scootch | [voice]

[It's been quiet for a little bit, and that always makes Ellie suspicious. Even without the interference of their captors, it seems like people are still having trouble with this or that. Whether it's the departure of friends, or a misunderstanding, or just... day to day living being kind of rough on someone? She's been seeing it all over the place. She's not used to caring, but with everyone so open in Luceti, it's hard not to.

So, upon discovering what she's been searching for the last several months finally, finally in the library, she makes a decision. If it's peace that they're getting, she's going to enjoy it as much as possible.]

Okay, Luceti...ans, whatever. Time to lighten the mood.

[There's a sound of a page turning, and she clears her throat.]

"Newsflash: Police were called to a daycare... where a three-year-old was resisting a rest." ...eh.

"I did a theatrical performance about puns. Really... it was just a play on words." Psssh. Cute.

"He drove his expensive car into a tree and found out how the Mercedes bends." ...I don't get that one, actually.

"The man who survived mustard gas and pepper spray... is now a seasoned veteran." [Snigger.]

"Did you hear about the guy whose whole left side was cut off? ...He's all right now." Ohhh, ha ha, that one's mean.

[The page turns again.]

Got more where that came from. Anyone else have some jokes to share? We can swap.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Water and ice? I'll remember that.

And that's okay, puns aren't for everybody. Do you know any other kinds of jokes? Or even a funny story?

I have stories about the people from my home, and the trouble they can get into, but I don't think they'll be as funny to you as they are to me. Kurt has been...working with me about jokes. It doesn't go well very often. [He'd have done that one, though, some thing about wells and water.]

But I would love to hear more of yours.

Well, alright then.

[It isn't exactly an exchange, but she loves telling jokes, so she won't complain.]

"If you lose your hearing, is it... ear-replaceable?"

[No, she thinks, if you lose your hearing you're-

Kurt's voice has to step in and remind her it's a joke, and Mia looks off to one side of the journal, sheepish.]

I know I have never heard that one before.

Excellent, excellent. Feel free to pass it on to him if you feel like it.

Let's see... oh, here's a story for you. 'One day a man came across a farmer trying to pull a heavy cart up a hill. When the man suggested that the farmer get a horse, the farmer replied, "I won't tire... because when there's a wheel, there's a weigh!"

[...Well, maybe that one's better seen and not heard.]

[That's an even better one. It takes her a longer time to finish laughing once she puts all the references together.]

You're very good at this. I wish I had one for you in return.

You should get Kurt to teach you a few. He'd probably love it. It's not that hard, really.

Kurt is convinced that I can make jokes work if I practice enough. [Things usually come up, getting in the way of any possible 'practice', and she's much better at making people smile through kindnesses than humor.] You're right, he would love it.

Jokes aren't really something you should practice, though... I mean, you're either good at them or not, usually. But puns are easy! You just have to read them.

Some of them sound a little mean. [Cutting a man apart, covering another one with mustard and pepper...]

Well, yeah. They wouldn't be funny if they were about real people.

[Is that the secret to the mystery? They are funny because they aren't about real people. She'll have to think more about that one at a later time.]

The one about the performance would be. [In her own way, her literal read of things amuses Kurt more often than any attempt at joking.]