5th Floor Common Room, Sunday morning

[craftyladyparts.livejournal.com]

After some early morning training on the rooftops in town, Jessica settled into the common room with some cereal and a TV that wasn't blocked by critters. Of course, it was Sunday morning, and so the only options on TV were various college basketball tournaments or political news shows that had nothing to do with the crazy superpowered politics of her world. (Seriously, was her world the only one where Iran's government was overthrown in a superpowered democratic coup?)

And so Jessica did the only thing a rational person without a filled-out bracket could; she turned on the Real World marathon and pretended she had any idea who anyone was and what was happening. She'd get up to speed before she was done with her cereal. She was sure of that.

Comments

[godgavemecable.livejournal.com]

"Oh man," Toby said, wandering in to the common room. "That show's still on?"

[craftyladyparts.livejournal.com]

"In the sense that it's still producing new episodes? Yes," Jessica said. "In the sense that I think this is the third day of a marathon? Also yes."

[godgavemecable.livejournal.com]

"Okay, both options are pretty solidly in the realm of 'but why?'" Toby had to admit. Not that Jessica had the answer to that question.

[craftyladyparts.livejournal.com]

"Because people will watch it," Jessica said. "Case in point." She used her spoon to point to the TV, then to herself. "That's as good a reason as you're likely to get."

[godgavemecable.livejournal.com]

"Fair enough," Toby shrugged. "So, did I miss any dramatic blowups or startling revelations?"

[craftyladyparts.livejournal.com]

"Fewer than you'd think," Jessica said. "I think these are the earlier seasons, before everyone was always drunk at all times."

[godgavemecable.livejournal.com]

"That does explain the leggings," Toby mused. "And the neon. The lack of that was one of my favourite things about being here in the future."

[craftyladyparts.livejournal.com]

"I didn't realize you were from the past," Jessica said. "It makes sense, though. 'Toby' is such a last century name."

[godgavemecable.livejournal.com]

And also wasn't actually his birth name, not that he knew that yet.

"Yeah, if I'd been born more recently there'd probably be like, a silent q. Maybe more y's."

[craftyladyparts.livejournal.com]

"I wouldn't go that far. But there would probably be an 'e,'" Jessica said, unwittingly going roundabout meta with that.

[notconflicted]

Oh, look, Sia was on the fifth floor again. "What is this?" she asked as she took a seat.

[craftyladyparts.livejournal.com]

"It's the the true story of seven strangers picked to live in a house, work together and have their lives taped to find out what happens when people stop being polite and start getting real," Jessica rattled off. "They call it the Real World. It's a mildly ironic title."

[notconflicted]

"Let me guess, it's nothing but people arguing for the sake of the cameras?" Sia didn't really watch reality television, and that was because she got the point of it.

[craftyladyparts.livejournal.com]

"I think this is the season that also has some redeeming value by showing people how someone lives with a really horrible Earth disease," Jessica said. "On the other hand, Puck."

[notconflicted]

"What's a puck?"

Oh, Sia.

[craftyladyparts.livejournal.com]

"On this show, he's... Well, watch five minutes and pick out the worst human being on it. That's Puck," Jessica said. It was easier than actually explaining him.

[notconflicted]

Sia fell silent, and watched for a little while.

"He ends up murdered by the end, doesn't he."

[craftyladyparts.livejournal.com]

"Just kicked out, I think," Jessica said. "There was a big anniversary special a while ago and he was still alive for it."

[godgavemecable.livejournal.com]

"I feel like the better question is 'why'," Toby shared.

[notconflicted]

"I'm sure it might have been interesting at first," Sia said thoughtfully.

And it was. Right up till this season. Except for Ruthie in Hawaii and the slap heard round the world in Seattle.

[godgavemecable.livejournal.com]

"Maybe?" Toby said a little doubtfully. "But after twenty years I think maybe it's lost some of its charm."

[notconflicted]

"Then I'll take it as a very good thing I won't be seeing twenty years' worth of it," Sia decided.

[godgavemecable.livejournal.com]

"I dunno, the commercials say there's a marathon, so you might get lucky." A beat. "For a definition of lucky that... isn't at all."

[notconflicted]

"If this Puck person is in it for the whole time, I won't even last that long," she told him.

Because Puck was the worst. He was the Britta of people.

[godgavemecable.livejournal.com]

"I for one would not blame you."