monolith revisited | mingle

[mythbuster]

One fine morning, a boyish voice broadcasts to everyone around base:

There's a lot left to explore inside the Monolith, so I'll be visiting it today. If anyone else wants to come along, feel free.

Once all interested parties are assembled and traveling arrangements sorted out, they're off to the Monolith! Given the length of the journey, this will be a real time investment. A one-way trip takes nearly two hours by flight. Traveling in silence? Boring. How should they occupy their time? Travel games? Joy rides in the Seamoth? Maybe even some old-fashioned chit chat??

Once they arrive, there's plenty to explore. With some sniffing around, they'll find a map revealing that the Monolith contains a cafe and common area, crew quarters, lab, med bay, and "special alien containment" room. However, it'll take some ingenuity to actually reach each area. And by ingenuity I mean bombs.

Which is why the group will need a demolition crew! Get to blasting those walls in logical places. Or illogical places. No one ever said it had to be a good demolition crew. With enough willful destruction, surely all of the the Monolith's secrets will be laid bare in no time.

(( Here are the full details on what can be found in the Monolith! Create your own topics and go nuts. ))

Comments

[splinten]

You want me to try.

[He isn't sure. Possibly Jake is just dramatically declaring his own intentions to chug more coffee additives.]

[potentite]

It tastes nice just don't eat the whole kit and caboodle like I did... [Strong tastes are Bad. This is what he's decided. Possibly because he hasn't had many tastes. Actually he's pretty sure he wouldn't like it anyway but maybe it's an acquired taste. He's heard of that, which he assumes it means you eat it until you like it.

But he likes it anyway and he's trying to think how to describe it.]

Oh! Okay, you know frosting? It's like... liquid frosting. The white kind. But stronger.

[splinten]

Huh.

[Okay. He'll take it. And tip the bottle back so a bit can drip into his mouth.

...Huh.]

No wonder you choked.

[Too much sweetness. But Dirk presses his tongue to the roof of his mouth, playing around with the liquid, tasting it as much as he can before swallowing. It's really interesting? Another new flavour.]

[potentite]

[Jake nods.]

I saw it in a movie, you order a coffee, then you order all these syrups in it, too. It makes you fancy.

[He wants to order a coffee now. It looks fun.]

[splinten]

You know that isn't how that works.

[Jake. Jake. The construction of an elite status based on drink orders is more complicated than merely adding condiments. There are whole social structures and economic forces involved in the status accrued through a Starbucks venti. You're shaming him.

He sees a bottle. He grabs it.] This is chocolate. We have to bring it back to Rox.

[hopefragment]

[hey guys what's going on in this threa--]

...

[Nope. If they want to eat coffee grounds and drink the syrup, that's on them. Is what he dearly wants to think and just walk back out again. Instead, against his better judgement, he sighs.]

Uh... what are you guys doing...?

[potentite]

Hinata! [IT'S GUN FRIEND. Jake loves gun friend. He flops backwards on the counter so his head is hanging off and he looks at Hinata upside down.]

Look, we found coffee. [Yes the giant coffee shop is a hard discovery to make.] Have you made coffee before? How much syrup do you put in? It signifies your class status or something.

[splinten]

[Dirk is less surprised by Hinata coming in here and judging (Hinata, an apparent Normal, presumably knows what you do with coffee) than he is by Jake being so happy to see Hinata. It's nice? It's nice to see that Jake is actually managing to find happiness and friendship and that Dirk didn't permanently fuck him up (apparently with an assist from Jane).

Internal monologues however don't cause coffee to happen, so he'll address Hinata.

After calmly and casually flicking Jake in the side of the head, because syrup quantity doesn't signify class status and you know it.]

We'd appreciate any advice. Neither of us have ever interacted with any of these things directly before.

[hopefragment]

...

[Hajime had never considered that the kid who grew up on a literal jungle island might never have been taught how to use a coffee machine, but he also never thought that anyone would literally try to drink the syrup. By itself.]

I... guess there wasn't any coffee in the jungle, huh?

[At least he's not shoving the grounds in his face...? Hajime has no idea what syrup has to do with class status, though.

He does smile and give Jake a little wave and nodding to Dirk before moving further into the room, glancing around to try to figure out exactly what they have to work with.]

I mean, most people start by actually brewing the coffee... here, look.

[A coffee machine! Going to start gathering together grounds and filters and all that other assorted coffee-brewing shit. There's probably a future-Keurig around somewhere but he wouldn't know how to use that.]

[potentite]

[Don't judge his life choices. He wants to try all of the syrups. Jake sits back up to watch him, canting his head.]

We've never even had coffee. I just know people love it.

[He knows lots of people make coffee but usually it's after a sex scene or a fade-to-black?]

When it shows these joints in a movie, you see them press a button and grab the cup and bob's your uncle.

[splinten]

[Dirk takes a position where he can properly watch Hinata... they are but young learners and he, the Master Teacher. He is mentally trying to work out all the reasoning behind all the different things Hinata is gathering for the process. It seems like tea in terms of steeping but the filters. For catching the grounds? Okay but why not just put them in a bag like tea bags? Why didn't Bro leave him coffee to work this out.]

Looking into coffee-making documentaries didn't occur to either of us. [He glances at Jake. He assumes? Maybe Jake had a moment.]

[hopefragment]

[Jake don't you watch any movies where people eat breakfast.]

Well... yeah, I guess that makes sense. This part probably isn't interesting enough to get into a movie.

Anyway, I usually just drink tea at home, but... the way the machine works is you put the coffee grounds in the filter, I think it's like...

[Hang on, he's a Dangan so odds are he had to go through mental multiple choice options before getting the answer. One teaspoon? One tablespoon? One cup?]

A teaspoon of coffee grounds per each cup of water. The machine heats up the water, runs it through the grounds, and then... that's coffee.

[He holds out both hands in a kind of sheepish ta-da, looking to find them some cups as the coffee starts to actually brew. A nice coffee smell.]

[potentite]

[Jake hops off the counter and tries not to get too much into Hinata's space as he peeks over. He doesn't get how this is different than tea really. But it makes sense if he thinks of it as tea. Just tea that requires a lot more of a process instead of a little baggy you put into the water.]

May I order it? I want to partake in the capitalist consumption of goods in exchange for labour or whatever.

[splinten]

[Dirk was going to ask a question and also insult Jake. This was an important task. Both of these things were vital for the mission.

But the smell of coffee just hit his nose. He completely stops still, which actually doesn't look like anything in particular to anyone not hyperalert to the nuances of Dirk Strider. Then, slowly, he raises a hand to his face. His fingers curl over the bridge of his nose, and he inhales once more.]

Holy shit. Is it supposed to smell like that?

[He is stepping closer so he can sniff it woah woah this is an amazing smell he can't even deal. The lineface is a line of amazement.]

[hopefragment]

The capitalist consumption of...

[Gun friend... please.... why are you like this. Hajime can't help but laugh a little helplessly and take a position behind the counter, ready to fulfill his role as temporary barista.]

Sure, why not. I...

[...?]

Uh, Dirk...? [Ah- he understands. And he can't help but smile again, more sympathetic than anything else. Of course he'd never have smelled it before, if he'd never had it.]

Smells good, right?

[potentite]

Holy toledo!

[The smell is really getting to him and he wants to try it now but he wants to do this first. Jake immediately jumps over the counter and gets in line, even though there is no line. He just wants to do this, because it seems so normal and simple and fun. Everyone's probably done this but him.

Well, no, that's not true. Jake enthusiastically waves his arm.]

Strider! Order coffee with me. Come on, it's fine. Hinata doesn't mind.

[splinten]

What?

[Dirk glances up because Jake is shouting at him. And Hinata spoke to him. Hinata is smiling at him? Jake is... acting like an overexcited dog. They're ordering drinks.

Okay.

A shadow vanishes and then Dirk is beside Jake, looking at Hinata. He mentally replays the last few moments and realizes that in fact, Hinata did agree, so that's fine.]

Thank you. [To Hinata, for doing this for them.] It smells incredible.

[Even through such an inexpressive monotone, the note of sincere appreciation comes through.]

[hopefragment]

It's no problem, really.

[What it is is a little sad, honestly. Hajime can't help but feel a little sad for both of them, that something so normal to him is so incredibly novel to the both of them.

So he'd better do this right, as silly as it feels.]

So, uh... welcome. What would you like to order?

[potentite]

Oh! Um, hello.

[He has to be a good customer. Suddenly he is very aware that he doesn't know how you actually act as a customer but he knows he would want to be a nice one, so he'll try to be nice.]

Um, I hope your day is good? I want one coffee, please. [As much as he'd like to try it with that vanilla syrup, he thinks he could try it plain first. Oh wait no shit he has to say a size shit.] Oh, um! A large? A large. If that's okay? Thank you.

[At least he'd be nice.]

[splinten]

[He glances sideways at Jake behind his glasses, and then towards Hinata. He almost says something that is totally out of place at the coffee shop, but then he mentally stops and corrects himself. Jake is way too into this Coffeeshop AU roleplay. The least Dirk can do is play along.]

A small black please.

[hopefragment]

[How did a serious investigation become coffeeshop au roleplay... but whatever, it's fine. They have time.]

Yes, thank you for asking. One large coffee and one small coffee, right?

[He makes a face because wtf it's weird to speak politely to his friends. BUT HE'S A GOOD BARISTA HE'LL DO IT FOR Jake. Dirk doesn't seem to care one way or another.

So he'll turn and pour the coffee into the right size cups. It doesn't occur to him to write their names on the cups, so unfortunately they'll miss out on that aspect.]

Here you go, two coffees. Be careful, it's hot.

[Like... really hot. Please don't burn yourselves guys.]

[potentite]

[Jake takes his cup, biting his tongue to try containing his joy.]

Ah, uhm. Thank you very much, uh, sir. I hope you have a good day.

[He thinks that's how the exchanges end? Usually something weird happens in movies but he does assume most exchanges don't go with dramatic love reunions or flirting.

But what's actually surprising him is how warm the cup is. Hinata isn't kidding about it being hot if it's this hot through the cup.]

It feels like a computer that's been running a while.

[Or a fire? It's a little like a fire but it's not burning him, so. But he likes it and he takes a moment to smell it and enjoy the warmth. When he takes a drink his head shakes. It's not bad but he needs to stop taking big drinks of strong tastes.

Especially when it's hot oh god it's hot.]

[splinten]

Thanks.

[Dirk puts his hands around the cup. Definitely overheated computer hot. Obviously, they should wait before taking a dri—

Jake English charges ahead.]

Excuse me, do you have anything cold? I think my friend is experiencing the consequences of being a complete fuckin' idiot.

[Look, Jake. He's still playing along with your AU.]

[hopefragment]

Jake-!!

[why.jpg. HE WARNED YOU ABOUT THE COFFEE BRO.]

Uh... crap, hang on.

[Maybe he shouldn't say things like that in front of customers but it's not like they paid him anyway? Also that polite speech is gone because now he's rummaging through the rest of the coffee supplies. Anything refrigerated...? If it's Starbucks-esque there has to be ice, but who knows how long it's been sitting around...

Whatever, it'll have to do. He grabs another cup and scoops the ice into it, really hoping it's actually made with water and not some kind of weird future-gunk.]

I think this is ice, here...

[potentite]

[Wow don't put the poor barista on the spot like that, Dirk.]

Whoa ice. Fancy. [He accepts it and sticks a few in his mouth, because naturally the best thing to do when you aren't used to different temperatures is to stick those temperatures in your mouth in rapid succession. Jake covers his mouth and just sucks on them, nodding.

He's fine. It's cool. It's really cold and weird feeling holy shit.]