WEEK THREE: MONDAY AFTERNOON, THE DINER

[parodeity]

[ as promised last week but never gotten around to, this time dave goes off directly after lunch to the diner with violet baudelaire.

he's still just as weirdly quiet as he has been of late, as he fiddles with the jukebox to try to pick a tune, but he does say: ]

Did you ever get that picture, by the way?

Comments

[parodeity]

Maybe for a while. But people'd forget and move on, and it'd make things...easier. If I wasn't around, not...trustin' people.

[ thanks for that cynical statement, dave. ]

...This is dumb. Hey, do you know how to dance?

[inventurous]

You're right, that is dumb.

[ but ok let's move on. ]

Somewhat? I can do a box-step, I think. [ she probably knows either lite ballroom dancing or how to jive who can fucking say ]

[parodeity]

So a waltz?

[ he'll have to go over to the jukebox to put it to Not Rap. then he'll step back over, do an exaggerated bow, and hold out a hand. ]

Want to, then? [ it's a convenient distraction from the conversation. ]

[inventurous]

[ she's glad he doesn't expect to waltz to rap.

violet does actually smile now. she gives a small curtsy, before taking dave's hand. ]

Why, I would be delighted to, Sir Strider.

[parodeity]

[ so he's like. never danced? with another person? but dave is quick on his feet always and he actually semi-smiles as he takes her hand, and puts his other at her waist. he's at least seen enough movies and is at least good enough at copying movements to get the gist of it - so he can guide her through it if she doesn't learn fast, too. ]

By the wait - Kaito's the Gangster. I think he might be legit. He has four shots - so if we ever need a weapon role...

[ kaito would be the one he'd suggest, and trust, to call on. ]

He also knows about the Copycat thing. Woke up today to a cat poster in our room, but I made it out like the Copycat is a guy, who I know? So. At the very least I think I confused the issue.

[ DOES HE LIE TO EVERYONE yes, pretty much. violet is a rare exception. ]

[inventurous]

[ this is fine they're young teens this is what young teens do, in diners in horror towns. she will do her best to keep up with him, also taking lessons from movies. presumably different ones. ]

I'll make a note of it. Not a literal one, obviously, but. That'd be a handy person to have on our side.

[ at this rate she half expects dave to learn Everyone's role first. ]

A-- why was there a cat poster? To show that someone had copied you?

[ dave oh my god. how are your pants not constantly aflame. ]

[parodeity]

It was a cat on a copy machine. So. I had to say somethin' to keep him immediately tellin' people about it, and if he does...he'll be tellin' them to look for the wrong person entirely.

[ he lets go of her waist and holds up the hand clasped with hers so violet can spin. ]

I was supposed to give you a letter, too. I mean...just in case, for when I go through my door.

[inventurous]

Oh, that's. Not subtle. Okay, that's probably good.

[ she will spin! her blue skirt twirls around her, her dark hair flying up just slightly. she'll only spin once before returning her hand to his shoulder. ]

But you're going to be careful, right? A letter... that makes it sound really final, you know.

[parodeity]

[ his free hand returns to her waist. this is a dumb way to have a serious conversation but it's calming him down a little; dave likes music and mindless physical activity so. dancing works. ]

I'm always careful. [ ah. he does lie to violet, doesn't he? ] But I figured...I don't know, do you think I shouldn't leave a letter? If I go through doors alone, I figured - just in case. But if you think it's a bad idea...

[inventurous]

[ it's not a bad way to have a conversation, probably. better than standing there tensely. ]

Sure you are. [ sarcasm. ] No, it's not a bad idea, if you want to? I'd just prefer nothing bad happen to you, instead, if that makes sense?

[parodeity]

[ look...at least he's being careful-ish of his injuries, okay. ]

Well, thanks? I mean. I also like it when bad things do not happen to me, although I prefer them to happen to me rather than to other people? But like...I do plan to go open a door after this. And I did not...write a letter. Shit. Can you wait for like five minutes while I do?

[inventurous]

[ if he's not she'll frown at him!! ]

Hmm, gee, that sure sounds like something a good person would say. [ SHE'S JUST SAYING ] Okay, sure, go ahead. I'll be right over here.

[ she will just... stand here, as he does that. ]

[parodeity]

[ she gets to see dave making. various faces. before he finally comes up with a letter that he folds up several times and writes "total bullshit" across the outside of.

it's all done on some paper from the inn, with one of his many red ballpoint pens.

at one point he simply scribbles something out for like three minutes straight while looking frustrated.

so. THIS IS AN ENCOURAGING THING TO HAND TO VIOLET, SURELY. ]

...Anyway. That's...yeah. I'll grab it back from you tonight or tomorrow mornin' and then we can like, burn it or somethin' if we can get the staff to give us matches?

[inventurous]

[ violet, standing near the jukebox, waiting: he's writing something stupid, isn't he.

but she takes it, eyebrows raising at the title on the front. she'll gently tuck it into the pocket with her siblings' picture, safe and sound. ]

That sounds good. I'm sure we could make a fire even without matches. It'll be fun.

[parodeity]

[ SHUT UP IT IS ELOQUENT AND yeah he already regrets giving it to her, looking at the letter disappearing into her pocket mournfully but. you know. ]

Like with sticks and doin' the whole boy scout thing with blowin' on them?

[inventurous]

[ too late too take it back now. ]

That's not quite what I thought, but sure. We can be boy scouts. That's probably easier than making a striker and our own matchsticks.

[parodeity]

...How do you make a striker and matchsticks?

[ lord help him he actually sounds curious. ]

[inventurous]

Hm, well.

[ she almost ties up her hair but instead her hands just twitch. she is not building this for real. right now, anyway. ]

Matches are just wood or stiff paper, and the end is just something that can be ignited. I'm not entirely sure what they're supposed to be made of, but it'd just have to be something that can create flame when struck against the striking surface. It's all about the friction, I think? They're probably coated in phosphorus or something, but I would think we could make something that works... Or I wonder if we could ask for the phosphorus if we could find the wood or paper ourselves...

Um. Rubbing sticks together is definitely easier, though.

[parodeity]

I mean, I'm not sure they'd give us phosphorous, either, though we can ask.

[ he's mostly amused, now. ]