Party Rock Anthem only it's played on kazoos

[sacrificialpawn]

[Oscar is a practiced master at Coping (tm) in the face of things he would prefer not to address in any sort of healthy or rational manner. After the events of yesterday, he's somehow getting the feeling that he isn't the only one, which means that in his mind there is only one thing to do: this translates to yet another Walmart booze heist (even larger than the original), a few side trips to amass snacks because RIP his kitchen, and some haphazardly erected decorations in one of the spare rooms to try to at least give off something of a celebratory atmosphere... but let's be real here, this is just Misery x CPR x Reese's Puffs + alcohol.

Sunday morning will find handwritten notes tucked under everyone's doors inviting them to a party that evening, snacks and drinks (that particular word underlined a couple of times, just in case people didn't pick up on the meaning of "party") provided gratis.

There's alcohol, there's soda for the minors, there's plenty of junk food to eat, and there are a whole bunch of other people who are also Going Through It. What better recipe for a party could you ask for?

... don't answer that.]

Comments

[tworo]

Yes, I feel much the same. It would be an interesting field of study...but, ultimately, I don't know if it is something I would choose to pursue.

[In the future. As long as they're...talking about a future they might have.]

[akademise]

I'd love to know more about it, but it's the same drive that also makes me want to know more about other cultures, other worlds, other forms of magic.

All the knowledge I am seeking is in the name of improving society, of seeking that ideal world without discrimination and hurt that I used to envision...

[ He pauses at that. ]

I don't... have a specific world I'd want to reform, anymore. But I think I'd like to write a second novel. My "Utopia", as proud as I was of it, still wound up quite flawed. One day, I'd like to try my hand at it again; at writing something that can inspire a better future.

[tworo]

Oh! I would be very interested to read your writing!

[He hasn't really asked before because...well, he's not sure how they could get a copy of the first novel without going to More's world, which doesn't seem like something either of them ought to do.]

[akademise]

[ More absolutely lights up at that!! Not that he'd been subdued before, he's been walking on clouds since they stopped circling around the attraction issue, but this one really pleases him. ]

I'm overjoyed to hear you say so, for I have no intention of giving it up! It's been far too long since I wrote fiction, too.

[tworo]

What do you think you will write it about?

[akademise]

I've been playing with the thought of a story written as a conference report. Representatives from different realities come together in order to present their vision of an ideal society, but the other participants with their different lived experiences make each consider matters from a new perspective.

My first book was written like a kind of answer, but this time I'd like to write a story that is in itself an open question.

[tworo]

That sounds interesting.

[He cocks his head to one side, as if thinking for a moment.]

I've never actually read a novel myself! I never thought of that. He had, of course, though not for a while. [So it isn't like he has no idea about any books at all. It's just at a remove.]

[akademise]

You haven't? Oh, that's a whole beautiful world waiting for you!

[ It makes some sense that Turo didn't spend his time in the Zero Lab reading avidly, though More had never really thought about that before. ]

As much as I would love to make my own work the first you ever lay your eyes on, it'd be unfair to make you wait until I have finished such an undertaking.

[tworo]

Oh, no, please do not rush yourself!

[Novels are no doubt different, but Turo's certainly seen people crash out over their pet projects...]

I will find one...well, I'm not sure when now. [The streets are too dangerous to go wandering around for anything but necessities, he thinks.] I could probably access some online somewhere...

[akademise]

Even novels can be accessed over the 'internet'...?

[ More has been reading a lot of Wikipedia, but he's not ventured that much further into the strange world of the web. ]

This invention will never cease astounding me.

[tworo]

Most likely it would only be old classics, whatever that means for this world. I doubt there will be any I might recognize.

[akademise]

The same will go for me. Doubly so, given how vastly different my world is from this. For that reason alone, I'd be curious to experience more of its writing for myself.

[ Not that they have a lot of time to relax, with training and all, but... ah well. ]

[tworo]

Maybe I could find one and read it aloud, bit by bit.

[It's an idle suggestion. He's not sure of any candidates in particular; he hasn't researched this world's literature at all.]

[akademise]

That... That sounds wonderful. I would love to share in this with you.

[ After how this whole talk went, how dare you seduce him to this degree?? ]

[tworo]

[lmao!!!!!]

What sort of thing do you think would be fun...? Probably nothing too long...

[His gaze goes a bit unfocused as he opens his brain internet.]

[akademise]

I think you made a compelling point when you said to begin with the classics. Maybe we ought to see which books are considered most influential to this world and then pick the shortest one?

[ More does not yet understand the Brain Internet, so he tilts his head a little, curious. ]

[tworo]

...there is a wide variety of those...

[And some arguments about what is considered a "classic"? These seem more sociologically dense than Turo cares to deal with right this second, so he skims over them briefly.]

Most of them are long, though. The Great Gatsby, To Kill A Mockingbird...there's a number of influential plays, but I don't know how well I can read that.

[akademise]

Mhm... That might be a little difficult for a solo performance, yes.

[ Plays could also be fun, but they ought to at least read that with role division... A bit complex for a starter. ]

Can you... actually just store books inside your mind, though?

[tworo]

Oh, yes. I'm not downloading these right now - they're just online. But text files like that don't take up too much space, so I could hold a lot.

[It's certainly a lot simpler and more straightforward than data like entire human memories.]

[akademise]

[ More is giving Turo's head a look so curious, it might just bore a hole into his skull. ]

So... theoretically, it does not matter how long it may take us to finish a book, for we can carry this world's culture with us even when we leave it?

[tworo]

Yes, I suppose so. What parts of it can be turned into data, at least.

[akademise]

That's quite fantastic!

[ ... ]

As long as it is without inconvenience for you, of course. I do not wish to clutter your... your mental luggage?

[tworo]

[He shrugs.]

That is one of the parts of me most affected by the Tera energy, or whatever is letting me function now. I don't know what my true storage limitations are, but I'm not very worried about it.

[akademise]

Very well then.

[ Not knowing is kind of worrisome in itself, but they've been over that part and there is nothing to be done about it until everything is over anyway. ]

As for our matter at hand... Maybe we should simply ask some of our comrades from adjacent worlds for recommendations.

[tworo]

Oh, that's a good thought! I'd prefer a personal recommendation to any of these lists. I'm not sure of who made them, after all.

[Some works appear on multiple lists, which seems like a point in their favor, but "influential" and "fun to read" may not be the same thing.]