surprise party for court 🐮

[halligan]

WHO: Prescott + Beau, Bunny, Carter, Duke, Emmett, John, and Nat (& "folks who might not know court but would think she's extremely cool" – Beau). However, anyone can join — OOCly, it's open to all.
WHEN: Sunday, November 17. Evening.
WHERE: Prescott fire house's kitchen.
WHAT: A surprise birthday party for Court! Planned here.
WARNINGS: I made AI generate the main image and it's horrifying.

court's 36th birthday!!!

the gist

it's court's birthday!! arlo arranged a surprise party in the kitchen of prescott's fire house and invited whoever he thinks her friends are.

celebrate, eat, drink, and if you can't get home safely at the end of the night he'll roll you into a bed in the bunkhouse.

while only some characters were officially invited, feel free to write anyone in! just say they were at prescott on business idc.

the details

zelda deemed the theme to be unhinged cow print and raided the danforth walmart for decorations, including cow print diningware and inflatable horses.
arlo made egg-free veggie burgers and chocolae mousse.
everyone else brought whatever they brought; i'm not listing them, you do it.

& because no party's complete without a stupid drinking game, there's drunk jenga!

code

Comments

ARRIVALS/VIBES

[halligan]

How are they? What did they bring for the party? Did they bring a gift for Court?

ARRIVALS/VIBES: Niko

[trustmeimadoctor]

Niko is here! He helped decorate (aka he did whatever Zelda told him to do). He's looking normal and in good spirits.

He brought Court a pack of carabiners (that she asked for) and a survival axe (that she didn't ask for).

He's going to break his usual rule about not eating other people's food because he trusts Arlo not to kill him (ty Arlo for his life).

ARRIVALS/VIBES: Zelda

[autoclaves]

Zelda is there and determined to make Court's birthday great, so she's in a good mood and maybe being a little bit extra about everything. She wore what she deemed her most cowboy adjacent outfit with a cowboy hat she picked up from their Walmart excursion.

For Court, she brought her a nice new blanket, also from the Danforth excursion, and lets her wear her tiara as a birthday crown for the day if she so chooses.

For everyone else, she brings an assortment of Walmart cowboy hats. OOCly, there's enough for everyone if they want one and these are just examples of different kinds that exist so feel free to say they look however you want!

ARRIVALS/VIBES: Emmett

[agriculturalist]

Emmett is here and is confused and delighted(?) to have been invited to a birthday party because someone likes(?) him and doesn't just feel obligated or want a favour. He's looking cozy and nervous, but is genuinely trying to be a good guest/pal(?)!

As per Ares' suggestion, he made Court some peanut butter caramel apple cookies and a pair of warm, stripey wool socks in a colour combo he thinks he's seen her wear.

ARRIVALS/VIBES: Nat

[malting]

Nat is there and down to celebrate the birthday girl! She is in jeans and managed to throw on a plaid flannel over top a t-shirt, but that's about as on theme as she can be so she definitely snagged a cowboy hat!

She brought Court a growler of her favourite gin and also a few bathbombs she made/is trying out (because Leigh and I decided there must be a tub somewhere).

Nat also brought the miracle punch for everyone else, and made good on the cashews and carrots Arlo asked for as a trade.

ARRIVALS/VIBES: Arlo

[halligan]

Although he has the unmistakable air of someone who jumped back into non-stop work and sleeping in a truck before he'd recovered from Black Fever fatigue, Arlo does his best to be his best self! No dirtbag ex-husband here, just Court's oldest friend! Please don't look at him too closely! The whole night's about making Court have A Really Nice Time and he's determined to see it through.

He starts it off in jeans and his Danforth FD comfort fleece & eventually ends up in a lime green Lymeston Chrysler Charity Kickball Tournament 2007 tee (you can't be choosy when you're built like Arlo in an apocalypse). Having managed to scrape together nearly everything he needed, he spent a while working on the food, which is a recipe from the before-times.

Court's gift is presented with the apology that "Ain't much left of our old life but I found a few things I thought. I dunno. You might want around or something." It's a Baltimore Ravens jersey wrapped around three more things: two journals and a small collection of shark teeth. (More accurately: her jersey, her journal, an empty journal he'd been keeping around for exactly this day, and her shark teeth, liberated from their house in Danforth.)

ARRIVALS/VIBES: John

[lineman]

John is so pleased to be here. His vibe is GOOD (if a little residually exhausted from Black Fever) and oblivious to the fact that there are some people out in the world who think he's done things he hasn't. Sorry I'm getting distracted by the really pronounced horse ass in the icon for this party. Anyway, he's so pleased to be here.

He's dressed in his finest outfit (outfit 1 of 3, dark workwear per usual). He does dress like a Supernatural guy, but that's okay.

Having been recovering in the bite ward, he wasn't able to go scavenging for a gift in Danforth, but he did have time to make a ton of origami creatures, which he used for bartering purposes with the Lundegaard children. He was able to procure an HBO playing card deck for Court. If he could Google, he would have Googled "fun activity gift ideas for your friend," but he can't. His thought process here was, "Surely everyone agrees it's fun to play games with a friend(?)." Hence the HBO deck. Sorry, children. If HBO was around, you probably wouldn't be allowed to watch it, anyway.

ARRIVALS/VIBES: Carter

[fixeddown]

Carter, as mentioned, arrives with Reggie on a pony, which is a big reason she looks angry for a minute. She didn't get a chance to change into nice clothes for a party, but her flannel still has pinks and purples, and jeans still look like someone ironed them. She keeps smelling sheep, which she hates so much. She won't be drinking. Most of her Danforth trip yesterday was spent on a Secret Mission, but they did go to a salon for Dutch, so she picked up some nice-smelling shampoo (barely expired) for a present when she was there. This concentration of responders in one place is lightly overbearing, so she goes on upwards of three perimeter patrols no one asked her to do throughout the night, but is decently social otherwise.

ARRIVALS/VIBES: Ares

[smokeeater]

Ares is newly and fully recovered from his bite and burns and HAS been working a lot in the wake of it. He's going to have exactly 1 drink and get a little too tipsy since he's still dehydrated/weaker, and will be like, "that's weird," and have another drink to test out this science. Bad method. It's fine. He tracked down a gift one of his brothers gave to him and he has little use for anymore and might just be passing through the station every time someone gives it back but anyway it's a booze truck Booze not included. Happy bday.

ARRIVALS/VIBES: Duke

[dukeofrats]

Duke arrives with Bunny a little early, just in case Arlo needs any extra help setting up (like there isn't a whole community here to assist). He's EXCITED and ready to do whatever Court wants.

For a gift, he and Bunny have made a mobile but it's made out of broken glass, broken CDs, and old Hot Wheels for flavor. Just like, don't hang it in a path where people walk. It'll catch the light nice, at least!

ARRIVALS/VIBES: Mud

[left5dead]

Mud makes his appearance in a wagon with flames painted down the sides, lesbian dog moms by his side. He does not have anything to give to the birthday girl but does tell Court this counts as their second date, which means one more and he's calling his mom to tell her they're in love.

He's here to eat, drink and be a problem. Happy birthday to... someone!!!

ARRIVALS/VIBES: Reggie

[toughleaf]

Reggie comes in smelling like sheep, half a large Slurpee cup filled with cold coffee, tired, wired, and ready to fucking clean after this is all over. Hell yeah, hell yeah, let her at those dirty dishes.

For Court, she brings a dusty bottle of Jack Daniels she found while cleaning out old lockers a while back. Which means technically this gift is courtesy of Biff White (RIP), but fuck that guy.

ARRIVALS/VIBES: Beau

[fixedup]

Beau made the effort to look nice for Court, which for her means dark jeans and a somewhat sexy lacy camisole under a men's chambray shirt. Happy birthday, baby!! She'll give Court a big smooch (as promised), and grabs one of the offered cowboy hats to join the theme.

Her present is a sun in a jar. Unfortunately, she lacks the means to rig a proper solar therapy lamp for SAD, but this sun in a jar was cobbled together from the innards of a solar garden stake, so it charges from sunlight during the day and emits a soft golden light at night.

ARRIVALS/VIBES: Court

[castnet]

Having been given her axe early by Niko so he could distract her from the party being set up, the two had gone outside of the station to throw knives n' shit at a nearby wooden fence. Court only rolled a [7], but we're chalking that up to being all jacked up from the horde still (sup, sling she drew her last name on like some death metal band because why not??).

Coming back to the station and making their way to the kitchen, it doesn't automatically hit her why everyone and their brother are here today. She's honestly about to ask Niko what the hell is going on when it dawns on her it's her birthday and this place sure is done up like a birthday party. Surely not for the first time tonight, Court gets a little emotional upon realizing everyone has come together for her, but of course plays it off with a jokingly disgruntled, "Are y'all fucking kiddin' me!?" before she starts immediately greeting whomever is closest to her.

Also because 1) this bitch lives in graphic t-shirts under various forms of denim, and 2) she had no idea such a get together was planned and showed up wearing this with her usual jeans and hiking boots.

OH YEAH AND SHE SHOWED UP ALREADY CARRYING AN AXE, so do with that what you will.

ARRIVALS/VIBES: Edgar

[orator]

Edgar drops by since he's been recuperating in the Prescott field hospital and needs to get some air. He looks not great, frankly, but is just over the hump of the worst of the Black Fever side effects and greets people cheerfully. He also takes the sparkliest cowboy hat from the Walmart pile, to give to Blythe later as thanks for taking care of him.

His gift for Court is a bit last minute, but very heartfelt: he went through all of the magazines in the hospital and cut out a full page men's fashion ad featuring Hollywood heartthrob Edgar de Leon. The page is autographed with a sharpie, and paperclipped to a piece of poster board.

ARRIVALS/VIBES: Jem

[paramedicals]

Jem's always here. He doesn't go anywhere else. He sort of flitters in and out of the party intermittently as he goes to check on other things but he does sit down to play drunk Jenga for awhile.

He found a drugstore birthday card which does have the wrong age on it but is otherwise cute. Inside is a hand-written voucher for a Vacation Day (Jem will cover your responsibilities for you).

ARRIVALS/VIBES: Margarita Son

[odinochka]

Maggie is empty-handed and not dressed to theme because Court's surprise birthday party is a complete surprise to her as well. She is being discharged from Prescott today and John is her ride home; she thought they were headed up to the Fire House Kitchen to say their polite thanks yous and goodbyes before heading back to Lundegaard. Not so!

But never fear! She has accidentally crashed enough social gatherings in her life to be practiced at blending in and not making waves. Before Court arrives, Maggie makes her an IOU ('Good for One Birthday Gift') decorated with little chibi style cows and tucks it amongst the other gifts. Then she puts on a sparkly silver cowboy hat and goes to play jenga until it is time to go home.

ARRIVALS/VIBES: Bunny

[youmightrabbit]

Bunny shuffles in after Duke, less visibly excited but very open to being ordered about in whatever manner suits whoever is now in charge of him. He has a stack of home-made party hats in his hands.

The parrot is not present as a social buffer. (Is it back at the Fort? Has it ventured off on its own to bother Dutch? The world may never know.)

INTERACTIONS

[halligan]

INTERACTIONS: Arlo and John

[lineman]

“Hello.”

Without much warning, John appears at Arlo’s shoulder. Feeling caught up in the themed festivities and the overall strain of goodwill and fellowship he perceives uniting them all, John is wearing a cowboy hat. But it’s too small for his (larger-than-average) head, so it just sits on the top of his head. He has to move very carefully and deliberately so his hat doesn’t fall off. He seems proud of it.

“This is a very good party,” he smiles. Never mind that half the attendees looking physically exhausted, borderline unwell. Arlo included. Again, John observes this but prudently elects to pay it no mind. “The kitchen smells much nicer than the bunkhouse.”

INTERACTIONS: Court & OPEN

[castnet]

At some point Court decides to get into the gin Nat has gifted her, but instead of asking for assistance in opening it decides to shimmy off to the side and stubbornly try to open the growler one-handedly. When this doesn't work she moves on to trying to somehow wedge it against her currently useless forearm to gain some leverage. It works at the success of a shot or so of said gin splashing over her sling and immediately muddying where, scrawled in sharpie, S L A U G H T E R had been written in that ironically illegible death metal-esque font.

It really wasn't that big of a deal and yet, "Oh no!" In trying to somehow swat off the excess liquid she almost spills more, but manages to catch said growler in a comical display and turns her attention back to the party, only to see her entire fumble had an audience. "I'm not drunk... This is just a lot harder than it looks."

INTERACTIONS: Duke & Nat

[dukeofrats]

In Prescott's kitchen, Duke feels safe, especially since it's Court's birthday party. The people here care about her, and thus by some extension care about him in his mind, so having a few drinks isn't terribly stressful. And, it's celebrating Court by engaging in the party.

Jenga, though, seems too raucous, so he's comfortably situated at one of the tables, pleasantly tipsy as he works on a second helping of chocolate mousse.

DRUNK JENGA

[halligan]

HOW IT WORKS:

• Arlo found and set up a defaced Jenga tower.
• Each block has a prompt written on it from one of these categories: Drinking Challenge, Truth, Dare, and Spicy (which has both truths and dares). IC, they know what category they'll get because it's written on the end of each block.
• A character can forego their prompt by taking a shot.
• Every time a character removes a block, I'll roll a d60 for their pull success and give them the prompt that's written on their block.
• Each consecutive roll after the first has a negative modifier as the tower becomes more precarious, ex. the second block has -1, the third -2. A roll of 1 or lower topples the tower.
• Characters can participate multiple times; no need to fill out the form every time, just tell me which prompt category you'd like.

Fill out the form below and reply to this comment to begin:
<b>Name:</b> <b>Prompt category:</b> Drinking Challenge, Truth, Dare, Spicy. (Remove any you don't want.) <b>What's their strategy?:</b> Optional.

DRUNK JENGA: Emmett

[agriculturalist]

Name: Emmett
Prompt category: Drinking Challenge, Truth, Dare, Spicy.
What's their strategy?: N/A

END OF THE NIGHT

[halligan]

END OF THE NIGHT: Reggie & OPEN

[toughleaf]

The party is winding down, which means it's almost time for Reggie's favorite part: clean-up duty. She's been wandering around for several minutes, gathering dishes and sorting out anything genuinely reusable from the trash, but she can't really get down to the fun stuff (scrubbing, sweeping, making it all feel fresh and clean) as long as there's still people milling around.

So she sits down at the table (just for a second), propping her cheek up against her hand (not for very long), and lets her eyes rest (ONLY for a minute).

Seconds later, she's dead asleep and lightly snoring.

OOC

[halligan]

i'll get to the rolls in a few hours! shamelessly stole the game rules format from marin. 💜

Re: OOC

[autoclaves]

thank you for this kas!!! i can't stop laughing at your icon

also zelda is my only guy here but if anyone wants her for anything lmk!!