#BattleTheBeast - The Bell Jar

Eliot and Margo lounged on the couch of the physical kids' cottage while Penny paced the room.

Penny stopped pacing and turned to Margo and Eliot. "How can you just sit there?"

"What? Like pacing is helping?" Margo asked.

"And Alice and Quentin went and disappeared somewhere to come up with a plan," said Eliot, completely unconcerned.

"I'm pretty sure they went to fuck but you know what? Okay," Margo said. "I'm sure while they're having sex they'll think of a plan. It'll just come to them mid-orgasm."

"Besides, we're already doing our part," continued Eliot lazily. "We are sitting across from a fully stocked bar and I have not had a drink yet today. Do you know what kind of self-restraint that takes?"

"So that's your plan? To not have a plan?" Penny shot back anxiously. "The Beast is no joke! This isn't some exam you can bullshit your way through! This is life and death!"

"Did you not hear my plan? My plan is to let the smart people figure it out," Eliot said.

"And it's a damn good plan," Margo said. "Alice is the best magician we have."

"And Quentin?" Penny challenged.

"Like I said, Alice is the best magician we have," Margo iterated.

Quentin and Alice entered clad in lab safety goggles, yellow raincoats, snow pants, and bunny slippers, with butterfly clips in their hair.

Eliot walked over to Quentin and Alice, circling them, inspecting them.

"It's official. The supposed smart ones lost their minds. We're all fucked." Eliot said before sitting back down.

"I know we're walking into certain death but your outfit choices are just...confusing," Margo chimed in.

"It's part of a series of spells," Alice explained. "We are invincible with these on."

"We made extras for everyone else," Quentin supplied helpfully as he held out a raincoat to Eliot.

Eliot stared at the raincoat in disgust. "I would rather die than wear that."

"Really? Because that's literally the trade you're making," Quentin reminded him.

"Fine," Margo said as she took a raincoat and put it on. "I guess I can make it work."

"Penny, you too," Alice said, handing over a pair of bunny slippers. He took them but made no effort to put them on.

"For the record, what exactly will wearing this...fashion atrocity do? Besides take away all my self-respect and my last shred of dignity?" asked Eliot, still refusing to touch the putrid yellow raincoat.

"It's armor," Alice explained. "Like I said, with it on we're invincible."

"And you couldn't have enchanted, say, a stylish three piece suit?" Eliot asked.

"Hey the best option was Snuggies and Crocs. I talked her down to bunny slippers and raincoats!" said Quentin.

"These are the best, or in some cases second best, materials for the spells to bind to," Alice confirmed.

"I look ridiculous!" Penny said, bunny slippers on.

"We all look ridiculous," Margo shot back.

"But we'll be safe," Alice said. "Now finish complaining and get dressed so we can go kill the beast and get this stuff off. You're not the only ones who feel ridiculous in this."