cutting_edgex23 | (no subject)

Well, there's hardly a politeness contest going on. (That would be rude.)

"I think that sounds like an excellent plan," Meg says.

Meg grins at Cessily. "So you got to see Laura's dress?"

Cessily grins back, relaxing a little more because Meg is neither flinching nor screaming. Not that she thought a friend of Laura's would, but --

"It helped us figure out what to do with her hair."

And a second later --

"She's got one picture, too. I made her make copies."

"She said it was important," X says, punching in a few buttons on the microwave and starting the popcorn.

"In case."

"Her hair looked good."

(At some point in the last year or so, meeting people made out of mercury or pink and sprouting wings stopped being all that flinch-inducing. Milliways will do that.)

"Very important," Meg says. "Only having one copy is risky."

She opens the oven door. "I think it still has a little ways to go, but it's really starting to smell good."

Pixie's stomach grumbles.

"Oops."

Silence.

"I can set up the Clue board if you want. It's really easy, and X can read the rules if they have a set in the box."

X is really really good at reading rules. And remembering them.

(And enforcing them. Shh.)

Cessily, meanwhile, slides around X and Meg and starts taking down plates.

X flicks a glance between all three of her friends, then shifts position to snag the rule leaflet from Pixie.

And after a few long moments of silence --

"None of these are real clues."

"Well, no," Meg says. "It's a pretty simplified murder investigation."

"That does not make sense," X says.

Is that -- she can't be sounding grumpy. It is impossible.

And she seems to have chosen her gamepiece.

The purple one.

"But that is okay."

"Real murder investigations aren't fun at all. This is just less random than a pure guessing game."

Cessily finishes with the table and settles down near the gameboard as well.

It's not that she's concerned, but --

Well. It can't hurt to strike when the iron is hot, right?

Pixie is getting more soda.

Meg picks the blue token.

"This is much more fun."

She separates the cards into piles and holds them out so Cessily can choose the three for the solution.

"I did not look through the cards," X says. Carefully.

She sets the directions back in the box, waiting for the game to start.

"We know you wouldn't cheat," Cessily reassures her, taking three cards and random and slipping them into the CONFIDENTIAL envelope.

"Because it's not relevant," Pixie pipes up, "right? The game, I mean."

She's chosen the red piece for herself.

Cessily takes green.

X does not deny this charge.

Meg shuffles the rest of the cards, and deals them out around the board.

"Cessily, do you want to start?"

She'd ask Laura, but, as with prom dress trying on, she suspects Laura may not want to go first.

"Sure," Cessily says, picking up the die and rolling it down onto the board.

"Two. I'm going to be stuck in the hallway forever."

The 'boooooring' that should accompany that is silent. X may miss it entirely.

X frowns down at the board, flicking a glance at Cessily.

"That is not true."

Beat.

"You cannot roll zero."

Meg rolls a one, and laughs.

"You can come close, though."

She moves her one square and slides the die over to Pixie.

"Your turn."

Pixie rolls a six. And gloats. Bouncily.

"I am so going to win this game. You don't stand a chance."

X appears unmoved.

And rolls a three.

"There is a reason the slow start is optimal?"

It seems counterproductive.

"Not really," Meg says, as Cessily rolls another two and they both laugh.

"This just may be a longish game."

Meg rolls a five on her turn, though.

"I do not mind," X offers. Carefully.

Pixie rolls another six, stopping her gamepiece in the dining room and flipping through her cards.

"Mr Green, in the dining room, with the wrench!"

There may be a 'hah' attached to it. Hey, she got to accuse someone first. That's almost as good as winning!

And she looks progressively triumphant as both Laura and Cessily indicate that they have none of those cards.

Meg almost feels guilty about the way Pixie's face falls when she says, "Well, I can help you," and shows her the card of the dining room.

(Meg is, in fact, holding all three of those cards.)

Pixie marks her scorecard, and the game is officially underway.

It comes to a close some time later, after several stretches of Professor Plum being the prime suspect, the knife as weapon, and a brief battle over whether the conservatory or the ballroom is more likely to be the location of the murder.

X brings it all to a close when she says, "Colonel Mustard in the billiard room with the lead pipe."

Because she's right.

Cessily looks more pleased for her than X looks for herself.

This is probably not a surprise.

It's a reaction that's going around.

Meg's smile is bright.

"Congratulations, Laura.

"You have officially solved the murder of Mr. Boddy."

X tilts her head very slightly, studying the board.

Then her gaze flicks to Meg.

"It is based on a true story? The game."

That would be -- unexpected.

Cessily stifles a laugh. Pixie looks kind of horrified.

"No."

Meg doesn't laugh or let her expression change.

"It's more based on a type of mystery novels -- there are a lot set in English country houses, and solved by amateur detectives, usually.

"The game is sort of a take off on those."