NIGHT 1 PRIVATE CONVERSATION: PHOENIX & TRUCY

[stagewright]

[ At least nothing had happened yet after the vote. Trucy didn't know what she had expected, really, but it's almost a relief to go back to "her" room. Daryan Crescend's room. She hadn't explored the room too much earlier - just briefly - but this time she yanks open the closet and finds some of her pajamas and changes of clothes.

Creepy, but not unwelcome.

Trucy ignores the samurai dogs but instead changes into pajamas and sits cross-legged on her bed until she hears a knock at the door. It's only been a little while since they'd all dispersed, and it occurs to Trucy she should be careful - so she eases the door open only a crack, ready to slam it back, before pulling it wide open. ]

Oh, Daddy, it's you. [ There's absolutely no reason to distrust him, and so Trucy steps aside to let her father through. ]

Comments

[bewrightback]

You're speaking my language already! You've got a future in this industry, kid.

[stagewright]

Well, I have already been a CEO, you know.

[ She's super business savvy! ]

By the way...have you talked to anyone about all...this, daddy? I saw Mr. Blackquill and Mr. Armando leave while we were all talking about who to vote for earlier.

[ does anyone on this plan have a plan or a flyer's license ]

[bewrightback]

You have? I never would have guessed! [He says sarcastically.

But then the more serious subject comes up.]

I can't say I have. I must have missed their departure. But what did you see?

[Blackquill and Armando... Now there's a comedy act in the making.]

[stagewright]

Nothing, really. They just went out into the hall together.

[ She didn't follow them to eavesdrop or anything since she was SORT OF PREOCCUPIED. ]

Do you think this is actually all real? 'Cause of the mirrors and Dahlia and...

[ Waves hands gesturingly. Which is now a word. ]

[bewrightback]

Maybe they had a date.

[His smile fades a bit, and he stares up at the ceiling.]

Honestly, Trucy? I don't know. Maybe somehow this is all really real. Or maybe it's a crazy dream, or a mental episode.

I don't know what this is at all. But whatever it is, I want to see it through to its end. And to make it a happy one.

[stagewright]

I'll do everything I can to help, Daddy. Apollo said a lawyer has to keep a smile on their faces - you know, that goes double for magicians!

[ So...optimism!

This will last until and unless either she, Phoenix, or Pearls dies. Then Trucy may not be able to keep up her schtick entirely. ]

[bewrightback]

[He sets the pillow aside to wrap an arm around her.]

Thank you, Trucy. I don't know what I'd do without you... [This kid's good at being his light in the darkness.] Your smile's magic, right?

[stagewright]

Well, of course. It's a magician's smile, after all!

[ She snuggles up against her father for the moment, resting her chin on his shoulder and humming. ]

And Pearls will help, too. And the others.

[ the non-murderous others, at least ]

[bewrightback]

[All the parental snuggling. With everything that happened tonight - the people they may have sent to their deaths, seeing Apollo like that - having a whole Trucy here is a comfort that can't be understated. Even if their smiles might not be wholly sincere at the moment.]

What am I going to do with so many helpful allies?

[Then, a little more seriously.]

That's why I have to do my best, too. For all of you. [Trucy, Pearls, Maya, Mia... A lot of the people he's held the most dear have been tossed into this mess.

...

...

Oh right I guess Larry's here too.]

[stagewright]

Right! Maybe...we can figure out a way to break things.

[ this legal system sucks, let's build a new one, dad. ]

[bewrightback]

I would have said 'turn things upside down', but that might work even better, Trucy.

I couldn't come up with anything tonight... but maybe with some extra time I can really figure out a way.

[Yeah, one where there's instead Chocolate Badgers and Vanilla Badgers, and whoever gets picked by friends of either badger gets chocolate or vanilla snacks of their choosing.]

[stagewright]

[ SIGN TRUCY UP FOR THAT... ]

Well, we'll just have to investigate twice as hard tomorrow! And...try to figure out what's going on, you know?

[bewrightback]

Right. We'll investigate carefully, and if we're lucky, we'll find just the clues we need to make that happen...

[And he leaves unspoken that the next day, they'll find out for sure what happened to the voted parties. It had seemed curious and a little eerie that they were able to part without anything happening yet.]

[stagewright]

For now, though, we should probably sleep. We don't know when we'll have to be up.

[ they don't even have alarm clocks... ]

[bewrightback]

Good point. Did you have your dinner? [He looks for signs of bedside samurai dogs like the one he had found in his own room.] To think we didn't have to use those coupons yet.

[stagewright]

Just the one. It felt like I should eat something, y'know?

[bewrightback]

I know exactly what you mean. It's almost as if we need to eat in order to survive. [He jokes, pushing at her with the pillow again before he lays down.]