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[threelayers]

[A tinny, electronic voice comes on the other line. The message recorded is very obviously a 'default' setting of the fluid, available to any user. It displays no name or identity.]

The person you're trying to reach cannot answer the phone right now. Please leave a message with your name and number after the beep and we will return your call.

[What? Were you actually expecting her to record a voice message?]

Comments

[hallucinogem]

[Emerald looked up when the green drink slid its way over to her, and she forced a smile to her face that she was starting to feel a little more just from being back home.]

Little fancier than vodka and orange juice. You're gonna spoil me, Neo. [and without waiting much longer, she lifted the drink to her lips and took a sip—and put the cup back down with a much more real smile.] Oh, this is dangerous. I can barely taste the alcohol. Let me put these things away before I actually hurt someone.

[taking the drink with her, she stood up straight and unhooked her holster, then walked over to the couch she'd claimed as her own and securely slid her guns underneath it. and with that sorted, she sat down, held the drink carefully to avoid spilling it, and tilted her head back against the couch.]

[threelayers]

[She smirked. She had plenty of Orange Juice or after this. But she wanted to start off with a nice dessert, something to improve both of their moods besides just the drinks. She took a nice long sip after clinking her glass against the other girl's and sighed contentedly.

A finger gun, just the one. Yeah, definitely dangerous, sweet and dangerous, like the both of them. And a little spoiling was in order. She didn't want to think about Ruby or Roman tonight, and that was going to take a lot of alcohol. She had her fluid out, in case she needed to say another, but really? There was no reason to do it quite yet, not until Emerald asked a question.

Just let the alcohol start to do its work.]

[hallucinogem]

[yeah, honestly, Emerald was okay taking the time to chill out and drink with Neo. when she did drink, she usually worked through things slowly, even when she was comfortable with the situation—but right now that felt a little difficult to do, just because, well. this thing tasted good and Neo was good company.]

I'll make sure not to tell anyone that you're hanging out drinking with your friend instead of... whatever evil stuff people probably think we're up to.

[she didn't really have to keep up conversation, or at least it didn't feel like she did. there weren't really any obligations here. they could just be friends sharing drinks after some of the most stressful times of their lives so far.]

You know I had to fight a whole pack of goblins the other day? That's why I spent so long in the shower. Those things stink like hell.

[threelayers]

[If she wasn't careful she might get a little brain freeze along with a buzz, but one way or another it was going to be getting properly fuzzy soon enough. Neo certainly wasn't worried about headaches tonight, though she did at least remember to put out water. Cause, ya know... hangovers.

She laughed, setting her drink down and making a moustache twirling motion before mocking up an evil, maniacal laugh. Her fingers moved, thankfully not quite blurred enough yet to ruin any speech.]

If we did half what they thought?
We'd rule the world!

Blech goblins. Ugly shits.

[She turned on the text to voice function. It was tinny and it didn't laugh like she felt but it saved them reading between their sips. Ok, so that explained why all the towels had been in the hamper yesterday. Screw goblins, seriously.]

[hallucinogem]

[it was better than nothing, and she appreciated hearing the Fluid actually curse. made it feel more like an actual thing instead of just some cold machine. Neo's theatrics definitely helped bring a grin to Emerald's face on top of it all.]

You know, we'd probably do a better job ruling the world than some other people I can think of. [she took another drink, readjusting her pace so she didn't get a brain freeze; she was already lining herself up for a massive headache tomorrow, after all. that's real pacing.]

We could make it look however we want. No cops, no politicians, nobody getting abandoned on the streets or watching the people they care about waste away from preventable crap... I don't know. That's just me, you know. If I were queen.

[threelayers]

[No cops. No politicians. Little anarchy heaven. It was a nice ... uh... that other part was an add on. There was a story there, one she'd never bothered to ask about, but then again she wasn't surprised. They probably both had that kind of history to some extent. Remnant was a shitty place for most folks who weren't the rich elite or in the academies.

She laughed and raised her drink to that, fingers blurring a little as they worked.]

And I'll be the court jeester with a knife behind her back.
Perfect combo if you ask me.

[Wait. She checked her phone. Had just typed.
Fuuuuck. She laughed a little. Jeester. jeeze, she wasn't going to be much use typing tonight.]

[hallucinogem]

Jeester.

[Emerald laughed, light and happy for once. it was a lot easier to tease people about typos than it was to deal with anything else, and she was really starting to see why Neo had proposed this.]

I was thinking co-queens, you know? You'd be a great court jeester, but I'm not the kind of person who could rule a place alone, you know? [maybe her lips were getting a little looser already.] I'm just glad someone from our side ended up here. I don't know what I would've done if I had to tough all this out alone.

[threelayers]

[She laughed a little with Emerald, right up until she blinked and looked at the girl. Oh, that was hitting her a little bit. The world swam for just a second and she realized that she'd made these a little stronger than she thought, and hadn't been drinking in a long time. But it faded quickly as she went to get the orange juice and vodka... reminding herself not to overdo it on the latter too quickly and setting out water for them both.

Uh... had Emerald just said 'co queens?' With her? You know, instead of Cinder? Nope? Didn't hear Cinder's name at all. Uh, that was hey look, grasshopper! Sip!]

Used to it myself
Kinna really glad you showd up
lot easier

[It was still legible!]

[hallucinogem]

Yeah. Being alone sucks.

[she was getting the feeling that Neo was gonna be... harder to communicate with if she has much more. which was fine, they didn't have to talk to have a good time together, they could just hang out and de-stress.]

Still don't know if my Semblance works right and I'm already down a few bullets, plus I think I just had the rudest wake-up call in the world, but... at least I'm not going through it on my own. The way that some other people want me to. [she sighed and tilted her head back.]

Gods, I'm just gonna end up repeating myself and it's gonna be embarrassing for everyone. Shut me up already. [she took another drink, drawing deeper from her cup to try to keep her stupid mouth shut for as much as possible.]

[threelayers]

[She poured her a screwdriver and scooted it over before reaching and patting the girl on the hand, winking. Yeah, she got it. She'd spent three months just going through motions here and ignoring how awful the place was, and it was finally getting to her. This would have been... rough if she'd been solo.]

Your not alone
Im not going anywhere
Promise

[She wasn't going to be great at the whole shutting up, but screwdrivers were good at helping get you over the hump. The trick here was that the hump was a little rough for her co-queen. First? Drunk, and then they could stop caring.]

[hallucinogem]

[that was it. that was all she needed, was to just... get drunk and shut herself up and get herself to stop worrying about everything. she reached for the screwdriver and considered it for maybe about half a second before downing it all in one go.]

Gods. I'm never gonna loosen up if I try to moderate myself. That should really get it going.

[she just wanted to be comfortable for once. she'd been through so much. it was a damn good thing that she kept her head on a swivel more often than not so this couldn't turn into a problem, but she shot Neo a real smile knowing and being reassured, over and over again, that she wasn't going to be dealing with this alone. she spoke up again, this time with a lot more humor behind it.]

Ugh. You're too good to me, Neo. You're gonna make me go soft in my old, old age.

[threelayers]

Flatery can get ya all kindsa places
Besides youre with me too right?

[Her typing was worse, but thankfully the text to voice was keeping up. It was getting close to the point as she stared in on the vodka that she was realizing being 4'10" in heels didn't exactly make you a heavyweight in drinking, especially when you were intentionally going strong.

Whatever, it was ... just easier not to think about things right now. She felt comfortably numb right now, and she liked it.]

[hallucinogem]

Not trying to get anywhere with you.

[she felt... casual for once. maybe she just hadn't eaten much, maybe she just hadn't really been paying attention to how much time had passed, or maybe this stuff was a lot stronger than she'd expected. maybe it was all three, but either way she could sort of start feeling it come over her, at long last. she'd get there and she could breathe for a night.]

Not anywhere like that. I just wanna... [a pause. she looks up to the ceiling.] I don't know. Fuck. I just wanna sink into this couch and not have to leave for, like, a month. I just want a month off from dealing with all this stuff. Just you and me hanging out and getting drunk instead.

1/2

[threelayers]

[Blink, blink... wait, had she been...

Her cheeks might have tinged a little pink before she downed about a quarter of of her screwdriver and laughed silently, a little too hard. Ok, that was funny. No, she totally hadn't meant it like that, but now she was drunk and thinking ... even briefly ... about something she hadn't thought of in two years.

Nope, nope. Get buzzed. That was a funny thought, but she wasn't going to think it seriously this tipsy.]

2/2

[threelayers]

[Haha, ok, she was definitely laughing now, nodding and relaxing against the counter, grinning over at Emerald. She flashed her a big, cheesy grin and a quick nod. Her hands tried to get something out, but it was closer to a keysmash and whatever came out garbled so much that she just laughed again. Screw it. Talking was for chumps.

Instead, she opted to toast the plan of just getting drunk!]

[hallucinogem]

[Em listened to try to figure out what Neo could possibly have meant by that garble of text and instead just ended up laughing again, faster and higher-pitched just because that was the way she felt like laughing. closer to a giggle, really, but. she toasted to their health, to their partnership, to their queendom. and maybe it was only in her head that the toast was to those things, but it didn't matter because she knew they were going to live up to it no matter what happened.]

We're gonna get through this. Nothing's gonna stop us now.

[threelayers]

[She nodded her head and raised the glass again before taking a nice, long draught of her drink. Oh yes, they were getting through this. She had no intention of letting this stupid town get the better of her again.

...

Ok, she'd accept a few setbacks, but she was going to win damnit. That was the plan. As she took another drink, she looked over at her phone and just tapped the off button before sauntering over to the couch and flopping there, one arm going over Emerald's shoulder and the other holding a drink. Seriously, who needed to talk? She was fine just the way she was.]

[hallucinogem]

[this was the life. hanging out with her best friend, decompressing, getting close with her emotionally and physically and then cutting the rest of the world away and losing themselves in alcohol. this was what life needed to be. two friends hanging out, chilling on a couch, sharing drinks and getting ready for how hard they were gonna take the world by storm.]

[she draped her arm over Neo's shoulder in return and grinned at her, though her words came out a little sappier than she might have wanted.]

Thanks for looking out for me. I know, I know, but I'm just gonna keep saying it so you better get used to it. Means a lot to me, you having my back like you did in the labyrins. The... the maze. You know. [she leaned her head against Neo's quickly, and pulled back before it became uncomfortable for either of them.] If you ever need me to pull you out of some weird emotion hole, you know I'm there. For anything.

[threelayers]

[She leaned right back in and rested her head there, toasting widely with her drink. It made a little spill, but she'd worry about that later. That's what stain removers were for. She felt good like this, so drunk that she didn't have to think about the consequences too much. And she had very few here that she could actually do this with safely here. God, she'd never have admitted it before, but it was good to have Emerald.

A little nod and she glanced up at the other girl, winking. She'd tell her if there was something she needed. Oh definitely, though right now all she really needed was to not think about it all. She had her back.]