#pbp-playground

Piper may ponder swearing vengeance on all trolls... everywhere. They did this to her. She feels as big as a house. Her once dainty hooves seemed to have gone more cow like. Jonas assures her that is her imagination, but she's SURE her hooves are swolen. How do you get swolen HOOVES?

Still, she has her music. And her lessons to teach now and then. And her time to record...though she wants a crowd. Unfortunately, crowds can be hard to get when you feel a bit less mobile and folks ask stupid questions "Are you pregnant?" (No Dipshit. I ate a St. Bernard whole). "When's the baby due?" (Babies, and what are you, an army recruiter? Wait 18 years, jackwipe!), and "Oh you have a glow!" (This last is not a question technically, but one could read it as 'I'm asking to die, please slap me?')

Or maybe that's unfair thinking. Regardless... she is currently:

A) At Goldfinch, talking to Etsie

B) At King's Convenience, behind the counter for part time cash

C) at the Appartment, and realizing RIkki is at the door

It’s rough getting around. The doctor has threatened to put her on bed rest if she didn’t take it easy, and this threat would be enforced, she’s certain, by Jonas. (Boooooo). So rather than risk imprisonment, she’s willingly (begrudgingly) limiting her outings. Therefore she is inordinately excited when Rikki stops by - HUMAN CONTACT!

“Come in!” She calls from her throne - er, seat on the couch with snacks and comforts close at hand.

Rikki comes in, sees her rather pregnant friend, "THAR SHE BLOWS!" SHe carries with her.. snacks. Delicous unhealthy snacks "Cracker jacks? Jelly beans, or Heroin?"

Her eyes light up. The snacks Jonas provided are plentiful… but healthy.

Luckily, he’s out on an errand!

“Gimme! I mean, Rikki, my love, my sweet, pearl of my heart! I’ve missed you so.”

Spoiler alert, there is no Heroin. Rather there are M&Ms... mixed bag style... Rikki gives a chuckle and brings them over "Need to work on your aim then. Damn, Piper. have they classified you as a mountain yet? Last I heard Vali still had the job but.." She eyes the belly

“Trust me, Vali had nothing to do with this. I have two OTHER trolls to blame.”

"Next time, you three should take turns" She advises, even as the goods are handed over (or perhaps swiped before Rikki can hand them over) "how you doing?"

“I’m not sure.” She says, after a handful of candy - and double checking that Jonas isn’t at the door. “Siv and Jonas are both so worried about me that I keep a bright disposition, but… it’s hard not to worry myself. The due date isn’t until almost the end of January, but with twins, it can be as much as a month earlier. That’s IF they don’t need to do a…” She makes a stabby/slicey motion, “Which they have said is likely.”

“Which means a week in the hospital, at least, possibly time in the NICU for the babes, and that means time away from Siv because I don’t want to risk her in that environment….”

"Make Jonas shape shift to her so you get to snog her vicariously?" Rikki advises, "Or maybe we can cheat a little? Balm your heather when the docs ain't looking?"

“True, but then there’s also paperwork to deal with when they wonder why I’m not there, and I want to make sure that the babes have everything recorded properly - you have no idea how annoying it was for the Kings to get Siv recorded as a person who exists… even with connections.”

"Dame Anne Marie is a cheat code all her own" She agrees

“WE don’t want to overtap that resource. If she breaks, then imagine how much cleanup Jonas will have to do!”

"Oh yeah, then you'd be JonLESS" a smirk "Okay. Need my dad to cosign something? He'd do anything for his ring tailed angel"

“No, just the company is good. Talk to me about something else, do any good pranks lately? Help me remember I’m more than just an overstuffed turkey.”

“what’s the news? If there’s anything REALLY interesting I worry that Siv is filtering it so I don’t get worried. How’s Goldfinch?” Almost forgetting to give Rikki a chance to reply.

“With the new COVID strains I’m supposed to avoid crowds. Heather balm just ain’ the best at viruses.” She grouses.

“And it’s especially hard, apparently, to heatherbalm a fetus? Something about them not being truly named yet….” A sigh. THen again, maybe this is just something she read somewhere. Who knows if it’s Accurate in the Real World… ;)

"Well, the Cauldron? The warranty expired. Kerri was in a tizzy. But now she's going to send out saps on a food run. The Chief and Hechief are in All Aska, I sent a letter saying they could KEEP Frank but I don't think it stuck. " She goes on "Goldfinch is doing okay, Lord HOtty pants has taken over of course. I'm kidding... it's still democratic chaos. Your students DID ask about you. I told you were hanging on like a poster cat. There was a pumkin Golem? Not sure how it tastes"

“I guess it’s a reason not to let yourself become over reliant on a treasure, if it conks out, you’re up shit creek.” She says with a wince. “He-chief? You sound like Jack now.” A chuckle. “How’s that little hellion doing? If I thought he would sit still for it, I’d like to see if there’s an instrument he appeals to… but he’s just too much of a wild child for now.”

“Pumpkin Golem? Or pumpkin spice?”

"No idea if the golem sang or not" She shrugs "And Jack is KING of the Pumpkin Patch, even if they didn't adopt him. "

“Jack IS the Pumpkin King, it’s in the old lore.” She nods knowingly.

“Who slew the golem? And did they make any chimerical pumpkin pie?” A grin.

At THIS rikki says "Not sure hwo did it, but she had this faux Irish Scotish bad hollywood pirate accent?"

“….Siv? She didn’t tell me about it!” She looks a bit offended. “and I didn’t get any Pie.” More offended!

"Maybe she was afraid you had enough people in you already?" A look at the belly "I know you said not to talk about it, but since you asked"

A SIGH. “I know. And normally, especially this time of year, I’d LIKE being coddled. But it’s a bit much.”

“Maybe I can sneak out and we can go to the Hip Joint.” Naming a local bar. “I’ll man the jukebox and you can drink for the both of us.”

"Sure" SHe nods

Piper lights up! THen pauses. “Are you saying no?”

"Sure" She grins wickedly

Piper POUTS. Then starts throwing M’s at her!

A mess… for Jonas, one fears, to deal with later.

Not like Siv is doing much cleaning this time of year!

She tries to catch one wioth her mouth then laughs "Okay, fine.. you need to get dressed? I'll take you to Atlantic City like I promised"

“What, you don’t think they’ll let me in in Siv’s sweatpants?” She grins. “Grab me that blue number from the closet? It’s maternity chic! Though my nice shoes don’t fit… I guess the slip on sneaks will have to do.” A doleful look at her swollen feet.

Soon, Piper is scrawling a quick note - “Out with Rikki, don’t wait up, kiss kiss - P”

And off they go... to mischief!

(Fade to Abscounding)