THE BABY PARTY

[afineknight]

WHO: everyone!!
WHERE: The Rec Room
WHEN: Day 33, around lunchtime

[ Since it is a Daffodil rite, the Daffodils (at least, the ones that are not children who have no idea what they're doing and therefore aren't Tart, the best baby shepherd ever) have set up a little party in the rec room for all the kids and their poor beleaguered adults!

They've set up snacks and pulled out a few games as well as some pillows from the library for naptime and books — including picture books — nearby before putting the word out to others to stop by the rec room around lunchtime. And hey, if they have anything they can bring along, all the better! ]

Comments

[secondbornsun]

[ ?????? ]

. . . And you're still squirt-sized.

[catposting]

I'm staying squirt-sized, thanks.

[ offers the basket ]

Apple?

[secondbornsun]

Yeah? Y'like it?

[ takes an apple ]

[catposting]

[ sets the basket down. ]

I don't dislike it. Did you?

[secondbornsun]

. . . It's tiring. I don't got the energy of a kid anymore.

[ bites into the apple ]

[catposting]

Now you sound like an old man. What are you, three hundred? Four hundred?

1/2

[secondbornsun]

. . .

[secondbornsun]

Twenty.

[catposting]

... Years?

[secondbornsun]

Lion beastmen ain't all that long-lived.

[catposting]

[ staring ]

You sure grow up fast.

[secondbornsun]

It's normal back where I'm from.

[catposting]

Right. Sunrise City.

[secondbornsun]

Still believe you're in your building?

[catposting]

...

The residents of this place have little to no fight or flight response, even for civilians. At the same time, the stress levels of the adult population seem exceptionally high. So far, all but one observation has checked out with what's written in the clinic book.

[ not an exact answer but ]

[secondbornsun]

'N which observation is that?

[catposting]

[ looks away ]

Someone told me that an older version of me helped save their flock member from a "super jacked up mental curse".

I would never do that. I'd never risk my ass for someone else's sake. It's — against my programming. If the Test runners wanted this scenario to be realistic, they would have modeled older-me better.

[secondbornsun]

And from your experience, how skilled are the Test runners at makin' scenarios realistic?

[catposting]

Depends on their skill level and access to resources. They've produced realistic, limited-scope scenarios in the past.

This is the first one that's happened without prior notice.

[secondbornsun]

That the only thing odd about this Test?

[catposting]

...

The red-collared elver is suspicious. He demonstrates a level of comfort toward me, while acting like we've never met. He speaks fluently at times, then reverts to incoherent noises to conveniently dodge questions.

However... within the parameters of a "de-aging ritual", one could theorize that he was regressed only in a physical sense, and is just enjoying his time roleplaying an unconvincing pseudo-infant.

[secondbornsun]

Test givers able t'do that too?

[catposting]

I don't know. If I knew the full capabilities of each Test runner, I wouldn't be a D-rank regular.

[secondbornsun]

Aa~h, so you've barely seen shit, huh.

[catposting]

[ glances back at the others playing and vibing, then back to Tart ]

Humans and beastkin coexisting like this. Adults caring for children. The lack of killing intent between color teams... is that normal, where you're from?