Chapter 39 of 99 · Book 8, A Parade of Horribles

Chapter 39 — The Lollipop: a needle over the singer

Book: A Parade of Horribles · Part: Horrible One · Previous: Chapter 38 — Akuma's account: Herot, Menerva and the Pineapple Cabaret · Next: Chapter 40 — Heat four: survival containment; Team Flamengo · Floor: Floor 10 — Don't Come in Last · Series: the series

Opening

Despite the town’s population having taken a hit, this place was still packed.

Summary

Yuto the red Oni sings 'Careless Whisper'. Akuma, re-muted at 2% health, is left when an imp finds Hickster; a fist bump puts him in Carl's chat, floor-bound, where he answers nothing but that Carl is annoying. Trust but verify: volunteers for the Cabaret; Prepotente and Mordecai on the shop-interface exploit; strippers to the Desperado Club's casinos. Donut explains it to the chat ('A SUPER-NICE SAFE ROOM, BUT FOR NPCS […] ALSO ELLE CRUSHED HIS RIGHT TESTICLE.' 'I think it was his left one!' 'WELL, NOW IT’S HIS ONLY ONE.'). Rosetta did not react to Herot, who came after her in the book, but Menerva means something to her and she will not say what. Tipid, who knows hidden guildhalls better than Mordecai and Tiatha together, sits at the bar (this beer gives 2% constitution; don't eat the peanuts) and remembers Herot from his game-guide days — Tipid: 'Little fucker was a real thorn in the side of' the orcs, maybe; 'Always had a giant crowd of NPCs with ’em'; trust the lizard, not the mages, who will likely use them to clear the place and kill them for it; the shadow mimics are the true problem, and since Mordecai's form is a broken combination, there may be real ones on this floor. Imani, Chris and Elle arrive with a tall thin fleshmancer, hired and to be hidden in their guild. Tipid sings 'Love Shack' — he cannot — and a Guitar Hero gauge appears over him and stays red: the guild is here. The binder has a secret mark on a handful of songs; sing one with the needle in the green throughout and the entrance opens, and only the singers get in. Donut wants Whitney, Celine, Stevie Nicks, Freddie Mercury ('I think we have the same range'); Prepotente dates Celine Dion's charting to the sentence, is thrown out for outside sodas, and screams. Carl to Mordecai: the bard potion, brewing, ready just before the race.

Characters

• Carl — Trust but verify; asks Mordecai about the bard potion.
• Princess Donut — Explains it to the chat; wants Whitney, Celine, Stevie Nicks, Freddie Mercury.
• Tipid — Remembers Herot's guide days; sings 'Love Shack' badly and finds the gauge; the shadow mimics: 'That’s probably the true problem'.
• Rosetta Thagra — Menerva means something to her she will not say.
• Prepotente — Thrown out for outside sodas; screams.
• Imani — Arrives with the fleshmancer.
• Elle McGibbons — With her.
• Chris — With her.
• Akuma — In Carl's chat by fist bump; answers nothing.
• Grigori the Placid — Tall, thin, hired, to be hidden in the guild.
• Mordecai — Brewing a bard potion.
• Herot — Tipid: 'Little fucker was a real thorn'; trust the lizard, not the mages.
• Menerva — The name Rosetta reacts to.

Locations

• The Lollipop — Yuto sings 'Careless Whisper'; a Guitar Hero gauge over the singer.
• The Stage Performance Guild — Entered by singing a marked song in the green; only the singers get in.

Motifs

• The Pineapple Cabaret — Volunteers; the shop-interface exploit; strippers to the casinos.
• The Dungeon Anarchist's Cookbook — Herot as Tipid remembers.
• The chat — 'WELL, NOW IT’S HIS ONLY ONE.'
• Donut's songs — 'I think we have the same range.'