96.7 - three hun dred six ty five de grees

[hard_talker]

[at ten o'clock, Concrete Blonde's rendition of the now-familiar Leonard Cohen tune comes BLASTING out of the journals, at full volume, as loud as Harry can make it go. no one's ignoring him, this week. even if you've got your journal closed and locked in a drawer, you're probably going to hear him

Comments

[eat_me_beat_me]

Think they'll actually listen, this time?

[hard_talker]

[he's still letting his boil-over degrade to a low simmer. letting out a slow, heavy sigh, he shakes his head, slams a hand down on the table, and then scrabbles his fingers across the wood, eyes still closed, until he finds his pack of cigarettes]

I dunno.

[another deep breath, then he opens his eyes and swivels around in his chair to face her, the anger replaced by its source: his genuine concern for the people here, and the state of their world - his world - the only one he's got at the moment]

But I really hope so.

[eat_me_beat_me]

[She returns his concerned look from her seat on his bed. All that talk about fire and fighting had gotten her extremely worried. The fact that no one seemed to know what the fuck to do with themselves had terrified her.]

I do, too. I mean... you're right. It could've been a lot worse and there's nothing we could've done to stop it.

[She bites her lip, pulling out her own cigarette and lighting it before holding her lighter out to Mark]

[hard_talker]

[as well it should scare the living daylights out of the both of them - they're only highschoolers, after all. their worlds were JUST starting to grow when they got thrown into the middle of all of this. he's been coping well enough until now, but ... well.]

Not a goddamn thing.

[he puts the cigarette between his lips and leans over her lighter, then takes a slow drag, blowing the smoke toward the ceiling and watching it dissipate]

And that was the worst fucking feeling I've ever had. I don't want to know what that feels like, ever again. Even if all I'm able to do is grab Goku outta his room and hustle to someplace I know is safe ... I wanna know I can do something.

[kungfuwitch]

Enough people stood up and were ready to fight when I had my premonition... but you're right, we need a better system in place.

The only problem is that without having any idea where, or when or how anything is going to happen it makes it a little tough to plan for everything. I fight demons back home and we could never have a set plan because we never knew what was coming when.

[hard_talker]

That's just my point! They stood up when you had the premonition, sure, but ... did we have any ideas? No! Not a fucking one! I stood out on the front lawn by the lobby doors last night flipping my shit because people were asking me what to do, and I didn't KNOW what to tell 'em beyond "Hey, I'm actually seein' a fucking wolf, this time, let's move it".

[he groans, and there's a soft thud from his end of the journal that's very likely a headdesk]

... We can't plan for everything, but ... I dunno. Maybe there can be base plans that we can run with on the fly? Generic stuff to at least make a start from?

[he's quiet for a moment, then:] Like ... I dunno. I keep thinkin' of those Venn Diagrams we used to have to make in class. Have a base scenario for a bunch of set situations, an' then where they overlap, different stuff can get done... Christ, I don't have the head for this strategic shit.

[kungfuwitch]

Well... I did have ideas, but they all revolved around the castle being attacked. I didn't think about the outposts.

I think they were trying to do something like that in the Peace Patrol. They were making different sections for things... in theory that could be the base for it. I just... I don't know. I've never tried to run a big group or anything like that. Back home it was usually just my sisters and I against everything. Not much organization involved there.

[hard_talker]

I don't think anybody did, there's usually a group of people that kinda keep to themselves and tend those. I guess I figured they had a plan for it. But ... well, it's kinda fucking obvious they didn't.

Yeah - I know they've got a magic group and a group for like ... general weirdness? Supernatual section, I think they call it. But ... I don't remember hearin' anything ever gettin' done past the actual sections gettin' made.

.... Wherever Yuan is - if he's a cat or a stale cracker or a plastic motorboat in the jello pool or WHAT - he's gonna be so pissed when he finds out about this.

[hulloeverything]

[Eleven chuckles, a little tiredly.]

Never before have I wished my journal came with a volume knob. Though, I have to say that sometimes you have to turn it all the way up to ensure everyone hears what you have to say.

[He sighs]

I've been trying to set up a group of people to look after children in the castle should something happen... but that doesn't really help when the outposts explode.

Though... I do have one idea. When you have a moment, could you come by my TARDIS?

[hard_talker]

Sorry about the bleedin' ears, Doc, but. Well. It's like you said. People are selectively fucking deaf.

[there's a lot of sighing going on, tonight, apparently]

Yeah, another guy tried picking that up and reorganizing it while you were gone, I been meanin' to tell you. That Alan guy, the one who does the computer programming.

[hulloeverything]

I did see that, yes. I was a bit preoccupied at the time trying to make sure everyone got back to the castle in, well, mostly one piece. He and I have spoken about it, before. I'm glad he decided to step forward and try to carry it on.

[hard_talker]

Mostly? ... I heard that some fit hit the shan, but I'm still ... getting details. Tryin' to piece it all together. There wasn't --

[quietly] Please tell me nobody died.

Hard Harry

[syntax_error24]

[Don't worry, Dairine hears this loud and clear. And it sticks. Yesterday was harder on her then she lets on, and she can't shake the feeling that she personally failed. So today she's sulking in her room, journal open.

She'll just be writing a short filter, and replying in a very small, blank tone.]

Guess this means I don't get an episode.

Dairine

[hard_talker]

[his tone's sympathetic - and very, very apologetic]

I'll find a way to make it up to you. For a start? You're one of the few people this wasn't directed at. I know you wanted to help, and you're new. None of this collective bucket of fail was your fault. You did what'cha could with what'cha had.

This is mostly me being angry that I've been here for almost a year, now, and it feels like nobody's doin' anything to watch everyone's backs, not just their own, despite the fact that it's getting really damn clear we're all in this together. Whatever it is.

Hard Harry

[syntax_error24]

Thanks. [Even if she feels the opposite, but hey, she's been pretty hard on herself this past year.]

It's hard to get everyone to look out for people other than themselves. Just look at Earth... if you're from there.

Dairine

[hard_talker]

Yeah, I am ... but ... well. Three hundred people, give or take? S'a lot less than a whole planet. I guess I figured we could at least make some headway.

[cheerupemoborg]

The Peace Patrol?

Failures?

Perish the thought.

[hard_talker]

Pobody's nerfect, ackjass. This isn't about pissing on any specific group of people in general, this was a collective of FAIL.

So what's your goddamn excuse?

[cheerupemoborg]

That depends on what your talking about. The outposts? The jailbreak? Both?

[hard_talker]

I'm talking about EVERYTHING. The collective carbuncle of apathy that's attached itself to each and every ass in this wreck.