OPERATION: YOUTHFUL DISOBEDIENCE

[stresstokens]

WHO: Members of the grand curfew-breaking plan!
WHEN: During the Moorecroft event.
WHERE: Various Moorecroft locales.
WHAT: A bunch of youths have gotten together to break curfew in tandem to get to the bottom of the mystery at heart of this place -- but what they find leads to more questions than answers.
NOTES\WARNINGS: Probable violence, death, emotional trauma, cursing. All the fun stuff! I'll be putting the log headers for pre/during/post-curfew breaking logs in the comments, so just hang tight while I do that, though all members are of course more than welcome to post their own logs if that suits their tagging style better.

Comments

PRE-MISSION

[stresstokens]

[ Planning an operation like this one takes time. It takes time, it takes manpower, it takes knocking more than a few heads together and if the snacks provided are any indication, it takes a whole lot of ice cream. They largely meet in places they’ve secured as safe areas; closed off rooms in community centres, people’s homes, information delivered discretely in notes and after-school meetings and hushed whispers at work.

For those who are more technologically minded, you may find yourself with the artificers and wizards of the crew, preparing spell components, brainstorming different gadgets to help out in their efforts, and working together to test, double-test, and triple-test to make sure everything works precisely as planned.

For everyone else, it’s pivotal to remain in tip-top shape, to avoid trouble in the days or weeks leading up to breaking curfew, and to prepare themselves for the inevitable. All members of the team are highly encouraged to bond with each other outside of planning sessions, both because it will help evade suspicion as to why this motley crew started hanging out so much together, and because good teamwork means that everyone ought to at least get to know each other.

Riz - who has, through sheer force of neurotic nosiness, appointed himself as the organizer of the break-out - will remind everyone of the plan on their final preparation day before the mission is complete: they are to break out and distract the robots, they are to limit any and all property damage that could affect other residents, and they are to survive at all costs, even if it means bailing on the mission. Dead men tell no tales, and more importantly (to him, mercenary little man that he is), dead men aren’t able to share whatever intel they discover.

Now, have at it! Go mingle! ]

riz gukgak | ota

[stresstokens]

[ Throughout this process, anyone who was already familiar with Riz will have seen him go through something of a transformation, going from a nice, socially awkward, anxious young man who doesn't seem altogether certain of himself to something else entirely, a tiny general in their midst. He's confident and self-assured, that razor-sharp focus of his finally serving him well when it's turned to a specific goal instead of spread in the haze of aimless paranoia, and he moves through each group with relative ease, going over plans, strategizing, and showing surprising amounts of pragmatism as they face down the very real possibility that any one of them may perish in the process (though he seems quite emphatic that they try really, really, really hard not to). It's clear that this is where he's truly in his element, comfortable in his skin in a way that he rarely is, and a hell of a lot bossier for it.

He has an enormous clue board on the wall, complete with coloured pegs and string, a map of Moorecraft itself, and notes on their grand escape stuck everywhere, to be swept back into his briefcase at the end of every meeting. And while he's not particularly technologically minded, he's got dexterous fingers, and is eager to help with the grunt work of everything that needs doing.

In his focus, he's apt to forget to eat or drink and, despite the fact that it was his idea to make sure they all socialize with each other to evade suspicion, doesn't seem to be doing a lot of that either, trapped in the intensity of his focus. Maybe give him a hand and shove a sandwich in his face or something.

Or, during a quiet moment the day before their mission begins after everything's been said and done, he might turn to you with a crooked smile: ] You feeling ready to do this?

[dangerousmind]

[Aelwyn stands there while he works on putting the plan together, a little bit behind him. Summoning her elementals is a process - taxing when she was still just a normal elf. Now as an avatar, in this starved state, it's a little slower. There are three cheerleaders. Near identical human girls with the same light blonde hair and piercing (slightly unsettling) blue eyes.

"Hi, I'm River! Oh my gosh!" "Hi, I'm Courtney! What?" "Hi, I'm Candy! You're cute."

Summoning the next three without expending a spell slot means roughly an hour straight of rituals, so she's taking a break. The dialogue remains somewhat nauseating, even to her. Getting away from it is a mercy. Even if she takes some small pleasure in inflicting it on everyone else.]

I had a clue board a bit like this one on Earth, you know.

[stresstokens]

[ The sounds of those awful elementals is enough to give Riz hives. Now that he knows Aelwyn a little better too - not much, not much at all, but better than when she was just Adaine's mean older sister (though she is still Adaine's mean older sister) - he can acknowledge how comical it is that these are the personalities of the elementals she conjures up.

He's been trying really hard not to think about their last proper interaction being him chasing her around the house trying to shoot her in the face. They're allies now, after all. Concentrating on his clue board seems like the quickest way down that path. ]

Yeah?

[ He stretches his arms above his head, glances out of the room... and then gets up to close the door. Hi, I'm Cici! You're cute! He grimaces. ] Please don't.

[ The door safely shut behind the elementals and the noise lowered to less than deafening, he glances curiously over at Aelwyn. ]

What sort of things were you tracking back on Earth?

[redheadcarrier]

[ For once, Asuka is happy to leave the planning to other people. Even if she's a little resentful of it in some ways. Her feelings are complicated - but she wants to find out as much as she can, so she rolls with it. Maybe dying and coming back to life tempered her. Maybe the trauma is making her more withdrawn. Hard to say. Either way, she offers her own input here and there and raises her voice when she thinks its necessary.

And perhaps, more importantly, she also pays attention to things. Like people who don't eat.

So she ends up at "his" house to follow up and dumps a bag of something greasy on his desk without much ceremony. The scent of french fries wafts from the paper sack and she's sipping on some sort of soft drink from WcDonald's. ]

When was the last time you got up?

[ It's a somewhat disdainful drawl. ]

Hope you like pickles, because I didn't ask 'em to change anything.

[stresstokens]

[ Riz is, famously, the sort of guy to work himself into a bit of a state. Just because this state leans less on his tendency to catastrophize and spiral and more on his ability to dedicate himself wholly to his job doesn't make it any healthier; he impatiently attends school, spends his lunch hour interrogating any fellow students who will entertain him for long enough, leaps straight into his part-time job to snoop around others' homes, and then he's back at his place, throwing himself immediately into his work.

Which is all to say he hasn't eaten a thing since one of the adults of the house threw some breakfast at him on his way out of the house. He doesn't even hear Asuka come in, bolting upright with a shout of surprise as a bag lands on his desk. ]

Wha -- Asuka? When'd you come in?

[ Shut that jaw, Gukgak. He shoves his glasses up onto his forehead, shoving his mussed curls back, stomach growling loudly as his nose reminds his stomach that they've missed a hunger cue or four. ]

Wait, you came all the way over here to give me food? [ He sounds genuinely touched. He is genuinely touched. He likes Asuka, but he wasn't sure where he registered on her radar. He peeks inside the bag, breathing in sodium and blessed, blessed grease. Voice muffled by crumpled paper, he exclaims: ] That's so nice of you!

gorgug thistlespring, ota

[tinflower]

[ 1, planning, ideas ]

[ Sneaking out never piqued Gorgug's interest until it became everyone's interest--or enough significant friends (really, Riz) that the knowledge of people getting fucked up from the attempt kinda made the half-orc more inquisitive in the operation: of, at least, managing and surviving the ordeal.

Wherever they gather, he comes with his backpack and sits with a couple of books that always end up as a surface for the notebook he keeps opened and scribbled in. And when they're sharing ideas on one of the many boards early on potential aids, he proposes methods of interest to help them in discussing and sharing their ideas, figuring out what each of them can do, or would want to.

faster movement

find out how people are tracked by bots. do they need to see

invisibility?

will earpieces be a problem

traps?

What are we thinking. ]

[ 2, workshopping (camera feed) ]

[ It takes a few nights of fucking around, but Gorgug manages to bring some video feed set at night from a window that is murky in its quality, but shows more out there than the symbol of a begrudging obedience to a curfew, or the results of disobedience: darkened figures heading out into the city, and the abrupt cut of the video that may be annoying for how little it provides.

Honestly, the cut off pisses off Gorgug too, but in that way that actually has him inspired to beat it: he needs to make a camera that can get out there. Harder said than done, when Adaine's own magical perception reveals to them a chaotic kind of magic, and Gorgug's test bots are always found and discarded in the next nights.

He's always more quiet in these gatherings, speaking up when spoken to, but he becomes quieter--absent, for the most part--until he can finally bring the aerial footage (through Riz, let's be real) to the team. At that particular meeting, he looks exhausted, though he does share himself: ]

Their defences are really good.

[ He doesn't want to talk about the materials used to make what they did, when most probably won't get it--but when the footage they do get the second time fizzles out and dies so quickly, the face Gorgug wears is anything but pleasant.

(And even so, he's still thrilled they got that much, and he's reminded of how anger doesn't have to be so bad--to do what you want, even if it isn't right.) ]

[ 3; pre-curfew break ]

[ Unfortunately, the problem with spending so much energy and studying on making a camera to avoid detection for long enough means that you don't put as much of it into defences as you realise you should have. Still, Gorgug's focused on the components and work that he can, and anyone involved with the task can get from him the following: jumping shoes (would have required shoes in their size be given to him first), paint, grease, or fire grenades, big enough to fit in one's hand and needing a twist of their tops and to be thrown within five seconds; personal cameras to attach to their person and night-vision goggles; or invisibility switches, if you're one of the four going out the farthest into the night.

(He will, of course, explain anything in particular your character might be eyeing up, but don't think to ask about themselves.)

He's not going out on the designated night, so all he can give people on the last meeting as they take their items is a grimace of a smile (it's just a grimace, really), and a ] Um, good luck.

( for fabian bc he's a special little pirate boy )

[tinflower]

[ Gorgug doesn't look any better than he has on this last get-together.

It's a look that the half-orc's been wearing soon after they got the recording outside at night, once the realisation hit of how much energy and time was put onto that and not on the fact they already knew: how difficult it was going to be moving around outside in the first place.

And the problem is, it's been hard to come up with clever ways to help a large group of people with the limited resources available. Even with the artificing books Gorgug has, he's been working in his and Sokka's bedroom, going over to Fabian's once that was a more viable place to tinker, and--he likes seeing Fabian, he likes visiting him, but none of these are labs. Gorgug is still just a high school student.

He's voiced his concerns already, surely, but as he approaches Fabian to give him the switch made for him, the eyelash that he took from Fabian days before hidden inside the small plastic piece, the look hasn't gone. And it's very obvious that Gorgug wants to say things already said, when he holds out the item and ducks his gaze, and says instead in a voice so unsure, it might sound a little like guilt, ]

Here.

[ He doesn't have his axe with him, he isn't equipped himself--he's not here to play his role to the two Bad Kids going out tonight, and Gorgug feels it, even if he still does have a role to play in keeping track of the streams.

But it doesn't mean he can't feel like he's already failed in being the team defender. ]

he IS a special little pirate boy thank you very much :(

[maximumlegend]

[ It's really hard to not notice the energy currently radiating off Gorgug. It's not even like it's rare for people to look nervous or antsy in some way, given the nature of what they're about to do here, but with Gorgug there's clearly more to it than that. He looks like some sort of entirely oversized puppy that got caught chewing toilet paper when it has been explicitly told not to do that.

And it's not like Fabian can't imagine why. He's seen Gorgug work on stuff over at his place, after all. Practically overworking himself, tiring himself out, even though Fabian couldn't fully tell him to stop. Partially because being prepared for this just was really necessary, but also because he knows Gorgug seemed to feel better when he could be productive.

There's no way this look he's wearing now has nothing to do with any of that. So while Fabian is gratefully accepting what the other is handing to him here, he doesn't linger on that. Instead he moves his hand, giving the other a friendly pat on the upper arm - the way he might have back home ahead of a Bloodrush game. ]

Hey, don't look like that! You look like someone's about to die!

[ Despite the macabre words, Gorgug will find Fabian smiling at him if he looks at all. ]

Why the long face? Look what you got me! [ He holds up the switch Gorgug has given him a little, like a tiny demonstration of what he means. ]

2

[levelshift]

[Accelerator only reluctantly attends these meetings, making sure to stick around in the back silently for the majority of them. He doesn't particularly want to be here and he's antisocial by nature, but he can't really turn down an opportunity to gain information, both on Moorcroft and the other Etrayans intent on doing the whole investigation thing. He doesn't contribute very much, though it isn't because he wants to stymie the rest of the group or anything. He doesn't really have anything to add to their plans, so he's fine with taking a backseat and lending his skills when it's necessary.

The footage, however, is intriguing! It raises more than a few questions in his mind. A lot of them are about Eos, and in true nerd fashion some of them are about how they managed to acquire this data. Sue him, okay? He was raised in the most scientifically advanced city in his universe and his brain is wired for this kind of thing. He can't help being a little curious.

Much like the other meetings, Accelerator is loitering around the exit to the room the group has commandeered, leaned up against the wall with his crutch. He lets out a little sigh.]

That isn't fucking surprising. After all, she's Aurora's older sister.

[As far as artificial intelligence goes, they're pretty advanced.]

Were you able to analyze the audio from that footage?

[tinflower]

I couldn't get any. [ There's a wince as he admits that, but. ] I-- we were using what we could find in town for the cameras and they weren't that good, so I was focusing on a wider camera and stopping it from getting fucked. I didn't have time to work on the audio.

[ And therefore, attempting to capture audio wasn't a priority--it was shut off, defunct for what they were aiming for. ]

There's nothing-- 'cept in the other recording I made. [ Which maybe Accelerator already heard, and that's why he's asking, and hoping for more answers towards what the fuck that was. ] But, it didn't really last long. We'd, um, we'd need to find better materials if we wanted to try and get some good audio.

[ And time, plenty of it. But Gorgug isn't speaking as if he should be the one to do it. ]

sry i'm harassing u w ANOTHER THREAD!!!!!

[stresstokens]

[ When it comes to gadgetry, Riz has tried to be as helpful as he can be. He has no idea what he's doing, but he's good at grunt work -- holding a flashlight for Gorgug so that he can see into his devices, or getting his fingers into the really small, fiddly bits and obediently going along with Gorgug's instructions, or otherwise just making sure Gorgug has enough food to fuel the appetite of a half-orc glued to his makeshift workshop.

They're nearing the end of their preparations when Riz walks in to see that most, if not all, of the gadgets have finally reached completion, and he stares around at it all with wide eyes. It's all so cool. It's frankly on par with the Celestial gear that he'd recently gotten from his Dad, and the fact that his friend has somehow managed to make gadgets of this caliber still feels a little unreal. He thinks, not for the first time, that Gorgug's just -- good at everything, it feels like. He's clever and strong, good enough at drumming to be a fucking rock star, nice enough that everyone feels more comfortable just for having him around, and now all this?

Maybe it's due to the fact that they actually have a mission that Riz has the clarity of mind to think about it, really think about it. ]

Gorgug... have I told you yet how incredible all of this is? [ Riz is, as ever, painfully earnest, ears pinned back to the sides of his face. ] I know you said you were multiclassing as an Artificer but you couldn't have been in classes for it for more than, what, four, five months?

[ It's insane. He went from nothing, to this. Even Riz with his work ethic couldn't catch up so quickly -- the prospect of multiclassing had always been a daunting, insurmountable one, and multiclassing as an artificer is (sorry, Fabian), a little more technically challenging than learning how to dance. ]

And you've done it all without a freaking workshop or anything. This is, like, hardcore spy gear. You must've been working your ass off back home.

i am harassed, ach!!!! ....with love

[tinflower]

[ Putting his inventions on the same level as Riz's Celestial gear might be giving it too much credit: none of this is meant to last, with the nightvision goggles more akin to your everyday goggles but with the glass enchanted to swap into a darkvision mode once they're tapped in the way that Gorgug's instructed, even the shoes having a similar feature to them. Everything here needs a detonator, a start to their enchantment, and will have an eventual end.

And was the fussiest part to attach to everything not a grenade.

But a half-orc cannot protest feelings he does not know, and in the face of feelings he is presented with, Gorgug ducks his head momentarily, wincing at the memory of the schoolwork, and yet--a part of him misses it. The part that may be well aware of the failure that comes from not doing it, and who knows if his smile would've been more a wince or not without that knowledge, but--

But that's how he's smiling at Riz. ]

It was a lot. [ A lot a lot. But something does shave off the discomfort of the smile, makes it softer when: ] You helped me. You and Adaine did. [ To be exact. ] But I got a lot of practice when we were chasing the Night Yorb too.

[ They were never at a lab lab then either, but just better materials, for sure.

But speaking of the Night Yorb (that is now safe to do) reminds Gorgug, with a calm yet earnest energy: ]

We worked on your gun too. When we get back, I can take a look at it. If you want to add modifications.

1

[dangerousmind]

[Her own interest in sneaking out is low. Not because she's scared, or lacking in curiosity, but because so many other people are lining up to be bait instead that she figures it's kind of unnecessary. So she hangs back with Adaine, makes her own contribution to the mission. It's a bit reminiscent of what she left behind.

Based on her own recollections of the Bad Kids, or Adaine's dipshit kids as she tended to refer to them in her head, was that the backpack stealing kid was their barbarian. Not so much anymore, apparently.

She's still a little miffed. She watches all these plans with a bored neutral expression and a hand against the side of her face.]

Given that what we're dealing with seems digital in nature I would generally recommend relying more on magical means of communication and surveillance over digital. Assuming you've adjusted to the difference by now.

[tinflower]

[ Aewlyn's presence is a short-lived surprise, in that she's Adaine's sister, and he can assume she's here for her and not question that assumption any further. It doesn't matter--he's more interested in her input, tapping the pencil against his notebook to a certain beat. Totally unaware of any previous reactions between them. ]

I can see if there's anything about a magic network in my books--we might be able to make something using one of our phones as a connection. [ Hm. He furrows his brow, and he makes a note for himself. Can any of the empty crystals he has be used for this? But the problem there is... ]

But, uh, I don't know if I have enough materials... especially if we're giving them to everyone. [ Hm. ] Someone else might have an idea.

[ And that's the problem of working outside your regular group--you don't know what's viable as easily. He doesn't want to dismiss an idea just because he can't do it, or not present it for that reason, either. ]

closed to the bad kids!

[maximumlegend]

[ Sure, there's the big planning meetings with everyone.

But the Bad Kids will do what the Bad Kids will do - which is also just have smaller planning meetings among themselves. They're on a different level of trust around each other, after all. And when the stakes of this entire thing seem pretty high, and Riz somehow managed to make himself the leader of the entire thing, it feels important to be able to discuss it among the four of them as well.

Case in point: the four of them having a meeting to talk about it today at Fabian's house, now with way less copious amounts of baby vomit all over the place thanks to efforts in cleaning up (thank you, Riz) and helping babysit (thank you, Adaine and Gorgug). It's the easiest spot for them to meet up without any prying eyes or ears from other family members, and now it's a presentable enough place Fabian doesn't mind them actually using it for that.

And though there are snacks laid out on top of the table in Fabian's kitchen the four of them have gathered around, the topic is a little more serious than the snacks pile might suggest. Especially since Fabian is first to pipe up, a semi-exasperated 'can you believe this guy?' kind of expression on his face as he leans forward on the table, alternating between looking at Gorgug and Adaine as he pipes up with: ]

Alright, you two need to help me convince The Ball that he can't sneak out there by himself during all this. [ Yes, Riz is right there, despite Fabian talking as if the goblin isn't there. Hell, he's even gesturing at Riz as he's saying it.. Hey, bud.. ] Yes, I know he is by far the stealthiest of all of us, but we can't just let one of us do something alone.

[ Because you know what happens then? Leviathan happens, that's what!! ]

[furiousfists]

[ Adaine hates Moorecroft. Something Adaine doesn't hate? Putting together plans to figure out what the hell is wrong here.

However, she does hate the thought of one of her closest friends volunteering to be the one to go out there and put himself on the line to implement those plans. ]

Agreed. Riz, you can't go do this alone. It would be a suicide mission. And regardless of whatever the resurrection capabilities here may be, that's not something you should be walking into so readily!

pre-mission pep talks | fabian and gorgug

[equivo]

[ Krouse understands the importance of secrecy. He's not sure how much they can hide from the AI, but they have to give it a shot. Doing anything else would be tantamount to believing the whole mission is a wash from the start.

Keeping it from everyone else is more plausible, and engages with a set of risks and complications he's much more familiar with. He's been handling his end just fine, and Clarke is as steadily dependable as ever. They don't show up together, if they even attend the same meetings at all, and they've kept their discussions closed outside of that. He can't say what anyone else is doing, but if there's a lapse in security, he can at least say it's not on his end.

So he's grateful that this meetup is in a building with a conveniently shielded concrete stairwell, because he really needs this cigarette.

He doesn't startle when the door opens above and behind him, just casts a dark and watchful glance over his shoulder. When he sees who it is, he breaks into a half-smile, raising his cigarette in a lazy salute. ]

Hey. [ He keeps his voice down, mindful of the echoes. ] Getting some air?

the homies

[tinflower]

[ Gorgug's own participation in these meetings hasn't been as necessary as most of the people who come and go: those being the actual planners, while Gorgug has relegated himself into more of a support role, checking in now and then with what he's got in terms of gadgetry and with what anyone else might have to supply. It feels wrong not to always be present when Riz is largely putting these meetings together, but his teammate has been consistent in making sure he doesn't miss out of anything.

Still, it's good to be around on in a while, and this is one of those meetings that Gorgug has been in attention, if with no less tired eyes and magic equations still buzzing around in his head. And there's only more to consider as they step out, though they're quietened at the figure of another, or rather: the recognition of who it is. Ah.

He gives a nod, as much an answer as it is a greeting. ]

I just needed to get the stuff I asked people to help me find. [ Miscleanous items, small bottles; not all of it difficult to find, but helpful when you're already too busy to make shopping trips. ] You good?

hunter | the owl house | ota

[factsimile]

[Hunter hangs back at most meetings, mostly listening, and occasionally staring longingly at the wizards. He's read about some types of magic requiring spell components but given that he's a half witch at best, he certainly isn't capable of helping.

Instead, brimming energy, he volunteers to take on small and simple jobs as his fear of breaking rules battles his desire to prove himself useful. And he remains like that until the day finally comes.

Hunter wrings his hands, sweating nervously, while also trying to seem nonchalant by greeting everyone just a little too eagerly.

It's going... badly.]

H-heeeeeeey. You ready to break a curfew? You know, I broke a curfew once. I was fifteen minutes late to bed once because I decided I wanted to take a walk. Then again... I don't think anyone was looking for me... [No wait! The mission and he was rambling. He forces a smile.] So uh! Haha... it's gonna go SO good.

[equivo]

[ Keeping a straight face at this nervous ramble is a real feat. It's too bad no one is in a position to appreciate the maturity it's taking Krouse not to indulge in some light teasing, also known as being kind of an asshole. ]

It's gonna go great.

[ He affirms, nodding, mouth curved in a painstakingly benign smile. He's tempted to clap the other boy on the shoulder in a fit of team building. ]

Just keep that mindset and you'll be fine.

[levelshift]

[Accelerator has been hanging back as well, because it's what you do when you need to act too cool to be somewhere (and also because he doesn't particularly want to be there, but that's a minor detail). He's a hell of a lot less energetic, looking mostly just tired and exasperated.

He glances over, staring hard and immediately noting how anxious this kid is. If he had an AIM field, it'd be made up of nervous energy.]

............................

[So clearly the best response here is sarcasm.]

Fifteen minutes, huh. You're a real rebel. Guess that explains your fucking optimism.

[stresstokens]

[ As one of the primary organizers of this affair... Riz has to admit, he's not exactly sure who wound up bringing Hunter along, and why. He's been around at the meetings, sure, but Riz hasn't really gotten to know the guy personally, and now that they're down to do-or-die?

This attitude isn't exactly inspiring. Riz looks up from where he's steadily loading ammunition into his firearm, wincing a little at the clear nervousness in his tone. That had been Riz, not so long ago; a perpetual rule-follower, petrified of doing something wrong. Only, his first time doing something wrong was --

Okay, his first time doing something wrong probably had to do with killing a bunch of people, but the threat of death didn't seem as present as it does now. He feels morally obligated to at least give the poor guy an out. ]

Uh... you know you don't have to do this, right? You can always hang back and monitor the cameras with the others.

[ It's super dangerous out there, and Riz -- well, Riz just doesn't want anyone to die as they try to pull this off. ]

for Fabian

[wannasmash]

Izuku couldn't find Fabian after they parted ways during the plushie fiasco. But wouldn't you know it, breaking rules brought them together... Izuku hurries over. To all outward appearances, the unassuming nerd in the stupid T-shirt (which reads "T-shirt") wouldn't ordinarily be seen around the extrovert at this stereotypical suburban school right out of an American TV show, but Izuku has historically been an outsider to all cliques. That makes him a wildcard: a jerd.

"Hey, um... Hey." He doesn't actually know his name... "I'm sorry I couldn't find you again. I wanted to make sure you're okay. I heard you were coming out with, uh, my friends later?"

The curfew breaking cohorts. The cohorts who are going to break the curfew. The curfew that keeps them prisoner allegedly on pain of death. That curfew. Oh yeah, it's all coming together.

[maximumlegend]

See, Fabian may have been plenty involved in this thing, but it's just because his crew from back home was involved in this, with Riz acting like the de facto main planner - and it's not like Fabian can let his best friend be involved in something like this by himself.

But since he left most of the planning up to Riz, it means that Fabian doesn't know the full list of people who are along for the ride. So when Izuku comes up to him, Fabian blinks in surprise. He instantly recognizes the other guy from that awkward, awkward plushie mission. It's not the best memory, but.. well, at least Izuku looks like he's doing relatively well? That's good.

"Yeah, I am." That's an easy answer, but of course Fabian can't leave it at that. He isn't really being malicious about the next part - he doesn't seem like it outwardly, anyway - because Izuku did say he wanted to check up on him, but there's a part of him mad enough at the mission and the architect behind it that he can't help but add: "So you now realize I was totally right back then."

Please, Izuku. He just needs the validation.

Please tell him he had been right back there all along so he can maybe feel even the tiniest bit better about what happened during that mission! He's looking like a dog expecting pets in this very moment!