotte - Closer to the Team (Harry, base!) - +Mundane, -Freak [also gained Influence over Pietro] Concord - Closer to the Team (Leo) #Recap

This is probably the most detailed recap I remember seeing, so thank you to Dave for playing while also taking so many notes. Questions to be answered for season 3! Did Alycia's eyes bug out at the prospect of Aria having kids, or is she just kind of rolling with this sort of thing these days? Can the Grove get cell reception? I mean if not, what kind of teenager hangout is it? (it's possible) If Adam's parents tell him he needs to play outdoors more often, does the base technically count? Just who was that mysterious boy that danced with Summer?

The biggest challenge was for the Alycia scenes, not surprisingly. It's hard to improv lines and answers while writing stuff down. :-) My speculation on the questions: This will almost certainly be addressed in Alycia's Tale of the dance. Along with other things. My first impression is that it's somewhere in between -- shocking, but not a surprise after a half-second consideration, and Alycia's not an eye-bulger anyway. Except when Jason joked about his nanobot suit and dancing ... I think Harry said that it could, with "adjustment."  Heh. Yeah ... I wondered about that one, too. I mean, it's possible it's just a random individual. But ... Personal questions for Season 3 ... How will the Jason/Alycia thing develop? The Grove does not seem to be the sort of place where Alycia would feel comfortable living, for a variety of reasons. That complicates things around her future residence. At some point in time she's going to realize the risks of being in public around Jason. Her own personal features are not famous -- but also not unknown.  and, most importantly ... Who's leading the team now?

Team : "Who's leading the team" is a question Leo left unasked and unanswered, for his own reasons. But if someone else feels the question is important to answer, he might point at them and say "it's you now." :)  I'm quite interested as a player to see what the group comes up with, though, and both as a player and as Leo, any of the current PCs would do a great job. Summer's too new to qualify, of course. Residence : Summer will definitely want to spend more time at the grove, but not live there full-time. I also imagine that AEGIS will (a) realize the grove probably can't be bugged or monitored effectively and (b) say "y'know all that stuff about you staying at a base, well, could you room with the robot and the mechanic for a bit longer?" That's undoubtedly a complication to Alycia , at least. :) Publicity : I wonder if Alycia might actually seriously turn to cosplay & makeup (and team up with Duskshine for some espionage cosmetics) to deal with the publicity problem... like it's not a great option at fancy restaurants, but just for going out and hanging, new outfits and changing the facial contours would be very effective. Otto and Mary : if Doyce has nothing to fill in here, I can cover it. New Costume : I'm finally going to debut Summer's new look as Radiance next time, and I think the grove can play a big part. I'll cook something up on the forums soon.

Team : The question of who leads the team is bound up with the question, what sort of leadership does the team actually need? The Menagerie has always been kind of loosely organized at best (and resistant to any efforts beyond that). AEGIS wants someone's name at the top of the form, as, presumably, does the city. Beyond administrative leadership, there's also field/tactical leadership.  Alycia has the training and (as observer) experience. She does not have the temperament (yet) nor actual experience. It's not clear that she would be trusted enough in either role, anyway. Charlotte has possibilities (lead us, general!), but seems extremely reluctant and clings to enough period gentility to demur from such a role for now, I suspect. She's got some personal issues, too (though, don't we all?). Actually, I think she would be the best leader we have available. Harry would be a logical choice, if he doesn't run off to the HHL. He doesn't seem to want leadership as a role, either, but he pretty well scored on the base, and if he got tapped or stepped up, he would take the role very seriously. Summer  is, as noted, very new. Hers would be an effective soft leadership -- promoting a vision, persuading and encouraging engagement and participation. She would not at this point be as effective a field leader, I think, but her learning curve would be pretty quick. Adam still seems an unlikely choice, from his youth and outwardly clueless nature. I keep having this sense, though, that the combination of Concordance and Keynome powers give him access to a lot more than just the powers we've seen, that, like classic Captain Marvel, there's cosmic Wisdom, etc., out there he can tap into.

*** Dave H. said: Adam still seems an unlikely choice, from his youth and outwardly clueless nature. I keep having this sense, though, that the combination of Concordance and Keynome powers give him access to a lot more than just the powers we've seen, that, like classic Captain Marvel, there's cosmic Wisdom, etc., out there he can tap into. While I may play Adam as a little overwhelmed most of the time, I hope I have made the distinction that Concord is quite a bit more capable.  Though a lot of that is also some Dumbo's magic feather/"yay, I get to stop being worried about everything ." Bill G. said: New Costume : I'm finally going to debut Summer's new look as Radiance next time, and I think the grove can play a big part. I'll cook something up on the forums soon.

Mike said: While I may play Adam as a little overwhelmed most of the time, I hope I have made the distinction that Concord is quite a bit more capable.  Though a lot of that is also some Dumbo's magic feather/"yay, I get to stop being worried about everything ." The more I think of it, the more there's a definite (classic) Billy Batson vs Captain Marvel vibe in the Adam vs Concord relationship. In some ways its clearer since Sol left the scene as a distinct character, and we see more of Adam than we often used to of Billy.  That empowerment and enablement and freedom of worry could get addictive.

So odd shower thoughts... We know that the Magus has been playing things in the background, but now I'm beginning to wonder just how much (unintentional reincorporation incoming). The Magus raised Charlotte from the dead in a form that Doctor Infinity has trouble detecting. We just acquired a base which, regardless of their not being any (living) people there, magically produces endless amounts of food--a feature which was our speedster's primary motivation for selecting the base.  The base that was created by a powerful magician (I wonder if the Magus line has the backwards version of Hecate's link?  Send a message back in time to a previous Magus like, "Hey, I know this isn't going to make sense, but when you make the Glade, can you make sure there's an endless supply of food?  Thanks!"). (Big Stretch) So during the early days of the game while we were all still figuring out each other's characters, Summer appeared in a situation that--as we understand everything right now--shouldn't have happened.  While this can be chalked up to Early Installment Weirdness, what if it was deliberate instead? (I'm always a fan of this sort of reincorporation)  After all, it helped avert the bad future that we just experienced.  And gained us a new ally--one which helped pull Jason Quill out of his darkness and set him on a better path.  It could have also planted the seed in Leo's mind for the reincarnating Phoenix as well.  Odd isn't it? Now I'm beginning to wonder if a) the Magus's dirt bag persona is just a facade much like Booster Gold's so that his time travelling enemies under estimate him (or he could just be a dirt bag that also  wants to save reality, you can do both), b) we've secretly gotten pushed along the way to face down Doctor Infinity through "Chance" and "Coincidence"--which is what I'm now calling the gems on the Magus' staff and jacket respectfully. I wonder if the new base will have any secrets that will help for that eventual showdown...

Almost forgot the correct image for this level of conspiracy theory-ing:

Mike  said: (Big Stretch) So during the early days of the game while we were all still figuring out each other's characters, Summer appeared in a situation that--as we understand everything right now--shouldn't have happened.  While this can be chalked up to Early Installment Weirdness, what if it was deliberate instead? (I'm always a fan of this sort of reincorporation)  After all, it helped avert the bad future that we just experienced.  And gained us a new ally--one which helped pull Jason Quill out of his darkness and set him on a better path.  It could have also planted the seed in Leo's mind for the reincarnating Phoenix as well.  Odd isn't it? I've left it alone as Early Installment Weirdness, aside from a not-very-serious comment about Stable Time Loops. If someone really wanted to take a crack at explaining this thing, all I'd ask is that they run the specifics of their idea past me before plugging it in for real. I'd also want to check whether Dave thinks Summer was that instrumental in helping Jason.

So during the early days of the game while we were all still figuring out each other's characters, Summer appeared in a situation that--as we understand everything right now--shouldn't have happened.  While this can be chalked up to Early Installment Weirdness, what if it was deliberate instead? (I'm always a fan of this sort of reincorporation)  After all, it helped avert the bad future that we just experienced.  Okay, I'll play Jason here and scratch my head and say I have no idea what the "situation" that "shouldn't have happened" that is being referenced. I am always hugely into reincorporating early-days weirdness, I just need to be handed a clue as to the weirdness in question.

*** Dave H. said: Okay, I'll play Jason here and scratch my head and say I have no idea what the "situation" that "shouldn't have happened" that is being referenced. I am always hugely into reincorporating early-days weirdness, I just need to be handed a clue as to the weirdness in question. During Issue 10 , a Rossum robot that Leo kept deactivated & purged at his home-at-the-time spontaneously self-assembled and ran full speed from there toward the school, with Otto in hot pursuit. This bot was described as holding a backup of Pneuma that she'd made before going on a trip to Japan (and which didn't complete, she got grabbed at the airport). I considered the situation not only out of character for Pneuma, but also physically not possible given how Leo's tech actually worked. It emerged as a considerable misunderstanding between GM and me about how Leo's stuff worked and who and what his robots really are, which we later talked through to everyone's satisfaction. But in the meantime, we now had this new NPC, Doyce had Pneuma reject a merge to bring them back together, and so I rolled with it.

Aha! Yes, Ish 10 I wasn't there (I think the Consortium as a whole was missing), so Pneuma 1 -> Numina -> Summer was more of a fait accompli than weirdness.  I'd also want to check whether Dave thinks Summer was that instrumental in helping Jason. I can completely be all over that. Summer pulled Jason out of a lot of different funks about Alycia, and about the voices in his head and the AIs he'd surround himself with. And she did so in such an affirming and encouraging way that he actually gained back some of the self-worth he needed to, ultimately, stand up to his father.  (Hell, that whole visit down to Amir and what came from it would never have happened without her.  I can't speak for the overall Magus Conspiracy (thought it warms the cockles of my convoluted heart), but this part definitely rings true. Lacking Summer is one of the things that let AltFuture!Jason go down his dark path. Having Summer gets Jason into thinking about the big picture, valuing himself, and thinking about things in a positive and outward-looking fashion. Note that then indirectly plays a role, via Jason, in Alycia's redemption path in the Sepiaverse and back home ... and, among other things, putting her in the path of Doctor Infinity, diverting them toward the undetectable Charlotte and whatever else happens in the future. HMMMMMMM. 

*** Dave H. said: Team : The question of who leads the team is bound up with the question, what sort of leadership does the team actually need?   Alycia and Jason chat about this in the 3rd (and final) installment of the Issue 51 Alycia's Tale . Jason definitely has a candidate in mind. Alycia Does Not Agree.

Dave's Post-51 Writing List for Alycia Alycia's Tale, Issue 51 Summer, Moving In, Heart Factory * Catching Up with Daph! Alycia and Otto * Alycia chats with someone we've not seen for a while Alycia and the Fugitives Alycia and Leo re Being Under the Watchful Eye of AEGIS* Parker and Alycia and Leadership Voids (opt) <-- most likely done in-game Alycia takes a trip to Florida (opt.) * RP Good thing we have some time before the next game ...

*** Dave H. said: Alycia and Jason chat about this in the 3rd (and final) installment of the Issue 51 Alycia's Tale . Jason definitely has a candidate in mind. Alycia Does Not Agree. We will see what Adam, Charlotte, and Harry have to say. :)

In this comment, Leo's responses, in GIF form. Alycia's Tale, Issue 51 [to Jason] Summer, Moving In, Heart Factory* ["you made Summer cry?"] Catching Up with Daph! [to Marion] Alycia and Otto [for having a positive conversation with Leo's best friend] Alycia chats with someone we've not seen in awhile Alycia and the Fugitives More to come as RP is written.

"Back in my time," Charlotte explains, "we had a rather droll amusement to choose who would be, if you will, given a singular honor that nobody cared to to receive. First we set out a group of chairs one fewer than our number. Then, as someone else plays some music, we walk in a circle about those chairs, until the music stops. Everyone then must find a chair to sit upon; the one who cannot, is left, as one says, holdin' the bag. We called it, 'Musical Chairs.'" Everyone is staring at her, then shrugs. "Seems fair enough," Alycia says, fingering the flash-bang palmed in her hand. "Sure, why not," Harry says, flexing his muscles. "Sounds like fun," Adam says, considering the physics of short-range teleportation. "Well, then let us figure out how to get some music started and stopped, and we can begin," Charlotte says, smiling as she notes the play of shadow from the chair backs across the seats ...

*** Dave H. said: "Well, then let us figure out how to get some music started and stopped, and we can begin," Charlotte says, smiling as she notes the play of shadow from the chair backs across the seats ... Leo:

With Aria beside him: "Really, dude?"