☀ the third [video]

[roseate]

[The video opens to one (1) Rose Lalonde, sitting primly on what appears to be the carpet of a play area. Her jaw is tight and she stares the camera down in obvious annoyance.]

It seems I have been relocated.

[There's an ear-piercing shriek of laughter in the background, and a few toddlers dart on and back off camera. Her expression gets tighter.]

My erstwhile roommate has been 'released' into the wilds of actual reality, or whatever story it is that they feed us, which has left me in the position of evicted to a daycare center until such a time as a proper guardian can be procured. Apparently, essential godhood is not taken into account when discerning whether or not one can satisfactorily take care of oneself.

[A brightly-colored plastic ball, such as the kind found in ballpits, comes speeding out of nowhere. Rose catches it before it hits, with the same hand that still clutches one of her customary needles. Turning her hand palm-down, she opens her fingers. The needle falls; the ball does not.]

At least I have this truly astounding collection of Sweet Valley High novels to keep me sane.

[Or not. The ball finally unsticks itself from her hand with an unpleasant smack, and she grimaces.]

Comments

[expositional]

That sounds... horrific.

[roseate]

[sorry still sort of just staring in horror at her hand.]

It's sticky.
Why is it sticky.

[chainsawed]

In The Defense Of Your New Toddler Hivemates
I Admit I May Have Filled The Ballpit With Gelatin Several Months Ago

[roseate]

...

[roseate]

Why?

[expositional]

I'm afraid I don't have an answer to that. Children are often sticky for reasons beyond my understanding.

[roseate]

Apparently the fault lies not with children but with a friend who is nearly full-grown and ostensibly in possession of all her mental faculties.
Mystery solved.
I hope.
I hope I'm not expected to stay long.

[chainsawed]

Ah
I See They Have Taken The Liberty Of Removing The Decorations I Left Behind From My Stint There

[roseate]

What decorations?

[chainsawed]

I Made An Extremely Fetching Tent Out Of What I Think Was A "Parachute"
As Well As Several Afghans

[roseate]

That sounds very livable.
No doubt it was completely wrecked the moment you were able to abscond.

[roseate]

Kanaya, may I come over?

[chainsawed]

Yes Of Course
I Dont Think My Replacement Lusus Will Mind In The Slightest

[roseate]

A true friend indeed.
Did you know there are apparently over 144 books in the Sweet Valley series?
I think this might constitute as torture.

[morsporta.livejournal.com]

Your friend may stay until another roommate is appointed to her.

[riseup]

oh noooooooo!
rose, stop getting trapped places.
at least kanaya already rescued you this time!

[roseate]

"Rescued" is a ltitle degrading, John.
Not that I am ungrateful.
At least this way I am not forced to less dignified coping measures.

[riseup]

i don't know why they make people stay in a ball pit.
it is not like we can't take care of ourselves.

[roseate]

It isn't like I haven't tucked my alcoholic parent in more often than she has me.
I'm fairly sure we could handle a few weeks of rentfree living.

[pretexts]

I'm not sure I understand why they chose a daycare center.

[roseate]

Presumably some bureaucratic masterminds got together and decided the best way to distract me from my state of "homeless orphan" would be to inundate me with drooling children.

[pretexts]

Or perhaps you've been passive aggressively drafted into service.

[somanyhats]

I'll trade ya.

[roseate]

Trade me?

[somanyhats]

Yeah you can go live in my room and I'll move into the ballpit