6243/Three's A Crowd

From Heroes Assemble MUSH
Jump to navigation Jump to search
Three's A Crowd
Date of Scene: 16 May 2021
Location: Burger Joint
Synopsis: Noriko Ashida comes by Burger Joint at the end of Jubilee's shift, but the pair are caught in a comedy of errors. Jubilee accidentally agrees to a date with Bjorn Knutsen...right in front of Nori! Meanwhile, Jacen Knight's burger never comes. Bad service at Burger Joint.
Cast of Characters: Jubilation Lee, Atrid, Jacen Knight, Noriko Ashida




Jubilation Lee has posed:
    Like much of the Salem Center on this Sunday evening, Burger Joint is popping! There are a few tables available, but most of the booths have been claimed by tired families and celebrating little league teams. A soft murmur of chewing, slurping, and the thick aroma of grease hangs oppressively in the air.

    "Well, I can't say that it suffered less than usual, but I can promise it didn't suffer /more/..." a teenage voice can be heard. It belongs to none other than JUBILATION LEE, standing at attention from behind the counter while talking to a customer about the cow that was ground up to make today's patties. She looks vaguely bored but putting up with the indignities that come with having a summer job. Her long, black hair, curled up in ringlets and waves, forms a nice foundation for a lame paper hat that says BURGER JOINT.

Atrid has posed:
Atrid walks in and pushes his way to the counter shoving the annoying questioner out of the way. "Hey dahlin' how ya doin'?" He asks with a bright smile. "What do ya recommend ta eat here?" Atrid asks reaching into his back pocket for his wallet. Although he seems to also be scanning the joint. "I ain't been in here before."

Jubilation Lee has posed:
    The probably-a-Karen asking about the fate of the cows goes wide-eyed as she's shoved to the side. "Wha---" The woman's brow lowers into a deep frown. At first she glares at Atrid but, well, it's not long before her attention falls on Jubilation, whose amused smile starts to fade. "Get. Me. Your. Manager."

    Jubilation fills her lungs with air and lets them out audibly. "Curtis!" she calls out, glancing over her shoulder towards the door that leads to the office.

    "It's Steve!" The manager comes out of the back room -- one of those guys that looks juuuuust a little too old to be working here.

    "Right, Steve..." Jubilation mutters with a smirk. She knows his name. She turns back and gives Atrid a look that can only mean one thing: thanks a lot. "Well...There's the Burger Bomb -- if you can finish it, it's free. Only one guy ever has!" Jubilee lowers her head to make a show of it. "May he rest in peace..." Her eyes lift just in time to pair with a snarky smile.

    "Just what are you going to do about /this/?!" the Karen demands, making a gesture towards Atrid, as if his mere presence was a violation.

Atrid has posed:
Atrid looks to the Karen and grins. "Well Sir.." He starts out as Steve starts moving forward. "None of this was the young ladies fault its mine." He says with a smile. "Though in all actuality its hers." He says gesturing to the Karen vehemently. "She's asking terrible questions that the young miss couldn't possibly know the answers too. Like did the cow suffer any more than this or that. Taking up a bunch of time not ordering when yer busy and there are other customers in line. This privileged rich woman is just trying to.make your employees lives difficult. I'm hungry I got to the counter and am placing my order and moving along. Though I am curious if yall are hirin'." Atrid asks before looking back to Jubilee. "I apologize dahlin if I got ya in trouble or somethin' with this. I didnt mean ta, I'm Bjorn Knutsen, a pleasure to meetcha. I'll take a burger bomb add bacon if it don't come with it if it does double extra bacon, and a coke please."

Jacen Knight has posed:
The door opens and Jacen walks in. If Karen is worried about cows she's going to hate him. Head to toe, middle of the city none the less, in strides the typical cowboy from the hat on his head to the boots on his feet. If ever there was a stereotypical beef eater here he is. He pauses just inside the door long enough to look it over.

After that he goes in to look for the place to order and gives Karen sort a wary glance then moves to wait. He is friendly looking at least, just clear he's after a meal. Hungry cowboy, figure that.

Jubilation Lee has posed:
    "I would /hope/ you're hiring after you fire this one!" Karen tilts her head in Jubilation's direction. "I have never been treated so rudely in all my life!" She hasn't had a hard life, it seems.

    Steve snap-turns towards Jubilation Lee, who is ready with a cheery grin and a gentle shrug. With that settled, Steve is hurrying the Karen away from the counter and towards a booth where he can deal with her in semi-privacy.

    Jubilation reaches up and pulls a sharpie marker out of her hair and uncaps it. She draws a tally mark on the inside of her forearm. III. Her eyes lift to meet Bjorn's. "Third person today to demand I be fired," she explains with a grin and then a shrug. The marker gets tucked back into the girl's thick hair.

    "Right...so... " Jubilation begins before she clears her throat. She moistens her lips and leans in to the microphone attached to the register. "One bomb, oink it, spank it, buy it a dress!" she announces into the microphone.

    "What?" a voice from the kitchen calls out.

    "He wants a Burger Bomb with bacon..." Jubilee shouts over her shoulder. She is...not good at this. "And a coke..."

    After filling a cup with Coke, Jubilee sets the drink down on the counter and looks up, her attention drawn by the jingle of the door opening. And that's when she sees the cowboy.

    "Curtis!" Jubilation shouts. "I think the guy who rides our meat is here!" She blinks a couple times and stares. A cowboy?

Atrid has posed:
Atrid chuckles and adjusts his leather duster. "I think I'm more suited ta workin' in the kitchen doll." He says with a laugh. "Hey I told ya boss man wha' really happened an' that i' wasn' ya fault." He says with a grin. "I neva got ya name afta givin' ya mine, so what do ya say hun, wha's ya name?" Bjorn asks Stepping a side and giving the cowboy a nod in greeting.

Jacen Knight has posed:
"Never eat somethin' I might rode. Gotta be far fr'm home an I cain' get much furthur away th' New York." Jacen replies and moves to a nearby table to sit for the moment. He sets a bright orange bag on the floor by his foot, a medical trauma kit. There is a hospital close after all. He reaches up and tips his at towards Jublilation and returns the nod to Atrid,"Evenin'."

Jubilation Lee has posed:
    "Oh, sorry!" she replies as she reaches up to better position the sharpie marker in her hair. "I'm Jubilation," she explains before pointing down at the name-tag pinned to her breast. It says FLO.

    "And..." Jubes begins as she moves out from behind the counter. "He's used to things not being my fault. Things are not my fault all the time." Jubilation gestures at a table before grinning up at Bjorn. "Well, you can have a seat. When they pick your Burger Bomb off the floor, I'll bring it out to you. If you finish it, it's free. If you don't..." Jubilee takes a deep breath for theatrics. "...It's /not/."

    With that settled, Jubes takes a large step and engages the hidden wheels on the bottom of her white Heely sneakers. She begins to skate down the aisle of tables, grabbing left behind cups and trays. "Did you come to order something?" Jubes wonders aloud as she skates past Jacen. "Or are you just..." She skates to a halt and rolls her eyes back as she tries to find the right word. The cowboy word. "....Moseying?"

Atrid has posed:
Atrid chuckles. "Well Jubilation its a pleasha ta meetcha." He says taking his drink and heading to a table. "To bad yer workin' er id as ya ta join me an' I'd pay fer yer meal." He says with a smirk as he looks over to where Steve and the Karen sit. "Though he didn' ansa if yall were hirin' o' no'." He chuckles. "I assume this is a smoke free establishmen'?"

Jacen Knight has posed:
"I ain' hadda decent burger since I made't to th' east coast." he replies to Jubilee seriously,"Nothin'd make m' night more'n a good burger, a cold beer, 'n decent company. Reckon I'd settle f'r th' burger now'n find th' rest after."

He rests his arms on the surface of the table,"Ya ain' got beer an unsweet iced tea'd do. Otherwise I reckon you'll hafta recommend somethin' ta drink. Th' water's nasty tastin' an' soda makes me green 'round th' gills."

Jubilation Lee has posed:
    Is it a smoke-free establishment? The question earns a wrinkle across the girl's brow. "Isn't everywhere?" she answers with a shrug. A smoke-free establishment that may or may not be hiring. "You must be new in town," Jubilation points out with a grin. "Everywhere in the Salem Center is always hiring in the summer. This place runs on the blood and sweat of teenage labor. The whole economy depends on it!"

    Jubilee shoves the cups and napkins she collected into a trash can. It once said THANKS, but someone sharpied a period after the T to make it T.HANKS, and then taped a picture of Tom Hanks right underneath. Someone.

    Jubilee skates over to Jacen and leans to the side a little, putting all of her weight over one hip. "...So... A burger and an unsweet tea...Unsweet. Unsweet." She takes a deep breath and rests her hand against her collar bone. "...A dagger in my heart..." The thought of drinking something not loaded with sugar does not compute.

    She shakes her head and skates towards the counter again before spinning back to stare at Atrid. "Wait, so... you're telling me that I'm missing out on you buying me the very same slop I get for free for working here?" A smirk slooooowly forms on Jubilation's face as she works through the absurdity of the offer.

    "Watch it, Jubes!" Steve/Curtis, the manager, shouts from afar -- but not too far to hear her call the food slop.

Atrid has posed:
Atrid raises a hand. "Come on now just an offer. And yes Im new to this part of town, but not new to New York lived here my whole life." He grins. "Fine than lemme take ya out fer pizza or somethin' sometime whaddya say Jubes?" He asks with a smile leaning back. "And hey even if I buy it fer ya yer still gettin' i' free yea? Hey Steve so whatcha think got room fer some kitchen help?" He shouts to the manager as he takes a sip of his soda and than looks to Jacen. "Unsweet people actually like things without sugar?"

Noriko Ashida has posed:
Someone might be passing by, might be remembering that Jubilation's shift /might/ end soon, might be doubling back, might be grinning broadly like a smug, sleepy cat who is well taken care of.

The electric wind blown blue-haired teen stands close enough to hear the going ons, an eyebrow arching first, then eyes narrowing.  Suddenly there's a kind of visual blip in Noriko's positioning.  Between the moments, people won't notice the speedster going straight up to kick at the chair legs supporting Atrid...hard.  They won't notice her considering taking his drink too, but she realizes physics might be in her favor and leaves him behind.  They might notice the whirlwind of napkins in her trail.  

Noriko wiggles her fingers at Jubilee.

Jacen Knight has posed:
"Nothing natural 'bout sugar'n tea." Jacen replies with a smirk and settles to wait for her to get the order,"Reckon one o' them eat it all'n it's free'll good 'nough f'r me ta try. Reckon it's worth finishin' or at least tryin'." He is teasing mostly because he's hungry and nobody is dumb enough to actually criticize the food before it arrives. People spit in food after all.

Jubilation Lee has posed:
    "Yeah, yeah, we're just waiting for that Michelin star to arrive!" Jubilee calls back at Steve. It's not slop. These two bicker like the kooky neighbors on a sitcom. Shaking her head, Jubes skates back to the counter so she can get that absolutely-unsweet tea ready.

    "One Burger Bomb, hold the spit, call it a name, sign a pre-nup," she announces into the crackly microphone sticking out from the cash register.

    "What?" From the kitchen.

    "A Burger Bomb," Jubes shouts back, now a little annoyed, but well on her way back with the cowboy's tea. And that's when the napkins start fluttering around. And the traces of a person here, then there, then there. Jubilee sets the tea down on Jacen's table and turns so no one can see her face. A smile appears -- a genuine one that looks completely different from that smirk-smile she's been broadcasting.

    Jubilee turns back and finger-waves back at Noriko. "Hi, Nori," she replies cooly. Jubes tilts her head back towards Atrid and hmms, bringing a hand up to her chin. "Bjorn here was just inviting me out for pizza. That sounds nice, doesn't it?" She gives the blue-haired girl a grin. "You know... Being taken out for pizza...Or anything, really."

Atrid has posed:
Atrid falls and lands on his rear from the kick to his chair he gets up growling and looks around his right hand starting to flame under the table his left under him ices up. He calms himself the best he can and let's the flames and ice fade. Than seeing the napkins and than Nori at the door waving. "Who did that?" He growls getting back up and sitting down glaring at Nori before chuckling and taking a sip of his soda at Jubilee's comments. "Indeed I am pizza and a movie sound good to you dahlin'?"

Noriko Ashida has posed:
Noriko snaps right after Atrid lands...or, more aptly, right when Nori notices that his drink doesn't spill all over him.  At his growl, the girl briefly considers outing herself as the culprit.  But then he's already moving on.  And to Jubilee, Noriko lifts an eyebrow.  She walks to pull up a seat next to Atrid and asks, "Yeah, does that sound good to you dahlin'?" Her accent is awful, even if her American accent is flawless.

Nori lifts her chin to Jacen.  "Hey."

Jacen Knight has posed:
Strange things seem to be normal in the city since he's arrived. Jacen watches the crash and shakes his head as suddenly there is someone here that wasn't a moment ago. He watches Atrid take himself up from the floor and takes a drink of the tea,"Thank ya." he mutters softly to Jubilee. The chin lift gets a nod in return,"Evenin'."

Jubilation Lee has posed:
    "You're welcome, Cowboy," Jubilation replies, matter-of-factly, as though calling someone a cowboy isn't totally weird or unacceptable.

    Jubilation's head tilts to the side as Atrid upgrades the outing to pizza and a movie. Her gaze quickly slides back to Noriko, grinning widely as she repeats the question in that awful accent.

    "It sounds wonderful," Jubilation answers, grinning at Noriko before pushing off to skate back to the counter and check on the burgers.

Atrid has posed:
Atrid smiles and takes another sip of his soda. "I don't recommend makin' fun of someone for the way they speak, its rather rude. And yes by all means please have a seat girl I don' know." He says with a shake of his head. "So ya ride a horse everywhere or is that just tv trash?" Atrid asks the Cowbow with a smile the question is sincere and unmocking. "Alright Jubilation when would ya like ta go fer that pizza an' flick?" He asks with a grin.

Noriko Ashida has posed:
Noriko rolls her eyes...at Jubilee?  At the situation?  At Atrid calling her out for being rude?  Is D, all of the above, an answer?  Or not?

"Oh are your feelings hurt?"  Nori lets a quick beat pass, "It's a free country."

"Wow, speaking of rude," she comments on Atrid's question to Jacen, but then adds, "Yeah do you gallop in the wind on the side of the highway?"

But after Atrid's next question to Jubilee... "I want a drink."  Yeah, with what money.

Jacen Knight has posed:
A nod to Jubilee and then his attention moves to Atrid when he speaks,"Yeah. I like ta ride horses, but ain' doin' much o' that'n this town." he admits,"Got a place upstate where I c'n raise horses'n cattle, but I like stayin' in th' paramedic life too." He nudges the trauma kit by his foot,"The reservation I grew up on I rode pertty much everywhere though."

Jubilation Lee has posed:
    While on her quest behind the counter to check on the burgers, Jubilation has already filled an extra large cup with Sprite. How did she know Noriko would want a drink? Is she a pre-cog? A psychic? No, she's just...

        RECORD SCREEETCH.

    Before Jubilation has a chance to answer Bjorn's question, the wheel of her Heely sneaker engages, sending her sliding forward suddenly. The extra large Sprite goes flying into the air while Jubilation herself falls backwards onto the slippery red tile floor.

Atrid has posed:
Atrid says, "I wasn't being rude I was just asking a question an honest one as I don't know. Yer just making funna me fer how I spe..." He trails off seeing Jubilee slip he gets up and runs forward reaching out to try and catch her before she hits the floor. Once she has hit the tile though he offers his hand to help her up. "You alright dahlin?" He asks extending that right hand if she takes it, its still a bit warm to the touch."

Noriko Ashida has posed:
Noriko wasn't watching Jubilee, she was still stuck staring at Atrid, or is it Bjorn?  and then listening to Jacen.  "A paramedic?  Cool-"  She catches Atrid jumping from his seat out of the corner of her eye but makes a point to ignore him for a half moment before she realizes what's going on.  "Uh-"  Eyes wide at Jacen, she just jumps up before she can have a normal conversation with him and is hot on Atrid's heels.  She's not speedster fast.  Not pushing it with revealing herself.  But she's lithe and moving still within the fast range for a human.

"Are you okay?!" Nori asks on her way.  Somehow, she catches that Sprite, or did, because it is in her hand now.  Atrid's offer of his hand to Jubilation gets an annoyed, edgy look shot at his back.  There's really not enough room for her to also offer her hand as an alternative, so she hovers just over his shoulder, peeking out to the side.

Jacen Knight has posed:
The promise of a burger is ruined by the sound of a tone over his radio, the dispatch calling out a ten car pile up on a bridge nearby. Jacen sighs and starts to get up. Whatever the cost of the burger and drink is gets tossed on the table plus a little extra for Jubilee,"I'll try ta come back'n get that later. Don' throw't away." He grabs the trauma kit, pushes the hat back, and runs towards the exit and the hospital across the street. If only he'd noticed her start to fall, but the tones take priority after all.

Jubilation Lee has posed:
    "Jubilation!" Steve. Curtis. Whatever his name is. The manager's voice rings out as he notices that his minimum wage register jockey is on the ground. "I told you! Our insurance does NOT cover you skating around on those, those, those... skate sneakers!" He sounds annoyed, but it's likely tampered down by the fact that they've probably had this argument a thousand times by now.

    Jubilee tilts her head backwards, face pointed at the ceiling and her eyes closed tightly. "I /know/ Curtis!"

    "It's Steve!"

    "I know that, too!" Jubes calls back. She opens her eyes and looks up at the offered hand. Instead of reaching out for it, Jubilation leans to one side to peer past Bjorn to see Noriko holding the Sprite, safe and sound. "I'm fine, I'm fine," she answers, rising to her feet without the need of a hand. "I just have to fill out..."

    Jubilee lets her voice go low and slow, like she's mocking someone. "...a foooorm." Her hands wave in the air like jazz-hands, undoubtedly mocking Steve and whatever disclosure form she'll be made to complete, thus absolving Burger Joint's deep pockets from any liability in her fall.

Atrid has posed:
Atrid straightens up. "Alright if yer sure dahlin'." He says straightening up as he moves to take a seat at the table again. "Jus' bein' gentlemanly is all." Nodding as he sips again on that coke of his. "Well Steve just let me know if ya want me ta fill out an app." He grins as he starts leaning back a bit. "Anyway just let me know a time and day and we'll go get that pizza and flick."

Noriko Ashida has posed:
Noriko shakes the Sprite drink at Jubilee for a moment when the girl leans to check.  Once Jubes is up to her feet, Noriko surreptitiously leaves a giant tip + the money for the drink.  Sluuuuuuuuuuuuuurp.  A full drink shouldn't sound that way.  But she's already slurping.  And now not slurping, oddly.

"Do you need a lift back to school Jubes?"  Noriko stretches her arms and rolls her eyes again.  Her timing is apt, before Jubes replies.

Jubilation Lee has posed:
    Instead of filling out the oh-so-important form, Jubilee retrieves Bjorn's burger and sets it down on the table. Noriko's offer of a ride back to the school earns an eager nod. She takes a deep breath before tilting her head back to shout again. "Curtis, I'm going home!"

    "Jubilation, your shift isn't over for fifteen minutes..."

    She doesn't even reply. Her Burger Joint hat has been tossed behind the counter. Her 'FLO' nametag has been unpinned and flicked to lord-knows-where. Jubilation stands, primed and ready to go, just a few feet from Noriko and Bjorn. And that's when it all hits her.

    "Let.../you/ know?" Jubilation repeats. Her eyes flick between Bjorn and Noriko. Back and forth like she's a ping pong referee. "...But.." She looks utterly, completely confused.

Atrid has posed:
Atrid looks at the burger taking a bite he chews and swallows. "Yea sure, I'm around, a little here a little there, wild as the flame and cool as ice." He grins but than there that back and forth and her confusion. Now he looks between the two and sips his soda and takes another bite chewing and swallowing. "But what?"

Noriko Ashida has posed:
"Are we going or what?"  Noriko demands as the confusion putters out between the other two.  There's a vein of...is that annoyance?  A bristling.  "I mean if you want to catch the bus you're more than welcome to."  She flicks an annoyed look sidelong to Atrid, but it's quick, not outright meaning to be caught, but clearly not concerned with getting caught either.

Then she looks over to Atrid like he has a third eye.  "Really dude?  Lines?  Just do yourself a favor and give up."

Jubilation Lee has posed:
    Jubilation stares, sloooowly working out the problem she has accidentally created. "Ohhhh, you thought..." An index finger is pointed at Atrid. "....And /you/ thought...." The finger moves to Noriko. "...And /I/ thought..." She takes a deep breath and shakes her head, a big goofy smile reaching her face. "...Wow."

    "Uh...." She squints, looking as though she's about to keep going with this, but then stops right there when Noriko interrupts. She's obviously startled, like a dog that just got booped with a newspaper.

    "Okay..." Her voice trails off towards the end there, and it's not entirely clear what the 'okay' was in response to, but one thing is certain: she's on the move! Jubilation starts moving towards the glass doors that lead to freedom -- not running, but obviously making haste and waiting for no one!