SUPER BARBECUE SUPER BARBECUE SUPER BARBECUE [open as heck]

[hugling]

Who: SUPER HEROES!!!!!
Where: Ernest E. Debs Regional Park!
When: Sunday!
What: SUPER BARBECUE
Warnings: Superheroes...



It's a pleasant evening at Ernest E. Debs Regional Park, just a couple miles from downtown LA, which can be seen through the haze. Late March means spring is just arriving in LA and the trees are just starting to bud. Unfortunately, the grass is still kind of dead and dry.

The barbecue and picnic area isn't too busy, though the park does have the usual assortment of joggers, dog walkers, and cyclists. There are some balloons tied to picnic tables, and strung between two trees is a very homemade "SUPER BBQ" banner, courtesy of Hulkling and Starbreaker. There's still glitter glue on Milly's apartment floor. There's another posterboard with the rules written on it in big bold sharpie letters nearby, just in case anyone forgets:

• Don't be a jerk!!!
• Keep your weapons holstered please.
• Do not trash the park!
• ABSOLUTELY NO FIGHTING
• Anyone caught fighting will be asked to leave!
• Really don't be a jerk!

[OKAY GUYS!!! mingle! have fun! maybe some THINGS WILL HAPPEN, whoooo knows!]

Comments

[buffedthat]

Well, there's a dumb challenge. Breakdown doesn't even have to look over, just keeps his attempt at not smirking contained to Sollux's general direction.

"Easy. He's got darker skin than yours does. Dark eyes, real short hair, nose is a little wider at the bottom. And he's dressed pretty nice."

[buffthis]

Clearly mollified, Knock Out gives Starscream an unbearably smug look, patting Breakdown on the arm. "See?" he says to Starscream, sneering. "It's not that hard. You just have to use your senses."

[starscheme]

If looks could kill, Knock Out would be on his way to the well-of-all-sparks right about now.

"I-- well he had more time to think about it, plus a point of reference to compare to!" He pauses a beat. "And I still fail to see how this is a necessary skill to have anyway!"

[nitrodamus]

"Dude, you're on a planet covered in humans," he says. Now he's just kind of incredulous. "Look, here's a pro tip: when a human asks you about another humans, don't insert things like 'human hair' or like...'human skin' when describing them. I know it's super tempting but people might just start thinking you're an alien."

[starscheme]

Starscream's lip curls. "What I mean is that I do not see myself ever being in a situation where a matter of life or death hinges on me being able to describe the appearance of some random human being to another person. I can still tell them apart just fine--" suddenly he realizes how ridiculous this entire fucking conversation is and just lets out an exasperated growl and palms a hand to his forehead.

[nitrodamus]

"Okay, well," Sollux says, after a moment. "You should probably stop making faces like that, though. No actual human face does that."

[bigfuckinggun]

Megatron arrives.

From what information he has gleaned about this gathering, it should not be tremendously out of place for an attendee to simply materialise there, so why beat around the bush? One second there is nobody there, and then quite suddenly there is a huge dude with a floor length purple cape hanging off his massive shoulders. Where everybody else decided to set their avatars to 'dressed like normal people', Megatron has gone the whole hog in his effort to 'blend in'. There is spandex. There is a mask/helmet combo. There's a lot of purple. The spikes on his shoulders are, true to form, taller than his head. He looks more like a really intense supervillain than anything else, but this is a nuance he has apparently failed to pick up on.

He surveys his assembled warriors with a look of great distaste. He cannot believe you people.

[starscheme]

Megatron's sudden appearance is startling, to say the least, and it takes Starscream a moment to recognize who he is.

Once he does though, the burst of laughter he lets out is loud, obnoxious, and uncharacteristically non-menacing.

[nitrodamus]

"I dunno what you're laughing about dude," Sollux says, after taking a moment to adjust. "I'm pretty sure he just won. Everybody else fails."

[starscheme]

Starscream does not have any response to that, he is far too busy trying to keep his laughter under control, dulling it down to a rude snickering.

[bigfuckinggun]

Gemini is definitely continuing to win himself Decepticon brownie points here. Megatron is not terrifically impressed by his robe and wizard hat, but, like, at least he tried, so he gets an approving glance. Presumably he actually had to source his ridiculous getup from somewhere, unlike the rest of these failures who could have programmed their avatars with whatever they wanted.

Megatron folds his gloved arms.

"I was informed," he intones, "that this was a gathering for humans who identify themselves by their extravagant costumes." He pointedly looks around the assemblage of humans and human shaped individuals, and then slowly turns back to the Decepticons. "It seems I was correct. I fail to see what is any more inappropriate about my own avatar than," his nose wrinkles a little in disapproval, "any of yours."

[starscheme]

Starscream still has no reply to that. The getup isn't exactly un-Megatron like, but seeing such a style on a human frame is ridiculous, and associating such ridiculousness with the fearless leader that he's been at the heels of for thousands of years now is just way too much for him to handle right now.

He at least has the grace to look sort of ashamed of himself upon being chastised and turns away to try and get his hysterics under control.

[buffthis]

"Personally, I'm not much for all...that," Knock Out says, choosing his words carefully as he looks over Megatron's avatar. He's doing a considerably better job than Starscream at hiding his amusement, but then, he's not nearly as interested in pissing off Megatron. "But I must say, Lord Megatron, your flair for human costuming is...unparalleled." He pauses, considering. "I like the spikes."

[buffedthat]

For his part, Breakdown is just in awe. Quietly. He's stood up to abandon puppy-playing-efforts, just sort of smiling at Megatron. That dude looks awesome no matter what he looks like, it's amazing.

"The spikes are great," he agrees, enthusiastic.

[starscheme]

"...suck ups," Starscream mutters between slowly decreasing fits of laughter.