savetheearth | [closed] it comes with a toy

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[closed] it comes with a toy

Who: Badri (NPC) & Ellie
When: Saturday, April 19th, evening
Where: Thunder Corp's compound in the Dead District
What: An alien offers a titan fast food.
Warnings: None atm!

In typical tourist fashion, Badri enjoys slipping away from the compound every now and then to explore what Locke City has to offer. Yesterday, he discovered fast food.

Tonight, he's making the rounds with a large cardboard box full of McDonald's in his arms. To each of the graveyard shift security guards he tilts the box down (just a little to avoid spilling the drinks, mind!) and gives them free choice of a cheeseburger or chicken McNuggets Happy Meal.

Yep.

Ellie happens to be the last security guard he approaches. By now, his Happy Meal supply has been reduced to one of each option. With a bounce to his step, he greets her with an amiable, "Howdy, partner! Cheeseburger or chicken McNuggets?"

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Ellie isn't one for socialising. Or bouncy perky people. Or speaking to aliens. Or eating fast food. As such, she gives the box - and Badri - a slightly dubious look before responding.

"McNuggets. Thanks."

It'd be impolite to refuse, after all. Especially since the guy has gone to all this effort. It's not like eating one shitty fast food meal is going to turn her into a flabby weakling. Still, she can't quite resist warning him against the evils of greasy salty goodness.

"You like this stuff? It's really bad for you."

Assuming he doesn't have some sort of weird alien digestive system that thrives on such things, of course. Imagine.

A brief flicker of disappointment crosses his face. Then he sets the box as well as his ass down on the ground, saying, "But it's delicious! Though I think it's causing me mild digestive upset."

He pulls out the Happy Meals and flips the box upside down. Presto, classy table for two.

If she were more expressive, Ellie might look surprised at apparently being invited to eat fast food on the ground with an alien. As it is, she just blinks once before sitting down too.

It's not like this is the weirdest thing that's happened to her lately. Which is a really good sign that she needs to re-evaluate her life.

"Is that your favourite thing about Earth?" She pauses for a second. "The fast food. Not the stomachaches."

This right here? This is why she doesn't talk to people.

"Insufficient data to make such a claim," he says, unwrapping his cheeseburger. Then he winks and adds, "What about you? If you could make one suggestion for my time here, what would it be?"

The question elicits another bemused blink. Anyone asking Ellie about how to enjoy themselves would have to be an alien. She busies herself with her Happy Meal for a few seconds while she tries to think of a good answer.

It's harder than it really should be. What am fun?

"I suppose it depends on the kind of things you enjoyed where you came from. If you're interested in food, try chocolate or ice cream. Or coffee, if you don't have a sweet tooth."

Coffee is the one vice Ellie approves of. So daring.

"And if you want to go people-watching, parks or the beach are a good bet. But I suppose you've already done enough of that, considering."

"It helps to have a different point of view," he says, though the words come out a little garbled since his mouth is full with cheeseburger. He washes it down with a swig of lukewarm milk. "But I don't want to alarm people. There was a little boy at McDonald's who recognized me from the television. I thought he was having some sort of neurological fit, but he was just excited."

"You won't alarm anyone. You're not very threatening."

It takes her a second to realise that probably came off as more snippy-sounding than she intended. Better clarify.

"Meaning you seem nice enough. If people recognise you from the TV, let them take a picture of you or give them an autograph. They should stop fussing after that. It seems to work for the so-called superheroes I've seen around, anyway."

Taking no offense to her comment (on the contrary, it's quite reassuring), Badri listens to her advice with a french fry between his lips. After she finishes, he juts his lip, moving the fry, then maneuvers it inside with his tongue.

It is thereafter shortly deposited into his stomach.

"Have you met any of them?" he asks, already reaching for another fry. There's a tinge of excitement in his voice -- very small -- but undoubtedly absent before.

"Yes. The boy who got arrested."

Not answering with a flat 'no' is indicative of exactly how unthreatening she finds him. Not that she's telling the whole truth, obviously - it's simply not in her nature.

"And there was an incident at work. Months ago. I apprehended an intruder, but he got loose and made a mess of things. I'm certain he was one of them."

Despite her face remaining as blank and inscrutable as ever, the dislike in her voice is ppretty evident. She's also biting into a McNugget with a viciousness that would seem to indicate that she'd like to bite Mr. Mystery Intruder's head off. That fucker.

By the clueless look on Badri's face, it's clear he has no idea to whom Ellie is referring to in both cases. He does, however, appear to be in awe of the viciousness in her voice.

Hand still hovering over that fry, he asks, "He isn't still giving you trouble, is he?"

Ellie has to remind herself to tread carefully. "A little. He's convinced I'm some sort of villain, I think." The rest of the McNugget meets a chompy demise. "Nothing I can't handle. He might have fancy powers, but he doesn't have a brain."

There's a thought.

"Was that you and your friends? The ones who gave them their powers, I mean."

He squints thoughtfully at the brain comment, finally pinching the fry, but her question redirects his attention. His brows scrunch together and the fry meets a gentler demise than Ellie's McNugget.

Finally, he shrugs. It isn't dismissive, but rather uncertain. Uncommitted.

"Iiii'm not sure. I guess it's possible? Something Eh--Tiny," he corrects himself, "did, maybe? It sounds like some of them have magic, but magic doesn't exist. Not really, anyway."

"What do you mean, it doesn't exist?"

She's seen it herself, of course. She takes a second to organise her thoughts - who'd appeared on the news...?

"I can buy some of it not being magic. Like the robots and the titans..."

She falters slightly, mentally berating herself for not using a more generic term like giants before deciding that it hardly matters.

"...But the witches, mythical creatures and people who can turn into wind? Not so much."

He flashes her a sympathetic smile. "Magic is just technology not yet understood.

"By the by, your brainless intruder..." Badri brings an apple slice to his mouth. "Is he literally brainless?"

"I don't--"

Wait.

What?

"Literally?" She's not sure how to take that. It's a joke, right? Or is this a case of him not knowing much about human anatomy?

She offers a faint, uncertain half-smile in response. "No, it's a metaphor. Humans can't... can't survive without a brain."

With a finger gun, he says, "That you know of."

He winks.

And then he eats his apple slice.

Congratulations. Ellie's face is now actually expressing emotion. Shock, no less. Quite the rarity.

"That's..."

...Horrifying? How does he know that? Why does he know that?

"...impressive." She quietly eats another McNugget. Funny how this one seems to taste like sawdust instead of grease. "If it's really possible, I mean. It's hard to imagine."

"Like magic?"

Smile smile smile.

But then he leans forward, one elbow resting on the box, his expression turning serious as he holds out another apple slice. "How did he bypass the security here? Did he take anything?"

Because Badri has misunderstood 'months ago' to mean the security breach had happened at this compound and not Ellie's previous station.

It takes her a second to fathom where the misunderstanding has taken place, causing her to fumble for words for a moment. "I... yes. I mean, no. He didn't bypass security here."

She isn't especially fond of talking about her own failure, but it's still safer ground than talk of brainless people. Because seriously, what.

"It was at one of the warehouses. Just ordinary security, not on this level. He took some pink liquid. Caused us lots of trouble with the media." Her eyes flick to one side - this still rankles. "I was lucky I didn't get fired, apparently. Even though I apprehended him, and if backup had arrived quickly then he wouldn't have got away."

Because she's a badass who is very good at her shitty job. Stupid delinquent assholes who ruin everything aside.

He leans backwards, a low hum of comprehension in his throat. After he eats his apple, he says, "Well, they can't really blame you, not if he has 'fancy powers'. Tiny may have been a dipshit, but I'm guessing it designed the security here to prevent a repeat of that. So. Hey."

He waggles his finger in a 'woop de doo' fashion. "One thing it didn't royally screw up. Yay."

"I don't know. With... Tiny making such a mess of things, it makes it easier for you three to prove your intentions really are benevolent."

There isn't a trace of sarcasm there, even if the whole brain thing is still making her uncomfortable.

"If you hadn't been able to swoop in and start fixing all its mistakes, people might have viewed you as a threat. If you look at it that way, Tiny probably helped you long-term."

His face scrunches up in mild disbelief. "You think so?"

Asked even though she just said as much.

"Absolutely. People are naturally distrustful. But this way, Tiny was the bad alien and you're the good guys making everything better with a wave of your magic wands."

She fiddles with her bangs, offering a half-smile again.

"Except that magic isn't real."

His face is still scrunched up.

"But Tiny is our fault. By proxy, all the destruction the inhabitants of this city endured because of it is our fault, too."

"I doubt many people will feel that way, since you're all proving yourselves to be very different to Tiny. We're hardly going to hold you accountable for the actions of one rogue agent. At least, that's what I think."

She's aware that she's probably giving the public too much credit here. But she doesn't trust easily, so as far as she's concerned? If she can see that the aliens are decent, obviously everyone should be able to.

Duh.

His brows rise. The muscles in his face finally relax.

"That's mighty generous of you." He smiles; it appears heartfelt. "Can I get your name?"

"Ah... yes." She's about to respond with Ellie before reminding herself that's just her network alias. The fact that it's become the name she automatically uses to refer to herself is a little disconcerting.

"Annabel Lyons. Annie." After quickly making sure her hand isn't covered in gross fast food residue, she holds it out awkwardly to offer a handshake.

His expression -- nay, everything about him -- brightens. With genuine excitement, Badri takes the offer and gives Ellie an enthusiastic handshake.

He has not taken the same precautions she had in quality-checking the state of his fingers.

"Annie Lyons! Like the feline predators, lions. Wonderful!" He releases her hand to spread his palm-flat against his chest. "I'm Badri Barkley. Like a method of communication between canines or the exterior of a tree."

Perhaps not the most standard of introductions, but he prattles on obliviously as he rises. "I ought to go before I get you in trouble for sitting on the job-- but if you do," he whispers conspiratorially, "just send them to me. I'll take care of it."

Wink.

"I... yes. Nice to meet you, Badri. And..." Her tone remains as even as always, though she does permit herself another bemused little blink - both at the incredibly unorthodox introduction and at that offer.

"...I'll be sure to do that. Thank you."

"No," he says, grabbing the remnants of his Happy Meal, "thank you. I'd been feeling rather glum about the circumstances surrounding our arrival, but I find the clouds lifting after our conversation."

His mouth opens in a silent 'oh.' Then he finger guns her excitedly again. "Because every cloud has a silver lining!"

He used an idiom successfully. YEAH.

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[closed] it comes with a toy

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