LUCAS.

[tactic]

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[tactic]

[ Well, he was going to go back to his apartment, but he's going to sit down next to Lucas and take his drink and down the rest of it in one go.

And then he puts the empty glass back down and smiles. ]

Welcome back.

[faithkept]

[HIS DRINK. It is extremely strong because he's a nightmare creature. There's a brief flicker of surprise on his face, but it shifts to something amused.]

Thank you. Good to be back, given how prone you people are to plucking small things up by the limbs.

[tactic]

[ GOOD! HE COULD USE EXTREMELY STRONG. ]

What? It was a cute look and opportunities like that are fleeting. Might as well grab them while you can.

[faithkept]

[HELP their holiday cheer drink that's 80% vodka and 20% cranberry juice.]

Literally, I suppose? [GAZING AT HIM. But he doesn't seem actually aggravated.] I wonder why so many of us became little dolls at the same time... I've never seen that one before.

[tactic]

Have you angered anyone recently?

[ Though the muppet curse doesn't seem as bad as Aqua who went insane and insulted practically everyone in public. ]

[faithkept]

[WHO DID THIS TO AQUA. AND ALSO BALD PICKLES.]

I don't believe so? [Except for Ichiban who is simply always angry. Valid.] It does seem as though curses were flying very freely today, though. Between Aqua and Pickles... Izutsumi was acting strangely, too.

[tactic]

[ Oh, yes, she insulted him on his way out. ]

Ha... I hope they don't feel too badly about it once the curse wears off.

[ EVEN THOUGH THEY SHOULD ]

[faithkept]

[EVEN THOUGH THEY SHOULD...]

I hope so, too. It isn't as though they could help themselves any more than I could help being a doll or Pickles could help being... de-furred.

[tactic]

[ OH MY GOD.

Aventurine picks the glass back up, and then remembers that he fucking emptied it. ]

Did you get a good look at him? I never want to see a bald dog ever again.

[faithkept]

[Looking at him with sympathy...]

Would you like to get another drink? [JUST DITCH THE APARTMENT AND GO TO THE BAR.] But yes, I did, considering he was carrying me in his mouth.

[tactic]

[ SHOCKED SILENCE... He had left at that point and missed it.

But he's pushing himself to his feet now and offering Lucas a hand to help him up. ]

I think you could use another drink too.

[faithkept]

[Oh to be a little nui carried around in the mouth of a baldass dog........ Hateful. He'll reach up to take the offered hand, moving to stand, too.]

I could always use another drink.

[That's his secret... TIME TO BAR.]

[tactic]

[ LUCAS THE ALCOHOLIC

But yes, they're off to the bar! The fancy one because they need something better than sitting in a dingy apartment lobby. ]

Was that what you were doing before I found you?

[faithkept]

[SOMETIMES YOU NEED 5 BOTTLES OF WINE WITH DINNER TO EASE THE MISERY OF EXISTENCE. Once they get to the fancy bar, he's immediately moving toward the hard liquor bottles behind the counter.]

Ah, I was just writing my letter to Nadia. [His daily letters...] I've been in the habit of it for so long that I'd rather keep it up even here than not.

[tactic]

[ HE WILL HELP FERRY THESE BOTTLES TO THE BAR COUNTER FOR EASY ACCESS oh my god they have a problem. ]

Yeah? I bet she'd love to hear about how her brother turned into a chew toy.

[faithkept]

[IT'S FINE IT'S FINE IT'S FINE THEIR FUCKING BOTTLES. He'll get some glasses out. And some mixers, in case they feel like pretending they aren't insane.]

She would get a laugh out of it. [His sister is the sweetest person to ever exist but also a gremlin.] Especially if she heard that the dog that kidnapped me was bald and wearing normal human clothing.

[tactic]

[ STARTS POURING AWAY up until he gasps as a realization hits him. ]

Did anyone take a picture of bald Pickles?

[faithkept]

Oh... [NOOOO THEIR COMMEMORATIVE BACKLES PHOTO.] Well, I didn't. I do hope someone else managed to, though... Perhaps Scien.

[Seems like something that binch would do, take a picture of a bald dog who's suffering in embarrassment.]

[tactic]

[ Looks at Lucas over the lip of his glass before he starts chugging. ]

Hey, you didn't look like you wanted to throw up after mentioning his name.

[faithkept]

That would be a waste of alcohol.

[Making a vague cheersing gesture after refilling his cup. DRINKS TO FORGET BACKLES KIDNAPPING AND ALSO SCIEN BROFIISE.]

[tactic]

[ Laughs a little quietly but does the cheers gesture right back. ]

Hard to believe this town used to just be a handful of us. We've practically got the entire village here now.

[faithkept]

It's certainly lively now, for a town of people who had to die to get here.

[They're all alive supposedly, but now they're lively to match... As if they weren't even back when it was just a handful of them and Pickles was catching fire fleas.]

Soon it will be an even larger number...

[tactic]

[ They've truly been here for several decades. ]

We're entering the final stretch. Feeling nervous?

[faithkept]

[IT'S BEEN 84 YEARS.]

A bit... [SO many things could go wrong and he anticipates at least half of them will.] Are you?

[tactic]

[ A slow inhale, then even slower exhale. ]

... Trying not to be. Too bad it doesn't work that way.

[ He's so nervous. ]