this is the part where prison is more or less dave and busters

[saklas]

Passengers: Everyone who wants to come see what the weird vending machine is about for the first time it is open to them! This is an open mingle/party style log.
Location: "a corner," the location of the Commissary
Date: February 1 - 7 on year one of our cool and sexy journey
Summary: 14 space idiots squint at the ATM that can supposedly make elk meat and clown shoes for them
Warnings: Will add as needed! I'm 90% sure someone's going to ask for drugs or blades, just as a weather forecast

Comments

B

[smugreport]

[ Guess who can't participate in this fun little function because he was denied his right to more tickets? This guy!

That's why this poor, disheveled and depressed looking mess of a man (woof, he looks real bad) is gonna get Rhys approaching him, all buddy-buddy and jovial. ]

Heeeey, there he is! My oldest buddy on the S.S. Hostage Holder!

[ Rhys is grinning, but there's clear strain in his voice behind that million dollar smile. His eyes flick down to the sparkling shoes now adorning Volk's feet. ]

Those aren't seriously what you spent your tickets on, are they?

1/2 cw: unreality

[saklas]

[Volk is corporate. Not like Rhys is. A little different. A little 'if you sound desperate, you're going to get taken advantage of.' The movie industry runs through pretty, young people like a sausage factory runs through pigs, because it's convinced them that sausage is immortality.

Volk thought he was different, because he cheated. Because he invested in his writing and directing, not his face, or voice, or tits.

The tone of voice has him turning immediately, eyes flashing.]

WE AREN'T FRIENDS. No one here is your friend, Rhys! Back the FUCK off.

[Volk recognizes him enough - enough - but the truth is that Volk is stressed enough that Rhys looks like a swarm of flies with fire inside of it. The wall behind him has psychedelic, nightmarish patterns on it that he's positive don't exist in real life.

He wants, very much, to just get his hands on someone and hit them until it's not funny any more. Until the amount of control he's been exerting on a daily basis, up to this point, becomes apparent and people stop PUSHING. It's prison, so why the fuck not. Why should he still keep managing his reputation? Hasn't the worst already happened?]

2/2

[saklas]

[He crumples the obituary instead. They're fucking with him. They're trying to get into his head. By keeping him here, they're hurting his family, and Hera, and everyone else who knew him, and now they're making sure he knows that they did it. That they're going to keep doing it.

...The obituary is also made of foam, and springs back into shape.

He takes a deep breath and fixes Rhys with an icy, doll-eyed, Stepford Wife smile.]

And just what is that supposed to mean, hm? Say what you're thinking. I love taking constructive criticism.

Presidential Alert: the girlies are fighting!!!!!!!!!!

[smugreport]

[ The thing is, is that behind all the defensive posturing and boasting and accusations of indignity, Rhys is getting really lonely. He used to have reliable people, back before shit hit the fan, and he needs those kinds of relationships to hold close like a security blanket.

By the time Helios fell from the sky, for all he knew all those relationships were gone Back home he could focus on his work and distract himself from that encroaching loneliness, but here....

Volks words cut deeper then they would have a few weeks ago, and his expression crumples for a split second before souring entirely. ]

Well excuse-fucking-me for trying to be friendly with the only other person here who gets it!

[ Rhys notices the paper crumpling (and uncrumpling) but the action obscures any chance of him being able to properly read what's written. If Volk wasn't picking a fight right now, he'd ask more about it, but instead he just takes the goddamn bait. ]

They look like something a thresher puked up before someone stuck a bunch of sparkly stickers on and called it fashion.

[ They're actually kind of pretty, but Rhys isn't going to say that now. Volk doesn't get his kind words!!! So much for asking for extra tickets... ]

[saklas]

Thanks, they're from a museum!

[Volk makes a little 'ohh, too bad' pout. This is his The Worst Customer This Restaurant Has Ever Had voice. That jab about friends was designed to hit in the softest spot he could find.]

I was trying to get the machine to admit it couldn't do something.

[smugreport]

[ He's all on the defense now, his voice inflections and bodylanguage no longer showing some measure of camaraderie.

Instead he crosses his arms, keeps up the tone Volk has set. ]

What, like, "find me the ugliest pair of slip ons in the universe?"

[saklas]

No. It couldn't give me what I asked for, because there's only one of them. These are fake.

[Volk's smile is mean.]

What do you think that means for Wardens who are counting on being paid at the end of this?

[smugreport]

[ So, no apology? /breaks his phone and skateboard

Mean smiles were a dime a dozen on Helios, Rhys is Immune. He gives the shoes another look, scrutinizing for a moment before they're back to Volk's face. ]

How can you tell?

[ Was there branding he wasn't seeing? A knock-off logo on the sole? ]

That they'll get bootleg versions of their favorite brand of shoes?

[ He tilts his head, brows raised. Laugh. ]

Some of them don't even ask for physical stuff, just like...a concept. I've guessed for a while that they're all getting scammed.

[saklas]

Because it's foam. The real one is rubies and diamonds.

[Volk kicks a wall. It doesn't scratch or click, there's just a soft foamy lack of sound.]

Nobody cares what you guessed. It's about what I can prove. Are you done trying to scam me out of a fucking ticket instead of just asking for one like we're equals?

[It's why he'd come out swinging. Rhys is like, person number three to go around begging and borrowing. No apology.]

[smugreport]

[ "Scamming" is such an ugly word. Con artists (filthy horrible con artists with red hair streaks) scam, Rhys barters. He makes deals. ]

I was getting to that, I just wanted to catch up first.

[ Liar!!! ]

So, what do you want for one?

[saklas]

You don't care what I've been up to. I don't even care what I've been up to.

[Volk spreads his hands.]

I'm out. You still want to talk?

[Neither of them want to talk, Rhys. Take the out.]

[smugreport]

[ Rhys's shoulders sag at that information. All he wants is a new shirt....down from the 8 he arrived with to seven....one less option in his mixing and matching. Volks tickets could have helped him instead of being spent on stupid foam shoes. Cruel, cruel world.

But! He actually does still want to talk, cause he saw something that made him curious. ]

What's that?

[ He motions to the foam in the shape of paper in Volk's hand. What else did he waste tickets on? ]

[saklas]

Another test, I tried to get it to do documents. Nothing like what I asked for at all. It didn't even try.

[smugreport]

...Okay.

[ Genuinely no idea what he's trying to prove here. ]

So what is it?

[saklas]

It's a packing slip for this thing I ordered.

[Volk hides his hand behind the paper and then reveals it, now with the middle finger extended.]

Limited edition.

[smugreport]

Fuck off dude, we're on the same side here.

[ You can trust in him, is what he's saying! For now, at least.
He reaches out and (gently!) pushes Volk's hand aside.]

What are you even trying to prove here? If they gave you an accurate "packing slip" then what?

[saklas]

We're not! I'm on my side, you're on your side, and everyone else is on their own fucking side!

[He yanks it away.]

This is personal. I asked for something and they're trying to fuck with my head.

[smugreport]

Look I'm the last guy that's into the ideas of a temporary alliance...

[ The last couple times he's done it it has gone very, very poorly for him! He really shouldn't be extending this olive branch, but stubborn as he is he's started to clue in that he's not going to get far alone here.

He moves his outstretched hand away to gesture at their environment. ]

But you're not gonna get far by yourself here. All you've gotten is foam shoes and a foam piece of paper. You work with me, you're going to get at least a little further than that.

[ And if Rhys had the self awareness to realize just who he's sounding like right now he give himself some pause. But that trauma is staying in its shallow grave for at least another day. ]

[saklas]

It's personal, [Volk pleads.

He's, not ready. Not ready. He really, barely thinks he's got the juice to keep fighting this, though.]

[smugreport]

[ Thankfully for Volk Rhys doesn't care enough to fight this much longer.]

Okay, fine. You better not be holding out on me man. If that's something to do with you know what, I wanna know.

[saklas]

I straight up "don't know" what, Rhys. It's just news from home.

[smugreport]

Yeah it...it better be. Whatever.

[ Why is he threatening him lol...he means escape plans Volk! You know what he's talking about don't play dumb. ]

Enjoy your foam shoes and shopping receipt.