You knew this was coming

[starbolts]

•Mistletoe Meme!•

The Situation:
Crew members who were on Stacy last December remember this. Because GLaDOS is a troll, she has positioned little sprigs of mistletoe on the ceilings of areas of the ship. In hallways, at the entrances to quarters, in a department doorway, at a tavern, she doesn't care how inconvenient it is!

It'd be less inconvenient if it were voluntary, but in this case, the sneaky AI has deployed shields around people who wander under the mistletoe that have not been broken by any known alternate method so far. Any attacks against the shield are absorbed. Attempts at attacking the mistletoe get you singed. The only way to be freed from the confines of your little bubble is to receive some form of affection from another crew member---a strong hug will work for the really uncomfortable, but at least a cheek kiss is expected for most. If GLaDOS wants a mouth kiss, though, let her push for one! Species equivalents of kisses/affection are also acceptable.

So---you're stuck until someone comes to rescue you with a kiss, kids. Have fun, thank you for participating in this crew study experiment, and watch out for the nargles!

((Characters not in the game are of course welcome to join too! It's just on this community this year because it's proven difficult to fit the event around December's plots.))

Comments

[bonnypiperlad]

[Oh, hello there, strange Draconian that Jamie does not know. Don't mind the blinking - he's only met Kang before, so this is a little new.] I take it you've not dealt with her yet, if ye are asking that question. She likes to run these wee experiments to see how we react.

[He scowls up at the mistletoe.] You would think since she's done this once before she'd have enough information.

[itsanaurakthing.livejournal.com]

Is she some sort of mage?

[More pokes, and a few murmured words in a strange language. Nothing's glowing except a few items on her person, so it's not a magical shield.]

[bonnypiperlad]

Er...that's rather tricky to explain. I don't suppose you've heard of something called a 'computer', have ye?

[He hooks his thumbs behind his belt, and leans up against the forcefield, watching her poke about.] You'll not be able to get it to come down that way, I don't think. She'll not let us go that easily.

[itsanaurakthing.livejournal.com]

[blink]

...no. What's a computer?

Well then, what do we need to do to get her to let us go?

[bonnypiperlad]

It's a type of...ah, I guess ye could call it a machine, and there's these program-things that make it work. And it...uh...oh, look, I don't know these things. Let me see if I can find something that can show ye instead.

[He starts rummaging around through his sporran, looking for his Omnicomm. While he does that, he continues with the explanation - although he sounds slightly distracted.]

Anyway, GLaDOS is one of those program-things, just one that can think for herself. And, last time, she wanted ye to kiss the other person that was trapped with ye.

[itsanaurakthing.livejournal.com]

[That all sounds terribly confusing, but she's curious.]

So... GLaDOS is a machine?

[...wait.]

We have to kiss? But you're a human. We don't do it like you do!

[bonnypiperlad]

No, she's one of the program-things. Something called an AI.

[Ah-ha! There it is. Now, he can just show her the...wait, what?]

Hey? Och, no. I'd not even thought of that. How do ye kiss, then, miss...er...

I'm sorry, I don't even know what to call ye.

[itsanaurakthing.livejournal.com]

[She's still confused. And, a little flustered.]

Thesik. I'm Thesik. Well, you don't have a snout, so I don't even see how it'd work...

[bonnypiperlad]

I'm Jamie. [Unfortunately, Jamie is not the best person to try and explain artificial intelligence to, well, anyone. He's got his Omnicomm in his hand, though, which might help. Or it might make things worse.]

A snout? Aye, that could be a problem. There has to be some way that we can make GLaDOS happy, though. But...how?

[itsanaurakthing.livejournal.com]

Well met, Jamie. Maybe... maybe if you kissed me on side of my face? Does it have to be a certain type of kiss?

[She's seen humans kiss before, and it looks weeeeird.]

[bonnypiperlad]

Aye. Ye as well. [Hmm. That's a possibility.] Well, no. Not if it was like it was last time. I'd be willing to give it a go.

[And he hates to ask, but...] Do ye think ye would be able to bend down any? You're a wee bit taller than I am.

[itsanaurakthing.livejournal.com]

[If she had wings, they'd be rustling. Her scales are clicking a bit, though, as she bends down.]

Hopefully this will work?

[bonnypiperlad]

[Jamie stretches up as well - partially because it's not fair to make her do all the work, and partially because he's fairly short.]

If we're lucky.

[Leaning in a little, he plants a kiss on Thesik's cheek, then lowers himself back down. He reaches a hand over, expecting it to pass through the air - and frowns as it bumps up against the forcefield that is still there.]

Och.

[itsanaurakthing.livejournal.com]

[She straightens and frowns.]

...maybe it's because I didn't return it? Should I try our way?

[It's such a good thing Artis isn't seeing this.]

[bonnypiperlad]

[From what Jamie remembers from last time, that makes sense.] Aye, maybe that's it.

What do I need to do?

[itsanaurakthing.livejournal.com]

Just stand still.

[She hesitates a moment, and then kneels down to quickly brush her chin against the top of his head.]

Check it now?

[bonnypiperlad]

[All that does, alas, is slightly muss Jamie's hair. He pushes against the barrier without any luck.]

No, still up. Now what do we do?

[itsanaurakthing.livejournal.com]

...I don't know.

Unless... it has to be the same type at the same time?

[bonnypiperlad]

I'd not put it past GLaDOS to want it to be something like that.

[Only problem is, how to get that to work? Jamie looks up at Thesik, scratching the back of his head as he tries to figure it out.]

...I don't think we can get what ye did to work for both of us at the same time, though.

[itsanaurakthing.livejournal.com]

No, but I have a spell that can give me human form temporarily. I think that may be our only option.

[click click click go those scales WHY IS SHE EVEN CONSIDERING THIS]

[bonnypiperlad]

[Because that is a brilliant plan and she is brilliant! Well, in Jamie's mind anyway.]

Well, why did ye not say so before? Look, I don't know about ye, but I'd not care to test and see if GLaDOS is willing to keep us here forever.

[Because she probably would.]

[itsanaurakthing.livejournal.com]

[Well, she does have a pretty high INT.]

Alright, just give me a moment.

[She frowns and takes something out of one of her pouches, and then says some words in that same strange language as before. Within seconds, her form changes to that of a pretty young human female, the robes shifting to fit.]

...I feel so short now.

[bonnypiperlad]

[She's quite beautiful, actually, but Jamie catches himself before saying so out loud. It likely wouldn't help matters much.]

Aye, but it's just a spell, ye said. We just have to kiss and ye can change back. Uh...whenever you're ready, that is.

[itsanaurakthing.livejournal.com]

I'm... not even sure how to do it.

[Thes fidgets a bit, tugging at her hair curiously for a moment and smoothing the robes over her body. It's weird having curves and hair and all that other human stuff.]

[bonnypiperlad]

It's...ah. [Jamie is rubbing at the back of his head again. Trying to explain how to kiss to someone who's never really experienced it isn't easy.]

Erm, well, it's a wee bit like what I did to your cheek, but with your lips, and...look, maybe it'd just be better if I showed ye.