The Island to Various Rifts, Friday Through Sunday

[spin_kick_snap]

This is what happens when you stopped listening to the radio for the island; you were taken by surprise when you stepped on the island and saw that half of it looked like it belonged somewhere and somewhen else. Like, even moreso than usual.

Even with all the differences in the island, the first rift took Kathy by surprise as it opened up under her feet, too wide for her to bounce out. It reminded her a little too much of that column of light that had grabbed her to bring her to LA. Only this time it was down instead of up and when she looked around...

"Okay, I am not in Kansas anymore."

[For thems what are there with her.]

Comments

[rebelseekspizza]

"Pfft," Dante said, pulling away from Kathy. "That was fuckin' genius and you know it."

[magicinmyskin]

"It was clever," Max admitted. "But still awful."

[spin_kick_snap]

"Can't trust someone who doesn't like puns," Kathy declared. "It means they hate joy."

[rebelseekspizza]

"You've just been socially conditioned to like, insist you don't like 'em," Dante added, taking a sip from his soda.

[magicinmyskin]

Max raised an eyebrow. "Socially conditioned?" he repeated, amused and incredulous.

[rebelseekspizza]

"Yeah, it's like, a thing," Dante said. A pause. "Just ask Kathy."

[spin_kick_snap]

"Oh, I see how it is," Kathy snorted, giggling at Dante. "But yeah. Socially conditioned that as an intellectual, puns are beneath your notice as humor." She tsked. "Sad, really. Shakespeare punned."

[magicinmyskin]

"Shakespeare engaged in a lot of various kinds of wordplay," Max argued. "Not just puns."

Was Max prepared to throw down over Shakespeare?

Hell yes he was.

[rebelseekspizza]

"Didn't he mostly make a ton of dick jokes?" Dante wondered.

[magicinmyskin]

"Not all of which were puns," Max pointed out defensively.

[spin_kick_snap]

"But a lot of them were," Kathy said. "And most of his pussy jokes were, too."

Only Dante knew how hard it was for her to say that word so nonchalantly.

[rebelseekspizza]

"Either way," Dante concluded, "Shakespeare woulda thought we were funny."

[spin_kick_snap]

"And hot," Kathy added, smiling at Dante. "You can be the Bright Youth and I'll be the Dark Lady."

[magicinmyskin]

"I love the sonnets," Max said with a smile. "My favorite is--"

He was cut off by a loud droning noise from outside the restaurant. Sirens started wailing all along the street. Neither Max nor anyone else looked surprised to hear it; their expressions ranged from resigned to nervous.

"Shit," he said. "Hadn't realized it had gotten so late."

[rebelseekspizza]

Dante blinked. "What was that?"

[magicinmyskin]

Max looked confused. "Do your warning sirens sound different?" he asked.

[rebelseekspizza]

Dante blinked at him. "...Warning sirens?" And then at Kathy.

[spin_kick_snap]

Kathy returned his blank stare with some non-comprehension of her own. "We...are a little confused. Clearly."

[magicinmyskin]

Max's face was also going on a journey from confusion to disbelief and visiting several stops along the way. "How does your town handle fanger incursions then?"

[rebelseekspizza]

"...Fanger?"

Fuck.

[spin_kick_snap]

Kathy was already groaning, burying her face in her arms on the table.

[magicinmyskin]

"There is no way you two come from the one place in America where there aren't feral bloodsuckers haunting the streets at night," Max said, eyes narrowing.

[rebelseekspizza]

Short pause.

Then Dante tilted his head.

"We're more of a 'demons running amock' kind of place," he said.

[magicinmyskin]

"...Demons?" Max repeated blankly.

[spin_kick_snap]

"You know, like...Reaver lords?" Kathy asked, using the phrasing that Max - that the other Max - always used.

The blank bafflement didn't change.