How did we never stop being in last place...

[ he feels like they maintained more dignity than most of the other teams, though, so he's fine with that tradeoff. ]

Yeah, it'd be a good way to pick up some stuff we haven't been able to get from any of the stores here. And even if we can't take it, it's not like the points are going to be used for anything else anyway, so why not try to take advantage?

I dunno. I figure we just did something wrong the whole time.

[ she felt the competition was fun and exciting until she realized they were never going to budge and then she lost interest. ]

We should find out. If people can't bring stuff with them, I feel like that changes what we should spend them on.

[ whether he cares or not it's still annoying not knowing what it was they were doing wrong... ]

Yeah, that's true. If we can't it'd be better to get things that let us live it up now while we can. I can text one of the hosts and ask about that, I guess.

[ takes out his phone ]

We should make sure we do an actual game night with everyone who's willing before it's over too.

[ the emotions are that she is torn between wanting to do a game night and being deeply overwhelmed by how many people are here again........ ]

I wonder if that would count as a party? Like a... really mellow, quiet board game party...

Oh, I was thinking just a team thing... so yeah, mellow and quiet. I don't think we'd ever manage to keep it that way with most of the people here...

[ sigh. ]

I'm really not looking forward to a big full-cast endgame party at all.

[ he is so partied out after last night ]

... That would be okay, then.

Yeah, I don't know. If I can drink and turn my brain off for a bit, great. But if you guys just did that, the energy will be kinda weird, won't it?

Well, I think it would be... a different vibe just by virtue of the expanded guest list.

[ i'm pretty sure no one's creepy enough to play strip poker around kids... ]

But yeah, I'm not sure how much party stamina we'll have regained by then. I guess even if we have to have a big noisy one to complete the mission the people who aren't feeling it can just go to a corner to do their own more low-key thing.

Mm.

[ amused emotions at that thought, but not saying anything about it. ]

In the end the party vibes are determined by the party-goers... As long as we all gather in one place I'm sure it counts for the mission.

It should, yeah, I just have no faith in this group's ability as a whole to keep things chill when they're all in one place.

[ looking at his texts... ]

...I guess the hosts don't really know how that's supposed to work either, but it sounds like theoretically we might be able to take whatever we could fit in our suitcases?

[ so if we got things that were small but expensive, maybe... ]

Hmm.

Well, I can just summon stuff whenever I want when I have my powers... So I don't really need anything. But that is good to know for everyone else.

Damn, that's convenient.

[ and it would be SO DANGEROUS if he or any of his brothers ever got a power like that ]

When I was in the loops it was happening on, like, accident at first? So it'd just be like... there'd be random furniture around in the woods. It's way better once you can control it.

Oh wow, so that's something you already had in your own world, even? It's not a Hell thing?

Yeah. A lot of my powers are like—stuff I could do in the loops? But a little to the left...

But it wasn't that impressive back then because it was just... Making loops and trying to break them apart at the same time. Time's fragile if you push on it.

Those things were interconnected, then? Those powers and the loops?

Refined awareness turns into real control. Slowly.

Like... making waves in water.

[ thinks about this for a moment... then nods. ]

Hm. Okay, I think that kind of makes sense. It's permanent as far as you know, though? Like, it's not going to fade once you're done with all of that?

Should be. I am already out of the loops.

Were they actually gone or were you just not there anymore? It seems like maybe that would make a difference from the way you described it, but maybe not...

[ he has no idea if he's understanding any of this correctly. ]

Anyway, I just think it wouldn't hurt for you to take back something for yourself too, even if you probably won't need it. If you don't, it can just be a souvenir.

I just wasn't there anymore... But, I think—it feels different now than it did. And I lost other things I could do within the loops.

[ like apparently having fucking omniscience. ]

I dunno. I've got the time pin, I've got some little trinkets people have given me... It's not like this place was full of good memories.

Yeah, it was definitely, like, 90% annoying bullshit, but there are a few things I think I'll eventually believe are worth remembering.

Maybe the things people have given you already have that covered, though.

I got some cute bracelets, I got a cute hair pin...

Any ideas what you want to try and bring home?

[ a little hehe at the hair pin mention. ]

Mm, some of the team memorabilia stuff was fun, and I got a lot of nice clothes I'd never be able to buy back home.

With the points we still have... I could get some good sake, probably, and... I don't know. Maybe we can each get a blu-ray player or something, unless no one else wants the one from the entertainment center.

That's so practical...

Well, I'm trying to think of expensive stuff that would plausibly be purchasable with points that would fit in a suitcase! I guess I could ask for like, a bunch of saffron or truffle oil or something and then try to sell it on whatever black market exists for spices.