Side Story Rot and Rule

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"Um, goodness me..." Maria could only utter at the sudden appearance of the three strange looking men that had appeared before them all following the voice from the speaker. "Tea party... So I suppose you'll be the ones treating us to something to eat like that voice promised?" She mused, crossing her arms as she spoke.

Whereas Maria only seemed a bit perturbed at the three's appearances, Tsubasa took a step forward, her brow furrowed sternly. "While I'm sure we... appreciate the hospitality of your benefactor," the blue-haired woman began, glancing briefly at Snufkin before continuing gain. "I think the rest of us would appreciate it more if we'd skip such pleasantries and request that the host instead take us all home," she spoke assertively to the one called Toad.

"Well, I mean... Hold on a second, Tsubasa. It's only been a minute since you just woke up, and you're already thinking about business again. If we're in the company of someone kind enough to treat us to some hospitality on top of an explanation... who are we to deny that generosity?" Maria cut in with a cordial smile. On one hand, she was genuine in her desire to take things back a step, but on the other, she couldn't help but share a bit of the trepidation that Tsubasa openly held as well.

Clasping her hands together in an attempt to give off a friendlier impression, Maria spoke to Toad and the other two men next. "So... Where was I? Tea party? Might this include cake as well?"

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"Ignore the boy in green. I'm fairly certain he was dropped on the head as a child. He can't really stop himself from talking all of that gibberish." The Doctor tipped an imaginary hat to the new faces among them. "Hello! I'm the Doctor. Can I say it's a real pleasure to finally meet our hosts! Or should I say, rescuers? And for the more important question." The Doctor pointed to Maria. "Is there going to be cake?"

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"Why you little--!" As the one named Toad drew his fist back to land a hit right in Snufkin's face, he froze as Cooper spoke, his glare turning to genuine surprise. "Hold on a minute...you guys met Cindy?"

"I TOLD you she snuck out again!" The one with stubble snapped. "Helluva time to do it, too..."

"What do you mean by that?"

"Ain't you guys seen the news? Folks are walkin' around Ohmtown all freaky." Toad dropped Snufkin, then imitated a zombie's limping gait. "Radiation must've got to 'em."

The stubbled one slapped his forehead. "Just what we need! More mutants..."

Meanwhile, the clean-shaven brother seemed more receptive of the group, especially when they mentioned cake. "Uh-huh! We can get all kinds of snacks for tea!" He skated up to the circular table in the center of the room, pressing some buttons on a monitor. "I got plenty ready for a tea party with Cindy...but she never showed."

The other brothers looked at him in disbelief. "Damn it, Zip! You're s'posed to tell us when she runs off!"

"But she left a note sayin' she had to use the bathroom!"

"Ay ay ay..." Toad shook his head. "Anyway...thanks for bringin' her back. We found you guys all passed out right in our backyard. The boss has bots cleanin' up all the scrap metal."

Murdoc somehow seemed to turn greener. "Don't tell me..."

"What, was it some kinda ship? Tough break, pal. It's all been blown to bits."

Murdoc groaned, slumping in his seat. "And the warranty just expired on that piece of shit!"

"This...boss of yours..." Margaret approached Zip, just as he teleported a table full of tea and desserts onto the circle.

"Oh, yeah! You mean Mok? That guy got it right!" Zip pointed at Cooper. "He's gonna be so happy to hear you know him. Not as many people talk about him anymore..."

Toad quickly cleared his throat. "Allow me to introduce us," he said, skating beside Zip. "The name's Toad, this here's Zip, and that's Sleazy. We're the Skating Schlepper Brothers--"

"And Skating Schlepper Sister!" Zip added, as he started pouring tea.

"...yeah. Except Cindy don't like working with us. But the three of us are more than enough to help Mok out. A star like him needs proper bodyguards, see."

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Cooper Reid and Evan Hansen

Cooper looked over at them and got that impression as well from what she told them. " Only what Cindy mentioned about him," he replied, looking around and taking a deep breath. " If I may ask, why do not many people talk about Mok?" He asked.

Evan was listening for a moment. " I guess that means we have to find another way home," he replied sadly. " What type of tea do you have?"

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"A star, of course," The Doctor replied with a friendly smile. "Only a true star would hire people like you so I know we'll get along great!" The Doctor went and nabbed himself a cup of tea. "You can tell your boss is one for theatrics, leaving us waiting like this. The way you speak of him tells me that he's really busy."

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"Cindy's got a shit work ethic," Sleazy said. He mimed a little bit of go-go dancing and rolled his eyes. "Like partying more than anything else. It wouldn't be a problem if she'd stop sneaking out after curfew!"

Toad handled the inquiries about Mok. "The boss has been around for a long time. He was the biggest name in rock just a few years ago! But this new generation..." He shook his head. "They just don't get it. His record sales have been going to hell, and all these different industry chumps are setting up talent shows to find the next big thing. Might as well spit in Mok's face while you're at it!"

Zip smiled at Evan, showing the tea. "Let's see.. I got black, green, berry, chamomile, and oolong! Oh - and this new one." Zip placed a box of tea bags on the table. "'OBLIVION Power Tea! Relax with energy!'"

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"Not literally I hope. Hell, I mean?" The Doctor mused. "Well that's how things go some times. It's all about the brand. Reinventing yourself and all that. The audience is a fickle mistress after all." He took a sip from his tea. "You can't always lean back on past greatness. Also, great tea, I might add."

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Tsubasa, ever impatient and impulsive, began to speak again. "Yes, well, this is all well and good, but we really don't have a lot of--mmph?!" She began to say, before suddenly finding that she couldn't talk anymore. With a blink, she suddenly saw Maria standing in front of her, a plate in one hand and her other hand... ah, there it was.

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"Yes, yes. I'm sure our other questions will be answered later, but for now, let's just enjoy the hospitality, yes?" Maria asked with a chipper expression, having shoved a spoonful of cake into Tsubasa's mouth to quiet her down. There was no need to antagonize their so-called benefactors, after all, and frankly Maria could use a breather.

Getting the hint quite clearly, Tsubasa let out a soft breath and let herself enjoy the sweet cake, resigned to their current situation for now. Handing Tsubasa the plate and leaving the spoon hanging in her mouth, Maria momentarily stepped aside to get in on the conversation the others were actually having, narrowing her brow slightly at the so-called boss.

"Talent shows... just like the one we were picked up from," Maria mumbled softly, crossing her arms. "I take it he isn't all too pleased with that move? Agencies can be so transparent sometimes, I can understand," she nodded.

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tenor.gif


❝ I... I take it that there's no... alcohol to substitute for the tea? ❞ Calliope asked once she saw that they were being treated to some sort of a tea party. Tea wasn't really her vibe to begin with. As much as she wanted to know what would be up after this, the reaper sounded like she was in need of a break from all the action that they've gone through as of late.

Neko, on the other hand, could be seen taking some cake for herself.

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Yun Lee said:
"Cindy's got a shit work ethic," Sleazy said. He mimed a little bit of go-go dancing and rolled his eyes. "Like partying more than anything else. It wouldn't be a problem if she'd stop sneaking out after curfew!"

Toad handled the inquiries about Mok. "The boss has been around for a long time. He was the biggest name in rock just a few years ago! But this new generation..." He shook his head. "They just don't get it. His record sales have been going to hell, and all these different industry chumps are setting up talent shows to find the next big thing. Might as well spit in Mok's face while you're at it!"

Zip smiled at Evan, showing the tea. "Let's see.. I got black, green, berry, chamomile, and oolong! Oh - and this new one." Zip placed a box of tea bags on the table. "'OBLIVION Power Tea! Relax with energy!'"

@Jeremi @Lucky @Ver @Capri @Takumi​
Click to expand...

"Ah, that's unfortunate." Meiji muttered, frowning from where she sat. In a way, she could relate, but she also felt a bit...uncomfortable at the thought of just slowly being forgotten.

"Has he tried something...new? With music?" Gris asked as she went to help herself to some berry tea and some cake.

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Cooper Reid and Evan Hansen

Cooper would look over at him and decided to not ask how long a long time was. " Well to be fair, I'm not from this world, but I do know that music is always changing, doesn't matter the genre you are on. Old school Broadway has more of a focus on the instrumental and motifs while modern stuff is more pop. I think we were in one of those. Though, I guess that makes sense for hi to take it personally."

Evan looked over at the drinks and raised an eyebrow. " That's the second time that OBLIVION has tried to be served to us. You know what else is new from what I gathered? The zombies. I don't trust a company that appeared with those things. I'll take some black. Do you have sugar and milk?"

@Yun Lee
 
Kuko was fighting endless zombies one moment, running off the ship for his life the next; then the lightning struck- dazing him.

He woke on a plush red sofa, causing him to shoot up to a sitting position.

'This again?' he narrowed his eyes, feeling the sharp pain in his ear- causing him to remember the arrow that grazed him.

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"Tch," he let out, a mixture of annoyance and false grit, his eyes scanning to find his groupmates- instead his gaze met some unusual-looking men, making Kuko scowl involuntarily.

--------------------------------------------------

Cassidy remembered the hoards she cut through with her chainsaw alongside Margaret, but not much else.

Now she was curled up on a seat in another club like the first. She felt groggy but pulled herself up, making eye contact with Murdoc.

"You." She frowned, assuming this again was the green man's doing- but by the time she stood he was off talking with strange men she hadn't noticed. So she opted to look for her things, her bass, her chainsaw- anything.

Cassidy walked closer to the men, grabbing a sweet from the table.

"Hi, excuse me- where are our things?"

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"OBLIVION's been around longer than the zombies," Zip said, offering Evan the condiments he requested. "But it's not too bad! And sorry miss, but no alcohol! I don't drink!"

"Clearly..." Murdoc muttered, giving Cassidy the stink eye as she joined the group at the refreshment table.

"Your stuff's laying around somewhere in this room," Sleazy told her. "We found all of you conked out in the wreck, so we just grabbed whatever looked valuable in case you all woke up."

"We certainly survived something completely unlikely, huh?" Hitoya asked, narrowing his eyes. "Almost miraculously..."

"No kidding, brother! We were just as shocked as all of you!"

Toad simply chuckled at some of the questions. "I don't think you guys fully understand who you're dealing with, here. There's no rock star like Mok anywhere else in the world! He's got a big comeback planned, see. A huge concert at Carnage Hall, all the way in Nuke York City itself!"

"We s'posed to know what any of that means?"

Margaret was dumbfounded. "How do you not do research on the planet you're committing a mass abduction on?"

"Hey! If it ain't in the contract, it ain't my problem! As it is, all this?" Murdoc gestured all around them. "Sure as hell ain't somethin' I wanna do for free!"

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"When you deal with space as well as time on a regular basis," The Doctor remarked to Toad. "A fallen rock star on a world somewhere in that space does not strike me as incredibly exciting. Especially not after having survived a kidnapping," He started to count on his fingers. "A talent show, mean green over there, zombies, viking or otherwise and finish with a crash landing. NOW!"​
​
The Doctor pointed his bushy and menacing eyebrows towards the hired help of Sleazy and Toad. "Unless we are being detained against our wills I think it's time for us to take our leave." That felt rather harsh so the Doctor added. "Thank you for saving our lives and for the cake. That was quite nice wasn't it? But we must get going." He motioned over to Murdoc. "Got to find out who this oaf is working for you see."​


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Yun Lee said:
"OBLIVION's been around longer than the zombies," Zip said, offering Evan the condiments he requested. "But it's not too bad! And sorry miss, but no alcohol! I don't drink!"

"Clearly..." Murdoc muttered, giving Cassidy the stink eye as she joined the group at the refreshment table.

"Your stuff's laying around somewhere in this room," Sleazy told her. "We found all of you conked out in the wreck, so we just grabbed whatever looked valuable in case you all woke up."

"We certainly survived something completely unlikely, huh?" Hitoya asked, narrowing his eyes. "Almost miraculously..."

"No kidding, brother! We were just as shocked as all of you!"

Toad simply chuckled at some of the questions. "I don't think you guys fully understand who you're dealing with, here. There's no rock star like Mok anywhere else in the world! He's got a big comeback planned, see. A huge concert at Carnage Hall, all the way in Nuke York City itself!"

"We s'posed to know what any of that means?"

Margaret was dumbfounded. "How do you not do research on the planet you're committing a mass abduction on?"

"Hey! If it ain't in the contract, it ain't my problem! As it is, all this?" Murdoc gestured all around them. "Sure as hell ain't somethin' I wanna do for free!"

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Click to expand...

Gris tilted her head at...Sleazy? No, wait, Toad. She let it process for a moment, then frowned.

"He's making a comeback even...um, with the zombies?" She asked, not finding any sense in it. Those things tried to hurt a lot of people.

"Wouldn't that stop him? It's dangerous." She added, brows furrowed as she downed the rest of her tea and finished her cake, before noticing that Snufkin was pretty quiet after he was let go, and decide to hand him a slice of cake as well in a sort of silent gesture of seeing if he was okay.

When told about their stuff laying about in the room, Meiji got up from her seat and did a quick look for the group's stuff so she could get her things and check for any potential damage.

"Was our stuff 100% fine too, then?" She asked. If they came out of a wreck fine, then it was possible right? She didn't become pieces of scrap, surprisingly enough, and yet it felt like she had a hard reset. She took a moment to double check her system, doing a quick health check of sorts. This all seemed like some weird magic stuff or whatever.

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After a few moments of standing idly, Kuko spotted his senior- choosing to stay close, he walked over quietly to not interrupt Hitoya's conversation. He noticed the blonde girl who fell on him earlier too, having a seemingly intense moment with Murdoc.

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"Where's Jyushi?" He whispered to the older man, his impatience winning over his polite intentions. He placed a hand in his jacket pocket, before picking up a beignet with the other.

------------------------------------------------------------

Cassidy took a large bite of her donut, debating ignoring Murdoc's gaze- but chose to side-eye him back before listening to the man answering her. She was relieved to know her things were here, especially her bass. Giving a quick 'thank you' she searched for both her bass' large case- as well as her chainsaw, hoping it wasn't lost.


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SWEET ANN
@Yun Lee @EveryoneElse

"Thank you very much," Ann said, taking a bit of Chamomile tea.

"And about this... Mok fellow... what's his whole thoughts on this... talent show. Is he willing to bring us back home?"

===

SNUFKIN
@Yun Lee

Snufkin wouldn't join the others, but instead rummage through the items and search for his harmonica.​
 
Cooper Reid

Cooper had been wondering something for a while and he would nod." That makes sense to me, it sounds like he is playing what is this world's equivalent to New York City and Carnegie Hall." He would walk and pick up the guitar he had gotten from before and adjust his sunglasses for the first time in a while. He was surprised that they hadn't been knocked out or broken, but he had made them forged by his maternal uncle/stepfather, so it makes sense. It was also probably why they slide off so off.

Evan Hansen

Evan would pour the sugar and milk into the drink. " But I thought you just said that it was new. Do you mean that they just started making Oblivion tea?" He asked.

@Yun Lee @Everyone
 
"Uh, yup! They just started selling tea!" Zip nodded. "It started with energy drinks, then soda, then Crystal OBLIVION..."

"Tastes like shit, by the way," Sleazy interjected. He moved up to the food area with Toad in order to move the refreshments off to the side. "And for what? Clear OBLIVION? No thanks!"

Meanwhile, Toad stayed focused on the questions tossed his way. "Mok's never been afraid of danger. And besides, we've been dealing with nuclear fallout here since before we were old enough to start skating. Got mutants running around and all sorts of nasty shit. A zombie outbreak's just another Tuesday."

"What a lovely place we've found ourselves in..." Margaret snarked.

"Those talent shows are a slap in the face to the boss," Toad said to Sweet Ann. "We heard yous guys on the radio though. Sounded pretty good, but scouting from other planets? Give me a break!"

Zip quickly added, "But Mok's not mad at you! Just the shows."

"Well that's nice, considering we didn't want it to happen as much as he didn't." As Kuko approached him, Hitoya nodded over at the still unconscious Jyushi. "Just let him rest. It's for the best he's not awake to deal with any of this shit. If he doesn't wake up before we get home, this stays between us. Deal?"

Any of their personal equipment people needed was available and in the condition it had been in back on the ship. As more in the group collected their things and seemed eager to leave, Toad pressed a button on an intercom. "Hey, boss! Not to rush you or nothin', but--"

The lights suddenly went out, save for the table in the center. From it, a holographic image appeared, of a lone man in the distance walking forward. From the sound of drums kicking in, it was clear that this was a music video.


My name is Mok, thanks a lot.
I know you love the thing I've got.
You've never seen the likes of me,
Why, I'm the biggest thing since World War III.
Girls!

(His name is Mok, thanks a lot.
You think he's acting, But he's not.)

My name is Mok, And I'm on fire.
I am the match and I'm the pyre.
I'm the voodoo black musician priest.
Why, I'm the greatest thing since World War III.
Girls!

(You think he's acting, but he's not.
His name is Mok, thanks a lot.)

My name is Mok, thanks a lot.
I'm the power Sodom used on Lot.
I am the pillar, I am the snake.
I'm the beat that makes you shake.
I'm the killer, I am the source,
And you will worship me, of course.
I'm the oracle, the seer, the wit.
There is no question that I am it!
Hey girls!

(His name is Mok, thanks a lot.
He looks so cool, but he's hot.
His name is Mok, thanks a lot.
You think he's acting, but he's not.)

My name is Mok, thanks a lot.
My name is Mok, thanks a lot.
My name is Mok, thanks a lot.
My name is Mok, thanks a lot...

Lasers and flashy imagery accompanied the rock song, and as it faded out, the lights slowly returned to normal...but a tall, slender figure stood on the table, dressed in dramatic dark clothing and balancing a glass on his finger. He looked just like the singer in the video, only much older, and he gave the group a charming smile.

mok.jpg


"Anyone want a beer?"

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