video/action : open!

[passingthrough]

Who: Kitty Pryde + everyone
Broadcast: Network
Action: Iskaulit: Dance studio
When: New Year’s Eve (slightly backdated)

[Not long ago she’d been considering the best way to handle Winn’s birthday now that he’s gone and all. She considered enlisting a close friend or two to be on duty for support or distractions or just barricading herself in her room and feeling it and dealing with that. In the end she went with booze. Lots and lots of booze.

When she turns the feed on she’s lying down on a series of three chairs, holding the communicator above her head.]

Did I ever tell you about the time I was in Marina—the underwater prison place—and this tiny alien or robot or possibly dog man thing took over and made it rain fruit punch and then made us dance in a dance marathon and if we didn’t he was going to put us in a room with a moose. And I’m not drunk! [She laughs like she just said something very funny.]

No, no, I mean I am drunk but it’s also true. It was a very strange place. Did you know you had to get a wristband if you wanted to have sex with someone? Yeah. It was like being at a bar and wanting drink. [Speaking of wanting to drink. She looks around for her bottle and then lifts herself up enough to achieve drinking.] Oh! And then it was like enforced monogamy where you could only be with your band partner.

Wristband. Not like music band. You didn’t have to have sex with the person you played the flute with. [More laughing.]

What was I…? Oh, yeah, do you know I haven’t kissed anyone in moooonths? Yeah. Like May. May 10th. [Winn disappeared May 11.] In the prison you couldn’t do that because every two months—if they were months—they would send out these mistletoe robots that would make you kiss someone or lots of someones. Usually lots of someones. They had shrinking forcefields and confetti. I had to kiss a guy without lips once. Did I mention it was a weird place?

Comments

[passingthrough]

Prisons are weird that way.

You're a good Chekov. Do you know that? [Did you know that somewhat nonsensical thing?]

[candothat]

Yes, and weird in that way only.

I know that now, thank you. [He pets her hair.] You're a good Kitty. Possibly the best I know.

[passingthrough]

Exactly. I knew you'd get it.

[Smiles at the petting. Not that she was stingy with smiles before this.] Even better than actual cats you know?

[candothat]

Of course. There was nothing strange about the bands at all.

I don't know any actual cats, but even if I did I would still like you best probably.

[passingthrough]

Not a thing. I was just boring everyone with that information.

You should meet an actual cat sometime. Laura left me one. She never named her.

[candothat]

The virtual nature of the prison was also terribly commonplace.

I would like to meet this cat, as well as all of your other inherited pets that you have forgotten to tell me about.

[passingthrough]

The commonplacest.

I've got the cat, and the direwolf pup from Robb and Winn's forest slug. That's it. That's all I'm hiding. And I'm not making any new friends with pets. It's too dangerous. Don't even think about getting something!

[candothat]

I haven't had a pet since the City... maybe it would be nice. Should I steal one of yours?

[He's joking. Like, he could be convinced to not be joking, but.]

[passingthrough]

You want a cat? You'd be a good cat person. You're good with me.

[candothat]

I think that there are some minor differences between you and a cat... but if you still want to let me take your cat when you're sober, I will consider it.

[passingthrough]

Name three. [Smiling at him.]

[candothat]

You have opposable thumbs, you can walk through walls, and you can participate in a conversation about theoretical physics. If cats can do those things, then I have greatly underestimated them.

[passingthrough]

They do every one of those things. You're going to be so surprised when you have this cat.

[candothat]

Maybe I spoke too soon when I said that you will always be my favorite Kitty. A cat with a sophisticated understanding of parallel and pocket universes might threaten your standing.

[passingthrough]

Harsh. So harsh. And I happen to have a...okay understanding of those things. Thank you very much.

[candothat]

I was teasing. You know more than enough about physics to impress me. You have firsthand knowledge, even.

[passingthrough]

I impress you? Really? Mean it? Wouldn't lie to a drunk girl?

[candothat]

Yes, you do. When have I ever lied to you? [You know, besides the last time they talked about feelings, probably.]

[passingthrough]

I can't think of a single time so either I'm drunk or you're a good liar. Or some other option that escapes me. [That he never does it.]

[candothat]

You are drunk, we have established that. You're also going to be miserable tomorrow.

Do you have pickle juice?

[passingthrough]

[Scrunching her face.] Why would I have pickle juice?

[candothat]

Hangover cure. It's Russian and Russians are experts at hangovers, so you know already without trying it that it will be effective.

[passingthrough]

That was the worst logic I've ever heard and I'm in a place where there were talking ponies once.

[candothat]

I was hoping that you were too drunk to question my logic. [It was, admittedly, pretty terrible logic.] Fine, suffer your hangover.

[passingthrough]

I didn't have any pickle juice anyway and I don't think sober me would drink it if I did. [Bops him on the nose.]