Late December 2012; The Warehouse

[damncompass]

It's one of those days, where everything in the Warehouse is going pretty well.

People are around, doing inventory, prepping reports, and above everything, there's a cheerful static ball or two zipping down the aisles.

Joshua's in his lab, fussing with this and that, not really making any progress, but amusing himself in the process.

Comments

[claudiometer]

Claudia, meanwhile, just picked up this year's round of Christmas shirts.
And a gag gift for Joshua that she feels like delivering now. Knock knock.

[damncompass]

"There's nothing that's going to whammy or explode. Come on in!" Joshua is at this moment looking something up on his laptop.

There's a bucket on one of the tables that gurgles every so often, but it seems to just cheerfully bubble on its own.

[claudiometer]

"Good to know."
Claudia comes in and hands Joshua a box. "Happy early Christmas for you. Only person who's getting two packages day-of is Steve, and that's because he doesn't have an 'Artifact that almost killed me' shirt yet."

[damncompass]

"Well, shit. I... er, I don't have yours ready yet. I have a few things for you." He turns a bit red and takes the box. "Christmas kinda creeped up on me this year."

He swivels on his chair, and puts the box on the control table. "Do you want me to open it now?"

[claudiometer]

Claudia shrugs. "No rush, man. Just figured I'd bring this in now."
(If he does open it, he'll find a shirt: WHY IS LARA CROFT POINTING A TESLA AT ME?

Why, no, she doesn't plan on letting him live that down any time soon. Why do you ask?)

[damncompass]

Joshua has always been bad at waiting, so he rips open the box. "Oh, for the love of...." He almost facepalms. "You're terrible, you know that?"

[claudiometer]

"I knew you'd like it!"
:D :D :D :D :D

[damncompass]

Joshua rolls his eyes. "Where the crap am I supposed to wear this? Helena will laugh her ass off if I wear it to bed, and no one else'll get it."

[claudiometer]

Claudia shrugs. "I was expecting it to be a work shirt. Or a PJ shirt. HG would fall asleep eventually."

[damncompass]

"Thanks, baby sister." He hugs her. "I'm glad that we're together again this year."

[claudiometer]

"Me too."

Naturally, the moment's interrupted by that fucking scarab poking through the floor. "...Oh god donut. Is the box in here?"

[damncompass]

"Oh for fuck's sake! Why the shit would I have the box in here?" He flails around a bit for his Farnsworth. "Where did you see it last?"

[claudiometer]

"The ovoid maybe? I don't know!"
The last time she heard about anyone trying to catch it was while they were in Fredericksburg. But you bet she's trying now. In the absence of the box, a static bag will have to do.

[damncompass]

There is a faint hint of electricity in the air, a static ball whizzing by with... is that a giggle?

Joshua grabs his Farnsworth and eyes it. "Who was the last person in the ovoid? Pete's got unpacking duty this week, doesn't he?"

[claudiometer]

"I think so? And I think we're being laughed at. Just go get the damn box, will you, Mister Teleportation?"
Normally she wouldn't encourage him, but she's got the higher Dex stat anyway. Better that she stays here and tries to catch the little fucker.

[damncompass]

"Oh, shit, I can teleport, can't I?" He pauses and glares at his sister as another giggling static ball whizzes by.

"And we are totally being laughed at." He sighs, and disappears, returning a couple moments later with the box. "Alright, where is that fucker?"

[claudiometer]

"Got it!"
The static bag is twitching. She was on the point of dumping it in a vat of goo.

[damncompass]

"Alright. Let's get that fucker in the goo." He goes over, putting the box on his desk, and pulling over a tank of goo. "I really hope this works."

[claudiometer]

"You and me both."
Maybe they should just put it in the box? But if he thinks goo's a good plan Claudia's willing to go with it.

[damncompass]

"Alright. Here we go." He takes the bag, and as he opens it to pour the scarab into the goo, the scarab takes flight, and flies off to land on one of his equipment pieces.

"Oh, for fuck's sake, no. Get the hell off of there."

A static ball whizzes by giggling madly.

"And you hush!"

[claudiometer]

"What the hell is so funny about this damn scarab, anyway?"

The static ball buzzes cheerfully, but (to Claudia, anyway) totally incomprehensibly.

[damncompass]

"She says that it's funny because we all flail around trying to catch it." He translates almost without thinking.

"Alright. I'm not throwing gallons of goo on my shelves, so maybe you should take the box and try to get it?" He holds out the box a bit tentatively.

[claudiometer]

She takes the box, and eyes her brother for a moment. "How the hell did you understand that?"

[damncompass]

"What do you mean?" Joshua looks at her oddly for a moment. "Isn't it obvious what she's saying?"

The scarab flutters its wings at the Donovans which elicits another static-ball-snicker.

[claudiometer]

"Well, I can tell we're being laughed at, but... no? --Get over here, you fucker."
She lunges for the scarab.

[damncompass]

The scarab flitters around Claudia's head before flying down to the floor and burrowing in.

"Oh, for fuck's sake! I don't want to have to fix that damn hole."

[claudiometer]

"God donut."
Claudia puts the lid back on the box, sets it on Joshua's desk, and eyes the static ball. "Can't you make the damn thing hold still?"
The static ball buzzes for a while.
"...Yeah, I still got nothin'."

[damncompass]

Joshua sighs, leaning on one of his shelves. "She says that it's older than her, and it's really hard controlling things that aren't older than her, so she's got nothing."

[claudiometer]

"If you say so." Which of them she's saying that to is hard to tell.
"How long have you been talking to her, anyway?"

[damncompass]

"Uh... I don't know? It's been a while. I just... I get what she's saying. I didn't realize that it was that out of the ordinary."

[claudiometer]

"Huh. You're going and learning new tricks on me."
The static ball buzzes again.
"Well, maybe if you'd slow down a little I could... catch... oh."

[damncompass]

"Exactly. You're overthinking it, Claud."

Joshua gigglefits, shaking his head and eyeing the hole in the floor. "Now what the fuck do I do with that?"

[claudiometer]

"Oh, shut up."
The static ball buzzes some more. "I... think she said to put goo on it?"

[damncompass]

"Yeah, she did. You're getting there!" He eyes the hole in the floor, then upends a tub of goo on it. The goo glorps about, but fills the hole, which heals itself.

"Huh. I wish that would work for all holes in things."

[claudiometer]

"If it was that easy it'd be an Artifact in its own right."