[OPEN ] ► Central Commons - Bar | Just Chilling

[hartless_cowboy]

WHO| Lindsey and OPEN
WHAT| Lindsey spends some time people watching and drinking
WHEN| Three days post Arena 4
WHERE| Central Commons in the Training Center
WARNINGS/NOTES| None for now

Three days now and Lindsey was still sore over losing the silly competition. True that he hadn't paid it much mind when he was first told about it, also true that he never thought that he was going to make it so far to the end, but to lose it after being made to kill his own brother and be one of the last few remaining seemed a poor way to end it.

With a gin and tonic in hand, Lindsey paid the serving avox no mind as he watched people come and go from the open cocktail bar. Maybe tomorrow he'll venture out into the city.

Comments

[hartless_cowboy]

Throughout it all Lindsey watched quietly from the bar, not unnoticed but ignored in preference to the bigger celebrity that gifted the gossip mongers with its big green appearance. He took this chance to observe the creature, both objectively with an outsider's perspective and as a fellow tribute who might one day have to fight this opponent.

One thing he quickly noted was that sadness. Even while subtle, it stood out, like neon signs to his old lawyer senses.

It looked somewhat familiar too, same expression on a different eyebrowless face.

"Conscience bothering you?"

[polyturtle]

At this, Don turned to face Lindsey, blinking. He had been concentrating on not wanting to break down and run out of the room from the adulation over his kills that he didn't realize how close they'd been sitting.

"Oh...hey, Eliot."

Or...the fact that this wasn't actually Eliot he was talking to, but rather his twin. Give it a minute. Or not, if Lindsey is so inclined to take advantage of that.

[hartless_cowboy]

Tempted by such an opening, Lindsey decided to leave it uncorrected. He wanted to know more about the big turtle, and at such a moment, it seemed like 'Eliot' had the better chance of getting him to open up.

"Hey yourself," he answered back, lowering drink to give the human sized tortoise an appraising glance.

"Yeah, I know, it sucks, but don't be too hard on yourself. What happened, back in the arena?"

[polyturtle]

"Haaaa..." Don looked back down at his coffee, obviously not realizing this wasn't Eliot. "Adverse bacterial interaction."

English, Don. Not everyone knows what that means.

"The radiation compromised my immune system. I have a bug from back home that...well," Don made an aimless gesture. "You probably saw what happened when I got too sick."

What are Don's rules about fourthwalling?

[hartless_cowboy]

Since the other continued being mislead, Lindsey didn't feel the need to enlighten him. For as long as the pretense could stay, he didn't mind carrying it on.

Thankfully, Lindsey with his ex-lawyer vocabulary had some idea what that might mean.

"Ha. It was radiation, thought so. And it all has something to do with," he gestured vaguely at Don, "you looking like a human sized mutated turtle?"

Well, he's confused by it. Dean's already fourth-walled him once and he was all buuuuuh?

[polyturtle]

"Yeah, basically." Don's hand clenched slightly around the cup handle. "Also had to do with...you know. What happened back there."

I'll keep it vague then.

[hartless_cowboy]

"A bit of radiation turned you into the mutant ninja turtle, more made you turn into people eating monster. Gotcha." Lindsey sipped at his drink. He planned to nurse this glass for a while.

"Good news, our next arena won't likely be as strong with radiation anymore..." His smile waned a bit. "Or it could be again. It's really hard to say. When the whole world's post nuclear apocalypse, there's no telling where radiation would crop up."

Ok!

[polyturtle]

"Its a little more complicated that that, actually." Don sighed. "Normally I would have died of radiation sickness as well. But, well, some other stuff came up at home before I got here."

At this, Don also took a sip. It wasn't too bad, but it lacked...something. It lacked whatever Master Splinter did to his tea.

"I hope its not like that next time." Frown. "And...at least in the previous Arena, there were Geiger counters that could be fixed up. Next time might not have those kinds of hints to help out."

[hartless_cowboy]

"No, but I wouldn't put it past the other arenas to have similar problems. I really wouldn't know." Lindsey was grinning despite the turtle's frown. "That was my first arena."

He reached out to pat Don on his muscular arm. "Hey, on the good side, you're now rich and famous. It probably means nothing in terms of being useful for anything, but you won't have to be further indebted to this place like the rest of us. And, even better, no one stays permanently dead. So don't beat yourself up for it, big guy."