January Adventures (Open/Closed)

[mayoninofukucho]

WHO: Hijikata and some friends and maybe YOU?
WHAT: Gathering baking ingredients, escorting baby aurora bears, and questing all over the place!
WHEN: Throughout the first half of January
WHERE: Forest of the Felled, Edge of the Dusklight Woods, Township near the Lands of Rot, Camelot City
WARNINGS: Violence (partly with potential enemy NPC death, but we can avoid that if you prefer) for most of the quests!



1) Frosty Forest Camp - Ingredient Hunt for the The Great Avalon Bake-Off 2022

[After celebrating the winter solstice in Nicnevin Hijikata welcomed the new year in Camelot, watching the castle's fireworks at midnight with his ghostly subordinates. It seems like Elphame will remain open for travellers, and he's tentatively glad for it, after all they went through much trouble to politically court the fae queen. His muted enthusiasm picks up when he realises that a camp has been set up at the edge of the Forest of the Felled as a halfway station of sorts. Finally he and the ghosts won't be the only ones out here!

When a store of well-preserved ingredients is found and a baking contest announced he decides to join in. Sure, the judges of Celliwig's cooking competition were unimpressed with his cooking, but this is baking! So he can be found wandering around to gather ingredients. He meant to use his two hen-sized compsognathuses like truffle pigs, but the dinosaurs aren't enjoying the cold and screamed at him until he picked them up and started carrying them in his arms.]

You two are really useless, you know that? What do I even feed your greedy mouths for?


2) They Grow up so Fast

[Colourful eggs showed up all over the place in Camelot and Elphame, just as seemingly out of season as the fruits growing in the snow in the Forest of the Felled. But not enough with that: the eggs had little legs they ran around on, and anyone who got in contact with them was "imprinted" with a protective parental instinct.

Was Hijikata lucky enough to dodge that bullet, or did he end up as an egg parent (possibly even for the same egg as you)? Or is he accompanying the current expedition in his function as a knight? Well, either way, he's here, because after the eggs hatched into little glowing teddy bears it quickly became clear that they're not fit to live among people.]

I hope they'll be fine out here and not come back once they've grown huge... where are their real parents, anyway? What kind of lousy procreation method is this to just lay eggs and have random people do all the hard work of rearing them?

[To be fair, it worked out well enough for the bears! (OOC: Please press A for Camelot and B for Elphame!)]


3) Quests

A ⦿ Gravestone-Faced (for itsmypower)

[When Hijikata asked Shoto if he wanted to be his squire the boy stood so proudly, it filled his own chest with pride too. The ceremony later on was small and simple (and yes, there was some paperwork to be done), but all of that was just a formality to him. This is different from his relationship with his subordinates in the Shinsengumi or Yuureisengumi, and he still needs to find his footing as a mentor figure, but he trusts that they'll work together just as well now as they already did before Shoto's squiring.

The new year has only just begun, but already a serious threat appears to be haunting the edge of the Dusklight Woods: a strange creature seemingly made of leaves and mud and covered in a ragged cloak and wooden mask. The bodies that were sighted speak for themselves, and Elphame, where the monster escaped from the underground prison, provided further information: as soon as it reads a person's emotions on their face it's able to turn their greatest weaknesses against them and, once they're mentally broken, pull their soul out of their body.]

Well, Shoto, let's put on our best pokerfaces.

B ⦿ Knight Quest

[Hijikata takes his position as a knight pretty seriously. At the time of his knighting there were only a couple of other outworlders with the title (though more had come and gone before him), and while he's glad to see that the ranks have filled considerably since then it doesn't mean that he can slack off! Despite not being anybody's Vice-Commander here he can't help but feel like he needs to set an example. So he doesn't hesitate to accept the special task and set out towards the occupied township near the Lands of Rot.

Given the distance he used an archivist's totem for himself, his pedigree horse Black Star, and whoever is accompanying him (knight or non-knight), so it didn't take the group long to make it to their destination. Having left the horse(s?) behind some cover a good distance away he and his partner are currently observing the orc bandits from a secure location (or, perhaps, from under a dark magic cloak or a light magic glamour).]

Looks like there aren't all that many of them, at least not right now.

[He's confident in his battle skills and apparently plans to apply brute force... if his partner is on board with that, great! But if not they may want to curb his latent bloodlust a little.]

C ⦿ Beta Testing (for troubadamsel)

[It sounded like such a nice and thoughtful Camelotian tradition: pass on the stone, and you and whoever you pass it on to will have good luck in this new year. The kindly woman clearly just wanted to cheer Hijikata up, having seen him struggle with a bunch of thorny cuttings for an elderly man with an overgrown garden. He doesn't even notice that the stone absorbs the traces of blood it gets in contact with as he's distracted by the sight of Maribelle.]

Maribelle! - Thanks again, Madam! - Maribelle, wait!

[He leaves the stranger and tries to flag the little noblewoman down. He wants to thank her for the warm gloves she gifted him for Christmas! That was completely unexpected, and while he already sent her his 'Mirror Mirror' in return he still feels like he owes her an expression of his gratitude in person. And what better way to do that than include her in the lucky stone custom? (Later on he'll file that under "thoughts moments before disaster".)]

D ⦿ Roast Pork (for troubadamsel)

[Hijikata has been on the dark web's radar for a while now, and ever since last month's hunt for his ghostly subordinates tensions have been higher than before. The Yuureisengumi constantly finds itself missing at least one or two members, and the resources needed to find and rescue them are always sorely missed elsewhere. Hijikata thinks of running another recruitment campaign, but the new year starts off with such a bang on the dark web that that'll have to wait.

When he sees the ridiculously sadistic quest involving a giant hogweed potion that, sneaked into the private Jack Rabbit's club's champagne fountain, will cause everyone who ingested it to burn to a crisp in the sunlight, he simply can't abide it... despite his lasting predicament of still being trapped in Maribelle's body.

He contacts the quest-giver through his burner phone, and once arrangements are made he soon receives the fatal potion in a post box in Camelot City which he rented specifically for this undertaking. Before long the would-be murder weapon is safely in the hands of Camelot's native law enforcement (he conducted a covert collection with them, just in case), but he isn't satisfied with just that. He wants to get a hold of the madman who cooked up this entire horrible plot!

This is why he, after sneaking into the club and pretending to be a new server lost on the way to the dressing room, uses his phone to invite the mysterious quest-giver to come watch the "pork roast" show. He allows himself a narrow-eyed smirk as he sees the inappropriately cheerful text message response. So far, so good! Now if only he didn't feel so exposed in this goddamn bunny suit, and if only he could walk in these high heels... and if only he knew that the dalmation stone enchantment that made him and Maribelle swap bodies is about to run out in 3, 2, 1--]


[OOC: If you'd like any additional prompts (egg-raising adventures, body-swapped run-ins, etc.) please feel free to hit me up on my plotting post! Also here are Hijikata's permissions.]

Comments

C

[troubadamsel]

[ It's a lovely day, all things considered. Yes, Maribelle's lost another friend, but it is the duty of a noble to keep your head held high during difficult times! So with a stiff upper lip, parasol in her hand, Maribelle is going about her day as usual.

As she hears her name being called, she comes to a stop and turns around. Ah, Hijikata. He hasn't pissed her off lately, so maybe today is a day he's being civilized. High hopes. It'd be nice to have a good day. ]

Good day to you, Hijikata. I trust all is well?

[mayoninofukucho]

Yeah.

[He pauses for a moment, struggling with how to phrase his gratitude for the new gloves (which he'll need all the more now that those thorns tore a few small holes into his old ones, which he luckily put on again this morning out of habit), so he simply extends the stone to her.]

Ah, a lady just explained this custom to me... you pass this stone on, and everyone who does will have good luck in the new year.

[troubadamsel]

[ This seems absolutely harmless and rather charming! Why would she have reason to suspect otherwise? She smiles a little, touched by the gesture. ]

Who am I to turn down such a generous boon? May you have good luck in the new year as well.

[ And so, she moves to take the stone... ]

1/2

[mayoninofukucho]

We can all need it, right? Hopefully we'll make some actual headway on reversing the calamity.

[Talking to her like this is nice... did the Christmas present exchange turn their relationship around? Not that it was all bad before, but...]

2/2

[mayoninofukucho]

[But then something weird happens. Suddenly he feels like his soul is getting ripped out of his body - just for a moment, just for a blink, then everything is back to normal. Only that he's... looking at himself. Looking up, to be precise. And there's the stone in his hand... and a parasol in the other.]

Hah..?!

Continued from above!

[mayoninofukucho]

[Continued from here!]

Don't cling to me..!

[She's making him look like a total scaredy cat!]

This isn't our headquarters; those are in the Forest of the Felled. But we're still sort of in crisis mode, so I haven't taken both divisions back there ever since the blizzard in November - well, apart from when we needed to regroup after the goddamn hunt on them last month.

[They're dealing with a lot of shit!! The hunt on the ghosts never really stopped, so they're constantly having to divert their attention to comrades going missing in action... not that Maribelle cares about all those peculiarities, probably.]

Loch Manor is the most suitable local place for them to stay during the daytime hours.

[troubadamsel]

... I suppose ghost-hunting never really occurred to me. Spirits are usually assigned to be evil or cursed, haunting others... but given that is a new realm with new rules, such things shouldn't apply to them. It must be difficult to work alongside them given their stereotypes and people's reactions.

[ hey hey, what's that sound, is that Maribelle comin' 'round. She may have started to respect him just a bit more! ]

[mayoninofukucho]

I thought the same thing about ghosts before I got hit with the death magic.

[It wasn't really the death magic as such that changed his mind, though - suddenly seeing ghosts everywhere just terrified him out of his mind. It was other, more experienced and world-wise death mages who helped him gradually see the spirits in a different light.]

It was difficult at first, but by the time the disaster happened I was able to work well with them.

[He really pushed himself. Some of the ghosts scared him a lot - a few of the non-human ones looked intimidating, and several across the board simply were awful to look at due to the state of their spectral bodies. He learned to steel himself, look them in the eyes when he spoke to them, and told himself again and again to trust them. Without trust he couldn't have become their Commander.]

Let's go in, alright?

[He'll lead the way!]

B

[kiss_it_better]

[Knighthood was new and different from being a lord. But it is not entirely foreign to him. Though he was a prince he had hoped to be a soldier at one point, to stay at Gu Yun's side and support him.

This wasn't all that different, really.

Besides, he's getting paid. If one is being paid they should do the work.

His eyes are unfocused for a moment as he uses blood magic to sense whether there might be more orcs hidden nearby. Then the look fades away and he's looking at Hijikata.]

There are none hidden. If we act fast we can try to end this before they can call for reinforcement.

[mayoninofukucho]

[It's good to be here with Chang Geng, whom Hijikata already trusts. They haven't fought together before, but from their sparring session back in the last spring he knows that the prince is quite skilled at close combat, and besides he's seen how diligently he trains his blood magic. He nods, thankful for Chang Geng's ability to effectively scan the area.]

I'll go take the horse. The more strongly we overwhelm them the better. Once we've taken this batch out we can gather the townspeople and get them organised. My familiar is already in position; he'll serve as our sentry. He's a crow tengu, so he can hold a high vantage point.

[Sure, on foot they'd be able to move more quietly, but Hijikata has no intent on making this a stealth attack. They could try to take the bandits out one by one from the shadows, but that's not the way of the samurai! He wants to face those bastards head-on and show them that the Kingdom of Camelot takes good care of all its townships. What's more, an overwhelming show of strength should hearten the villagers.]

[kiss_it_better]

Drawing out the battle would not be in our favour, so it makes sense to make it quick.

[Presumably, there were more orcs hanging about. Besides, it certainly does the job of sending a message.]

I'll have your back.

[He hadn't brought a horse. Instead he'd brought his (finally) tamed archaeopteryx.]

[mayoninofukucho]

[Hijikata was surprised at how many archaeopteryxes he's been seeing in Camelot during the last few weeks. Were they all kept in the castle's stables, which he never ventured into? Or are they wild, like the one that chose him as its partner, and word spread among them lately about the increased number of knights in the kingdom? Either way, their support is a huge boon.

As they wander back to where they left their mounts in the shelter of some large rocks and barren trees he once more goes through the bandits' presumable modus operandi in his mind. They're forcing "taxes" on the villagers, not doing anything more involved... so it stands to reason that they didn't set up a permanent presence here but rather stay in their original settlement - he can only assume that it's somewhere in the area, given Camelot's first tangle with them during their expedition across the Silent Shore - and venture out in relatively small (if well-armed) numbers to extort money from the township.

It takes him just a few moments to mount his black stallion and get his shield in position, idly wondering if this isn't overkill - but then who knows, perhaps the bandits will get back-up faster than anticipated. He looks at Chang Geng and his dinosaur.]

I'll aim to disarm them, and anyone who surrenders we'll spare, but if they bring out explosives or try to get the townsfolk involved - as hostages or otherwise - I'll kill them.

[He says that as if he sees no risk of being killed himself...]

If you were able to focus on rounding them up that'd be fantastic. Anyone who escapes will only alert the others and cause more work for us.

Knight quest! If these assumptions are alright with u~

[resistetmords]

Hm, scouts said there are plenty more lurking nearby. Local hunters and townspeople have confirmed that much as well. Most likely this is just one camp out of many, nearby ones.

[She's not all that onboard with the direct approach. Not yet anyway. As far as she was concerned it was better to simply slowly wittle them down first.

While also getting an idea of their groups strength. Especially given that only a few locals would even be capable to fight, let alone the amount of time it would take to get them even marginally prepared. Camelot really needs to start stepping up it's security game. Her mind worked on it being better to do things quietly than to risk the lives of ill prepared villagers.

To reflect that she chose to wear her drab uniform, lacking armor or anything too high profile. Not exactly very knightly of her, or honorable.]

It would be a good idea to alert the others in the brush first, just in case.

[No need to allow potential unknowns to get the jump on them while they were also busy ambushing.]

It's all good! 👍🏻

[mayoninofukucho]

[Hijikata frowns. Belgium's arguments have merit, but he can't help but want to do this like he conducts raids on rebels from the anti-foreigner faction back in Edo - swift, sudden and merciless. Almost a year ago, when they first encountered the orc bandits at the Silent Shore, he was more hesitant to use lethal force on Avalon (though he ended up accidentally doing it anyway due to being overpowered at the time), but now he feels that he has a better handle on what situations can be approached in which way, and these guys apparently need to be taught by force.]

I'm not really one for sneaking missions, but if you gotten reports of more hidden camps I'd say we'll need air support. I'll have my familiar scan the area for any sights of campfires or movement from above and then give us a report.

[Hijikata's bond with his familiar doesn't allow them to communicate telepathically, but he can mentally call him to his side. He briefed him of the undertaking before he left Camelot City and told him to stay in the vicinity, so it shouldn't take the crow tengu long to make his way to them after surveying the area.]

Thank you~!

[resistetmords]

[She kind of figured he wouldn't be the sneaky, sneaky type. Kind of what she was afraid of. But she had full confidence in Hijikata's abilities and decision-making skills! If anything it was nice to have a familiar face to have along, especially one she's gone on some of the more dangerous quests with. Granted that Belgium didn't really want others to be placed in any form of danger... regardless she still knew he could handle himself without getting banged up.]

Eyes from above would help things along. It would also give our scouts and lighter forces a better idea on where and how best to harass them.

[They were all in this together now. It was better to make sure everyone was on board and connected to the ongoings of everything. Or most of everything and as best they could.]

It would also give us the benefit of an added warning system....

[She really misses having planes and radios by now.]

♡

[mayoninofukucho]

[Hijikata is the last person Belgium needs to worry about, at least he thinks so himself. Battle is his daily bread back home. It's troublesome that such a mixed bunch of people headed out here to help the village, because they aren't used to fighting in unison and might accidentally impede each other in the fray, but they all came willing to put themselves on the line, and he respects that.]

Let's retreat for now. Arashi will find us.

[He quietly gets up and starts heading back to where they left his horse. Many of the others who are hidden between the rocks and barren trees are probably on their silent, dimmed phones, communicating their locations and findings to each other. It's always amazing how quickly some technologically savvy people can whip up a chat group with an integrated map that can be updated in real time by verified group members! Hijikata takes his own device out to check.]

Looks like the others already found some smaller camps. There's one east of us that has approximately a half-dozen bandits, and two to the north with about 10 each... we'll have to send more people over there.

[Once his familiar arrives he can hopefully corroborate or correct those preliminary reports. Hijikata only hopes that they won't be discovered prematurely, because then they'd be forced into an all-out fight without having the moment of surprise on their side.]

2

[colchismagecraft]

[Know what's more terrifying than Caster being a creepy evil witch?

Caster being a creepy evil witch whilst also filled with maternal instincts towards strange magical teddy bears. The only thing that could make this any worse would be if one were familiar with her legend...

Well, so long as she found a knight to escort her and her baby, that would be fine. Except, this was a knight she recognised.]

...please don't tell me that you're the only Knight left to accompany the expeditions.

[mayoninofukucho]

How should I know? Why don't you go see if there's another one who's more to your liking?

[This isn't very gallant of him, but why does he keep running into this witch?!]

[colchismagecraft]

[What a grumpy man- don't mind the bear puffing itself up to give him a suspicious expression. It was as if the creature had inherited its Mother's glares...]

Because I've been looking for the past half hour, and you're the only one I've run into.

[She's 'delighted' to see him, can he tell?]

Gravestone-Faced

[itsmypower]

[So where's this beast hiding?

His new apprentice stands patiently, scanning the woods stretched in front of them, the human trail still behind them, littered with corpses. It isn't his first time crossing the dead here, and though this extreme reality weighs on him, he's smothering dimmed emotions under neutral, calmed expressions.

All for appearances. His heart-space is too fragile to rummage through, carelessly. His mind's not the clearest yet, and still his grudging acceptance exists as only sore, healing bruises. He wouldn't dare to run away from things; but even now, the youth feels thoroughly unprepared for this. It's not the fighting he's accustomed to: his growing anxieties shards in him, the fears of dredging up his burrowed, deeply troubled thoughts again. But he's been guarded a lot, mostly, and so he's pretending at quiet calm with carefully bleak, emptied stillness: predictably unemotional, though having his role to complete, now, his promise to Hijikata in all its new purpose placed with him. At the moment, all he's latched to, and swords rattle when he shifts again.

He'd follow him into anything.]

Sensei. [Here, producing a blue wakizashi. A cloudy, mist rising off and glinting with fragile white crystals. Infused with the boy's strongest frost spells.

His heart favors ice.]

Here. [Passing it off to him.] I don't know how long my ice lasts, but I thought you could use this.

[Expressing gratitude. Stealing the chance, now.]

I can move when you're ready.

[mayoninofukucho]

[Hijikata was, frankly, a little concerned about Shoto when they saw the first bodies. He himself is used to stepping over corpses, but Shoto? His squire handled it flawlessly, though, keeping himself composed even as Hijikata stopped here and there to look around for ghosts (and strangely enough found none in sight).

When Shoto speaks and offers the short sword to him he at first thinks he just wants to show it to him, and that alone touches him - he really got himself an additional samurai weapon that even Hijikata doesn't carry (because seppuku is mostly an empty threat in Gintama), didn't he? -, until he realises that he's giving it to him. He takes and inspects it, carefully keeping the surprise off his face.]

Shoto...

[He bought it for him, perhaps even commissioned it?! So he noticed he lacked one of his own... this is beyond thoughtful. It's almost unfair, really, that he's giving it to him now when he can't risk to smile at him and show him his gratitude. Despite wakizashi not being part of his Shinsengumi's standard equipment it absolutely will come in handy, not least because Muramasha is simply too unwieldy in certain situations.

He turns it in his hands, keeping his other senses sharp to notice any changes in their surroundings while he admires it. It doesn't match his Muramasha with its reddish brown scabbard, monochrome golden guard and purple hilt wrap, of course it doesn't, but it doesn't need to. This is not a cursed sword he picked up out of stubbornness and impatience, it's a sword chosen for him by a devoted person, someone who has already done so much for him.]

You infused it with your magic? I think ice will serve us very well here. What is its name?

[He won't let the beast find more victims, he doesn't plan to dawdle, but this precious gift deserves a moment of consideration!]

[itsmypower]

[It's something "cold".]

Rei. She's watching you too, I think. Mom. That's her name. Rei Todoroki.

["Himura", formerly.] We shared the same Quirk before, if you remembered that. [All that rambling he'd done. His tone is fond, though, kind.] But you're an Elemental too, now, so you're not that much different. You'd probably use it better than anyone, if it comes to that. [Should his weapons fail. And in his humble opinion,] You're still the Number One here, so it's not that I'm doubting you. I'm only looking ahead a little.

[Just in case.]

That's why. If I can't reach you, I'll ask Mom to look after you.

[The way you've looked after me, he thinks.] I didn't come to waste your investment. This mission's just another test for me. I wouldn't be worthy to follow you anyways if I died for something like this. I know what I said about being your shield before, but wakizashi's fine too, I think, being your back-up. As the Number One's squire, I mean. ...It's like I said: you're the first ally I'd met here. I can't exactly repay that yet since you're offering this much more, now. But I can start here.

[Sorry, Endeavor...

He's betraying those flames again. Freezing his heart one last time; stubborn, stone-faced youth becoming the once-solemn ice prince. Some lightless place left over from this, and then thoughts retreating, his mind returns to years prior, the icy reticence he'd held before his best friend's shouting. Reusing old tactics he's used time and time again, before. He empties completely, his worries in stasis and killing his own apprehension. He blocks his mind, and then he's snow and dried tundra, stone and ice and old leaves instead. His harshest memories out of reach, now. Further and further, he leaves his warmth to find after; tucks his thoughts in some unreachable place inside the self. Forgetting corpses, too, also. To not betray anything. He puts Endeavor away; extinguishes burning blue-flames with both "creation" and "puppet". Not one sentiment remains behind, and then his cold's erased all of him, ice numbing jawline, white-glazed mask obscuring something still readable. Claiming his face with it: soft features hardening, crumbling, thin frost on white cheeks.

He won't risk smiling.]

Let's take it down and get back already. I wanted to train with you, after.

[The only acceptable outcome.]

We'll fight together.

D

[troubadamsel]

[ Poof! Maribelle gasps, clutching her chest... oh! HER chest! Her hands! ]

I'm... I'm back to normal! I'm me again! Oh, thank the gods! I've never been so happy to hear my own voice! Aha ha ha!

[ Oh happy day! Oblivious to where she is right now, Maribelle just laughs with glee, hugging herself, ever so gracious to be back in her body, with her pretty curly hair, and her elegant voice, and her...

... Very... exposed... body...

WHAT THE ACTUAL FUCK IS SHE WEARING.

Slowly, trembling, she looks down at herself... In a bunny suit... In front of people... at a place she would never venture into... A scream slowly begins to rise in her throat. But not a scream of terror. Oh, someone will wish it will have been a scream of terror. ]

... Hiiii... Jiii... Ka... TAAAAAAAAA...

[mayoninofukucho]

[If Hijikata were there to hear her murderous scream he'd probably start running. She may be a small lady, but there comes a point at which even little hands can rip and tear if fueled by sufficient amounts of rage! Alas, he isn't there. He's now in Maribelle's room at the inn, a spoon in one hand and a half-eaten tub of ice cream in the other. More empty tubs and assorted snack packaging is lying around. He's wearing his uniform (sans jacket, coat and cravat), and nothing seems amiss, but he feels like he's had too little sleep, too much unhealthy food, and no proper full-body shower in a while... and is this stubble all over his chin and cheeks?]

...

[What did she do with his body?! He always thought she was so sophisticated and prim and proper, but she's apparently just been stuffing herself with comfort food in here the whole time while he was struggling to fulfill his duty in her shoddy weak little body!! After the first shock has sunk the next one follows suit: if he is back in his body, then that means Maribelle is too... and he didn't tell her about the quest. Shit. An absolutely dreadful feeling sinks into him, and he quickly scrambles to find his outerwear and shoes and rushes out of the inn. One quick stop at the post box to fetch his sword (he couldn't take it to the club, after all), and he'll be on his way to rescue her.

Maribelle, meanwhile, naturally attracted everyone's attention with her outburst. Luckily many "coworkers" and patrons simply assume that she got an upsetting text message - a cancelled date, her cart having been crashed by the friend she loaned it to, who knows - and simply resume their conversations, but some ask her if everything is alright... and one fancily dressed man seated near the champagne fountain is smiling at her like the cat that got the cream for some reason, stroking his chin in contemplation.]

[troubadamsel]

[ She feels so naked! So exposed! Did Hijikata have a perverted fetish for this sort of thing?! She can feel everyone staring at her - though she assumes it's because of the outfit and not the fact that she's having a breakdown. She stumbles backwards, which is when she learns she's wearing high heels. ]

Why is he making me wear these?! Does he have any idea how easily a woman's ankle can snap if he had walked the wrong way?! I have a good mind to shove these heels somewhere unpleasant of his...

[ She bends - no, LET'S NOT BEND OVER IN THIS OUTFIT - squats to take off the high heels. Unlike a certain dinosaur movie, Maribelle has no confidence she can run smoothly in heels. ]

Maybe I can call someone to pick me up so I can change before anyone else sees me in this abomination...

[ With that, she moves to head to what she can assume is the exit, not having any clue someone doesn't want her to leave so quickly... ]