MINGLE - Post-Op(era) Recovery

[pumpkinhollow]

On this night we drink to the death of Sorrow.

After the Fall of Efrain With the Prince of Sorrow's Song dead and gone, the opera dissipates, spitting its victims out on the summit of Crane's Ridge where the Dance of Celestine was held some months before. It's getting late, and there is no one yet in town to run the train. Some will brave the trip home simply for the sake of collapsing into their own beds and achieving some sense of normalcy. Others will do so with the hope of returning with help. But many others will simply say "fuck it" and camp out on the mountain, still fitted with extra firewood from the festival and the means to build temporary structures in nearby storage sheds. The journey down will be safer in the morning, and there's solidarity to be had in a cool spring night spent under the stars.

Oh, look, there's even some non-perishable food and wine from the Dance. Combined with what can be hunted or foraged, as well as snacks and drinks stolen from the concession stand, there's plenty to go around. This might even be a little bit fun! Anyone up for another game of Never Have I Ever? Maybe a little Truth or Dare? Or perhaps you just want to chat and unwind with your friends. Whatever the case may be, have fun. This is your time. After darkness, there is a dawn. At the death of Sorrow, there is joy.

Comments

[incomingchoppers]

Radar squints, cocking his head just a little to listen better to the rattle.

"Looks like something from Mr. Ambrose's shop," he says, doubtful but intrigued. "What happened to the label?"

(Well, what happened is someone left a box of candy up here for four months and the label fell off. At least it doesn't sound like any bugs got into it, too.)

[hate_gettin_older]

"Dunno. Feels like ... sticks?"

He rattles the box again, sniffs at it, and then tries to peel up a corner of the stiff paper lid.

[incomingchoppers]

"Sounds like some kinda sticks," says Radar at almost the exact same time. "Maybe peppermint? I dunno, let's bring it along and find out!"

Like more food is ever a bad thing, in Radar's eyes. Especially candy.

[hate_gettin_older]

"Yeah, all right." Like he's ever going to get an argument from Edgar about that.

They bring their dinner back to the tent and settle down to leisurely consume it, and by this time Edgar's really starting to feel better. Between the victory over their tormentor and a hefty meal to celebrate it, he could almost forget about what came before. (At least for the moment.)

"So," halfway through his steak, "want to try opening the box and see if it's candy or what?"

[incomingchoppers]

"'Course," says Radar around a mouthful of potatoes. He rummages up the box and works his fingers under the flap to pry it open.

Inside aren't peppermint sticks, but something that looks a lot like the candy cigarettes he'd get at the Ottumwa general store sometimes. Thin, opaque white sugar sticks without a single hint as to what flavor they might be, even though there's also a little slip of paper inside that declares NINETEEN DELICIOUS FLAVORS TO TEMPT YOUR TASTEBUDS! Why nineteen and not a nice round number like twenty becomes more apparent as Radar keeps reading.

"'Nineteen delicious flavors to tempt your tastebuds, but beware of Sour Jack,'" he recites aloud. "Pass the box among your friends. Whoever finds him first loses.' Huh." He looks up at Edgar, intrigued. "I think it's a game?"

[hate_gettin_older]

Edgar grins. "Sounds like fun. Want to play it just you and me, or rope in some others?"

[incomingchoppers]

"Let's get some others!"

Trust Radar to want to pull in as many folks as possible. He hops up and starts to spread the word through all the campers; within minutes, they've got a pretty good-sized crowd of people Radar recognizes (Max, Nimona, Kitty, Pokey) and a couple he doesn't quite (the dancer a little younger than him that he's seen looking out for a lot of kids at the orphanage, and... some purple bean-shaped person in a diving suit? Who Nimona fistbumps delightedly as soon as she sees them. Uh-oh.).

One by one, they each accept the box and pull one of the sugar sticks. When it reaches Nimona, she starts gagging so dramatically that Radar's sure she pulled the sour one, until she coughs out, "Is there banana in this? I'm allergic." Luckily, she shakes it off after a couple rapid-fire transformations and a whole lot more dramatics about leaving her demon-murdering claws to Edgar if she bites the dust.

Sighing patiently, Radar just takes the box out of her hand and pulls his stick, then passes it along to Edgar for the next round. Watermelon! Not bad.

[hate_gettin_older]

Edgar fishes out the next stick and promptly licks it.

It's genuinely a shame that no one present is familiar with the Kombucha Girl meme, because Edgar's face does a fair approximation of it before he licks the stick again.

"Yeah I think it's this one," he says, frowning, and keeps tasting it.

[incomingchoppers]

Radar stares.

Incredulous, "You think?"

Then why's he still eating it?!