The End of the Chase

[airlockedmods]

[After several enlightening mishaps and meeting several well-intentioned aliens, the clues from the scavenger hunt have led both teams to the pool on the west side of the building. There are several other aliens milling about, staring up at the windows to try and find the green one.

The last clue has been received. It's time to regroup, find where to go next, and confront the mastermind of this... network-sponsored scavenger hunt.]

Comments

[stitch_in_time]

Good lad.

[Hand on Jaycee's... shoulder? Do lizards have shoulers?]

We can't tell you what to do right now, if you want to turn around and leave now, I won't stop you.

But we could really use your help now. That message to our friends, we need to let them know we're looking for them.

And... anything you've heard about the studio, where they might be filming.

[airlockedmods]

Well, I...I don't know, they never really told me all that much about anything. I know the roses are a part of it? They said those're part of human courtship rituals or somethin' like that.

[stitch_in_time]

Okay.

[Awkward pat.]

Yeah, roses are a pretty common symbol of romance on Earth. Guess we'll have to figure out if there's more to it than that.

[Maybe just the symbology of it, but why use something so foreign to their target audience?]

...Do you know who EP and Kip are, exactly? We know Kip's the announcer or whatever, but... is EP listed in the credits or anything?

[airlockedmods]

Kip? Oh, he's the host of Airtalked! It's, uh...it's kinda an aftershow, where they talk about what happened? Like what I do, but with guests and it's official and all. Normally he'd be at a big con like this, but he's been off on some "secret project", we're all pretty sure it's something to do with the next season...

Don't really know who EP is, though.

[stitch_in_time]

[So on balance, not that much better off in terms of knowledge, at least for the moment.]

Thank you. And thank you for believing us, I know what it's like to find out something that terrible that suddenly, trust me.

[How. How much of his backstory has actually been broadcast here.]

[airlockedmods]

Um, you're welcome? I guess. I feel like that wasn't very helpful, was it?

[But then, if it was stuff he could've found out on Spitter, they would probably know already.]

I can get your messages in, though! I mean, they can't be signed from you or anything, that'd be idiotic. I, uh...I'm not sure how to get you an account for the web stuff without them realizin', though...

[stitch_in_time]

Don't worry, you're being fantastic.

[Seriously, you're coping pretty well with this, all things considered. You are a bro among lizards, Jaycee.]

How thoroughly do they check identities, would just a fake name work?

[ratherdoweddings]

Right, and we could try and come up with-- oh, but I guess even when we were trying to look normal, we all just looked like ourselves.

[airlockedmods]

Can't say I've ever thought about it before. "Being hunted down by a TV network"'s not really a big worry for most folks, y'know?

But when you sign up, you have to make an account and put in the billing information an' all...maybe it wouldn't normally be a big thing, but with all this...this. They'd be lookin' out for ya. Might check what you send 'em. [Jaycee blinks one eye and then the other thoughtfully.] You know? You could always just use my login.

[cyan_maid]

...You...you'd let us do that?

[airlockedmods]

[He flicks his tail a bit excitedly.]

Ohhhhh, sure! I've got one anyway, doesn't cost me any more per device usin' it!

[cyan_maid]

That would be incredible...

[Jane smiles, properly this time, with warmth to the expression.]

Are you sure it's alright?

[airlockedmods]

[ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh gosh SHE'S SMILING]

Yeah! Yeah, it wouldn't be any trouble - I mean, geez, I kinda owe you guys something outta all this, don't I?

...well, and the messages. Don't think they need to talk to you to get those, or they'dve been in the suite with me. I could pass 'em along?

[ratherdoweddings]

That would be amazing! I know we've dragged you into this, but to help us out anyway? It's just like how my Akito ran straight into action on our first deployment and acted as a decoy, even though we'd hired him as a cook! I mean, he complained the whole time about how he just wanted to go home, but it's just as brave either way!

[airlockedmods]

I mean... [He didn't totally follow ALL of that per se] ...it's not really anythin' all that brave, I'm just gonna write my password down for you or somethin'.

[ratherdoweddings]

It is as far as I'm concerned! Even if you're not going into battle with invading machines! We definitely owe you, Jaycee-san.

[airlockedmods]

Oh...

[His frill is flaring again. He's getting embarrassed.]

...really, it's nothing.

[stitch_in_time]

Courage comes in all sizes, Jayce. Just cause you think it's small doesn't mean it's not important.