Room 508, Tuesday Afternoon

[spin_kick_snap]

Kathy was hunched over her computer, muttering to herself. "Raven, what the hell? Don't wander off! No, get back--Dante, how do you have dysentery? Again?! No, I am not stopping this car, there are too many--Dammit, Ringo, how did you break your arm?! Were you AT-ing during the zom--DANTE YOU ARE NOT ALLOWED TO DIE, YOU JERK! Anders, you're a goddamn magic-user, heal somebody! OH MY GOD, DON'T MAKE ME TURN THIS CAR AROUND AND DRIVE BACK TO THE NUKES, SO HELP ME!" A moment of quiet and then, "Hey! Somebody stole my last battery!"

Someone had discovered Organ Trail on Facebook. And had foolishly decided to play using the names of her friends. And had nearly decided to give up on this carful of people and try again. Surely Kira and Ezra would be more sensible during the zombie apocalypse.

"Raven! I said not to wander off! Great! Now you're dead and I have to start over!" Kathy didn't believe in leaving anyone behind. Even in the pixelated apocalypse.

[Open! Link to the conversation with Dante]

Comments

[spin_kick_snap]

"Oh, that's what you were trying to do," Kathy said, nodding. "It looked like you were doing a bunny impression. Or maybe had to sneeze."

[soniaroadsqueen]

"Hey! I make for a very cute bunny!"

Not that Ringo had ever actually tried looking like a bunny, but she was sure she'd be cute at it.

[spin_kick_snap]

"You know what's not at all useful during the zombie apocalypse?" Kathy asked. "Bunnies."

[soniaroadsqueen]

"That's enough lip out of you, missy." Ringo watched some questionable TV to be picking up phrases like that. "Where's the button that kicks you out of the car?"

[spin_kick_snap]

"Oh, I see," Kathy said with a mournful shake of her head. "You're a totalitarian who won't let anyone criticize your unjust regime! Ha! As if Alluka and Dante would let you kick me out, either. Maybe we'll have to band together to topple your stranglehold on the Vehicular Republic!"

Of course a simple Flash game would turn to this. Of course it would.

[soniaroadsqueen]

Well, Kathy did bring out the best in Ringo!

"I suppose Alluka would probably look sad. I guess I can't just kick you out."

Ringo grinned. "But I do have a very important mission that I need someone to go on." Thanks for volunteering, Kathy!

[spin_kick_snap]

Other way around, Ringo!

"Is it to do one of the many, many, many tasks you've proven incapable of doing, thus calling into question your fitness to be our leader?" Kathy asked, beaming.

[soniaroadsqueen]

"Yeah. Sure. That sounds like a good explanation. And when you get back from it, you can take over."

Then Ringo put on a sad-but-stoic expression. "Though if you're not back by nightfall, I'm afraid that, as hard as it'll be, we'll have to go on without you, and I will reluctantly keep leading."

[spin_kick_snap]

"Yeah, in that case, I definitely want to hear what this is up front," Kathy said, looking skeptical.

[soniaroadsqueen]

"You won't take my word that it's super-important?" Ringo widened her eyes and looked totally innocent. Well, "innocent", at least.

[spin_kick_snap]

"Ringo, we've met," Kathy sniffed. "Of course I wouldn't!"

Rude, Kathy!

"Not when your competence in leadership is in question, anyway."

[soniaroadsqueen]

"What about if Alluka came and asked you to do it?" Ringo wasn't above asking the other girl to give her a hand convincing Kathy to "help", after all.

[spin_kick_snap]

"Still wanna know what it is up front," Kathy declared. "Now I'm suspicious of anyone asking me to do something without saying what it is first. Look at the paranoia you're engendering, Ringo. Look at it."

[soniaroadsqueen]

"Hey, the paranoia is on you," Ringo countered. "If you just trusted me like a good subordinate, then everything would be fine!"

[spin_kick_snap]

"A good leader knows she can't just demand trust, she has to earn it," Kathy sniffed. "If you haven't been able to do that, that's on you."

[soniaroadsqueen]

For a split-second, a serious expression snuck onto Ringo's face, but she shook her head and restored her teasing smirk. "I'll have you know that I'm excellent ad earning trust. Besides, I've got way more leadership experience than you."

Not exactly by choice, but she did have it.

[spin_kick_snap]

Kathy noticed that instant of somberness and bumped shoulders with Ringo. "I still want to know what this special job is before I say yes," she said. "Especially since I'm the one still winning at success zombie-leadership, here."

In that she'd played the game more times anyway.

[soniaroadsqueen]

A little tension bled out of Ringo's shoulders at that bump, and she grinned a little more naturally.

"Oh?" Ringo looked over, raising an eyebrow. "So you managed to get everyone to safety, then?"

[spin_kick_snap]

"I have," Kathy said, chin up. "Multiple times."

Like...as many as six.

[soniaroadsqueen]

"Out of how many attempts?" Ringo sounded awfully suspicious there.

[spin_kick_snap]

"You can start worrying out of how many when you make it to one," Kathy declared.

[soniaroadsqueen]

"Yeah. I think that answers my question." It was a million, wasn't it, Kathy? Maybe even a bajillion.

[spin_kick_snap]

That wasn't even possible Ringo! And bajillion wasn't even a real number!

"Yeah, what number attempt is this for you?" Kathy countered.

[soniaroadsqueen]

"Three?"

More like six or seven, Ringo.

[spin_kick_snap]

"You are such a liar," Kathy said, laughing. "You got to three before I finished explaining that you use the space bar to shoot!"