Chaotic Hangouts

Celebratory Chaos

Chaotic Hangouts

Chapter 40: Celebratory Chaos

Date: May 4th, 2025

Its almost time for my date with Herbsalvin today. Battles are now a daily occurrence again but somehow, many of us managed to get away from battling at least for today. Literally had breakfast only to be told: "Everyone on this planet is exempt from battling today and why that is is not going to be shared! SORRRRRYYYY!" With a day off, most of us planned to do things that were being held off for quite some time. However, Ive been on the toilet for quite a while. Its been minutes since anything came out and yet, here I am, doing exactly what I do back on Earth when in the bathroom after sword training. Someone has made it a point to randomly shout: "MAY THE FOURTH BE WITH YOU!" every so often but I have been able to successfully ignore it while sitting on this toilet. Now why was I still on the toilet? Well, our phones got a few new applications so that there arent just for communications only. A video sharing app, a Bluesky like social media app except fools that are the same kind of people as JKR and Jesse Singal will never get to even see it(its built by BRAINS members for BRAINS members), and a couple other things. Naturally, I was on my phone scrolling through the main feed, just looking at and liking stuff. While this did almost nothing to bring me any amount of satisfaction, I still kept going on with it anyway even though I knew it was a waste.

As I continued to sit on the toilet, despite nothing more coming out, time just kept passing, my scheduled date with Herbsalvin was coming ever closer. And next stall next to me was clearly Fluffy Afro. I could hear him singing and screaming while experiencing what sounded like a fart and drop symphony. But I was focused on just scrolling and scrolling though I was still very much hearing it. At some point, I hear the near silent but unmistakeable footsteps of Carlos. He yells loudly: "EVERYONE POOPING IN HERE OKAY?!" That was enough for me to actually finish up on the toilet after putting away my phone and before flushing, reequipping my tassets, letting my cape and loincloth return to normal position, washing my hands, and putting my gauntlets back on. Carlos was still in the bathroom. He teases me: "HEY LOOK ITS THE KNIGHT WHO ALMOST NEVER TAKES OFF THEIR ARMOR! PHEW EWW! NOW IS EVERYONE STILL OKAY IN HERE?!" Looking at the time, I break into a speed walk to meet up with my knight charming without running into anything. Just tping would have been sort of a waste of energy since the restroom I was just in isn't far from our shared quarters. Herbsalvin is not in our room. Where did they- *Ki sense* "Oh. "Good grief. *uses Instant Transmission*" Herbsalvin yelps, not expecting that but quickly recovers: "Swift! Where have you been?" "In the bathroom." "Very well. Are you ready?" "You know I am. Now that Im cleared out, that is. I cant wait for you to see where I end up taking you. This is going to be a lot of fun. And it will start with where we eat lunch."

"I await to see the surprise dining establishment you are taking me. My anticipation is not something I can show through my words alone. *kisses me* We must depart immediately. Even I cannot hold in my excitement for much longer." I nod: "*offers hand* Take my hand. You dont know the destination so only I can teleport us there with my Quantum Leap band." They blush and accept my hand without another word. Seconds later, we were at a crappy looking building with a old and pretty eroded parking lot. My knight charming looks on in confusion: "What is this place?" I reply: "Just come inside. Thats the surprise. Whats inside." Of course, there were others around and we were getting quite a few looks. 2 knights in full armor walking into a building in disrepair. And most of the onlookers werent in the know of what was even going on here. Someone exclaims: "THEY ARENT COSPLAYERS! THEIR ARMOR.. ITS REEEEEAAAAAALLLLL! LOOK AT ALL THOSE SUBTLE SIGNS OF WEAR AND TEAR, EVIDENCE OF BATTLE AFTER BATTLE! NO ONE SHARE A THING ABOUT THIS UNLESS YOU WANT THIS PLACE TO BE CRAWLING WITH THE MEDIA AND GOVERNMENT!" Phones are pulled out. Pictures are taken as we continue into the building. The lobby area looks abandoned and shuttered. Rotted benches, cracks in the floor, dripping water in the ceiling. Not exactly a place to be eating but we were eating here anyway. Herbsalvin was just so confused it was genuinely adorable.