hs_olympics | BONUS ROUND 2

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bonus round

BONUS ROUND 2

Bonus Round 2

The Return of Round Robin Fanadventures

Comments have been screened; we will be tallying the points over the next 48 hours or so, after which we will unscreen the comments. Comments have been unscreened! You may continue the fanadventures on this post as long as you like, though we will not be awarding further points.

Hi shippers! Welcome to Bonus Round 2.
Round Robin Fanadventures generated so much awesome stuff last year that we decided to bring it back!

For those who are new to HSO, this is not actually that complicated a concept, but it might be a little tricky to explain, so bear with me. The point of this round is to create a bunch of fanadventures that are for a team other than your own.

Rules

If you are starting a new adventure: start a new thread using the title format defined below. Include either text or 1-2 pieces of embedded art setting a scene (or both!), and finish with a command (==> does not count as a command for new threads). Then sit back and wait for someone else to contribute!
If you are continuing an adventure: find a thread that does not center around your team's ship. Then comment using the title format defined below. Include either text or 1-2 pieces of embedded art continuing the scene (or both!), and finish with a command (this can include ==>, though generally we would prefer otherwise). Then sit back and wait for someone else to contribute!
For ease of reading, we suggest using standardized image sizes. 600x400 landscape is a pretty good size! But as long as it's the same as the other images in the thread, people will have an easier time following along. The HTML for inserting images is <img src="http://yourimageurlhere.com">
For this challenge, there is no minimum wordcount. We are trusting you not to abuse that fact!
You may not comment twice in a row in one adventure. The point is to hand off the scene like a hot potato.
You may not introduce or create for your team's ship into a fanadventure. If someone else introduces your team's ship to a thread, you can still contribute to that thread so long as your contributions do not involve your ship.
This challenge will run until 11:59PM EDT July 7. After that time, even if it's just by a minute according to the LJ timestamp, no submissions will be accepted for points.

NOTES:

Audio posts are fine, so long as you include a transcript.
Please make sure to check that your titles are correct!
You may answer commands that have already been answered. Think of it like a 'choose your own adventure' game!

Title Format
If you are starting a new thread, use this format in your title.

Replace [THEIR SHIP] with the ship you want this particular fanadventure thread to be. Remember that you cannot create a fanadventure based on your own ship. Whatever ship you choose must be represented by a HSO team not your own. The only exception is gen adventures, which are permitted.
Replace [YOUR SHIP] with the name of the team YOU belong to; please use the characters and quadrant, not whatever portmanteau or nickname you've come up with. If your team name is not in this format and in the title it may not be counted.

If you are continuing a thread, use this format in your title.

Replace [COMMAND] with whatever command the previous fill has specified.
Replace [YOUR SHIP] with the name of the team YOU belong to; please use the characters and quadrant, not whatever portmanteau or nickname you've come up with.
If your title is not in this format it may not be counted.

Posts not using this format in the title will be understood to be unofficial discussion posts, no matter what they contain. They, like all comments on the comm, are subject to the Wank Policy.

Scoring
(as stated here)
First 5 entries per team: 30 (per entry)
Entries 6-10: 20 (per entry)
Entries 11-15: 10 (per entry)
Entries 16+: 5 (per entry)

All fanadventure content must be created new for this round.

We would prefer that any questions about this challenge or anything else in the HSO be emailed to us at homestuck.shipping AT gmail!

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

When Rose wakes up in the morning, it is to an empty bed. That in itself isn't unusual, but the other half of the bed isn't made up like it usually is when Kanaya wakes first. Her dark silky robe is still hanging on the door, which is cracked open.

With a small worried frown, Rose slips out of bed and goes to check the master bathroom. There is no sign that Kanaya has even been in there this morning. An unsettling sense of wrongness permeates the air.

Rose: Go look for your vampire girlfriend

Edited 2012-07-07 00:00 (UTC)

You slide quickly out of bed, tying your robe around your waist as you exit the bathroom. All of the lights are out, and the curtains are drawn. You know this is completely unlike Kanaya, who revels in sunlight.

You feel your way down the stairs, towards a light switch, but a bump from another room on the main floor makes you pause.

> Rose: Investigate further.

As you move towards the room you are now starting to get worried. As quiet as you and Kanaya tend to be together, your house still never has this amount of silence. The only sounds that you can hear are your footsteps and your breathing. Oh, and the thumping from the other room. You keep hearing that too.

The bumps just get louder and more frequent the closer you get to the source. You are scared but that won't stop you if something has happened to Kanaya. You reach the room that the noises are coming from and place your hand on the doorknob, bracing yourself for anything.

>Rose: Open door

You steel yourself, square your shoulders and get a better grip on the knob, taking a deep, shuddering breath. Then, pulse pounding in your ears, you thrust the door open with a mighty "bang!".

... And there is Kanaya, sitting perched in a squashy armchair, with an array of lamps that would be much more appropriate for a darker time of night set around her. Several empty mugs containing the last few remnants of blood-emulsification tea are stacked like sentinels on the sidetable. And in the middle of it all, Kanaya looks up at you like a dear in the headlights, bags under her luminous eyes deep like bruises. In her surprise, she's clutched whatever object she'd been holding tight to her chest. Though most of the book's cover is obscured by her protective pajama sleeves, you can just make out the its title: The Complacency of the Learned.

Most importantly of all, you notice her feet are placed upon the most rickety footrest you have in the whole entire house. If she were kicking her feet as she read, that was surely the source of the mysterious thumping.

You sag against the doorway. It's all you can do to keep from laughing in relief. "Did you even sleep last night?"

> Kanaya: Explain.

Oh dear, it seems that Rose has caught you in this state. And it also seems that you have made her worry.

"I am sorry, but I started reading this just a few days ago and I really can't seem to put it down. It is riveting."

You don't mention the nightmares that you have been having. Rose doesn't seem to have picked up on the fact that you haven't slept in three nights. You are very lucky that your rainbowdrinker nature means that you do not have to sleep as much as other trolls in order to function properly, but at this point even for you it is only the tea that you are constantly consuming that is keeping you from shutting your eyes.

Shutting your eyes and being encased of dreams of death and darkness and pain and blood. So much blood. Not all of it yours.

You gasp awake. It seems that in that instant your exhaustion has kicked in and you had fallen asleep. Only for a few instants though it seems because Rose has moved to your side and is now holding your hand.

>Rose: Realize what is going on

Your name is Jade Harley, and you are about to meet one of your best friends for the first time! Right now she is on her way to your island in her mom's private jet, so needless to say you are pretty excited. You and Rose are going to have so much fun!
You've already made plans to watch the first and second Squiddles movies, and Rose is bringing her violin so you can jam in real life. You're also going to force Rose to go to the beach with you, and also to maybe go hiking a little, no matter what she says. You can't wait to show her everything!

You also wonder if you could make some kissing happen. You know that Rose is NOT A HETEROSEXUAL, and neither are you! But you're not sure how she would feel about that. It's not something you've really talked about, beyond some silly joking around. You guess you'll just have to wait and see!

Oh, speaking of which, Rose should be here soon! You should go and meet her.

>Jade: Go meet Rose

Yes, it's almost time after all. You quickly hurry down to the part of the island where you instructed Rose to land at, or the pilot. Whatever. You stand there looking up at the sky, just waiting. You're so excited.

> Rose: Lade.

Your name is Rose Lalonde. Your plane is about to land and you are not nervous at all. Nope. Not one bit. You are blaming the fluttering feeling in your stomach on the turbulence coming over here, because it most certainly does not have anything on Earth to do with the fact that you are about to meet Jade Harley, one of your best friends, for the first time.

As the plane nears the island you can start to make out her form, silhouetted against the lush, green surroundings. She starts jumping up and down and waving, like it will make the plane land faster.

When the plane does land, you step off on shaky legs. All you've brought with you is a large duffle bag, a bag with your essentials and notebooks that you had promised Jade she could read, and a wrapped present for her that you had painstakingly picked out. You really hope that she likes it.

"Rose!!" You almost drop your belongings as Jade hugs you tightly and almost tackles you to the ground.

Rose: Return affectionate gesture.

Your name is Aradia Megido, and you are eight sweeps old today. Since you are currently living on Earth with your troll and human friends, this day doesn't hold the same amount of significance as it would have had you still been on Alternia, but you're pretty excited nonetheless. Later today you are going to host a DEATH THEMED COSTUME PARTY, also known as a CORPSE PARTY, in the apartment you share with Sollux, and your girlfriend has revealed to you that she has prepared the best gift ever!! :). You wonder what it could be! Last sweep, she made you your very own robot in her likeness, so that she'll always be with you, even when she is away doing Jade things, or you are away doing Aradia things. The Jadebot also cooks, cleans, and plays the bass. Jade is so thoughtful.

Speaking of which, she is on her way over now, to help you decorate for the CORPSE PARTY.

> Be Jade

You are now Jade. Today is your girlfriends weird, troll, birthday thing. She's turning eight sweeps old, which you still find just a little bit confusing. You're just EXCITED because you know she'll really love her present this year. You have this all thought out completely.

> Jade: Think about present.

Edited 2012-07-07 19:08 (UTC)

Oh, you've just created the more amazing birthday present ever!

You are the best girlfriend/matesprit. It is you.

For Aradia's gift, you have prepared travel for both of you to go search ruins all over the world, some of which have never been touched by humans for thousands of years (and never by trolls!)

You are happy that Aradia's love for archaeology has managed to survive even on Earth as she now studies what has been left behind by humans rather than Alternians.

You fixed it up so that the week after the corpse party you and your girlfriend will be heading out to see the world unknown!

>Aradia: Be very excited

Okay, okay, the tea isn't THAT bad. Calm down.
You realize, though it is bitter, Jade was right; you can't very well drink tea in a dream if you don't know what it is!

Your host good-naturedly laughs at your befuddlement. She realizes her mistake and brings out the box of tea she used.

Jade: Describe what kind of tea you've set out.

The question would be, in all honesty, is what tea HAVEN'T you set out.

You have chai, green tea, black tea, camomille, peppermint, earl grey, breakfast time, Lady Grey-

You get the picture.

Still, the tea you gave Aradia is a nice simple camomille. A nice simple tea that makes everyone calm and happy.

"It tastes a bit floraly," you finally start off, smiling as you do so. "Kind of creamy, too, especially if you add milk. More sweet. It's really one of my favorites, especially if you want to relax!"

Aradia: Try the tea again.

Your name is JOHN EGBERT. You are TWENTY-FOUR YEARS OLD, and for reasons you would RATHER NOT TALK ABOUT, you are FLAT BROKE. You have resorted to becoming a STREET PERFORMER as a means of hopefully making a little cash.

At the moment, you are standing in a busy city square, attempting to AMAZE AND MYSTIFY with your STUNNING ILLUSIONS and BAFFLING FEATS. Your cards fly from hand to hand, you make coins vanish and reappear from nowhere, pull silks and rope and razors from your mouth. Sometimes you get a polite smile or a penny or a nickel, but mostly, people walk straight past you without sparing half a glance. As of six hours standing in the heat with your deck of cards and half-dollars, you have made only...

You have made...

You look down in time to see a bone-skinny hand tossing a literal wad of bills into the upturned fedora - formerly almost empty except for a littering of coins - at your feet.

You blink and look up to thank the generous stranger, only to see oh god is he a juggalo.

He doesn't say a thing, just stares down into your eyes, seemingly utterly transfixed. He's pasty white where his face hasn't been decorated with weird black and white patterns, blue-purple veins standing out harshly on a twiggy neck and arms. His hair's a wild blond mess that easily sits at least six inches tall - and he's tall himself, a complete string bean, standing more than a foot taller than you. He notices your attention, and a slow grin spreads across his face like molasses.

"Couldn't help but all be motherfuckin' gettin' my notice on of the miracles you're making, bro," he says; his voice is soft and slightly gravelly, barely above a whisper that you have to strain to hear. "That's all I got on me right there, but I'd give you more if I could."

You still don't really know what to say, so all you manage is, "That's very kind of you." How much money did he even put in there? He can't be serious, can he?

Wait a minute, that doesn't look like legal tender to you...

> John: Examine bills of dubious legitimacy.

You pick up a bill sitting on the top of the pile, and regard the image of Ben Franklin whose face usually adorns legal American tender.

Oh, he is still there all right.

Only this Ben Franklin now looks like a shoddy member of KISS, his face inked over in black ball point pen.

You check over all of the other bills, and notice that all of them have been similarly vandalized.

Will people even accept this money? You figure they must, if this guy is still getting away with doing it. Never mind the fact that it is going to be embarrassing as hell to buy things, now.

Oh well. Beggars can't be choosers.

The juggalo is still staring at you, and you figure if he has given you several hundred dollars for no reason, the least you could do is offer to buy him a coffee.

John: Make offer

"Hey, so, want to go get some coffee?" you say, goofy grin on your face. "I mean, for thanks. Seriously, that was an awesome thing for you to do."

You eye the juggalo carefully, waiting for a response. All he has is a goofy, lopsided grin on his face, and it does make you a little bit on the nervous side.

Finally, he's talking to you, goofy grin still on his face, like he doesn't have a care in the world.

"Sure thing, bro."

John: Follow the Juggalo.

You are John Egbert, and this is your second week on the job. You work at a coffee shop on the weekends and boy are you sick of the smell of coffee. Sensual your ass.

Pour, rinse, repeat.

Though today it seems like it is going to be a great day! You slide a customer their bagel and tuna salad combo and sit back to wipe your hands on your apron. You decide to take a break, go visit the old John. Haha, not you or your dad of course, but rather, the shitter.

--> John: Bump into a pretty girl

Lousy stupid goddamn slippery floors!

You grab hold of a table to get your balance, but it's too late: her coffee (black with a shot of cherry syrup, of all weird things, you remember) topples spectacularly all over you, raining hot fury upon your head and making you hiss in pain, teeth gritted. She's lucky enough to land in a nearby chair, but her face is flushed with annoyance.

"Why don't you watch where you're going?!" she snaps, with a quick, angry flip of her long dark hair as she gets to her feet. You belatedly realize that the coffee landed all over her too. "Do you even know who I am, nerd?"

"I'm so sorry, I'll make you a new one," you stammer, your own nerves shot. You risk a look into her eyes, even though you kind of completely totally want to be anywhere else but here right now.

Upon meeting your gaze, though, her eyes (dark blue, thickly outlined in the same colour) go wide, and she looks you up and down. Her mouth quirks up at the corner. Her lips, too, are blue. You didn't even know they made blue lipstick. "...You're kind of cute in a dumb awkward way, though, so I gueeeeeeeess I can forgive you. This time."

She leans over and puts out a hand to help you up. Her nails, too, are painted blue. As you rise to accept it, something jostles in the back of your brain.

Don't you know who I am?

You do, now that you think about it. But who exactly is she?

> John: Think.

Edited 2012-07-08 02:21 (UTC)

You can't think. That's the problem.

You stand there, trying to place who she is, looking over those features, but there is no way anything is coming to mind. What's driving you nuts, however, is that she is so, so familiar.

Finally, you're taking time to collect your thoughts, to finally find your voice, and you're shaking your head, unable to take your eyes off of this pretty girl.

"Sorry, no I don't." you finally admit, goofy grin finally finding it's way on your face.

"Maybe you can help me out and inform me."

>Vriska: Inform the Dorky Boy.

Time to lay some knowledge down on this fool.

"I'm Vriska Serket, aka the Spider Bite!!!!!!!!"

The boy clears his throat and give you another goofy grin, "Uh, yeah? What's that?"

You screech, "What's that?! The Spider Bite! It's my alias for my blog!"

"Your... blog?"

"Yes, the best blog on the world wide web you nerd! The primary source for all fashion, music, and other crazy wicked stuff."

He's laughing now. What a pleb. "Sorry, so you're just a pretty girl with a blog?"

"Screw you!!!!!!!! I have over 88 followers, I'm practically famous!!"

Wait.

You clear your throat, "Wait... pretty?"

John: Answer the pretty girl with a blog

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Page 8 of 8

BONUS ROUND 2

Bonus Round 2

Comments have been screened; we will be tallying the points over the next 48 hours or so, after which we will unscreen the comments. Comments have been unscreened! You may continue the fanadventures on this post as long as you like, though we will not be awarding further points.

New [ROSE<3KANAYA] Game (FILL: TEAM [BRO<3DAD])

Rose: Go look for your vampire girlfriend (FILL: TEAM ROSE<3SOLLUX)

>Rose: Investigate further (FILL: TEAM [Alpha!Dave<3Alpha!Rose)

Rose: Open door (FILL: TEAM JADE<3ROSE)

>Kanaya: Explain (FILL: TEAM Alpha!Dave<3Alpha!Rose)

New Jade<3Rose game (FILL: TEAM KARKAT<3KARKAT)

> Jade: Go meet Rose. (FILL: Team Karkat<3Karkat)

Rose: Land (FILL: Team John<3Jade<3Karkat)

New Jade<3Aradia game (FILL: TEAM KARKAT<3KARKAT)

> Be Jade. (FILL: Team Karkat<3Karkat)

>Jade: Think about present (FILL: Team Alpha!Dave<3Alpha!Rose)

Aradia: Realize that Jade was right about the tea. (FILL: TEAM SOLLUX<>TEREZI)

Re: Aradia: Realize that Jade was right about the tea. (FILL: TEAM Dave<3Sollux)

New JOHN<3GAMZEE Game (FILL: TEAM JOHN<3ROSE)

John: Examine bills (FILL: TEAM ROSE<3SOLLUX)

Re: John: Examine bills (FILL: TEAM DAVE<3SOLLUX)

New JOHN<3VRISKA Game (FILL: TEAM DAVE<3KARKAT)

> John: Bump into a pretty girl. (FILL: TEAM JOHN<3ROSE)

Re: > John: Bump into a pretty girl. (FILL: TEAM Dave<3Sollux)

Vriska: Inform the dorky boy (FILL: Team John<3Jade<3Karkat)