( video | un: fishbones )

[powderkegs]

All right, ladies and gentleman and gentlepeople! It's time for the main event! That's right, it's what you've all been waiting for!

BEETLE BATTLE TIME

At 3 o'clock, at the park, we're gonna bring our toughest, meanest, more ferocious beasties to battle it out! Who will be the best of them all and take home the prize!

[ jinx pulls back to reveal the prize which is a fancy look trophy, gleaming and bright. normally, she'd put her trademark style on it, but if she wants a wider appeal, she has to go . . . sighs, corporate. ]

And of course, I will be supervising and commentating! Join us for fun! The glam! The honour!

Jinx out!

Comments

@selfdestructive

[egraegis]

Where in the world did you find that?

[Even if it's not her style, it's still... very elaborate.]

[powderkegs]

Find it? Weird question.

I made it, duh.

[egraegis]

Ah. My apologies. [AWKWARD] You're pretty skilled at that. It looks very... professional.

[powderkegs]

Well, yeah. No point in an half-assed trophy right?

It's just fancy-looking though. No booby traps, no special effects.

[egraegis]

Sounds like that's something that normally makes its way into your creations.

[Sue him, he's kind of intrigued.]

[powderkegs]

[ jinx wiggles her fingers absently. ]

Well y'know. Life needs a little pizzazz.

[egraegis]

[ hah... okay, he has to respect it. ]

I feel like you might enjoy a Haro.

[powderkegs]

What's a Haro?

[egraegis]

It's a... little round robot, with a cute face. They bounce around and say absurd things. They're disarming enough to look at that it's easy to hide things inside them. I used to build them for my former fiancee.

[powderkegs]

[ oh. that is cute. ]

I want one. Maybe I'll make my own.

[egraegis]

Feel free. I'd be interested in seeing what you come up with.

[Hopefully not too explosive, but hey, it's all her call.]

[powderkegs]

Just you wait.

You're gonna see a genius at work!

[egraegis]

[Genius... well, he likes the confidence. It's better than the first (and last) time they spoke.]

You want a picture, or would you rather freeball the design?

[He suspects her Haro and the real deal will end up very different, and he figures that's half the fun. But he'd feel badly if he didn't offer just in case.]

@Goldilocks

[likemybooks]

[Jinx is frustrating, but...that trophy sure is pretty.]

I...accept your invitation. [On the video, Taryon leans back into his chair and refocuses the camera on the terrarium holding a green and black beetle.]

This isn't a fight to the death, is it?

[powderkegs]

[ buddy. ]

Of course not. We'd run out of beetles if we did it that way.

[likemybooks]

Oh, good. I wouldn't want to lose Keyleth so soon.

So! What are the rules for the tournament?

[powderkegs]

We pit our bugs against each other in an epic battle!

And I don't know, first one to back down or faint loses.

[likemybooks]

That's...

[Not much of a ruleset. Or enough safeguards.]

Sumo rules? Do we have a referee? Is it like fencing and a strike gets your points?

[powderkegs]

You're getting wayyy too hung up with the details, Fop Man.

Fight or flight. Simple enough.

[likemybooks]

Alright. Come up with whatever we have. Simple enough.

[He says, reassuring himself that this is just like running into a dungeon and coming up with a strategy on the fly when you run into cultists.]

[powderkegs]

[ jinx gives him a long look. ]

Think you can handle it?

[likemybooks]

Of course I can. I've seen worse happen. [And it's not like it will be the first time that his heart has been broken by commanding something in a fight and having it be killed.]

[powderkegs]

Right.

This is for fun. You know what that is, fop boy?

[likemybooks]

I know how to have fun. I will have the most fun you've ever seen. I will be the life of the afterparty.

[powderkegs]

Okay, geez, no need to sound desperate.

Meet me at the park and we can have our first showdown.