A normal enthusiast of Jacky's butt might have taken her dropping a clipboard as a means of invitation to get cozy, but Dillan was not a normal person in any respect. "Huh? Don't you worry, Jacky, I'll find it for you!" the boy chuckled, enjoying another opportunity to be helpful (although he wasn't the first guy that ought to be called to search for anything). Mercifully, he backed off of her derriere and stepped past her, squeezing down the aisle to find the clipboard, which had in actuality only fallen a short distance away from Jacky's hands. "It's only got one way to fall, after all! S'gotta be down here somewhere," he reiterated, scanning the floor with his PET as he lumbered downward.
Unlike most of the audience, he had genuinely expected he might find the clipboard at the bottom of the staircase, at the base of the elevated stage. Also unlike most of the audience, he hadn't realized what was about to run into by his current path: Molly had re-emerged from backstage, dressed in a white bath-towel and seemingly nothing else. That might sound like a nice surprise, but the thing to remember about Molly was that she wasn't the friendliest person (or prettiest) person to begin with. Standing at the edge of the stage with her eyes glaring from behind her dark make-up, which was the one part of her ensemble she didn't appear to have removed, she looked like an especially angry ghost, ready to descend upon Dillan with undead fury.
Dillan adjusted the goggles on his face again and reached his PET up to try to get eyes on the person who was standing over him. "Huh... Let's see... What is that?" he murmured, waving his PET around like a raver at an idol concert. Unfortunately, all he really got from his current position was a glimpse of beneath Molly's towel; he seemed baffled by whatever he saw. "That's weird," he remarked, to illustrate his emotions. "Who's there?"
Molly grimaced, her fearsome face become momentarily girlishly red with color. "Nobody you ought to be screwin' around with, boy," she answered. "And you, Jack-o! What the hell are you doing all the way out there anyway?" Molly added, squinting into the audience. "Just fumbling around like you lost something...?"
"Oh, she did," Dillan responded semi-helpfully. "Her clipboard fell out of her hands after she backed it up on me and now she can't find it."
"Can't find it? It's right there in her bloody hands, yew idiot!" Molly complained, throwing out her hands in exasperation.
The large boy's ears wiggled for a moment, before he grinned with enthusiasm. "Ah! You found it. Good job!" he congratulated Jacky. The crowd was enjoying character theater a little bit more than everything else it seemed, even if they had no clue what was going on, and the complaining finally seemed to have stopped. Hyde would have to fight to make things miserable again.
Career Day
last edited by
"Yes, well, it's fallen right here, I'm just...!" Jacky muttered too quietly to be heard, making another failed grab at the clipboard. "I just need to- ah!" she yelped, dropping the successfully-caught clipboard with a clatter to stop her glasses from falling from her face. She quickly swiped up the clipboard as well, clutching it to her and taking a glance around to try and figure out what was going on. "Molly!" she shouted, hurrying to the stage as soon as she saw what was happening.
She clambered up onto the stage herself, throwing an arm around Molly in a way she wouldn't really be able to justify by any character motivation, just to lean in close and whisper. "Molly, Hyde hasn't been giving me any instructions for the past few minutes, and hasn't responded to any communications... she's left me without much to work with, now, and... hold on, what are you wearing?" she hissed, glancing down at Molly's attire. "Ah... okay... I think I can actually see where she was going with this. Talking about relaxing you, and then dressing like this, she pretty clearly intended for me to give you a massage or some such thing... do you want to do that? Although, you should be aware I don't actually have even the slightest aptitude for it. Maybe you could, um... pretend to enjoy it? Hm..."
The medical student stood with her back to the audience, pondering. "And then, there's Dillan to consider... the audience has taken an immediate shine to his clumsy charms, and I feel that at this point, he's nearly indispensable for the continued success of our act... if success is defined simply as entertaining, anyway. Ah, on that note, Dillan asked me to back it up, earlier!" Jacky was speaking more loudly now, seemingly unaware that she might be overheard. "I was then told to bend over, even though my proximity would be pretty scandalously close to his... Now, I'm sure that was intended as some sort of vulgar gesture, likely regarding the, er, buttocks... but are you aware of just exactly what context it comes from? I'm not quite sure, myself, and I don't know if I'm going to be able to continue properly until I understand it. The audience seemed to like it, though... perhaps we should both be 'backing it up?'" With some alarm, she realized she could see any watching from backstage from this angle, and found herself helpless to avoid looking at any faces gathered there.
She clambered up onto the stage herself, throwing an arm around Molly in a way she wouldn't really be able to justify by any character motivation, just to lean in close and whisper. "Molly, Hyde hasn't been giving me any instructions for the past few minutes, and hasn't responded to any communications... she's left me without much to work with, now, and... hold on, what are you wearing?" she hissed, glancing down at Molly's attire. "Ah... okay... I think I can actually see where she was going with this. Talking about relaxing you, and then dressing like this, she pretty clearly intended for me to give you a massage or some such thing... do you want to do that? Although, you should be aware I don't actually have even the slightest aptitude for it. Maybe you could, um... pretend to enjoy it? Hm..."
The medical student stood with her back to the audience, pondering. "And then, there's Dillan to consider... the audience has taken an immediate shine to his clumsy charms, and I feel that at this point, he's nearly indispensable for the continued success of our act... if success is defined simply as entertaining, anyway. Ah, on that note, Dillan asked me to back it up, earlier!" Jacky was speaking more loudly now, seemingly unaware that she might be overheard. "I was then told to bend over, even though my proximity would be pretty scandalously close to his... Now, I'm sure that was intended as some sort of vulgar gesture, likely regarding the, er, buttocks... but are you aware of just exactly what context it comes from? I'm not quite sure, myself, and I don't know if I'm going to be able to continue properly until I understand it. The audience seemed to like it, though... perhaps we should both be 'backing it up?'" With some alarm, she realized she could see any watching from backstage from this angle, and found herself helpless to avoid looking at any faces gathered there.
last edited by
Molly's expression turned grim as Jacky buddied up to her; a swift jab in the face seemed imminent, but she cooled down once she realized that Jacky was in much the same awful position as her. "No kidding; it's been radio silence," the song-writer complained, rolling her eyes and looking exasperated. "That dumb bitch just left us hanging..." Jacky revealed she had some idea how to continue, although the suggestion didn't make Molly look any less sour. "Well if it means the towel stays on, I'm all for it. Cause, see, I got the distinct impression that the point of this was the other piece she gave me to wear. So massage away, though we ain't got no table or anything like that." She shot a quick glare to Dr. Watershed, who was watching with distinct curiosity, from behind the curtain. When he saw Molly's expression, he gulped and withdrew a bit. Nidalee didn't appear to be watching at the moment.
Seeming impatient, as though she didn't want to hear more from a mixture of exhaustion and fear, Jacky's ally knit her brow and lowered her head to hear the rest of Jacky's discussion. "That guy? They like him?" she spat, turning her eyes down at the boy, who was eagerly awaiting in front of the stage, seeming to agree with Jacky's sentiment that he should be involved in the show again. Her eyes screwed up even further when Jacky repeated what Dillan had said. She shook her long hair and made a sickly expression. "Really? You don't know? For serious?" she asked, her face stuck looking like it was in the middle of watching a particularly uncomfortable or gruesome internet video. "Look, if he was asking you to back it up, he meant he wanted you to grind on him with yer butt like stupid kids do to each other at idiotic parties now, like, to music or whatever. The guy just waves his arms above his head like a jackass or holds the hips, or some other equally moronic thing, and the girl just bounces her butt or kinda curves belly or whatever else generally jostles the bugger's junk. It's got no energy or nothing, just a way for a girl and a guy to bunch their nubs together. If they knew a thing about anything, they'd know the only kinda dancing that's worth jack-skwat is a thrashin'! A good thrash is king, mate, where you just smash everything in your hotel room!" That didn't sound much like a dance or anything the two ought to do on the stage together. The bump and grind actually probably seemed like a superior choice. Nobody was locked into that yet either, though, and Jacky might be happy she wasn't.
Dillan, perhaps feeling left out or perhaps realizing he was being talked about, raised one hand until he got his elbow and PET up on top of the stage, then pulled himself up with some effort, standing between the two girls. "Everything okay now, Jacky? You feeling happy?" he asked, smiling at her again. "What can I do to help?"
"The jagoff doesn't know when to quit!" Molly bemoaned her situation, clutching one hand to her fist. "Pick something, Jack-o, or I vote thrashin', and this four eyes is gonna be the first thing thrashed."
Sensing a dilemma, Watershed finally made himself useful for once and slid a prop out from behind the curtain. The prop was a rolling table, which curved at just the right moment to avoid hitting anyone, coming to a stop slightly off-center on the stage. It looked like it would be fine to sit on, just the right size for Jacky to lie on, a good bit small for Molly to lie on, and might not fully support Dillan in any capacity.
Seeming impatient, as though she didn't want to hear more from a mixture of exhaustion and fear, Jacky's ally knit her brow and lowered her head to hear the rest of Jacky's discussion. "That guy? They like him?" she spat, turning her eyes down at the boy, who was eagerly awaiting in front of the stage, seeming to agree with Jacky's sentiment that he should be involved in the show again. Her eyes screwed up even further when Jacky repeated what Dillan had said. She shook her long hair and made a sickly expression. "Really? You don't know? For serious?" she asked, her face stuck looking like it was in the middle of watching a particularly uncomfortable or gruesome internet video. "Look, if he was asking you to back it up, he meant he wanted you to grind on him with yer butt like stupid kids do to each other at idiotic parties now, like, to music or whatever. The guy just waves his arms above his head like a jackass or holds the hips, or some other equally moronic thing, and the girl just bounces her butt or kinda curves belly or whatever else generally jostles the bugger's junk. It's got no energy or nothing, just a way for a girl and a guy to bunch their nubs together. If they knew a thing about anything, they'd know the only kinda dancing that's worth jack-skwat is a thrashin'! A good thrash is king, mate, where you just smash everything in your hotel room!" That didn't sound much like a dance or anything the two ought to do on the stage together. The bump and grind actually probably seemed like a superior choice. Nobody was locked into that yet either, though, and Jacky might be happy she wasn't.
Dillan, perhaps feeling left out or perhaps realizing he was being talked about, raised one hand until he got his elbow and PET up on top of the stage, then pulled himself up with some effort, standing between the two girls. "Everything okay now, Jacky? You feeling happy?" he asked, smiling at her again. "What can I do to help?"
"The jagoff doesn't know when to quit!" Molly bemoaned her situation, clutching one hand to her fist. "Pick something, Jack-o, or I vote thrashin', and this four eyes is gonna be the first thing thrashed."
Sensing a dilemma, Watershed finally made himself useful for once and slid a prop out from behind the curtain. The prop was a rolling table, which curved at just the right moment to avoid hitting anyone, coming to a stop slightly off-center on the stage. It looked like it would be fine to sit on, just the right size for Jacky to lie on, a good bit small for Molly to lie on, and might not fully support Dillan in any capacity.
last edited by
Jacky noted Molly's somewhat unsatisfactory response to the question of what exactly she was wearing. Did "other piece" refer to something Molly was wearing underneath the towel? Whatever the case, the palpable menace with which the other woman was referring to it led Jacky to believe it would definitely be best if she didn't pry into that any further.
On the other hand, while Jacky could certainly sympathize with Molly's situation, it didn't sound as though the woman had any tips for how this business was supposed to proceed. Molly sounded as though she was anticipating something like a shoulder massage. First off, she could hardly see why the audience would be interested in her own inept attempts at such a task, and secondly, there wasn't even anywhere to sit. It would also seem to preclude Dillan's participation...
Jacky found herself none too pleased with the explanation of "backing it up," but Molly's gruff explanation and the way she seemed to inherently treat it as ridiculous herself somehow made it less embarrassing. As for "thrashing," the medical student couldn't picture it at all, and if it involved destruction of property or violence against others, she truly didn't care to consider it any further.
She backed away from Molly as Dillan approached. Dillan didn't get an answer to his inquiry, but even with Jacky's usual lack of expressiveness, it was easy to see she was still a far cry from "happy." "Please, Molly, don't do anything rash..." she muttered, putting her hand to her chin. She didn't have the kind of spontaneous creativity she felt was called for in this situation, but she felt she should be able to come up with something if she followed a logical procession... She knew that was a dangerous proposition in this case, though. Hyde didn't tend to leave convenient solutions to all of her problems.
"Molly has appeared in a towel. Watershed appears to have introduced a rolling table. The components are all in place such that a massage is nearly required. Perhaps I could achieve a comedic effect by subverting that expectation. However... I really don't know any way to do so and go into any sort of intriguing segment that would be even vaguely related to the ordinary life of a doctor of any sort. The massage appears to be necessary. Ugh... think, Jacky, think. A massage must happen. Stress... stress relief... comed-eep!"
As Jacky had been thinking, rubbing her temples in an attempt to focus and shutting her eyes to try and drown out noise around her, she had taken a few steps towards the rear of the stage. Paying little attention to where she was going, she nearly tripped over the rolling table. She caught herself at the last second, looking momentarily like an ice skater trying to get their balance at the edge of a rink. She managed to catch herself, letting out a sigh of relief as she glanced back over her shoulder, then back to the table.
"The table is about my size... and my own stress levels are probably appropriate... furthermore, the requisite amount of me might already be revealed. Perhaps..."
Jacky turned around, coughing into her fist before addressing the audience. "I fear this won't do! Reducing Molly's stress levels will require a great deal of focus and, um... flow? That is, putting myself, um, 'in the zone!' I believe the term is. I mean, I know the term is. "In the flow." So, therefore, I, myself, may need... a massage. Yes, we can consider this a brief massage primer. Before I give my practiced medicinal massage, we will see... Dillan... perform an amateur massage on me. A sh-shoulder massage!" Jacky clarified in an unfortunately squeaky voice, brightening red a bit as she looked to Dillan. "How about that?" she asked, sitting her petite form down on the rolling table and carefully positioning herself so she wouldn't roll.
On the other hand, while Jacky could certainly sympathize with Molly's situation, it didn't sound as though the woman had any tips for how this business was supposed to proceed. Molly sounded as though she was anticipating something like a shoulder massage. First off, she could hardly see why the audience would be interested in her own inept attempts at such a task, and secondly, there wasn't even anywhere to sit. It would also seem to preclude Dillan's participation...
Jacky found herself none too pleased with the explanation of "backing it up," but Molly's gruff explanation and the way she seemed to inherently treat it as ridiculous herself somehow made it less embarrassing. As for "thrashing," the medical student couldn't picture it at all, and if it involved destruction of property or violence against others, she truly didn't care to consider it any further.
She backed away from Molly as Dillan approached. Dillan didn't get an answer to his inquiry, but even with Jacky's usual lack of expressiveness, it was easy to see she was still a far cry from "happy." "Please, Molly, don't do anything rash..." she muttered, putting her hand to her chin. She didn't have the kind of spontaneous creativity she felt was called for in this situation, but she felt she should be able to come up with something if she followed a logical procession... She knew that was a dangerous proposition in this case, though. Hyde didn't tend to leave convenient solutions to all of her problems.
"Molly has appeared in a towel. Watershed appears to have introduced a rolling table. The components are all in place such that a massage is nearly required. Perhaps I could achieve a comedic effect by subverting that expectation. However... I really don't know any way to do so and go into any sort of intriguing segment that would be even vaguely related to the ordinary life of a doctor of any sort. The massage appears to be necessary. Ugh... think, Jacky, think. A massage must happen. Stress... stress relief... comed-eep!"
As Jacky had been thinking, rubbing her temples in an attempt to focus and shutting her eyes to try and drown out noise around her, she had taken a few steps towards the rear of the stage. Paying little attention to where she was going, she nearly tripped over the rolling table. She caught herself at the last second, looking momentarily like an ice skater trying to get their balance at the edge of a rink. She managed to catch herself, letting out a sigh of relief as she glanced back over her shoulder, then back to the table.
"The table is about my size... and my own stress levels are probably appropriate... furthermore, the requisite amount of me might already be revealed. Perhaps..."
Jacky turned around, coughing into her fist before addressing the audience. "I fear this won't do! Reducing Molly's stress levels will require a great deal of focus and, um... flow? That is, putting myself, um, 'in the zone!' I believe the term is. I mean, I know the term is. "In the flow." So, therefore, I, myself, may need... a massage. Yes, we can consider this a brief massage primer. Before I give my practiced medicinal massage, we will see... Dillan... perform an amateur massage on me. A sh-shoulder massage!" Jacky clarified in an unfortunately squeaky voice, brightening red a bit as she looked to Dillan. "How about that?" she asked, sitting her petite form down on the rolling table and carefully positioning herself so she wouldn't roll.
last edited by
Molly and Dillan, the former scowling and the latter grinning, watched Jacky silently as she tripped around the stage for a bit, then proposed a new course of action. "A massage? A shoulder massage?" Dillan added, perhaps having other thoughts before shoulders were specified. "You know I'm here for whatever you need, Jacky! Yep!" he reiterated, thumping one fist on his chest before approaching the table with his hands outreached in a grasping motion.
"You sure about this? I don't know if he can actually do it," Molly spoke out loud, raising one eyebrow critically. That seemed to be a valid concern, considering what Jacky must know of Dillan by now.
"Hey, I got commitment, and that's what counts! It might be a little weird at first, but I'll, uh, get it!" Dillan protested, still approaching (from the front, perhaps to the alarm of Jacky). "Alright, I got it, I got it... Shoulders," he muttered, as if reminding himself not to grab anything else. When he finally neared Jacky, he slowed down, reaching one hand out with the PET and grabbing with the other. Finally, the over-sized hand came to a rest on Jacky's thin shoulder (still from the front; he didn't seem to understand that this thing was ordinarily done from behind). He clipped the PET back onto his belt and then grabbed her other shoulder with his second hand. The green lights in his eyes narrowed for a moment as he concentrated, now deprived of a way to actually see what he was doing. "One massage, coming right up!" he exclaimed, then basically began rubbing her shoulders, not understanding the finer details of squeezing and pressure that probably ought to go into this. As usual, he'd invaded her personal space a good bit, as was inevitable due to his girth. "Like that, right? Does it feel good?" The audience was having another chuckle at this and learning nothing career-relevant at any point during the presentation.
"No, no, you gotta kinda squeeze em, knead em, ya goof. Don't work if you just rub em," Molly groaned, not nearly as entertained as the crowd.
"Squeeze em and knead em?" Dillan repeated, seeming as if his mind was somewhere else. "Oh! Yeah," he laughed along with the crowd, before fixing his technique slightly to apply a bit of pressure. His hands were so large that he could pretty much dwarf the whole ball of each shoulder in them; Jacky might get the feeling he might be a good person to do this sort of work, with some practice... but for now, it was clearly a labor of love. That is to say, he was trying, but he was so gentle it was hard for her to get much out of it. He probably had a lot of practice with being gentle with others, given that he was naturally a large guy and also a presumably half-blind guy. "Just a sec, HoundMan's talking to me... Huh... He says he heard what Molly said and I'm probably doing it wrong. Did you mean shoulders or boobs?" Another peel of laughter from the crowd.
"The guy's an ass!" Molly spat ruefully, apparently not sold on the idea that Dillan was just a thick-headed but good-natured student.
"You sure about this? I don't know if he can actually do it," Molly spoke out loud, raising one eyebrow critically. That seemed to be a valid concern, considering what Jacky must know of Dillan by now.
"Hey, I got commitment, and that's what counts! It might be a little weird at first, but I'll, uh, get it!" Dillan protested, still approaching (from the front, perhaps to the alarm of Jacky). "Alright, I got it, I got it... Shoulders," he muttered, as if reminding himself not to grab anything else. When he finally neared Jacky, he slowed down, reaching one hand out with the PET and grabbing with the other. Finally, the over-sized hand came to a rest on Jacky's thin shoulder (still from the front; he didn't seem to understand that this thing was ordinarily done from behind). He clipped the PET back onto his belt and then grabbed her other shoulder with his second hand. The green lights in his eyes narrowed for a moment as he concentrated, now deprived of a way to actually see what he was doing. "One massage, coming right up!" he exclaimed, then basically began rubbing her shoulders, not understanding the finer details of squeezing and pressure that probably ought to go into this. As usual, he'd invaded her personal space a good bit, as was inevitable due to his girth. "Like that, right? Does it feel good?" The audience was having another chuckle at this and learning nothing career-relevant at any point during the presentation.
"No, no, you gotta kinda squeeze em, knead em, ya goof. Don't work if you just rub em," Molly groaned, not nearly as entertained as the crowd.
"Squeeze em and knead em?" Dillan repeated, seeming as if his mind was somewhere else. "Oh! Yeah," he laughed along with the crowd, before fixing his technique slightly to apply a bit of pressure. His hands were so large that he could pretty much dwarf the whole ball of each shoulder in them; Jacky might get the feeling he might be a good person to do this sort of work, with some practice... but for now, it was clearly a labor of love. That is to say, he was trying, but he was so gentle it was hard for her to get much out of it. He probably had a lot of practice with being gentle with others, given that he was naturally a large guy and also a presumably half-blind guy. "Just a sec, HoundMan's talking to me... Huh... He says he heard what Molly said and I'm probably doing it wrong. Did you mean shoulders or boobs?" Another peel of laughter from the crowd.
"The guy's an ass!" Molly spat ruefully, apparently not sold on the idea that Dillan was just a thick-headed but good-natured student.
last edited by
Jacky gulped but held her ground, nodding and confirming that yes, she meant a shoulder message, and, yes, she was sure about this. "Just... be careful, all right?" she advised him, subconsciously leaning a bit away from him on the table. She quickly realized that was going to make his chosen angle of attack even more awkward, and corrected her posture to be straight again.
She continued to blush deeply at the lack of personal space, but... she wasn't really feeling anything from the massage. To be honest, from Dillan's nature earlier, this was more or less what she expected. "No, er, it doesn't really feel like anything at all," she responded in a blunt, dull tone. "It's as Molly says..." She couldn't make the words "squeeze em and knead em" come out of her own mouth, but she could tell it was understood. She continued holding her same neutral frown as his technique intensified only slightly, just enough to be called properly going through the motions.
Jacky was willing to keep this going, as the crowd seemed to be having their fun as she'd intended, but she had to put her foot down to stamp out Dillan's mistaken notion. "N-no! Not the breasts! Of course not!" she sputtered, shaking her head vehemently. Hearing Molly's curse at the end, she added, "I-it's as Molly says!"
She wanted to give Dillan one more shot, so she decided to keep still and let him do his thing a moment longer. She needed time to compose all of the thoughts she had on proper massage technique, anyway...
She continued to blush deeply at the lack of personal space, but... she wasn't really feeling anything from the massage. To be honest, from Dillan's nature earlier, this was more or less what she expected. "No, er, it doesn't really feel like anything at all," she responded in a blunt, dull tone. "It's as Molly says..." She couldn't make the words "squeeze em and knead em" come out of her own mouth, but she could tell it was understood. She continued holding her same neutral frown as his technique intensified only slightly, just enough to be called properly going through the motions.
Jacky was willing to keep this going, as the crowd seemed to be having their fun as she'd intended, but she had to put her foot down to stamp out Dillan's mistaken notion. "N-no! Not the breasts! Of course not!" she sputtered, shaking her head vehemently. Hearing Molly's curse at the end, she added, "I-it's as Molly says!"
She wanted to give Dillan one more shot, so she decided to keep still and let him do his thing a moment longer. She needed time to compose all of the thoughts she had on proper massage technique, anyway...
last edited by
"Okay, got it! No boobs," Dillan responded, giving a salute with one hand, which meant he had to grope around the shoulder again to get his correct hold on it again. "Just nice, easy massagin'."
"Not that easy, ya nitwit," Molly grumbled, crossing her arms irritably. "Look, this is getting painful to watch. I'll show you how to do it... I mean, never done it before, but had it done plenty a'times. You think that's weird? Don't judge me. The world's a very stupid place and I require pampering now and again to get through all the bullcrap," she informed everyone; the crowd laughed this time, seeming to have decided that her disagreeable nature and rudeness were sources of comedy rather than something to be insulted by. "First of all, it's creepy to massage from the front, stupid," she chastised Dillan, moving around to Jacky's back. "Second, your problem is that you're just pinching with your fingers. Ya gotta use your whole hands, mostly the palms moreso than the digits, if you wanna make it feel good. Watch how I do it," she encouraged Dillan, grabbing hold of Jacky's bare midriff and rubbing her hands up and down the length of her abdomen from the side. It felt a good measure better than Dillan's method and was surprisingly soothing coming from the high-strung guitarist. "If the person starts relaxin', you know you're doing it right. Jack-o here's tight somethin' awful, though; it's like she's worried something's gonna explode in here."
"Oh, I got it! I think I see how you're doing it now," Dillan remarked, although it would be surprising if he literally saw it. "So I'll do it like this instead," he nodded, beginning to move his hands a bit more, to the point that the shoulder massage became a combo shoulder-slash-upper-arm massage. "How's that? I'll bet it feels a lot better."
"Looks a little better," Molly agreed. "'Specially if you're gonna be doing me later, you need to get the gist of how to actually do this, Jack-o. If you're doing the ticklish parts, be quick and deliberate, in a way that doesn't give the person too much time to anticipate it, cuz that just makes em giggle. And if I giggle, there'll be hell to pay," she threatened, which seemed to imply that there was a real danger of her giggling, which seemed impossible. She cupped her hands underneath Jacky's armpits as her trajectory continued, but she didn't linger there. The guitarist brought her hands back down, rubbing Jacky's hips, the tips of her fingers brushing along the hem of the student's shorts. "Hopefully you get it now, right? I'm not doin' a full body massage, so you're on your own from here. Okay, now I'm feelin' stressed as hell from all the crap I've put up with, so scoot on off and give me my massage," she requested, shoving Jacky off and onto Dillan, who caught her clumsily against his sizable gut, then set her aside out of respect for her personal space, though he actually lifted her feet off the ground to move her.
Molly took this time to get seated, but seemed to understand as well as Hyde that she couldn't lie across the table without hanging off and making a fool of herself in the process. "Well? Yer a doctor, ain'tcha? Or a doctor student, at least. Reduce my tension and stress and pressure and all of that bollocks," she encouraged Jacky, crossing her arms with a standoffish frown.
"Not that easy, ya nitwit," Molly grumbled, crossing her arms irritably. "Look, this is getting painful to watch. I'll show you how to do it... I mean, never done it before, but had it done plenty a'times. You think that's weird? Don't judge me. The world's a very stupid place and I require pampering now and again to get through all the bullcrap," she informed everyone; the crowd laughed this time, seeming to have decided that her disagreeable nature and rudeness were sources of comedy rather than something to be insulted by. "First of all, it's creepy to massage from the front, stupid," she chastised Dillan, moving around to Jacky's back. "Second, your problem is that you're just pinching with your fingers. Ya gotta use your whole hands, mostly the palms moreso than the digits, if you wanna make it feel good. Watch how I do it," she encouraged Dillan, grabbing hold of Jacky's bare midriff and rubbing her hands up and down the length of her abdomen from the side. It felt a good measure better than Dillan's method and was surprisingly soothing coming from the high-strung guitarist. "If the person starts relaxin', you know you're doing it right. Jack-o here's tight somethin' awful, though; it's like she's worried something's gonna explode in here."
"Oh, I got it! I think I see how you're doing it now," Dillan remarked, although it would be surprising if he literally saw it. "So I'll do it like this instead," he nodded, beginning to move his hands a bit more, to the point that the shoulder massage became a combo shoulder-slash-upper-arm massage. "How's that? I'll bet it feels a lot better."
"Looks a little better," Molly agreed. "'Specially if you're gonna be doing me later, you need to get the gist of how to actually do this, Jack-o. If you're doing the ticklish parts, be quick and deliberate, in a way that doesn't give the person too much time to anticipate it, cuz that just makes em giggle. And if I giggle, there'll be hell to pay," she threatened, which seemed to imply that there was a real danger of her giggling, which seemed impossible. She cupped her hands underneath Jacky's armpits as her trajectory continued, but she didn't linger there. The guitarist brought her hands back down, rubbing Jacky's hips, the tips of her fingers brushing along the hem of the student's shorts. "Hopefully you get it now, right? I'm not doin' a full body massage, so you're on your own from here. Okay, now I'm feelin' stressed as hell from all the crap I've put up with, so scoot on off and give me my massage," she requested, shoving Jacky off and onto Dillan, who caught her clumsily against his sizable gut, then set her aside out of respect for her personal space, though he actually lifted her feet off the ground to move her.
Molly took this time to get seated, but seemed to understand as well as Hyde that she couldn't lie across the table without hanging off and making a fool of herself in the process. "Well? Yer a doctor, ain'tcha? Or a doctor student, at least. Reduce my tension and stress and pressure and all of that bollocks," she encouraged Jacky, crossing her arms with a standoffish frown.
last edited by
Jacky's eyebrows raised above her frames in response to Molly's stepping up to the plate. "Aren't I the one who's supposed to be showing how the proper massage is done...?" she thought to herself, although she didn't dare get in Molly's way. Furthermore, if Molly could back up what she was claiming, there wasn't any harm in studying her technique. Surely she had embarrassed herself enough without demonstrating her actual lack of massaging skills?
That concentration fled pretty quickly as she felt hands shoot around her waist, giving way to an uncharacteristic goofy giggle that actually prompted the girl to clamp her hands over her mouth. Thinking to herself with what focus she could that the look really didn't suit the character she was supposed to be playing, she used some effort to move her hands back to her sides, visibly holding her breath to avoid further giggling. Luckily, she found that reflex was really just that: Molly's actual technique was more like a proper massage than tickling, and she was able to relax a bit. "That's not bad," she commented, managing to hold her ground in spite of her strange circumstances.
Just as she was beginning to feel particularly zen from the experience, the experience came to an end. The medical student gasped as she tumbled onto Dillan, pressing her cheek to his chest. Thankfully, that situation was over as soon as it began, but she had further challenges ahead of her. "All right... I think I had enough time to study. Er, before this. Since, as a doctor, naturally, I know what I'm doing. Or, erm, medical student acting as a doctor. Of course."
Jacky approached Molly from behind, raising her hands in preparation before suddenly lowering them again. "Erm, okay... Molly, I can't exactly do what you were just doing in your current state, so I'm just going to undo the towel back here. Is that all right? You can still hold it in the front, of course." Perhaps incorrectly believing Molly would concede to this in order to keep the show moving forward, Jacky would wait for Molly to present her back to properly and allow the session to begin. "Um, you'll basically be as decent as you are now to all eyes except mine. We're women and professionals here, so I don't see that there should be any issue..."
If Molly actually did as requested, Jacky would proceed with a massage, trying to copy Molly's technique as well as she could. In terms of technique, Jacky was a remarkably quick student, able to perform the motions dexterously after seeing them for the first time. She would also seem to have enough working knowledge to hit the same areas Molly had without veering into any uncomfortable territory. The notable thing she would lack, of course, was that her massage strength would feel like little more than the light brush of a feather. Even exerting as much effort as possible, Jacky's best shot would be so weak as to feel Dillan's earlier inexperienced rubbing.
That concentration fled pretty quickly as she felt hands shoot around her waist, giving way to an uncharacteristic goofy giggle that actually prompted the girl to clamp her hands over her mouth. Thinking to herself with what focus she could that the look really didn't suit the character she was supposed to be playing, she used some effort to move her hands back to her sides, visibly holding her breath to avoid further giggling. Luckily, she found that reflex was really just that: Molly's actual technique was more like a proper massage than tickling, and she was able to relax a bit. "That's not bad," she commented, managing to hold her ground in spite of her strange circumstances.
Just as she was beginning to feel particularly zen from the experience, the experience came to an end. The medical student gasped as she tumbled onto Dillan, pressing her cheek to his chest. Thankfully, that situation was over as soon as it began, but she had further challenges ahead of her. "All right... I think I had enough time to study. Er, before this. Since, as a doctor, naturally, I know what I'm doing. Or, erm, medical student acting as a doctor. Of course."
Jacky approached Molly from behind, raising her hands in preparation before suddenly lowering them again. "Erm, okay... Molly, I can't exactly do what you were just doing in your current state, so I'm just going to undo the towel back here. Is that all right? You can still hold it in the front, of course." Perhaps incorrectly believing Molly would concede to this in order to keep the show moving forward, Jacky would wait for Molly to present her back to properly and allow the session to begin. "Um, you'll basically be as decent as you are now to all eyes except mine. We're women and professionals here, so I don't see that there should be any issue..."
If Molly actually did as requested, Jacky would proceed with a massage, trying to copy Molly's technique as well as she could. In terms of technique, Jacky was a remarkably quick student, able to perform the motions dexterously after seeing them for the first time. She would also seem to have enough working knowledge to hit the same areas Molly had without veering into any uncomfortable territory. The notable thing she would lack, of course, was that her massage strength would feel like little more than the light brush of a feather. Even exerting as much effort as possible, Jacky's best shot would be so weak as to feel Dillan's earlier inexperienced rubbing.
last edited by
"Ya ninny! You trying to make me look bad cuz I said that thing earlier about not making the other person laugh, right? Ya giggly git," Molly sighed, exasperated with Jacky's laughter or perhaps just hating smiles in all their forms. With Molly as a noted exception, Hyde found the old idiom true: when you laugh, the world laughs with you (and when you're Dillan, you sort of laugh along with anyone who laughs). Molly still eyed Jacky suspiciously as the two traded roles, before turning her back to her. "Alright, and you seem to know this already, but in case you don't, I ain't like my navi. Don't go for groupies. I got standards and I ain't got an eye for other gals..."
While Molly's effort had returned immediately inappropriately giddy results, Jacky's had an equal and opposite effect: Molly groaned. "Oh, this is crap. Oh, this is steaming crap. Oh, flamin' piles of dog crap," she complained, giving little useful criticism, before she finally broke the pattern. "This is a disaster of a massage so I'm going to tell you what you gotta do different. Put yer back into it! In my case I have to dial it back cause I'm too fond'a thrashin... In your case, you need to dial it forward cause you're too low energy or whatever you call it. So get kinda mean about it and then maybe it'll work."
Someone else had some ideas to feed her, but Molly clearly wasn't appreciating what she was hearing. "What the...?" she questioned with an unattractive frown of stupor, unable to put an identity with the voice.
In the mean time, Strum was eager to give Jacky suggestions. "Take her towel off... yeah... that's the way... Now tell her you like small breasts, then tell her you like her make-up... Tell her you like her hair and think she'd look good in a stupid bandana, the kind that only covers your forehead... She oughta be hot for it now, so go ahead and start stroking her lady bits~"
Speaking of taking Molly's towel off, Jacky alone could see that beneath the towel, Molly was wearing a shiny, red micro-bikini top and booty shorts, neither of which fit her particularly well, but which some might recognize as pretty similar to one of her navi's stage outfits. Straps of a high-leg thong, made of the same material, rose from the back of the shorts.
While Molly's effort had returned immediately inappropriately giddy results, Jacky's had an equal and opposite effect: Molly groaned. "Oh, this is crap. Oh, this is steaming crap. Oh, flamin' piles of dog crap," she complained, giving little useful criticism, before she finally broke the pattern. "This is a disaster of a massage so I'm going to tell you what you gotta do different. Put yer back into it! In my case I have to dial it back cause I'm too fond'a thrashin... In your case, you need to dial it forward cause you're too low energy or whatever you call it. So get kinda mean about it and then maybe it'll work."
Someone else had some ideas to feed her, but Molly clearly wasn't appreciating what she was hearing. "What the...?" she questioned with an unattractive frown of stupor, unable to put an identity with the voice.
In the mean time, Strum was eager to give Jacky suggestions. "Take her towel off... yeah... that's the way... Now tell her you like small breasts, then tell her you like her make-up... Tell her you like her hair and think she'd look good in a stupid bandana, the kind that only covers your forehead... She oughta be hot for it now, so go ahead and start stroking her lady bits~"
Speaking of taking Molly's towel off, Jacky alone could see that beneath the towel, Molly was wearing a shiny, red micro-bikini top and booty shorts, neither of which fit her particularly well, but which some might recognize as pretty similar to one of her navi's stage outfits. Straps of a high-leg thong, made of the same material, rose from the back of the shorts.
last edited by
Jacky continued with her massage for a while in spite of Molly's constructive feedback, unclear as to she was repeating "crap" over and over again in regards to anything in particular, or just as part of her general disposition. She finally gave pause when Molly explicitly tied her complaints to the massage. "Put my back into it. Dial it forward. I'm... not sure how much more I can turn it up," she muttered, too quietly for the audience to hear.
She continued holding her pause as Strum (whom Jacky didn't have much familiarity with) began feeding her some directions. Jacky's frown tightened. It was one thing to follow Hyde's directions in the name of her duty, but it felt like another entirely to entertain this foolishness. Still, she didn't feel like she was on a successful line herself, so she decided she needed to make some sort of adjustment. She hoped the voices were at least giving Molly some similar direction so she'd know what to expect.
Jacky stared at the ridiculous outfit Molly was wearing with a raised eyebrow, continuing to massage ineffectually without any real direction. "I'm definitely not doing that just as I'm being directed... I'm not interested in teasing Molly with obvious vulgarities and slights, then getting knocked on my tail." She spent a moment trying to think of what to do instead. "Ahem. All right, let's try dialing it forward, shall we?" she told Molly, feeling a strangely increased confidence as both the silliest bits of Molly's costume and the most revealing bits of her own were hidden from the audience.
The medical student continued with her massage, but moved in a bit more to press against Molly's back, putting her head alongside Molly's neck to speak into her ear. "You know, I can appreciate the effort you go to in taking care of your hair. I don't think many people in your profession pay that kind of attention to their hygiene, and I think that's a shame... I also don't know if you're aware of the exact effect a woman like you has on the people around you... Dillan," she spoke up, addressing the boy. As she did, she moved a hand around Molly's side to rub her upper thigh, seeing if she could could a reaction based on sensitivity if she still couldn't raise her energy up enough to meet Molly's expectations. "Don't you think the combination of Molly's makeup and glamorous hair is... striking?"
Jacky had worked hard to manufacture a sultry tone for this, but her eyes told a different story, if Dillan had a way of seeing them. They were basically blank behind her glasses, conveying the very real notion that she had no idea where she was supposed to go from here. Half of her hoped Molly would just elbow in the forehead, knock her out, and let her wake up to find all of this over with.
She continued holding her pause as Strum (whom Jacky didn't have much familiarity with) began feeding her some directions. Jacky's frown tightened. It was one thing to follow Hyde's directions in the name of her duty, but it felt like another entirely to entertain this foolishness. Still, she didn't feel like she was on a successful line herself, so she decided she needed to make some sort of adjustment. She hoped the voices were at least giving Molly some similar direction so she'd know what to expect.
Jacky stared at the ridiculous outfit Molly was wearing with a raised eyebrow, continuing to massage ineffectually without any real direction. "I'm definitely not doing that just as I'm being directed... I'm not interested in teasing Molly with obvious vulgarities and slights, then getting knocked on my tail." She spent a moment trying to think of what to do instead. "Ahem. All right, let's try dialing it forward, shall we?" she told Molly, feeling a strangely increased confidence as both the silliest bits of Molly's costume and the most revealing bits of her own were hidden from the audience.
The medical student continued with her massage, but moved in a bit more to press against Molly's back, putting her head alongside Molly's neck to speak into her ear. "You know, I can appreciate the effort you go to in taking care of your hair. I don't think many people in your profession pay that kind of attention to their hygiene, and I think that's a shame... I also don't know if you're aware of the exact effect a woman like you has on the people around you... Dillan," she spoke up, addressing the boy. As she did, she moved a hand around Molly's side to rub her upper thigh, seeing if she could could a reaction based on sensitivity if she still couldn't raise her energy up enough to meet Molly's expectations. "Don't you think the combination of Molly's makeup and glamorous hair is... striking?"
Jacky had worked hard to manufacture a sultry tone for this, but her eyes told a different story, if Dillan had a way of seeing them. They were basically blank behind her glasses, conveying the very real notion that she had no idea where she was supposed to go from here. Half of her hoped Molly would just elbow in the forehead, knock her out, and let her wake up to find all of this over with.
last edited by
"Oh, trust me, Jack-o, you can dial it up a little," Molly joked, rolling her eyes and seeming just as frustrated with Jacky's standard self as she would with Jacky's attempts at following Strum's instructions. Thankfully for both of them, Jacky wasn't quite going to follow those word for word, so no one would have to learn. As uncomfortable as Molly would have been just dealing with Jacky's sudden inclination to whisper sweet nothings into her ear, she was even more agitated by having Parka trying to do the same ineffectually into the other ear. "Aw damn, I think I could write a pretty great black metal song about this, it's pretty brutal," she joked, a wide frown cutting across her face as she somehow felt she was being made fun of.
"Sure, Jacky! It's real striking. I've never seen anyone who looks like her before! Looks super weird," Dillan yukked hypocritically, not understanding how strange he looked. At the very least, such a dull unintentional insult barely registered to Molly at this point, and thus went unpunished. For his part, though, Dillan seemed more affected than Molly about the harassment. "Wow, Jacky, I didn't know you were into girls! Molly's your type, huh?"
"Yeah, well, she's barking up the wrong tree," Molly scoffed, crossing her arms defiantly. "Don't care about girls, 'cluding Jack-o, fountain of charm that she is."
"Huh... Hey, how about me, Jacky? I think you're swell! If you rub my leg and tell me my hair smells good, I'll appreciate it!" Dillan offered with apparent sincerity, drawing another big laugh from the crowd. Strum must have caught that, because she was guffawing loudly into Jacky's ear now. "Well, I don't wear weird make-up or anything. Whatcha think? Does that matter?"
"The two of you were made for each other: brainy dull girl and stupid dull boy," Molly joked, gesturing to Dillan as if saying "have at it" to Jacky.
"You think so? Gosh!" Dillan laughed along, rubbing the back of his hair bashfully, which turned into scratching it hard afterwards.
"Okay, you about done, Jack-o? I can't wait to see myself on the internet cause of all this stupid crap. Crap crap crap. Video title: 'Crap Massage Girl Gives Worst Massage Ever LOL!'" she cursed consecutively, rolling her head with exasperation.
"Sure, Jacky! It's real striking. I've never seen anyone who looks like her before! Looks super weird," Dillan yukked hypocritically, not understanding how strange he looked. At the very least, such a dull unintentional insult barely registered to Molly at this point, and thus went unpunished. For his part, though, Dillan seemed more affected than Molly about the harassment. "Wow, Jacky, I didn't know you were into girls! Molly's your type, huh?"
"Yeah, well, she's barking up the wrong tree," Molly scoffed, crossing her arms defiantly. "Don't care about girls, 'cluding Jack-o, fountain of charm that she is."
"Huh... Hey, how about me, Jacky? I think you're swell! If you rub my leg and tell me my hair smells good, I'll appreciate it!" Dillan offered with apparent sincerity, drawing another big laugh from the crowd. Strum must have caught that, because she was guffawing loudly into Jacky's ear now. "Well, I don't wear weird make-up or anything. Whatcha think? Does that matter?"
"The two of you were made for each other: brainy dull girl and stupid dull boy," Molly joked, gesturing to Dillan as if saying "have at it" to Jacky.
"You think so? Gosh!" Dillan laughed along, rubbing the back of his hair bashfully, which turned into scratching it hard afterwards.
"Okay, you about done, Jack-o? I can't wait to see myself on the internet cause of all this stupid crap. Crap crap crap. Video title: 'Crap Massage Girl Gives Worst Massage Ever LOL!'" she cursed consecutively, rolling her head with exasperation.
last edited by
Jacky's face remained an emotionless blank as her two cohorts (and at least one Navi counterpart) did little-to-nothing to successfully improvise with her act. She was dumbfounded at the fact that Molly was treating it as though she was making an actual come-on, when Jacky was almost one-hundred percent certain Molly must have someone whispering directions in her own ears. She thought about criticizing Molly about it later, but then decided that, unlike Jocelyn's naivety, bad acting skills probably wouldn't make a big difference in Molly's day-to-day life. Since she'd probably never be doing this again, there wasn't much point. "I don't think developing some more tact or awareness could hurt, though..." the medical student inwardly fumed.
"Some other time, all right?" Jacky told Dillan, exasperated. "I'm going to wrap up out here. I think the everyone has had quite enough. Why don't you wheel Molly into the back...?"
Having issued this short-sighted direction (she'd forgotten Dillan wasn't part of their original back-stage ensemble, hadn't thought to redo Molly's towel in the back, and hadn't considered Molly would probably prefer to just walk herself back), Jacky turned back to the audience, addressing them directly. "Everyone, I hope you've enjoyed this career day presentation. I'm not certain I've managed to teach you anything terribly useful regarding my Navi's profession as a doctor. However, I hope you will treat this as the light entertainment fare we intended and do your own part to look into the school's medical program, if you're interested. Being a doctor marries a strong sense of personal responsibility to a unique opportunity for qualified professionals to make a real difference in the world. Thank you."
Jacky felt certain saying this as the conclusion to the program would be treated as a joke. If so, that was fine with her, but she felt like she at least needed to do her due diligence. With that, she gave a polite bow (short enough that she wouldn't risk losing any of her things this time) and hurried into the back herself, making sure to shove Dillan and Molly along with her if they were lollygagging for some reason. Once there, she would let out a sigh and massage her temples, looking physically exhausted. She'd wait to hear the others comment before saying anything herself...
... Except, there was one thing she still needed to do. Without any communication, she would walk over to her PET and jack Hyde out of the Net, regardless of what she was in the process of doing.
"Some other time, all right?" Jacky told Dillan, exasperated. "I'm going to wrap up out here. I think the everyone has had quite enough. Why don't you wheel Molly into the back...?"
Having issued this short-sighted direction (she'd forgotten Dillan wasn't part of their original back-stage ensemble, hadn't thought to redo Molly's towel in the back, and hadn't considered Molly would probably prefer to just walk herself back), Jacky turned back to the audience, addressing them directly. "Everyone, I hope you've enjoyed this career day presentation. I'm not certain I've managed to teach you anything terribly useful regarding my Navi's profession as a doctor. However, I hope you will treat this as the light entertainment fare we intended and do your own part to look into the school's medical program, if you're interested. Being a doctor marries a strong sense of personal responsibility to a unique opportunity for qualified professionals to make a real difference in the world. Thank you."
Jacky felt certain saying this as the conclusion to the program would be treated as a joke. If so, that was fine with her, but she felt like she at least needed to do her due diligence. With that, she gave a polite bow (short enough that she wouldn't risk losing any of her things this time) and hurried into the back herself, making sure to shove Dillan and Molly along with her if they were lollygagging for some reason. Once there, she would let out a sigh and massage her temples, looking physically exhausted. She'd wait to hear the others comment before saying anything herself...
... Except, there was one thing she still needed to do. Without any communication, she would walk over to her PET and jack Hyde out of the Net, regardless of what she was in the process of doing.
last edited by
"If you say so, Jacky. I could keep doing this all day, though!" Dillan responded, to the amusement of the crowd. "I'll take Molly to the back, though."
"Where'd you get a backstage pass, Fatso?" Molly scowled, not thinking about her wardrobe any more than Hyde was, perhaps because it didn't inspire much beyond a dull shock and not much actual arousal.
Dillan still seemed interested, though, once he got back there. "Golly," he added, smiling to the crowd like a character from a sitcom, soliciting another peel of laughter. It was pretty clear that Jacky's impression of how her last words would be taken was not misguided; the few cheers seemed to be treating this event as one might treat a stand-up comedy routine.
Backstage, Professor Watershed and Nidalee were waiting with easy expressions: Watershed finally looked relaxed and Nidalee actually looked like something was tickling her pink. "Bravo, Miss Jacky! You and your navi have really turned this around. I'll have to remember that satire and parody make good defenses, where ill-conceived presentations are concerned," the photography expert applauded. "You certainly deserve a rest now... As does your navi," she smirked.
"I guess it's better than what Doc threw on em. That was painful just to be backstage for," Molly rolled her eyes, seeming to ruin the professor's good mood.
"I wish I could argue... But you're right. Jacky, I can tell you have a bright future as a comedian ahead of you," the meteorologist conceded, offering a good-natured compliment that fell far off the mark. Nidalee gave another snirking, concealed laugh at that. "I'll definitely reflect on what I've learned. even as a TV meteorologist, I have a lot to learn about performance skills." One could also add that somebody his age ought to be able to read an audience and use common sense better. Certainly there must have been some point in his life where he could have realized that meteorology wasn't, on average, an appealing subject for bored college kids.
While Molly began ranting about how she and the others needed to go change and Dillan needed to get back into his damn seat out front, Nidalee took the time to listen to her navi. She smirked for a bit, then used one finger to beckon Jacky over. "We should probably have a little talk... My navi and your navi got more than a little frisky during the brief time for your presentation just now... To put it politely, from the camera angle my navi chose, they looked much, much more than a little frisky. I'll spare you the details, but I suppose you can probably imagine... At any rate, my navi did those things with the intention of making a short video out of it, using some of his video editing skills, and ultimately to sell it with a commission provided to your navi. You stand to make some money, which you'll have to e-mail me to collect, but er, I feel... well, watching the video, that your navi may not have been in her right state of mind throughout the whole ordeal. Given your warning and you knowing your navi best, I feel it wise to yield to your counsel in the matter. Should we release the video and do you intend to seek commission? If so, I'll be happy to share my mailing address," Nidalee offered, already giving a wry smile that showed she didn't suspect Jacky would want to take her up on the offer. "You can also view the video yourself, if you like." An even wry-er smile.
Professor Watershed had been standing pretty close to the ladies, evidently interested in this conversation. He cleared his throat, then crossed his arms behind his back. "I'd also recommend you change back, Jacky. I'll have Parka prepare your reward for your you while you're gone," he offered.
"Right here?" Dillan asked, a curious frown lowering upon his face.
"... No, we have a room for it," he coughed again, gesturing towards the curtain in the back. Dillan slapped his forehead and nodded along.
"Where'd you get a backstage pass, Fatso?" Molly scowled, not thinking about her wardrobe any more than Hyde was, perhaps because it didn't inspire much beyond a dull shock and not much actual arousal.
Dillan still seemed interested, though, once he got back there. "Golly," he added, smiling to the crowd like a character from a sitcom, soliciting another peel of laughter. It was pretty clear that Jacky's impression of how her last words would be taken was not misguided; the few cheers seemed to be treating this event as one might treat a stand-up comedy routine.
Backstage, Professor Watershed and Nidalee were waiting with easy expressions: Watershed finally looked relaxed and Nidalee actually looked like something was tickling her pink. "Bravo, Miss Jacky! You and your navi have really turned this around. I'll have to remember that satire and parody make good defenses, where ill-conceived presentations are concerned," the photography expert applauded. "You certainly deserve a rest now... As does your navi," she smirked.
"I guess it's better than what Doc threw on em. That was painful just to be backstage for," Molly rolled her eyes, seeming to ruin the professor's good mood.
"I wish I could argue... But you're right. Jacky, I can tell you have a bright future as a comedian ahead of you," the meteorologist conceded, offering a good-natured compliment that fell far off the mark. Nidalee gave another snirking, concealed laugh at that. "I'll definitely reflect on what I've learned. even as a TV meteorologist, I have a lot to learn about performance skills." One could also add that somebody his age ought to be able to read an audience and use common sense better. Certainly there must have been some point in his life where he could have realized that meteorology wasn't, on average, an appealing subject for bored college kids.
While Molly began ranting about how she and the others needed to go change and Dillan needed to get back into his damn seat out front, Nidalee took the time to listen to her navi. She smirked for a bit, then used one finger to beckon Jacky over. "We should probably have a little talk... My navi and your navi got more than a little frisky during the brief time for your presentation just now... To put it politely, from the camera angle my navi chose, they looked much, much more than a little frisky. I'll spare you the details, but I suppose you can probably imagine... At any rate, my navi did those things with the intention of making a short video out of it, using some of his video editing skills, and ultimately to sell it with a commission provided to your navi. You stand to make some money, which you'll have to e-mail me to collect, but er, I feel... well, watching the video, that your navi may not have been in her right state of mind throughout the whole ordeal. Given your warning and you knowing your navi best, I feel it wise to yield to your counsel in the matter. Should we release the video and do you intend to seek commission? If so, I'll be happy to share my mailing address," Nidalee offered, already giving a wry smile that showed she didn't suspect Jacky would want to take her up on the offer. "You can also view the video yourself, if you like." An even wry-er smile.
Professor Watershed had been standing pretty close to the ladies, evidently interested in this conversation. He cleared his throat, then crossed his arms behind his back. "I'd also recommend you change back, Jacky. I'll have Parka prepare your reward for your you while you're gone," he offered.
"Right here?" Dillan asked, a curious frown lowering upon his face.
"... No, we have a room for it," he coughed again, gesturing towards the curtain in the back. Dillan slapped his forehead and nodded along.
last edited by
With her PET now in hand, Jacky cranked her volume settings all the way down. This was partially because she suspected Hyde would be complaining, and partially because she just didn't want to listen to her Navi... she had a bad enough headache as it was. She walked back over to the others, her blank face hiding the disbelief with which she was considering their appraisal of her performance. "Well, satire certainly isn't my typical area of expertise. I'll be happy to take my reward and put this business behind me..." She turned to Dr. Watershed, adjusting her glasses. "Please... don't struggle too hard to find a lesson to take out of that..."
Truth be told, Jacky had almost forgotten about her current unusual state of dress. That said, now that she'd been reminded, she was plenty ready to get it over with. Nidalee appeared to have one more thing in mind, though, so Jacky stepped aside to hear her out. The medical student nodded with an apparent lack of disbelief or irony. Indeed, when Hyde had stopped funneling her directions personally and instead passed it off to another, Jacky could only assume that something of that sort had happened.
Still... this was a bit of a difficult situation. On one hand, part of the experiment Jacky was engaging in today required Jacky to surrender control to Hyde and observe the reactions and consequences she inspired when left to her own devices. On the other, she had technically interrupted that process by pulling Hyde out. There was no telling whether the next word out of her mouth would have been to back out. "No... technically, I could just ask Hyde what she wanted, currently, and answer that question," she considered to herself. "There is the issue of whether my temporary stewardship of Hyde entitles me to allow her to create and distribute media with her likeness while under my care... I don't recall any specific language prohibiting that in the papers I signed, though. However..."
What it really came down to had nothing to do with her experiment to cure Hyde's condition, and nothing to do with the legality of any of it. The two warring factors in Jacky's mind, the angel and devil on her shoulder, were thus:
The angel, a voice calmly reminding Jacky that Hyde had already embarked on a preposterously raunchy sex-scapade once in the past, and had immediately seemed to regret it in a different mind. Was it not fair, then, to assume that Hyde would want to protect her interests and avoid releasing videos that might be distributed to any number of customers and hurt her medical practice?
The devil, reminding Jacky that she didn't know enough of Hyde to be crying foul on one direction and anointing another... And, if she was being honest, it hardly seemed fair that there was now going to be permanent, reputation-scarring, potentially career-harming video evidence of herself from today's escapades, but none of Hyde.
Jacky furrowed her brow, making her internal struggle evident as she weighed her options (of course, for an outsider looking in, that was probably only her weighing modesty against potential profits). Ultimately, Jacky came to a decision with the same compass she normally relied upon. "It's clear emotional bias is lending undue consideration to the prospect of releasing this video. With that in mind, the correct answer..."
"... No. I think it'd be better... if we didn't release the video," Jacky finally responded, looking dejected. "At this stage, I've cut off communication with my Navi. She shouldn't be aware that we're discussing this, and thus shouldn't be in a position to complain until it's too late. You've done well in inquiring, and I thank you for not simply pursuing that venture without consulting me. However... I'm afraid I must ask to retain a copy of it. It would be foolish of me not to study it for my records. It'd make me very pleased if you could transfer it to me to do so... later, not now. I really have no interest in looking at it now," she confessed in a cross tone.
Jacky thought about thanking Molly for her work or asking if she wanted to use the changing room first, but really, hadn't Jacky sacrificed enough today? She headed directly for the changing room without any detours. Once there, she would handle disrobing and re-dressing with business-like speed, no longer feeling the giddy apprehension of when she'd first been in the room. Actually, that emotion felt distant and a little embarrassing to her now, so she was in a hurry to get it over with and put the room behind her.
Truth be told, Jacky had almost forgotten about her current unusual state of dress. That said, now that she'd been reminded, she was plenty ready to get it over with. Nidalee appeared to have one more thing in mind, though, so Jacky stepped aside to hear her out. The medical student nodded with an apparent lack of disbelief or irony. Indeed, when Hyde had stopped funneling her directions personally and instead passed it off to another, Jacky could only assume that something of that sort had happened.
Still... this was a bit of a difficult situation. On one hand, part of the experiment Jacky was engaging in today required Jacky to surrender control to Hyde and observe the reactions and consequences she inspired when left to her own devices. On the other, she had technically interrupted that process by pulling Hyde out. There was no telling whether the next word out of her mouth would have been to back out. "No... technically, I could just ask Hyde what she wanted, currently, and answer that question," she considered to herself. "There is the issue of whether my temporary stewardship of Hyde entitles me to allow her to create and distribute media with her likeness while under my care... I don't recall any specific language prohibiting that in the papers I signed, though. However..."
What it really came down to had nothing to do with her experiment to cure Hyde's condition, and nothing to do with the legality of any of it. The two warring factors in Jacky's mind, the angel and devil on her shoulder, were thus:
The angel, a voice calmly reminding Jacky that Hyde had already embarked on a preposterously raunchy sex-scapade once in the past, and had immediately seemed to regret it in a different mind. Was it not fair, then, to assume that Hyde would want to protect her interests and avoid releasing videos that might be distributed to any number of customers and hurt her medical practice?
The devil, reminding Jacky that she didn't know enough of Hyde to be crying foul on one direction and anointing another... And, if she was being honest, it hardly seemed fair that there was now going to be permanent, reputation-scarring, potentially career-harming video evidence of herself from today's escapades, but none of Hyde.
Jacky furrowed her brow, making her internal struggle evident as she weighed her options (of course, for an outsider looking in, that was probably only her weighing modesty against potential profits). Ultimately, Jacky came to a decision with the same compass she normally relied upon. "It's clear emotional bias is lending undue consideration to the prospect of releasing this video. With that in mind, the correct answer..."
"... No. I think it'd be better... if we didn't release the video," Jacky finally responded, looking dejected. "At this stage, I've cut off communication with my Navi. She shouldn't be aware that we're discussing this, and thus shouldn't be in a position to complain until it's too late. You've done well in inquiring, and I thank you for not simply pursuing that venture without consulting me. However... I'm afraid I must ask to retain a copy of it. It would be foolish of me not to study it for my records. It'd make me very pleased if you could transfer it to me to do so... later, not now. I really have no interest in looking at it now," she confessed in a cross tone.
Jacky thought about thanking Molly for her work or asking if she wanted to use the changing room first, but really, hadn't Jacky sacrificed enough today? She headed directly for the changing room without any detours. Once there, she would handle disrobing and re-dressing with business-like speed, no longer feeling the giddy apprehension of when she'd first been in the room. Actually, that emotion felt distant and a little embarrassing to her now, so she was in a hurry to get it over with and put the room behind her.
last edited by
Dr. Watershed, still in a good mood, simply laughed along with Jacky (disregarding the fact that she wasn't laughing at all). "That's fair, but I think there's a lesson to be found in everything. I know I've learned a thing or two about engaging an audience today," he encouraged Jacky.
"You wouldn't be much of a meteorologist without a talent for seeing something in nothing," Nidalee joked, perhaps delivering a sicker burn than was polite between loose acquaintances, but feeling no shame in it given how the day's events had basically been his fault. "I understand your decision, Jacky. I'm sure once he cools down a bit, PhotoMan will realize he didn't particularly want this video being released either. Sometimes, what seems like a good idea on paper doesn't pan out so... er... well, I'm not sure how this seemed like a good photoshoot on paper either. Even geniuses have their off days," she shrugged. Jacky's next request made her raise an eyebrow. "You want to see it?" she asked, then smirked a bit. "Well, girls your age," she murmured under her breath, speaking into the side of a clenched fist. "But certainly, I'll see to it that you give me a copy. Please, leave me an e-mail address and you'll have it by the time you leave."
In a rare moment of painlessness, Jacky found that she was able to change back into her clothes without being bothered or having anything ridiculous happen. The only tough part left would likely be sorting out what had happened with her navi (or watching the video... either the one recorded of her, or the one Nidalee would send her).
When she returned, Dr. Watershed hurried to meet her. "We should discuss your reward, Jacky," he cleared his throat. If one was particularly judgmental, one could surmise that he was particularly excited to be the one to give the gift, to increase his ever-dwindling supply of likeable traits. "MarkCannon1 from Nidalee, Thunder1 from Molly, and from me, Bubbler!" he announced, as though his Bubbler reveal was saving the best for last. "Will that be acceptable? In hindsight, we should have discussed this beforehand, but, well, we were all in a bit of a rush to turn things around after my little gaff."
Dillan was also nearby talking to Nidalee about something; she might want to give her goodbyes and also give Nidalee her e-mail before she left so that she could collect that video she was promised.
*Jacky received MarkCannon1, Thunder1, and Bubbler*
"You wouldn't be much of a meteorologist without a talent for seeing something in nothing," Nidalee joked, perhaps delivering a sicker burn than was polite between loose acquaintances, but feeling no shame in it given how the day's events had basically been his fault. "I understand your decision, Jacky. I'm sure once he cools down a bit, PhotoMan will realize he didn't particularly want this video being released either. Sometimes, what seems like a good idea on paper doesn't pan out so... er... well, I'm not sure how this seemed like a good photoshoot on paper either. Even geniuses have their off days," she shrugged. Jacky's next request made her raise an eyebrow. "You want to see it?" she asked, then smirked a bit. "Well, girls your age," she murmured under her breath, speaking into the side of a clenched fist. "But certainly, I'll see to it that you give me a copy. Please, leave me an e-mail address and you'll have it by the time you leave."
In a rare moment of painlessness, Jacky found that she was able to change back into her clothes without being bothered or having anything ridiculous happen. The only tough part left would likely be sorting out what had happened with her navi (or watching the video... either the one recorded of her, or the one Nidalee would send her).
When she returned, Dr. Watershed hurried to meet her. "We should discuss your reward, Jacky," he cleared his throat. If one was particularly judgmental, one could surmise that he was particularly excited to be the one to give the gift, to increase his ever-dwindling supply of likeable traits. "MarkCannon1 from Nidalee, Thunder1 from Molly, and from me, Bubbler!" he announced, as though his Bubbler reveal was saving the best for last. "Will that be acceptable? In hindsight, we should have discussed this beforehand, but, well, we were all in a bit of a rush to turn things around after my little gaff."
Dillan was also nearby talking to Nidalee about something; she might want to give her goodbyes and also give Nidalee her e-mail before she left so that she could collect that video she was promised.
*Jacky received MarkCannon1, Thunder1, and Bubbler*
last edited by
Jacky was the type who often didn't get when she was being teased if it wasn't driven home, and so she didn't present much of a reaction to the notion that she might be looking to retain the tape for business rather than pleasure. She did show a reaction, however, when her e-mail was brought up, her frown tightening a bit. "Blast. I didn't finish setting up my encryption software and private user server... I'll have to do it when I get home." She had a pretty good hunch that if that e-mail ended up anywhere Hyde could put her digital digits on it, it'd be finding its way onto the Net, maybe even free of charge. "Rather than e-mail, can I give you a mailing address? I'd rather keep it in separate physical storage, due to its sensitive nature. Give me your e-mail address, and I'll send you a message with my physical."
With that done, Jacky would scurry off, get changed as she intended, and scurry out, pleased to find all of her things where she left them. She looked in the mirror one last time as she hung up her stage costume. She'd been expecting to find a comfortingly recognizable young woman staring back at her, only to realize she was still fully decked out in dark makeup. She sighed, deciding not to do anything about it until she was back in her apartment, and hoping she'd be able to hurry back in without bumping into anyone she cared about.
Leaving the changing room, she nearly bumped into Dr. Watershed in her haste. She nodded and took the chips: in reality, she had no idea how valuable the chips were, or what they did, from their names alone. Still she'd requested chips, and she couldn't honestly say she'd expected more than three from helping with a school career day. "Fair enough. Thank you," she told him, sparing him little more thought as she made her way to Nidalee.
"Is Molly already gone? No matter; if she hasn't, please give her my thanks and well wishes." Assuming she'd gotten Nidalee to go along with it, she would forward the address of her apartment... which, of course, would mean Nidalee would have Jacky's e-mail address, should she forget Jacky's instructions or decide she just wanted to screw with Jacky for whatever reason. "Thanks to you as well, and I wish you luck in your future endeavors." Jacky didn't say it, but really, she was hoping Nidalee would find profit in her future endeavors, as well. What on earth had possessed this group to participate in this event?
"Dillan," she added, turning to the boy. "Sorry if I'm interrupting. Thank you for your help as well, and... please... it'd make me very happy if you didn't speak of this any more than you had to. Okay? It isn't the sort of thing I'd like to earn a reputation for. Ah... and about that video business I was just discussing with Nidalee... please, don't pay any attention to that, either. Thanks again."
Unless any last business popped up that she really, really needed to take care of, Jacky was preparing to head for her vehicle and her apartment post-haste.
With that done, Jacky would scurry off, get changed as she intended, and scurry out, pleased to find all of her things where she left them. She looked in the mirror one last time as she hung up her stage costume. She'd been expecting to find a comfortingly recognizable young woman staring back at her, only to realize she was still fully decked out in dark makeup. She sighed, deciding not to do anything about it until she was back in her apartment, and hoping she'd be able to hurry back in without bumping into anyone she cared about.
Leaving the changing room, she nearly bumped into Dr. Watershed in her haste. She nodded and took the chips: in reality, she had no idea how valuable the chips were, or what they did, from their names alone. Still she'd requested chips, and she couldn't honestly say she'd expected more than three from helping with a school career day. "Fair enough. Thank you," she told him, sparing him little more thought as she made her way to Nidalee.
"Is Molly already gone? No matter; if she hasn't, please give her my thanks and well wishes." Assuming she'd gotten Nidalee to go along with it, she would forward the address of her apartment... which, of course, would mean Nidalee would have Jacky's e-mail address, should she forget Jacky's instructions or decide she just wanted to screw with Jacky for whatever reason. "Thanks to you as well, and I wish you luck in your future endeavors." Jacky didn't say it, but really, she was hoping Nidalee would find profit in her future endeavors, as well. What on earth had possessed this group to participate in this event?
"Dillan," she added, turning to the boy. "Sorry if I'm interrupting. Thank you for your help as well, and... please... it'd make me very happy if you didn't speak of this any more than you had to. Okay? It isn't the sort of thing I'd like to earn a reputation for. Ah... and about that video business I was just discussing with Nidalee... please, don't pay any attention to that, either. Thanks again."
Unless any last business popped up that she really, really needed to take care of, Jacky was preparing to head for her vehicle and her apartment post-haste.
last edited by
Everyone accepted Jacky's parting words gracefully enough. "If you're really not putting out the video, I still feel like your navi deserves something... since I'm certain she wouldn't have done it had she not expected compensation," Nidalee added politely, though she didn't look as though she believed that, based on her smirk. "Please, take this as well. For your trouble."
*Jacky receives 2000 zenny*
"Video?" Dillan asked, his ears wiggling with clear interest, as Jacky left the room. "Oh! That was Jacky," he remarked, not having recognized her without the make-up and get up, given that he had a hard time recognizing people in general that had made her stand out a little, at least. "What video's she talking about, though?"
"Yes, what video, exactly?" Dr. Watershed added. Nidalee had given the good doctor about all the patience she could and there was none left for either him or Dillan; Nidalee exited right after Jacky, apparently planning to have someone else come clean up the stage.
*Hyde gains 11 Parka FXP, 16 Strum FXP, 17 PhotoMan FXP, and 7 HoundMan FXP*
*Jacky receives 2000 zenny*
"Video?" Dillan asked, his ears wiggling with clear interest, as Jacky left the room. "Oh! That was Jacky," he remarked, not having recognized her without the make-up and get up, given that he had a hard time recognizing people in general that had made her stand out a little, at least. "What video's she talking about, though?"
"Yes, what video, exactly?" Dr. Watershed added. Nidalee had given the good doctor about all the patience she could and there was none left for either him or Dillan; Nidalee exited right after Jacky, apparently planning to have someone else come clean up the stage.
*Hyde gains 11 Parka FXP, 16 Strum FXP, 17 PhotoMan FXP, and 7 HoundMan FXP*