Chapter 9 begins!

Emerald decides that he doesn't want to be anywhere near Shock Top.

He excuses himself, claiming that he was just looking for someone and scurries away.

Emerald makes his way over to Joyride, who has a plate and is chowing down.

Emerald looks at the display. The table is groaning under heaps and heaps of food. There are fresh watermelons and bright yellow bananas, sliced pineapple, all color of apples, as well as mountains of salads and peppers. There are sugary confections, topped with creams and jellies, as well as all shapes and sizes of breads and sandwiches. The food here is more exotic than Emerald is used to, even in his days growing up in his household, and he doesn't recognize some of the items… However he does notice something odd on some of the plates… It looks like…

"Yup." Joyride says as Emerald gives the plate a poke, "That's meat. The carnivores here gotta have something you know."

Emerald looks warily at the food, and Joyride says, "Hey, it really isn't that bad. Especially the fried chicken." She finishes, picking a drumstick up off her plate and biting into it.

This makes Emerald feel queasy, so he looks around. It's hard to see through the number of bodies, but he still can't quite spot Hope.