Long overdue...

[mosaic_archive]

Spider's missed this place... but sometimes absences just can't be helped. Stuff comes up, things happen... stubborn kids want to go out to lunch armed like they're going to raid the place...

They'd all needed some adjustment time.

But here he is, after about four months. And unlike most times, this time he's not alone. He usually picks a nice seat where he can see the view and orders the same grilled strawberry cream sandwich and hot cocoa... but this time he'll look around for a spot with enough room to accommodate the seven kids with him.

Comments

[random_xtras]

"Maybe it's a feature of mass-produced but self aware fighting forces?" Blue carefully wipes the counter around the kids' dishes, giving them smiles as she does.

Atin thinks this over, then shrugs. "Maybe."

[mosaic_archive]

Spider doesn't say anything for a moment. While he's well aware of both his assorted uncles' origins and that of the clones, it isn't something he likes to think of. That anyone could be treated that way tends to irritate him.

Trouble solves this by throwing a cookie at Spider's head.

Spider just barely manages to catch it.

[random_xtras]

Atin's eyes light up, and suddenly there's a cookie bouncing around on the counter as a little squeaky but unmistakably Atin voice yells like a little old man about throwing his wife around, you young hoodlums!

Scrat double takes, then holds his head in his hands and murmurs about his brother's strange sense of humour.

[mosaic_archive]

Spider, who had for a moment thought about eating the cookie, puts it down on the counter near that one.

It seems Seth is having similar ideas, as he freezes where he'd been about to take a bite out of one and puts it down, turning a shade or two paler than he had been.

Even the young Commandos, normally bottomless pits, seem suddenly hesitant when it comes to the food. It seems nothing makes one lose their appetite faster than being scolded by a snack...

Fire lizards, it seems, are immune to this... all Lady understands is that this talking cookie upset her person somehow. So now there's a little green scolding the cookie right back in a series of little warbling chirps.

[random_xtras]

And Atin makes the cookie argue with Lady, exclaiming that cookies are for eating, and not for throwing or yelling at, don't you young whippersnappers know anything??

[mosaic_archive]

"Sorry, Mister Cookie, but snacking on talking baked goods is right up there with making Hoojib hasenpfeffer. It just ain't proper, and I think I'm not the only one bothered by the idea." Though Spider pretends to talk to the cookie, he flicks a glance towards Atin. He's pretty sure who's behind this, and you're spooking his kids...

Both girls can sense who's behind it too, and they're just frowning.

Seth, though, is just looking a bit green. They'd already eaten some of the cookies, and other things too, and what if some of those could talk! He hopes he won't be sick as he looks to Spider and says, quietly, "I think I want to go home now."

Lady's still scolding that cookie, and she'll give Atin a hiss too.

wb

[random_xtras]

"Atin, knock it off." Uzulee stops to give the clone a slug on the back which makes him grunt. "Can't you see you're creeping people out?"

Atin sighs and puts the cookie down. "You guys couldn't tell that was my voice?"

"You should've been able to tell how they were feeling." Uzulee gives him another whack.

The clone blushes. "I was kind of distracted by another conversation."

"Well your screen saver stunk." The tiny brunette scowls at him, though her anger isn't of the scary sort, even with the whacks she's administered.

real life's kept me busy

[mosaic_archive]

The four little commandos had recognized the voice... almost impossible for them not to. And the girls had been able to tell what was going on regardless. But Seth, currently getting a hug from Spider, just shakes his head no. "Food's not supposed to talk," he says.

*hug*

[random_xtras]

Atin frowns with concern. "I'm really sorry, Seth. Can I give you a wish to make up for it?"

(I'm not dead... just steamrolled by RL)

[mosaic_archive]

Seth fidgets as he starts to realise the others weren't spooked as much by the cookie as he had been. What if they thought he was still too much of a baby and he had to stay home again when Spider left?

He's not sure what to say about the wish. "I dunno what I'd do with one. I can't eat them like the hoojibs do. But... it's just... how am I supposed to be sure when someone's people or not if not because they can talk? Like the hoojibs look like rabbits, and it's ok to make stew out of rabbits, but not out of a hoojib. They don't really talk, because it's telepathy, but it's kind of the same thing..."

(figured *hug*)

[random_xtras]

The former Commando brightens, and then reaches into his pocket to pull out a little disk of what looks like white porcelain on a black cord. This gets offered to Seth.

Re: (figured *hug*)

[mosaic_archive]

"What is it?" Seth asks curiously, reaching for it to get a better look.