[Mingle]

[randomly_modding]

[So you're in the studio and the camera crew has instructed your characters to break into your teams to discuss 1) the client's personal fashion comfort zone and preferences, and 2) how to give them the Stylecation makeover they obviously need, while 3) working in the episode theme of "animal".]

[Or that's what you're supposed to be talking about, to obey the host.]

[Please don't mind the cameras focused on you at all times, even following you to the snack table to grab coffee and danishes and donuts. But feel free to crash one of the other team mingles!]

Comments

[onehotpepper]

[oh god. this is not funny. at all.]

I am not getting into an animal suit. Or anything with excessive animal prints. ...I didn't sign anything, did I? Not consciously, so technically I can't be forced to do this... right?

[great, no answer. thanks a lot, camera operators.]

[neverforgets]

[ There are very brightly colored magazines laying around, with fashion and relationship and sex advice, and Lavi is lounging in a chair, boots on a table, thumbing through one. As fun as the sex tips are, the whole thing is... not helping his view of humanity.

He looks up when he hears Pepper fretting. ]

"Wear a bold print to a big event and feel like you've made a full-on transformation. You can balance out a dramatic skirt with a simple corset top that shows some skin." [ He's quoting drek he memorized because he's helpful. ]

[onehotpepper]

[arching both eyebrows] My stylists are taking their cues from the magazines.

[memories of college roommates deciding to try magazine advice out weriously for a week -- with hilarious results -- come flooding back]

[this is going to be an awesome week]

[neverforgets]

[ Grins. ]

Well, my favorite color's orange. Would you rather I go with that? [ Look at him, Pepper. All he ever wears is this uniform, and sometimes a different shirt. He likes redheads wearing orange. Magazine advice is probably a good thing. ]

Don't think I ever got your name. You were on the island, right? I'm Lavi. [ You know, the guy who got sick. ]

[onehotpepper]

[nodding. she remembers] you seem like you're a lot better now. I hope it stays that way.

I'm Pepper. I like orange, but-- [pointing to her hair, wrinkling her nose] --it could be too much of a good thing. [magazines don't seem so bad anymore]

[neverforgets]

[ Laughs. He sits up a little more properly. ]

Nice t'meet you, Pepper. You ever seen anything like this before?

[onehotpepper]

[smiling at him] I have. It's all the rage with a lot of people. It's supposed to be about "real" life situations, but they'll make it look a lot more dramatic than it actually is.

[neverforgets]

[ He blinks for a second. ]

Kidnapping people an' making them dress each other up is somebody's idea of real life situations?

[ There are days when he really starts to think it'd be better to let the Earl win. ]

[onehotpepper]

Usually people volunteer for this sort of thing, and as far as I know, nobody can be forced to do anything.

[significant look at the people behind the cameras and holding the booms. fine, keep ignoring her. at least this place has showers and proper beds.]

This ..situation defies explanation.

[neverforgets]

That's for sure... [ Dubious look at those people, too. ]

So this happens a lot in the future. Guess I won't understand if I've never seen tee-vee. [ Scratches his nose. ] Always been glory hounds, but it's kind of weird to have it be manufactured like this.

[justpicksomething]

[ Oh, boy! Team-building time! Now, now. She's obviously upset. We should be... reassuring. Debonair.

Because then she might let us get to first base! Right? Right?

[ sigh ] Yes. ]

Don't worry! I'll be gentle.

[ Good job! So far, so good. ]

[ hi Pepper hi, Deadpool is talking to you! he has his full costume on, but that's not unnerving or anything right? at least you can't hear the voices in his head. ]

[onehotpepper]

[not unnerving at all, really. good first step for teammates]

Your input worries me the least.

[justpicksomething]

Good!

[ he squints at her for a moment, and inside his head: ...That is good, right?. I wouldn't bet on it. Awwwww.

Well, don't take my word for it. I'm just a voice in our head. Ask her ourselves. Yeah! Ask her! ]

...Because I'm so charming and unintimidating, right? But also mysterious, because you can't help but wonder about a guy who wears a mask.

[onehotpepper]

[are you an old friend of Tony's. because you kind of just reminded her a little of him. sort of.]

..because you won't be responsible for how I look by the end of this week. [assuming she doesn't just up and leave. this is a city, right? surely there's an airport nearby and she can just charge a flight home...]

[justpicksomething]

[ he'd like to think so :D he'd also like to think he's a friend of the X-Men though ]

Well, no. But I will be judging you! Nicely.

[onehotpepper]

[works for her!]

I'll take it. A harsh judge can be worse than a fashion faux pas. [wry smile. some people are impossible to please]

[justpicksomething]

[ Yippee! No yippees. Jake Lloyd ruined it for everyone. Awwwww. ]

I know that's what I always say!

So. [ he stretches a little, sets his hands on his hips! ] Come here often?

[ Smoooooth. ]

[onehotpepper]

[really? arches an eyebrow at you] No.

[criminalmastermind]

I think the technicalities went out the window a while ago. We're clearly dealing with very powerful forces.


...Very powerful, very bored forces. [Because seriously. The island, even the office at least seems kind of sinister. This is just ridiculous.]

[onehotpepper]

[why do you have to make sense, Simon. she liked it better when she could believe this was somethibg more or less normal. not that last week's island adventure had been normal, but still.]

This just-- It seemed familiar, so i hoped. Foolishly.

Are you comfortable with powerful sources, or just these powerful forces? [you don't seem too bothered. then again, better accommodations... she's not as upset (yet) this time either]

[criminalmastermind]

I'm not comfortable with any of this. Just... resigned. This is my... I think it's my ninth time being kidnapped this year? The exact number depends on your precise definition.

[There's a half-hearted attempt at joviality in his voice, but he's clearly being mostly serious.]

[onehotpepper]

[ninth? color her impressed] I've only managed one in my entire life. Well, one and a half, I suppose. [deleted scene reference!]

[sympathetic, smiling wryly] At least we're in civilization now.

[criminalmastermind]

Don't tell me we're counting halves. That would be risking triple digits.

[He purses his lips at the 'civilization' line.] If you want to call it that.

[onehotpepper]

[wincing] that doesn't sound like the right kind of exciting.

I'll give you that, but I maintain that it's nice not to have to forage. [seriously, that wasn't fun, though it probably did wonders for her figure]

[criminalmastermind]

I've spent most of the last year living on a transport ship. Foraging was an improvement over our regular fare.