We had a session of Slayers East on Monday (number 8 I think...) it was a Hallowe'en episode following on from a very nasty angst-fest session. Morgue had asked us all to let the dark stuff take the back seat and have a fun, relaxed epsiode. Scott and I were wondering how that would work, given all the piles of bricks that fell on the characters last episode (metaphorically speaking) but we needn't have worried. Morgue emailed me and said it was the much requested Troy and Allister episode.'
You remember Allister right?
So, my angsty Slayer took the back seat, chose a Supergirl costume for the Hallowe'en dance and fell under a spell. Meanwhile, Allister took centre stage in a remarkably West Side Story-influenced plot about him and Troy trying to be friends again.
Morgue told us there would be no singing, but we managed to slip a little bit in there all the same. Putting that aside, it was good fun driving Giffy's Ultra-composed and together Cass up the wall with the madcap antics.
Cass: You have to show everyone you're friends!
Allister: I'm not going to kiss him!
Cass:*boggles*
The story was foreshadowed in the previous episode where I requested a sweet little scene of Allister slipping a bag of gummi worms to Troy in the school hall. The plot of this episode was based on two rival ghosts who had killed each other in a gang fight, taking possession of the two (with no apparent effect on Troy and Allister) but driving the whole town to take sides with either the Jocks or the emo/goth/artsy kids. It was very Buffy Band Candy.
One of my favourite touches was to have Allister go to the Hallowe'en party as spiderman (full mask) and then Troy turn up as black spiderman. When they saw each other at the party they immediately did spidey poses at each other.
Allister: Your friendly neighbourhood spidermen!
Troy: Oh yeah!
Cass: Oh GOD!
Somehow the visuals for this entire 'episode' were very clear for me. Margie suggested it was all the costuming and I think that's an important part of it. my favourite moment was right at the end, and I can see this as clear as if it happened. The drama is all over, no one is fighting anymore, and all the main characters have gone home. Troy and Allister sit on the roof of the school in their spidey suits, no masks. Allister cracks open a beer, but it's got spring loaded snakes in it!
Allister: AAaaaaah!
Troy:*chuckles, then opens his own beer* *spring loaded snakes leap out* Aaaaaaah!
In terms of roleplaying, I don't think I can effectively explain why I love playing this character so much. He's pretty two-dimensional but his loyalty to Troy was very real to me. I guess I just like to be silly and funny and make mischief with Margie.
PoF: guns/ponies
CO: Allister McAllister