it's dark.
[[what's the plan, chief?->plan]]"get in, get out, celebration bubble tea in the morning", she says. you might have seen something flicker in her eyes.
"you always say that", you retort.
(click: "you always say that")[
"well, we always do get in. we always do get out. and i always bring extra bubble tea because you always want two flavours."
you space out for a bit. the "pop!" of a straw stabbing the top of the bubble tea. sweet lychee and smoky oolong. high fives with your mouth full of pearls.
"...blango had to get a bigger picnic basket becau-"
"okay, okay, i get the point"
(click: "okay, okay, i get the point")[
[[who's watching the doors?]]
[[can i drive this time?]]
[[do they know?]]
]]"blango, while you and i sneak in the back, dressed as waitstaff. the clothes from last time should still fit", she barks
(click: "blango")[blango looks at you and toots confidently.]
(click: "waitstaff")["don't give me that look, you look cute in a bow tie"]
[[this better be worth it]] "i mean, not really"
(click-replace: "not really")[nothing important]
(click-replace: "nothing important")[nothing they didn't already know]
(click-replace: "nothing they didn't already know")[what's the point in worrying about it?]
[[this better be worth it]] "//worth// it? tomorrow morning we're gonna be absolutely //smashing// celebration bubble teas like it's a crispy summer afternoon", she says.
["yum, but-"], you interrupt.
(click: "yum, but-")["besides, it's not like we're doing anything //wrong//", she swiftly interrupts back.
"i didn't say we were..."
(click: "i didn't say we were...")["...and, we're not!"
there's a short pause.
]
(click: "...and, we're not!")["...are we?"]
(click: "...are we?")["of course not!", she exclaims.
"it's more like sneaking into the //cultural// tunnels under the //cultural// city with barrels of //cultural// gunpowder in a plot to //culturally// detonate //cultural// parliament to //culturally// assassinate the //cultural// king."
she stops to take a breath.
"are you buying this?"
[["actually, yeah"->agree]]
[["i have to go"->disagree]]
]
]"you //always// say that, and we're taking the train"
[[this better be worth it]] "you got everything packed?"
"yeah, i think so"
<script>
var url = "https://ipapi.co/json";
fetch(url)
.then(response => response.json())
.then(yum=>{
var city = yum.city;
document.hmmmCity = city;
})
</script>
(click: "yeah, i think so")[
"blango?", she says.
blango toots briskly, which your brain translates as the equivalent of a short nod.
she goes on. "we only get one shot, so.... let's not mess it up. you //sure// you didn't forget anything? it's a long way back to <span id="city">your place</span>, and if you "accidentally" forget the bow ties again, nobody's going to believe you."
<script>
var city = document.hmmmCity;
var postal = document.hmmmPostal;
if (city) {
document.getElementById("city").textContent = city;
}
if (postal) {
document.getElementById("postal").textContent = postal;
}
</script>
"that was different. oh, and now that you mention it, i think i forgot-"
[["the glow in the dark stars"]]
[["to floss my teeth, just a sec"]]
[["my googly eyes"]]
[["...something. i can't remember"]]
{(live: 2s)[
(if: time > 15s)[
[["hold on, how did you know where i live?"]]
]]}
]
"//heck// yeah", she says.
she looks up triumphantly, closes her eyes, and silently fist pumps.
(display: "pack")"whatever, your day job is super boring and always has been, so i know you're gonna come anyway", she rattles off. her posture softens, and the corners of her mouth turn upward.
(display: "pack")you pop to the bathroom and hit your teeth with the minty string waltz.
[[well, that's that->end]]was it...? were you supposed to....?
ah, well.
[[it's probably nothing->end]]she throws her hands up in the air. "see! we would have gone to all this trouble without even leaving a calling card!"
[["i'll bring them, don't worry"->end]]"there's gotta be a better way to cover your camera," she says.
[["ah, but this way is //cuter//"->end]]all packed and ready. only thing left to do now is
[[wait]]it's still dark.
{(live: 1s)[
(if: time > 3s)[
<a style="color: white; text-decoration; none": href="https://purplecon.nz">go back</a>
]]}"what?" she snaps. her mouth is smiling, but her eyes aren't.
"it's a long way back, you said. but i've never told you where I lived," you say cautiously.
(click: "i've never told you where I lived")[
the silence stretches.
"it's okay," she reassures you. you somehow feel a little better.
she goes on. "you can learn a lot of secrets by being a particularly good listener. one day, when i get bored of doing this, maybe i'll show you how."
...
<hr>
<a style="color: white; text-decoration; none": href="https://purplecon.nz">go back</a>]