[IC] [voice post]

[undeadkennedys.livejournal.com]

[begin voice post]

[Murmured, nearly inaudible.] H--Horatio? The pain, it's--

[A long pause, marked with fumbling noises, and then a sharp intake of breath.] Lord, that's a grand spread--hm? [A beeping noise.] "Recording"? Recording what? [The sound of a few keys being hit, essentially at random.] What is this thing anyw--

[end voice post]

((ooc: Wakes up at a buffet with a laptop. SO MUCH FOOD. SO CONFUSING. Will get better at writing Archie when it's not midnight-thirty.))

Comments

[undeadkennedys.livejournal.com]

[Archie casts a glance over to his laptop; does he take it with? There is no one around to steal it away, of course, and it is an incredibly awkward shape to carry. It can stay here and go dark again if it likes, he decides; he certainly doesn't know what to do with it.]

Thank you, Mr Bush. [Archie leads the way out, savouring the easiness with which he may walk, and suddenly they're...in the food court proper, I guess? So many taverns, so many taverns, I guess?]

[yrobtsvt.livejournal.com]

It is precious eerie, I recall. So many taverns and no one at all to taste any of their wares. I cannot understand it. [Even for heaven, it's quite strange.]

[...Kind of strange, like the monkey that just jumped of the nearest potted plant to land on Bush's shoulder. He gives a Very Manly Yelp of surprise, and tosses the thing off him. It lands on the floor, ooking and staring up at them, before vaulting back up again, this time headed for the perch of Archie's shoulders.]

[undeadkennedys.livejournal.com]

[Archie makes a noise of agreement and would say more, but hoshit monkey time. He doesn't actually see it at first, though Bush's shout brings it to his attention.]

[And then it is hard to ignore when it lands on his shoulder. He flinches slightly, but it doesn't try and bite him. Archie turns his head to get a better look at it and reaches a cautious hand to its fur.] And what menagerie did you escape from?

[yrobtsvt.livejournal.com]

[Ampersand meanwhile contents himself with petting Archie's nose, muttering "Ook, ook ooh," and eventually running his grubby little monkey hands through Archie's hair, searching for snacks.]

[Bush just stares incredulously. After a moment, he mutters,] Well, he seems to like you. I'll do my best not to be offended.

[undeadkennedys.livejournal.com]

I imagine he would like you as well, if you hadn't thrown him to the grou--here, stop that!

[He doesn't sound particularly annoyed with Ampersand, only he will have to retie his hair if the monkey doesn't remove his hands. Taking care not to hurt him, Archie tries to make a barrier of his hand in front of his hair.]

[undeadkennedys.livejournal.com]

Nearly as great a threat as that machine of yours. [Archie is just lucky that he got monkeyed second, or he would've done pretty much the same thing, let's all be honest here.]

[And chewing on his thumb is preferable to having his hair pulled out, so Archie allows it to continue.] He's not a bad fellow. Perhaps he's lonely.

[yrobtsvt.livejournal.com]

Oh, yes. Doubtlessly so, Mr Kennedy. [Quiet about the machines, Mr Kennedy :|]

[Cautiously, Bush leans over to scratch Ampersand's head. In return, Ampersand gives a quiet 'ooohk' and continues his assault on Archie's thumb.] Do apes get lonely? Now you'll tell me you're some species of naturalist.

[undeadkennedys.livejournal.com]

[Mr Kennedy is, indeed, quiet about the machines. XD]

He is the first living thing I've seen besides you; he could be the only such creature here. [He draws his hand away from Ampersand's mouth and begins to pet him once more.] That is a lonely existence, whether he realizes it or not.

[yrobtsvt.livejournal.com]

[Good D<]

[Ampersand's little monkey hands quickly go back to making a mess of Archie's hair, quietly making little monkey squeaks along the way; Bush frowns at it and draws his hands back. Maybe it has a disease or something, he doesn't know.]

I see. Lucky for him, he's found another of his own. [Obviously that's why they get along so well :| Bush's voice is flat through the entire exchange, but there's that tilt to his head again.]

[undeadkennedys.livejournal.com]

[Archie has resigned himself to the necessity of redoing his hair, once Ampersand has finished with it. On the upside, he gets to pet a monkey, which is a reasonable tradeoff when you've never been within spitting distance of one before.]

Very clever. [Oh, Bush. Archie would roll his eyes at you, but it's much more satisfying to turn his attention back to Ampersand.] He must have some other friend here, though, unless he's clothed himself.

[yrobtsvt.livejournal.com]

[As if on cue, shouts begin some ways off, and then some crashing; eventually, one bedraggled youth (http://media.comicvine.com/uploads/0/9241/304540-164362-yorick-brown_super.jpg) appears, looking a mix of angry and exasperated.] "Ampersand, goddammit!" [He stops, seeing the other two weary travelers, smiling weakly.] "Hey. I think you have something of mine."

[Bush, on the other hand, is just staring blankly. That was a stupid coincidence, what the Hell, God? He resists the urge to put his head in his hands.] Do we now.

[undeadkennedys.livejournal.com]

[For his part, Archie's rather glad to see another person in this place; the unsettling emptiness of the pair of them alone is made more clear when they no longer are.]

Is he yours? [Archie inclines his head towards Ampersand slightly, though not enough to dislodge the monkey from his shoulder.]

[yrobtsvt.livejournal.com]

"Yeah. He got away from me at the radio shack." [Yorick shrugs, and cocks his head to the side.] "You can hold onto his tail, it's like God's built-in a handle."

I feel as though that would not be a strictly advisable action. [Bush vididly remembers trying this on the family cat when he was five. He tried it once. Just once.]

[Yorick shrugs, looking down, shuffling; he's attempting to decide whether to feel guilty at this accusation, or brush it off completely.]

[Talking to guys again is so weird.] "Nah, so long as you don't pull it, he won't throw shit at you. In, uh, all meanings of the word."

[undeadkennedys.livejournal.com]

'All meanings of the word'? [He glances in Bush's direction.] Have I missed some new development in sailors' cant, Mr Bush?

[Whatever Yorick's going on about, it does seem that this is his monkey. Archie steps forward, angling the shoulder bearing Ampersand towards his rightful owner.] Here is your pet, in any case; he is a fine little fellow.

[yrobtsvt.livejournal.com]

"Very funny." [Yorick sighs, and rolls his eyes. Oh, yeah, this is how dudes work.] "Amperstand, c'mon you stinky little beast." [He holds his hand out, and Ampersand... does nothing. Archie's hair is really cool, guys 8D] "On second thought, he seems like he wants to hang with you. Lord knows how long it's been since he's bothered anyone but me." [Let him have his small joys, nasty little thing.]

[Bush blinks, taking in this information.] Pray, you mean to say we are the only souls in this place? [Surely there must be others, besides himself, Archie and this... oddly dressed manchild.]

[undeadkennedys.livejournal.com]

[Archie is willing to put up with Ampersand's picking at him; the creature will presumably get bored eventually, right? He steps back next to Bush again and gives the monkey some ear scritches.]

A fairly empty Heaven, if indeed that's where we've arrived. [Seems more and more doubtful by the moment, man.] Have you been here long yourself, sir?

[yrobtsvt.livejournal.com]

[Yorick smiles,] "Oh, I hope it's not Heaven. I will be in so much trouble if I died." [He thinks about it for a moment, and then,] "Like, two weeks, for me. And, yeah, there're a few other people here, but they're few and far between. Some of them I haven't even seen yet; I'm pretty sure there's a bird on the top floor. Like, a hawk." [Yorick seems a little excited at the prospect of this, if only because he read My Side Of The Mountain one too many times as a child.]

[It seems indelicate for Bush to comment on Yorick's situation, or Archie's; he is at a loss, besides to ask if he is aware that anyone else present in this strange place is deceased. Instead, he continues to observe the monkey, still picking through the nits in Archie's hair.]

[undeadkennedys.livejournal.com]

And I likewise if I did not. [Let us make light of the situation, gentlemen.] I have been waylaid on my way to the afterlife. Do let Horatio know when you next see him, Bush. [And let us do it...with just a hint of the bitter. Oh, Ahchie.]

[yrobtsvt.livejournal.com]

[Bush frowns, slight, furrowing his brow. Ampersand, who has so far recently been silent, begins to ook again.] I shall do my utmost. [He's somewhat at a loss as how to deal with this, but pulls it off with a seeming sense of steadfastness. If only they had known each other less briefly, he would place a hand on his shoulder, or attempt some encouraging words; as it is, he can only stand and frown, knowing all attention would be unwanted.]

[Yorick, meanwhile, knows something is weird, but he doesn't know what. He shrugs, shuffling from foot to foot.] "O... kay. Sorry. Was it the plague?" [His voice lowers at that last question, as if saying its name will bring it back.]

[yrobtsvt.livejournal.com]

You mean if he hadn't jumped on me unawares? [Things Bush does not like: Turnips, being surprised, and being surprised by monkeys.]

[Ampersand, on the other hand, decides that this hand-barrier is obviously a toy, and quite happily begins to gnaw on it-- not with teeth or in any way that might break the skin or harm, but he's lightly chewing on your thumb, Archie.]