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dontasktheradiodemon · 3 years

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Hangout - 11/24

Click the read more if you want to see @hiss-and-vinegar and Alastor have some extremely affectionate, tender, cuddly, and emotionally supportive best friend fluff.

And also to see a snake and a deer violently wrestling in the hotel lobby.

And make fun of each other’s French accents.

Alastor

Room set up, booze supplied and food as well presented as Alastor could manage on such short notice—maybe he should start keeping some hors d'oeuvres on hand in the ice box for times like this, Sir Pentious rarely seems to *schedule* his visits—and now to wait in the lobby for Sir Pentious's arrival.

Sir Pentious

Sir Pentious? Scheduling his visits?? But then what of the element of SURPRISE that he enjoyed so much? It was one of the few ways he could add a bit of rebellion to his daily life. *Spontaneity!* Inconveniencing those around him just because he could! Anyway, it had worked out well last time, so the serpent hadn't any intention of changing his way of doing things.

The doors open up, and basking in the orange and reddish hues of Hell's bleak skies was none other than the snake demon himself. He held a cane in his right hand, leaning upon it as he slithered into the Hotel properly, through the entranceway, and towards the Concierge where he could see Alastor standing there. He stops, moving his head to the side to see if there was anything behind the Radio Demon--looked clear enough.

Alastor

Alastor looks up as soon as the door opens. "Ah! Right on time!" He heads toward Sir Pentious, closing the distance between them. "So, my friend, shall we?"

It certainly is clear enough. He's out in the open and completely defenseless.

Sir Pentious

You know how cats do that thing where their pupils enlarge? It shouldn't be possible for him, but it was known to happen. Sir Pentious lowered his body, just somewhat, and wriggled in place. His grin widened considerably, and it seemed as though his fangs had *lengthened* as well. The hat is getting into it, too, the both of them matching the crazed expression.

Alastor

That gives him pause. He stops several feet shorter than he'd planned. "You're looking a little more maniacal than usual," he says warily. "Scheming something new?"

He's about to get attacked, isn't he.

Sir Pentious

Do you know how fast a Cobra's strike is, Alastor?

In the time that you might have stopped to ponder that, Sir Pentious *lunges* for him, intent on TACKLING him and rolling across the floor. BOOSH--

Alastor

Fast enough that Alastor doesn't have time to avoid it—but he grapples Sir Pentious before they've hit the ground, getting one arm around the back of his neck and the other hooked under his armpit to keep him locked in place and unable to use that arm.

"You telegraph your attacks." He's half growling, half hissing with exertion. "Saw it coming. Now *you're* trapped with *me.*"

Says the man pinned flat on his back, scrabbling to get his legs around Sir Pentious's waist, no idea how to pin fifteen feet of snake without cheating by pulling out the tentacles.

Sir Pentious

"HA!!" He CACKLES, face mere INCHES from Alastor's--although with the way his neck is, it can be very far away. But he's choosing not to do that right now. "I CHOSE TO TELEGRAPH THAT ONE! FOR I WANTED TO SSEEE WHAT YOU WOULD--NGH--DO!" He says, flicking his tongue as he attempts to. Move his stuck arm,

"YOU ARE sssssssSTRONGER THAN YOU LOOK, ACTUALLY-- BUT!!! I!!! AM *MUCH HEAVIER.*" Time to. Raise himself up. C: How do you pile drive a man who is clinging to you???

"DO YOU BEG FOR MERCY, ALASSSSSTOR!?"

Alastor

You don't, that's how! "The bigger they are, the harder they fall!" He takes advantage of the temporarily reduced weight to twist to the side, squirm butt first sideways out from under Sir Pentious, and attempt to climb up onto Sir Pentious's back without letting go of his neck. "Mercy? From you? I'd be *insulted!*"

Sir Pentious

AHKKJDFJKJSHDFK! He's being CLIMBED!!! His eyes go all CRAZY--and he SCRAMBLES, trying to reach back to claw at him!!! All of his eyes are looking at Alastor, but alas, eyes on their won can't do much. He TURNS around, left, then RIGHT--DAMMIT!! Scrabble scrabble,

"WELL, *GOOD* BECAUSE I DO NOT--NGHGHRGH-- I DO NOT KEEP *PRISONERSSSS!*"

Alastor

Alastor laughs wildly—claw away, he has a pain tolerance somewhere halfway between "professional masochist" and "dead horse."

Unfortunately, while he's got a good grip, he can't DO much from right here. He could hypothetically strangle Sir Pentious until he passes out—but then he'd be passed out. All the tricks he knows to disable someone's legs are dependent upon them having legs. He gets one leg around Sir Pentious's hips and tries to slide the other one down lower to try to restrict the top of Sir Pentious's tail—yeah no, no, that's not going to do anything.

He can at least catch one wrist and... pin it behind Sir Pentious's back with his body? Yeah! Fifty percent less clawing.

Sir Pentious

............ That's it.

That's it! You know what he's going to do? He's going to LIE DOWN. Quite suddenly. Onto his back. THWUMP. And you know what he's going to do after that? Put his entire massive tail on top of himself. Get CRUSHED, you GRINNING DEERMAN.

Alastor

Why are they falling. Did he win—?

Oh. Shit.

The impact knocks the breath out of him with a loud crackle like the sound of thunder distorting a station's broadcast. For a split second, he's stunned—but he shakes it off when he feels Sir Pentious's back pressing harder against him as he prepares to pull up his frankly enormous tail. Oh no—

He attempts to squirm out of the way while the only thing he has to worry about is the weight of Sir Pentious's relatively slender torso, even relinquishing his headlock so he can push with both arms. He *nearly* gets free—except for one leg still pinned beneath. *Ow.*

He flings an arm and his other leg on top of Sir Pentious, trying to pin his tail in place against his torso while he's nearly doubled over like this. An alligator can bite hard enough to pierce steel but once its mouth is shut it can be kept shut with duct tape; maybe, Alastor thinks hopefully, trying to hold a snake doubled up like this is the same.

Sir Pentious

HA HA! Now, he had the Radio Demon exactly where he w---- What. What was this slithery man doing? Attempting to crawl out from under him? It wouldn't work, you can't get out of this one... His tail was going to come down, and that was going to be that! Crushed under the weight of SIR PEN--

Alastor had was apparently trying to pin his tail to his body to keep him from... what exactly??? Sir Pentious' eyes widened, a goofy amount as he turned his head to look at the impressive flexibility of a man who very much did not have as many joints as he did. "ALASSSTOR." He bares his fangs, quite psychotically.

"I AM MUCH MORE *FLEXIBLE* THAN YOU ARE!"

With a CACKLE, he wriggles the non-pinned portion of his tail upwards--if he had to crush Alastor beneath him in multiple ways, then so be it!!! No mercy? No insults, then!

He brings his tail down upon the both of them, like dropping the world's heaviest spaghetti onto a plate. SLAM!

Alastor

Yipe. He presses hard against Sir Pentious's side—like someone clinging to a friend during a jump scare at a haunted house—in the unconscious hope that the blow will come down less heavily if Sir Pentious has to slam himself just as hard.

If it helps, it's hard to tell. It knocks the air out of him again. *Wheeze.* He's not going to be able to take many more blows like that—it's a miracle that one didn't dislocate something—he's *got* to escape, but how—?

Sir Pentious has his entire tail in the air. Which is no fun for Alastor's pinned leg, but it means that Sir Pentious is only making contact with the ground along his back, the rest of him balanced precariously atop. Alastor considers this a split second; then unhooks the arm and leg he's been using to pin part of Sir Pentious's tail and *shoves,* trying to force him to roll over and fall onto his side so Alastor can free his pinned leg and squirm away.

Sir Pentious

The clinging gets loud purring out of Sir Pentious--but suddenly being SHOVED does end the entirety of that. You're right, the bigger they are, the harder they do fall! He goes briefly googly eyed as he topples over onto his side. His head whips around to watch the now free deerman--

"CAN'T GO FAR ON THOSE LEGSSSSSS OF YOURSSS ALASSSTOR!" But he doesn't give chase, instead rolling over again so he can lie on his front, his elbows propping up his head as he presses his hands to his cheeks, wiggling his tail with sadistic glee. "NO HUNTSSS TODAY, I'M AFRAID, NOT FROM THIS APEX PREDATOR!"

Alastor

He laughs triumphantly. Free! He back rolls away to get a little distance between himself and Sir Pentious, then gets to his feet!

And immediately falls on his butt again. With the tail of his coat flipped up and over his head from the back roll. The leg that was pinned to the floor is numb—it's only just starting to painfully tingle along his thigh where the blood flow was cut off.

He flips his coattail off his face, peers at his leg as he gives it an experimental wiggle, and says, "We'll call it a draw."

Sir Pentious

"*HEE HEE HEE!*"

Oh, look at Penny. He looks absolutely **tickled** with himself. He's hissing out laughter between his teeth, ssss ssss ssss!

Alastor

Oh. Hold on, Alastor's a little lightheaded suddenly. It's probably from that thwacking he took and definitely not anything else. Don't look at him, he's not staring at Sir Pentious, YOU'RE staring.

Wheezing with laughter between pants of exertion, he scoots up to Sir Pentious's side again. "I'm not used to fighting snakes!" He leans on an elbow. "I think I need more practice—but I didn't do bad, you have to admit that."

Sir Pentious

~~I am looking disrespectfully.~~ Sir Pentious turns to look at him, gesturing with his index claw to Alastor's face, then gesturing to the rest of him, "YES, YOU DID DO *RATHER* WELL! I HONESTLY DO NOT WRESTLE OFTEN! NO ONE TO DO IT WITH, AND IT ISN'T EXACTLY A *GENTLEMANLY* ACTIVITY. WHY, THE LASSST PERSON I WRESTLED WITH WAS THE LADY CENTIV. OH, WE BIT THE, AHEM, *SHIT* OUT OF EACH OTHER. IT WASSSS ONE OF MY FIRSSST ENCOUNTERSSS SSSINCE JOINING THAT WEBBED SSSITE."

Sir Pentious wiggles his fingers, "I AM MOSSSTLY SURPRISED YOU DID NOT SSSNAP IN TWO! YOU ARE MUCH SSSSTRONGER THAN YOU LOOK, I BELIEVE I SAID."

Alastor

"Biting's legal?! You mean I could have just—got my jaws around your neck when you were trying to flatten me with your tail, and that would have been it?" He'd considered it for a moment, while pressed up to Sir Pentious's side (listening to him purr), before electing to escape. An indignant harrumph. "The next time you launch a surprise attack, give me the rules of combat first."

Sir Pentious

He's BEAMING from ear to ear--well. He doesn't have any ears, but you know.

"I COULD HAVE BITTEN YOU, AS WELL, BUT THEN YOU'D BE LIGHTHEADED FROM BLOODLOSS BEFORE WE EVEN GOT OUT DRINK ON, MY GOOD MAN." Wiggly fingers!!!

Alastor

~~From snake headboob to snake headboob.~~ "So is the plan to wait until I'm drunk and then bite?" With mock offense, "When my senses will be fuzzy and I can't enjoy it properly?"

Sir Pentious

He just LAUGHS, and SLAPS Alastor on the back.

"YOU *FREAK*, I CAN'T GET ENOUGH OF YOU! CANNIBAL COLONY, INDEED. BUT NO-- I'M NOT BITING YOU TONIGHT, UNLESS YOUR FOOD AND DRINK ARE NOT UP TO PAR!!!" He wiggles his tongue.

Alastor

He beams as he's slapped on the back like he just received high praise. Why yes. He is a freak. He can't get enough of you either. He's not staring at the tongue, YOU'RE staring— "No promises on the food, I had to make do with what was already in the hotel!" He gets to his feet, favoring his non-tingly leg, and offers a hand to Sir Pentious. "You can tell me whether it passes muster."

Sir Pentious

He takes the hand, but he ends up just getting himself back up--if he'd pulled on Al, he'd likely have just pulled him straight down. Heavy. Sir Pentious adjusts his bowtie, tilting his head somewhat upward like a certain <:chungo:738987082118201486> smug animal, "WELL, WELL, IT CANNOT BE HELPED. IN ALL HONESSSSTY, I CAME TO GET HAMMERED WITH MY BESSST MATE."

With a movement of his arms, he gestures towards the stairs, "LEAD ON, CHUM."

Alastor

"You're helping." He flings an arm around Sir Pentious's shoulders and leans on him to get the weight off his still-tingly leg. "I feel like I've just been injured in the trenches." He conjures up an old marching song to the rhythm of his walking and sings along to it, "*Pack up your troubles in your old kit-bag, and smile, smile, smile~!*"

Sir Pentious

He lowers his hood a bit more to avoid smacking the deerman in his face. Again. For the upteenth time--he doesn't know the number, but he sure will chuckle along. "OH, THAT'SSS RIGHT, YOU WERE IN ONE OF THE WARSSS, WEREN'T YOU? I COULD HAVE SSSSWORN YOU MENTIONED THAT." Sure, he'll help you, but he has to lower himself a great deal--he's longer now than he used to be! "YOU MIGHT AS WELL SIT ON MY TAIL, I'LL TAKE YOU UP... BUT I DON'T KNOW WHICH ROOM YOU'VE DESIGNATED."

Alastor

"I was in the *great* one, in fact! It didn't feel too great from the front, but they didn't poll the troops before naming it."

He snorts at the offer. "And me without my cowboy hat. I'd look ridiculous, perched on you with my feet pulled up." But he glances back at the length of Sir Pentious's tail consideringly. Looking ridiculous isn't an automatic dealbreaker.

But he shakes his head. "No, no! I'd rather keep malingering from up here." He resumes humming cheerily. The poor soldier, wounded in action.

Sir Pentious

"YOU COULD ALWAYS RIDE SIDE-SADDLE, BUT IN MY OPINION, YOU ALWAYS LOOK RIDICULOUS." Prrr prrr. He looks so pleased with himself. "THE *GREAT* WAR... I DO NOT ENVY THAT, NOT IN THE LEASSSST." A chuckle, "AS MUCH AS I ENJOY CHAOS AND BLOODSHED, I'D MUCH RATHER NOT BE ON THE FRONT LINESSSS. NOT MY EXPERTISE!"

Alastor

He unconsciously llllleans a little more to feel the purring against his side. Good vibrations.

"It's not mine either." He grimaces. "But! Who wants to talk about the war! It was already old news a hundred years ago!" He points the direction to turn at the top of the stairs.

Sir Pentious

He's tempted to just LIFT Alastor up, but he's tired after their rough housing. Yes, that was the reason. Turning...

"TRUE ENOUGH. WHY, I DIED ABOUT FORTY YEARS BEFORE IT, GIVE OR TAKE! NO NEED TO THINK ABOUT IT, BUT SSSTILL. HOW INTERESSSTING IT WOULD HAVE BEEN IF I HAD BEEN ABLE TO TRAVEL TO AMERICA, LIKE I HAD EVENTUALLY PLANNED. HAD I NOT DIED SSSO SSSUDDENLY, I WONDER IF WE WOULD HAVE MET SSSOMEHOW."

... A pause, "OH. RIGHT. WRONG VERSION! HA." He clears his throat, *where's the booze.*

Alastor

*Wrong version.* The same thought had hit him a moment faster than Sir Pentious, as he talked about never having been to America—when the version Alastor had known had had, as far as historians could work out, his entire career in the States.

He squeezes Sir Pentious's shoulders a little and plays along with the What If scenario. "I was born a couple decades after you died. By the time I would have been old enough to appreciate a meeting, you'd probably be well into retirement!" He laughs. "My molher told me that when she was a child, when you—*our* you, rather—were targeting American port cities, her family was making plans to migrate en masse inland to somewhere you wouldn't consider strategically valuable enough to hit—maybe join the Oklahoma land rushes, it was relatively close and they knew several other Black families going. But then you died and they stuck around in New Orleans."

He points at a door, here it is. "So, if you *had* come to America after '88—my mother might have ended up in Oklahoma while my father stayed in Louisiana and poor little Alastor would never have been born!"

Sir Pentious

He respects being humored without Alastor drawing too much attention to it. He listened with intent, trying to imagine the chaos his doppelganger sowed upon the port cities. A contented Cobra sigh, raspy and terrifying.

"*POOR* LITTLE ALASTOR! WHAT A SSSENTENCE THAT ISSS. YESSS, TOO RIGHT, I AM *MUCH* OLDER THAN YOU, CHUM. NOT THAT THAT KIND OF THING MATTERSSSS *HERE.* I'M OLDER THAN YOUR RAG-TAG POSSE PUT TOGETHER!" A chuckle.

He'll offer his arm for the Radio Demon, assuming his leg isn't back to its functional self, "YOU KNOW, MY FATHER WAS AMERICAN. FROM TENNESSEE. HE CAME OVER OUR WAYS ABOUT..." Hmm. Face of strained thought, "WELL, I'D SSSAY FIVE YEARS BEFORE HE MET MY MOTHER. HE CAME LOOKING FOR WORK, AND TO GET AWAY FROM THE *TENSIONS* IN THE SSSTATESSS, I IMAGINE. HE NEVER REALLY TALKED MUCH ABOUT HIMSELF, NOT TO ME."

Alastor

He's about to argue—Rosie's probably older than Sir Pentious several times over—but then he realizes that the "rag-tag posse" Sir Pentious is referring to is probably the hotel crew. "Ha! I don't know, Husk and I put together might have you beat, he's older than he looks."

His leg's just about back in working order, but that's not going to stop him from taking the offered arm. "Really! Half American, are you! I never would have guessed. I've never been to Tennessee—but I always meant to go, I had a pen pal in Memphis, brilliant occultist." He opens the door, tada. It's set up exactly the same as the last room they hung out in, booze and food waiting over on the expected table.

Sir Pentious

Oh excellent. He grins, showing off those sharp yellow teeth of his again, and pats his coat down. Good, good, he still has a few cigarettes on hand.

In Sir Pentious slithers, heading to the table immediately to claim dibs on a bottle of bourbon. He almost *nuzzles* it, it's been a while since he drank enough to get silly!

"YESS, HALF AMERICAN. I GENERALLY KEEP IT ON THE DOWNLOW, SSSINCE I BARELY KNOW MUCH ABOUT YOUR COUNTRY... OTHER THAN IT BEING LOUD ENOUGH TO HEAR ACROSS THE OCEAN, HA!"

Alastor

And here Alastor had expected him to go for brandy again.

"Ha! Guilty as charged and proud of it!" He unbuttons his coat and shrugs it off before he sits, asking, "You don't mind, do you? Maybe *you* can't sweat, but I can and I just wrestled an anaconda."

The food on offer is a weird hodgepodge of whatever Alastor could find that he thought met Sir Pentious's culinary preferences and that didn't come in plastic wrappers: French onion soup (leftover, but no need to mention that), a few rolls and a loaf of sourdough he popped into a nearby bakery to shamelessly steal, some smoked salmon—he gestures at it as the one item on display that most disappoints him, "I would have made *baked* salmon to go better with the soup if I'd known you were visiting"—and some cubes of beef he'd quickly seared, just barely on the cooked side of rare, tossed cheekily in a sugar bowl next to the French onion soup as if they were sugar cubes to be dropped into tea. With some random jams and a couple jars of mustard to compensate for the—by Alastor's standards—rather slim selection.

Sir Pentious

For a few seconds, Sir Pentious thought that Alastor was asking him if he minded that he was American. Once the sentence catches up, he waves a hand.

"NO, I DON'T MIND. I WOULD IF YOU WEREN'T WEARING ANYTHING UNDERNEATH THAT JACKET OF YOURSSSS." what a grin.

He's going to look over the selection, and cover his mouth as he looks a little.. Well! Sir Pentious didn't want to be *rude.*

"AH, AND HERE I SHOULD HAVE BROUGHT SANDWICHESSSS! I'M INTERESTED IN YOUR MEAT CUBES." Hee hee.

Alastor

He looks over the display ruefully. "I should have had sandwich meat on hand. Consider the cubes yours!" He pulls the soup bowl over, this is his now. Doesn't even need to scoop some out of the serving bowl now, does he? "*Next time,* I *insist* on six hours' warning before you come over for a picnic. There's no greater crime than for a host to let his guest go hungry!" Says the man guilty of crimes like "murder" and "eating people."

Sir Pentious

Prr. He swoops his hood over his shoulder, playing with it idly and grinning.

"VERY WELL, ALASTOR. I WON'T DUMP ANYMORE SSSURPRISE, LASSSST MINUTE VISITSSSS UPON YOU, UNLESS THERE'SSS NO PROMISE OF FOOD TO BE SSSERVED!"

It was funny to show up unannounced, but having barely any food to show for it did cut down on that food. He takes a seat on the couch, still clutching the bourbon.

"ALL THINGSSS CONSSSSIDERED, YOU DIDN'T DO TOO BAD!"

Alastor

“Even then, unless we’re going out, I’d like to have *something* edible on hand! My mother would fly down from Heaven to give me an earful if she found out I’d invited a friend into my home without feeding him—and the hotel’s full of beds and I’m in it daily, so it counts as a ‘home’ on a technicality.”

He waves off the faint praise, but not without his chest puffing up a little. He picks up a spoon and points at the soup. “Not a fan of French onion soup, I take it?”

Sir Pentious

He laughs, "OH, IT WOULDN'T BE *HELL* SHE'D HAVE A PROBLEM WITH, EH? MOSSST ASSUREDLY YOUR HOSSST ABILITIESSS." He laughs through his teeth.

"OH, THE SOUP? I HAVEN'T THOUGHT TO CHECK IT YET, BUT MEAT IS WHAT I'M MOSSSST IN THE MOOD FOR."

Alastor

Cue the studio audience laughter. “Damnation is no excuse for starving a guest!”

Alastor brightens. He’d thought that Sir Pentious’s disappointment was due to his opinion of the available offerings, but maybe it was only the quantity. He pushes the soup’s serving bowl back to the middle and gestures at the two smaller empty bowls he’d supplied. “It’s all onions, butter, and cheese—but I thought you might want meat in it! It pairs best with venison, but in a pinch beef will do fine.” (A lot of the side dishes Alastor makes pair best with venison. Is it because he thinks everything pairs best with venison or is it because he’s biased toward cooking foods he can have with venison? Who can say.) “I recommend tossing a few cubes in, that’s what they’re there for. It’s excellent for dipping bread in, too. Usually toast, but soft bread’s fine.”

Sir Pentious

A brief face scrunch at the mention of toast. Sir Pentious doesn't bother with the smaller serving bowls, instead taking a spoon and dipping it into the soup.

"I HATE TOAST. IT IS TOO CRUNCHY, TOO *BRITTLE.* THOUGH I NEVER HAD A PROPER *TOASSSSTER* FOR THAT KIND OF THING."

Alastor

“You may notice I didn’t bring toast. After all, we know well that *crumbly* is for the *lower class!*” No, he’s never going to forget that Sir Pentious said that.

Sir Pentious

He *cackles*, and puts the spoonful in his mouth. Wow, he didn't recoil this time! Instead he actually swallows it down, clicking his tongue to the roof of his mouth.

"NOT BAD AT ALL, ALASSSTOR."

Alastor

He’s going to add that sand-sized grain of gold to the jar in which he collects words of positive affirmation from Sir Pentious. “I’ll keep it in my recipe book!” Apparently they’re eating straight out of the serving bowl. He gets a slice of sourdough and dips it into the bowl, like it’s some kind of au jus/fondue. “It uses a beef stock, so it still tastes rather meaty even without any actual meat.”

Sir Pentious

Snickering through his teeth, he moves to drop a few meat cubes into the soup. Sploot.

"THAT'SSS A FUN THING TO DO TO THE *HERBIVORES,* WOULDN'T YOU SSSSAY? NYA HA HA!"

Alastor

He laughs at the thought. “I don’t get along very well with vegetarians—but oh, wouldn’t that make them hopping mad! I’ll keep it in mind if I ever need to really insult one.”

Sir Pentious

"*SSS SSS SSS!*" OH, he is GIGGLY today! You're making him laugh so much, Alastor. But anyway, time to try the meat with the soup.... Nomf....

"MM, VERY WELL PREPARED. JUSSSST THE WAY I LIKE IT."

Alastor

He’s noticed! And every time it makes his dead heart flutter. “Good! I do believe I’m getting your tastes figured out.” As a reward for a job well done, he’s grabbing one of the meat chunks the next time he dips his bread in the bowl.

Sir Pentious

BRIEFLY BRISTLES. He fights the urge to be selfish, actually... Usually he would yell and fuss!

But he doesn't. Instead, he just WATCHES ALASTOR INTENTLY.

Alastor

Alastor watches Sir Pentious watch him intently. “... I *cooked* these, I can have one.”

Sir Pentious

"YES." He leans on his chin on his hands, still watching him with an ever growing grin! What a brat.

Alastor

Then he’s going to chew EXTRA SLOWLY, so Sir Pentious KNOWS that he’s savoring it.

Sir Pentious

SHIT EATING GRIN. What is wrong with this man. Finally he turns off of this nonsense, and reaches for a roll to bite into. Nomf.

Alastor

Alastor huffs, and takes another dip of the soup. "So, what brings you by so suddenly? A desperate desire to grind my smile into the floor, or something else?"

Sir Pentious

A blink! And Sir Pentious sits up straighter, adjusting his (used to be Al's) bowtie. "WELL, NO, NOT EXACTLY. I DID NOT HAVE THE CHANCE TO SSSSIT WITH YOU SSSO MUCH LASSSST TIME.... AND." His hand crawls across the table, and takes Alastor's, "SSSORRY, ABOUT LASSSST TIME. I MISSED YOU! I WANTED TO TALK AND TOUCH AND DRINK, BUT THINGSSSS WERE SSSO TENSE BEFORE. GAVE ME A RIGHT *SSSTOMACHACHE*."

Alastor

So it was intentional? Alastor's actually relieved to hear it. He'd been afraid that the reason they'd never touched was because Alastor had never initiated—that Sir Pentious didn't *want* to unless Alastor was pushing into his space.

Alastor immediately squeezes Sir Pentious's hand in relief. And then, just, casually, relocates himself to sit closer to Sir Pentious. Not quite close enough to touch shoulders, but enough to make clear that Sir Pentious *totally could* if he *wants* to. Hint hint. "I missed you too!" He gives Sir Pentious a wan smile, then glances away, focused on the table. "Why was it tense?" Unspoken: *what did I do?* "I know why at the *end,* but... that was the end. It doesn't explain the rest of the movie."

Sir Pentious

And touch shoulders he *does*, bumping against Alastor's with his own, still holding that hand as he taps his talons against it to a melody that wasn't playing. "AH, WELL... THAT'SS DUE TO A MISSSSCONCEPTION THAT VALERA HAD ACQUIRED ABOUT YOU, BACK WHEN YOU WERE A TAD *SSSNIPPY* WITH HER OVER THE MUSICAL CHOICESSS. YOU SSEE AT THE TIME, I WANTED TO HEAR HER REASONING."

Sir Pentious waves a hand, "SHE HAD THISS THOUGHT THAT YOU WERE *JEALOUSS* OVER HOW I PRIORITIZED HER INSSTEAD OF YOU! BUT, WELL, I DID NOT THINK THAT SSSOUNDED LIKE YOU AT ALL. OUR RELATIONSHIP ISSN'T LIKE THAT..." Another hand squeeze, "I ASSURE YOU THAT IT ISSS ALL SAID AND DONE, AND SHE HASS SINCE ADMITTED TO HER MISSCONCEPTIONSS. SHE WAS WRONG ABOUT YOU, AS I FIGURED. BUT DURING THE MOVIE, I FEARED THAT JEALOUSSSSY LINGERED IN THE AIR, AND A CERTAIN TENSENESSSSSS BETWEEN YOU BOTH, IT ALL CAME TO A HEAD WHEN THE ARGUMENT SSSTARTED."

A sigh, and he keeps hold of Alastor's hand, but uses his other to pat it, "PARANOIA CAN MAKE FOOLSSSS OF USS ALL. IT HASS BEEN DEALT WITH, REGARDLESS! WE SSSPOKE AT LENGTH ABOUT IT, AND I AM CONFIDENT THAT SHE NO LONGER HASS THOSE MISCONCEPTIONSS ABOUT YOU, ALASSTOR." He beams with pride.

Alastor

A surge of anger pulses through Alastor. "Oh, so she talked to you about that." And in the process made Alastor look bad enough that Sir Pentious hadn't even wanted to touch him. Who was the one acting jealous—

Stop. It was resolved. Valera had apparently admitted her error to Sir Pentious, things were fine now.

"Well. If she didn't already tell you herself, I was snippy *because* of her musical choices. Of every person she picked songs for, I was the only one she singled out to receive songs that, by her own admission, I wouldn't like!" A pause. "Which *sounds* insignificant, but coming from one aficionado of musical theater to another, it's a grave insult! Particularly since our both being in musical theater means she *shares* my tastes. Honestly, I'm amazed she thought that thing had anything to do with you." He bumps Sir Pentious's shoulder. "What kind of a poor friend would I be if I got jealous over a man spending time with his own fiancée! I can assure you that all the tension was one-sided."

Sir Pentious

"IN TRUTH, I HAVEN'T THE FOGGIEST WHAT YOU TWO TALKED ABOUT--I DECIDED IT WASSN'T ANY OF MY BUSINESS! BEING CAUGHT BETWEEN THAT WAS SSOMETHING I'D NOT LIKE A REPEAT OF." An uneasy smile, but he bumps right back. "YESS, YOU AND VALERA BOTH HAVE QUITE A LOT OF MUSICAL TASSSSTESSS IN COMMON! SSSUPPOSE IT WAS SSIMPLY PARANOIA GETTING TO HER." He clears his throat, "I KNOW THE FEELING. IT CONVINCESSS MYSELF OF MADNESS AND SSPINSS LIESS AS THE TRUTH WITH SSSUCH *CHARISMA.*... AND MAKESS MONSSTERSS OF THE ONESS I CARE ABOUT."

Oh hey LOOK AT THE TIME! It's time to pour himself some bourbon.

Alastor

If Sir Pentious doesn't want to be in the middle, then Alastor has no right to drag him back in; the sentences he'd been lining up to try to explain his side die in his throat. And anger flares back up again—it's all well and good that Valera apparently resolved it, but it sits like a lump in his gut that the only narrative of the situation that lives in Sir Pentious's head is whatever Valera deigned to tell him. It's harder this time to swallow the anger down.

He wrestles with his words, trying to pare everything he wants to say down to something small enough to squeeze out without adding unduly to Sir Pentious's burden, "I don't know what she told you—or has *been* telling you—but after our conversation, I can fairly confidently state that she's been wrong about... just about *everything* she's thought about me for months." He grimaces. "I wish I could say more than that, but I don't know what all she claimed about me—she didn't mention that she'd said anything to you at all! And I'm not going to ask."

He picks up a glass and holds it out. Give him some too.

Sir Pentious

He pours bourbon for Alastor, as well, and studies the deerman's expression.

"WELL, PERHAPSS YOU CAN SHED SSSOME LIGHT ON YOUR PART, ALASSSTOR? BECAUSE WHAT I MENTIONED BEFORE, WITH HER ASSUMING THAT YOU WERE JEALOUS, WELL THAT WAS THE FIRSSST I'D HEARD OF IT! WHICH WASS WHY I WAS CAUGHT OFF GUARD. I DIDN'T HOLD YOU OR PLAY WITH YOU AS USUAL, BECAUSE I HAD SSSSURMISED THAT IT MIGHT HAVE BEEN UPSSSETTING TO *HER*... ALTHOUGH WHEN I MENTIONED IT TO HER, SHE SSSEEMED UPSSET THAT I'D THOUGHT TO DO THAT AT ALL."

His tongue hangs out like he's exhausted, "SSO MY EFFORTSS TO QUELL A SSSITUATION I DID NOT UNDERSSSTAND CLEARLY DID NOT DO MUCH, EXCEPT MAKE YOU FEEL UNWANTED, I IMAGINE."

Alastor

Half the tension leaks out of him as the implicit gag order is lifted, he can explain his side now.

"You imagined correctly." He shifts uncomfortably in his seat. "Truth be told, I... well, I spent half the movie wondering if I'd said something wrong, or if you'd *never* wanted to touch me and I just somehow hadn't noticed because I'd always been the one to initiate it. I was sure that couldn't be true, I try not to initiate, but... well, like you said, paranoia makes monsters." He leaves it unstated that in this case, the one paranoia had made a monster of was himself.

"She—somehow got it into her head that every single thing I said and did to her was loaded down with a subtext of veiled hostility and threats. Which is ludicrous! Not only do I have nothing against her, but I wanted to be her friend! Which is a rare occurrence! I don't meet many people that make me go, 'Now, *there's* someone who'd fit perfectly into my little social circle!' I don't put in an effort that often! And when I do, it's..." He struggles with his words for a moment. "I'm usually—*good* at it. *Very* good at it. I used to be, anyway."

He pulls his hand back so he can cross his arms tightly, compensating by leaning more heavily on Sir Pentious. This was easier to talk about when he was angry. Now, he finds, it just hurts.

Sir Pentious

Oh... Sir Pentious tilts his head as Alastor speaks, considering his own thoughts. Should he tell him his own *guesses* as to why? or would that just make everything worse? It was hard to say--Valera and Alastor were both quite *sensitive* in their own ways. Sometimes, he'd say something that would get a negative reaction out of them and it would take the serpent a moment to reevaluate what he said and how it could have affected them!

So, for the moment... he slides his tail around the back of Alastor, puts an arm around his shoulders, and pulls the Radio Demon to his side. He'd rest his chin on Al's head, but he wasn't looking to *stab himself through the skull* with those antennae.

"YOU HAVE A BIT OF A REPUTATION, YOU KNOW. AT LEASSST DOWN HERE. YES, IT ISSS TRUE THAT VALERA DOES NOT HAVE THAT SSSAME UNDERSSTANDING BUT... PERHAPSSS MY PARANOID DELUSIONSS FROM MONTHSSS AGO SSANK INTO HER UNDERSTANDING. OR! PERHAPSS IT'S YOUR SMILE, YOUR SSSTATIC GRIN!"

He takes out his phone, and types in a sentence. "Hello, stinky." he types into it, and then adds a simple :) smiley face, "LOOK AT THISSS, ALASTOR. ARE YOU AWARE OF THISSS PHENOMENON?"

Alastor

He starts slightly when he feels himself being embraced. Is—is he being... comforted? It feels weird. He leans into it.

He groans. "I know I do." There are very few things he regrets, but his rampage when he arrived in Hell is constantly hovering on the verge of making the list. Nothing he's done or refrained from doing since then has ever let him move past it. "But she doesn't have that context! She shouldn't, anyway."

Alastor looks at the example, is immediately self-conscious, and lightly elbows Sir Pentious. "You'd better not be mixing a jab in with your example, I smelled fine before you got me sweaty." He'd managed to squeeze in a quick shower amidst scrambling for food. He'd been showering a lot more since he'd started hanging out with Sir Pentious. "Yes, I know, smile when you insult someone and it's all the more biting. I know that! I understand the nuances and subtleties to a smile! You don't wear the same facial expression for eighty-seven years without learning its limitations inside and out! I'm *good* at telegraphing whether I like or despise someone, when I want to. And I wanted to."

Sir Pentious

"SSS, SSS, SSS!" Sir Pentious snickers through his teeth, and flicks one of Alastor's ears with a talon, "YOU DON'T SSSMELL. I'D BE ABLE TO TASTE IT ALREADY!" Weird thing to say but he is a snake. He swivels is head around, long neck allowing him to look Alastor around the front without moving the rest of his body. You're friends with a *noodle*, Alastor.

"WHEN WE FIRSSSST BEGAN MEETING, EVEN AFTER THE LETTERSSSS AND THE PROMISSSSESSSS... IT TOOK ME SSSOME TIME TO FEEL COMFORTABLE AROUND YOU, AND IT WASSS BECAUSE I COULDN'T HELP BUT READ ALL OF YOUR SSSMILESS, DESSPITE YOUR MOVEMENTSS AND YOUR VOICE, AS *A THREAT.*" He gestures to his phone again, "TAKE THISSS SMILEY FOR EXAMPLE. YOU WOULD THINK THAT THISSS SMILEY FACE WOULD CREATE A SSSENSE OF CAMRADERIE AMONGSST THE ONLINE TEXTING COMMUNITIESSS, BUT APPARENTLY, IT ONLY CREATESSS A SSSENSE OF *DREAD.* A SSORT OF... PASSIVE AGGRESSION!"

He leans back a bit, tapping a claw to one of his fangs, "AND THAT COULD VERY WELL BE WHY, ALASSSTOR. SHE MUSSST THINK THAT YOUR SSSMILEY FACE IS A THREAT, IN HER MIND! I KNOW WHEN I SSMILE AS YOU DO, IT ISSS USUALLY BECAUSE I WANT TO SHOW OFF MY *TEETH.*" And he does it right then, too, beaming.

Alastor

"I *know!* The fact that it's threatening is one of the reasons I do it! But I can get *past* that instinctive reaction with most people when I choose to! Unless I'm just—just... losing my edge."

He sighs. He looks tired.

Sir Pentious

Sir Pentious puts the phone away--or in this case just fumbles it briefly and lets it bounce on the table. It's fine. He clears his throat, "WELL, I KNOW THISS MUCH... I BECAME *MUCH* MORE ABLE TO TRUSST YOU WHEN I COULD *TOUCH* YOU, ALASSSTOR." All of his eyes are looking away, "USUALLY I HATE THAT KIND OF THING BUT... PERHAPSSS IT MADE YOU MORE *REAL* TO ME." To punctuate his thought, he takes hold of Alastor's hand again and squeezes it.

"VALERA AND I HIT IT OFF RATHER WELL, BUT ONLY AFTER WE TOUCHED... AND SHE AND I ARE VERY ALIKE, AS WELL, IN OUR WAYSSS.... PERHAPSSS THAT'SS THE KEY!" He laughs behind a hand, "NOW I AM NOT SSSSUGGESTING YOU GO AND FONDLE MY WIFE, ALASSSTOR, BUT PERHAPSSS OFFERING HER YOUR HAND MIGHT EASE SSSOME OF HER WORRIES?"

Alastor

He squeezes Sir Pentious's hand, glad to have it back. "More real?" He laughs weakly. "What was I before then, a ghost? A disembodied voice in a box?"

The corners of his mouth curl down. "It's a ridiculous price to pay just to prove I don't detest her! And I *have* held her hand before—apparently it didn't do any good."

Sir Pentious

"PERHAPSSS YOU SHOULD CONSIDER GROWLING SSCALESS AND LOSING THOSE LEGSSS OF YOURS. MIGHT I SSUGGESST SWAPPING THEM OUT FOR A TAIL INSSSTEAD? HA HA!" He purrs, taking hold of his glass.

Alastor

"Oh, I couldn't do that! I'd miss tap dancing and shaving too much." Laugh track. He's gonna just, subtle cuddle further into that purr. And slide his free arm around Sir Pentious. Alastor's got Sir Pentious's tail around him, reciprocating with an arm is fair game, right? He hopes so. It feels nice.

Sir Pentious

He's not about to push him away, anyway. Sir Pentious' tongue flicks out, wiggling in front of Alastor's face before he sucks it back in, "I FEEL FOR YOU, ALASSTOR, THAT THINGSSS ARE *BUMPY*. I DON'T REALLY KNOW THE FIX--IT ISSN'T LIKE ADJUSTING UNEVEN BOLTS OR REBUILDING THE BOILER ROOM FROM SSSSCRATCH BECAUSE THE ORIGINAL OWNERS OF THIS BUILDING HAD ZERO IDEA WHAT THEY WERE DOING." Ahem, "*PEOPLE* AREN'T MY EXPERTISE, NOT AT ALL. I THINK, IT COULD JUSST BE, THAT VALERA MAY NEED TO FIGURE YOU OUT ON HER OWN, PREFERABLY WITHOUT HURTING HERSSSELF OR YOU."

Alastor

"There's nothing *to* fix." Alastor shrugs ruefully. "She misunderstood; I explained; now she doesn't misunderstand. There's nothing else to do about it now."

Sir Pentious

"YOU COULD ALWAYS BREAK INTO SSSONG, I'VE HEARD THAT HELPS." He beams, knocking his glass against Alastor's a touch.

Alastor

He grimaces more, then shifts enough to put his glass on the table out of range before curling back up. He doesn't want to drink right now.

"The issue is—It's—To use your metaphor, it's fine to fix a boiler that some other incompetent idiot built—but what if the boiler that breaks down is one *you* designed and built? It doesn't matter that you can fix it, that doesn't solve the real problem—that you messed it up in the first place. You pride yourself as an engineer and inventor, what does it say about you if you ruined a mere, simple boiler?"

Sir Pentious

When Alastor curls back up, it dawns on Sir Pentious suddenly that they were actually talking very seriously about this. It wasn't that he was totally oblivious, but it clearly stopped being a discussion, and now, the Hellish Gentleman had to find some way to comfort his friend. Of all the scenarios to find himself in, comforting the Radio Demon had never really crossed his mind. ... Or had it? He did want to go drinking with Alastor, after all. Hmm.

He gets a little quiet, placing his own glass against the table and leaning back. Time to sink down to the floor, taking the deerman with him. "...I'd argue that--I have more experience with *that* particular example than *you* do, Alassstor. The leak is always in the same place, no matter how many timessss I repair it."

Alastor

Oh, okay, they're sliding off the couch now. Down they go. He repositions himself once they're on the floor.

He wasn't expecting to *look* for comfort from Sir Pentious. He's not even sure that *is* what he's doing—his only goal had been to make himself understood, nothing more. But here they are.

"Well, that's... Everyone has their weak points, of course. But this *isn't* one of mine. At least, it hasn't been before. So I can't help but wonder if I..." He trails off. "I think I'm repeating myself. I apologize, I'm sure that's boring."

Sir Pentious

"ALASSSTOR, IF I THOUGHT YOU WERE BORING, I WOULD HAVE *LEFT* ALREADY!" And he flicks his ear again, "I AM *KIDDING.* I DON'T MIND TALKING TO YOU ABOUT THISSS, BUT I DO KNOW THAT I DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH HELP I CAN *BE.* I AM SSSTILL NAVIGATING MYSELF THROUGH ALL OF THIS... IT'SS HARD TO KNOW WHAT TO DO WHEN THINGSSS YOU WORK ON BREAK! BUT I HAVE LEARNED THAT PEOPLE ARE NOT LIKE *MACHINESSS*, FOR BETTER OR FOR WORSE."

He squeezes that hand again, "TELL YOU WHAT! I WILL ASSSK VALERA FOR YOU! HOW ABOUT THAT?"

Alastor

Alastor doesn't laugh. He knows it's true, even if Sir Pentious doesn't. Of course they wouldn't be friends if Alastor was boring. If he was boring, he wouldn't even be *Alastor* anymore.

"No. There's nothing you need to ask her, what could you possibly ask her? It—I'm hardly even talking about Valera at this point, this has nothing to *do* with her except that she inadvertently uncovered a problem I already suspected!"

Sir Pentious

His face falls at that-- and he looks in a different direction. A short inhale with a bit of a louder *exhale...* He didn't know what Alastor was going on about, overall, due to him not being as talkative as usual.... so Sir Pentious just curls around him, allowing Alastor to essentially sit on the cinnamon roll that was Sir Pentious.

"WELL, I AM NOT DEVELOPING TELEPATHY ANY TIME SSSOON, MAN. IS HELL GETTING TO YOU, AFTER A HUNDRED YEARSSS?"

Alastor

"*Exactly!* That's exactly it!" He sits up a little to look at Sir Pentious directly. "*Is* it getting to me?! Has it—has it been getting to me since the day I arrived? I'm a *radio host*, damn it, people *like* me, they've *always* liked me—but they've *never* liked me in Hell, because I—I precluded the possibility of that on my very first day! I can say it was my own fault, but I, I don't think it entirely *was*, I think that's what Hell *does,* it conspires around you to make you... trip and stumble into doing whatever it is that will make them suffer the most, tricks you into orchestrating your own divine punishment. And my worst—part of my worst punishment would be—*losing* that! Being a radio host! All my charisma, my charm, everything my audience loved me for! I already lost my audience, I took care of that my first day, but what about the rest of it? That likability? I always *feel* the weight of Hell on me, I don't think *everyone* feels it so clearly but I do, I've always been more sensitive to things like that—I think Hell takes something from us, on a spiritual level, slowly, over time. What if this is what it's been taking from me? What if it's going to leave me a—a hackneyed, cheesy, boring... has-been?"

He pauses to take a breath.

Then he winces. "Was that too much?"

Sir Pentious

Oh! Hmm. Sir Pentious sits up at that, though in his efforts he may have disturbed Alastor a little- he brings a hand to his chin in thought, mulling over what the other rambled on and on about. That did seem to allign with his own misgivings about Hell--could they even be called that? Hell certainly sucked! It may not have lined up with the scriptures, but it sure did feel *awful all the time.* No matter how high one climbed, there'd always be something to knock them down.

"FOR ALL THE INVENTING I'VE DONE, FOR ALL THE LEAPSSS AND BOUNDSSS I'VE MADE WITH MY PROWESS AS AN INVENTOR, NOBODY EVER SSSEEEMED TO *CARE* DOWN HERE. I CONTINUED AT IT, OVER AND *OVER* AGAIN, IN TIRELESS PURSUIT OF BEING RECOGNIZED, OF BEING KNOWN!! AND..." A huff, "VERY FEW RECOGNIZE IT, VERY FEW PEOPLE SSSEEM TO GIVE ANY KIND OF *DAMN*. AND NOT TO MENTION ALL OF THE... *ROADBLOCKS*, AS IT WERE... EVERY PERSON WHO KNOCKED ME DOWN SEEMED TO HAVE BEEN DESIGNED PERSONALLY FOR ME! TO HIT ME WHERE IT *HURT MOST.*"

He lies back down, flopping back with his arms out. "... I'D JUST ABOUT GIVEN UP, ALASSTOR. AND THEN.... VALERA CAME INTO MY LIFE, AND THEN I MET YOU, AND... IT'SSS AS IF THINGSSS HAVE PURPOSE AGAIN. I CAN FEEL MY WILL RETURNING--BUT NOT JUSSST THAT... I AM *ACTUALLY* EXCITED TO BLOW UP THIS PUTRID SHITHOLE AND REMAKE IT IN MY IMAGE!!! I FEEL LIKE I HAVE SO MANY OPTIONSSS!"

Sir Pentious sits up a bit once more, looking at the Radio Demon with a smile--not his usual aggressive grin, but a kind smile. "I DON'T THINK OF YOU AS SSOME KIND OF 'HAS-BEEN'-- YOU'VE LIKELY JUST GOT TO FIND YOUR NEW AUDIENCE. AND YOU FOUND ME!!! I TUNE IN ALL THE TIME."

Alastor

He's on pins and needles until Sir Pentious starts talking, not sure if the pile of decades-old fears he'd just dumped on Sir Pentious was going to drive him off. (Is Alastor still worth being friends with if he's not just the two-dimensional entertainment, if he has worries too? Other people might think so—but will Sir Pentious?)

And then Sir Pentious starts talking, and Alastor is spellbound. He has to keep stopping himself from interrupting to agree—because yes, he's observed the exact same thing for decades from watching his own Sir Pentious, yes, he does believe that people are specifically set on collision courses with each other in order to hurt each other as much as possible—so he just nods along enthusiastically to everything he agrees with.

*Purpose.* Alastor takes Sir Pentious's hand again, squeezing it. "I've felt... somewhat the same. I know you don't think much of my own lack of ambition, and I truly don't have any interest in taking over Hell, but—I hope I don't sound too sentimental when I say that watching *you* pursue the crown... it's always been inspiring." His smile's unusually self-conscious.

"Maybe a new audience is all I need. Truth be told, that's the real reason I agreed to Charlie and Vaggie's ridiculous "blog" idea—I was *desperate* for an audience. I suppose at least some good's come of it." He laughs ruefully.

"And yet... I can't quite shake the thought that the only reason the stars aligned to let us be friends is so that some higher power can use it to break us someday." He looks away. "I—sincerely believe—and have for *years*—that I'm one of the people that were designed to hit you where it hurt most. And I'm referring to our respective, parallel... your me and my you. I hope it's not the case with *us.* But if it is, are we going to be able to tell before it's too late?"

Sir Pentious

Sir Pentious brushes his hood back behind his head, then puts both arms around Alastor only to pull him in close and LIE on him. Squish. You get loud Cobra breathing as he mulls over what's said. "I DON'T KNOW--YOU SSSSOUND PARANOID, PERHAPSSS YOU NEED TO RELAX." He beams, "BUT HONESTLY, I DON'T KNOW. I'M... TIRED OF WORRYING ABOUT IT!! I WANT TO... JUSST SSEE, I SSSUPPOSE. I'VE HAD FUN, YOU KNOW. EXPERIENCING THINGSSS AGAIN. AND BEING *EXCITED* TO WAKE UP. IT'SS... ...."

He gets a little quiet again, thinking to those nights of anguish, of screaming and dragging his claws through his own scales. A shake of his head, "WELL, IT'SS REFRESHING, TO SSAY THE LEASST. AND I'M TIRED OF BEING AFRAID OF WHAT *COULD* BE."

Alastor

*Squish.* He hugs Sir Pentious back tightly. "Is it really paranoia when we're in a prison divinely designed to serve as eternal torment?"

But Sir Pentious has a point—Alastor is tired of worrying about it, too. He's tired of the guilt and the grief and the regrets. "I hear you." He holds on a little tighter. "I—haven't had much worth waking up for in a long time, either. It's a nice change."

Sir Pentious

"YOU KNOW WHAT ELSE IS A NICE CHANGE?"

Sir Pentious slaps at the table blindly before giving up, "I WAS GOING TO SAY DRINKING WITH A FRIEND! BUT. I COULDN'T REACH,"

Alastor

Alastor laughs, tries to reach, and finds he's not going to do any better as long as Sir Pentious is pinning him down. "Oh, well. It can wait."

Sir Pentious

Prr prr. Oh well. He's gonna stay like this a little longer until....

"HASSS BEEN.... HAAZZZ.... *OH.* IS THAT WHY THE SIGN SAYS THAT? *HA!*"

Alastor

Ding ding ding. "Isn't that what *most* of the damned are? People who used to *be* something, and aren't anymore? Anyone who comes looking for redemption has just given up on trying to make something of themselves in Hell, too!"

Sir Pentious

"I CAN'T TELL IF IT'SSSS A SSSELF BURN OR NOT, ALASSSTOR.... BUT AT THE VERY LEAST, REDEMPTION! *PAH.* IT COULD NEVER HAPPEN. NEVER!"

Alastor

"*I'm* not at the hotel seeking *redemption.* I'm here to watch the sinners seeking redemption fail spectacularly."

But no yeah it's a self-burn. He's not going to count himself among the has-beens *out loud,* but...

Sir Pentious

Sir Pentious could relate to that. He didn't want to admit it out loud, but! He was a failure, in a lot of ways. Succeed in something, but at the cost of too much else.

He moves to get up in order to grab at his glass.... But then lies down again. "YOU ARE VERY WARM." Reptile here,

Alastor

Alastor laughs. "It's all that mammal blood in me. Are you cold?" He looks around, trying to figure out if the bed's cover is within arm's reach. Nope.

Sir Pentious

"ALWAYSSSS. THE THERMOSSSSTAT WOULD HAVE TO BE CRANKED UP MUCH HIGHER FOR ME TO FEEL *COMFORTABLE*. AND SOMETIMESSSSS, HELL FREEZES OVER, OR AT LEAST DROPSSS TO THE NEGATIVESSSS."

.... "30 DEGREES, YOU AMERICAN." He's smiling smugly~ "DON'T PUT A BLANKET ON ME ANYWAY, I'LL END UP GOING TO SLEEP."

Alastor

His stomach twists at the phrase *hell freezes over*. He compensates by holding Sir Pentious just a little bit tighter. For the moment, he's silent.

Sir Pentious

A blink, another blink. Oh, shit, did he break Alastor? Sir Pentious swivels his head to the side, looking him over.... Blelelelele of his tongue. Concern,,,,

Alastor

Alastor flinches. "Sorry! Sorry, I was just—just thinking." He clears his throat with a noise of a dial flipping rapidly through several stations. "On the day that... when your version of me... betrayed you. Was it cold?"

Sir Pentious

*Oh.* His head lurches back.... And he thinks on it. It was hard to remember, exactly how everything had *felt*.

".... IT WAS A *BLUR*, REALLY... I. DO NOT RECALL IT AS WELL... SAFE FOR THE SSOUND OF VOLTAGE, OF WIRES SNAPPING AND METAL *CREAKING*... FEELING AS THOUGH I WERE DROWNING IN THAT SSSMILE, IN THE SSSTATIC."

But was it cold? "I. SSSORRY, ALASSSTOR. MY MEMORY ISN'T..." He looks embarrassed.

Alastor

"It's fine! It's fine, don't worry about—I shouldn't have brought it up." *His* Sir Pentious had been cold that morning. "You had more important things to worry about." So did Alastor—but he's never forgotten that cold. "Hearing you of all people talk about Hell freezing over, it made me think of—well. Old news."

Sir Pentious

A frown, and a look of frustration. He's not sure what he accidentally *said*, so when he hugs tighter this time, he pinches Alastor with his claws.

Alastor

Alastor just *said* what he said.

He flinches in surprise with a crackle of static. “What are you—?” He pinches back!

Sir Pentious

His hood FLOOPS up! And he lifts himself up some to pin Alastor to the floor, glaring down at him.

"I JUSSSST SSSSAID IT BECAUSE I'M COLD! THAT'SSSS ALL! EVERY TIME I SEE THOSE *CHRISTMAS* COLORS OR SWEATERSSSS I'M REMINDED OF HOW *UNPLEASANT* WINTER WASSS AND HOW IN *MY* HELL, SOME DAYSSSS THE TEMPERATURE JUST *DROPSSSSSS!*"

He presses their foreheads together, with Pentious STARING AT HIM. "THERE WILL BE NO READING TOO MUCH INTO MY WORDSSSSS, ALASSSTOR!!!"

Alastor

His heart leaps up into his throat. “I’m not reading too much into them! It just reminded me, that’s all!” Being flat on the ground with Sir Pentious pinning him down and pressing their faces together isn’t helping him feel any less reminded. And it occurs to him, dangerously, that it would be absolutely *effortless* to tilt up his chin and kiss Sir Pentious.

He’s got to remove *that* temptation real fast. He lunges up, wraps his arms around Sir Pentious, and pulls him back down into a hug again, putting his chin on Sir Pentious’s shoulder. “I hate the cold too. Hell does the same thing here too—three days in a row you can have temperatures of a hundred, zero, a hundred. And that’s an *American* zero.”

Sir Pentious

*BODY HEAT.*

He briefly is tempted to undo Alastor's shirt collar so he can get to his skin, but that decidedly was his animal brain talking. Don't do that.

"AH, YES, THAT SSSSOUNDSSS ABOUT RIGHT. IT DROPSSS SSSO QUICKLY." He pets down his scales, "IT ALSO JUMPSSSS UP SUDDENLY AS WELL... BEFORE I MET YOU OR VALERA, I HAD A DAY OF THE TEMPERATURE CLIMBING *SSSO* MUCH THAT MY BODY BEGAN TO *BUBBLE* AND *BLISTER*...." He winces.

"IT'SSSS A USUAL THING, PERHAPSSSS HELL'S ATTEMPT AT RECREATING THE SSSSUMMER."

Alastor

Alastor also winces on his behalf. “It doesn’t usually get much hotter than a hundred around Pentagram City, what with Lake Cocytus so close—but I’ve heard about weather like that in some of the other circles! Particularly around the volcanoes. When we do get more extreme weather, there’s no rhyme or reason to when it happens—I don’t think our Hell is trying to replicate any seasons, it’s just doing whatever it feels will annoy us most in the moment.”

He’s been laid on enough for now, he thinks. What happens if he tries to, just... sort of... roll them over, so he’s the one laying on top.

Sir Pentious

"THAT MAKESSSSS SSSENSE. WISHFUL THINKING ON MY PART, THEN."

...... He doesn't like being on the bottom! He scrambles to sit up! Tongue flicks, "ARE WE GOING TO DRINK NOW?!"

Alastor

Aw. He ruined it. He ruined the moment. He sits up. “Sure, sure!” He picks up his as yet untouched drink and takes a sip.

Sir Pentious

As he is generally known for doing! Remember the musical number he blew up?

Sir Pentious knocks his glass against Alastor's, "CHEERSSS,."

Alastor

Alastor was referring to himself ruining the moment, actually, because he has learned that all bad things that happen to him are either a consequence of or a comeuppance for his own horrible actions. But if Sir Pentious wants some credit, he can have it.

However, Alastor is still a little chunk of venison surrounded by a big pile of noodles, so it’s not all bad. “Cheers!” Tap. He takes a bigger drink.

Sir Pentious

DULY NOTED.

Penny takes a deep gulp and rubs at his throat, *purrrring* at the burning sensation.

"AHHH, THAT HISSSS JUST RIGHT!"

Alastor

“Only the *highest* quality of the sub-par junk we stock at the bar,” Alastor boasts. If that can be called a boast. “I’ll get some top notch stuff for next time. And I’ll see if I can find some ha... habooshoo? Was that what it was called?”

He sets his drink back down and goes for the food again. Far be it from him to make Sir Pentious drink alone, but if he can help it, he doesn’t want to get drunk this time. He’s enjoying himself too much to want parts of this hangout to go fuzzy around the edges.

Sir Pentious

"AH! THE HABUSHU, YESSS, THAT ALCOHOL JAPONAISE!" He nods a few times, recalling the snake, "MMM, HMMM. I COULD ALWAYSSS ASK KATSSSSU FOR MORE, I'M SURE."

Alastor

“Oh right, *him.*” Katsu keeps coming up and Alastor keeps being mildly surprised every time he comes up. “The one who got promoted from nephew to son. I’ve been meaning to ask about that—are you... actually doing any *parenting,* per se, or is it more of an honorary title?” Katsu seems old enough to take care of himself to Alastor, but they’ve only briefly met in person, and at any rate Alastor has found that the average age of “old enough” has been creeping later and later over recent decades.

Sir Pentious

Sir Pentious makes a bit of a *face*, and reaches instead for the brandy, uncorking (?) it.

"AH, WELL. YOU KNOW ITSSS A BIT UNUSUAL, ISN'T IT? I DON'T KNOW THE BOY TOO WELL. HE MOST ASSUREDLY LATCHED ONTO *ME* RATHER EARLY! BUT I THINK VALERA KNOWSSSS HIM BETTER THAN I DO. WE'VE SSSPENT A LITTLE TIME TOGETHER, BUT HM. I HESITATE TO CALL HIM *MY* SSSON AT THISS JUNCTURE."

Alastor

“*Ah.* Well, that explains a lot. He asked if he could call me ‘uncle’ almost immediately after meeting me.” He makes a bit of a face as well, insofar as he can with a smile on—all squinty eyes and scrunched nose. “I know some people do that out of desperation, and they have my pity, but I detest being on the receiving end!”

He nudges Sir Pentious. “How did Valera end up with him? I’ve been meaning to ask! Last I’d heard, he was calling someone else ‘mother’ and then suddenly here he was hanging around you two!”

Sir Pentious

Look at him, he looks un*comf*ortable suddenly! Sir Pentious rubs the back of his head, before he takes a swig of brandy straight from the bottle.

"OH, I REALLY FEEL AS THOUGH THE DETAILSSSS ARE LOSSST ON ME... VALERA MENTIONED SSSSOME SSSORT OF *ISSUES* BETWEEN MEREDITH AND KATSSSSU.... IT COULD BE A *JOINT* CUSSSSTODY SSSSITUATION?"

He rests his cheek on his palm, looking a little embarrassed, "IF THISSS WAS EXPLAINED TO ME, I... CLEARLY DIDN'T HEAR IT. BUT THE BOY LATCHESSS ON SSSO QUICKLY! I WAS SHOCKED TO LEARN HE WAS EIGHTEEN... WHEN I WAS HIS AGE, I WAS SSSTUDYING MATH IN PARIS."

Alastor

Well, Alastor didn’t want to make him uncomfortable! Would it help if Alastor leans on Sir Pentious again? Because he’s gonna.

Alastor mulls on this and on whether he should mention the misgivings he has about Meredith and people connected to her, when his thoughts immediately flip over to a different station. “You studied in *Paris?* I had no idea! Do you speak French?”

Sir Pentious

It does help. Those idle radio sounds and clicks are enjoyable to listen to so close.

OH! He *beams*, and gestures with a hand, "MAIS BIEN SÛR!" Sir Pentious slips his hood over his shoulder, preening in the attention, "IT WAS AT MY MOTHER'SSSS SSSUGGESTION, ANYWAY. PARISSS HAD MORE OPPORTUNITIES THAN LONDON, AND WHILE I COULD HAVE GONE ANYWHERE, I RATHER WANTED TO GO TO FRANCE." He giggles, "NOTHING MATTERED IN PARIS, EVERYONE WASN'T SSSO *UPTIGHT.* I DARESAY THE THINGSS I LEARNED *THEN* SURELY SHAPED THE KIND OF PERSON I BECAME IN THE LATTER HALF OF MY LIFE."

Alastor

“*J’arrive pas y croire!* You’ve been holding out on me!” Alastor laughs. “Your French sounds so *European.* I should have expected that.” Alastor’s French is... very not European. Not because he has a bad French accent, but because he has an extremely good Cajun accent.

“Oh, *hah!* You and me both, then! Paris, France: the perfect place for young men to find themselves and discover who they’re going to be the rest of their lives!”

Sir Pentious

This topic is much more comfortable to Sir Pentious and he looks full of life once more! No awkward movements or rubbing his neck at all.

"HA! YOUR *ACCENT!* DO IT AGAIN. SSSAY SOMETHING ELSE! IN FACT, HAVE YOU *BEEN* TO PARIS, ALASSSTOR?"

Alastor

“What, what do you want me to—I’ll sing something. *Le seul homme j’aimais il m’a quitté moi toute seule, pour s’en aller avec une autre que moi—*” There’s accordion and guitar in the background. It’s a very raucous song. Alastor won’t subject Sir Pentious to more than that. “Your turn. And sure, I visited Paris during the war! Learned to summon demons there! It was pretty good for both of our educations, wasn’t it?”

Sir Pentious

"VOUS INVOQUEZ DES DÉMONS À PARIS? HAAAAAAA HA HAAAAAAA!" He's clapping his hands together, laughing, "VOUS SSSSSAVEZ, CELA SSSEMBLE TOUT À FAIT HABITUEL À PARIS! JE PARIE QUE PERSONNEL NE L'A REMARQUÉ!!!!"

OH no, he's laughing so much, this is the best news he's heard. Plus, Alastor's accent is *awful*, but in the most endearing way.

Alastor

Alastor’s cracking up. “You sound like you’re reading from a textbook!” He flings an arm around his shoulders and leans on him more heavily. “*Non, non, pas à Paris.* I *learned* there, but I didn’t *do* it there. My first attempt was out in the trenches. I think I told you about that, didn’t I!—unleashing an imp in the middle of a battlefield?”

Sir Pentious

WHEEEEZE--

"OH, *OH*, I *THINK* YOU DID... ACTUALLY, CURIOUSSSS, I DON'T RECALL HOW THAT *ENDED*!"

Purrrrrr, he's going to take another swig of brandy before offering the bottle to Alastor. This is one happy hell serpent.

Alastor

“Neither do I! I was running a hell of a fever at the time! Or maybe the summoning made me delirious, I’ve never found out which it was. Anyway, I regained lucidity some days later in a medical tent, to get told all about how everything descended into anarchy and half of my surviving unit was in medical with me. Ha! Really exciting stuff!”

And deeply traumatic! He’ll accept that brandy, thank you. Sip! “There was no mention of an imp—so I don’t know if *they* caused all that chaos on my behalf, or if they were just unlucky enough to get summoned by a half-mad rookie occultist just in time to get gassed with the rest of us.”

Sir Pentious

"HMMMM... GASSED. OH! THE MUSTARD GAS? I WAS DEAD LONG BEFORE THAT GREAT WAR, BUT ONE DOES HEAR THINGS, EH!" He squeezes Alastor's shoulder.... Comforting? It was a long time ago, but talking about such things probably warranted some comfort.

"NASSSTY SSSSTUFF, THAT. PERHAPS I SHOULD ADD IT TO MY REPETOIRE!!" He winks. It's a very obvious wink, like the kind one might see in a movie to tell *I am Joking*.

Alastor

Oh! Is he being reassured? He doesn’t need it (he doesn’t think he needs it) but under the circumstances wow does that feel nice. Gonna lean more into that touch. Like a sunflower twisting toward the sun, he is. “Mustard, ketchup, sauerkraut—the works! I don’t remember that part, if I was even there for it—fever, see—so all I can do is assume. It was *probably* mustard gas, unless it was something more demonic.”

Alastor huffs. “In all seriousness, it would certainly be effective! The stuff’s bad enough it was banned after the Great War! The concept of war crimes has always been... *amazing* to me—how bad does an activity have to be before it’s made illegal to perform during the worst activity a group of humans can participate in?” He winks at Sir Pentious, “Anyway, *I* don’t mind a war crime or two, as long as I’m not on the receiving end.” Alastor thinks this is a normal supportive friend thing to say.

Sir Pentious

It is a very supportive friend thing to say!! If your friend is Sir Pentious. He is grinning headboob to headboob!!!

"HA!!! THEN WITH YOUR, AHEM, *BLESSING.* I'D GIVE YOU SSSOME WARNING AHEAD OF TIME BEFORE *PAINTING THE TOWN YELLOW.* NYA HA HAAAAAAA!" He is so very loud.

Another gulp of brandy, and his head sways a little. Buuuuuzzed.

"YOU SHOULD TEACH ME SSSOME OF YOUR BASSSTARD FRENCH. CA... CAGING?? CAGING FRENCH. THAT ONE. AND I'LL TEACH YOU *TEXTBOOK FRENCH.*"

Alastor

“When you’re ready to launch an attack that massive, I’d hope to be on board to watch with you!” ... Is that over the line? He can’t just invite himself along on one of Sir Pentious’s raids. He could have with the one he used to know, but, here...

Don’t overthink it. He’s gonna sip a little more of his drink. “Bastard French *indeed.* Cajun is a perfectly pristine, utterly respectable French. Just not the kind of French they teach in France to *English* students. And I already speak textbook French, thank you!” He puts on a robotic-sounding accent, like a student reciting pre-memorized foreign language phrases. “‘*Bonjour, monsieur ! Excusez-moi ! Je m’apelle Pierre-Paul-Jacques. Comment allez-vous ?*’ Hah!”

Sir Pentious

Sir Pentious *cackles* madly, SLAPPING Alastor on the back. TEARS man, TEARS! He clears his throat, then lifts his hands up, imitating Alastor's ears.

"HELLO, *MON CHERE*! SSSSALUT, SSSSALUT!! PASSSS *LE GUMBO!*" He grins playfully!

Could be vaguely offensive, but you know. Hell.

Alastor

He simultaneously tries not to grimace and tries not to smile harder. "Your accent is abominable, couyon."

Sir Pentious

HEE HEE HEE. *HEE HEE HEE!* Sir Pentious looks so pleased with himself.

Alastor

SHOVE. But it's a light shove. Friendly shove.

He immediately closes the distance again. "In France, when we had to deal with the locals, they usually asked me since I was already fluent—in a manner of speaking. Wanna know all the words that got me weird looks in Paris??"

Sir Pentious

Sir Pentious looks to Alastor, leaning on his hands and *purring* in that horrific way of his, his hood lifting to drape itself upon the other's head. Flompf.

"YESSS, MY *MAN.* TELL ME, TELL ME!"

Alastor

“Very well! One time I got five men to stop and stare at me when I proposed hosting a *fais do-do,* we should start there!”

And so for the next he-can’t-even-keep-track-of-how-long, he pulls out as many obscure and local terms as he can think of—until they drift off on a trail of other topics. The only way Alastor is keeping track of the fact that time’s passing at all is by his gradually emptying glass and the dwindling quantity of food. He can’t remember the last time he had this much fun.

Sir Pentious

Alas, all fun times must come to an end! Sir Pentious finally has hit his limit for social interaction....he puts a hand to Alastor's shoulder, his body swaying some as he begins to uncoil himself.

"WELL, ALASSSTOR... I BETTER BE GETTING BACK TO MY SHIP. I HAD A *GOOD* TIME WITH YOU! NEXT TIME, I'LL BE SSSOBER ENOUGH TO GET THOSE MEASUREMENTSSSSS."

Alastor

Alastor tries his best to steady Sir Pentious. Which is a bit of a challenge, considering that Alastor is drunk and Sir Pentious is a slinky that’s twice as drunk and twice as tall. “So did I!” Alastor squeezes the elbow he’s been helping support.

He really did have a good time. For the first time since he met this Sir Pentious, he didn’t feel like he had to be on his best damn behavior, careful of every single word and action, triple checking every sentence’s implications to ensure he was neither about to accidentally trod on Sir Pentious’s brittle ego nor about to get unacceptably affectionate... This was how it was supposed to be. They’d finally gotten everything right.

“You could have gotten those measurements *before* you got drunk, you know.” He winks. “But if you want another excuse to butt around with me, I’m not going to complain.”

Sir Pentious

He purrs and pretends to look offended, "WHAT! NOOO, I COULD NOT HAVE-- I DID NOT BRING MY MEASURING EQUIPMENT." Which he totally has. He giggles drunkenly, starting to slither toward the door, blinking hard to make sure he wasn't bumping into anything. He was, but whatever.

"BUTT AROUND WE SHALL, ALASSSTOR!"

Alastor

Maybe Alastor oughta help Sir Pentious with the door. He’s just gotta get to the door before Sir Pentious does. He’s halfway through climbing over the bed to try to reach the door first when he *remembers* something, loses his balance, nearly face plants, somehow manages to keep his feet and stumbles forward to pose himself with his elbow propped against the wall like he totally meant to do that. “Before you go! I’ve got something to say.”

Sir Pentious

~~Alastor I'd die for you.~~ Penny blinks, his head swiveling a little in place as he looks to that very elegant pose from Alastor. Tongue flicks. "HMM??? WHAT ISS IT?"

Alastor

“I...! Ahh.” Now he’s actually got to *say* it. That’s embarrassing as hell.

But what would be more embarrassing would be *looking* like he’s embarrassed, so he rallies himself and says, “When you came over, you were expecting to get drunk and wrestle a buck, not necessarily in that order! You *weren’t* expecting an unplanned therapy session wherein I drag up a good fifty-odd years of... concerns, about the environmental effects of Hell. But you took it gamely and responded in kind, and I... well... Thank you.”

Sir Pentious

His eyes are doing a weird thing, but it's mostly because he's trying to keep Alastor in his focus. Sir Pentious strokes his chin a little, and he waves a hand, "IT WASSSSN'T THERAPY, ALASSSSTOR. I WAS LISTENING TO YOU HAVE A TALK ABOUT YOUR *FEELINGSSSS.* AFTER ALL, YOU'VE HEARD ME PRATTLE ON ABOUT THINGSSSS BEFORE, WHAT KIND OF *SIR* WOULD I BE IF I DIDN'T LISTEN IN KIND???" What a development. He reaches over to pull Alastor into a very drunken hug, "ANYWAY, YOU ARE WELCOME, MY DEAR CHUM! THANKSSSSS FOR PREPARING EVERYTHING ON SSSSSUCH SHORT NOTICE! I HAD A VERY GOOD TIME."

Alastor

He melts into the hug. It’s so *nice.* “So did I. The best time in years.” He pulls back, grinning a *real* grin, and looks Sir Pentious over. “Do you need help getting home?”

Sir Pentious

Hmmm... Does he? All his eyes are blinking at different times.

".... YOU KNOW, PERHAPSSSSS I DO. THE SSSTAIRSS ARE NOT SSSOMETHING I AM LOOKING TO NAVIGATE."

Alastor

“Come on!” He slings an arm around Sir Pentious’s back to help keep him steady. “I think I can do something about those stairs.”

(The “something” is temporarily turn them into a slide. This definitely won’t end badly and he won’t regret it at all.)

Sir Pentious

Prr prr prr... He's going to head out into the hallway with Alastor in toe... Yes, surely. This won't end badly. Like forgetting that he changed the stairs into a slide later.

Alastor

Surely not.

And out they go, headed home.

#hissandvinegar #chat log

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momorabu · 4 years

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Ibara Hime - Playthrough (Part II)

Warning: Spoilers. R18 Story.

Here’s the next playthrough log of Ibara Hime~ I was planning to wrap up the game in this post but turned out that the remaining 4 endings were still pretty long, so I’ve split up the endings again into two separate posts. The playthrough this time will mostly focus on Itoh, Ririko’s boyfriend since there’s an ending dedicated to him (sort of).

Ending 2

(Note: This ending can be reached by Ririko wanting to meet Itoh after she had gone to school secretly on Saturday. However, due to options catering more to Mizuki, Ririko’s relationship with Itoh isn’t that good enough to reach the “Itoh” ending.)

Ririko texted Itoh that she wanted to meet him, and decided to hide in an empty classroom after notifying him where she was. She got a phone call from Mizuki, who told her to come home, and asked her where she was. He also informed her that Minato had come to their house and was staying in Mizuki’s room, telling him that he needed her. (Minato sounded desperate) Ririko sarcastically congratulated Mizuki, asking them to get along well together. Mizuki threatened Ririko by saying that perhaps it’s best to tell Minato that they had sex together, but Ririko wasn’t threatened at all, even rebutted that she shall not return home forever, and would rather sell her body for money and staying at internet cafes. Mizuki told Ririko to knock it off since he doesn’t think of Ririko of someone capable of selling her body anyway and demanded her to come home straight away since there would be a harsh punishment later on if she did not do so.

Ririko did not fall for Mizuki’s threat again, rebutting that she doesn’t care anymore since she’s not even a virgin now and that there’s nothing scarier in this world than getting raped by her own brother. (Woah... that was a harsh blow on Mizuki D:) Mizuki urged Ririko to stop harbouring such thoughts as he warned her of maniacs capturing her and keeping her in captive forever using drugs. (How did you even think of such a possibility, Mizuki? Unless you’re planning on using such a plan as well~~ =w=“) Ririko refused to listen to Mizuki and prayed furiously in her heart for Itoh to come and meet her.

Finally, Itoh arrived and got a phone call immediately. Seems that it was a 3-way call, but Itoh told Mizuki that Ririko had not contacted him when the latter asked him about Ririko’s whereabouts.

When the phone call had ended, Itoh asked Ririko whether she had gotten into a fight with Mizuki, and felt that it’s best that she returned home tonight. Ririko told him that she didn’t want to return home now that her parents were not around, and asked Itoh to accompany her until night time before she went to stay in a business hotel. Since Ririko’s parents would only return on Sunday afternoon, Itoh suggested that they sing karaoke all night to pass through the time. Even though Ririko worried that Itoh won’t get enough rest that way as he and Mizuki had club practices tomorrow morning till afternoon, Itoh assured her that he can sleep in the karaoke room and that he would take a short nap at home tomorrow morning too.

Ririko knew that Itoh was suggesting that to accompany her through the night as it might get lonely for her to stay at the hotel at night, and thus suggested Itoh accompany her at the hotel instead so he can rest better. Itoh told her truthfully that he felt that he won’t be able to restrain himself anymore if both of them were alone at the hotel, and asked Ririko if that was alright. (In a way, he’s asking permission for sex already at this point of time ^^;) Itoh suggested Ririko to at least let Mizuki know that she’s staying elsewhere safe and that she can lie that she’s staying at a friend’s home just to make Mizuki feel reassured. (Guess Itoh didn’t want Mizuki to get too worried) Ririko knew that Mizuki would guess that she’s lying if she said she’s staying at a friend’s home since she doesn’t really have any other close friends other than Minato. Itoh asked again what was the reason she didn’t want to go home, but Ririko could only mutter a reply that Mizuki was being weird (maybe weird is just a nicer way of saying it, Mizuki’s love is going towards the crazy end...), and felt that perhaps Mizuki was seeing Ezaki Senpai in her... (Ririko still felt that maybe Mizuki was still in love with the senpai rather than her...? o.O Or maybe she’s just telling that to herself since she doesn’t believe that Mizuki loves her...)

Itoh decided to dote on Ririko, telling her that she’s cute and he actually envied Mizuki for staying in the same home as her ever since they’ve started dating. He knew that Mizuki was talented and good-looking with a great personality, and was worried that Ririko might dote on her younger brother and cherished him more than Itoh himself. Ririko didn’t want to hear anything more about Mizuki though and instead asked to be closer to Itoh.

They started kissing, and before she knew it, Itoh’s hand was on her thigh and pulling up her skirt. Turned out that Itoh had started to get horny and suggested that perhaps they should head to a hotel now even though it was still noon. The situation then proceeded onto both them wanting to have sex right now. (Guys you two are still at school and in a classroom >/////<)

However, when Itoh went under her, he decided to stop, telling her it’s no good. Ririko worried perhaps Itoh didn’t feel sexually simulated enough upon seeing her private area, but Itoh asked her whether she was truly in love with him with a furious expression.

Turned out that Itoh had discovered kiss marks all around her inner thighs, and he could see that these were landed recently. He remarked that Ririko’s area around her private parts was “dirty”, and Ririko blamed herself for not discovering those herself and had even wanted to have sex with Itoh normally after being raped by Mizuki. Itoh guessed that Ririko must not be a virgin any more after seeing the kiss marks (since no way a guy would not have sex after leaving kiss marks all over the private area of a girl’s body OAo), to which Ririko worried whether Itoh wanted to dump her after knowing that she’s not a virgin. Itoh assured her that it’s not because of that, but rather he felt that he was the one being toyed by Ririko instead since it seems like he was the only one who loved her while she decided to have sex with someone else behind his back. He told Ririko that the kiss marks were meant as a symbol by some other guy that Ririko belongs to him, and as a display for Itoh to see. (Mizuki you’re really a jerk to NTR your best friend =w=“)

Ririko could only shed tears after knowing what Mizuki had done to destroy the relationship between her and Itoh. Itoh gave Ririko a chance to explain herself or to break up now, even though he was seriously really pissed at the moment. He grabbed her hands and started kissing her neck, leaving a kiss mark on it, and then started doing the same thing on various parts of her body, where they can be easily seen even if she’s dressed. (Wow, I did not expect Itoh to be someone who would do something like this? O////O Jealousy is strong here O////O) Ririko felt pained and pushed him away, to which Itoh glared at her and demanded to know who was the one who had landed the kiss marks on her. Itoh told Ririko that he still loves her and wanted to have sex with her, though he can’t guarantee that he would be gentle with her. Ririko felt the same way towards Itoh too. Even if he might end up being rough on her during sex, she still wanted to have sex with him, if it can erase away the feeling of being raped by her brother.

However, after thinking through, Ririko would rather they break up than to tell Itoh that she was being raped by her brother. Itoh showed a sad expression when he realised that she didn’t want to tell him, and guessed that he was indeed being toyed by her. He told her to stop pretending that she’s not good with guys anymore since she’s Mizuki’s sister. (Hello? Mizuki is a womanizer doesn’t mean that Ririko would be ><”) He felt silly for not suspecting her at all and broke up with her.

“Bye-bye Ririko. Even though it’s only been a short while, it was happiness for me.” (You hardly get to see a breakup line in an otome game seriously =w=“)

Ririko could only break down and cry after Itoh had left. She really likes him and didn’t want to break up with him actually. But as a girl with kiss marks like this, she sees herself of incapable of attaining happiness with him. (Girl really sees herself badly too D:) She knew that she would not be able to attain happiness for the rest of her life since Itoh might be the only person who actually loved her in this world.

Since Mizuki had ruined her happiness, Ririko felt that there was no meaning of her escaping from home anymore, and felt she was stupid for rejecting her brother all this while. Thus, she decided to went home. (This just sounds like the fall of Ririko TWT)

When Ririko reached home, she noticed a pair of female shoes by the door. She realised that Minato was still here, and wished she would leave soon since Minato’s presence here will destruct her plan, as she took a knife from the kitchen and hid it behind her. (Ririko, you’re not planning to?! OAO) Ririko planned to kill Mizuki, thinking that since it’s her fault for making Mizuki be what he was today, she had to do something to finish all of this.

Ririko head up to her room and things turned out to be just like how it was three years ago. She thought she had opened the door to Mizuki’s room, but now that she thought about it, Mizuki’s room was locked and hers wasn’t (since her room didn’t have a lock), and turned out the door she had actually opened was her own bedroom door. Mizuki and Minato were on her bed (Guys?! Please do it on your bed D:), and when Minato spotted her, she hurriedly gets away from Mizuki and tidied her clothes.

Minato noticed that Ririko was wearing her school uniform and asked her if she had gone to school, to which Ririko coolly asked her to leave since they were in her room. Minato smiled as she apologised, saying that Mizuki needed “this type of treatment”, even joking that Mizuki seems to be a “sis-con”. (Minato, this is really not something to joke about now. How can she still laugh at this moment? =w=“) In the end, Mizuki urged her to go home since her role here was done. Minato apologised for “dirtying” Ririko’s bed before leaving. (Her apology doesn’t even sound sorry at all =w=“)

Mizuki smiled happily as Ririko returned to him. Ririko remembered why she had avoided Mizuki at that time when she spotted a girl with him in her bedroom. She had found the act of them having sex in her room as bizarre since he could have used his room instead as that room can be locked. She pretended that everything was normal as she approached Mizuki slowly with the knife still hidden behind her. Mizuki was holding his hands out to her, welcoming her back, and Ririko felt that this was the best chance she has to stab seeing that he was unguarded against her. Ririko rushed towards him with the knife, wishing that even if she wasn’t able to stab him in the chest, it would be good if he was stabbed in the stomach (at least that gave her some time to escape?), but in reality, she ended up just stabbing the blanket instead...

Mizuki smirked as he told Ririko that her actions were slow to him as if it was playing in slow motion, so he was able to dodge them easily. (Well Mizuki was very athletic afterall D:) He guessed that even if he was indeed stabbed, he might not get too injured since Ririko wasn’t able to use much strength. As Ririko pondered whether she should try stabbing him again, Mizuki taunted her not to give up as it would be too boring, even giving her suggestions that she should have to try kissing him and stab him in the midst of it instead. (Mizuki sure was good at thinking up all these scenarios... =w=“)

Just then, Mizuki grabbed onto Ririko’s hands and used them to position the knife to be pointing at her own chest. He smiled as he asked her to kill herself instead since she had failed to kill him, and said if any of them had died, they would still be linked to each other for the rest of their lives. Ririko closed her eyes in fear, thinking that perhaps it would be better to die rather than being controlled by Mizuki for the rest of her life. She wanted to blame her parents for giving birth to them so close in a year since their minimal age gap had caused Mizuki to turn out like this. (Maybe if Ririko was way older than Mizuki, all these might not have happened?... I’m not exactly sure D:) She thought about what would happen if she were to die, perhaps their family would be easier to manage when that happens, and Mizuki would return back to being a normal guy if she had not existed.

Suddenly, Mizuki grabbed tightly onto her hands, making her drop the knife in pain. He kicked away the knife swiftly to the other end of the room and pushed her onto the bed. Noticing the kiss marks on her neck, Mizuki guessed that those must have been planted by Itoh and sort of guessed what had happened between them. Ririko cried for Mizuki to forgive her and let her go since she knew that she won’t be happy with him. Mizuki told her that she would attain happiness as long as she falls in love with him, and proceed onto landing kiss marks right above where Itoh had planted his. (Wow, this is just overwriting in a way... OWO”)

Ririko told him that there won’t be any happiness if siblings were to fall in love with each other, to which Mizuki asked her why. He’s willing to be with Ririko and just having sex with each other would be enough for him even if they do not marry nor have children with each other. Ririko rebutted that Mizuki’s mind must be damaged to not register what she had been telling him, but Mizuki insisted that since their mother had always said that he was a child being picked up from under the bridge, they’re not really blood-related and thus she can put away her worry and just fall in love with him. (Feels that Mizuki was the one who wanted to believe they’re not blood-related.) Ririko replied that their mother was just joking in the past when she said that, and that they even look like twins when they were young. It’s the truth that they’re indeed siblings. Mizuki told Ririko once again that he doesn’t care what others would view them as long as Ririko loves him, and wished that she would look at him as a man instead of as a brother.

Ririko had viewed Mizuki as attractive and didn’t know any girl that was not attracted by him. But no matter what, she and he were siblings, adding on to the fact that Ririko now realised that she loves Itoh. She told Mizuki that Itoh was the one she loves, so even if Mizuki and she aren’t siblings, she would choose to be with Itoh instead. (Guess it’s a scenario of “even if you had my body, you won’t get my heart”.) Mizuki coolly reminded Ririko that Itoh had broken up with her and told her not to say his name anymore, but obviously Ririko doesn’t listen, claiming over and over again that she loves Itoh, and still loves him even if she was being dumped. (Awww~~~ TWT)

Just then, Mizuki mummered out a scary thought - he had to make Itoh disappear since he believed that with Itoh gone, Ririko would forget about him over time and might fall in love with him instead... (OAO”) Ririko had thought that he might be joking but Mizuki claimed he wasn’t. He even planned to cut away Ririko’s legs so the latter can’t go and find Itoh if she had wanted to, and then he would stay by her side and take care of her forever and ever... Ririko didn’t fear him though and rebutted that he can try doing that, but he would get caught by the police, and thus, even without her legs, she would be free from Mizuki forever.

Mizuki suddenly fell silent, as he got off from the bed and picked up the knife that was lying across the room. Holding up the knife against her leg, he confessed that he loves her legs. Ririko said that she felt that her legs were short and fat and thus wished Mizuki would take it away. (Not sure Ririko was just acting strong or falling in depression when she said this.) Mizuki thanked her, though he felt that just cutting off her legs would just make Ririko feel that her legs were gone (which probably isn’t anything in Mizuki’s eyes OAO”), and decided that maybe he should try destroying her vagina instead. (Scary!!! OAO”)

Mizuki knew that he shouldn’t have a child with Ririko, and thus felt that it’s useless for Ririko to have a vagina since she shouldn’t give birth to their child anyway. He only wanted to see Ririko’s happy expressions, claiming that this was enough and he would continue to love her even if she doesn’t have a vagina. (Why not you just cut away your penis then Mizuki? I really don’t get this logic =w=“) He pointed the knife blade right at her private parts with the knife between her legs, making Ririko starting to breathe irregularly as she worriedly looked at Mizuki’s action. Mizuki wondered which parts of Ririko he shall take away, and happily decided that maybe he shall take her head instead. Ririko realised that rather than taking away her freedom (legs), or the ability to have sex (vagina), Mizuki seems to have decided to remove her existence (since she would most definitely be dead without her head.) Mizuki bid goodbye to her, telling her to love him the next time they meet, and the last thing Ririko saw before her mind went black, was her brother smiling at her...

As she lost consciousness, Ririko was glad that at least she didn’t have to experience the feeling of being killed, and wondered that with her gone, maybe Mizuki would be released of his feelings towards her. Will he feel that he was being saved? Will he feel sad about the loss of her? Will he be able to live on happily? She felt that Mizuki should be able to live on even with what had happened. Even as a murderer, there are still many people who were willing to love him, and overall, she felt that he had more of a right to keep living more than her... (This just sound so depressing coming from Ririko. In the end she still views herself lower than Mizuki TWT)

Ririko awoke later on and realised that she was at the hospital, with her mother looking worriedly over her. She checked herself, and it seems like none of her body parts was missing. Ririko asked for Mizuki’s whereabouts and got to know from her mother than Mizuki had died, leaving behind a short letter for their parents.

“Dad and Mum, I’m sorry. I’ve been in love with my sister all this while. Thus, in order to save myself, I’ve decided to escape from living this life. I’m sorry for making this decision by myself without telling you guys about it.”

(Maybe this is also one of those rare times I get to read a suicide letter in an otome game. TWT)

Ririko’s mother cried and claimed that Mizuki was a foolish child. If he had discussed this matter with them, they might be able to save him. (Perhaps this might be a clue to what would happen in another ending...) She blamed herself for discovering Mizuki’s issues earlier. It was also arranged that Ririko would have to undergo counselling later on, as, at the time she was being discovered by their parents, Mizuki’s blood had splatted on her when she was unconscious. Turned out that Mizuki had committed suicide by slashing his own neck and collapsing next to her.

Even though she noticed that her mother was crying really badly and suffering from the loss of Mizuki, Ririko realised that she wasn’t even sad at all at the death of her brother. (I don’t blame her though, Mizuki had probably scarred her mind for the rest of her life.) It seems as though she had lost sense of her feelings. She had hoped to run away from Mizuki since the latter had done acts on her like a criminal and thus felt that it was perhaps good that Mizuki had died since she would be free now. But Ririko had also known that Mizuki had died because of her, and wondered that perhaps Mizuki had felt committing suicide was a “beautiful” way of ending this twisted and stalkerish love. She remembered Mizuki’s last words - to love him when they next met and thought to herself that hopefully, he would rest in peace until then...

(This ending actually made me a little sad and teary in the end... Mizuki’s last words are too powerful TWT I shall talk more about this ending in the review portion.)

Omake - Ending 2

This ending is considered yet another bad ending and the author felt that this was perhaps the most “hunter-like / scariest” ending. Mizuki wondered whether he would be saved if their parents had revealed about his birth... But their father... and Ririko.... (This part was said in a way that it’s a very mysterious way. The author might be hinting something here towards a certain ending.) However, Mizuki felt that even if they were not siblings in this ending, there’s a very high possibility that Ririko would still end up with Itoh anyway. (So... *shrug* no way Mizuki can have a happy ending in this ending no matter what.)

Ending 4 (Itoh’s Ending)

(Note: This ending is reached by choosing all the options that favoured towards Itoh more than Mizuki - in other words choosing to be mean / not nice towards Mizuki if possible, and then choosing to meet Itoh and telling the truth to him in the latter part of the story.)

Major story branches from the moment Ririko had fallen from the stairs.

When Ririko fell from the stairs, she felt that the one who had caught her was Itoh. Since she felt that the scent and warmth of the person who had caught her were very familiar to her, the scent and warmth of a person she gets to know recently... (Hinting to Itoh) She was glad that Itoh had helped her and was by her side, and knew that regardless of what happens from now on, Itoh would come to her aid. (Ririko began to rely on Itoh) She realised that she really likes Itoh, and wanted to be by his side forever.

When she awoke, she realised that Minato was by her side, looking at her sleeping all this while. (Minato is still a good friend even though she... can be inappropriate at times ^^;) She informed Ririko that it was already after school when she had awoken. She offered to pick up Ririko’s bag and was excited to stay over at Ririko’s and Mizuki’s home at night, claiming that she didn’t help much earlier on and now wanted to do what she can to take care of Ririko. It was revealed that Mizuki was the one who had caught Ririko, to which Ririko actually felt abit relieved since she didn’t want Itoh to get hurt while carrying her, and getting a shock when he realised how heavy she was. (So it’s okay for Mizuki to get hurt? XD)

Minato was a great girl in Ririko’s eyes and she felt that the best future for Mizuki was perhaps being a couple with Minato. However, Ririko’s hope for such a future was smashed when she, later on, heard a confrontation between Minato and Mizuki at home, where Mizuki admitted that he likes Ririko romantically, and thus didn’t want to get a girlfriend anymore. Minato told Mizuki that his overprotectiveness of Ririko was disturbing and disgusting, seeing that she had an older brother and would not forgive her brother for harbouring such a feeling for her if that were to happen. She also expressed that she’s disappointed that Mizuki was actually such a person.

Ririko had tried to act as though she had not heard the confrontation (I think they’re quarrelling either in her bedroom or right outside her room), but Mizuki realised she’s awake when he came to check on her after Minato had left. Ririko continued to act that she was still asleep, and realised that Mizuki had sneaked his finger into her mouth and started toying around with her tongue. Ririko didn’t know why Mizuki was doing this and tried hard to continue to pretend to be asleep. Just then, she felt Mizuki’s weight on the bed as he climbed on top of her, and opened her eyes in a hurry.

Mizuki knew that she had overheard his conversation with Minato earlier on, and said that he had been told that his feelings for Ririko were disgusting. He started fondling the lower part of her body, to which Ririko started to regret that she was just wearing a shirt and her undies now since Mizuki began to unbutton all her buttons and remove her underwear easily. Ririko had wondered that perhaps Mizuki had decided to say that he’s in love with her as an excuse to get away from Minato, asking him whether he had done that as a revenge to her. But Mizuki simply smiled and said that he was just confessing his true feelings.

As Mizuki started fingering with her, Ririko started to feel good, though she still questioned herself on the reason why Mizuki was doing all these to her. One possibility she thought of was Mizuki didn’t have any girls he likes and thus played his hands on her just to make through this moment when he’s feeling lonely and unloved. Mizuki continued onto licking her private area, making Rirko felt guilty that she’s actually enjoying it as much as she didn’t want her body to feel that way. She tried to lecture Mizuki for laying his hands on a patient (since she was still sick), but he simply smiled and said that’s her punishment for trying to act asleep. He confessed to Ririko again and told her that the person she likes wasn’t Itoh at all, and the reason why she did not fall in love in her life at all was all because she was bothered by Mizuki’s presence. (Feels like a round of brainwashing Ririko that she actually likes him all these years....) With that, Mizuki forcefully kissed Ririko, even french kissing with her until she ran out of breath. (And Mizuki wasn’t even panting at all, why is he so good?!)

Mizuki then took off his clothes and got on top of Ririko, and as he prepared to have sex with her, he asked her whether she has a condom since he doesn’t have one on him. (.... seriously why are you asking her?.... =w=“) Ririko pleaded him not to touch her and that he can do whatever he likes with Minato the next day anyway since they’re going for a pool date, but Mizuki affirmed that Minato and he aren’t dating and that he found her annoying. Since Minato had found Mizuki disgusting for liking Ririko anyway, she won’t be coming near him again, which actually works for Mizuki instead. Ririko cried as she begged Mizuki not to come into her, but Mizuki only smiled gently at her, telling her that she will get used to it over time. (The devil in an angel’s appearance! ><”)

Ririko thought to herself that she did not like Mizuki at all, feeling pained, scared and disliked this whole situation, even though her body was saying the otherwise. She wondered why Mizuki had become such a guy since he used to a bright and cheerful boy who would always protect her, so... why on earth is he doing such hurtful things to her now? She wished this situation would end quickly, as she can’t wait for Mizuki to leave her body, as she harboured thoughts of hating him. Mizuki, however, kept confessing to her that he loved her and can’t leave her side. (What a contrast...) Mizuki ultimately cummed in Ririko.

When the sex is over, Ririko tried to leave the room, but Mizuki stopped her, asking her to stay by his side and that he was still not yet satisfied. (??? Who cares about you being satisfied or not? =w=“) Ririko ignored Mizuki though and walked out of the room. She felt disgusted and wanted to vomit, and thought that whoever that was in her room just now wasn’t her brother, but instead another human, or say monster who wanted to have sex with her even though they carried the same blood. (The Ririko in this route was just soooo fed up and disgusted with Mizuki, no way she will ever like him D:) She didn’t want to stay at this home anymore now that she knew how much Mizuki kept wanting to have sex with her and thought that she should stay at a friend’s house until the day their parents get back.

(Next up was the whole situation of Ririko going to school, meeting Ezaki Senpai, then getting a text from Itoh. It’s going to be the same scenario where she tells Itoh that she wanted to meet him like what was written in Ending 2. So I’m just going to skip straight away to the part where Itoh gave her choice to tell him the truth or break up with him.)

Ririko realised that she really loves Itoh and didn’t want to break up with him. She pleaded for Itoh to save her and that she’s scared to be going through this nightmare. She admitted that the kiss marks on her thighs were planted by Mizuki, and this was why she didn’t want to go home. She trembled as she had no idea what to do next. She had planned to hide the truth from Itoh initially, but knowing that she would have to break up with him if she did not tell him about the truth, she would rather tell him the truth even if they ended up breaking up anyway.

However, unlike what she had feared, Itoh hugged her. Even though she could not see Itoh’s expression, she felt warmth, as he told her that he would believe her words. Itoh confirmed Ririko’s feelings again and she told him that the only person she ever loves was him. He comforted her not to worry and that they would think of a solution together. Ririko felt that Itoh was indeed a good person who stayed by her even knowing that she was now “dirtied”.

As they parted from their hug, Itoh suggested talking it out with Mizuki, since the matter won’t get solved if they kept running away from him. But Ririko worried that things might not get resolved even if the three of them had a talk together, and wanted to hide somewhere safe until their parents had returned, even thinking of the future where she will move elsewhere after letting their parents know about the matter. Itoh asked Ririko if this was the ending she had wanted, to keep avoiding and escaping from Mizuki, to the point they can’t even continue to be siblings. Even though Ririko replied that she doesn’t mind since it’s not like they’re behaving like siblings now anyway and that Mizuki just seems like someone who stayed in the same house as her since a few years ago, she too regretted that she had not been a good elder sister to Mizuki since three years ago. She wondered whether her actions of avoiding him was what had caused Mizuki’s emotions to go out of control... but then again, after what Mizuki had done to her, Ririko felt that it was hard for her to forgive him.

Itoh showed a sad expression after knowing that not only Mizuki had planted the kiss marks on her, he had even raped her. Ririko wondered why does he show such a pitiful face rather than getting angry for her seeing that his girlfriend suffered a sexual assault from others. Ririko started to get pissed off wondering whether Itoh had prioritised his friend more than his girlfriend (seeing that Itoh seems more focused on feeling disappointment in Mizuki rather than angry for her), to which he apologised for showing his emotions, revealing that he really likes Mizuki ever since they were in junior high, and had trusted him more than anybody. Ririko felt despair, since she had finally decided to reveal the truth to Itoh, but turned out that Itoh valued Mizuki alot too, so it seems like nobody was actually siding with her at all... (Feels bad for Ririko D: But Itoh might be in a bad position too if he had to choose between his girlfriend and his best friend.)

(Turned out that Itoh really admired Mizuki alot, praising that he’s talented in playing soccer, has good looks to be scouted by entertainment companies, yet was humble didn’t brag about him. Even Ririko had to diss that Mizuki was born in a normal family just like her and Itoh, so there’s nothing much for Mizuki to brag since it’s not like he’s a prince just because he’s good-looking... I feel that Mizuki can still be quite a bragger at various times though =w=“)

Ririko started to get worried and asked Itoh if he’s siding with her, but Itoh only replied that Ririko was indeed someone special to Mizuki, making her felt weird that everyone seems to be obsessed with Mizuki and siding with him instead. It worried her that perhaps her parents would side with Mizuki too seeing that he was the talented one between the siblings, and felt that there’s really no one in this world she could rely on at all. (Itoh, how can you make Ririko feel so helpless? You’re not comforting at all. If Minato was still willing to meet up with Ririko, maybe she can ask her for help instead...)

Itoh smiled as he assured her that he would protect her since he loves her and valued her as much as Mizuki does for her. Ririko still refused to meet up with Mizuki, claiming that he’s weird now and that there’s no telling what he’s going to do. Itoh assured her that he would stop him, and would accept whatever that had happened between her and Mizuki since as her boyfriend, he didn’t want to escape from such a situation. With that, Itoh accompanied Ririko back home.

Obviously, Mizuki wasn’t pleased when they reached home, asking Itoh why the latter did not contact him when he had found Ririko. (Mizuki’s over-protectiveness, or say... obsession was alarming here D:) Itoh told Mizuki that they had something to discuss with him, and made his way up to Ririko’s bedroom first. After Itoh had gone up, Mizuki asked Ririko whether she had already told Itoh what had happened, even taunting her that he might hurt Itoh if she still planned to have sex with Itoh in the future. Ririko could only think of Mizuki as a devil as she followed behind up into her room, where Itoh was already waiting for her.

Itoh told Ririko that he shall be the one leading the discussion later on and that she could just listen and add on anything that she wants to say. Mizuki claimed that it’s Itoh fault since if he had not touched Ririko, Mizuki himself would not have started laying his hands on Ririko. Itoh asked Mizuki why had he not continue on hiding his feelings since he initially had planned to do so, but Mizuki revealed that he could not bear hiding his feelings anymore, and he wanted to do what his body had desired for. Itoh told Mizuki that he understood his feelings but at this rate, Mizuki is just going to get rejected by Ririko. Getting heartbroken and then forcefully raping Ririko since he could not control his emotions is just going to make Mizuki end up being a criminal. (What Mizuki is doing is already a criminal act... D:)

Mizuki remarked that Itoh was indeed a great guy and that he really likes him since he had thought that Itoh would break up their friendship over this. Itoh replied that he would accept everything, including Ririko and would be by their side, and thus wished that Mizuki would let himself go from the suffering. He revealed that there’s a letter in the second bento he had gotten from their mother and that he had hurriedly read it this morning since he had forgotten to read it yesterday. Mizuki didn’t want to hear about the letter and refused to give Ririko up, even if Itoh had pledged that he would make Ririko happy. As much as Itoh kept trying to suggest Mizuki give up since both Ririko and Mizuki would be bound together forever as siblings, Mizuki refused to listen, even claiming that he loves Ririko more than anybody does for her. (It’s turning into a scenario where both guys are fighting over Ririko?!) Ririko started to feel that this conversation was going nowhere since Mizuki’s stance did not change at all. Noticing that Mizuki’s reluctance to talk about the letter, Ririko wondered perhaps the content of the letter was something they did not want her to know about.

Ririko asked about the letter, but the two guys ignored her, with Mizuki demanding Itoh to leave and the latter wanting to stay and help Ririko. Mizuki taunted Itoh how he was going to protect Ririko since Mizuki was confident that he would win if the two ended up fighting, to which Ririko had to shout loudly demanding to know about their mother’s letter to get their attention. Itoh replied that he should not be the person who should talk about this matter since this was what their family had decided to hide from her, but seeing that this matter was what that had troubled Mizuki, he decided that it’s best to let Ririko know about it. Mizuki was pissed but decided to leave the room to let the two have some privacy.

Other than the letter, Itoh had discovered something from the internet and thus decided to tell what he had known to Ririko. Itoh had known that Ririko and Mizuki did not communicate much even when they lived together and that Ririko seems to have built a wall of defence in her heart against Mizuki even though he did not know the reason why. Anyway, the letter stated that Ririko’s body had stopped growing and developing for 3 years in the past, and their mother, being worried, had brought her to the Gynecology for a checkup. Even though Ririko’s reproductive organs were normal, it was stated that it was unknown on whether she was able to get pregnant. Ririko remembered that she had started her first period later than others, in which her mother had accompanied her for the checkup. She had thought that everything was normal since her period came normally after that... but turned out that there’s an incident that happened in her childhood which affected her body...

In the past, Ririko was abducted by a woman for half a day when she was in elementary year one and had lost her memory on what had happened on that day. Her body had stopped growing from the time to she was abducted till three years later. After Ririko was abducted for 14 hours, she was found naked at a nearby park. The culprit was a woman who had lost her young son a year ago and had initially planned to abduct Mizuki instead. On the day when Ririko was found, the woman was later captured by the police. This incident sounds like a piece of sad news that Ririko was reading in a third-person point of view, and that she found it hard that she was the one who had went through this incident.

After that incident, the siblings who used to look alike to each other started looking different. Mizuki started growing tall rapidly, while Ririko’s height and weight remained unchanged for the next three years. Even though Ririko did not have any memory of what had happened on that fateful day, it seems like Mizuki had blamed himself and was hurt badly in his heart. Ririko was shocked that she did not know why she had stopped growing in that period, and what Mizuki was feeling troubled about, since the memories she had was them being siblings always having fun together in their elementary days. She had not suspected that her body growth was halted since even though she was short, it’s not like she’s a dwarf and there are even girls that are shorter than her. Even though it might be painful for Ririko to try remembering about this past, Itoh felt that perhaps the past would help to save Mizuki now...

Ririko closed her eyes as she tried to remember a woman in the part when she was in elementary year one. She realised that there was a dream she had recently that seems familiar to this... and opening her eyes, Itoh continued on that the incident he had talked about was what he had found on the internet. As it was a very old piece of news, there are not many articles can be found regarding it nowadays, and thus he shall reveal more about this incident from what that was written on the letter. The news he had found talked about the culprit being a 35-year-old woman, whose 6-year-old son had died last year. She had divorced her husband after that and lived in a 4LDK house with her dog at the time of the incident. This information sparked Ririko’s memory as she remembered what had happened at that time...

The woman had invited Ririko to her house on that fateful day and even told her that her mother and she knew each other since they usually chat when they met each other at the supermarket. She showed Ririko the photo of her son, saying that he’s older than her by a year and that unfortunately, he had passed away last year in a car accident. Ririko started to realise that something was amiss when the dog started barking, and the woman, who had felt annoyed by the dog, picked it up and threw it against the wall. The dog fell as it crashed against the wall, and did not move ever since. The woman turned to Ririko, smiling gently, and demanded Ririko to go into the bathroom, even though she had wanted to go home for dinner since it was already 8pm.

The woman stripped Ririko later on when she came into the bathroom and was surprised to know that she wasn’t a boy when she saw her underwear. It was then Ririko realised that the woman did not know who she was, since the woman did not call her by her name at all, and realised that the person that the woman had wanted to invite was her brother, Mizuki. The woman had mistaken her for Mizuki and had been treating her like him all along. Facing towards the scary woman, Ririko told her not to get close to Mizuki. She remembered she had talked to this woman before, and she was the one who had revealed Mizuki’s name at that time. (Probably some of the readers might have realised by now, the conversation at the start of this entire game was the forewarning of this segment OWO”) The woman snotted as she told Ririko that there’s no need for a family to have two children of the same age, so giving her one child will be fair enough (what is this logic? O.o) Ririko hated herself for giving out Mizuki’s name, and also for not noticing that the woman was tailing them. She started to get angry and told off the woman that her only brother was Mizuki and that he’s part of her family, not an unwanted child at all. (Ririko is such a strong child to stand against an adult like this OAO - impressed)

Ririko could see from the woman’s eyes that she was crazy, and felt that it won’t be good if the woman could continue to live on this street (since there’s no knowing when she would abduct another child again, or even laying her hands on Mizuki this time). She knew that even if she had called the police at this moment, the woman won’t get captured for long since she had not done any criminal acts at this time. Ririko decided to confront the woman, even more, stating that Satoshi (the woman’s child) was already dead and that her brother, Mizuki, was way cuter and good-looking than him. The woman screamed at her to leave since she didn’t want a girl as a daughter. She only wanted a son, a boy who was in elementary year one. She grabbed Ririko by the neck and dumped her outside the house, as Ririko felt that her conscious started to blur. It was already dark outside, but Ririko knew that if she was found at this time of the day (it was still around 8pm, so not too late to be worrying about?), this incident would be wrapped easily, and Mizuki might be in danger the next day onwards. The culprit of the incident did not do anything bad to her since she only just dumped Ririko outside her house when she realised she isn’t Mizuki, and thus Ririko felt that Mizuki shouldn’t blame himself so much. However, Ririko also knew that her words were like lies now, since Ririko realised there’s still some missing parts of her memory which indicated she was still hiding something.

In the end, Itoh encouraged Ririko to talk this matter over with Mizuki and that he’s returning home for the day. Ririko was still worried that Mizuki might rape her again when Itoh is gone, but the latter asked her to believe in Mizuki, which made her felt weird why Itoh was so forgiving and why did he like Mizuki so much to the point that he was willing to forgive him. Itoh replied that he did not forgive Mizuki, but he likes Mizuki and since he was Ririko’s family member, after all, there was no way Itoh could cut ties with Mizuki as long as he still loves Ririko. He knew that the situation between them won’t get resolved easily, but he put the hope that if Mizuki and Ririko put down their guard on each other and talk it out, their relationship might improve for the better. Itoh also worried that Mizuki might commit suicide, asking Ririko whether this was what she had wanted to see, to abandon the very person she had tried so hard to protect when she was young. He promised Ririko that he will protect Ririko no matter what, even if she forgives Mizuki, or ended up abandoning him, vowing to accept her everything. (Ugh... Can’t help but feel guilty when Itoh said everything out like this TWT)

When Itoh had left, Ririko called Mizuki, as the latter had gone out after their last confrontation. Mizuki told her that he’s not returning and that she should not bother where he was, even suggesting that perhaps he should find a random woman and let her take care of him for a while. Mizuki sounded depressed, stating he doesn’t need anything now that Ririko does not belong to him anymore... Ririko started to get pissed off since if Mizuki doesn’t come home, everything was going to end up being her fault again, and she doesn’t like the fact that Mizuki was like the victim in this situation. She wondered what was Mizuki troubling about at that time, but since she was the one who was abducted, she guessed that he might be blaming himself for what had happened to her later on. (Her slow growth sput, her lack of memories etc.) In a spurt of anger, Ririko yelled to the phone that if Mizuki indeed did not want to return home anymore, he should hang up the phone on her and not pick up any phone calls from their family anymore. (It doesn’t help that she even overheard a woman talking to Mizuki, guess Mizuki wasn’t lying that he staying with a woman now... =w=“) She continued on that if Mizuki wanted to cut ties with her, he should throw away this phone, throw away his past and ask that new woman he had now to buy a new phone for him to start his new life instead. She told Mizuki that she would not abandon him, but now it’s up to him to make a decision whether he wanted to abandon his family, his current life. If he still wants his family and life back, she demanded him to return home right away. (Suddenly Ririko had the vibe of elder sister!!! OWO)

After the phone call, Ririko realised that the feelings that she had for her brother since young, how she likes to care over him, had never really gone away, and felt sad why their relationship had fallen apart all these years. She guessed that Mizuki must have blamed himself for causing Ririko’s slow growth spurt, seeing that her first period started late and she ended up being short with a height of 150cm and that their mother worried whether Ririko would be able to get pregnant. Feeling pissed off that the entire family had hidden their worries about her from her, Ririko angrily punched her pillow, realising that she really likes and values her younger brother so much that she did not want to land him in danger at that time. Thanks to her remembering her past, she suddenly realised the importance of Mizuki in her life. (Should we thank Itoh for this? ^^;)

Ririko ended up falling asleep, and when she awoke, she saw Mizuki staying by her bedside. She wondered they can return to being close siblings like how it was in the past, as Mizuki asked her if she had felt scared remembering the past, seeing that she was pulled, trapped in, tortured, and then abandoned at that time. (It doesn’t sound that scary in Ririko’s memory though, not that I’m downplaying it) He remarked that Ririko was such a young child at that time, barely even 1m tall, and she was facing off against an adult. He had guessed that the incident had caused a trauma for Ririko that affected her physically and mentally, though he and their parents were actually relieved that she did not remember anything on that fateful day. (I bet they were scared that she might harbour really bad memories and suffer a break down from that.)

Ririko told Mizuki that she was not harmed at all on that day, but Mizuki shook his head painfully, telling her that this had nothing to do whether she was hurt or not. He told her that he had felt as if half of his body was gone the night she had gone missing and that the rest of the family was worried sick for her. That night, Mizuki was forced to sleep alone by himself when they used to sleep together every night. Their father had gone out to search for her, while their mother had stayed in the living room all night waiting for news. All Mizuki could do was to stop himself from trembling and crying silently in bed. (Awww~~~ TWT)

Finally, the news arrived the next morning that Ririko was found. The family had gone to the hospital and was surprised to learn that she was naked when she was found. Ririko went through multiple check-ups and counselling. where they found out that she only had some slight injuries on her body, and that she had forgotten what had happened on that day. Initially, the family was told that it’s best that Ririko had forgotten about what had happened, but they started to get worried when she wasn’t growing. Even though the woman was finally caught in the end, Mizuki still blamed himself, since Ririko was forced to stay petite because of that while Mizuki grew taller and taller. As Mizuki worried about Ririko all these years during their elementary school days, he realised that he had fallen in love with her romantically, not as a sister anymore.

Ririko tried to assure Mizuki again that she wasn’t harmed at all by the woman, since the woman only dragged her outside of her house and abandoned her there, stating that now that she had remembered the past, it wasn’t an incident that’s of much of a big deal. However, Mizuki told her that the night that she went missing was a night that he will never forget since he feared that she might not return. He now feared too, that she would be snatched away by Itoh.

Ririko wondered how she could comfort Mizuki. She had wanted to protect Mizuki at that time and thus decided to hide rather than returning home herself until the next morning when she was found. (I guess little Ririko wanted to make this incident a more serious incident so that the woman would be captured and thus Mizuki would remain safe.) She did not know that her actions had ended up hurting Mizuki, the very person she had wanted to protect. Ririko had learned from Itoh earlier on that the news stated that the woman had committed suicide later on after she had captured, which made her wonder whether her actions had instead caused unhappiness and worry for Mizuki, her parents, and even the woman as well. However, regardless of what had happened, Ririko did not regret what she had done. The woman had told her that she wanted her to be exchanged for Mizuki, and thus Mizuki would definitely be targeted the next day. Ririko admitted what she had done when she was young, she wanted to increase the seriousness of the woman’s crimes (Ririko can be quite a scary kid), telling Mizuki that she might be in the wrong for doing that and whether that was considered a crime too. Mizuki assured her that what she did wasn’t a crime, but he wished that she had not done that. He was worried sick when he heard that she was naked for hours outdoors, as she might be attacked by yet another weird adult, stray dogs, or ended up getting a very bad cold, so she was landing herself in more danger by doing that. The family would have cried very badly if they had known what she had done at that time, and thought that Ririko was too silly to go ahead and do that.

Hearing what Ririko had done in the past, Mizuki can’t help but feel that Ririko was strong to fight back even when she was being abducted, unlike him, who could only remain to be her younger brother. Ririko smiled as she told Mizuki that perhaps it was fate that he was meant to be a spoiled child since Ririko was too used to take over the elder role of the sibling anyway. Mizuki confessed again that he really likes Ririko, and this feeling of his probably had nothing to do with the incident. Even if Ririko hates him, he still wants to be bound to her no matter what. As Mizuki started to cry, Ririko realised this may be the first time in years that she had seen the crying face of her younger brother. Even though Mizuki had acted to cool and solemn most of the time, he was still the spoiled younger brother before her in the end. Mizuki continued on that he would wish to return back to their relationship in the past, where they were close siblings who could laugh and talk together, though he wondered that was still possible seeing what terrible things he had done to her. Ririko decided that she can only choose to forgive Mizuki for what he had done since she too had longed for that relationship she had with Mizuki in the past.

As Mizuki continued to cry, Ririko petted him on the head, thinking that he’s just like a big dog. After so much had happened, they finally realised their feelings and managed to return to their relationship of being siblings. It seems like all those hatred and fear had dissolved away, and now she could love her younger brother with all her might again...

(So in a way, it’s a happy ending where Ririko and Mizuki were close siblings again, and Itoh and her were still dating? But... let’s read on...)

Years passed, Mizuki, Ririko and Itoh were now adults and were drinking openly in their living room. It was Mizuki’s birthday, and though Ririko would soon be growing a year older than Mizuki after a few weeks, this was a short time where the two would be at the same age. The trio had gone to study in universities in Tokyo after they had graduated from high school, and while Itoh and Ririko had chosen to stay together in an apartment, Mizuki had chosen to stay in the school dormitories, busy juggling his life with schoolwork and club activities.

(Turned out that Itoh’s family was quite rich in a sense they’ve helped to pay half of the apartment, though the two still needs to work part-time jobs to pay off their daily expenses. Ririko worked in a convenient store till last year, until she switched to working in a cafe recommended by Itoh. Even though Mizuki was mostly busy, he managed to land himself a few chances to be a model for magazines and earn some extra money. Must be good to be a good-looking person to earn money that easily ^^; Oh yeah, Itoh doesn’t have to work and could concentrate on his studies since his family is rich *shrug*)

The trio was soon drunk in their apartment, and Ririko felt someone getting near and then kissing her. It was her boyfriend, Itoh, and as she felt Itoh’s tongue in her, she could sense his alcoholic breath and realised that he must be really drunk. Ririko knew that she was also dead drunk since she could hardly lift up her arm. Soon, Itoh put his hand into her clothes and started fondling with her breasts. Ririko tried to resist since she knew that Mizuki was here too, but Itoh told her that it’s okay, spreading out her legs and started fingering her. Ririko tried to stop herself from letting out an erotic sound, and looked for Mizuki, worrying that he might find out what they were doing. Seems like Mizuki was drunk too, even though he was drinking at half the pace of Itoh, but Ririko can’t control herself and let out moaning when Itoh’s finger went into her.

Mizuki heard Ririko’s moans and awoke groggily, while Itoh grabbed Ririko from behind, and opened up her legs wide before Mizuki. Even though Mizuki tried to resist, Itoh encouraged him to have sex together (what are you talking about Itoh?!), making Ririko felt that her body was in danger as she wondered how drunk Itoh was. Mizuki kneeled before Ririko and asked her whether it was alright for him to have sex with her, and though she tried to resist, Itoh told her that he wanted to see Ririko having sex with others. As much as he might not forgive if she had sex with other guys, he’s alright when it comes to Mizuki. (Did Itoh has an NTR fetish or what...? OAO”) Mizuki readily agreed to Itoh’s wishes, while Ririko asked the two guys to knock it out.

Even though Ririko tried to resist, her hands were locked by Itoh, as Mizuki began fondling with her breasts and even sucking it. He confessed that he loves Ririko and thus he wanted to have sex with her. (Guess Mizuki still hasn’t changed all these years I guess =w=“) Ririko could feel Itoh heavily panting behind her and guessed that he must be really excited by the current situation, as Mizuki continued onto licking her private area. Itoh teased Ririko that she’s shaking her waist, suggesting that it must feel good to be being licked by her younger brother. He started fondling with Ririko’s breasts again as he looked at her face, making her shield her face in embarrassment and tears. Itoh even told Mizuki that he can have sex with Ririko without a condom and even cummed in her since he would “take responsible” if anything were to happen. (You are even willing to rear Mizuki’s and Ririko’s child? OAO”)

As Mizuki proceed to penetrate Ririko and have sex with her, Ririko only felt like vomiting. (She really did not like incest D: Why you guys are forcing it on her TWT) Itoh remarked that he felt lonely for missing out, wanting to join in the action, while Ririko’s mind was in confusion as she wondered what on earth Itoh was talking about. She looked up at Itoh and noticed that he was looking at the area where Mizuki and she were connected together intensely. As Mizuki continued having sex with her, Ririko wondered are they were all driven to do this just because they were drunk. Having sex with her brother in front of her boyfriend, it suddenly becomes something that’s not of a big deal once one is being pushed by their desire and becoming a monster. As Mizuki and Itoh continued to take turns having sex with her, Ririko wondered why do they even bother going through so many struggles and troubles in the past...

When the sex is over, Ririko went to the kitchen to get a drink to wake herself up. Itoh soon joined her after getting a smoke on the balcony (Woah... didn’t know Itoh would smoke OWO), saying that he’s here to get a drink too. Itoh remarked that it seems like Mizuki still likes Ririko romantically regardless of what had happened in the past, to which Ririko asked him what had happened just now. Itoh tried to play it off as all of them being drunk and end up doing the inevitable, and that all evidence of what had happened had been erased, except for Mizuki’s feelings towards Ririko. However, Ririko replied him that she knew that not everything will be erased (probably meaning her memory regarding this incident), and told him off that she had never expected him to be such a person to allow such a thing to happen since she had claimed that she did not wish for a sexual situation to happen between her brother and her.

Itoh asked Ririko whether she had hated him now, to which she replied that there’s no way she will hate him, since other than Mizuki, he’s the closest person to her heart other than her family. Itoh had helped them to patch up their relationships as siblings after knowing their past and was an important person in both Mizuki and her life. Even though Itoh smiled gently at her, Ririko suddenly felt a whim of distrust in her heart about him and told Itoh that they’re not going to do anything like that (the sexual situation) ever again. But what she got was a disappointing answer, Itoh would make such a situation happen again if Mizuki hopes for it. Ririko asked to know the reason, and he answered that this was the way to do to bring happiness to both of them. Ririko did not understand what is going on, and Itoh explained that his family was going to launch a food business in Tokyo, and he would be working on this business this coming year. Their first shop was actually the cafe Ririko was already working at, so Itoh will soon join her in working later on.

Turned out that Itoh had wanted to stay by Mizuki’s side ever since their junior high days. Even though in the past they could always be together since they’re in the same soccer club, Itoh knew that that won’t do once they become adults. (So... in a way Itoh had already planned for the future with him, Ririko and Mizuki forever together... since he knew that Mizuki won’t leave Ririko’s side, Itoh being with Ririko would mean that Mizuki would still stay around and thus Itoh can be by Mizuki’s side... OWO”)

Even though Itoh’s words sounds like betrayal in Ririko’s mind, she doesn’t feel betrayed at all. Itoh had been truthful all this time since he had stated he likes Mizuki from the beginning, but this just all means... Itoh continued that after he knew that Mizuki had a sister, he ended up liking Ririko the same as much as he likes Mizuki, and since they all know Mizuki’s feelings towards her, Itoh felt that he wanted to bring happiness to all of them. Even though Mizuki may not know Itoh’s feelings about him, Itoh was satisfied in just being a friend to Mizuki, though he vowed to make Mizuki’s wishes come through. He stopped Mizuki in the past since he didn’t want Mizuki to end up destroying his own future, knowing that the world would never approve of a relationship between the siblings.

As for the reason why Itoh wanted to work hard in a business? He knew that Mizuki can’t be a soccer athletic forever since the time will come where he would need to retire. Itoh wished to build up his business and help Mizuki as much as he can financially when that happens and had planned out the future even though they were all university students currently. He asked for Ririko’s hand in marriage and vowed that he would definitely bring happiness to Ririko and Mizuki. Ririko asked Itoh whether he had planned all this just to have Mizuki in his hands finally, but Itoh simply replied that he had never planned for Mizuki to belong to him, only to want to grant his wishes. The person he wanted to belong to him was Ririko, telling her that he would take responsibility forever. (How did this scenario end up creepy yet abit romantic at the same time...?)

Ririko asked Itoh why had he suddenly decided to reveal everything he had planned to her now, to which Itoh replied that he had already belonged to Ririko since a long time ago and that he would always be by her side even if Mizuki left by his own accord in the future, until the day they die. But Ririko also realised that as long as Mizuki wished for it, she may not belongs to Itoh only, to which he only smiled silently in reply. (In other words, there would be times that Itoh would “lend” Ririko to Mizuki to release his feelings for Ririko if the latter wished to... =w=“) Ririko realised that Itoh had always look at them with the same gaze he had over the years. She knew that she likes Itoh, and will only like him in the future, but the person who she only has eyes for had decided to give her away even though he claimed that he only belongs to her... That revelation alone was enough to bring despair to Ririko after she had learned about Itoh’s heart.

Suddenly, Itoh stepped towards her, making her move back a step in fear. He asked her whether she had known about her ovulation dates. Ririko’s mother was worried about Ririko’s ability to get pregnant, and thus in her letter to Itoh, she wrote that she didn’t want them to get an abortion in case Ririko wasn’t able to get pregnant again the future. She cautioned them to be careful when having sex, though if Ririko indeed gets pregnant, their mother will want Itoh to take responsibility. Itoh did not cummed in Ririko when they have sex together, and thus Ririko did not get pregnant throughout her teenage years. But Itoh had spun that into his plan for the future now, hoping that Ririko would get pregnant with Mizuki in the future by allowing him to cum in her. As Ririko started to shed tears upon knowing about Itoh’s ultimate plan, he comforted her that no one will realise that the child belongs to Mizuki, since they would just think that the child looks more like the mother as Mizuki and Ririko look alike to each other anyway.

This was then Ririko realised that this was how much Itoh likes Mizuki, that he was willing to use Ririko to bear the latter’s child. Itoh hugged Ririko silently. Though his hands were cold, Ririko could feel that his chest was warm. Even though she was being hugged gently, it did not help in stopping her tears...

(Short Rant: This twisted BL ending just makes me feel that I ended up eating shit when I thought I was about to have some sweet desserts. Ugh!!!)

Omake - Ending 4 (Itoh’s Ending)

This is considered one of the true endings, since it revealed the idea why Mizuki was “sick” (or say sort of reveal the idea why he was so obsessed with Ririko), thanks to the help of Itoh and Ririko’s mother’s letter. Even though initially things seem great that Mizuki and Ririko went back to being close siblings, and the two guys maintained their friendships, the twisted ending right at the end twisted that perfect image.

Mizuki felt that he might end up getting Ririko involved with Itoh and that it seems like she’s just being “bred” by him in the end. He welcomes the proposal suggested by Itoh since he knew that by following Itoh, he will get his share of happiness too. But knowing himself, Mizuki guessed he won’t be able to restrain himself once his feelings for Ririko had awakened. There would be one day that Mizuki will find Itoh’s presence to be an obstruction between him and Ririko, and thus... Itoh will be gone one day. (Mizuki, you’re just going to remove Itoh’s presence somehow right?!)

Seeing that Itoh was even willing to rear the future child of Ririko and Mizuki, Mizuki knew that Itoh will definitely treat the child as one of his own and that their parents will be elated as well. (Just want to rant that in the end, nobody really cares whether Ririko is happy or not TWT)

#ibara hime #otome game #r18 otome game #playthrough

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p3nny4urth0ught5 · 5 years

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Unexpected Outcome

This is a Gotham inspired fanfiction and the second fanfiction I have written recently. Bruce and the reader are aged up a bit so that there isn’t such a big age difference between them and Jeremiah.

Jeremiah Valeska x Bruce Wayne’s twin! reader

You never expected that things would go this way when you went to the theatre with your parents and twin brother that fateful day. You had never considered that it would be the catalyst to the city being overrun with crime and corruption and other horrible things happening; so much death and destruction wreaking havoc on the city you knew and loved. Things went so pear shaped after that night. You lost everything. Your brother pulled away from her and took Alfred with him. You were all alone.

Then things started to change for the better. You had begun spending as much time as possible with Lucius Fox. You had always been extremely smart for your age. Normal schooling didn’t cut it for you. By the time Bruce and you were ten, you had already skipped multiple grades. There was a thirst for knowledge in you that nothing could quench no matter how much you learned. Spending time with Lucius helped, because he knew so much. But even then, after a little while, you grew bored and wanted to learn something else. You felt bad telling him that when he noticed you was more down then usual and asked you what was wrong. Thankfully he had an idea, one that seemed to work. He introduced you to someone who was a private contractor who worked for Wayne Enterprises Incorporated in the past and was also very smart for his age. His name was Xander Wilde.

The two of you started your interactions through mail. It was kind of exciting for you. Every week you got a new letter from your friend and you had that to look forward to. You had to use a post office box to retain your anonymity and he did that same. It didn’t seem odd to you since you did the same thing. You wanted to meet in person but knew that it would be hard due to who you were and how the paparazzi seemed to try to follow your every move. You told him as such in one of your letters and he told you that he also would have a difficult time meeting you in person. If the post office box didn’t set alarm bells off in your head, that should have. Unfortunately for you, it didn’t, and things continued normally. You were so ecstatic to have someone, a friend even, that you were naïve enough to ignore obvious signs.

At first things between the two of you were purely academic. You discussed any and everything you could about new things you learned, different theorems hypotheses that he or you were testing. You were able to learn a lot from him and as he was always learning new things, you were too. He told you how he was a structural engineer and how he had a big project for your parents’ company and since then he had done mostly freelance work. Xander told you all about whatever he was working on. It was fascinating for you. He was a very intelligent person and didn’t try to belittle you because you were young because he went through some of the same battles you did with being as smart as you were. It was nice for you to have someone who understood.

Things started to get a little more personal after time. You began confiding in him about how difficult things were between you and your brother. How you felt alone in your big house that seemed like it was filled with the ghosts of the people you had lost and the people you used to be. He told you all about how when he was a kid his brother had tried to kill him and almost succeeded a few times until he was taken away and adopted into a new family, how his entire life he had been afraid that his brother would come after him, how he isolated himself because of it. The two of you became closer than you had ever been with anyone else in years. You felt like you knew him and safe to say you grew extremely attached. He was easy to talk to and such a dork it was adorable. Things were easy, simple between the two of you. The anticipation of his letters and some of the things he wrote you made you weak in the knees and your heart flutter in your chest. You felt ridiculous, feeling things for a man you had never even met before.

Time passed and the two of you continued writing to each other. Your brother pulled even further away from you as things got steadily worse in Gotham. You couldn’t even remember how many times your home had been broken into or how many times Bruce, Alfred, or you had been held hostage by some random criminal who had it out for you. Apparently being a part of the most prestigious family in Gotham made you a walking target. It was sad to say that at this point you were pretty used to it. Honestly it didn’t seem like a normal year for you in Gotham City if you didn’t get kidnapped at least once.

There was one person in particular who seemed to be obsessed with Bruce and you. His name was Jerome Valeska. He had killed his mother and tried to cover it up until they figured it out and then he revealed himself to be the psychopath that he was. He was in Arkham Asylum for a short time until he was broken out and then killed. And of course, because it is Gotham, and people can’t stay dead here, he was brought back to life. After that he went even more crazy then he was before. Somehow, he became even more of a maniac. You didn’t know how that was possible. After terrorizing Bruce and you at the Circus he was locked up in Arkham again but both of you knew that was only temporary. Just as people couldn’t stay dead in Gotham, psychopaths couldn’t stay locked up in Arkham either.

He broke out again along with many other criminals such as Scarecrow, Mad Hatter, and the Penguin. They wreaked havoc on your beloved hometown. Your pen pal had become withdrawn while all this was going on. You couldn’t blame him. You were absolutely terrified of what would happen. Things never stayed calm for long in Gotham. Every time that things would seem to settle, the city seemed to go crazy. When Gordan came to your home asking about Wayne Plaza your heart plummeted in your chest. You could feel yourself start to sweat and your hands began shaking. You knew who built Wayne Plaza. When Alfred went through your father’s notebooks and confirmed what you already knew and told Gordan you almost collapsed because your knees went out from under you. If you didn’t have the couch behind you to support you, you probably would have. Jerome was after Xander. You wanted to cry.

The entire time Jim and Harvey were gone until you heard he was alright, you shut yourself up in your room, shaking from fear. You knew how vicious Jerome was and how much fear and pain he could inflict on a person. Tears streamed down your face and your lips were raw from biting them to try to hold in your sobs. You couldn’t lose the only person in your life you had who understood you, who you could talk to. Like a buffoon you had come to care for Xander more than you should have and it would have been such a blow to you emotionally that you wouldn’t know what to do with yourself. Once you heard he was okay and in protective custody, you felt like you could breathe again. You learned that Xander however had a secret. He wasn’t who you thought he was. Xander’s name was actually Jeremiah Valeska and he was Jerome’s twin brother.

You didn’t have much time to even come to terms with that before Jerome began to wreak even more havoc on the city and demanded that your brother and Jeremiah come to him to save the lives of others in the city. Once again it was like you couldn’t even get a second to catch your breath before things just got worse and worse. Now instead of just the man you had come to think of in a romantic way being in danger, your twin brother, your other half, was as well. You were beside yourself. When Jim, Lucius, and Bruce went to go talk with Jeremiah, you demanded that you come as well. They all tried to stop you but one look at your face and they knew better. There was no talking you out of this. Going into Xander’s home was surreal for you. He had described it in his letters but you couldn’t comprehend how incredible was until you saw it in person. Unfortunately, you didn’t have time to take it in for all it’s glory because there were other pressing matters at hand.

The moment you saw him you ran to his arms and hugged him close. “I was so worried about you.” You pulled away to smack him in the face and then brought him back into a hug. “Don’t you ever keep something like that from me again you jerk.”

“Y/n?” Tears streamed down your cheeks and you held him closer. “Oh y/n, I’m sorry. I didn’t know what else to do.” He kissed the top of your head and wrapped his arms around you.

“Are you guys as confused as I am right now?” Jim asked.

Lucius laughed, being the only one in the know, and told him that he’d explain it to him later. The two of you had to separate sadly due to the matter at hand. Your brother introduced himself to Jeremiah and you could tell that he gripped his hand a little harder then he normally would have and a part of you was happy to see your brother actually express his need to protect you in the brotherly way you hadn’t seen from him in years. Jeremiah eventually agreed to go down to face his brother for the second time in just a few days. Of course, because once again this was Gotham, things didn’t go according to plan. Jerome knew that the police would have a contingency plan and so he had one of his own as well and you had to watch your brother and Jeremiah go up on stage and get bombs attached to their necks. Jim had to keep you locked in a police car to keep from intervening.

Eventually things resolved themselves after way too long of you sitting there with your heart beating out of your chest, banging on the police car windows, trying to get to the men you cared for. Jerome ended up on a rooftop and Gordan shot him and he fell and then ultimately, let go and killed himself. Once it was all over, Harvey let you out of the car and you ran to your brother and Jeremiah. You gave them both big hugs and your brother offered Jeremiah a grant. You thought that was the end of it. You should have known better.

Jerome left Jeremiah a little gift. One that would make Jeremiah just as crazy as his brother. At first your brother didn’t know anything was wrong, because like his brother, Jeremiah was sneakier than he looked. He lied to Bruce and made him believe he was still sane and that he was simply afraid of Jerome coming back when it was really him the whole time. Bruce told you all about it after it was all said and done. Your heart broke. You had just gotten him when his brother took him away from you.

And now here you were, the prisoner of the man who you knew and loved who had turned into someone else completely. He had killed dozens of people. He had shot Selina. While you never personally cared for her, you knew your brother did very much. Earlier he had taken Alfred and Lee and Jim prisoner as well. He had them under some form of hypnosis and killed two people he had plastic surgery on to make them look like your parents. It was your own personal hell. You knew he was doing this to have a connection with you brother but you didn’t think he understood that he was making this so horrible for you.

“Jeremiah please stop this.” You begged him.

He turned to you and gave you that crazy smile that he had now. You missed the brief glance of the shy smile you had seen when he was just him, not this circus freakshow version. He stroked your face with his gloved hand. “Oh, my dear Y/n, I have to do this. For you and your brother to understand what needs to be done to save Gotham.”

Tears streamed down your cheeks. Everything had gone so bad. Just a little while ago you thought everything was finally going to be okay. Jerome was dead, you finally met Jeremiah, and it seemed like you and Bruce were back on track. You gripped his gloved hand in your own and looked into his murky eyes. “Jeremiah it isn’t too late okay? Just let me go. Let all of us go and come to Arkham with me. Let me get you help.”

He laughed maniacally. “I don’t need help. I’m completely sane Y/n. Can’t you see that? This is who I really am. I am still the same man that you wrote letters to for years. I am simply more confident now.” He gripped your face in his hands. “Soon you will see the truth. And soon we will all be one little happy family.”

That same night Jeremiah and Bruce got into a fight and Jeremiah fell in the vat of acid. When they eventually pulled him out you screamed and cried and fought against your brother, trying to get to the man who had both made you life an exciting adventure and a living hell. You loved him. They stated that he was legally brain dead. You and your brother got into a fight about what had happened and what the right thing to do with Jeremiah was. Neither of you were going to budge. Bruce disappeared for ten years and you remained in the crime-ridden Gotham. You visited Jeremiah as often as possible. Usually simply reading to him or telling him about your day but occasionally you would vent to him about the stupidity of your brother and how as much as you missed him, you were angry with him more then anything. With no one to lean on save a comatose patient, you slowly started to go more and more insane.

You took a job at Arkham where they were holding him so you could keep an eye on him and at the same time got your Psych degree. You knew that your relationship, your devotion to Jeremiah that grew each day, was not healthy, but you really didn’t care. He was all you had left. Bruce hadn’t been in Gotham in years and you couldn’t remember the last time you talked to Alfred. Some of the inmates over the course of the years that Jeremiah spent in that place felt the need to hurt him and you didn’t take too kindly to that. You hadn’t killed anyone yet but you had come close a few times. You didn’t take too kindly to people trying to hurt Jeremiah.

There were rumors a few years later about your brother coming back to town. When you learned that, the first thing you did was tell Jeremiah about it. Even though he was in a vegetative state, you knew how happy he would be to hear that news. A few days went by and the utter chaos that you had grown to love about your city was being policed more then ever by a vigilante who apparently dressed up like a bat. You suspected your brother. He showed up at the same time as your brother. Jeremiah had similar suspicions. It turned out that he had never been catatonic at all. He was simply pretending because he was waiting for the three of you to be reunited. He killed Ecco. You honestly were thankful for that. She annoyed the hell out of you and you could tell that she never liked you. He revealed everything to you after he had been attacked by said vigilante and decided to whisk you away and make you his second in command. Who would’ve guessed that your parents being murdered would start a chain of events that would cause your brother to turn into a vigilante and you to be the right hand of one of the most notorious criminals in Gotham City.

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abloomntime · 3 years

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A Bloom In Time Ch 32

(Warning: Nightmares. Also if you look through the The Tale Of Queen Vanessa storybook, on the fifth page when the Prince pays for the flowers as it shows Vanessa running away, it looks like he paid with a gold bracelet which is what the Florist is holding. So that's where the golden bracelet headcannon came from. Kudos to anyone who spots the Steaven Universe reference.)

Cold. Darkness. All of it came rushed over so suddenly. No- NO!! THIS COULDN'T BE HAPPENING!! SHE DIDN'T WANT THE NIGHTNARE TO RETURN AGAIN!! SHE DIDN'T WANT ANOTHER RUN IN WITH VANESSA AGAIN!! Well to give the poor lady credit it wasn't about Vanessa but a different red eyed ghosts that twitched and smiled like a maniac in a giant black filled void surrounded by red ropes dangling dangerously around himself. Laughing like a crazy man who just got turned loose and was given free reign to wreck havoc on the world as he saw fit. It was a living night mare as she relived the events that just took place the previous day before.

He just nodded smiling. ''Im glad to have been so helpful to you. ...But there IS one more important thing you must know about.~"

She looked back to him with a raised brow. "And what is that?"

"This." He held up one of his hands and snapped his fingers. The sound echoing out eerily and Poppy flinched at the sound. After a few seconds a bright red string dropped from out of nowhere and stopped right beside his head.

She stared at it for a moment. "...What is that thing?"

"It's how I make contracts. You see Snatcher isn't the only one who can make those, the only difference is that the person HAS to willingly agree to sign the paper or he can't do anything...While MINE can be forced upon." His smile widened more. "And frankly I don't think he deserves someone as special as you!!"

His wrist that he still had held up suddenly went down in a slashing motion and in an instant the thing sprung to life on his command. Poppy yelped as it went straight towards her and on instinct brought her arm up to shield her face, the red string wrapped around her arm like a snake and proceeded to tighten like one Poppy was pulled forward by it and she yelped before digging her heels into the ground and pulling back, her otherhand clasping over the string. Moonjumper smiled and simply motioned his finger forward as it painfully tightened around her more.

"WHAT THE PECK DO YA THINK YER DOING?!," She angrily snarled at his smile.

"DAD!! What are you doing?!," Timmy asked just as horrified as the other two children. Obviously he wasn't expecting this to happen.

"Don't worry. They all fight at first but soon you'll forget any pain and be eternally happy." Moonjumper said in a reassurring voice. "Won't that be better? You'll never be in danger again, and be here with me."

"YOU'RE MORE CRAZY THAN SNATCHER!!" She stumbled forward a foot at a sudden yank, The red string glowing a bright red and her blue eyes widened at it.

"Don't worry. I promise it doesn't hur-"

At that very moment a giant burst of energy throbbed hard within the very core of her body. Temparaily knocking the wind outta her. Poppy gasped and fell to her hands and knees at the sudden tight feeling within her. Her body emitting a small purple light in the dead center of her chest and she stayed there gasping and blinking at the sudden sensation leaving goosebumps across the pale flesh and her shaking like a leaf again. Coughing and gasping for air like a drowning sailor, the red string absolutely disintagrated from the purple magic that glowed in a heart shape right in the middle of her chest. Moonjumper froze, staring at the woman on her hands and knees in absolute shock like the time he first saw her. Poppy's red hair went around framing her face as she coughed and faced the floor....Before slowly looking up through her bangs with the angriest more visious snarl on a mortal woman one could have.

"You can-...NO!" Moonjumper snarled back. "NO!! This can not be it! Y-You-....YOU DONT POSESS ANY MAGIC STRONG ENOUGH TO COUNTER MINE!! I-I-...THAT SHOULD'VE WORKED!!"

"Is THAT what that was?," she hissed out.

"How did you do that?! How you you have possibly have- No! Your will against it just must be stronger than the normal mortal!" He held both hands out and Poppy's face went back to panicked when near ten strings came from the dark and towards her. Timmy yelled at Moonjumper to stop but he either didn't notice him or didn't listen when Poppy was painfully suspended into the air. Most of the strings too tightly wrapped around her arms but some wrapped around her legs too and one around her neck, she cursed and struggled like a mad women being sent to the looney bin. Fighting and fighting before that still glowing purple heart sent out another energy burst and in an instant all the strings were destroyed. Leaving her to fall on the ground and start coughing and breathing again for air like a dying man. Moonjumper once again stood there stunned too shocked for words. Eyes going to the purple throbbing of her body....and suddenly absolutely fear wracked his face and form. "......N-No.....N-NONONONO!!!" His hands suddenly went over his mouth and he floated a few feet away. "N-No.." His red eyes snapped to her face when she weakly pushed it up. "Y-You signed it didn't you? Y-YOU SIGNED THAT CONTRACT WITH SNATCHER!?"

You signed a contract with Snatcher??? .....Yes. Yes she did. Is that what made Moonjumper so scared? Why? Was he scared his plan would fail if she was already in servitude to another powerful spirit? None of it made any sense. Not that it needed to in the first place for Poppy to be scared and start thrashing around again fighting against the madness of the ghosts in her life. This was it! She had enough! No more ghosts! No more red eyes!! No more traps!! No more prisons!! She just wanted it. ALL. TO.

"STOP!! STOP ITSTOPITSTOPIT!! LET ME GO!! STOP!!.....SNATCHER!! SNATCHER PECKIN' HELP ME!!"

Something grabbed her shoulders and shook her violently. All she could see was red eyes and feel the tightening grip on her arms all red from strings from the darkness. Screeching that sounded like bloody murder echoed out through the child's bedroom and blue eyes opened in a sudden blurry black vision. Someone stared at her and more screams were hollered out at two glowing yellow orbs that scattered away from the source of the sounds as whoever was cutting his ears with piercing screams moved back away from him. Blanket uncovering their body and a pillow tossed in the direction of the ghost of nightmares coming back for her. .....Well it most certainly WAS a ghost. But NOT the one she just had a nightmare about. This ghost yelped when his face was suddenly wacked by a pillow and as it fell to the floor he shook his head and watched as the panicked woman stared up at him frazzled and breathing heavily. Heart pounding against her chest as she stared up at him and he stared down at her. Blinking her head whipped around her surroundings and saw nothing but cute harmless things you'd normally find in a child's bedroom. Toys. Animal themed wall paper. Book shelf of fairy tales. And that familiar giant pillow pile. It was.....Not the dark void of the Horizon Moonjumper was in. That gave her some peace of mind as her breathing began to slow and her eyes closed but she still asked.

"W-Where....Where am I?"

"The kid's bedroom." The raspy voice of Snatcher's came. That beautiful annoying voice she would GLADLY take over Vanessa's or (now) Phi-....Moonjumper's. Said ghost lowered until he was eye level with the startled woman and gently placed his hands on the bedside next to her. "You passed out and I thought this would be better than the attic floor. ...Hazelle said you were exhausted by the overflow of magic but you'd be alright."

So that was it. Well at least she was gonna be alright....But now-......Moonjumper's voice was still fresh in his mind, as well as Snatcher's and as well as both of their actions-

FIRST!! THERE WAS EVERYTHING ABOUT SNATCHER UP TO THIS POINT!!

When she first glimpsed him at the manor. The brown hair was...P-Philip's. It was like everyone's voices and actions were being replayed back through her head with every moment of foreshadowing, hints, and puzzle pieces finally being put back together-

"Hey! I know who can help! Snatcher can!! He's really, REALLY old too and he should what to do!! Come on! He had to deal with being frozen and Vanessa just like you!" Hattie had given her the first major clue to it all. He had to deal with being froze to death AND Vanessa because he was the one who took the brunt of Vanessa's rage. "Hey! I know what can help a little bit. Y-You like flowers right?" He had a flash of panic fly over his face for a moment before he coughed and shrugged. "You said you had a flower stand before Vanessa sent her goons to take you right? O-Obviously you must've liked growing things then. Or at least flowers." That....THAT PECKING PECKNECK KNEW ALL ALONG SHE LOVED FLOWERS!! HE PECKING KNEW!! "We're all that's left and you should accept that's how it is now before you get hurt. Believe me the sooner you do the sooner everything starts to get better for you." "Hey. I can understand that. Believe it or not you're not the only one who's gone through that kind of thing....I'm certainly no stranger to feeling like that. In fact it took me forever literally just to realize my place after I got lost," "Ok. To make it in mushier terms..I DO want to help you ok. Believe it or not I do and I have my reasons. But you gotta know I can't change the past no matter what. Trust me I have TRIED and look where that got me. Stuck fused with a mushy corpse and having to lead a whole bunch of strangers through the forest like a tour guide." he glanced at her confusion again. "Uh..B-But that's not important. The important thing is that I can't change or fix anything that's already happened alright? I can't send you back. I can't give you anything from your old life......And I can't change what happened to you." Her face dropped and eyes widened even more- "But, I can help make the future easier and help you with whatever you need to settle down with alright? But you got to understand that it's NOT just going to be with a snap of my fingers. I know, I've experienced it for hundreds of years. Just know that...You're not going to be alone in any of this alright?" "No. You were right the first time. She was always a monster, it just took her a while to show everyone what was really inside. So don't give her any credit. She was never a queen, just a spider wearing a pretty mask." "I-I...I know exactly how you feel." He scowled. "Yeah. I know EXACTLY how that feels. Vanessa took everything from me too when she froze everything!" He growled and his grip on her became a bit tighter if he was being a lil protective. "I pecking didn't see it coming until it froze me right before my very eyes! I died before my life even took off the ground and now I'm stuck like this....But you aren't." He ...attempted a smile. "Listen, Poppy. I'm not good at this speaking from the heart stuff, but Im pretty good at speaking from experience stuff. So trust me when I saw you still got your whole life plus more ahead of you. It's....probably going to take a while for you to process this properly and start to move on like I did." "Look. I ....can't change the past no matter how badly I want to. But I can change the future, and so can you. Think of all the things you can do now without anyone to hold you back!" He might've been speaking from what he perceived as a positive but she gave him a funny look. "Uh...By that I mean vanessa of course. She's not holding you prisoner anymore." "I stumbled across him a few times coming up here to visit. Hmph! He's very rude and always steals any dish I make with bacon when he's around me cooking. Quite the oddball out if ya'll ask me." P-Philip ....LOVED bacon. And Vanessa banned bacon from their kingdom around the time she died. "Of course I can! I made the kids all those clothes and my minions their highly durable bodies." ""YOU painted all of these?" she asked gawking at him His smile widened more smug if that was possible. "Yep. And those." He pointed to the left wall wear there was five giant paintings behind the space cow mobile. He then pointed behind her. "And the ones right behind you." Now that Poppy thought about it hard, she faintly recalled Philip learning embroidery from his mother and taking a liking to hobbies like painting and reading books. Both of which he did and you can CERTAINLY learn to sew along with embroidery. "How do you know that?," she asked genuinely confused. "UH....I- Um-....I-I-I was there when he was killed." He still eyed her for a moment before looking to the floor unable to look her in the eyes anymore. ".......Vanessa killed him. Just like she did to everyone else....a-a-and y-y-you...." "Just like you. She locked him away until everything froze over. Vane-.....That MONSTER!'', he spat hand slightly tightening as he scowled at the floor, "She was pecking crazy. Thought he was....cheating on her behind her back when he was nothing but patient with her. She didn't deserve anything." "Because she was nuts! Always have been and always WILL be! She would've snapped sooner or later with the way she was back then, always so paranoid and thinking I-.....I THINK he belonged to her." His other hand was quick to shoot out and grab her shoulders accidentally making her jolt at the sudden grab but it was enough to get her to look at him. "Now you listen to me and you listen good." A claw poked her chest as he pointed it at her crying face with a deep frown of his own. "I have dealt with too many years of pecking guilt over whether or not it was my fault or if I could've stopped it! And I'm sick of it all! You. Are. Not. At fault!! Do you hear me?! Vanessa was always going to snap and it was HER fault for being so batpecking crazy, she couldn't tell the difference between fantasy and reality! There was no reason in her! We should've expected nothing less of her for anything! But I'll be just as bad if I didn't it now, and I'm saying it's not your fault. Least of all people you. All you did was sell flowers. Big deal. It would've been the same if she saw m-....him buying a necklace from a jeweler or a ham from the butcher. BANG!!" She flinched at the loud yell he made at 'BANG'. Tears running down her face as he spoke. "Ice. Death. Lots of ghosts. You get the picture. The point is, it's ABSOLUTELY! NOBODY'S PECKING FAULT!! BUT VANESSA'S!! .......You and me didn't do anything wrong." "So-...I take it this..'prince' friend of yours was a nice person? Not that I knew him, but it seems you two were close. Not that it's any of my business." He had an anxious feeling saying all of this as a stranger but he couldn't help but feel the need to get all this anxiety off himself by asking. "It just sounds like you cared about him a whole lot." "Yeah.....Hey. This might sound out of no where but do you blame him, your friend, for what happened between him and Vanessa?" "How did you die?," she found herself blurting out before she could stop but she instantly regretted it. "WHAT?!" Snatcher whipped his face to her wide eyed. "S-Sorry." She held up her hands worriedly. "Is it rude to ask a dead person that? I d-didn't know honest. It's just that.....You're doin' an aweful lot for me and I don't know a lot about ya, since you already know alot 'bout me from my rambling. I figured ya would return the favor." "Sorry. NO can do, Red. That's private information." She scowled again. "OH come on! Purple onion. Your contract paper thingy said I could ask for anything I wanted in return for helping ya!" "Within REASON!," Snatcher stressed, "Asking a ghost about their past is like asking a poor person how much money they spent on their shoes!" "Same as you. I died during the Great Subcon Freeze." "Oh. Well you said you saw what happened when Philip....p-p-passed away, right? Does that mean you were employed by the Queen?'' "Sorta. I just happened to be at the wrong place at the wrong time." Which wasn't really a lie. He couldn't have ever been in a more wrong place or time. "Another innocent bystander to a crazy curse." "Oh right. Dumb question. Then who wer-" "Next question!," "Ok! Well ya technically did, but I mean what made ya decide to help me? I just don't get it.". "Because I recognized you from the village." "I-...Sometimes saw you selling flowers in the square, and-.....I guess I was simpathetic to someone else in a similar situation as I was."

That.....Night....The night she had her nightmare. THERE WAS SO MANY HINTS HITTING HER IN THE FACE AND SHE WAS STILL BLIND TO THEM ALL!!

"So....does that mean Philip is a g-ghost too?" "A ghost? Well that's not exactly easy to answer. Any ghost I know if they even became ghosts would be in the forest .....or another plain of existance. A-And like I said BARELY any of my minions remember who they were before they died."

He LIED!!....No. Not exactly lied. He did tell the truth but...BENT IT!! Without actually answering anything!! Or telling Poppy anything!! WHY?! What reason would he have to keep his identity hidden from her?! They were friends....Weren't they? ALL OF IT!! Everything he or anyone else had said lined up perfectly with what Moonjumper-....Or second Philip had told her.

"And you know I could always scare you out of any debt you got yourself into with those pecknecks down there." He offered genuinely. "I may not look like it, but I'm very good at legal technicalities. I did want to be a lawyer at once upon a time!" Philip studied laws to better his future kingdom one day. He always said he wanted to be a good king. And mentioned if he wasn't destined to be prince he would've liked to become a lawyer. And there was a bush cat in his home...Philip mentioned having a pet bush cat. A gift from his father. Moonjumper's echoing voice still rang around in her head with everything he said. "HA! That's rich coming from him! That halfling is lying right to your face!" "Why? Didn't dear Snatcher tell you?" He chuckled and gave a smile similar to Snatcher's smug one. "We're two halves of the same person.~ Split at death and now wondering through death two halves of the same person.~" "Oh! He didn't tell you did he?" He smiled and gestured to himself with a smile. "Well allow me to elaborate for you, my dear.~ Snatcher and I are both Prince Philip Snider Of the Kingdom of Subconette.~ When we died in the frozen celler we split personalities resulting in us becoming two very different ghosts. How I have no idea, but it's quite the sight isn't it?~"

"Are you sure about that?"

AND THEN-.....THEN THERE WAS MOONJUMPER!!!

"Poppy, it's ME!!," Moonjumper pleaded to the red head looking guilty and holding up his hands in a non threatening gesture. "PHILIP!!" He admitted it the second he saw her. "Y-Yes. Philip Snider. Y-You remember me right?" he leaned down more until he was eyes level still smiling despite her shuffling back a lil bit against the nightstand. "I bought flowers from you all the time for my Darling Vanessa. You remember don't you?" He lifted a hand towards her smiling steadily and as a friendly gesture. "D-Do you remember the last batch of flowers I bought from you?" "Daises.." They both answered at the same time and Poppy paused. Of course he knew...he was Philip. .....Poppy shook her head. "N-No. No! Y-Y-You can't be Philip. " She pointed at him-....It-....The thing! "Ya'll look nothin' like him! He wasn't some....twitchy mess of ...What are y-ya exactly?" He regarded Poppy for a long moment before sighing and reaching a hand up to rub at his head. Well...It was too late to back out now, and he'd come this far hasn't he. He turned fully to Poppy. "Well, yes. I admit I look nothing like I did when I was alive, but neither does my other half or any other ghost for that matter. Some of the one I've seen look very stranger....And you wouldn't be too far off on me not being the same Philip as you remember. I-...I-I actually go by Moonjumper now. " .....Was it normal for ghosts to look completely different from when they were alive?? She guessed so. Moonjumper huffed making Poppy flinch at the sound. "HA! That's rich coming from him! That halfling is lying right to your face!" .....Poppy blinked. "W-What?" Moonjumper smiled sweetly. "Why? Didn't dear Snatcher tell you?" He chuckled and gave a smile similar to Snatcher's smug one. "We're two halves of the same person.~ Split at death and now wondering through death two halves of the same person.~" Poppy's eyes widened big and in shock not processing the words he said right. "W-What?" "Oh! He didn't tell you did he?" He smiled and gestured to himself with a smile. "Well allow me to elaborate for you, my dear.~ Snatcher and I are both Prince Philip Snider Of the Kingdom of Subconette.~ When we died in the frozen celler we split personalities resulting in us becoming two very different ghosts. How I have no idea, but it's quite the sight isn't it?~"

Snatcher didn't tell her ANY of that information, but Moonjumper was all too willing to throw his half under the bus like that and exploit everything within a minute of meeting. Then there's what he said to her in the Horizon before he attacked her.

He looked her over for a moment before sighing and holding up his hands. "Alright. Allow me to tell you a story that will clear EVERYTHING up and help you catch up with recent events. Once upon a time a thousand years ago, there was two Kingdoms." He closed his hands behind his back again as he gave her a neutral look as he slowly started floating to her left. "The Kingdom of Subcon and the Kingdom of Subconette. The rulers of these kingdoms decided their children would get married and unite both these kingdoms in harmony. Their names were PRINCE Snider of Subconette and Princess Vanessa of Subcon. The princess was the most beautiful woman any where and the prince in my opinion was more better looking.~ But for some unknown reason the princess CRACKED!" He vanished behind her and Poppy had to turn her head the other way as he continued to slowly float in a circle around her. "She slowly descended into madness and became nothing but a controlling dictator that put me-..The prince through NOTHING but misery, and yet the prince still foolishly loved her and tried his best to make her happy! His only saving grace was when he had to leave for his studies and when he met YOU!!" Poppy blinked as he now smiled. "Poppy Rose Bloomington. A small time country girl who grew up on a farm and moved to town to sell her pretty flowers.~ Catching the eye of a prince with your understanding and very kind nature. Basically being everything to him that Vanessa wasn't or ever will be. But THEN." His smile turned back into a snarl. Like the kind of snarl Snatcher gave the Mafia Boss but she wasn't sure where his anger lied with now as he stopped in front of her. "Vanessa turned on me! Over nothing but a few measly flowers all for her!! After everything I sacrificed for her! All those years of pandering to every single one of her demands no matter how ridiculous and impossible they were! I gave her the best dam bloody years of my life and she repaid me for my loyalty and love to her by chaining myself in the dark abyss of the cellar and ending myself up trapped here for over a thousand years! Watching while others got to frollic free and Snatcher get to rein over our kingdoms!!" They. Were. Stunned. Not just her but the kids too. Even Timmy who lived her with Moonjumper seemed in shock from the sudden tantrum. But as soon as it came it left when he exhaled and leaned back holding up his hands. "F-Forgive me. My death...i-is a sensative topic. I just find it so unbareable when the old memories from how unfair it was was brought up....But that's the story mostly. I don't know how or why we ended up splitting on death but each of us are half of what made up our personality and thinking process." He held a hand to his chest. "I am, if I do say so myself, the much better half. The part with the actual manners and dignity and the proper way to actually behave. Meanwhile Snatcher is full of anger and resentment, stubborn an an Express Owl, gloomier than a graveyard, AND he lacks any empathy or positive qualities other than his own motives!!......I hope that answers your questions, my dear."

......Her fists balled up some of the rocketship printed blanket in her hands from it all overwhelming her brain and her body tensed. Catching Snatcher's attention. ....Philip..Her Philip...Her Prince..Her..Her best friend..Had not become not one but two terrible people. One who was willing to give her nothing but the truth but had her lured to a place away from his other half who he KNEW wouldn't let him do it and attacked her for some reason lost to her. And the other....While much more nicer and docile where she and others she'd seen were concerned, had deliberately LIED to her face and made her sign a contract of servitude. What other things was he willing to lie to her face about and for how long...SHE WASNT A TOY TO BE PASSED AROUND!!!

Snatcher sensed her distress and saw the trembling she did and feared for a moment she was going to cry. "Poppy? What's wrong?"

".....Why did you lie to me, Philip?"

Snatcher. FROZE. Any thoughts in his head haulting and fizzling into thin air as that one word left her mouth. Anything he was about to say dying on his tongue as those yellow glowing eyes continued to stare dead at the woman who went to absolute burningly staring back at him with that absolute seething expression. It was over. Done. He was absolutely finished. The end of the line for him after only a week. This was how he was going down in flames. THIS was TRUELY how things were unraveled.

"That was your name. Prince Philip Snider from the south Kingdom of Subconia, and was engaged to Queen Vanessa." Her blue eyes bore into his absolutely SCARED yellow ones. She sat straight up and looked at him like a woman. Oh hoho! He was NOT going to get away with this. She was more than glad to throw. EVERY. SINGLE. THING. She knew back at him. "Ya'll loved to paint and read! Yer favorite food was bacon! Ya'll studied law ta make yerself a better KING and wanted to be a lawyer secretly. And your mum taught ya how ta sew! That lil bushcat in your comfy home down there was ALWAYS yours! I KNOW VANESSA MANIPULATED AND ABUSED YOU IN YOUR RELATIONSHIP AND THEN SHE THOUGHT YALL WAS CHEATIN' ON HER WISH ME AND THEN THREW YA'LL IN THE CELLER WHERE YA'LL FROZE LIKE A SNOWBALL LIKE ME AND THEN SOMEHOW YOU BECAME SNATCHER AND MOONJUMPER!! AND I WAS LOCKED AWAY TOO UNTIL THIS WHOLE MAGICAL MESS HAPPENED!!" Something suddenly grabbed his arm closest to her and yanked him down until he was directly in from of her snarling form and he gasped....GASPED. In fear of her as the mortal woman grabbed a hold of the fluff around his neck. "AND YOU WERE MY BEST FRIEND!! I TRUSTED YALL AND YA LIED TA ME AND YOUR LIL HALF TRIED TO HOGTIE ME LIKE MY PAPA'S CATTLE!! SO YA BETTER PIPE UP ON WHY YA LIED TO ME!! AND DONT DENY IT!! MOONJUMPER! TOLD!! ME!! EVERYTHING, PHILIP!!!"

Absolute. Silence. Seriously. You could hear a piece of dust from the ceiling float in the air it was that quiet. Poppy was seeing red throughout her entire rant. Panting and gripping his soft floof in her hands like he would get away if she didn't. But as she breathed and the red slowly went away, she blinked and actually got to look at his face once ..most of the anger and built of rage left her veins. He. Looked. Scared. Like a mouse backed into a corner by a cat knowing they were about to be eaten. And her hands shook with remaining rage-...Or so she thought at first. Upon further inspection she realized it was actually SNATCHER who was shaking up her hold, her hands were just trembling from her holding the shaking ghost. Could...Could ghosts actually get scared? Or was he about to cry? A brief wave of guilt came and left her before she shook her head and looked back at him with a scowl...and slowly released him. Despite her not deathgripping him anymore Snatcher dared not make a move. Only stared at the scowl on her face as she still silently stared back at him. His mind a complete blank. His insides feeling like they were doing backflips. He felt like he was about to toss ectoplasm. ...Could a ghost even vomit? He jumped hard at Poppy's next words.

"Ah'm waitin' for an answer, Philip." Her eyes narrowed more.

He made heavy breathing noises(ironic because he didn't have lungs or needed to even breath) and stared at her. What should he do?! Answer her?! She looked like she wanted an answer but nothing came out of his mouth except a small weird sound she rose a brow at. But soon he managed to force something ...ANYTHING out of his mouth to satisfy her.

"Why?"

Smart choice right? Real brain power there.

"WHY?! YOU tell ME!!" She crossed her arms and while her voice wasn't as harsh as her rant she was still stern. "You LIED to me and I wanna know why ya did so. So cough it up if ya gotta but I better hear an answer outta ya, Philip....Or would you prefer me ta call ya Snatcher still?"

"Snatcher s-s-sounds good." He squeaked out....before he blinked. "Hey! W-W-Wait a minute!" Oh peck. Was HE of all people really stuttering in front of her right now? Nice. "I-...I-I never lied to you!," he pushed still kinda feeling dizzy sick.

"Oh REALLY!? What about that time in the attic?," Poppy insisted thinking back to that moment where he had comforted her during her first mega nightmare. "Ya said ya'll was there when 'Philip' died!"

"W-Well Im pretty sure I was there experiencing my own death! I didn't lie about that!" He crossed his arms but didn't look mad....Ashamed and guilt all over his slumped over form.

"What about when you told me ya died in the frost!? Or that ya'll worked for her?! 'Wrong place at the wrong time' thing!!," she pushed voice raising a bit.

"THAT WAS SO LIE!! She made me work as her slave! I was definately at the wrong place for all my living life and I DID die from her deciding to play mother nature! I froze to death chained to a pecking wall!! Worried about how badly I messed up and beat myself over how pecking badly I messed up!!" His face frowned in a mixture of anger. Guilt. Shame. Fear. Anxiety. The ghost's arms shook as he just stared down this woman. Yellow eyes wide and many many memories suddenly slapping him in the face as those yellow eyes saw the seen play before him as a downward spiral for him in panic and fear. A seen in a dungeon, a sobbing prince hanging from shackles as the cold crept in, one last promise escaping his lips to a Princess of Flowers. Sharp as a thorn. Hair red as roses. Blue eyes like hydrangeas. Skin as soft as petals. And always surrounded by a scent better than any lily. A final promise and good bye he made long ago with his final dying breath- 'I-Im s-so sorry, Poppy. I-...love-...you ..w-with all my heart and soul....may my soul...never....forget...that..' ......Snatcher instantly trembled and shook those thoughts from his head before back to her and pointing at himself. "I N-NEVER LIED!! "

"Then WHY didn't you tell me YOU were Philip when I asked where he was?!"

"DO YOU THINK I WANTED YOU TO SEE ME LIKE THIS?!" It was Poppy's turn to blink and lean back when Snatcher's face contorted into what she could only describe as pained rage after all this time coming out. Giving her a desperate look as he rose up to kinda tower over her and hold up his hands for questioning. "WHAT WAS I SUPPOSED TO SAY WHEN I FIRST MET YOU!? WHAT COULD I SAY TO YOU THAT WOULDN'T MAKE YOU SEE ME DIFFERENTLY?! I-....I-I'm not...." His hands balled into fists and his eyes closed as he snarled at nothing but himself. A chorus of 'Your fault! Your fault! Your fault!' rang into him and this time...he gave in. There wasn't any more tiptoeing. This whole situation with her from past to present has always been his fault and now he had to face it in death too. "I'M NOT PHILIP!! IM THE SNATCHER!! THE MOST POWERFUL GHOSTS ON THIS PITIFUL PLANET AND I DON'T TOLERATE FOOLS TRESSPASSING IN MY FOREST BUT TO SERVE ME!! WHAT I WAS A THOUSAND YEARS AGO D-D-DIED OFF WITH ME!! ILL NEVER BE THAT SAME PATHETIC PERSON AGAIN!!"

".....Then my friend completely died when Philip did." He absolutely stopped when he opened his eyes and stared down at her as she just...blankly stared up at him. Blank as paper. She regarded him for a moment before looking down to the shiny gold sparkling on her wrist. To Snatcher's absolute horror, she slowly took it off. Looking at her reflection in the sparkly gold color and the scared darker reflection of the ghost behind her. What remained of Philip was literally and figuratively dead. And so was any good about him too she guessed. She hand trembled and before either knew it the bracelet was launched right past his head in a gold streak like a shooting star until it hit the wall behind him and fell to the floor with a thud. Snatcher snapped his head towards it as it sparkled on the ground.....before ever so slowly turning his head back towards the lady. And jumped when he found tears sparkling like diamonds running down her cheeks. "W-W-Well then whoever you are...GET. OUT!! JUST GET OUT!!" She screamed and pointed to the door. "IF YOU'RE NOT MY FRIEND THEN I NO LONGER WANT YA'LL AROUND MAHSELF OR ANYWHERE NEAR ME!! YOU'RE JUST AS BAD IF YOU THINK I'LL ACCEPT ANY OF THIS!!"

Snatcher bristled and once again went back to holding his hands out pleading pathetically like a beggar. "N-NO!! T-THAT'S N-NOT WHAT I MEANT I PROMISE YOU, POPPY!!" "I DONT GIVE A FLYING PECK!! JUST GET OUT!!"

"I-...You-....." He trembled for a while his eyes starting to vibrate slightly as something within him happened. Sad and fearful auras all around suffocating him to his last shread of sanity as he blurted out the last possible thing he thought he was capable of saying at this moment. "N-NO!!"

Poppy looked at him and he paused momentarily surprised that came out of his mouth. "NO!? ARE YA D-DEAF?! I CAN SEE YA GOT NO EARS!! GET!! OUT OF HERE!!"

"I SAID NO!!" His eyes slammed shut as he balled his hands back into fists and forced himself to let out whatever it was that was flowing out from his mouth. "N-NO!! IT'S MY FAULT ALL THIS HAPPENED!! YOU WERE KILLED BECAUSE OF MY STUPID PECKING SELF!! BECAUSE I COULDNT SEE THAT I WAS PUTTING A MONSTER BEFORE MYSELF!!" A choke escaped him and he felt something in his body tighten like a screw. "I COULDN'T STOP IT!! I COULDN'T PROTECT ANYONE!! I-I-I C-C-COULDN'T PROTECT YOU!! THE ONE PERSON WHO I TRUSTED MORE T-T-THAN ANYONE IN THE WORLD AND I GOT YOU KILLED!! *hic*" He took a long raspy gasp for breath like he needed air in his none existing body and he didn't notice that his hands came up to grip his forearms or that his form leaned over until his head almost touched the bed. Was he having a break down? Could a ghost have a break down? "YOU GOT HURT B-BECAUSE OF ME!! AND I THOUGHT THIS TIME WOULD BE DIFFERENT!! I WANTED IT TO B-B-BE DIFFERENT BELEIVE ME I DID!! T-THAT'S WHY I-...I....I lied...but only one time. *hic* I promise it was for your own good."

"For mah-..." She blinked scowling again. Honestly she had been in a small pause of shock at the over confident ghosts breaking down in front of her but all of that was dashed at the one line in the chorus of the shocking confessions. "Then do tell WHEN did you tell me this 'one' time for 'mah own good'?!"

he choked again dipping into himself more. "....T-T-The contract! I-..." He made another gasping sound. "I n-never took your soul out...I-I-I promise you that's something I would n-never d-do t-t-t-to you.''

The contract!? He had...HE LIED TO HER ABOUT THAT CONTRACT!! "YA LIED AND TRICKED ME INTO SIGNING A CONTRACT WITH YOU?! WHY THE PECK WOULD YOU THINK THAT WAS OK TA DO?!"

"It's not a slave contract!! B-Believe me it's n-not!" He opened his eyes half way seeing nothing but yellow and feeling something strange boiling in his eyes but his mind wasn't there to question it. "T-Think of *hic* it as a s-symbiotic relationship l-l-like b-b-bees and flowers if you have to! Y-Y-You're n-n-not trapped to me a-a-and I can't force you t-to do anything you don't want, but I would still make sure you were getting the t-t-things you need."

She just stared at him too exhausted to be mad and screaming anymore...shaking her head. "Ya STILL haven't told me WHY ya did it!? Why would you do something like this, Philip? Expecially when you knew I didn't blame ya?"

"BECAUSE I DIDN'T KNOW YOU WOULDNT BLAME ME!!" The strange feeling in his eyes became too much and he snapped then shut again as his hands dug into his shaking body. "I THOUGHT YOU WOULD H-H-...*HIC* HATE ME F-FOR WHAT I HAD CAUSED!! PLEASE!!.....JUST PLEASE UNDERSTAND!! I WAS ONLY TRYING TO PROTECT YOU BECAUSE I D-DIDNT WANT TO LOSE YOU AGAIN!! I COULDN'T RISK IT!! I JUST WANTED TO MAKE UP FOR WHAT I-I-I'VE LET HAPPENED TO YOU!!" Poppy's frown lightened when another horrible choke noise came from him and she had FINALLY come to the shocking realization that Snatcher....Was CRYING?! Brightly colored yellow tears were rolling down his face landing into his fluff or staining the bed sheets his head was now touching. Claws now clutching his head as he sobbed. Not cry. Not tear up. SOBBED into the bed sheets and wailed like a wounded animal. The noises sounding broken and shattered. "PLEASE!! D-D-DONT-...*hic* DONT HATE ME!! MORE THAN ANYTHING I N-NEVER WANTED YOU TO HATE ME!! I WAS JUST TRYING TO HELP!! I KNOW I PECKED UP!!! B-B-BUT PLEASE!! DONT HATE ME!!"

".....Then answer mah question. Why didn't you tell me?," she insisted though her throat tightened real bad at her words.

"B-BECAUSE I WAS SCARED!! ALRIGHT!! A-A-A-ARE- *HIC* IS EVERYONE HAPPY NOW?! I DIDNT KNOW WHAT ELSE TO DO?! I COULDNT T-TELL YOU AFTER THINGS WERE GOING FINE!! I-IF YOU JUST LIKED ME HOW I AM NOW I DIDNT WANT TO RUIN IT!! I DIDN'T-...." Another small series of chokes and sobs wracked his trembling form as he shook his head no against the sheets. "I didn't want to add to your p-p-p-pain...*hic* to see...what I had become after all this t-t-t-tim-m-m-me. *hic*....I-Im sorry...please..d-don't hate me."

He froze. Something touched the top of his head....He slowly took his gaze away from the blankets and up into the crying face of Poppy's. Tears slowly falling down her cheeks making it look like her ocean eyes was leaking diamond tears that mixed with her red freckles that resembled so much like flower petals. She looked so beautiful. The two stared at each other for a long time as the silence still lingered as well as the tears, the soft hand on his head slowly giving him reassuring pats as she stared at him.

"...I don't hate you."

.....He blinked. "Y-You don't?"

"No...And ah ain't angry. Just.....disappointed."

Disappointed?? Well that's better than being hated wasn't it?.....Well in the long run YES!! YES IT WAS!! ABSOLUTELY PECKING BETTER THAN BEING HATED!! Which brought him some relief, but she was still obviously disappointed him him in some way or form.

"L-Let's get that straight." She sniffed and wiped her tears with her other arm. "I don't hate you, b-but that don't mean Im still not ticked at ya. Especially 'bout tricking me into signing that darn contract."

He hummed and gave a shaking exhale. Yellow eyes comming to rest on her exposed arms. There was light marks where Moonjumper's red strings had gripped her body still and he felt some of the anger from before come back to him, and Poppy jumped when his own gentle hand gently ran across the light marks frowning at them. "....Are you...alright?"

She blinked and sighed. "Y-Yeah. I'll be fine...I just don't get why he done went ahead and did that."

He was pretty sure the THAT she was referring to was Moonboy doing this. And slowly his hand gently wrapped around hers as he shrugged. "With that guy who knows? He's always envied those who weren't stuck in the prison he was in and took what he wanted. He....probably would've tried to take you either way because of the memories we both have of when we were alive when he first found out. Peck. He would've probably tried it sooner if he had found out about you before he did...And I have a pretty good idea about how he did find out too." His eyes narrowed thinking back to Timmy as he soothed a hand over some of the marks. They'll soon fade away with time. No need to worry about them. "Thank peck that fool's blasted strings didn't stick to you."

Poppy froze as a memory suddenly flashed across her face. "That reminds me. How did ya'll find me all the way in that spook's realm?...And how did I not get pecking trapped like a carp in my papa's fishin' net?"

"To answer both questions simple. Your contract." She looked confused for a moment so he sighed. "Maybe I should explain. In case you forgot about the fine print in your contract, I'll repeat two qoutes in the contract that are most important here. Ahem." Expertly he recalled exactly what his contract said word for word. " 'By signing this the signer shall be paid for their service and loyalty with immortality, protection from the Snatcher and those under him, a home, and anything the signer requests within reason. Binding by contract means your soul shall remain bound to the contract which cannot be broken by any means except by will of the employer, a.k.a the Snatcher. By agreeing you shall also be safe from other supernatural entities and their influences whatever they may be, including influences from the employer and other minions."'

She looked slightly amazed. "Ya'll remember all that?"

"I never forget a contract." He smiled at her. "And in case you're wondering what I just said meant, in simple terms it means I can't force my magic or will on you to make you do anything you wanted unless you agreed fully. It also meant it no other ghosts could harm you." he growled with a frown. "Like Vanessa."

"Or Moonjumper." Oh. So that must've been what she had felt back there when the peckneck tried to do whatever magic he was trying to force on her. But still- "How did ya'll find me then?"

"The magic binding your soul with my essence sends out a message whenever you're endangered or needs help badly. Ive already done it once back when you had that nightmare."

OH!....Right. The 'nightmare' who happened to be Moonjumper visiting her for the first time. Guilt over took her for lying to the ghost, but he did lie to her first didn't he? Still tho. It was kinda fair since he done confessed to everything. So she cleared his throat making him look up to her. "I uh-...G-Gotta confession ta make mahself." He rose a brow at her confused and she sighed. "Ah uh.....Ah met Moonjumper and may have lied 'bout havin' that nightmare."

Snatcher Stared at her. ".......WHAT?!"

"I'm sorry! I didn't know how'd ya react and at the time I was too shocked I guess."

"Why didn't you tell me!?" he frowned. "I probably would've stopped him from trying that stunt of his!''

"You knew he would do somethin' like that? Why didn't ya tell me 'bout him?!"

"I didn't know he'd lure you all the way out there in a different dimention! But I know him enough to know he would've tried something if he knew about you. Which is why I DIDN'T risk telling you because I was right!"

"You couldn't have warned me!"

"Because I knew you'd go try and find him! And look what that did!"

"BECAUSE YOU NEVER TOLD ME ANYTHING!!" "I KNOW!!!" Snatcher held up his hands. "I. Know. .....But so did Moonboy, and unlike him, I didn't do anything as remotely as bad as THIS!" He pointed a claw to the almost faded marks on her arms. "And I technically never lied to you except that ONE time. And thanks to that anything he planned was defeated before he even thought of it!"

"...." She crossed her arms. "Snatcher, tell me this. Would he have really tried to do somethin' like this if he find out eariler?"

Snatcher still didn't stop frowning and sighed. "....Most likely yes. Moonboy's always had a nack for this kidnapping scheme for everyone he first meets. Hazelle and the kids being some of his past victims of his events. ....And a few of my minions."

Poppy looked at him for a long moment before looking down again. So....She would've most likely gone through that either way. And he did it to the girls and Hazelle too?? Then that means the only reason she wasn't taken was because Snatcher tricked her into signing that contract which ended up saving her life in the end.

"So..where do we go with this now?" She looked at him. "What do we do now that all of this is out in the open?"

Snatcher just stared at her. He....He never really even thought of that. Now that it was all out, and she wasn't mad (thank peck) and everything was.....now this. What now? Where DID they go from here? Well he did tell her everything-...Except one thing. But no. It'd be wrong of him to even claim he loved her more than his friend now. It....It was still better to be a friend and not a forced love interest. So to her question he shrugged, even if he did tell her it wouldn't make a difference and probably only make things more awkward between the two.

"I...I'm not sure."

A small silence passed.

"I think....we need some time from each other." He looked up surprised as she stared at him. "Ah don't mean that in a mean way. I just...think we both need some space to think 'bout this and to figure out where I wanna go from here. I'll still take care of them while I'm here. Ya don't have ta worry 'bout me repayin' ya for everythin'. Cuz I will. But I really do think it's fer the best right now to clear mah head."

He still stared at her not knowing what to do. But what else could be do but agree? And that's exactly what he did. He agreed. And left a little while after making sure the girls would be ok. Thankfully they weren't scared of what happened with Moonjumper as much as they were worried about Poppy's condition and were like none of that ever happened as soon as they learnt she would be ok. She found the two sitting in front of the TV watching a penguin cartoon when she gained the courage to come out, and was tackled by the two children in a hug relieved to see her again. She was glad to see they were alright too but that was the least of her problems...In fact she didn't have any problems at all anymore. From that day things were...weird. But a normal weird. It was like she went back into her ritual of one of the girls waking her up, shoving something in her mouth quickly for breakfast, getting freshed up, and go back to work off the debt she owed the birds. It wasn't too bad. She wasn't worried or distracted by anything anymore. The more she thought about it, the more Poppy realized that it was probably best if she just focused on repaying back the two debts she was owed. Mr. Grooves for the camera thing, and Snatcher for (even tho causing a whole lotta trouble) did help her out as promised. How she would pay back snatcher in full for what he did concerning Moonjumper yet she wasn't sure, but she should focus on one thing at a time for now. She saw Hazelle when she first went back too. Not Timmy tho. At least not at first. The two didn't interact as much beyond their interactions in the play and it's not like Poppy wanted to at first either. For now she just wanted to focus on her play parts and over the days coming to pass by, since nothing else was distracting her or really bothering her anymore, she was able to focus on her parts and movements, and reread the script and Starella storybook for practice when she wasn't cooking something for the girls or spending sometime with them. Sometimes they'd go around the Express Owl Town surround the studious or Moon City with all the Moon Penguins running around and the flashy stores she's have to lean down to walk in too. It was a nice change of pace even if it's just a few places. Or sometimes very often after her work for the studios, they would go to Cookie's resturaunt to have dinner. Which was free since Cookie was asscociated with the Studios and so the resturaunt provided all the staff and actors free food for their lunches, which worked out well for her. She was having fun trying all the new foods. As days past, she sometimes thought of how Snatcher was doing or what the others were up to now. She was very tempted to ask Hazelle quite a few times but decided against it all the time. But soon all of that was dashed away by one simple day back on the ship. One of the rare days off Mr. grooves gave everyone due to the tight scheduale they were all on to finish by the deadline for the Award Ceremony. It was just as average day rereading through the script while the girls watched Tv. Hattie happened to look up at Poppy who had her bangs angled just the right way to cast a shadow over her blue eyes and Hattie's eyes suddenly went wide.

"YOU'RE HER!!" She jumped and pointed at Poppy all of all sudden startling the other two girls as they also jumped and looked at her. "THE LADY FROM THE STORY BOOK!!"

....Poppy blinked. "Yeah? I know I'm playing your favorite fairytale charactor. I have ta for Mr. Grooves."

Hattie shook her head. "Not that book! Hang on! I'll show you!" Before any of them could say anything else Hattie was already dashing away from them and ran through the door that lead to her bedroom. .....Poppy and Bow exchanged glances and Bow shrugged. A second later Hattie returned and had something in her hand which she shoved into Poppy's face, causing the older woman to blink and drop her own book in the process. "HERE!! LOOK IN THIS BOOK!!"

"What in tarnation has gotten inta ya?" She blinked again and looked towards the book Hattie was holding in front of her face. She reached up to grab it and hold it away from her face to see the cover more clearly. The hard cover of the thin book was all black and on the front was a red heart with a slash through it. A white swirl mark was beneath the slashed heart and above the heart was what she guessed was the title of the book in white letter. "The Tale Of Queen-...." Her blue eyes widened as she stared at the name. Then to Hattie. "Vanessa....What is this?"

"It's Snatcher's story. You're in it." She pointed to the book. "I got it from a time rift I fixed."

Snatcher's.....story? Poppy's eyes went wide and looked back down to the book in her hands. It didn't look like a thick book, just as thin as a regular child's book. But the cover....Poppy's hand shook as she held it up and slowly grabbed the cover....before opening it. And her eyes widened. Despite the dark, ominous cover the first page of the book showed a very happy sight that made her jaw drop. IT. WAS. THEM!! Moonjumper-..I mean Snatcher-...Both?? PHILIP!! Was there on the first page holding hands with who clearly used to be Vanessa!! She would recognize Philip anywhere. In cartoon book form both looking so in love with their eyes covered by shadows, the background a cute pink with hearts showing how in love they ar-...They were once upon a time. Poppy just...Stared at it. What was this? She looked back to Hattie with wide confusion. She didn't say anything so she just slowly looked back down to the book and shakily turned the next page. The next page was obviously the Queen walking through her village surrounded by some of the townsfolk's children who wore their silly disguises to play games. They all looked so happy. The next page after that made her stomach DROP. It.....It was HER!! She was standing right there. And Philip right in front of her, they looked to be holding hands and they were surrounded by her flower stand in the corner of the town square. It..It even had a close up picture of the two holding hands. And there was Vanessa, looking to be wearing a shocked face. No! Blue eyes widened at the events unfolding before her in this nightmare of a picture book. NO!! THIS COULDNT BE WHAT SHE THOUGHT IT WAS!! The book trembled in her hold as she stared at it, her heart and breath picking up pace. This couldn't be- She quickly flipped to the next page. Vanessa again. She was crying with a black background behind her and a picture of a broken heart in the middle of her chest. NO!! NONONONO!!! THIS ISNT IT!! She flipped a page again-.....HER. STOMACH. DROPPED!! It was the three of them again. A very familiar scene played in front of her in one picture. Her flower stand again with her standing there smile on her face and a gold bracelet in her hand, Philip looking up in the direction of Vanessa who's form was running down an alley way. The memories came flooding back to her.

He jumped almost dropping the flowers he was just handed. "Vanessa!?" The florist looked to where he was looking but didn't see the woman that dashed into the alleyway as he stared in confusion. "Vanessa?.....Why did she run away so suddenly?"

...The florist shrugged lightly with a smile. "Maybe she was embarrassed she walked in on you getting her flowers?", she suggested.

....He gave a smile. "OH! Of course! She's considerate l-like that." He gave an almost nervous smile and turned back to her before bowing. "T-Thank you for your help once again...Ms. Poppy."

She waved her hand. "Oh, don't mention it! It's always to see just a nice man be so considerate and give the gal he loves so many flowers."

This.....T-This was that fateful day. The day which they were all frozen. And she wasn't even done with the storybook. Which meant there was more. She didn't even realize she turned another page until she was met with another horrible sight. It was Philip and Vanessa again. Playing another part in the story she didn't witness but heard about a few times from both Philips. The fated meeting of Vanessa before he was locked away. It showed Philip and Vanessa in what looked to be the Queen's Summer home away from her castle, a painting of the couple behind them slashed apart. With Philip holding the rainbow daisies he bought from her and Vanessa looking enraged surrounded by a dark aura and still crying. New page and new heart rate and new horrror. Vanessa was mid twisted into some form of shadow amalgamation and it...IT WAS THEM!! The guards that had marched into the town square and kidnapped her away when she was closing her stand all those years ago. Before she was locked in that room! They had a hold of Philip who was desperately reaching out to her flowers falling to join some kind of ice on the floor. Poppy just stared wide eyed silent as the page breathing heavy enough to be heard by the children who were watching her intently ignoring the cartoons on TV in favor of just seeing her expressions. Another page turn by a very shaky hand- She gasped and a hand shot up to cover her mouth. It was Snatcher!! IT WAS SNATCHER!! IT!! WAS!!! SNATCHER!!! There in the dark chained to a wall and crown discarded on the floor of some dark cell!! Her mind completely went blank!! It was true. He was killed by her greed and jealousy!! But that's not what made her throw a hand to her mouth. It was the tears running down from the yellow golden eyes like the ones she had seen so many days ago when he distressed everything to her. How so scared and sad he looked-

THUMP!!

Both girls jumped when Poppy jumped up and away from the book with a bigger gasp at the last page and made both girls jump too at her frightened reaction to the very last picture in the book. A picture. Of Vanessa. The monster. The murderor. The twisted form of hate, jealousy, greed and pain she really was. The monster that caused so many deaths and so much pain. The book fell open wide on that page with the monster staring up at them all and Poppy still stared at it all. Suddenly feeling like she would cry from the heavy emotions filling her.

"W-What is this?," she demanded when Hattie picked the book up and closed it. But she already knew the answer so it was a stupid question.

"Snatcher's story made from the time rift. Time rifts made them when they fell down in a place with a lot of magic or memories, and then it makes a book with the strongest memories." She rose a brow. "I don't know why."

"Why did you show me this?"

She looked right at her. "Because you're the Flower Princess! It took me a real long time to figure out Snatcher was talking about you! Why didn't I use my Detective Hat!?"

"H-Hold on now there!" Poppy looked even more confused. "You said Imma what?!"

She frowned looking frustrated, " The Flower Princess!! From Snatcher's story he told me!"

".....And what 'story' did that purple onion tell ya?"

Hattie paued for a minute. Her face scrunched up in thought thinking back all that time ago before Poppy was even brought back to life with the time piece. "....Once upon a time." Hattie sat down as she tried to think back to what she was told. "There was a beautiful flower Princess named Poppy." Hattie looked at Poppy's slacked jawed, wide eyed look as Bow listened curiously. " An evil witch named Veronica. And a stupid, stupid King. WAY, WAY back before your great granny was even born there was these three." Hattie went back to that thoughtful face. "The Flower Princess was very beautiful. Her hair was a rose red and her skin was as soft as their petals. She had the most wonderful patience listening to her friend The Stupid King, and his p-problems. But..she didn't know the king was in love with her. You see. He was too cowardly to tell her or anyone else because he was betrothed to the Evil witch Veronica."

Snatcher....told her about them through his own interpritation of the story?? Twisting it into some kind of fairytale for her?? NO!! No it couldn't be....But Veronica?? Really?? Obviously that reminded her of Vanessa and Poppy the flower princess?? No. That HAD!! To be her. Snatcher even used her OWN PECKING NAME for this!! Which meant the stupid king was-...And he was engaged to marry-... but he was secretly in love with-...Moonjumper's voice suddenly rang out to her.

"She slowly descended into madness and became nothing but a controlling dictator that put me-..The prince through NOTHING but misery, and yet the prince still foolishly loved her and tried his best to make her happy! His only saving grace was when he had to leave for his studies and when he met YOU!! Poppy Rose Bloomington. A small time country girl who grew up on a farm and moved to town to sell her pretty flowers.~ Catching the eye of a prince with your understanding and very kind nature. Basically being everything to him that Vanessa wasn't or ever will be."

Did-....Was he suggesting that Snatcher- Or Philip-..or him...They-...IN SOME WAY OR FORM liked her liked her?? Like romantically!? Her face suddenly became hot at even the mention of some man liking her. S-She wasn't that likable!! Back in her day no man wanted a woman who was stronger than them, worked in the mud, got dirty and sweaty working, and had a job of her own that wasn't something 'acceptable' for a lady like a teacher, a maid, nurse, lady in waiting, cook, or-....or SOMETHING femenine across those lines. Which was why her papa was so adament she became a milk maid like her mother! So in his words 'would have a better chance of settling down and givin' me grandchildren. Cuz no man in his right mind would want a woman who snapped back and raised her voice at him.' But...The way the Flower Princess Poppy was described as red hair like a rose and skin as soft as flower petals?!?! Her face became even more red just thinking about it.. Well, Snatcher couldn't be considered a man in his own right mind could he? First cuz he wasn't a man but a ghost. Secondly he was dead so technically had no brain or mind that was right or wrong. And thirdly when was a ghost in a haunted forest with an adopted alien daughter 'right minded'?!?!

Hattie continued not noticing her inner turmoil over there while she tried to remember everything Snatcher said. "But....She was in love with a fairytale. She loved the Stupid King for being like a King from a story. She never loved him for who he really was as long as her fairytale wasn't tampered with." Poppy flinched for a moment before slowly looking back to Hattie. The young girl probably wasn't realizing the gravity of the words she repeated as she just focused on telling it to her. " She was clingy, selfish, nothing was never good enough unless it was expensive, and she demanded all his attention all the time. Until one fateful day the witch saw the King And Flower Princess holding hands. AS JUST FRIENDS." She clarified just as Snatcher did mimicing how he stressed that part. "Nothing romantic. Just two friends holding hands for a little bit. And she got really, really jealous. In fact she got so jealous she blamed him for breaking her heart and locked him away forever. And then she cursed the Stupid King's and Princess's kingdoms. All the plants died, all the animals ran away, and everyone moved on from there. But karma struck her good and The Stupid King managed to escape and get free, but the Witch's spell backfired. She cursed herself too and was trapped forever in her home, the black magic keeping her inside the cave she dug, but it was too late. The Princess was gone and he never saw her again." Hattie's eyes widened at the events of the story she just repeated to herself and everyone else. Suddenly quickly opening the book and flipping through it. Stopping at this page and that and squinting at them taking in the details. Before her blue eyes widened and she looked at Poppy again with a sad expression. "A-And...he never saw you again Poppy."

Poppy stood there STUNNED. What...Wait. Snatcher....LOVED her?? HER?! The one who had dirt on her all the time and came from the poorest farming family you could think of, of fruit farmers and milk maids. Someone who openly critizied the Queen when she banned bacon in her entire kingdom and got angry with all the stunts she pulled on Philip but didn't say anything too badly?? The one who snorted like a pig when she laughed and had an accent thicker than the mud she used to farm flowers!? THAT POOR FARMER'S GIRL?! HER?! Catching the eye of a cute, handsome, talented, polite, selfless, loyal, sweet, rich and famous PRINCE?! The one who always loved to study magic and laws to be a better king for his people one day and was engaged to the most beautiful rich lady and who could literally get any girl he wanted?! THAT PRINCE!? SNATCHER?! No! Oh no! NONONONONO!! There must've been some mistake!!...But then again she thought there was some mistake when she thought Moonjumper was lying about Snatcher and him used to being the same person. UGH!!! WHY DID HER LIFE HAVE TO GET MORE COMPLICATED RIGHT AFTER SHE WAS GETTING OVER SOLVING ANOTHER PROBLEM?!

Wait a minute....

WHY THE PECK DIDNT SNATCHER TELL HER HE PECKING LIKED HER LIKE THAT?! ....Well. O-On second thought. She rubbed her red face. Maybe it would've been the better idea not to tell her when they first met. She would've no idea how to handle that ....BUT HE COULDVE TOLD HER WHEN HE WAS CONFESSING EVERYTHING BACK THERE!!!

Bow tilted her head at Poppy's red face. "Poppy? Are you ok?"

"Y-Yeah," she managed to squeak out red faced. "W-Why d-d-don't ya'll go get ready f-for bed?"

Safe to say that sleep didn't come easy for her that night either. She went to bed and was once again awakened in a flustered state and gone to work again with help of the girls. Prince on the mind and being in a play with her as a princess and falling for a Prince only reminded her of the story Hattie revealed to her last night. She once again could only try to go through the play again messing up a few times to which Mr. Grooves called out and had her try again until she corrected until after the day's work that day. She was glad it was over for the day and had half a mind to just eat herself drunk on all the chocolate cake and hot coco at Cookie's resturaunt. When someone stepped in front of her blocking her and the girls way out. The lady blocking her exit was one with brown hair and copper eyes, in her traditional white and pink witch outfit.

Hazelle stared at her for a long moment. ".....We need to talk."

......"Oh DO we?" Poppy narrowed her eyes. She still didn't forget that Hazelle knew about this whole ordeal. "Ah think the talk Snatcher gave me said enough since no one else bothered ta tell me!" She attempted to move around her but Hazelle moved in front of her holding up her hands.

"Yes! Yes, I know!!" Hazelle gave a soft look. "But PLEASE hear me out."

"Ya'll didn't tell me anything!"

"I KNOW!! But I didn't want to get involved because I felt like it wasn't my place." She sighed and let her arm drop as the other came up to rub her face. "I WANTED him to tell you himself and he said he would so I just left him alone."

"Well it sure took ya long enough!"

"Look. I know you're angry about what happened, and BELIEVE me. So. Am. I." She looked back to her. "But when Snatcher opened up a little more that one night I thought he was getting to that point."

Poppy rose a brow. "Where are ya'll goin' with this?"

Hazelle looked at her with genuine concern. "Poppy. I want you to talk to him again." She held up a hand when Poppy opened her mouth to speak. "I know you saw the book, and heard his little story. Hattie informed me on my break backstage. I want you to go and let him know that you know he likes you as more than just a friend and clear up this mess once and for all."

Poppy just stared at her for a little longer.....before she shouted. "ARE YA PECKING INSANE?! I CAN'T DO THAT!?"

"And why not? Preferably tonight would be best-"

"NO!! NO NONONO!!" Poppy's face once again went red with that information. "There's no way in peck ah would do that!!!"

"....." Hazelle sighed again sounding defeated. "Look. Snatcher....Hasn't been himself lately. He still feels really bad about what happened and the longer you two avoid one another and the problem that needs to be discussed the more damage it does. I'm surprised you two haven't learnt that already considering what happened last month." Poppy went to speak but Hazelle beat it to her again. "And it'd be nice considering he did save you. YES!! I know he lied to you. Yes. I KNOW he tricked you. YES I KNOW!! He didn't tell you the whole truth and because of that he put you within harm's way, but at the same time he saved you at least three times."

"....Three??" Poppy rose a brow and crossed her arms. " Oh really? Three times?"

"Well three and a half if you count that the contract indirectly protects you from all kinds of harm, then yes."

She huffed and rolled her eyes. "Oh enlighten me. When did he do that three times?"

This time it was Hazelle's turn to look smug. "Well he DID steal a time piece and resurrected you. So that's one. Then the time you blindly ran off into the woods and had to climb a noose to escape one of those cursed statues. And then he had to get you down from it." Poppy's eyes widened and Hazelle's smirk got wider. "Oh yes. He told me about that. And then there's the obvious contract that let you escape Moonjumper. ...He may have tricked you but by doing so saved you in the end, and trust me when I say Moonjumper's strings aren't something to bat an eye at dear. It's just as impossible to escape from them as it is to escape Snatcher's contracts unless they decide to release you."

"What's the point of this?"

"My POINT is that Snatcher's scared alright. It's not exactly easy for him to admit it when things he does are wrong or when there's something he doesn't have control over. The way you might react to his love for you is one of them. So just...please think about it. Because it's obvious he cares about you a lot. And I'm saying this as the noodle's friend."

That was the message Hazelle had given her before she left, and that was the message Poppy had to try and sleep with when she laid in her makeshift bed and stared at the ceiling. GREAT!! Not like she finally got peace or anything. But now whenever she thought about Snatcher or any of the new info she was given her face would turn red and her mind blank. AFter a while of staring up at the dark ceiling flustered she groaned and turned to her side holding up the gold shimmering against her wrist. The bracelet she had previously thrown that day long ago when Snatcher confessed to everything. It had somehow found it's way back into the attic and left on top of the giant desk against one of the walls for the past days after their discussion. But now she found herself placing it near her, as she looked at it and remembered the day her friend insisted he'd take it as payment. She sighed looking at it wrapped around her wrist again, it's always helped her for some reason, as if some of the past peace she felt was obtained by it when she just had a simple life of selling her pretty flowers to people and making them smile instead of dealing with all these complicated feelings of-....She froze when two glowing yellow orbs shined in the dim gold in the dark. She yelped and instantly threw the blankets off of herself twisting her eyes over and up towards the source of those glowing orbs.

"Whoa! It's me!," A raspy voice spoke out as a shadow moved in ths dark and Poppy could see a yellow glowing mouth moving as it spoke.

No. It couldn't be-

"Snatcher?" Poppy was relieved it was just the spook but that begged the question as she sighed and pushed herself up to stand. "What are you doing here?"

"Hazelle.....S-Said you were expecting me?,'' he replied looking and sounding nervous as he did so as he looked at her.

Poppy looked at him. ....Then facepalmed. Of course she'd be doing this after the comment about how they should 'preferably talk tonight'. Snatcher flinched when she facepalmed herself and rose a brow nervously. Was...Was she not wanting to talk to him tonight? PECKING DARNIT!! He knew he should've known better than to take the word of that stupid Moonboy when he popped up outside of his home!! He shoud've chucked him back into that dimension the moment he laid eyes on him! He was just..sitting there minding his own buisness, reading his book on Theories Of The Penguin Mind in his home trying not to think about the amount of time that's passed since Poppy asked to have some space to think about what happened and to process all the information now discovered. He couldn't really blame her for that, after all it was pretty overwhelming for her he was sure. So he was happy to agree and give her as much time as he needed. He wasn't completely heartless you know. He was sitting comfy in his chair day and night in and out. Doing his usually routine of catching fools stumbling into his forest and if he was really bored he went out to swipe new books from somewhere. But after a while he was starting to miss the troublemakers causing trouble in his forest and the red hair and blue eyes of Poppy. He was sure she was taking good care of them but-..... He was just sitting there staring blankly at a page he forgotten which part he left off at when one of his minions came flying in and ran around to dive behind his chair.

"BOSS! HE'S BACK!!", he shouted before diving around the chair.

Snatcher snapped his head over to the cowering minion before looking over towards the entrance to his home...And the book dropped to the floor with a thump. The very recognizable twitching, glitching form of Moonjumper was floating right there in the entrance of his home. Yellow eyes met red ones as Moonjumper looked absolutely worried.

He suddenly flinched and held up his arms. "W-WAIT WAIT WAIT!!"

He was snatched up by a shadowy bullet as Snatcher shot out of his home and grabbed his other half within his claws in their iron grip!! A blur as The two kept shooting out until Moonjumper felt his back slammed into one of the petrified trees and crows cawed out as they took off from the trees, spiders cowered away, and any minions or dwellers under Snatcher's reign watched as their King glared at Moonjumper in his clutches. The mane of hair around his neck spiked up and his face turned into a snarl as he literally growled out. Moonjumper freezing at the sight of him and reminded of just how more powerful he was in and out of the Horizon.

"YOU GOT A LOT OF NERVE SHOWING UP ANYWHERE NEAR ME FOOL!!," he bellowed out and shook the terrified ghost in his clutches a little. "AFTER WHAT YOU PULLED YOU DARE SHOW YOUR FACE HERE AGAIN?! DO YOU HAVE A DEATH WISH?!"

Moonjumper squeaked something out something that sounded like a mouse before he shook his head, eyes wide blown in fear. "P-P-Please S-Snatcher. L-L-Lets be r-reasonab-b-ble now. I-I came to apologize-"

"HA!" Moonjumper froze up again. "YOU EXPECT ME TO BELIEVE THAT?! AFTER THE STUNT YOU PULLED BEHIND HER BACK?! GIVE ME ONE GOOD REASON WHY I SHOULD LISTEN TO ANYTHING YOU HAVE TO SAY?!"

"B-B-Because." He swallowed and forced a smile. "H-Hazelle told me to?"

Snatcher stared at him.....Hazelle told him to come apologize? Yeah....That sounds like something she'd make Moonboy do alright. He still frowned but thankfully slowly released him much to Moonjumper's releif. "Im not interested in what you have to say to me." He then pointed to the sky. "GET. OUT. OF. MY. FOREST. And DONT you DARE think about coming near Poppy ever again!!"

He still didn't budge anywhere. "U-Uh...Ab-b-bout that. Uh...H-Hazelle...MayhavetoldPoppyhowyoureallyfeelaboutherandexpectsyoutotalktohertonight!!"

That's what made him freeze. And for a moment his face was blank before his rage came back in full swing again. "W H A T?!" His voice boomed and echoed throughout the forest and Moonjumper held up his hands.

"Trust me i-i-it wasn't my idea a-a-at all! S-S-She just w-w-wanted me to tell you!!"

Snatcher growled out lowly. "When I see that witch she's about to get the royal boot!!"

"B-But w-what about Poppy? S-S-She'll be expecting y-y-you tonight."

A shot of panic and fear quickly zigzagged through his form as his eyes widened at the realization. Hazelle told Poppy he LOVED HER!?!?! Oh peck he felt like he was gonna chuck ectoplasm again! WHAT WAS HAZELLE THINKING!?!? POPPY KNEW HE LIKED HER LIKE THAT?! OHPECKOHPECKOHPECK!!! HE WAS IN SO MUCH TROUBLE!! WHAT WAS POPPY THINKING RIGHT NOW!? SHE PROBABLY THOUGHT HE WAS WEIRD!! OR SOME KIND OF CREEP!! His claws gripped his head as he spiraled down into those thoughts. IF SHE DIDN'T HATE HIM SHE SURE WOULD NOW!! OR AT THE VERY LEAST BE ANNOYED AT HIM FOR NOT TELLING HER!! HOW COULD THEY DO THIS TO HIM?!?!

"WHAT AM I SUPPOSED TO PECKING DO?!"

"Tell her?" Moonjumper meekly suggested and smiled nervously when Snatcher snapped back to him with a questioning look.

''WHAT?!"

Moonjumper sighed. "Look. I-.....I-I tried to trick her into coming into the Horizon with me."

Snatcher sneered at him, "SO WHAT!? You love her too!"

Moonjumper stared at him a little more calmly now. " You're right...I do. But you love her more." Snatcher stared at him for a while and Moonjumper sighed. "When we split into two upon death, so was our personality." He explained pointing to himself. "Took me a while and Hazelle explaining. But I am the embodiment of the prim and proper prince we always were...And the one who still feels for who Vanessa once was. I am the person We WERE. The sadness, the proper manners, the very lonely calm past us...That's me. I-...I miss my Queen despite everything." Snatcher wanted to gag. "But you..." Moonjumper stared dead at him and spoke with a genuine voice. "You are the part of us that had our buried side. All of our love for her. For Poppy. Your protective ad fierce side Vanessa made us bury in favor of me...or my half."

Snatcher narrowed his eyes and stared at Moonboy long and hard with a suspicious look crossing his arms."....Why are you tell me this?"

"Because Snatcher....I want her to be happy as much as you. Which is why you should do what we always wanted too and tell her what we should have....As you love her more than I ever could." His yellow eyes widened as he eyed his face, but found no traces of Moonjumper lying or hiding anything. And believe me he could tell when this corpse was lying to him, but he seemed actually concerned about this as his face now twisted to a softer tone and he tilted his head. "....You love her still. Don't you?" Snatcher didn't say anything, but his grip on his arms tightened and his frown widened. "Oh! Please. Do not give me that silent treatment old boy. You risked loosing your entire forest for her when I tried to trick her into coming into the Horizon with me."

"THEN WHY THE PECK DID YOU DO THAT IN THE PECKING FIRST PLACE?!," Snatcher snapped back at him.

"Because I missed my FRIEND!!" Moonjumper scowled at him. "And I never saw her as my 'love'! YOU DID! Why else would you even risk that much for Poppy unless you loved her?!"

Snatcher stared at him for a while longer again before he grunted and turned his gaze away from him. ''And why should I even do anything after you went BEHIND MY BACK!?"

"Because Poppy is going to be expecting you tonight. Wouldn't it just cause her more trouble if you don't go? You know how stubborn she is! If you don't go to her she's going to eventually storm in here looking for you demanding answers! Then you'll have to try and explain to her why you didn't go see her. It's very rude to keep a lady waiting."

''OH SHOVE IT MOONSHINE!! It's also rude to attempt to HOLD HER HOSTAGE and TRICK HER like a TRAITOR!!"

Moonjumper stared at him for a moment before he sighed again. "Very well. I know when I've done all I can. But please at least think it over? For Poppy's sake."

And then he left in a puff of scattering glitchy square things. Like he never showed up there. Leaving Snatcher to think, sulk, curse about, freak out over, and get flustered over everything and the situation Hazelle threw him into this time!!.....In that order. And after much continplating figured that Poppy WOULD be stubborn enough to march into Subcon to find him if he didn't show up. And-.....I-It took a lot for him to force himself to teleport himself into the ship. He felt oddly empty inside, like he hadn't been complete. But he didn't want Poppy to have anymore reasons to be disappointed in him. So after searching a bit he popped himself right on into the attic since that's where she most likey be at the moment. He guessed he must've not noticed how much time has passed with him thinking because he popped in on her about to sleep he guessed and accidentally spooked her. But now she sighed and looked up at the darker form's eyes as they blinked at her nervously. Poppy flinched when a snap rang out and a moment later a ball of blue flames popped up in the air next to Snatcher's head as he gazed down at her, lighting up the entire attic and allowed them to see one another. Poppy blinked at the sudden change in lighting, and after a few blinks managed to see the worried frown on the ghosts face as he stared down at her. The silence stretched on for a few moments with each party glancing around and Snatcher gave a small cough to help ease them into this.

"So....I was told you wanted to see me?" He crossed his arms looking at the floor. "I don't suppose it's because of what Hazelle told you."

Poppy awkwardly rubbed the back of her neck. "Uh.....Actually I-I wasn't plannin' on seeing ya tanight."

Snatcher turned to her with a raised brow. "That's not what I was told.".....he suddenly frowned and growled. "Hazelle. I swear that witch is going to get a piece of my mind after this."

Poppy nodded in agreement that she didn't approve of what Hazelle apparently had planned with either of their consent but-....."Well. S-Since yer here-..." She looked back up at him with a light scowl and Snatcher froze under her eyes. As she crossed her arms. "Would ya mind tellin' me what in tarnation all this mumbo jumbo with that-...t-that darn book of you and me!?"

Snatcher couldn't have snapped at her faster recoiling like he was stung. "Y-YOU SAW WHAT?!"

She scowled further. "I said what's with the book!? And this whole story of you calling me a 'Flower Princess'??"

He looked confused for a moment. "Flower princess? What the peck are you even-...." He stopped mid sentence, yellow orbs suddenly going wide. ".......Oh.....Oh no."

"Oh, yes." Her brow rose as she shifted awkwardly on her feet. Blue eyes shifting away for a moment. ".....OH!! FOR THE LOVE OF PECK!!" She looked at him suddenly. "Everyone says you're in love with me!!"

"W-WHAT?!" Snatcher flabbergasted at the sudden and bold forward approuch from her. Face suddenly glowing a bright yellow to match his wide eyes and open mouth.

Poppy wasn't too far off either. Her face turned a bright pink as she still stared at him. Her mind racing with questions. Was that too straight forward? She didn't want to beat around the bush anymore. Why did he react so badly? Was Everyone just exaggerating and he doesn't? Is he mad he got caught? Why didn't he tell her. Her throat suddenly felt tight and dry as she forced herself to say the next few words. "I-I...Y-YA'LL H-HEARD ME!! W-W-WHY D-DO YOU LIKE ME?!"

"WHO IN THE P-P-PECK TOLD YOU THAT!?"

"HATTE!! A-AND HAZELLE!! A-A-AND EVEN M-M-MOONJ-J-JUMPER D-DID WHEN I MET HIM!!" Her face was as red as her hair now as she fumbled with her fingers. "Did ya.....I-I-I mean-......Are you......A-A-Are t-t-they r-r-right??"

Another silence followed throughout the room as Snatcher couldn't do anything but stare and Poppy figited and stared shyly anywhere but Snatcher after her embarrassing outburst. Wishing she hadn't said that and wishing she could slap herself for the embarrassing situation she put them in now. But jumped when she heard a low sound from Snatcher as the spook sank down to the floor. Sighing lowly and bringing a hand to rub his face where one's temples would be on his face if he still had a normal human face. She watched as the brightly yellow blushing ghost sat down on the floor and leaned his back against the wall in front of her. Sitting there and just rubbing his face. Seriously?! Why was his whole existance, life and death, have to be so complicated? Seriously, it was one situation after another for him now a days. More silence rang out and he assumed Poppy was doing to do the same thing he was. Trying to figure out how the peck he was supposed to explain this new situation to her- He looked up when he heard something shift and sit down next to him, looking to see Poppy sitting crosslegged right next to him looking up at the bigger ghost. Still red faced a fair amount but not saying anything as they did.

".........A-Are uh-....Y-You ok?," she asked. It might've been a dumb question but it was the only ice breaker she could think of at the moment.

He huffed in return. "Peachy. Real pecking peachy." He grumbled and looked to his own lap. "How do I keep getting into these things?"

"You tell me when ya find o-out cuz I'd like that question answered too." Another small bit of silence passed before she spoke again looking at him from the corners of her eyes. "I-....h-hate to be pushy but.....Is that..all they said.....True?"

Snatcher didn't say anything at first. suddenly finding his claws very interesting. "IF it was what would you say about it? Not that I'm admitting to anything."

Poppy rose a brow but decided to answer anyways. "W-W-Well-...I uh-" ...Actually what WOULD she say if Philip had confessed to loving her all those years ago or Snatcher liking her now the same way? The thought of anyone telling her they liked her. A woman who had already come to terms with the idea that she'd never get into a relationship, covered in mud or dirt 87% of the time, and had a mouth and attitude that could make a sailor blush. Why would any self respecting man, let alone a prince, love someone like her? She'd probably ask them if they were drunk or crazy!...But to be honest, she WOULD ask that wouldn't she? So she turned up to him fully. "Well.....IF someone told me they liked me like ...t-that, I would ask why? What would they see in someone like me?...Not pointing any fingers at anyone of course. Just sayin' what if."

He stared at her for a moment before looking back to his lap. "Well....IF someone liked you, they'd probably tell you-....T-That you were the most understanding person in the world....If someone liked you that is."

OH! She saw what game he was coming at her this time. More beating around the bush for him but to her it was just a case of reverse phycology again. So she hummed and looked at him. "That's a very nice compliment someone would give mahself. But ah ain't too convinced anyone would like me like that." Snatcher tilted his head slightly to her indicating she had his attention. "Let's just say that YOU liked me, not sayin' that ya do, just y'know as an example. And ya'll wanted to confess ta me. What would YOU tell me?...If you were interested that is."

.....He sighed again. "Well...I definately wouldn't say it was love at first sight."

"Why not?"

"B-Because-...." He scowled and softly glared at his claws. "Love at first sight doesn't exist. Love takes time and love takes work. And at the very least you have to know the other person." His claws shook as they slowly balled into fists. "And Vanessa literally had no idea of who or what I was." .......After a few seconds of tense posture, Snatcher sighed and slowly allowed himself to relax un balling the fists and looked at Poppy. Who was staring back at him wide eyed. "I know I said I wasn't good at this emotional talk, but I'm good at talking from experience. We-....W-We're all told fairytales about how the prince sees his princess and immediately falls for her, but...How could that happen? How could love at first sight truly exist? You don't know them. You don't know who they really are. Being blinded by someone's outward beauty can blind you to what's inside. A person can be beautiful....but have an ugly heart." His eyes lowered themselves from her own as he just....gazed off. "Vanessa wasn't actually in love with me. She was in love with the idea of me or what her twisted version of me should've been. She never allowed me to be me, but wanted me to fill a role she desired. And that's not love." He looked back at her. "That's selfishness." Yellow eyes scanned her face. ".....I think if I were to fall in love with you it'd be for all the opposite reasons Vanessa gave me, or other ladies. You weren't kind to me just because I was a prince, or because I was handsome, which I do claim.~ " Poppy rolled her eyes. "I could tell because you were so genuinely nice to everyone you meet. Even now. But even when you do fight with other people you were never.....cruel. Maybe a well deserved punch but you never really liked to fight with anyone. You treated me no different from the common man, and when we became friends you-....You were always so honest and open with me like I wasn't your future ruler or had this massive duty, or some fake fantasy. You treated me not as your superior, but as your equal. You listened to me even when I didn't listen to myself and....A-And you even AGREED with me when that pecking blonde demon did those pecked up things to me! You..you were the first person to really tell me what she was doing wasn't right. B-But ....I didn't listen. And...A-And my ignorance cost you and millions of others their lives probably...." He looked over at her again. "You were the most kind, fun, honest, down to earth person I had ever MET. Poppy, everytime I was around you, you made me smile when I was going through the worst part of my life! And you're the m-m-most forgiving person too....E-Even when I lied and I tricked you, and after everything that happened...You forgave me. I didn't to. You're the m-most beautiful person I've ever met. Inside and out." Her blue eyes were wide with an expression he couldn't place. Like a child seeing a toy for the first time in their life. He didn't notice it, but his body was likely shaking again. "A-A-And...I-I will never be able to make up for what I've caused. I'm...I'm s-so sorry."

"......Why?" She asked hands trembling within her lap as she just...looked at him. Blue eyes wide as she just..didn't know how to accept this new information. "....W-Why would you l-love someone like me l-l-like that?!"

"Why?! I just told you!" He stared at her and held his hands up. "For the love of peck I just told you why! I love the way you treat others! How kind you are!? That's why I love you!!"

Another moment of silence went by as the two just stared at each other for a long moment as the silence went on for a while longer as Poppy's face reheated with a new shade of red at his words.

"S-So...You admit you love me?"

Snatcher couldn't have turned a brighter yellow faster. "WHAT?! WHEN DID I EVER SAY I DID!?"

"JUST NOW!! YOU SAID 'THAT'S WHY I LOVE YOU'!!"

"NO I DIDN'T!!"

"YES YA DID!! AND DON'T LIE TA ME AGAIN YA PURPLE ONION!!"

"Rrrrrrrr! YOU'RE.......YOU'RE PECKING IMPOSSIBLE!!" He crossed his arms and looked away pouting as he he did so, still very obvious yellow blush running across his face as he did so. Which also confirmed everything he had just said. "FINE!! S-SO WHAT IF I DO!? IT'S NOT LIKE YOU WOULD'VE LIKED ME THAT WAY BACK!!" A silence filled the room as he just stared off.....before he peeked over at her. "R-right?"

She didn't answer at first, just sat there red faced and hummed. "W-Well.....maybe not now or like this....B-But it would've been nice if you didn't keep so much from me all the time."

"H-Hey! I said I was sorry!," he argued.

"And I said it was alright! But ya don't have to keep anymore stuff from me!" Her brow rose a little. "Don't suppose there ain't anything else I should know 'bout?"

Snatcher shook his head. "N-No...No. That's pretty much everything. Blabbered out behind my pecking back!....But all of it none the less."

"....Yer tellin' the truth?"

"Course I am! Pecking-.....*sighs* There's nothing else to lie about anymore."

Once again like in a cliche romance movie, the two looked down in silence. Well....what now? Were they just supposed to move forward like nothing at all happened? yeah right. Nothing would ever be the same now. It'd be awkward to everyone on both sides and in between. Way way too awkward!!

Poppy took a breath and looked back up to Snatcher who perked at her suddenly looking at him again. "W-Well....I'm glad you told me. I know it was...probably really hard for ya'll ta tell me anything considerin' what had happened." He opened his mouth to speak but she cut him off. "For what it's worth, what I said still stands. Ah ain't mad at ya. Not one bit. I-...I'm upset ya didn't tell me but I ain't mad. And I don't hate ya." Her hand reached out and Snatcher blinked when Poppy grabbed one of his hands into hers. "And....I don't think I ever thank ya for what ya did for me. Ya'll saved my life. M-More than once." She looked down at the embarrassing memory of her dangling from the dum rope in the middle of the forest like an idiot. "Ya didn't have ta help me at all..But ya did. And I can't ever say how much I appreciate it. So...how 'bout we jut call it even and be friends again?" She smiled that smile that could put any jewel or flower to shame. "Whatcha say, Snatcher? Care ta make a friend again?"

Snatcher looked at Poppy for a long time. Her beautiful kind smile looking back to him as her hands squeezed his large one, ever patiently waiting for an answer. She was offering him something he lost a long time ago. A friend. Didn't matter that he loved her in a way she might never return and didn't have to. After everything they experienced together. The lies, the fights, the fear, the near death experiences....She was still ready and willing to be his friend. Just like all those years ago when he lost her to the cold dark void of Vanessa. .....A small smile passed over the spook's face and his hand curled around hers.

"I'd like a friend very much."

***********************************************************************************************

Snatcher wasn't bluffing when he said he was going to rip into Hazelle the moment he saw her again for the stunts she pulled. And he did call her out for it the second he saw her, which was when he tagged along one time to Poppy's rehearsal. After that night with the two becoming friends once again, thing's were less tense and awkward around the place now that there wasn't any bad blood or anymore lies between them. Snatcher was like his old self again but a bit better.....If you count Snatcher going back to being how he was better. He was now more at peace when he was sitting in his forest reading and had taken up letting Poppy know the girls could go whereever they wanted without her watching them if that made it easier for her to pay off her debt to Mr. Grooves but Poppy had to decline since they were her ride there and back and she wanted to fix all debts before anything. Snatcher had rose a brow at her and told her as far as he was concerned their contract was upgraded to mutual friends status instead of servant and boss. He literally had in in rewriting to show her. So no more debts were owed to him since he agreed they were even now. Which was fair she supposed. At least it was another thing off her mind to worry less about as the days flew on. They were mostly spent with Snatcher.....Well doing everything he's been doing for the past thousand years which entertained him just fine. And Poppy studying/practicing her route for the play, feeling more and more nervous as the time flew on, taking care of the girls, or going to work paying back Mr. Grooves like she promised. Snatcher would pop up more often to talk with her about this play(which he thought was ridiculous of course) or it was spent with the two catching up with what Snatcher had gotten himself into for the past thousand years. Or sometimes he'd take her and the girls shopping somewhere, him always hidden in her or one of the girls' shadows. In one of those trips the gals were just exploring the other side of the town surrounding the studios before Poppy was rehearsed that day and she couldn't help but stop when she heard there was a plant shop in town. Of course being a plant lover she'd want to go in there and have a look around. The place ended up being smaller than she had thought. Selling small cacti and other desert plants small enough for tourist to take home and decorate their desks with. But there was ONE small pot that stood behind the cashier's desk that caught Poppy's eyes. And her blue eyes widened at the stunning rainbow displayed behind the female owl. Hattie yelped and was nearly run over by the older woman when Poppy ran up to the counter and slammed her hands on it. Startling the owl in front of her.

"WHERE IN THE PECK DID YA GET THOSE FLOWERS?!," she asked pointing to the rainbow roses behind the owl.

The owl just stared at her for a long moment before huffing and crossing her wings. "If you MUST know. I grew them myself." She smiled smugly. "They bring in all my customers during the touring seasons.....They're not for sale." She added coldly eyeing Poppy up.

Poppy's jaw dropped at the sudden bold coldness of her...before shaking her head and scowling. "NO WAY!! Ya'll don't understand! My family made those flowers! They're mah BIRTHRIGHT!! Tell me yer price! I'll buy 'em whatever they cost!! PLEASE!!"

The owl sneered at the human eyeing her up and down. "Let me make this perfectly clear to 'ya'll'. I don't know what pecking filthy human would know about MY flower business but you'd have better luck courting a mushroom into growing than you would taking MY property. Now if you're not going to buy anything, I suggest you leave before I call the Sheriff and his Deputy."

Poppy's anger rose. "Why ya no good filthy son of a peckin' PECKNECK B-"

"POPPY!!" Bow tugged on her dress and pulled towards the door. "We're going to be late! You promised DJ Grooves you'd be back before ten o clock!"

Poppy stared at her...before back at the smug looking Express Owl. "But ...I-...Mah roses!!"

"We don't have time!"

She managed to start pulling Poppy step by step away from the counter and out the door as she still scowled at the smug looking owl who waved goodbye. Not noticing the yellow orbs peeking out from Bow's shadow. Which lead up to what was happening now. After another month or two of their usually routine Snatcher got curious about what Poppy was actually doing for this play ever since he found out she'd be dancing with a man and acting a romantic scenario. And he was (concerned) interested in what they were doing so he decided to tag along and see what was up, the studios were too busy for his liking. Even more so when he had seen Hazelle and yelled at her from Hattie's shadow. Hattie had to shush him when a few other actors looked their way and Hazelle being Hazelle, was just amuzed. Teasing him even about how she reunited the (love birds) friends. Hazelle wore what looked like some rip off rich lady's dress, but somehow it suited the witch greatly as she was playing the evil step sister. Turns out the entire cast was taking a break from rehearsing to do costume fitting so the tailor could do final touch ups to everyone's outfits and make sure they were all fitting well. Poppy was called in not soon long after they arrived and they were bit busy distracted by Hazelle in her costume.

"It's so nice seeing you two getting along again with out you moping around that gloomy tree house."

"I swear you WILL regret this," Snatcher hissed from the shadow running up the wall.

Hazelle rolled her eyes. "Yes. Yes. Revenge and justice. Yadda, yadda, yadda. But since we're on the topic of justice. I don't think this dress's skirt does me any favors."

"HA! Now you look even more like a real witch!"

"Jealous? At least I don't look like an overbearing literal shadow watching over my crush's every move-"

"THAT'S IT!!" Snatcher detached himself from Bow's shadow and glared at her. "Laugh all you want! As soon as she's done, tell Poppy to meet me back on the ship!"

Hazelle rose a brow. "You're leaving before you get to see her in that pretty dress?"

"Yes! I have some business to take care off across town. No if you'll excuse me!"

If Snatcher had stayed a few seconds longer he would've seen Poppy come out to show the others the beautiful gown she was wearing that would've make Snatcher's metaphorical heart skip a beat. But no. The shadow had other business to attend to on the other side of town. In a small plant shop with a sneering owl. No one noticed the shadow skittering around buildings and along the sand towards the shop. Neither did the shop owner until a giant purple hand grabbed her middle and brought her into the air. Making her squawk as she was lifted up, and was gazing into the mad yellow eyes boring into her.

"Unless you want me to eat your soul, you'll give me those flowers and tell me where you got them."

#Snatcher

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