Terry blearily watched Xiu as he sipped on his coffee. It was like every time he blinked something different happened; one minute there was some bad luck going on, and the next there was good luck instead? He felt like he must've been in some kind of dream for all this surreal stuff to happen. What's stranger, that woman, Xiu, didn't seem fazed by it at all. If anything, she seemed intrigued by it, like she was looking for something, or maybe trying to understand what was happening like he was.
"You're pretty confusing, huh?" he grunted. "Too confusing." And ditzy. He couldn't put a finger on it, but something about the way she was carrying herself among all this craziness gave him an impression of airheadedness. Who knows, though, she could be the complete opposite, for all he knew. It only added to that confusing factor about her, though.
How this works: Post IC and state what the OC above is/does/has too much of. This can be based on looks, personality, behavior, etc.
Rules:
- Use the word "too" at least once. That is the point of the game.
- Please put effort into your responses. There's technically no sentence minimum, but please no two-word responses.
- Your response should not be NSFW, offensive, or hurtful to real people. Let's confine the emotional pain to our characters.
- Wait until three other people have posted before you post again, unless it's been 24 hours. In that case, only one other person must have posted.
You get the point, right? So let's start for real with Dr. Fire!
Despite his disheveled appearance, Philomena was in awe at the human. The wolfdog craned her neck closer, attempting to get a better look at his face. She knew so little about these humans; right now, she's going to have one hell of a learning experience.
"Wow, I really love the fur on your face! I've seen a whole ton of face fur, but that? You look lovely in that," Philomena commented, gesturing at the stubble on his face. She was trying her best to compliment him.
"I think I'd look lovely if I let some parts of my fur grow out longer. I only get a monthly trim; my fur grows out pretty fast. Perhaps...I could tell my hairstylist to try something new. Ooh, off topic, but... tell me more about the man-pups! I've seen one—not up close, but I saw one—and, oh my, it looked so squishy and adorable. I respect you for taking care of so many man-pups. That job sounds too cool. Maybe, you could...bring me one and I could see it?"
Roswell eyed the crossbow that rested in Alpha's hands. The old thief frankly didn't know much about weapons (like have you seen him, he's a beanstalk), but even he with his one eye could see that the weapon was something else. A piece of art so to say.
"Well yer quite de shot," Roswell said. His eye drifting away from the weapon, to the target Alpha had aimed on. A tree with a bullseye painted onto it. The bolt had jammed itself in the middle of the tiniest circle. "A bit too good if yer ask me," Roswell said. Softly tugging the edges of his collar.
Unlike many people knew (author notes: cause I'm too lazy to update his 2 years old profile), Roswell owned a crossbow too. A smaller variant to the weapon the smaller girl was holding. Roswell's crossbow (or Rosbow if you like), was sleek and made of a light wood. Pearwood. Of course. It was designed for stealing, not actually shooting people (though that was still an option). The bolts were lighter too. Thin as needles, handy to shoot out lights or dispatch ropes. Besides guns were easy to get in Drakenburg, gunpowder and bullets? Not so much.
Roswell lifted his crossbow up and aimed at the painted bullseye. His finger lingering on the trigger. He grimaced before pulling it. Already knowing he wasn't going to hit the dead center.
Which he didn't.
Thud.
The lighter bolt burried itself slighty too the right of Alpha's projectile. Not the center where he aimed at. Void's arse!
"Yer just lucky," the thief said. "Beginner's luck," he said with a huff. Sure thing.
--
Oh poor Lacie wasting your talent on this man...'s camel.
"Loike it?" He said. "Oi love it!" Roswell carefully picked up the piece of paper and held it up. Slightly tilt it as if he'd wanted to inspect every cranny, every graphite and ink stroke Lacie had made.
That was Gustav alright, with his long camel neck and those even longer camel whimpers. Hís Gustav! Roswell had 0 photos or drawing of his non-kids. His study and his apartment had bare walls. Family photos? No. Don't think about.
Meaning that he has more room for this.. This masterpiece! His little Gustav!
"Yer too talented," he replied. Giving the artist a big smile. "Its a shame yer never seen a camel before. They are lovely creatures." He said. Then sniffed. "Yer even added a pear.. He loves pears," nó Roswell you love pears.
Roswell looked up and softly touched his chin. "Oi could never 'ate me face," that's your entire problem. Then he laughed. "No I wouldn't dare folding this masterpiece," he said. Slowly removing 2 fingers and holding the paper in the 2 remaining. Scared that his fingers would ruin such a lovely product.
"Me? A dog?" Roswell said. He'd been called many animal names, Krōs, otters...donkey that one time. But a dog. "Oi would love to see dat!" And I would love to see you pay for once. But ofcourse Roswell didn't bring thát up.
He moved out of his chair light footed. Gave Lacie's hand a quick peck while holding Gustav's portrait tightly secured in his other hand. "It's always good doing business with yer"
ha.. business.
"Here you go, Roswell." Lacie murmured, passing the thick sheet of paper across the desk to the man, "I hope that it is to your liking."
Ah, Gustav... A portrait of Gustav's stupid, shaggy face, bridle and eyelashes and all... Sketched to the point of perfectionism in soft graphite and lined carefully in black ink. There was even a little pear next to him, and gods, she hoped he liked pears, or else she would have done no justice to him in the end.
"You're too kind to allow me to draw your pet -- I think I already told you that I've never studied a camel before, so this was a fresh experience." she carried on as she leaned back in the upholstered chair, bringing the pelt blanket further up over her lap, "I've sketch plenty of horses and fruits and what-not, but never a camel... But, believe me," she then started to laugh, "I would have liked to draw you, but then I would start to hate your face." Rude? But granted, she doubted the man would know when to shut up or stop moving, so she couldn't do him any good.
"Be careful not to bend the paper, though." she cautioned, "The papers that I use to write and draw are so thick that if you bend it, it probably won't go back to normal. Or, at least not in an appealing way." She let out a snort, waving her hand before resting atop the blanket. "You'll bend it, and you'll hate it, and no one will be able to fix it!"
There was a pause, as she let out a sigh, continuing to relax in her seat. When she spoke again, she did so softer than the last, "I suppose I could draw you as an animal, though, but not right now. A dog, or something like that -- I think a dog would suit you."
Step right up, kids, and get your Lacie-assigned fursona today!
AAAAAAAAAAA quick sorta late follow-up post.
Lacie's focus was on the sheet of paper she had been folding... for a whole of two minutes, before she heard a sharp gasp behind her. She jolted at that moment and looked at her guest uneasily to make certain that the teenager was not dying. She ceased folding for a few moments, gaze shifting back to the paper as the other party spoke.
"Thank you, miss." she murmured, "I just made a couple of birds, if you're interested in seeing them, and besides, I need the room to work on this one... They're just in that drawer there." The woman paused again, nodding towards the bottom of the escritoire where she settled. "I have a few cranes, and a hummingbird, and an owl -- don't touch the white crane, though, if it's in there. It's a note for my husband, I just got bored after I wrote it down."
Flavio was going to hate unfolding said crane. Origami is a pain in the ass.
"This one here is a dragon." Huh. No. That's a fucking whale, bitch. "One of those funny sea dragons, or a dolphin, I don't know what those Westerners called them. I think they're the same, just like how people simply slap a horn onto a goat and call it a unicorn."
Once she finished folding the sea dragon, she passed it into Zinnia's hands. "Here you go, miss. You can keep it, if you'd like. I don't have use for any of these, honestly. It's just nice to give my hands something to do while I calm down..." She eyed the origami for a few moments, leaning back in her chair and tapping her foot against the stone flooring. "If you'd like, I can show you how to make something easy. They're good as ornaments, or as gifts, whichever you prefer."
Without waiting for a response, Lacie opened the wide top drawer of the desk, and pulled out a sheet of white paper. "Here. I'll show you how to do a butterfly."
Revival time, claiming Vapor
Zinnia allowed her eyelashes to flutter, craning her neck upwards as she intently watched Lacie's hands. She had been folding a piece of paper, and was doing this for a while. Zinnia presumed that she had finally noticed she was behind her, watching Lacie whip her head around to face the teenager after a gasp sounded from her.
"Wow... that's... that's too good," she stated after she allowed her lips to quaver. Zinnia began to wring her fingers around, continuing to watch Lacie fold the paper.
"What are you making?" she inquired, leaning back over Lacie's shoulders so that she could continue watching her.
Salvador's nose was colored red from the frost. The cold that lingered in Drakenburg's central park felt heavy on his already weakened lungs.
Salvador's fingers rubbed the seeds he'd been holding before he threw them at the ice-cold pond.
The ducks raced over. Fighting each other in the otherwise peaceful brine.
"Thank you for letting me talk so much," Salvador said. As he tried to make himself more comfortable on the park bench. His gaze shifted away from the ducks, to the teenager next to him. "It's just... You got a trustworthy face." Nice compliment. "As in you listen, you know," he said. "You're kind. A good person. Some would say too good really."
Salvador grabbed another hand of bird seeds and threw it a bit closer to the bench this time. He watched as the ducks waggled nearer to them. The birds quaking sounds made him smile.
"I wanted to do something back. A Thank you. For letting me vent that one time." Salvador said. He rolled his stiff shoulders. Before putting up a smile. Calling it a smile was a bit of a reach though. As it was comparable to the expression of a dying animal.
"I've heard ol' folks, Xander, Brown and such, talk about that Stephanie figure. And what's she's done to you," he said. Then rubbed the back of his head. "I may eavesdrop a conversation...Or two," Salvador admitted. "Sorry. " Pause. "But... I stole her wallet." Salvador's smile grew a bit bigger.
"D-don't worry she won't trace it back to you, as we rarely hang out." Expect when you feel like whining about your poor existence Salvador. Or feeding the ducks together it seems. "Besides she didn't even saw me. I'm small you know. Hardly noticeable," he continued. Your own words pall.
"I got it here if you want to see it, the wallet I mean," the smaller thief said. Before plucking the wallet out of his inner pocket. Showing it briefly to the girl before pocketing it again
"It didn't have a lot of coin in it but enough for a hot cup of cocoa. Or two," Salvador said. Burying himself deeper behind his scarf. "Plus..maybe a caramel apple on a stick," he added. His words forming small clouds in the dampen cold air. Brr..
"Those apples taste better than those swampy toast I made you last time."
--
YO DUDE that was so cool!? My follow up is super long as I force more lore down everyone's throat
Salvador didn't know how he ended up here. Or what here even was. He felt warmth, a pressure. Almost like a mine shaft. Sweat beaded on his forehead, his hands shook. He saw the throne room, yes, but it shifted. Sometimes Salvador could swear the walls were made of coal and he could hear the support beams crack. Other times Salvador saw his family home. The kitchen, with its wooden walls and smell of chamomile and sage. Salvador saw the sink, he had washed his hands in. Seconds of his 'Raising' trying to get the dirt and blackness of his hands. To no avail.
But whatever version he saw of the room, no matter what Salvador did, he saw the throne. Standing there: underneath the drying tobacco and next to his mum's stove. Or in the middle of the mine shaft. Sometimes he saw flickers of how the room was supposed to look. With its many clocks and skulls. Ranking of dread and despair.
He shivered when Saris approached him. His voice was as soft as silk. Dripping of honey. Enchanting to listen too.
His movements were smooth. Collected and targeted. Reminding Salvador of a snake. Preparing itself to strike. Salvador watched the coin. How it flickered against the background of his mother's home. How it shimmered in the dim light of the mine.
"I don't know," he simply stated. Frowning as he said those words. Feeling this...Anger boil. "I don't. It's neither. It's not the fairytale Xander is living, it's nót Nathaniel's curse," he spat. The other two Halves had asked him the same thing over and over again. Asked him to pick aside. To see how wrong the other was.
"It should have brought back my father," Salvador said. As soon as the words, that lingered in his mind ever since his Turning, left his lips Salvador felt..relieved. It was true. The Void should have brought back his father, not him. The gap Jakoba Wapenburg left in their small family of 4 was unreplicable. Not only emotional-wise. Financial too.
Salvador stared Death back in its eyes. Like he'd done before.
"The Void was a fool for bringing me back."
He watched as the other man rose. His wrist flickering with a heated-sensation. Pain maybe.
"It refers to this Half-life I'm living," he'd explain. "Not what creature I'm." He paused as his fingers reached for his wrist. Rubbing the tattoo that was poked into his flesh.
One circle, full and red. A line dropped from the bottom and connected the circle with a broken one. His soul-diagram.
"You know we have two, right? Two souls," Salvador said. A taunting edge to his quivering voice. "One of my souls is broken. Half. That's what I'm."
"No! Let me go!" Salvador said in full panic. Yanking at his arm. "I promised mum that I won't use it on people! I won't use it to hurt!" He cried out.
Salvador's gaze finally broke away and now rested on his hand. On his powers, seeping into the other. Changing his arm. Rotting its flesh. Salvador's stomach hurt.
"Let me go!" He tried desperately.
"I don't want to learn!" Salvador barked back. "I never asked for this! I never deserved it!" Salvador said. Hissing as he fought back his tears. "It's a waste. Really."
Then the magic jumped over, his eyes widened. Salvador's arm felt like it was set on fire. The Void's energy sputtered and protested making his veins glow. Dark energy sprang between his fingertips as his arm kept aging. Salvador no longer tugged or struggled. His arm was too numb to even move.
"Let- go - of me," the blond planted. His other hand raising, pointing at the man. His fingers quivered as a familiar dry sensation seeped itself into Salvador's throat. He had done this before. He had seen Nathaniel use it. Releasing his power, raw, without touch. Salvador could remember that heist going wrong, how Roswell and Leika were fleeing from the city men. How he'd raised his hand like had now, aiming at the wooden bridge behind them. He'd made a first and in seconds the bridge had collapsed. Aged. Rotten. Salvador took a sharp breath. He could do the same to a human, right? If Saris was even human.
No.
Salvador lowered his shaking hand. He'd promised his mum not to use Its powers on people. He decided against it. Just in time to, as the other magic snaked back. Not sure if it was Saris' mercy, or the Void's.
The Half kept quiet as he carefully grabbed his wrist and started to move his fingers again.
" I won't end up like you."
I am so sorry, Salvador might be seeing this guy in his nightmares. O.=.O
Hope it's okay.
Just a content warning because.....well....necromancer=creepy stuff happens.
"I am curious, you are a man who has walked by deaths side but yet.....has not been claimed by it." Saris said as he lounged across his throne of metal and bones, rolling a coin across the back of his right hand as he did so, the various clocks and sand timers watched with every moving eyes. "A blessing...." He cast a gaze over at Salvador before flicking the coin into the air "....or a curse...." He caught the coin effortlessly, his eyes not leaving the man who stood several paces away from him. "Which would you say? Have you been deemed more than a normal man, or have you been punished as a cruel creature...." Saris rose from the throne, his body looking skeletal, but still intimidating, a mixture of two extremes which shouldn't fit together, but yet, give a unique and equally terrifying experience. "....after all....they call you a half don't they.....but half of what I wonder." Slowly he approached, his stride unwavering and confident, as he did a air of power and unnerving stillness followed in his wake, as if everything other than him was still.
"For one who has had the sand in their timer reversed to temporally to gain some of the grains back, only for it to be put back in it's correct position once more, the patch of sand which was ones end, now merges and is placed elsewhere within the glass. Now that......I find fascinating." He bent at the hips, his eyes now level with Salvador. "I have heard about your little tricks, the touch of time that you bring to all who should come in contact with your hands." Swiftly, Saris grabbed Salvadors hand, unafraid of the effects he knew that would happen. He took in the look of shock on the mans face, as the power of this stranger began to weave it's way into the Saris' hand. Still the dark haired males expression bore no glimpse into his mind, except for a slightest of unnerving smiles. His pupil looked into Salvadors before they flickered, their once round pupils were now being compressed in the middle, making them look like hourglasses as his eyes flared brighter in colour.
"I assure you my friend, you have much to learn about the clock which is ever ticking for everything on this planet...." A familiar course of energy coursed through the necromancers veins, the aging effect on his hand stopped and then reversed, his hand returning to its youthful appearance once more. However the corrupted magic continued, now transferring to the blonde mans, the skin of his hand becoming aged just like Saris' did moments before. "....and you have much to learn about those who can bend the threads of time at will." This effect continued, making the bones slowly grow more and more visible each second, the necromancer gave a blood curdling grin, his face flickering several times from a man's face to a skull. Saris took note of the look of horror on the mans face before releasing his hold, his grin cascading back to his emotionless look, his magic curled back like a snake and slowly Salvadors hand returned to its normal state, like it was never touched to begin with.
With a small swish of his of his outfit, Saris turned around. "I will not add you to my collection today Void touched......" He waved a hand, gesturing to the vast amount of skeletons which made up his throne. the metal coins surrounding the base chimed as he stepped back up to his seat before sitting down. "....your bones are too fragile and inexperienced...."The unsettling closed smile appeared once more on Saris' lips "...and I am intrigued to see how time will change them."
------------------
Haha no worries, I wouldn't say much to this guy either xD
Follow Up:
Saris looked at Vivienne, now this was interesting, it was rare for him to find another who had skills in the darker arts; granted there abilities didn't seem like the essence of necromatic tendencies, but it fascinated him all the same. He gave a low chuckle. "Too intense my dear.....or too truthful....." He blinked before smirking. "You're scared of me? So you should be.....but for the time being you're safe, if anything I am curious, what type of magic flows through you're veins, what it is capable of." He took a step forward watching as it instilled fear into Vivienne.
"I hope we meet again." He said with a unnerving grin, his pupils changing to a hourglass shape before returning to normal. He turned around, the grin never leaving his face as he disappeared into the thick vegetation of the forest.
"You look more like a demon than a god." said Maribelle, her tone of voice rattled, but also... less than pleased. It was hard to tell whether or not she much cared for the gods, whether from this strange pocket dimension or from her own homeland, but either way... She appeared uneasy in the way a little old grandma would if a drunken man took a dump in the church sanctuary. "You act like a demon, too." Then, she scoffed. "You act like a man. Too much like a man."
There was a pause. Whether she meant man as in "humankind" or "gender", who the fuck knows. She didn't clarify, and besides, knowing her, both worked the same in this context.
"I think the only good thing about you is your preference for... animals, or plants. I prefer plants, and a few animals." Never mammals. Except dolphins, but again, she didn't recognize dolphins as mammals. "The people think the sea is terrifying, too. I guess it is. No one back home knows what's in the sea. All we've ever gotten from it is seafood and death." There was a respect for it, though, as if it were a beast all on its own. She thought of Tiderus as an attempt at a personification of that fact, and it felt... insulting, maybe? Cheeky, at the best? Maybe it was the jellyfish in her. Who knows.
Besides, it wasn't like she got to see the ocean often. She lived landlocked for most of her life. Clearly, Tiderus would be more experienced than her, but alas alas...
"I don't know what the gods think of us. Or of me." She combed her fingers through her hair for a moment. "Or, the rest of the gods. Your gods. You. That type... I mean, I guess there are other good things, other than the wildlife. I like the rain, you make the rain, or whatever it is you do -- and I... I think that's it. Like I said, you're too much like man to seem godly."
maribelle is only pissed.
"I'm not sad." said Maribelle, who was indeed, in reality, a sad idiot, "Even if I was sad, it's not like I wouldn't have a reason to be. Like I have a reason to be angry." You know what they say -- sadness and anger are the same damn thing, just with a different coat of paint!
"Besides--" She waved her hand in an attempt to emphasize what she was to say next. "I'm more useful when I'm angry. Fighting doesn't make me happy, either, but it makes me useful."
And, oh God, there was nothing worse than her being absolutely shit at something that... you know, was sort of her job at the moment, no matter how draining it was. She took it as training for the future, assuming she would ever even take control of Vieillemont, considering the rebellion's own internal conflict. She knew her mentor's standing on the matter, though he kept them hidden amongst his fellow leaders for the sake of cordiality.
"Of course, it's not like you're even truly happy, either, even if you smile. No one is ever actually happy." Maribelle added, again, as if seeing a cool bug or flower wasn't the pinnacle of joy for her, and that shit happened all the time. God, was she fascinated by cockroaches. "I think you're an idiot if you think I should focus on the happy. There's nothing to be happy about." Again, bugs. And flowers. Oh, God, did she adore wisterias.
She also adored her billions of not-fathers.
"Then again, maybe you're mentally unwell. I understand that." she then commented, "Except, I'm trying to get help for my sickness."
I don't think working for an angry old man really counts as therapy, Maribelle.
"Too sad, too sad, you're far too sad. :)" Smiley sang. He leaned his sledgehammer against his shoulder and traced a frown on his bag. "What a deep frown. A deep, deep frown. :) Doesn't that exhaust you? :) Aren't you tired of being so upset? So angry? So unhappy? :)" He took his hammer and twirled it before pressing the head against the ground and leaning against it. "Life is rough, isn't it? Rough, rough, rough. :) So much gets thrown at us to make us sad or mad. :) It's true, I know. I know that very well. :) And so do you, with all those scars. :) That's why we need to smile! :) We need to focus on the happy! :) You should try it. Yes, you should, yes, you should. :)"
The teenager stares at the paper bag serial killer with no expression whatsoever. Or maybe he is thinking about something, he just doesn't express it. With a sigh, he asked the othee with a hint of disapproval in his tone "...Aren't you a little too over the top?" Kuraru then looks away from Smiley, murmuring a grouse but enough to make a sentence out of it "...Don't forget to smile...I got it. But you are too commited to that. Make a room for other expression, this is not healthy." Sure, said the one rarely smile.
As soon as the middle-aged man noticed the teenager's presence, he quickly recognized him as that fellow who had reminded him so fondly of his home region of Kalos- Well, the good part, at least. He spoiled the older man with galette and other Kalosian specialties, to the point that he almost wanted to revisit the region just to see how much had changed since he had left twenty or so years ago. Huh. Time really does blend into itself when you are older than thirty-five-
"You again!" chimed in M. Pourife once he was close enough to be within the Espurr-teen's earshot, "How has everything been going since we last met? The galette was delicious, by the way!" Of course, though, he kind of said that for any type of galette - regardless of the actual quality; all the middle-aged scientist wanted was a fresh taste of his home region, and the young man - who just so happened to remind him of a cute little Espurr - seemed to indulge him in that saccharine nostalgia- Sweet, sweet nostalgia... He didn't have to worry about getting his ass kicked for once, as he slowed his pace and started to linger at the other's side.
"Besides, you have been far too kind to me, sir. Everything considered, really... It seems that we can bond over each other being Kalosian - and though I normally find such a connection too superficial for my liking, I do think that it has helped a lot in this case, mm? As you said, Kalosians are not... Exactly common around here. They still sort of tend to stay in their own region, usually Lumiose City... And they could probably eat all the galette in the world, without having to worry about tariffs and the like..."
An odd yet clearly longing wistfulness entered his voice while he coughed into his sleeve and elaborated hastily, "I mean... At least in the sense that they are proud of their region. Which is admirable, of course! It is always good to have confidence..." And then M. Pourife trailed off. He cocked his head at the teenager and asked, "Are you proud? Of your region? Of yourself? Of something else?" He waited for an answer, then just... Nodded, regardless of whether anything was actually uttered or not.
Though he was by no means going to say this shit out loud, there was no denying the fact that M. Pourife was more than a bit unnerved by that unwavering stare. Sure, it reflected an Espurr's tendency to always keep its eyes wide and open, but that was the problem. When cats kept their eyes open like that, it was cute; when cat-people did the same thing, it was a bit more unnerving.
"I should repay you sometime, of course," hummed the middle-aged man with seemingly no awareness of the previous topic, "In galette. I am not sure if Unovans are that responsive to Kalosian food, but... I will try my best! As said before, you have been too kind to me. I simply should repay you, to make up for it, mm?" He chuckled, unknowingly letting a single nervous lilt enter his tone before he shook his head and gesticulated slightly with his hand. "Of course, those imported straight from Lumiose are superior, but... You know... Tariffs and all that... Mm? And then we can get some coffee if you want; coffee is always such a joy to drink, really."
Said a tea person. But it's fine. An exception could be made this one time, considering that he literally needed something to distract him from... Home. The bad parts of it, at least, since they had a habit of settling into his mind like an unwelcome plaque whenever the subject was brought up...
perhaps NP can get a follow-up if I have the time. as a treat.
"Okay, so it looks like you haven't had much troubles with any breaking and entering lately, huh? Those doors have been working and all?" Cameron said while scribbling down his notes. "Well that's good. Good to see results, right? So with that in mind, I won't be stopping by as often anymore. In the case that you get another break-in or any laws broken, I'll come, but until then let's see how long your new security works."
Cameron put away his notes before giving M. Pourife a sympathetic smile. "If I'm being honest here, bud, maybe you should take a vacation, huh? I've only been here a few times, but you look more and more stressed each time. I think it's starting to be a little too much for you, which I get, I mean, science programs are always pretty fragile situations to be in. Take a few days to relax at home, or go to the beach. Just..." He looked over his shoulder, to where a man with a TV for a head kept yelling at his cameramen to record a scarecrow. "... Try not to load up too much on your plate."