#when they arrived at the office and ryuu was like 'oh so.....this is his office

[unsupervisedpanda]

Runaway assassin

Obi x reader

You'd been alone for a while, and by a while I mean years. You'd quit your old job, or rather you ran away from it. Now you were taking random jobs that were simple and spread out so you could travel. Get to see the world. 

  Thing was you were always moving because well your ex-boss was a total prick. You'd worked for him as an assassin of sorts. You enforced things, hurt people, did anything that he told you to.

  It's not that you enjoyed hurting others, but it kept you alive. You used to have a partner, but he had disappeared, leaving you, after going on a job with your sister, Torou.

  When she came back you rushed to her looking for him, but she just smiled sadly and told you he was gone. You'd missed him, but accepted that he made his choice.

   Currently however you followed his example and were free to do what you wanted, when you wanted. You'd left the man, that life, behind.

     With that in mind you had decided to visit Clarines. Beautiful place really. Many opportunities. Running around and rushing through the streets you darted over a wagon leaping down.

  As you landed you sprinted away apologizing to the driver. As you dashed through another alley you yelped when you bumped into someone, hard.

   As you both began to fall, you grabbed their arm and used your weight to counteract theirs, pulling yourself forward and spinning around. You smiled at your success, having stopped a tragic fall for both of you.

  "Hey, sorry about that I was just really excited!" You apologized glancing up, "I'm y/n!"

   The person you had almost had a spill with was a girl about your age. She smiled softly, her bright green eyes glittering, and apple red hair shining. You elected not to point out the obvious though. 

  "It's alright. I'm Shirayuki. You must be new here! I'd show you around but I have to get to the castle." She frowned seeming to be a little sad at that thought.

   "Well then here's a proposal. I'll go with you to the castle and help you out. Then we can talk and you can do what you need to. I'll be like your own personal attendant, yea?" You grinned pointing to yourself.

   "I mean... We could try it! Sure let's go." She smiled taking your hand and leading the way to the castle.

   On the walk she'd told you all about her friends and her love interest Zen, the second Prince of Clarines. You'd also been informed of her role in the castle. A herbalist. You got excited and told her that you were actually quite experienced with the plants and their properties given your old establishment.

   After a while you were in front of a set of gates, two guards stood at their post.

    "Shirayuki! Good to see you. Who's your friend?" One of the guards inquired staring behind her, to you. Taking charge you stepped forward, crouching into a curtsey.

  "I'm y/n! Her attendant. I'm here to help her out." You smiled sweetly, causing the other guard to blush.

  "I see. Well the prince is inside awaiting your arrival. Good day Shirayuki, y/n." The guard smiled as he opened the large gate.

  As you walked in you gasped. This place was huge! White pillars filled the courtyard and several plants and trees grew along the white stone that seemed to be a path.

  "It's beautiful, isn't it?" Shirayuki giggled nudging you.

  "Absolutely." You breathed out, eyes wide as you took in your surroundings before turning to look at her.

    She grinned at you before waving you forward, encouraging you to follow her. Following closely you listened as Shirayuki told you about how she'd met the prince and his attendents, along with his most recent addition. Obi.

  You had heard the name and paused momentarily. She seemed to notice the slight shift in your behavior because she turned to face you.

  "Are you alright?" She asked tilting her head, her brows creasing in worry.

  Your mind raced as you mulled over the idea that it could be your Obi. It couldn't be him though, could it? Shaking your head you slapped your cheeks. It had to be someone else.

   "Of course! I'm sorry I just recognized the name is all. I'm totally fine!" You smiled grabbing her hand.

  "We should hurry! Don't wanna keep the prince waiting do we?" You winked and she flushed.

  "Right!"

   With that you both hurried off. Walking into the prince's quarters was nerve wracking. Not because you were scared or nervous because of him or anything, rather the idea that his attendant could be your Obi.

   Shirayuki knocked on the door and a muffled come in was called out. Pushing the door open she led you inside and began with the introductions.

  "Zen, Mistuhide, Kiki, Obi, this is y/n. Y/n this is Zen, Mistuhide, Kiki, and Obi." You glanced at each of them, but froze once you reached the tall brunette.

   Obi. It was actually your Obi. Once his cat like eyes reached yours he too froze.

  "Y/n? Are you alright?" Zen asked standing up, once he realized you seemed to be zoning out. Your eyes snapped over to him anxiously.

  "Of course! I'm sorry, how rude of me. I'm Y/n Woods, Shira's new attendent." You bowed giving the fake last name naturally.

   Obi's eyes widened slightly. You felt his gaze train on you as the other two began their own greeting. You smiled at them and told them a little about yourself.

    Once the introductions were finished Shirayuki dragged you off to work. Garak didn't seem to mind your company nor did Ryuu. You seemed to fit right in. Luckily for you there didn't seem to be much work today so maybe you could explore.

     Near sundown Shira asked you to drop one last concoction she brewed up off to Garak's office. Smiling you grabbed the liquid up and told her you'd be back in a jiffy.

   As soon as you were gone Shirayuki sighed. Turning around she found Obi right behind her crouched in the window.

   "Obi!" She yelped her hand flying up to her chest.

    "What are you doing here? Were you looking for y/n?" She inquired steadying her breathing.

   "How'd y'know?" He chuckled rubbing the back of his neck.

  She just smiled softly.

  "I don't know. Maybe it's the way you've been creeping around all day?" She smirked knowing she had him in a corner.

   "You see funny story. I was just conveniently around. Definitely not following." He defended weakly and she shook her head.

     "Oh sure. Convenient." She teased straightening some of her papers. 

  Obi sighed his shoulders drooping. He'd definitely been caught. Slinking out of the window sill he walked over and began to put some of the jars and containers away.

   "I know her. Knew her. She's a part of my past, better forgotten." Shrugging Obi looked over his eyes slowly widening. You were now standing behind Shirayuki. Your eyes were wide and glistening with unshed tears.

  Better forgotten? You were better forgotten because you were a part of his past? He left you on purpose?

  "You left me intentionally? Obi you wanted to just leave and forget about me? About us?" Shirayuki jumped looking behind her.

   "Y/n? That was fast." She gasped seeing the tears glisten down your cheeks.

   "I can't believe you! All these years I've been worried sick, looking for you, and you left me on purpose!" You snarled.

   "You know what? Fine. I'll just go back to that bastard. Maybe he'll actually want me!" You hissed. 

   Pushing past him you jumped out of the window and stormed toward the gate walls. You didn't have time to walk all the way to the gates.

   The tears were forcing their way out and you didn't want Obi to see you cry. Running towards the wall you heard Shirayuki call out for you.     

    Stopping you turned to look back at her. She looked sad, but you smiled and waved. You would at least say goodbye. Then you turned and sprinted away.

   "Obi! You have to go get her! Before she does something reckless!" Shirayuki whipped around pleading.

  "I can't. She is making her choice. It is her choice! She is her own person if she wants to leave then I should let her. You should let her." He argued looking away.

"Obi." Shirayuki snapped catching the male off guard. Glancing up quickly he winced at the look in her eyes.

  "You care about her. You loved her?" Shirayuki asked and Obi looked down.

  He did love you. He did care about you. And that's why he had to let you go.

    "I- that was a long time ago. I mean I still care about her but..." He sighed running his hand through his hair.

  "That was gone the moment I left. She hates me for sure now." He grumbled leaning against the counter.

   "She loves you." Shirayuki insisted. "She spent years looking for you. What reason could you possibly have to let her go? Again!?" She hissed out slamming a cabinet shut.

   Obi looked up surprised at the sudden anger in her voice. Why was she so insistent? So angry? She didn't know about the past you and him had. About what the two of you had been through. Maybe she was right though. 

   However, before he could say a word Shirayuki was in his face.

   "No don't answer that because actually I don't want an answer! She needs you now! She loves you! She thought you were Dead! Dead Obi!" She snapped.

  "She looked for you and waited and you just.... You just are going to let her go?!"

  Looking down Obi felt his eyes begin to water. He didn't want to let you go but what could he do? Pretend he didn't leave? Act like he didn't just say he wanted to forget about you?

   As he thought things over he remembered the argument you'd just had and something clicked.

"Fine. I'll just go back to that bastard."

You were still stuck with Guran. That son a.... Suddenly he was turning and leaping out of the window. He landed and darted forward racing through and jumping into the trees. He needed to find you and fast. He couldn't let you go back, not to him

Back to you

  You ran faster then you thought you could. He didn't want you. He left you. He willingly left you. He abandoned you. Your mind raced as you gasped, your breath came out ragged.

  Tears streamed down your face as you sprinted between buildings and people. You couldn't stop. You had to keep moving or you'd collapse and never get back up. Maybe that wouldn't be so bad though. Just stopping and lying there in the empty dark.

  However before you got out of your current alley way someone grabbed you. Your wrist was twisted behind your back and a hand covered your mouth.      

   Panic filled you and your mind was fogged with heartache. Maybe you could just give up. You had no reason to fight. Obi didn't want you and Guran would only beat and use you. Even Touru had left you. You had no fight left so you just slumped.

    Your knees gave out and you sunk. The person grunted but pulled you up.

  "Come on my butterfly, don't be like that." The voice caused your skin to tingle uncomfortably. Guran. He'd found you.

  "Now how about we talk about how you ran away, huh?"

  You closed your eyes and pushed yourself away from him, but he only gripped onto you tighter. You whimpered as he laughed.

  "Please. You think I'm gonna let you go? Not now butterfly."

   Before you could say anything you heard something flying through the air and gasped as you felt yourself taken from the bulky, grubby arms of Guran.

   "Well how about now, you bastard." The voice was venomous. Angry.

  Opening your eyes wearily and noticed the spiky brown hair immediately. Obi. He'd come for you.... But why? Your mouth went dry as you realized you'd almost let Guran take you. Your face was red and blotchy from crying you were sure.

  Carefully the male set you down but kept you close. Cautiously you reached your arms up and dug your face into Obi's neck. His grip on you tightened as Guran let out a big burly laugh that sounded like a choke.

  "How cute the cat and the butterfly. Look Obi I ain't got no hard feelings, but she's my property. So if you don't mind..." He took a step towards you and Obi shifted you in his arms, launching three kunai at Guran. A warning.

  Snarling Guran launched at Obi. You felt the ground leave as Obi wrapped his arms around your waist launching to the right, dodging the sloppy attack. Anger was making a deadly assassin useless.

  Your eyes widened as Guran turned his eyes large and wide. In his side was a kunai. You couldn't be sure if Obi had done it or if his anger had made him act that recklessly, but he looked like a pissed off bull.

  Tapping Obi's shoulder you looked up to him hoping he got the message. Before Obi could respond, you pushed away from him and sped around the bleeding Guran. He was a bastard, but he wasn't stupid. He couldn't attack you both.

   Obi seemed to catch on and sped the opposite way. Rushing around you noticed Guran's eyes latch onto you. He wanted you. That was enough information to know your next move.

  Running towards the woods you saw earlier. Running through you pulled yourself up into a tree and began to hop tree to tree. Guran had been stabbed, hopefully that would slow him down.

  Climbing and jumping, you kept going, praying Guran wasn't as close as he felt. This was certainly a game of cat and mouse, but this mouse was just as dangerous.

    As you hopped towards another branch you yelped when you felt hands grasp at your ankles causing you to slip off of the branch.

   You fell hard, branches digging into your skin and bruising your body. You gasped loudly when you hit the ground, the air being forced out of your lungs. Your arms were scraped, your legs ached, and your back burned.

   Opening your eyes you saw Guran was growling across from you, his eyes wide and wild. Gritting your teeth you pushed yourself up before sprinting again. You heard his body clamber up, the branches snapping under his weight.

   Where was Obi? Was he okay? Were you going to be okay? You didn't know but kept running. You dodged multiple trees as you gasped for air, lungs burning. Maybe you'd bruised a couple ribs.

   Listening intently you heard rushing water. Legs pumping with all they were worth, you raced to the source. You gasped at the large waterfall. There was no way you could jump that.

   A branch snapped behind you and you whipped around. Turning you saw Guran slinking in a primal look in his gaze. You bit the inside of your cheek as you looked around for an escape.

   "You dumb bitch. You thought you could leave? That he could save you? He ran away like the coward he is." He laughed a nasally laugh. Your heart slammed against your chest, but you kept your face neutral.

   "Yet I'm still standing." You replied stepping back slightly. You winced as you felt the soft ground give way slightly.

   "Not for long." Your eyes widened as he pulled out his whip, quickly lashing it at your ankles.

   Yelping you stepped back trying to avoid the lashing of the whip, but the ground gave way and your footing left you, rushing water frothing, ready to swallow you.

  Squeezing your eyes shut you prepared for your death, silently praying it was the water that killed you and not Guran. What you didn't expect however was for someone to grab you mid-fall. Cracking your eyes open you saw the cat-like hues of Obi. He looked pissed.

   "The only coward I see here is you, Guran." His voice was harsh and cold as he pulled you securely into his chest. Your heart was racing, pounding.

  "Listen, Obi we never had any bad blood. I said it before, I'll say it again. Just hand the girl over. She's my property, and needs to be punished. Isn't that right, little butterfly?" You shuddered at the nickname.

  "No. You'll have to kill me first, and I don't plan on dying anytime soon." Obi snarled.

  Quickly he pulled you from his chest, before grabbing your hand and pulling you through the trees again.

  The branches scratched and tore at you skin and clothes, your ribs and back ached, your eyes were red and puffy, but you hadn't felt this alive, this free, in forever.

  Calming your breathing you listened as Guran crashed through the woods, yelling and cursing at you both.

  Soon though, despite your high pain tolerance and stamina, the pain in your side became too much and you collapsed, your breathing becoming labored. You knew Guran was close, but you couldn't run anymore.

  "Y/n what's wrong?" Obi whipped around as you collapsed.

  When he saw you on the ground, your chest heaving, he panicked. Immediately he crouched down trying to look you over.

    Looking into your eyes for permission he grabbed the hem of your top. You nodded with a wince and that was all he needed. Pulling your shirt up slightly he grimaced at the already purpling bruises.

  "Y/n we have to keep moving. I'm sorry." He sighed before pulling you up and into his arms.

  "This is gonna hurt." He warned before darting away again.

  You moaned slightly in pain, wrapping your arms around his neck. Peering over his shoulder you saw a very angry Guran.

   Obi must have noticed the male closing in because he ran faster, faster than you thought he could carrying you. The woods began to thin. You were closing in on the town.

   "Y/n," you heard Obi speak, but you just tucked your face away into his neck. He nodded, his pace slowing down as he began to make turns into random alley ways.

   "They should be around here..." He murmured and then you heard horse hooves.

   "Obi! What were you- y/n?" You heard Zen, his voice going from irritation to concern.

   "Master! Where is Shirayuki? Y/n, she's not doing to good." Obi's voice faltered at the end as his arms tightened around your legs and waist causing you to cry out quietly. He apologized softly.

   "I'm right-" she stopped when she saw you in Obi's arms.

    "Oh my god. Y/n!" She cried as she rushed over her hands fluttering over you not knowing where to start.

   "You son of a bitch!" A familiar voice snarled behind you and you felt your heart squeeze.

   Guran stood behind you, behind Obi, his katana held out with one hand, and the other holding his bleeding abdomen.

    "I'm going to kill her. I'm going to torture her and I'm going to make you watch!" He snapped rushing at the group and you screamed as he slashed down.

   Zen rushed forward throwing Shirayuki up onto his horse and Obi dodged the blade, his hold on you never loosening.

    He wasn't going to give you up. He wasn't going to let you go again. Having you so close and almost losing you so quickly, put him into resignation. You were never leaving his side and he'd never leave yours again.

    "Fucking hell. Just give me the bitch. She's broken. Useless." Guran growled his tone bored and tired.

    "Like hell." Obi snarled, before handing you up to Mitsuhide.

    "You want her? You'll have to take her from my cold, dead hands." Obi snapped pulling 3 kunai out.

   Guran smiled. "That can be arranged."

  You tried to stay awake. You tried so hard but everything hurt. Your head was pounding and you felt like you were on fire.

   "Mitsu," you whimpered before the heat over took you. You fell limp in the man's arms causing him to freak out. Obi very nearly turned around to grab you and just run. He wouldn't though. Couldn't. He'd get rid of this bastard so that he never hurt you again.

   "I'm going to kill you." Obi frowned as he said it, but he knew he meant it.

    "I'd like to see you try. I taught you everything you know, boy." Guran snickered before rushing forward. The two danced around each other, stabbing and jerking at each other.

   Obi would stab at him and Guran would jerk to the side before prodding at Obi. Obi didn't want to underestimate the man. Stabbed or not he was still an assassin. Still deadly.

   "I'm going to incapacitate you. And then I'm going to kill each and every one of your friends, saving our little butterfly for last. Her? I'm going to kill her nice and slow. A stab here a slice there. I'm going to make her scream." Guran sneered, an attempt  to make Obi lash out at him.

   "I'm going to kill you quickly. You'll have no mercy." Obi hissed.

   His eyes were small slits, and his face held a prominent frown as he circled the bulky male, looking for an opening.

   He found one when the man jumped towards Mitsuhide's horse. His mistake was turning his back to Obi. As he leapt at you and Mitsuhide, Kiki jumped in front of your horse and deflected the man's katana with a clang!

   Obi appeared behind the man, one kunai at his throat and another through his back.

   "Go to hell." Obi whispered in Guran's ear before slitting his throat.

   Shirayuki hid her face in Zens back and Kiki nodded at Obi. Then Obi was at your side brushing your hair back and Mitsuhide offered to ride with Kiki.  Shirayuki rode with Zen allowing Obi to ride back with you held close to his chest. Zen sent some of his towns guard to deal with the body.

Later

   "How is she?" Zen asked peering over at Obi who held you, clutching on to you like you'd disappear with the wind.

   "I won't know for sure until we get back, Master. She hasn't opened her eyes yet." Obi glanced back down at you, your face was still red and looked troubled.

    That look on your face hurt him, and in that moment he knew he'd never walk away from you again. He never thought about how leaving would affect you. He never gave himself the chance to think about it.

    His grip on you tightened the more he thought about it. Leaning down he kissed your forehead. When you opened your eyes again he would make you a promise. A promise to never leave you ever again.   

    When you all arrived back to the castle, everyone fretted over you and Obi. You were still unconscious, still in Obi's arms, as they lead him to the infirmary.

    Gurak took care of him while Ryuu and Shirayuki treated you. Ryuu looked ready to break, and Shirayuki had a look of concentration, determined to ease the pain.

    Obi would've smiled at her determined face but he couldn't seem to find it. When you did wake up it was 4 hours later. Obi never left your side, holding your hand in his. He didn't leave, even when Zen ordered him to get something to eat or drink, or just anything that would distract him.

    Shirayuki promised you'd be okay, but he just couldn't bring himself to leave. So when you did wake up he was right there with you.

    Your first response to waking up was to promptly hit the first person you saw. Fight or Flight kicking in. That person was Obi. You swung and Obi caught your fist.

    "Easy there, Tiger. You might hurt someone." He chided playfully, his eyes glinting softly.

    "Obi." You all but whispered before leaping into his arms.

    It hurt, hell it hurt, but being in his arms made you feel so much better. Knowing he didn't leave you, eased your heartache.  

     He held you securely, but not painfully. His face was tucked into your neck as he held you. Your arms were wound around his shoulders and you cried softly into his jacket.

    He didn't let you go, not until you pulled away. Then he held your face, his eyes boring into yours. Your face flushed lightly and then he leaned forward. His lips barely touching yours, hovering. Closing your eyes you closed the gap. His lips were warm, and slightly wet. It made your stomach flip and your heart pound.

    Kissing Obi. You were kissing Obi. You hands found their way to the back of his neck deepening the kiss. You would've kissed him forever but you pulled away before you could embarrass yourself.

     "Never-" you started but jumped when he spoke at the same time.

    "I love you." He whispered tucking your hair behind your ear.

    Your eyes widened and you stared at him, unsure as to whether or not you were awake.

    "Obi- I love you, too?" Your voice was higher than normal in shock. He let out a sigh of relief before holding your hands in his.

   "Thank god. You were saying?" He asked as he played with your fingers. It took you a minute but you realized what he meant and reiterated.

    "I was saying 'never leave me again' but I think you got that covered." You laughed leaning forward to kiss his forehead.

     "Never." He agreed nodding.

   You let out a sigh of relief but yelped when the door slammed open and Ryuu and Shirayuki ran in and globbed you.

   Gurak laughed as you were mauled and you playfully glared at her, wrapping your arms around both of your friends.

    "I'm okay." You promised them.

   When they finally pulled away Shirayuki checked you over and confirmed that, while you'd be sore, you were indeed fine.

   Obi held your hand the entire time and that calmed you. When she was done they'd all taken turns explaining what happened while you were unconscious and telling you about the treatment you'd needed and received.

    Obi purposefully left out the unaliving of Guran. He did tell you that he wouldn't bother you anymore though, but that was it.

    You nodded listening intently. When they finished you smiled at them, thanking them and then turned to kiss Obi on the cheek.

    "I may not have a prince charming like our little red here, but I do have my own knight." You snickered and you saw Ryuu smile slightly. Obi chuckled kissing your forehead.

    Smiling at your newfound friends you winked at them. You'd scored the runaway assassin. 

#snow white with the red hair #obi x reader #obi nanaki x reader #snow white with the red hair x reader

[lovelytarou]

caffeinated love

pairing: nishinoya yuu x reader

genre: fluff, slight angst

tags: coffee shop!au, barista!noya, noya & reader being whipped for each other

a/n: dedicated to my beautiful, loving, sweet and supportive wife @chibishae34 💖💞❤️💕 i hope you liked this surprise and i did your bb noya justice! :c

it was a perfectly sunny day.

it was too perfect, you might add. the scene in front of you could easily fit into a studio ghibli movie, the only thing missing are the animated characters, and the soft piano music that usually accompanied the films.

you don't know what made you look at life with rose-colored lenses today, it might be because you're in a good mood, or you woke up on the right side of the bed, or the wind just brought some positive air to you. whatever it is, you're thankful for it.

you're walking around campus with a skip on your steps, a smile on your face as you grinned at the people you passed and the surroundings. to some people, it might come off as creepy, or even weird, but no one is going to ruin your mood today. not when you're so close to having your coffee.

a bigger smile tugged at your lips, looking up at the café in front you – its bold, intricate sign you're familiar with and the welcoming aura beckoning you in.

Crows' Cabin.

your favorite café that serves the best coffee ever in your campus. you couldn't have asked for more. they got your coffee right, the perfect amount of sweetness, the tinge of bitterness, and the smooth feel of the cream like a warm blanket on a cold day. not to mention, their staff is pretty welcoming and friendly, too.

what you loved most about this place is the fact that you can study in peace and the fast wi-fi that they have. it has the perfect atmosphere to do a little studying while you sip your coffee.

walking inside, you pushed the doors open, letting it emit a small ringing sound as it announces your arrival. the usual silver-haired cheery guy that greets you when you come in isn't standing in his usual post. instead, a short guy with bleached streaks greeted you with a lively energy that almost shocked you to the core.

you can't help but think how cute he looks, and walked closer cautiously to the counter.

“hello! welcome to crows' cabin! what can i getcha, cutie?” he gave you a big grin, leaning on the counter with his arm. you blinked in surprise, taken aback by his ecstatic greeting and chuckling lightly.

“hey, uh...is sugawara not here?” you probably sounded rude, but if there's a new guy on his stead, you could only guess that he's going to get your coffee wrong. at least, that's what you think.

he let out a humming sound, his face scrunching up as he thinks with his index finger and thumb under his chin. your heart skipped a beat. he couldn't get any cuter.

“i heard sugawara changed shifts because of his hectic schedule and all,” he explained, waving his arms about. “but you're lucky you're stuck with me! so, what do you want? coffee, tea, or me?” he gave you a wink after his question.

despite the nag of disappointment at the news of sugawara not being able to take your order anymore, it was quickly replaced by giddiness at the presence of this energetic boy in front of you.

before you could answer, however, the other staff with shaved hair that you quickly recognized as tanaka ryuunosuke, emerged from the kitchen and shook his head at his co-worker's antics.

“oi, stop flirting with the customer and take their order already!” he scolded, slapping the boy with the small towel he's holding on the head, earning a yelp.

“ukai-san won't be happy to know that you're trying to pick up chicks while on the job, you know.” tanaka's quip made your cheeks heat up. although, it seemed like the smaller guy is flirting with you, it was probably how he greets all the customers that comes in the café.

yet, the thought of him asking you out isn't too bad at all.

he's pretty attractive, you'll admit that. he's got mesmerizing, big, brown eyes that looks like it can pierce through your soul the longer you looked at them, and not to mention his fiery personality that greeted you the moment you entered.

“i can't help it, ryuu. they just looked so cute! who am i to deny our pretty customer our special service?” he wiggled his eyebrows at you suggestively. god, you wanted the ground to swallow you whole.

“leave the poor customer alone, idiot. look at them, they're too red already!” it definitely didn't help that tanaka made a comment on how flustered you seem to get over his co-workers flirtatious advances.

“i-i'll get the usual, please...” you managed to croak out despite the embarrassment you felt, immediately sliding the exact amount to the counter.

the boy tilted his head at you in confusion, “the usual...?”

oh, right. he's new.

ignoring your flushed cheeks and rapidly beating heart, you murmured how you liked your coffee all the while his piercing gaze is intently staring at you, giving you his undivided attention while you explain your order passionately.

“uh, no– wait, that's probably too complicated. i'll just get that one instead–” he waved his hand dismissively at your panicked ramblings.

“nah, no need. i already memorized your order, angel face.” with one final wink at you, he went to the back to prepare your coffee.

“why don't you settle in and get comfortable while i prepare your drink?” he called over his shoulder.

tanaka could only watch the commotion with fond, proud gaze as he went back to his own station.

꘎♡━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━♡꘎

during the afternoon, the crows' cabin don't have many patrons unlike in the mornings and evenings. usually, they were back in their classes or offices, and sometimes will only grab a quick bite before heading out.

this is the most peaceful moment, in your opinion, in the café. you hummed along to the song playing on the speakers as you typed away for your essay that is due tomorrow. yeah, it might not be healthy to cram when it's due tomorrow, but with how busy you are, can you really blame yourself?

what's important is you're doing it now instead of putting it away and procrastinating like you always do.

your fingers stopped typing as you gazed out the window, thinking of what to write next. amid the staring absently at nothingness, the boy from the counter approached you. he placed the cup from the tray beside you on a coaster.

“thanks, uh...” shoot, you didn't get his name. you don't remember tanaka mentioning it, too.

he seemed to have read your mind as he laughed, eyes crinkling at the sides as he threw his head back. you can't help but stare at him, he's such a ball of sunshine. any moment now and you're sure your heart will burst because of this guy.

“my name's nishinoya yuu, nice to meet you, uhm...” he stretched his hand out, which made you chuckle. you accepted it, shaking his hand as you introduced yourself.

nishinoya rubbed the back of his head, his cheeks flushing, “that's a pretty name.” he murmured, eyes casting off to the side as the thought of how warm and soft your hands are overtaking his mind.

before he could get carried away, he cleared his throat and looked at you expectantly.

“anyway, i'm excited about what you think of the coffee i made!” he bounced on his heels from where he stood, excitement jittering his bones.

rolling your eyes playfully, you cracked a smile at his excited expression and brought the cup to your lips to take a sip.

time seemed to have stopped as nishinoya watched you take another sip of coffee. you, on the other hand, couldn't believe that he made it just how you like it despite the first time making it for you. the slight smirk didn't escape your notice as you let out an appreciative hum upon the taste.

“so?” he leaned a little close to you, anticipation written all over his cute face.

“i gotta hand it to you, nishinoya. you did well, maybe even better than sugawara’s,” his chest seemed to puff up at your praise which you found endearing. so he likes to be complimented.

“of course! who else can make your coffee if not also the best barista in crows' cabin?” he boasted, thumbs pointing at himself. you can't help the laughter that bubbled out of you. he's such a refreshing presence in such a familiar place. and you're here for it.

he felt his heart clench as he smiled at your laughing figure, one thought only occupying his mind: he wanted to see you smile and laugh more.

he glanced at the clock on the wall, noticing that it'd be a few hours left before his shift ends and until then he still has a lot to do. even if it makes him sad, he has to go back to work and part from you. although, he hopes not permanently.

“anyways, enjoy your coffee! don't work too hard! and uh, call me yuu.” he gave you one last smile before he went back behind the counter.

yuu.

his name kept repeating over and over inside your head, a smile on your face as you looked down at your cup of coffee.

you're definitely going to keep coming back here.

꘎♡━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━♡꘎

the next time you went back to the café, nishinoya perked up like an overexcited dog. his face immediately lit up at the sight of you. the relief that washed over you was something that you kept thinking about as you made your way to the counter, a grin splitting your face.

why were you so glad to find out that he's here?

“hey, it's you again. how are you doing today?” he greeted, already buzzing to life at the mere sight of you.

“i'm great, actually. and you?”

“it's been a long day, but it's all better now that you're here, cutie.” he chuckled at the way you became flustered in seconds after he called you a pet name.

“you're not too bad yourself, yuu. i'll take–”

“–the usual. i already memorized it, remember?” he replied, seeing the puzzled look on your face.

“right. yeah, sorry.” you facepalmed yourself softly, shaking your head at your forgetfulness. “it's just...i've been working too hard so i probably forgot,”

“i have just the thing, now go get cozy and i'll bring your drink!”

you took that as your cue to find your seat. today was pretty hectic for you, especially since you have to catch up to the nearing deadlines. taking a seat, you immediately opened up your laptop and began to work.

not half an hour later, a cup was placed in front of you, along with nishinoya sitting at the opposite chair which made you quirk an inquisitive eyebrow at the boy.

“what are you doing?”

“it's okay, i have my break at this time.” he then placed a bag beside your laptop, “on the house, a little birdie told me that it's your favorite,” he sheepishly rubbed at his nape, avoiding your gaze.

opening the bag, you find out that it's one of your favorite pastries inside. you can't help the soft gasp leaving your mouth at the kind gesture.

“oh, thank you so much! i've been craving these lately.” you gave him a grateful smile, biting down on your favorite treat. it still tasted just as good, but what really warmed your heart was the thought of nishinoya purposely asking sugawara for your favorite pastry and you can't help but add it to one of the things you like about him.

wait...like?

you couldn't help but choke at your own thoughts to which nishinoya shot you a concerned look. once you calmed down, you noticed that he kept glancing back at the wall clock then back at you then down at his fiddling hands.

“what's wrong?” you asked through a mouthful of food. yuu chuckled at the sight and shook his head.

“can i borrow a pen?” confused, you gave him one anyway. he grabbed the bag that your food was placed in, scribbling on it.

“thanks, i gotta go back now. break's over. bye!” he jogged back to his station and you were left weirded out by his actions. not only when you were preparing to leave the café did you notice the small note at the other side of the paper bag.

nishinoya yuu

xxx-xxx-xxx :)

you exited the café with your stomach and heart feeling full.

꘎♡━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━♡꘎

“do you think they liked the treat? will they even text back?” nishinoya paced back and forth in their small staff room.

“what if they didn't read the note?!” he gasped, stopping in his tracks as he bites his nails in anxiety.

sugawara laughed at his junior's predicament, “relax! of course they'd love the treat, i did tell you it was their favorite. as for the number, you should probably be a little more patient with that, noya.” he advised, placing an assuring hand on noya's shoulder.

as if possessed by a spirit, nishinoya perked up and his agitated self was replaced with determination.

“you're right. i shouldn't worry about it too much. they'll come around!” as soon as he said that, his phone's ringtone resonated in the small space.

on his screen was an unknown number and he immediately knew it's you.

without wasting another moment, nishinoya picked up the phone and answered the call.

“h-hello, y/n?” he internally cursed at himself for stuttering.

“–john? is that you? how's your mother–”

dumbstruck, nishinoya abruptly ended the call and placed his phone on the table.

“what happened? what did they say?” sugawara inquired, eager to know what happened between the two.

“it's not them.” nishinoya deflated like a balloon, covering his face with his palms.

was he reading this right? what if you don't see him that way? what if he was just forcing himself on you and in reality you don't really reciprocate the emotions he felt whenever you enter the café?

with a little more positivity from his seniors and tanaka telling him that he shouldn't lose hope, nishinoya decided to go home feeling less energetic than usual.

it was not around midnight that he received a call from an unknown number. he hated that he felt excited, that maybe, just maybe at the other end it was you.

picking it up slowly, he breathed in and out, counting to five before he answered the call.

“hello, yuu? it's y/n. sorry i called at a time like this,”

his eyes lit up at the sound of your familiar voice. even through the phone it sounded as beautiful as ever.

he almost stumbled over the scattered clothes and mess that littered his bedroom floor when it is indeed you that called him, landing on his bed.

“y/n? it's really you! uh, don't worry about it. i'm not sleeping yet...totally not because i was waiting on you or anything!”

your laughter brought butterflies fluttering in his stomach, oh how he'd love to hear that sweet sound everyday. it got him smiling too as he listened to it.

“i'm sorry for making you wait. i was just busy with my studies and all...but, i've decided.”

“decided...on what?”

there was a pregnant pause on the other end, he thought that you might ended the call or something. but then you spoke up again.

“i wanna go on a date with you.”

he must be in heaven because there is no way in hell or earth that you'd want to go on a date with him. you, who looks so pretty, beautiful, elegant and charming that he's having a hard time if you're actually real. you, who never fails to make his days a little better at work whenever you waltzed in and decided to grace him with your presence. you, with your complicated mixture of coffee that he memorized in favor of impressing you and in hopes that you come back again to the café.

he couldn't believe it.

“y-yeah? that's great! so, when are you free?”

“i was thinking maybe saturday? if that's alright with you?”

“that's fine with me! i actually have a day off on saturday. same time? at the cafe?”

he can't help the grin that's practically splitting his face in half but he's just so happy. he immediately caught feelings for you the moment you walked inside crows' cabin and he can't get you out of his mind since.

the same thing can be said about you, which the only reason you're actually studying in the café and keep coming back there was for a whole another reason other than coffee. heck, you even find yourself thinking of him whenever you drink the beverage.

with a lovestruck look on your face, you nodded even though he couldn't see it.

“yeah, that would be great.”

꘎♡━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━♡꘎

when saturday came, to say that you were nervous and jittery would be an understatement. you can't stop looking at yourself in the mirror or literally any surface that you have a reflection on to make sure that you looked nice and presentable on your date with noya.

and due to that fact, you didn't notice him walking up to you, all smiles and looking as cute and handsome as ever.

“ready to go?” he asked, offering his elbow to you which you gladly accepted.

“where are we going?”

“it's a surprise,” he teased, flashing you a mischievous smile.

you went along with it. the two of you walked, stopped for some food and talked about what you both liked, disliked, and how he got the job at crows' cabin.

“–so i told ukai-san that i really need the money! i was actually just saving up for the new game i saw down the street but i made it sound like it's a life or death situation if he wouldn't hire me. in the end, i loved working there. i mean,” he gestured to the two of you, “because of it, i finally went on a date with a wonderful person!”

chuckling at him, you playfully pushed his shoulder.

“shut up,” you grumbled.

you can't help but admire him. the way he animatedly tell his stories with his own sound effects and grand gestures that never fails to make you laugh and rope you in with the story. he's fun to hang out with, knows a lot of stuff about the neighborhood and won't run out of tales.

“ah! we're here!” he paused walking to stop in front of your designated place.

he brought you to the movies.

“oh, wow...i didn't expect that,” you laughed sheepishly, trying not to offend him.

“i figured we'd watch a movie. ryuu said that there's this new horror movie that's a blockbuster nowadays,” quickly catching on to his plan, you smirked to yourself slightly.

“is that so? well, i'm pretty sure you'll protect me from the scary things in there, right, yuu?”

he seemed to puff up at that, “of course i will! what kind of man would i be if i can't protect you?”

that earned another laughter from you, shaking your head as you tugged his arm towards the direction of the entrance.

he insisted that he'd pay for the tickets and the food which surprised you a bit, but you couldn't really complain since he was being nice all day to you. you decided to just pay him back later.

as soon as the both of you are inside and the movie is playing halfway, you noticed how he's the one who is more scared of it than you. he's trying to play it off by coughing when he'd accidentally yell in surprise or laugh it off when he'd jolt up from a jumpscare.

how cute.

without saying a word, you grabbed his hand and squeezed it reassuringly. the feeling of your soft and warm hands brought him back to reality, looking down at your intertwined hands. his cheeks flared up and he thanked himself for choosing a horror movie or else this moment wouldn't happen.

“ah, i'm glad that movie was over!” he cried out in relief. all throughout the movie, he kept squeezing your hand hard like a woman giving birth or hiding on your shoulder when a jumpscare comes on. you gotta admit that you enjoyed his reactions more than the movie itself.

you were both now walking home – he insisted – and your hands are still holding each other, clearly not wanting to let go. by the time you walked out of the theatre, it's already nighttime.

the skies are clear and there are stars peppering the night sky. it's quiet out with an occassional passing vehicles, or a hoot of an owl but it's a comforting silence.

“this is me,” you mumbled, stopping on your tracks once you saw the familiar street your residence was in.

noya can't help but glance at the street behind you with a sad look and down at your still conjoined hands. he knows he should, but he wanted to spend the night with you longer.

“you sure you can make it home okay?” he gave you a pleading look, hoping that you'd let him at least walk you in front of your house.

“yeah, i'm sure.” with that, he let go of your hands hesitantly, linking your pinkies as he gave you a small, content but genuine smile.

“i really had fun today, yuu.” you avoided his gaze when you saw his smile widen in satisfaction. he laughed heartily at that.

“me too, even if i hid throughout the movie.” he rubbed the back of his head, feeling his face heat up in embarrassment. he kept rambling about how he probably turned you off because of that and why he shouldn't have taken you to the movies but somewhere exciting instead.

goddamnit, you can't take it anymore.

leaning in, you closed the distance between the two of you and slotted your lips in his, closing your eyes. you felt his breath hitch at your actions, his hands coming up to hold your jaw.

just like everything about him, the kiss was breathtaking.

it felt like hours when you pulled away, his eyes was still closed as he savored the blissful moment you shared.

“thank you,” you whispered, as if any louder can ruin the magic.

you pushed his shoulders away gently, giggling as you walked home. nishinoya was left there, awestruck with a dumb smile on his face as he stared at your retreating figure like he just woke up from a beautiful dream.

“huh...? hey, wait! come back here!”

#haikyuu fluff #nishinoya yuu #yū nishinoya #nishinoya yuu x reader #nishinoya yuu x y/n #nishinoya fluff #haikyuu!! fanfiction #haikyuu #hq fanfic #nishinoya x reader #i might got a little carried away with this lmao but i think i liked?? this?? #💫.nishinoya yuu #tarou writes 🌹

[obsidiancorner]

ObiYuki Bingo- Cyberpunk

Wherever You Go- Chapter 1

(Shout out to @ruleofexception for naming this thing that I have been struggling to name since my board came out and I saw what all was on it. )

Year: Ad Pacem-1103 (3119 AD)

"... They look human, making it nearly impossible to deduce who they are by physical traits alone. They have also studied our speech patterns.”

Shirayuki hangs her head in her hands, elbows propped on the very edge of her desk so she doesn’t skew or drop any pages of the research splayed out in front of her. Whoever leaked the info to the media signed their own death warrant. At a guess, they will simply vanish from existence under the silent vigilance of the approaching midnight hours.

“The specimen in custody converses fluently with the state officials interrogating it but it will not divulge any information regarding how long it has been here, what their objectives are, and, ultimately, what their interest is in Earth’s-”

Shirayuki slams her hand down on the button beside the small projector lens from her desk, hitting it too hard in frustration and her old desk groans in protest as the screen flickers out of existence, leaving her alone in the quiet solitude of her office. She resists the urge to pace by drumming her nails on the surface of her desk.

There’s always something going on. Nothing can be easy anymore. No break from one calamity to the next. The only guarantee is that some other shadow looms on the horizon. Why not an alien invasion? Sure. First it was a deadly plant they had to somehow make prosperous. Then it was a coup attempt that thankfully failed. Why not an alien invasion next. That’s way more interesting and potentially life threatening now that they’ve been found out.

With a heavy sigh, Shirayuki shuts off the newscast. She smacks the button on her console with more force than is strictly necessary and the screen before her shrinks into nothing as the shutter from the projector on the desk winks closed and the quiet whir of the computer dissipates. Obi will have something to say about that when they meet for lunch, Shirayuki thinks as she packs up to meet him at their favorite cafe.

-----------

Obi is late. He’s never late for food and he never skips a meal without a mandatory and likely classified reason. When the server approaches for the third time, Shirayuki orders him something just in case he shows up last-minute.

His food arrives but her lunch is ending. True fear creeps in with all the subtlety of a hurricane making landfall. The server, probably assuming she had been stood up for a lunch date, flashes her a pitied smile and packs the extra meal in a takeout box for her.

Shirayuki responds with what she hopes is a smile, though it feels like a grimace, before tucking Obi’s untouched meal under her arm.

She makes a quick stop at the lab to tell Garrack she doesn’t feel well and needs to take the afternoon off before heading home to stew in her worry in the comfort of her own home.

----------

“They can be found through infrared scanning,” Izana says as he taps his stack of intel reports on his desk to neaten the edges.

Obi drums his fingers on his leg. His nerves are fraying because nothing good can come of this. Aliens are among them and no government officials have been approached for permission to be here. It’s an aggressive and underhanded act from unnamed foes from heaven and stars only know where.

“What do you suggest we do? Makiri?”

Obi doesn’t flinch. Barely. It’s been a long time since he has heard such an aggressive level of annoyance from an employer. At least he isn’t the reason for it. Though his presence in this meeting leads him to believe he’s about to be a part of it whether he wants to or not, right along side Mitsuhide and Hisame who are likewise unfortunate enough to be sitting beside him.

“Your majesty, I believe it is for the best if we go ahead and authorize the military’s partnership with Cyberdyne Systems. We now have the technology to do it safely and we need a sharper edge if we are going to defend ourselves against such a threat.” Makiri is all business, matter-of-fact and unflinching in his appraisal of the situation and his assessment of an appropriate counter-measure.

Obi looks at Makiri. The fuck is Cyberdyne Systems? Makiri, despite it being his suggestion, whatever it is, looks uneasy at the thought. The conviction of his words no longer syncs with his facial expression so whatever it is must not be good news or an entirely safe plan. A sobering concept. Makiri is never anything but sure of himself.

“Do it. Get me the paperwork and you’ll have my signature the moment it lands on my desk,” Izana responds with a calm intensity that sends tendrils of dread shooting up his spine. He’s a master of revealing nothing. He would have made a good spy, had he not been born to rule a kingdom.

With a sharp nod, Makiri turns to leave and Obi seizes the opportunity to elbow Mitsuhide. “Cyberdyne Systems?”

Mitsuhide sighs, inaudible but obvious by the way his shoulders sag with the exhale. Sir always has been one for formality and decorum. Whispered concerns are not something that makes him happy during an already bad meeting on an already crap day.

“Obi. Mitsuhide. Hisame.”

“Your majesty,” they respond in practised unison acknowledgement of the highest commander of the Clarines military.

“You three will be the first to undergo the transformation under Cyberdyne’s medical staff. You are exemplary fighters and are the best suited for the transition. Report to the Cyberdyne Systems base in Oriold in two days. That will give you time to say any goodbyes you may feel necessary”

With that, Izana leaves the meeting room. No one in the room needs any other direction. The war council is adjourned and it is time to make their respective plans.

“What do you think he means by ‘transformation’ and ‘say goodbyes?’”

“I don’t know, Obi. But I’m going to go see Kiki and I suggest you go back to Lilias. Spend time with Shirayuki and Ryuu.”

----------

When Obi walks into their apartment late in the evening, he looks bones-deep exhausted. The weight of the world bowing his shoulders and hunching his back more than usual. He leaves his to-go box from lunch uneaten. Ryuu pulls himself out of his book, he notices the tension and excuses himself for bed. Shirayuki can’t quash the feeling that something is happening. Something she doesn’t know. Something big and likely awful.

When she stands in front of him, looking at him with pleading eyes- begging him to talk to her- he reaches out to hug her. He pulls her so close. Holds her so tight. And she knows. She knows. Their lives are about to change forever and nothing can stop it.

When he lets go, he pulls out his work-issued comm tablet and opens up his email. “I’m not supposed to show you this,” he says, as distant as the palm trees of Yuris when he hands her his tablet without looking at her.

“You will report to Cyberdyne Systems. Come fully hydrated. Drink no less than one gallon of water the day before your arrival. The medical staff will perform some preliminary bloodwork and a urine sample will be required. At which time you will be moved to surgery for implantations and modifications. After you recover, you will be paired with your handler, a person going through training to work with you in battle strategy as well as serve as your own specialized mechanic.

Makiri Arleon”

Obi sighs. “I have two days to say my goodbyes and report for duty.”

“What do they mean ‘handler’ and ‘implantations and modifications?’” She can’t believe what she is reading. This sounds suspiciously like mechanizing real people, a concept that had been rumored to be experimented with but has thus far been chalked up to nothing more than the newest wave of lingering conspiracy theories.

“This is how I lose my humanity, Miss,” he says with the saddest smile she’s ever seen and her heart shatters for him. “I’ve been one of the three men selected to be in the first round of cyber fighters to protect everyone from the aliens.”

She doesn’t know how to react at first. She feels as lost as he looks. But he needs her right now and he needs her as strong and ‘normal’ as ever though this is anything but. She settles with something safe. “Let’s get some sleep, if we can. We can wake up early tomorrow and take Ryuu on a hiking trip. He’d like that.”

“Yeah.” He gives her shoulder the slightest of squeezes as he walks into the bathroom.

When she hears the shower turn on, she seizes her opportunity and grabs her cell phone. She punches in a phone number that is way more familiar than she would ever like it to be. When the line connects and before he can say anything, she says, “I want to be his handler.”

The chuckle that fills the space is one of genuine amusement which is surprising but she won’t complain about it. She’ll take what she can get out of him, though nothing with him ever comes without it’s own price. Cost doesn’t matter this time. Whatever demands he makes, she’ll pull through on it.

“The handlers are in charge of keeping the mechas healthy and working with them on strategy, correct?” She will press him. She’s earned enough of his respect to throw some of her weight around. He knows damn good and well how useful she is and how reliably she can be that useful.

“You read the whole email,” he states. No question, just facts, and oh so very, very irritatingly Izana. But he confirms what she read anyway. “That is correct, yes,”

“Then let me be his.” She leaves no room for argument. She will fight him on this. It’s them or neither and she will make sure of it. Tanbarun would hide them without hesitation and all it would take is a call to Prince Raj.

“You know I could have him court martialed and jailed for feeding you classified information, right?” She doesn’t miss the gravity in his words.

She laughs, bitter and hollow. He could, in theory. But Obi is the best fighter Izana has in his arsenal and she is the best medic that doesn’t have other obligations preventing them from signing on. Whether he likes it or not, she is the best equipped to be Obi’s handler. “We both know you won’t do that.”

#obiyukibingo21 #cyberpunk

[nicotinemaiden]

Just found Heaven

I don't really care where I go when I die 'Cause I just found heaven

You can tell the devil that's he's wasting his time 'Cause I just found heaven

Sins washed away, dark turns to light If your body is a temple, take me inside

I feel no pain, pleasures of mine If you give me a taste of eternal life

[Daughtry]

Read on AO3  → 

The second one, a promise.

It had been a couple of days since Shirayuki saw Obi for the last time, peacefully sleeping next to her after the night they shared together. That day, when she finally dragged herself out of bed - tired of the nightmares that told her she would never see him again - she buried herself in her work and didn't talk to anyone more than what was necessary. If she could she would only nod and keep working. It was the only way she could stop thinking.

The next day even the office they assigned to them during their stay seemed too quiet, too calm without him reading small excerpts of the books - interesting facts that may be useful someday Miss, he would say. Some were more useful than others and, of course, sometimes he read things only for her to blush profoundly and throw something at him - there really are things you shouldn't read out loud Obi, she would answer after that, an unhidden smile on her face hearing his laugh. She missed him too much for her own good.

The third day she was growing impatient. So much so she decided to ask Ryuu if he'd seen him. He looked at her confused and surprised, as if she just asked an obvious question, his eyes picking at her from behind the book he was reading today.

"Obi is on a reconnaissance mission on the Bergatt territory to prepare for the soiree of masked knights."

She grunted loudly. How did she forget about that? She was busy preparing the medicine for that same event, relying on trial and error a lot more than she intended.

"I don't think it will be too long until he's back, if that's any help."

Ryuu added, arching one eyebrow, clearly wondering what was wrong with her lately.

She muttered a low yes, of course, thank you before returning to her desk. The young boy kept staring at her for a moment until he returned to his studies, writing in a patch of paper on his own desk. That was - maybe, probably - a good idea. If she could not talk to Obi maybe it was time she talked to the person she less wanted to at the moment: The second prince of Clarines.

She grabbed a piece of paper from the first drawer and tipped her quill on the ink. Good, that was the easy part. She breathed before starting, her thoughts unclear as to what she wanted to write in the first place.

Dear Zen, - she started, feeling confident only in those two words - I know we just saw each other not so long ago - if she was being honest with herself, it had been like two weeks - but I need to see you as soon as…

She stopped herself, crossing out the last words. They sounded… desperate. And a lot more romantic than she needed it to be. At least that was what her head told her. She continued on the same paper, deciding it was best to make a draft and then cleaning it when her thoughts were sorted.

I have to see you, whenever you can, only if you have time, there's no rush.

She crossed out that line too. She was in a hurry. She needed to tell him as soon as possible. She couldn't keep feeling like this and he deserved to know. Yet at the same time she felt she had no right to say anything before talking to Obi.

Shirayuki used the quill to scratch her chin, thinking.

"How would you tell someone you have to talk to them and it's not good news?"

She asked to the air, feeling hopeless. She was always good at talking her mind… in person. It was a lot more difficult doing so via letter.

It took a moment for Ryuu to realize he was the only one who could answer and he seemed startled by the question.

"I-I don't think I'm the best person to ask about relationships with people."

He watched her sulk a bit in her chair, her eyes fixing on the paper. He wanted to ask what was happening, what were those bad news, but he also knew she would tell him when she was ready. He didn't want to pry in something that didn't concern him.

So he closed his book on the table, whipping with his hands little smudges of dust from the corners.

"But… I'll try to be honest."

His voice caught her attention again, her eyes now studying him.

"I'll say there's something important that I have to say and that I would prefer to do so in person. If the person you're writing to cares at least a little about you, they will understand."

She smiled, her ideas clearer in her head.

"Thank you so much Ryuu. I knew you could help me."

He blushed, as always, before opening his book again and returning to it.

Dear Zen, I'm sorry to bother you as I'm aware you are busy. You know I wouldn't unless I had a good reason to do it. And I do. I need to talk to you, in person. We need to talk. And it's not something I could write or you would already know what's troubling me. I hope we can talk soon and I wish for our reunion to be one as friends, as it has always been. Shirayuki.

Reading it for the tenth time, she felt confident. She had been able to write it neutral, kind of urgent and important. Just the right amount. She pushed it to the envelope and sealed it before leaving her office to send it. That little letter was the first step on clearing the mess she forged for herself. Soon, it will all be different, be it a bad different or a good different. In all honesty, it already was.

She turned a corner of the hall just to come face to face with Hisame and she almost hissed at him, wanting to run far away from him. She didn't hate him, didn't even blame him anymore for what happened, but that didn't mean she was fine with having a conversation with him at that exact moment.

"Miss Shirayuki. Always a pleasure to see you."

Can't say the same, she thought, pushing the rude words away from her throat.

"H-Hisame, good evening. I wasn't aware you were still here."

He brushed her words with a hand, shaking his head.

"I just arrived a couple hours ago. Just some business to take care of."

She nodded, hoping it wasn't as visible as she felt it the fact that she wanted to bolt from him.

"That remembers me… Where is your shadow today? Haven't seen him."

There was a glint in his eyes that told her he was asking for more than that, but she answered only to his words.

"He's on a mission, won't be around for a couple days. If you have something to say to him you could rely your message to me and I'll make sure he hears it the moment he returns. If you trust me with such things, of course."

She smiled, just a facade to hide her jitters.

"Oh, I would, of course. But that's not it. I was just curious as to if he was the one who left that mark on your neck. I have a bet to win, after all."

With those small words, she panicked. Her hand moved to her neck without warning, searching for it even when she knew she couldn't feel that kind of mark just with her touch. Had it been there the whole time? Did the whole mansion know what she had done? She hadn't felt it when he'd done it. Why would he leave something like that if this was supposed to be a secret? She hadn't looked at a mirror in a while more than some passing glances, she hadn't felt the need to. Now she regretted it. Her mind kept racing, wondering why Ryuu hadn't said anything to her about it, and forgot she was supposed to be talking. Clearly Hisame saw the sudden display of nerves and the whiteness of her face because he laughed softly in front of her.

"Don't you worry, young miss."

He emphasised her nickname, the one Obi had made already clear it was reserved for him, and it made her angry, knowing it wasn't him who used it.

"You have absolutely nothing in your neck. I just wanted to see if something happened."

He came closer to her, crouching a bit to bring his eyes to her eye level.

"And the amusing thing is: It did."

He laughed a bit more.

"I didn't think he'd have the guts. Congratulations."

"I'm not here to amuse you, Lord Hisame. So if you'll excuse me."

She backed away a step, hoping for him to shut up and let her pass. She has had enough and felt stupid for letting herself be tricked like this. But there was no point telling him it wasn't true. She knew her reaction told him everything he needed to know.

He studied her for a moment longer before straightening himself and moving slowly to the side. She started walking and stopped herself after hearing his voice again behind her.

"I wasn't joking, I honestly congratulate you. I've seen the look on your eyes when you look at each other. This… fake relationship thing you had going on wasn't as fake as you two pretended to believe. I'm just relieved to see you being honest with each other."

She smiled subtly, looking at him over her shoulder, and continued walking on.

Honest. That was the word that failed her. She hadn't been completely honest. She was just now starting to be. But she made herself a promise that she would be. She would tell him everything once he was with her again and she would hope that, after knowing everything she knew, he would stay with her. As a friend, at least.

Before returning to her room she sent the letter she worked so hard to put together, not feeling any better than before doing it.

The next day started worse than any other. The nightmares were unrelenting and the pain in her chest seemed to have expanded to her head, her arms, her legs… She awoke before dawn feeling utterly sick yet being unable to return to bed. Lightning a candle next to the vanity she sat there, doing nothing, for a long time. Once the fog of her mind cleared and her brain accepted that nightmares were just that - nightmares - she picked up her brush and tried to tame her wild hair. She had to at least give the impression of being a normal person today. And she was so close to finishing the medicine she was sure today was the day. She had to give it her all.

When she arrived at the office she was alone. It was too early for Ryuu, or too late. More than once had she arrived at the pharmacy just in time to wish him a good sleep after a sleepless night of work. In any case, first things first: She needed a painkiller remedy. Shirayuki looked at the cupboards and stands, inspecting them. She picked up three petals of bromelain - which should have provided a small relief - before she found a jar of turmeric and decided that mixing the two would prove more effective. She just needed to reach it. It was a common ingredient, why in the world would it be in the tallest rack she had no idea. It was possible that she mistook it for another spice but that color was characteristic and the other she knew were similar were also uncommon. Or used in the kitchen instead of a pharmacy. She decided it was worthless trying to explain when everything here was sorted in a manner she couldn't comprehend. She missed the order of her pharmacy.

She moved the ladder under it without much effort, grateful for its lightness. One, two, three… and four steps took her to reach the jar. Or would have if she hadn't slipped at the last one, freeing the ladder from her hands before it could fall with her. She was ready to hit the ground any moment but, just like every other time she fell since she first left Tanbarun, her fall was stopped by strong arms keeping her steady for a moment before releasing her on her feet. She could still feel the burning of her skin - or his - moments later, crashing with the cold she had been feeling these last days.

"I can't leave you alone and trust you wouldn't hurt yourself even for a moment, can I?"

He sighed but she could hear the playful notes on his voice even louder than the pumping of her heart, so that was something. He was there, now in front of her, a half smile on his lips and dark marks under his eyes, as if he hadn't slept at all since his departure. Seeing him made her forget completely the reason as to why was she reaching for the jar. The pain, the ache, completely evaporated.

"What a shame. It seems you shouldn't leave me alone at all in case this happens."

She panicked just after hearing herself and tried to hide it pointing to the stairs, making a move to step on it again. Just an excuse at this point - she had exactly the painkiller she needed, right in front of her. He stopped her with a hand on her back and, with a swift movement and just one step on the ladder he pointed at the jar until she nodded and he snatched it out of the shelf.

"How's the medicine coming?"

He asked casually, leaving the jar on the desk and ignoring completely her last attempt at flirting.

"Good."

She thought for a moment, still looking at him, admiring him.

"I mean, it's not ready yet, but almost. I've had… trouble, concentrating, that's it."

He nodded and they both looked away, an awkward silence between them. She had so much to say she lost the words to say them. Looking at him like that, his eyes gleaming with the red of dawn, his hand playing nervously with his hair, his lips a thin line - void of the playfulness that played in them before… She just needed to kiss him. She wasn't sure if that was a normal thought on their situation but she restrained herself after realizing she was moving closer to him. Obi sat on top of the desk, facing the window but looking at her again. She could feel he wanted to say something but wasn't sure how.

"Miss, I- / Obi, I -"

They spoke at the same time and paused at the same time, causing a giggle from her. At least they broke the ice. She decided, as much as she wanted to know what he would say, she needed to speak first.

"I'm sorry Obi. For last time. I should have spoken to you… before anything happened."

She looked away. What they did was natural yet she didn't have the confidence to talk about it as if it was nothing. Not when it happened between them .

"No Miss. I should be the one apologizing. Nothing should have happened. I'm sorry I didn't stop it when I had the chance."

Was he… regretting it? She needed to know. Preferably before pouring her heart at him just to have it drained.

"Do you regret it Obi? That night… Would you like to go back to make things differently, if you could?"

Part of her was afraid of the answer while another was growing annoyed and angrier. This was not exactly how she expected this encounter to go.

"Of course I would. Of course I regret it. How could I not?"

He looked at her as if expecting understanding, but she was just angry and hurt. Most of it directed at herself. It was her fault he regretted it, it was her fault he was looking at her with such hurt on his eyes.

"You heard me the next morning, did you not?"

He nodded and looked away as if embarrassed to admit it.

"I was just… figuring out my entire life."

She allowed herself a small smile knowing she had already figured it out.

“I know how it must have seemed to you, that’s why I needed to talk to you. I don’t…”

She breathed for a minute. This was her moment. She needed to be clear, to say everything that was on her mind once and for all. And so, returning her eyes to his, she started talking faster than she could think, almost not breathing.

“I don’t regret it. I don’t think I ever will. It wasn’t just some crazy night of alcohol and hormones. Well, mostly it was, because that’s the way our body works, but that wasn’t all. I wouldn’t have done it with anyone else. And I mean anyone. I thought it was a mistake. Yes, the next morning that was the first thing I thought. But not because of you! It was a mistake because of the situation. I should have realized things first and done later, not the other way around. But, again, I was so blind I think it had to be this way.”

She was pacing nervously, moving her hands just to have something to do with them, talking more to herself than to him at this point. And she couldn’t stop even if she wanted to. She was drowned in all the thoughts that crossed her mind lately.

“I feel horrible lying to Zen. I ain’t even lying because I hadn’t been able to talk to him yet. But I already felt this way before, the last time he kissed me when I thought I didn’t really want to. I just needed it to be over. I just let him kiss me because it was safe, it was what I’ve known for years. And I was so afraid when my heart stood at the same pace while I was with him. I was calm yet nervous. I should have known then as I know now. But I didn’t. And now I feel I’ve been lying to every last person in my life, myself included. I had a path I was sure to follow, everything just to be at his side, and now I’m not even sur-”

She stopped suddenly when she felt his arms around her, burning away every word left on her throat.

“Breathe, Miss. I almost couldn’t catch half the things you wanted to say.”

And she did. She closed her eyes for a moment, hugging him back, and buried herself in his smell. Everytime she was like this she felt lost in a forest at night, a warm bonfire at her side, plants and flowers surrounding her. It was the safest place in the world, his arms. She had thought about it before but never had she seen it so clearly.

“This is exactly what I was trying to say.”

She looked up to his face, a smile wide on hers.

“Usually it’s shorter to say ‘I need a hug’”

And she hit him then, punching his arm with all the strength she could muster. But he saw something in her eyes, in her smile, because as soon as she lowered her hand he brought her closer again and kissed her. Without so much as another word. It was slow and warm and she was kissing him back before even giving the order to her body. It wasn’t the first time they kissed but it felt like it. It was the first time she could do so knowing full well that it was what she wanted, what they wanted. And this time - contrary to the night they spent together - it was him who kissed her. He didn’t run away, he didn’t put a wall between them, he wasn’t telling her it was a stupid decision. No. He was kissing her and she… she was crying. Because she hadn’t felt so right in all her life. It was as if all of her - really - stupid decisions brought her to this moment. To the moment in her life when everything clicked. All the times she had to endure the touches and sinful words of the drunkards in her grandparents bar, all the unwanted attention on the streets, at her own home. All the times she thought she was weird, an exotic gem, something - not someone - to decorate the room with. You don’t need to hate it, it’s part of you, but it’s not you. You’re so much more. He was the first one to encourage her to show it, not hide it. He always wanted her to be herself - not more calm, not more smiling, not more reserved. If she jumped out a tower he would jump with her, not wait to tell her she was being reckless. She paused for a moment, her entire being, the kiss, her thoughts.

“I love you, Obi. I’m sorry it took me so long to realize. And I’m sorry I made you think you were the problem when I was.”

It was the first time she actually saw him trip over the desk, catching himself in time to sit gracefully on top of it. She smiled, biting her lower lip. It wasn’t a bad shock, she could tell because he was smiling even wider than her, even when he didn't seem to notice. If she was going to keep getting reactions like that or like their kiss, she should keep talking. But he didn’t give her time to.

“Mis-”

He interrupted himself immediately, changing his wording.

“Shirayuki, you were never the problem. I was… really scared that morning too. I was absolutely sure you were going to, I don’t know, tell me that it was the worst decision of your life and that you never wanted to even look at me again. I was terrified thinking that maybe you were right and I had broken our friendship forever. And, of course, everything went south when I heard you, crying.”

Even knowing it wasn’t exactly that what caused her crying it still pained him. She could see it in the golden orbs that fixed on her.

“I had to do this mission but I was ready to leave. I wanted to talk to you, to apologize and pack my things afterwards. Instead, the first thing you say to me today? Hey maybe you shouldn’t leave anymore. How- What- You know how confusing it is coming back believing it will be the last time I see you only for you to tell me that?”

And they laughed, because that was the thing they did most when they were together. Worrying about one another and laughing.

“I’m sorry for that too. I just kept having these nightmares where you would go and never come back without even hearing what I had to say. I just needed to tell you. I won’t make you stay, unless you want to.”

He picked her up easily, her legs holding her to his body and her arms up on his shoulders, and kissed her again. Maybe it was the kisses who told her or the little smiles between them. Maybe it was the bigger smiles or the way her arms got up and her upper-body followed back, laughing to the sky - or to the ceiling, to be more accurate. Or maybe it was the way his hand pressed down her back, bringing her to him again just before she heard every word she needed to hear.

“I love you Shirayuki. And, for as long as you’ll have me, I’ll be here.”

She stopped her laughs and smiles and lowered herself to the ground, looking at him so seriously he seemed startled.

“Would you say that again?"

Shirayuki could swear he was blushing. He was. And she enjoyed it as much as she could for the brief moment it lasted.

"I love you. I've loved you for so long I feel I'm dreaming. I think I'm just saying these things because I'm waiting to wake up at any moment."

The feeling, that unnamed feeling in her heart, so warm, filing her chest with a strange kind of pain. One that hurt but wasn't bad. It was as if someone was gripping her heart with all its strength, so much so she was afraid it would explode. Yet at the same time she felt incomplete without that pressure. She never wanted to feel so empty again.

She brought her hand to her chest without thinking, taking in the universe that was originating inside of her. She had been afraid of many things in her life, never so much as to stop her from doing what she thought was right but she wasn't new to the feeling. Yet at that moment she was terrified. Terrified something would happen that would tear everything from her. Was it normal that, at the happiest moment of her life, all she could think about for a moment was how she feared to lose it?

And then it happened again. He touched her arm - a little pressure to remind her he was there - and smiled while lowering his hand to hers. He didn't say anything, didn't need to.

He was with her.

He was hers .

And if there was something everyone knew about them was that, while together, they could do anything - and so, so much more.

#hey nicotine maiden here wishing you all a good reading! #hope you like it #mistake series #mistakeseries #mistakeseries2 #Akagami no Shirayukihime #ans #obiyuki #Obi x Shirayuki #mywork #fanfic #posted on ao3

[kenmas-consoles]

HAIKYUU X READER PURGE KARASUNO EDITION

"₦Ø₮ ɆVɆⱤɎØ₦Ɇ ₵₳₦ ₥₳₭Ɇ ł₮"

PROLOGUE:

It felt like any other day, for (Y/n) atleast. Walking the streets in such an ungodly hour should be a sin but the team had morning practice and this week she was assigned with key duty. With eyes lidded and a limp to her step dragging her body along the concrete pavements the girl could easily be mistaken as a corpse. This wasn't exactly uncharacteristic of her as she's normally this way after pulling all nighters on the day before morning practices. The last time this had happened Tsukishima had practically scrunched his nose in disgust towards his classmate and team manager seeing how much of a sleep deprived zombie she was.

A gust of wind sped past that made the girl shiver, cursing herself for not bringing a jacket she folded her amrs together.

"Oh, it's (Y/n)-chan!" Hinata said as he saw the girl sluggishly walking. He rode up to her in such inhuman speed flailing his arms a little bit to catch her attention.

"A simple hello would be nice, it's too early to make this much noise." The girl said burrying her face into his back as the boy offered her a ride on his bike.

"E-eh, sorry (Y/n)-chan I was jusy excited." The boy replied stiffening at her touch as well as making the tips of his ears go red, 'I've never been this close to a girl before' he thought only making his face burst with the same red hue. He silently thanked the gods she was practically half asleep and behind him.

"4:30 is way too early to be at school and practice is an hour later," Getting of the bike the female had whined stretching her arms crickets could be heard chirping in the background and the morning breeze had caused her to involuntarily shiver yet again.

"I didn't think I would get here this early normally I'd make it here by 5 on foot" the girl mumbled, puffing her cheeks as she said so.

Still somewhat sleepy she rubbed her eye and looked at the boy who was parked his bike at the bike rack by the school's entrance "Why are you up this early though?"

"Hmm," the boy put a finger on his lips, "No particular reason, I couldn't really sleep last night either maybe because I was excited for today's practice. Something big is happening today and I feel it in my bones."

While the girl had smiled at the boy's enthusiasm and her luck that they were able to cross paths today she let out a sleepy yawn.

"(Y/n)-chan sure is tired, were you not able to sleep last night too?"

The girl shook her head in response. Hinata then crouched down before her with his back facing her and offered her a ride on his back. After a bit of convincing the pair made their way on to the gym, with (Y/n) on Hinata's back.

★彡★彡★彡

It was currently 6:52 and practice is now ongoing, and had been for almost an hour or so.

Right after the pair had made their way to the gym Kageyama was unsurprisingly the next person to arrive, the boy being a little bitter Hinata arrived first. The other members soon filled in one after another some more lively than the rest.

Now the girl sat on the bench as the boys did their drills. Takeda-sensei couldn't make it to morning practice today as the school board was having a faculty meeting at this hour as well. So here she was inbetween Yachi and Kiyoko watching the boys practice.

Daichi had proposed a mini-game between the team and as soon as he said it the boys had already split into two seperate teams and started a rally as a way to conclude training.

Kageyama was extremely out of it during the game, his serves had less power in them and his tosses lacked accuracy (nothing the team would notice but still). 'Something doesn't feel right, was it the Mackerel this morning? no no no it couldn't be maybe it was because I wasn't able to wash my pair of favorite kneepads' he thought.

"Kegeyama!" Nishinoya had called signalling him that the ball was being passed to him so he had assumed a setting position, jumping he felt the ball fit perfectly in his fingers flicking his wrist he tossed it to the otherside of the court where Hinata was ready to swing.

'Crap, it's low' The boy thought as the ball had left his fingers watching at how the trajectory was down by atleast 18 degrees. Hinata was ready to spike, he felt the surge of adrenaline kick in as he stretched out his hand. He felt a jolt as the ball collide with his face instead of his palms. It all happened too fast for anyone to register, Hinata was soon found on the floor face first hurt, confused and ready to fight Kageyama.

"Hinata!" Daichi had shouted.

"A-are you okay?" Asahi asked as the whole team had circled around the boy who was still laying face flat on the floor.

"He's silent. . .

Ryuu do you think he's dead?!"

"I would be surprised if he wasn't" a certain megane snickered.

"Now now let's not jump to conclusions, Hinata are you alright?"

The boy groaned in reply refusing to sit up.

(Y/n) stood up from her spot and inspected the orange haired boy. The boy had an obvious red mark on his cheek and a growing spot by his forhead and nose, it was only a matter of time before it started bleeding.

Daichi sighed watching (Y/n) escort Hinaya towards the other managers he looked towarss his team, "looks like this is the end of our morning practice, In the mean time the rest of you can do cool down stretching individually and leave. Hinata would be taken to the nurse's office and Suga and I are going to the teacher's lounge to talk to Takeda-sensei about the new training schedule and updates on this mornings practice."

On the otherside of the gym (Y/n) stood by Yachi who was tending to Hinata who had his nose pinched with a tissue. Yamaguchi and Tsukishima stood a few ways from them snickering at the boy's predicament while Kageyama was silently sat next to Hinata.

"Ano, Hinata-kun I think it's best to go to the infirmary now, your nose is bleeding quite a lot." Yachi said scratching her cheek.

"A-ah you're right."

Noya bounces in with Tanaka and Ennoshita in tow, while Narita and Kinoshita finish up their stretching.

"I'm coming with you!" Noya declared, "I need to ice up and bandage my arms too, plus what kind of senpai would I be if I didn't accompany my kouhais to the infirmary." Noya said with an intense aura that nearly blinded Yachi that had left Tanaka laughing.

Kiyoko had volunteered to go to the Infirmary as well to request for a first aid kit as these accidents have been happening quite frequently these days. This had only caused Noya to sky rocket since he'd get to be within a foot radius with his beloved Kiyoko-san.

Daichi, Asahi and Suga stood by the entrance looking over at the team. Suga let out a playful exhausted sigh watching at how loud and energetic Noya is even after morning practice. The boy was laughing with his arms spread looking over a star strucked orange haired boy while Tanaka seemed to hype them up as well (Y/n) and Kageyama looked geniunly confused with Ennoshita face palming behind them. It was a sight to behold, truly it was.

"Sure is energetic, huh?" Daichi said.

"Well, I wouldn't put it pass him, he's always been lively." Asahi said meekly using a finger to scratch his cheek sweatdropping at the scene before him.

With his hands on his hips, lips twisting to the side, "Kinda envious actually, I feel like some old dude now especially when I'm with you slovenly bunch." Suga replied.

"Suga you aren't even old" Daichi said sighing at how dramatic the setter has been lately, ignoring his latter comment the trio exited the gym heading towards the teachers faculty. Hinata, Nishinoya, Yachi and Kiyoko left the gym as well to pay a visit to the infirmary not long after the trio.

7:23

The rest of the volleyball club still stayed by the gym, the door closed, shoes sqeaking and balls being hit could be heard from the gym. None of the boys even bothered to change out of their gym attire yet and class was about to start in an hour.

"Daichi and Suga aren't here right?" Narita asked picking a stray ball.

"Nope, they went to see Takeda-sensei, I'm sure they already left for class after." Ennoshita replied also taking a stray ball and placing it inside the cart.

"I don't think so, they left their bags here." Narita said using his chin to point at where their bags were, by the bleachers along with a few of their teammates belongings as well as a napping (Y/n).

7:30

The lights glowed dim and flickered this caused the group of males to stop their ministrations.

"Did the lights just go out for a second or was that just me?" Tanaka asked aloud.

"I bet it was nothing," Yamaguchi said dismissively, as he was about to practice another float serve the lights went out.

"Who turned out the lights"

"Shit"

"Is it a black out"

"Do you think something happened to the main building??"

Narita takes initiative to go towards the door to check, waning to see if they were the only ones affected from the cut off in electricity.

"Do any of you have flashlights"

"Use your phone"

"It honestly isnt really all that dark you guys are exaggerating"

Narita grabs onto the sliding handle and tugs at it, jerking it with a little more force but to no avail.

"Guys. . . we're locked in."

Kageyama's faced twisted as he ran over and started pulling at the sliding door hoping it would budge but after his actions proved to be uneffective he hit the door with a loud bang.

"Shit" he whispered.

The lights then started to flicker on and off, a loud alarm blaring from the intercom and announcement speakers outside. A wave of panic coursed through the students in the gym.

"

ᴄᴏᴍᴍᴇɴᴄɪɴɢ ᴀᴛ ᴛʜᴇ ꜱɪʀᴇɴ, ᴀɴʏ ᴀɴᴅ ᴀʟʟ ᴄʀɪᴍᴇ, ɪɴᴄʟᴜᴅɪɴɢ ᴍᴜʀᴅᴇʀ, ᴡɪʟʟ ʙᴇ ʟᴇɢᴀʟ ꜰᴏʀ 12 ᴄᴏɴᴛɪɴᴜᴏᴜꜱ ʜᴏᴜʀꜱ. ᴘᴏʟɪᴄᴇ, ꜰɪʀᴇ, ᴀɴᴅ ᴇᴍᴇʀɢᴇɴᴄʏ ᴍᴇᴅɪᴄᴀʟ ꜱᴇʀᴠɪᴄᴇꜱ ᴡɪʟʟ ʙᴇ ᴜɴᴀᴠᴀɪʟᴀʙʟᴇ ᴜɴᴛɪʟ ᴛᴏᴍᴏʀʀᴏᴡ ᴍᴏʀɴɪɴɢ ᴀᴛ 7 ᴀ.ᴍ., ᴡʜᴇɴ ᴛʜᴇ ᴘᴜʀɢᴇ ᴄᴏɴᴄʟᴜᴅᴇꜱ. ʙʟᴇꜱꜱᴇᴅ ʙᴇ ᴏᴜʀ ɴᴇᴡ ꜰᴏᴜɴᴅɪɴɢ ꜰᴀᴛʜᴇʀꜱ ᴀɴᴅ, ᴀ ɴᴀᴛɪᴏɴ ʀᴇʙᴏʀɴ. ᴍᴀʏ ɢᴏᴅ ʙᴇ ᴡɪᴛʜ ʏᴏᴜ ᴀʟʟ."

"What the fuck"

Ḯ̸̡̡̨͙̹̞̟̞̃̊̎͆̔͗̚͝ť̴̢̢̫̭̙̞̱̆́̇̌̉̔́͝͝ ̶̺̊h̶̠̫͉̲̘̔̅̑͛͠ͅͅả̷̢̳͚̦̽̓͒̃̾̋̈́͜s̵͙̱͙͒͆ͅͅ ̵̧̝̭̫̟̫̝̎̈́͆̈́̑̕͠͝͝ḇ̶̙̄̌͝e̶̦͘g̵̛̟̖̉̀̋̄͜ụ̵̡͖̘̹̖̘͔̆̀̆̂̓̊̒͛n̷̨̪̆̅͒̇͛͆͝

Next

#haikyuu #haikyuu fanart #haikyuu headcanons #haikyuuxreader #haikyuu x reader #haikyuu oneshot #haikyuu!! #hq #karasuno #haikyuu purge #karasuno purge #purge #hq purge #daichi #suga #asahi #kageyama #hinata #noy #tanaka #yamaguchi #tsukki #noya #narita #ennoshita

[k-itsmaywriting]

Adrift in the Snow (1/2) : One Month

Content warning: vomit mention

They arrived at Starlight Gate when the sun was at its highest.

The journey back from the last house in the northern region of Clarines was not rushed. Though it was tiring, horse-riding for long days and sleeping in unfamiliar beds for longer nights, Shirayuki, Obi and Ryuu weren’t close to dozing off on the last leg of their travels to Wistal.

Shirayuki could only hope the others wouldn’t realise she was stalling.

She had been anticipating that day for a long time – one where she held her head high in front of Izana, the fruits of her hard work over the years beared before him. At times she imagined Obi and Ryuu with her, at others it’d be Zen. It was his side she worked to stand by for so long, after all. And for years that ambition was as clear as day, and if she had to prove herself to a king, then she would.

But when she stood in his Majesty Izana’s office, blinding sun spilling through the tall windows, only grey clouds filled her head.

Izana gently flicked through the final pages of their report, speaking as he read. “Each house you’ve visited in the north has agreed to the plantation of Phostyrias before the start of the next winter.” With a small smile on his lips, he looked up at them as he laid it on his desk. “Congratulations, you’ve successfully completed your mission.”

Shirayuki’s heart lifted, and for a moment she could focus on the joy. “Thank you,” she breathed. “We couldn’t have done it without all the people who believe in the Phostyrias as much as we do.”

Perhaps she was projecting, or maybe the sun was too bright, but she swore she could see Izana’s smile warm.

“Miss and Little Ryuu convinced them first,” said Obi. There was a lightness in his voice that made him sound so gentle that Shirayuki couldn’t help but look at him. “That was the whole point.”

Ryuu stood up straighter. “It was the three of us, together,” he said. “Obi was chosen for a reason too.”

Shirayuki wanted that moment to last forever. The three of them, standing together after all they’ve been through. She had felt so strong then with their support.

Yet so weak, knowing it wasn’t going to last.

“But speaking of Ryuu and Shirayuki specifically,” Izana interjected, “this does bring up our next discussion, and that’s regarding both of your transfers to Wilant Castle as Royal Pharmacists.”

Both, he had said. And Shirayuki’s stomach dropped to the floor.

Izana looked at Ryuu first. “You initially deferred your transfer in order to accompany Shirayuki and Obi on their mission around the north. Now that that has been successful, I expect that you will be transferring within the next month.”

Ryuu nodded firmly. “Yes, your Majesty.”

Izana then looked back at her. “And Shirayuki.”

The skin of Shirayuki’s neck broke into sweat. It was the moment she’d been dreading. The decision. One she thought she already made up her mind on for long but…

If Izana noticed anything, it did not stop him. “Since your first time in Lilias, I have been impressed with your work, your dedication and your potential. And with the success of the Phostyrias throughout its entire process, I believe you’ve proven yourself to me enough.”

It was as though the room centred in on her, caging her, as he said, “I trust that you will do well, as you have here in Wistal and in Lilias. You will be going with him.”

She expected nothing different from his Majesty, Shirayuki thought, that it wasn’t a question. He gave nothing away – neither what he knew nor what he didn’t. All she could give him then, like the first time she ever met him, was honesty, even if it meant those who ever doubted her might’ve been right.

Taking a deep breath, she opened her mouth and…

--------------------

“One meatball and one cabbage soup?”

Shirayuki sits a little straighter and smiles as the waitress sets the bowls on the table. She glances across her towards Suzu, who is already eating the cabbage with his eyes, and stifles a laugh.

Suzu deadpans at her when the waitress leaves. “What?”

“Nothing.” Her grin widens as she picks up her spoon. “I’ve just never seen you look at cabbage so intensely.”

“After the amount of vomiting that went on all afternoon, I do not want anything hearty sloshing around in my guts.”

Shirayuki grimaces, but she tries not to let the image ruin her meatball soup. She deserves this. It’s been a long day and they’re in for a cold night. It’s just too bad the amount of complaints from stomach bugs and food poisoning meant the university kitchens would be closed for the night while they figured out what went wrong.

The town swelled with a sudden influx of hungry scholars searching for dinner. But with the snowy winds outside, she and Suzu settled for speed-walking across the town into an inn restaurant they didn’t know instead of waiting in line.

At least there’s a big fireplace, Shirayuki thinks while she lifts the spoon to her mouth. And decent soup. Obi would like it, if he was there.

In-between slow bites, she looks out the window next to her. They’re past the town square, but not so far that the streets aren’t lively. There are a few shop names she recognises from Yuzuri and Kirito’s recommendations. Then, further out and around the corner there’s an inn larger than the others. She sees the sign out front and—

Her heart drops, though it doesn’t have very far to fall. It feels more like tripping up a stair and hitting her knees on the next. Short, but still with a tang of bitterness in her mouth. It makes her frown.

“What are you looking at?”

Shirayuki rests her chin on her hand, gaze still out the window. “That inn across the road. Zen and I got stranded there in a snowstorm that time he came to visit.”

Suzu leans over the table and peeks outside. “Oh.” Then he slowly plops back down awkwardly in his chair. “Haven’t heard about him in a while. I don’t really know what happened after that, but…”

What happened was that Zen’s jealousy got…Shirayuki shakes her head and doesn’t finish the thought. There’s no use going down that road again, thinking about the trespassing and the close calls that almost cost her reputation and the Phostyrias mission. She can only be glad now that neither of those things were lost. But still, in all the years of aiming to stand by his side, thankful for the kind hand he reached out to her that very first morning by the border of Clarines, she didn’t think he’d be a reason for it all to almost come toppling down.

She would be lying if she said she wasn’t grateful for Zen. She doesn’t know where she’d be if he hadn’t helped her. But even though they agreed that they’re still important and dear to each other and could still be close friends, they still haven’t written to each other. It was sobering to realise that wasn’t actually new. It made her wonder, underneath all those secret kisses hidden away in forests and between great pillars, whether faith without real communication or trust was all they had. And how long ago it had become that way.

“Maybe after being away from each other for so long,” she says, “he could only remember what I was to him, but not who I was. Like he forgot what it meant for me to stand on my own feet and walk my own path.” Or to fight her own battles and emerge victorious through sincerity that blooms hopes into bright futures, the way she always has and always will.

“Was that the deal breaker?”

Shirayuki turns to look at Suzu’s blank face. He’s not judging, just curious because he cares. So, she nods.

Suzu nods back. “That’s fair.” And he continues eating like the conversation never happened. “So, has Ryuu written from Wilant yet?”

--------------------

 “No.”

The air in the room dropped two degrees. Silent. She couldn’t look anywhere but at Izana, surprise flashing across his face for a moment. But she still had much rather looked at him than either of the people beside her.

Izana smooths his expression into neutrality. “No?”

“I…” Shirayuki looked down at her hands. “I don’t…I don’t know…”

 “Miss?”

She knew it was a mistake to look up at him before she even did it. Her heart wrenched.

Obi’s eyes were wide with disbelief, holding his breath the same way Shirayuki’s was trapped in her chest and clawing at her lungs. “You’re really…?”

She couldn’t tear her eyes from Obi’s. It was torture, watching the thoughts of what went wrong and how and what it meant rushing through his head when the decision was hers and hers alone. “If I were to leave for Wilant tomorrow,” she said, “I wouldn’t be able to tell you that that is what I truly want right now."

“You do realise, Shirayuki, that I unfortunately cannot wait for you forever,” Izana said calmly. “And unlike Ryuu, there was no current mission that you can undertake that will allow you to defer your offer.”

The storm still brewed inside her head. She didn’t know which decision would ease the turbulence, but she nodded solemnly regardless. Choosing one. “Yes, your Majesty. I understand that fully.”

They left Izana’s office in silence.

Obi lingered by the door as it closed behind them. “Is it because of Master?”

Shirayuki stopped. As she stared into no particular space in front of her, Ryuu excused himself and left in the direction of the pharmacy.

It was a lie to say no, but yes wasn’t entirely accurate either. There was more to it that she couldn’t explain.

“I thought that even though your understanding is over,” Obi murmured, “you’re still important to each other. That’s what you said, didn’t you?”

Shirayuki turned around. “We did. It’s just…It’s just that things have changed. I can’t act like I know for certain that what I want now is the same as before, as if I love Zen like I used to. Because I…” She looked down at the ground, defeated. “I’m sorry, Obi. I know you wished for our happiness for all these years.”

Obi’s footsteps drew closer, his shadow right behind. When Shirayuki looked up at him, he was smiling at her sadly.

“But above all else, Miss, I wish for yours.”

--------------------

It’s been a month since then.

Ryuu’s absence is deafening. Shirayuki still looks to her side, searching for his thoughts written in the way he furrows his eyebrows and the sharp focus of his gaze.

She never really talked to Obi about her decision, neither before nor after that morning in Izana’s office. She feels like a bad friend for not. She wants to, if only she can fully explain with words the heavy confusion that rolls inside her gut.

She’s been wandering back-and-forth through the halls of Lilias like a ghost. Without any new research to undertake, she’s been picking up extra shifts in the pharmacy and spending long nights in the library studying. But it doesn’t fill the void she’s trapped in. It’s as though there are cracks in the mirror where she sees herself, a whole piece that’s gone missing right where her eyes are supposed to be. Where she now finds nothing when she tries to look forward.

--------------------

The front door to the dormitories shuts out the snowy winds. As they catch their breath, Shirayuki and Suzu shake the snow out of their hair and off their coats. She can feel the warmth of the lanterns in the hallway seeping into her skin, little by little.

Suzu unwraps his scarf from his neck. “Well, I’m heading straight to bed. I’ll see you at the pharmacy tomorrow morning?”

Shirayuki smiles and nods. “Yeah. See you. And thanks for inviting me out today.”

“No problem,” he says, backing towards the left hallway that leads to his room.

Then Shirayuki is alone again, storm raging on and all.

--------------------

She draws her hand away from Obi’s door.

She worries her lip and steps back. She feels so…silly, turning up at his door again at night. She just wants to feel like things are normal, like they can talk for hours and sleep in the same bed when it’s cold. Like there’s nothing she’s keeping from him.

Why is it suddenly so hard?

She huffs and turns away, tugging the ends of her nightgown sleeves over her hands. He’s sleeping, she thinks. But she takes two steps down the hall when suddenly the door clicks and creaks open. “Miss?”

Obi’s voice is but a husk, and Shirayuki turns around again, apology already on her tongue. “I’m sorry, I know you have an early morning tomorrow so just…forget that I—”

“You know that I don’t mind, Miss.” he says softly. “All you have to do is knock.”

Obi steps back as Shirayuki enters his room. Pitch black envelops it as he closes the door behind her, but even though she can’t see, it’s only a matter of seconds before she crawls onto the bed and snuggles into his blankets.

In the darkness, Obi’s laugh is a low rumble, warm like summer lightning. “You know, a man’s going to get ideas when you keep turning up to his room late at night like this.”

The bed dips next to her. Obi is barely under the blankets when Shirayuki instinctively entwines their ankles, and he wraps an arm around her shoulder. His body is a furnace – Shirayuki’s close to falling asleep right then and there, but she fights it. She wants to tell him. She wants him to know. “Obi?”

Her eyes are still adjusting to the dark, but she can see that Obi opens his and looks at her. Waiting patiently.

He’s always so good to her it…it almost doesn’t feel fair anymore. “Can I be honest with you about something?”

His breathing stills. “What is it?”

Even though they’re so close now, she can’t help but think about how far away from him she felt in that morning inside Izana’s office. When she had told him no. And the way Obi had looked at her…

“I feel like I’ve made a mistake, telling Izana I didn’t want to go to Wilant,” she says. “Not because I want to go now, but…” She breathes deep, lets the air slowly fill her chest. “I spent so long working, trying to prove myself to people so that I could stand by Zen’s side because I…I loved him. But now I don’t and I just…don’t know what to do next.”

She feels like she’s floating in a dark void, not knowing where she is or how she can move. She hates the way it makes her feel. Like she’s…

It hits her. And she whispers, “I feel lost because it’s only about me now. Not me and Zen, just me.”

Shirayuki’s eyes flicker up to Obi’s. He’s staring back at her, eyes as wide as hers.

Suddenly it seems so obvious that Shirayuki can’t help but laugh at herself. “Goodness, how was that so hard? It’s been years since I only needed to think about what I wanted, and what was good for me. But now that I’m not chasing Zen, I’ve turned away the exact thing I came here for in the first place and now I’m just…lost.”

“And I’m sorry I haven’t talked about it with you until now,” she blurts. “I knew you were upset about Zen and me. I just felt like…” Her voice lowers. The shakiness in it is one she doesn’t recognise. “I was afraid that you were going to be disappointed in me.”

“No, no – I’d never…” he breathes. “I didn’t know it was going to change your decision. But like I told you then, I wish for your happiness more than anything else. I didn’t want you to be sad alone.”

Tears prick at Shirayuki’s eyes. She blinks them away, but her heart swells regardless as she rests her forehead against his chest. “Thank you.”

A hitch catches in Obi’s throat. But with a slow exhale, he softens against her. “We don’t always know where we’re going, but sometimes we end up staying in places we never thought we would.”

“I may had worked to prove myself to Izana,” she says, “but I also worked to prove myself here, in Lilias. I’ve made friends for a lifetime and been challenged in ways I never would’ve imagined when I was back in Tanbarun.”

She feels Obi smile into her hair. “Yeah. Exactly.”

His heart beats softly against the palm of her hand. If she moves it up, she’d touch the scar on his chest. But instead she wraps her arm around his side and pulls herself closer to his chest, breathes deeply of the smell of warm, brown earth, sighing.

Closer now, Obi’s fingers are still against her back. But slowly, he exhales, fingers shyly playing with the long strands of her hair.

“I know you don’t talk about Tanbarun much,” Obi murmurs. “But what things did you look forward to back then?”

Shirayuki hums, pondering. “I would just try to help the customers who came in each day. I made sure I had the supplies and the money to make it to the next one. It wasn’t anything big, but it was already enough to keep me busy.”

“But were you happy?”

She thinks about the open fields on the outskirts of town, of wildflowers and the deep forests of her childhood, of the smiles of the villagers and their good health. Of healing.

The thoughts make her smile from somewhere light, deep in her heart. “Yeah.”

She supposes that it’s not all different from back then. Instead of breezy winds, she wakes up to snow under the soles of her boots and sees colour return to the faces of soldiers and exhausted academics. Her forests have been replaced with libraries. Solitude with company.

She doesn’t have to run forward to reach for the next place in her life just yet. For now, she can just be.

--------------------

The storm has calmed by the next morning.

Shirayuki cracks her eyes open one at a time, waking up wrapped in blankets and Obi’s limbs. It’s a little brighter than expected for this time of year, but she’s not complaining.

Outside, Lilias’ bell tower chimes throughout the campus. She counts the great tones under her breath, letting the sound wake her.

When there’s one more bell than there should be, she gasps and starts furiously tapping Obi’s shoulder. “Obi, wake up!”

He groans. “Five more minutes, Miss…”

“We can’t, it’s already eight!” She snakes out of Obi’s arms and out of the bed, padding towards his window to throw open the curtains. Sunlight spills into the room. Obi rolls onto his back and throws an arm over his eyes, groaning more. To an exaggerated degree, even.

She turns around and crawls back onto the bed next to him. “We might be able to get breakfast if we hurry, Obi.”

In one smooth motion, Obi sits up. He droops forward and lets his head fall, bringing a hand up to scratch his endearingly messy bedhead. “Surely the trainees know what to do without me telling them at this point.”

Shirayuki sighs, rolling her eyes in an attempt to hold in the smile that threatens her.

“Alright, I got it, Miss,” Obi turns his head to her and grins widely—

But not before Shirayuki grabs his face in both her hands and promptly kisses his nose.

When she pulls back, Obi is stunned to silence. The tips of his ears are searing red.

“Come on, Obi,” she says, sliding off the bed. “We’ve made it to today. Let’s do our best.”

#obiyukikissdraft #obiyuki #akagami no shirayukihime #'WOW THIS IS MY LAST FIC FOR 2019' i say as though i've written more than 5 things this year #also does tumblr not do those line breaks anymore btwn paragraphs or am i tripping #akagami no shirayuki hime #kiss on the nose

[majirocksoff]

Majima breaks Kiryu out of prison; now with alt backstories. Majima x Kiryu / Kiryu x Nishiki (implied) Takes place during Y1. (Longfic, 70k words+)

His name is One-Thousand-And-Five.

Yesterday he was someone else, had been given, with the manners of a machine and the politeness of policy, the name, Mr. One-Thousand-And-Six.

Tomorrow he will be someone else again, at the ringing of the perfunctory bell that divorces one day from another: Mr. One-Thousand-And-Four.

In between the going-aways and the coming-tos, he collects names like dust. He goes to the chow hall, and he becomes Wait Your Turn; in going to the yard he becomes Thirty Minutes More. At the shower he gains a uniquely ephemeral identity: Batch-Two-Quickly-Now. He goes in, let the water scald off his skin, be reborn in water burning so hot it strips him red. Coming out shiny like a cooked lobster, he can wear a new identity for the rest of the night: The Dogshit of Dojima.

— —

In his prison cell he is nothing, his action is waiting.

Waiting is not inaction, this is the second thing you learn in prison.

Before prison you have assumptions, and the assumption is that waiting is just something that happens while the rest of your life is unraveling, becoming, acquainting itself to happenstance; fusing itself, in chemical reaction to coincidence, so that events may soon happen. You are always about to do something while you are waiting: buy groceries, run errands, break someone’s neck. Waiting is anticipation, a pre-meditated murder of time.

You were wrong, you know that now. Waiting is action, this is what you learn in prison.

It is an action that must be actively done. You fold yourself as small as possible into diamond-shaped patterns in the privacy of your cell (waiting is not done in public, it is sacred). You may sit cross-legged or seiza, stand on ceremony or leaning coolly, curled up in your bed with an arm tucked behind your head. Sucking your thumb, if you must.

Your exterior does not matter when you’re waiting, what matters is your interior, which must be shrunk. You shrink yourself inside, small-small as possible, until you can be turned around and poured out, and out-plop comes your soul and it won’t fill even a leaky thimble. You do this by stripping identities out of yourself.

Once upon a time you might have wanted to be great, for example, to follow in the footsteps of Kazama-san, to trace yourself in his shadow.

You take this desire and you erase it, line by line from the top, beginning first from the greatest concept then extending to everything else. You first forget the sentence whole; then you dismiss in inches and angry nights everything else: Kazama-san, the concept of greatness, the idea of footsteps, the desire of wanting, an entity of ‘you’, the stretching of time, once of the past, until at last you can be left alone with nothing.

Absolutely nothing.

Then you wait.

— —

The first thing you learn in prison, is that you have no identity.

You’re given an ID the moment you step in, and you think philosophical thoughts: ah, is this what I shall be? You were wrong, of course, because a series of number is an identity, and that identity is more solid than what you’ll eventually end up with.

Your identity becomes the days you have left, because 8-1-5-7-6 rankles your ears and bedevils your patience. At roll call, they put existential fear into you: will you be here for eighty thousand days, each by minutes longer than the last? You cannot. You fear. Your soul trembles and weep. You cast it off and take a new name: Mr. Three-thousand-six-hundred, all ten years to be waited tattooed on you; it is a long time but it can be waited. In contrast eighty thousand is forever.

When you take on the others it becomes easier; take them on in the secret corners of the prison where lips can split, skulls can break, nails torn one by one out of grasping flesh. There are many corners where the guards don’t see, willfully blind, and here you can be beaten by anyone: your seniors, your juniors, your hitmen, your old friends, your new enemies. Gradually in blood you extract from them new names:

The Dogshit of Dojima, that fucking backstabbing cunt, the lil Tojo shit, why ya staring, asswankcuntsucker, goddamned cocksucker, oi fuck off, are-ya-happy-now-ya-murdering-cunt, and so on.

They’re fine names; at least they don’t have numbers.

— —

The man with the one eye comes and instantly breaks every rule. He is an earthquake: in his presence you must obey new rules, run for high ground, cower in clear spaces.

He comes, swinging his hips like a new officer, twirling his hands holding an invisible bat, eating with his lips a pop song five years too new for you. He peels back the skin of the cell the moment he arrives. He overturns containers. He looks into the toilet, opens up the flusher, cracks open the sink to examine the deep sadness of the hole in the middle. He takes out his sheets, folds it messily so that he can lay in it like a well fucked boy.

All this you see, his cell is right opposite yours.

“Yo,” He says. He puts his legs up in a cross, carefully, making space for the steel tips he must have worn once. He straightens the eyepatch he was allowed (they had tried taking it from him, but realized too late it was too much a part of him, it would have killed him).

“What’s yer name?”

You are surprised. It is a terrible question, a faux pas, an abhorrent question never asked in prison. How could he, how dare he?

A name? He wants a name? But you don’t have a name, you’re a condemned spirit. You’ve worked hard to get this far. The Japanese dream: work so hard you don’t know who you are. Once you had a name, and it’d laid discarded in a laundry pile. You wait for him to understand how rude he’s been and go away.

“Oi ya deaf? Ya want me to go over there and beat it out of ya?”

There’s three feet of corridor and two sets of bars separating you, and you see that he means it.

You lick your cracked, chapped lips, tried hard to recall…

“My… Name?”

“Just my luck,” He swore. “I’m roomed with a fuckin’ idiot. Your name! Your name! Are ya daft?”

He needs to be patient. Names are the first thing to go, and the last thing to be replaced. He doesn’t know what he’s asking, demanding a name. Oh, the weeks to come, wracked in the throes of identity. Does he not know? Does he not care, how much this hurt, to recall a name?

Reluctantly, slowly (time itself is slow here) it is said.

“My name is… Kazuma. Kiryu. Kazuma, Kiryu, Kazuma. Yes, that’s my name.”

Oh, he says, mouth perfect on an O. The Dragon of Dojima? That Kazuma-fucking-Kiryu? That you? The Dragon of Dojima? The fucking Dragon of Dojima?

“Hell yeah! Always wanted to fight me a dragon! Sit tight in that cell, dragonshit, because I’m comin’ for ya Kiryu-chan!”

— —

Majima Goro was introduced to him in bits of nerve, bones, and tissues.

Kiryu goes as far away from him as he can. Now that he has identity it is not so easy to walk the hallways of the prison; it clings to him like bits of plastic wrap, tight and suffocating, each piece determined to make themselves be remembered. Every nook and cranny and day and night that once he’d lived as a young man of Kamurocho, clamored to be the one to dice his anonymity to pieces. He will not be forgotten, he cannot forget, not if they have any say about it.

In the manner of Majima’s walking and the dance of his fingers on the cutlery he sees the glittering manner of a younger Kamurocho, a visitor, a stranger, here to tell him: time has passed, but not enough time yet so that you can see it firsthand. Time is here to visit. The outside world has been let in, poured angry but fearsome into his cells.

The rattling of Majima’s bars replaces his roll call, his silent private mornings.

“Hey,” He screams (he is always screaming, he has no other verb). “Hey Kiryu-chan! Wake up, I’m bored!”

At night he rattles them like chains, screaming again: “Tell me a bedtime story, Kiryu-chan! Hey? Ya ignorin’ me? I can’t sleep, why don’t ya stay awake too? We could play imaginary shogi, how 'bout that?”

He is gyoku; the king that has come to sweep all of Kiryu’s neat, patiently-allocated time away and replaced it with himself, loud and trying, rolling over all the hallways into the secret corners where he is allowed to beat up Kiryu.

The first time he does this he shatters bone, broke clean through in one piercing fist Kiryu’s entire cheekbone, part of his jaw. Lovingly Majima brought him to the sink and tended his wounds; he tended him five times, smashing Kiryu up-down-up-down onto the metal until it shatters Kiryu’s nerves, it was so loud, and the metal had caught him in the ear. Majima left him tended, tender, tenderized, lying in a pool of blood leaving him rapidly for the freedom of the drains. The water, slow and warm now, cascading over him, lights bright and disorienting, the smell of soap mixed with the secrets of prison bathrooms.

He is made to realize he is fuhyo; a low mere degraded pawn. Like a pawn he could only move forwards, could not retreat, could then only be pushed into Majima’s arms, holding him in a chokehold over metal plates of curry and rice.

“Ya not such hot shit, Dragon of Dojima,” Majima tells him, whispering in his ear. “Ya just plain shit. I’m so disappointed. Ya disappointin’ me here, with your lousy ass performance. Kiryu-chan, ya need to shape up. Ya the best entertainment I’ve got around here and you’re so. goddamned. boring.”

He cracked his neck and laughed the whole time Kiryu goes down.

Once Kiryu remembers, he would have soared with Majima in his clutches and brought him down like thunder, would have stepped on him and never realized it - ah, might have thought, it’s dirtying the soles of my shoe, the little soul of Mad Dog Majima stuck in the rubbery meat he walks on.

“Kiryu-chan!” The hound howls. “Kiryu-Kazuma-chan! Come on, let’s play imaginary shogi! Are ya mad I beat ya? Or are ya mad that I beat ya up? Don’t be such a princess, Kiryu-chan! Let’s play, let’s play, let’s play!”

The hellhound becomes a puppy at night, frolicking in the lonesome cells; his cell bounded by Kiryu’s bounded by others. Only other people don’t matter to him; only strangely, Kiryu mattered to him. Kiryu was fun, Kiryu was gokudo, Kiryu had a past. The others Majima couldn’t wake up, couldn’t ask: who are you? What did you do to end up here? They can’t answer him, all of them mute and anonymous, because most of them have worked hard to forget, and unlike Kiryu could not be brought back.

With their sad sunken eyes and closed eyelids they watch Kiryu and Majima play imaginary shogi; kei-ma leapt over kin over gin, pushing aside hisha, storming onto kaku. Who are you, Kiryu whispers one night in bravado. He pressed his head back against the cell bars, sitting with his eyes closed to better remember the shogi board. Hands folded loosely across his lap, moving invisible pieces around.

I am Kei-ma, Majima whispered. Kiryu collects this identity, examine it in the moonlight, thinks fragmented thoughts –

“Are ya an idiot, Kiryu-chan? It just looks like my name - it’s a joke! Ya stupid ass thinking it means anything?”

He grinned, laughing so hard he overturns their imaginary board; neither can remember now which pieces were where. “This prison getting to ya, you’re a goddamned old fuck now.”

— —

Trapped now in the machine of his identity, Kiryu loses his numbers. He realized this one day when he had to go down to the office, to ask with form in hand exactly how many days he had to wait; the answer came back and surprised him, he is holding less numbers than he thought he had. They had slipped through his fingers and rolled into forgotten corners when he wasn’t watching.

He is now Mr. Nine-Hundred-and-Fifty, a whole month having passed him in scorn. Those numbered days he could no longer wear; Majima had forced his identity back onto him and they won’t go on now, came on like a loose coat, baggy in the elbows. He can no longer wait, at least wait the way he used to. There is no patience to be had, with Majima strolling bored and callous into his privacy, intruding with answers, leaving with questions.

Why are you here, Majima-san, he asked - desperate to give Majima more form, more identity, to know more so that he can become less to Kiryu.

What crime did you commit? Who did you kill? How did you live?

“Wouldn’t ya like to know, Kiryu-chan? I’m bored, bored, so maybe I’ll tell ya - but ya have to beat me first.”

They dance in the yard. They have exactly six minutes before the officers come with batons and extra days, so they must be quick, trading fists until their faces are bloated with blood and torn epidermis; Kiryu dancing better now but still far from a match to Majima, so that Majima danced with him only because he had no better partners. A fallen dragon made of shit was still better than just plain shit. Majima pivots on the officer, says: it’s me, I started this.

An act of generosity. It surprises Kiryu, he doesn’t know what to say, Majima taking this sin into the confession of his records.

“I ain’t plannin’ ta stay here twenty-five years, so what’s a few months that I won’t be around for?” He bared nasty teeth at Kiryu. “I ain’t like ya. I ain’t the wallowing sort. I’ll be out before six months is up.”

Oh, Kiryu said. Glad but sad, sad and glad. He is relieved that Majima in leaving will restore him to his formless mass again; bittersweet that he loses such a strict mold. Kiryu Kazuma Kazama Nishikiyama Dojima. Things he can’t forget as long as Majima is around, rooting him, anchoring him without his permission and against his wants.

“Whoooo—”

— —

The days are slipping away so fast now that he has to seize it with both hands clenched so tight his knuckles go white. Stay, he commanded. Stay. Seizing his miserable days in his hands, he watched Majima prepare for flight. By inches and minutes and lost seconds he withdraws from Kiryu, become more and more likely to disappear during yard time and bath time and free time, to meet with associates strange and shapeless huddling in the other yard.

Lined up against theirs but separated by a fence is the small-timers, the low-hitters, the off-ballers, little people who won’t be doing more than six months in the most deprived luxuries, off-site beside them, counting less than one-hundred-eighty-days.

It is these people that Majima meets, forehead-to-forehead like lovers, whispering convoluted plans calculated like algebra. When they hide, when they bother to hide, Majima scratches at the fence with loose-tipped fingers, plucking the fence like a guitar, plucking tunes at his associates until they come: unwilling but bowed by Majima’s boys who’d sequestered themselves in the smaller prison.

Where is — He demanded.

What is —

How shall —

How does the flight mechanism work? How does Kiryu find out? He finds out in nerves; Majima sometimes, sidling up to him, having the nerve to ask: I have a question. Where is the control room for —

Kiryu frowning, turning away, saying go, go I don’t know, don’t trouble me, I’ve never seen, I couldn’t possibly know, I never meant to go, never meant to leave, this prison is for me, nine-hundred-days only left to be. Majima beating him with his fists until he lay shivering and nurturing wounds on the ground, beating his identity into him.

Tell me what you see, Majima demanded.

“Kiryu-chan, don’t ya lie to me. I’ve been watchin’ ya watchin’ and ya know it. Ya just don’t know that you know it. Well, that’s what I’m for. I’m going to beat your piece of shit memory into your head.” He seized Kiryu by the collar, lift him up so that he could be closer to the sun, shaking him over and over again.

“Tell me! Where is it? You know where it is!”

Come, Kiryu told him, spitting out blood. Led him to the dark places in the prison where things can be seen, push him into corners angled right, take him away from plans angled wrong. You’re not doing this right, he told Majima. This control room is patrolled all the time, six-at-a-go, it’s a no-go, a no-show, what you want, really want, is this other place. You won’t know it unless you’ve been like me; a man without identity, they don’t let anyone see if they’ve got eyes. The crow-pig comes and pluck out your eye, one on each side, if they see you waiting to watch.

“I get it,” Majima said. “Thanks.”

More, “Hey, ya wanna come with—”

No, he said, he only had nine hundred more to go, it didn’t mean anything to him. All he wants is for Majima to leave, and quickly - so that he can once more be subsumed by anonymity.

— —

In bits and pieces he watch Majima assembled his plan; in his patience Kiryu had learned to see everything, and in so seeing saw that his plan would work before Majima himself knows it. Majima shrunk and wrapped himself in ignorance until the plan itself is executed. He goes with the flow, himself. Doesn’t need to have foresight. He’ll work it until it works, even if he fails this time. They waited calm and nerveless in their cells for the escape that will come soon.

“It’ll work,” Kiryu told him sleepily. Tomorrow, he’s thinking. This will be their last game of imaginary shogi, so he slipped: slipped the golden knife in and ate Majima’s king whole.

“Damn, ya good, Kiryu-chan. Ya totally wreck me this time.”

“Thank you for teaching me how to play.”

“Teach ya? Kiryu-chan, ya always knew how to play. Don’t ya know? Don’t ya remember? You could do anything you wanted - that’s why you were the dragon. All I did was make ya remember.”

Oh, he doesn’t remember anymore; all he’d wanted to was forget. Tomorrow when Majima is gone, he’ll go back to forgetting again. Reverse-engineering an onion, putting back layer by layer his thin skin to cover the sound of the silence inside. Eight-hundred-something more days to be lived. The days had leapt from his hands but he’ll have them back under rein again. When Majima is unleashed.

“Good luck, Majima-san,” He said.

“Thanks, Kiryu-chan. Couldn’t have done this without ya,” Majima said.

— —

He comes awake, frightened by the silence.

Kiryu sat in the dark and listened: there were no sounds. Not just the greater sounds of the outside world: cameras that had stopped working, alarms silenced and napping, doors grinding to a halt in mid-air. There is silence in him everywhere that frightens him - he can no longer hear the sound of forgetfulness, he’s forgotten how to forget…

A knife pressed itself tightly to his jugular, nicked him not because it’d miscalculated. Its owner was just sadistic, wanted him to bleed, wanted to see the sheen of a dragon’s blood.

“Kiryu-chan.” whispered Majima. “Ya coming with me.”

“No,” He gasped. “No.” He wanted to stay, was terrified by the outer world.

“I ain’t givin’ ya a choice. Ya coming with me, whether ya like it or no. Ya my present to that fucking Nishikiyama cunt.”

He pushed his knife in. Hissed orders at Kiryu until reluctantly, Kiryu unfolded himself and groped with seeking hands in the darkness. At length he found the thread of the plan, and began to follow it as it unraveled in the darkness of the prison, its silvery length glowing with hope. They walked down the halls quiet and empty illuminated by the shining spool. Somewhere somehow Majima had secreted all the officers away.

The inmates lined row by row in their rat-holes to watch them, trapped in their cell that wouldn’t open. When they realized what had happened, they howled like hell itself - unfair! unfair! unfair! - and hands scratched, brushed, rend at them from all sides. The inmates will drag them down to the pits if they could only reach…

Outside.

Air the same but different; they’re on the other side of the fence now. There is a motorcycle waiting, a snakeskin jacket, a small tanto and a helmet. A set of clothes prepared by someone who thought Kiryu was as big as he’d seen Kiryu last. Untrue, he has shrunk now, made skinny by the weak broth of prison.

“Put on the helmet,” Majima said. There was only one.

“Don’t you—”

“I can’t fuckin’ see with a black glass on, asshole. Vision strictly 10/20. 'sides,” He smiles. “That skull of yours worth ten of mine, isn’t it?”

Kiryu knew nothing; there was too much not being said. He climbed onto the motorcycle, clamped loose hands around Majima’s middle, and then they flew, across snowy landscapes into the cold and a freedom he never wanted but had received.

#kazumaji #majima #majima goro #yakuza #fanfic #ryu ga gotoku #kiryu kaz

[verdant-gardens]

Alibis, Get Your Fresh Hot Alibis | Trik | Trial Start | Re: Joben, Sora ATTN: Everyone

In typical Trik fashion, he arrives on wheels. However this time it isn't his heelys - instead, Trik is sitting on Karl's lap, and Karl in turn is sitting in a wheelchair being pushed by Yasu. It had seemed like a sensible arrangement, given Karl's silly decision to walk around barefoot on broken glass roughly a week ago it was much better he not spend the entire trial standing up, especially when he'd spent so much of the investigation walking around.

Once they're off the elevator and in the trial room, Trik reluctantly slides off to stand on his own feet - not before stealing a last kiss from Karl - and trots over to his own podium. He's wearing track shoes, the purple tiger-print jogging shorts he exercises in, and a cheap collared button-up shirt much too big for him and slightly paint-spattered. He has the sleeves rolled up to his elbows, which he rests on his podium, leaning on it heavily despite there being no signs of any injury to him aside from the expected bandage over where his left eye used to be. For someone on as many painkillers as he must be, he seems reasonably alert and chipper.

"Right, right, the weapon~!" Trik slides a hand into the pocket of his shorts and pulls out his cell phone, "I got a picture of it here if anyone wants to come see. It's a garrote! Killer-chan made it outta the cello string an' two sticks. Me an' Karl an' Yasu found it in the Prop Room behind the Theatre." He opens the picture on the photo app and sets his phone face-up on his podium if anyone wants to look. It's just as he described, the thin string, two sticks as handles.

"Pretty safe bet they got the sticks from the Garden, one o' the bushes in there looked like it had a few broken off." He adds helpfully, "Alsoooo~! Ryuu's hands had some wee cuts on the fingers, which is t'be expected, he was probably tryin' to claw the string off his neck. But no other defensive wounds that we found. Seems like the killer caught him from behind in the shower - which, probably worth notin', the girls couldn't get into the Men's Locker Room prior to the investigation, so that clears Sora an' Nata right out the gate. Oh, an' UL has to be innocent, too. Ya gotta have two hands to garrote somebody, after all." Trik holds up both his hands and does a little jazz hands gesture, as if in example.

"Found some other stuff, too, I'm sure one o' the others can share it with ya. Oh - an' as long as I'm doin' process of elimination - we talked to the nursebot in the First Aid Office, an' it confirmed that Jack an' Teru were in there the whole time - they didn't leave until 6:35pm, accordin' to its logs. So those two got an alibi. I can also alibi Karl an' Yasu, for what it's worth - I was with them both right up until I decided to go do some light exercisin' to relieve some restlessness, y'know? Which was only shortly before I discovered the body, so definitely covers time o' death."

#vg ch4 #vg trial 4 #trik #submission

[shirayuki-wisteria]

Memories of a Distant Past Shape the Future

Zenyuki Week, Day Two: Memories

Title: Memories of a Distant Past Shape the Future

DISCLAIMER: I own nothing in this fan-fiction except my horrible grammar and writing skills. All of the characters or cities mentioned in this fan-fiction belong to Akiduki Sorata unless said otherwise. Any references to real people or places are purely coincidental.

Synopsis: When Queen Haruto comes to visit Wistal Castle, she finds a few old photos of Zen from his childhood. One of them contains a picture of Zen and a certain red-haired girl when they went on a trip to Tanbarun. How will this affect Zen’s and Shirayuki’s relationship?

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Zen sat in his office completing desk work. He didn’t complain or sigh like he usually did; in fact, he had a smile on his face as he did them.

“Does anyone know why he’s acting so strange?” Mitsuhide whispered to Kiki and Obi.

“Perhaps he had a rendezvous with Shirayuki last in the night?” Obi suggested, earning a glare from his master.

“I can hear you, you know!” The silver-haired prince hissed in his direction.

Kiki gave him a stoic look. “Then what’s the real reason for you acting so happy?”

He set his quill in his inkwell before answering, “Mother is coming to visit Wistal for a short while to crown Lord Brother.”

His close aide put a hand on his chin as he thought. “She hasn’t been here in such a long time… Oh, this will be her first time meeting Shirayuki, if they get to meet.”

The Second Prince nodded. “That’s why it’s so important. I want to quickly finish my work so I can go inform Shirayuki about the news.”

The Prince’s Knight gave him a smirk. “I wonder how Mistress will react to the news?”

“Is that all I need to do?” Shirayuki asked her past mentor, Ryuu,

Ryuu nodded. “Yep. Just hand over your report to the Chief Herbalist for safe-keeping and you’ll be done for the day.”

“Okay!” She responded in acknowledgement before heading out of their shared office and into the main section of the pharmacy. She found the Chief in no time at all and handed her the report.

“Nice work, Shirayuki-chan!” Garack complimented her. “Oh, if you’re heading out, there’s someone who wants to meet you.”

The young red-head blinked. “Someone came to meet me?”

The Chief nodded. “I would have gotten you out sooner, but they specifically said not to disturb you while you were working. They said they’d be fine waiting.”

“I better go meet them, then! Wouldn’t want to keep them waiting any longer!”

After saying her goodbyes, she exited the pharmacy and went to the room her visitor was currently waiting in. Her pulse began to beat more rapidly as she grabbed the handle and pushed it open.

“Zen!” Shirayuki heard herself call out as she recognized the figure sitting on a couch.

He held up a hand in greeting. “Yo, Shirayuki. I have something to tell you.”

“So, your mother is coming to visit?” The young herbalist concluded after he finishes giving her the news.

“Basically, yes,” Zen agreed, “but I want her to meet you.”

Shirayuki began to turn red. “M-Meet me?!

The Second Prince grabbed her hand and squeezed it comfortingly. “Don’t worry; if you’d like, I could give you basic lessons in manners, posture, and the like.”

She gave him a small smile. “Thank you. That will really help me act ladylike in front of your mother and not act impertinently.”

The silver-haired visitor returned her smile in kind. “I wouldn’t stress over it too much; I’m sure Mother will love you no matter what you do.”

“I sure hope so…”

The following week after the next, the Queen arrived at the castle gates inside a carriage.

“Prince Zen!” Mitsuhide called out as he flung open his office doors before coming in, followed by Kiki and Obi.

Zen looked up from his paperwork as he set his quill down. “What is the matter?”

“It’s your mother,” Kiki explained. “The Queen has arrived.”

He quickly pushed back his chair. “Well, what are we waiting for?! Let’s go greet her!”

They all made their way hurriedly to the Queen’s official office, only giving a quick greeting here and there to anyone who greeted them. They arrived at her door with time to spare.

“You sure you don’t want to bring Mistress with us before going in?” Obi asked in a low whisper.

The Second Prince shook his head. “Not now. She just came back and is now trying to get readjusted to everything. We’ll give her a little bit of time and space before bringing her up.”

With that, his loyal aide knocked on the door before speaking in a formal tone. “Your Majesty, the Second Prince would like to speak with you now!”

“Come in!” A bubbly voice responded back. “The door is open!”

All of them complied with her request and came into her office. She leaned back slightly on her desk with her hands, looking at them with kind eyes. Her pretty blonde hair—so blonde that it almost appeared white—was in unruly curls and cascaded down her shoulders. She wore a simple yellow dress that fell gracefully to the floor, hiding her choice of shoe wear.  

Izana sat close by on the window sill, giving them an indifferent look when they came in.

“Zen!” The dowager queen called out excitedly as she lunged towards him and pulled him in for a hug.

“Whoa!” He let out as he almost lost his balance but regained it in time before wrapping his arms around her. “I’ve missed you too.”

His mother immediately launched herself into a quick and vague retelling of all the things she’s been doing; Watching over the north, investigating a few scandalous schemes by nobles, and making sure the trade routes were regulated to allow any foreign businesses to sell.

“Oh, how rude of me!” Queen Haruto said before turning to her son. “I’ve been talking about me and not letting you say a word. Have you anything to tell your mother?”

The silver-haired prince scratched his cheek, looking up at the ceiling, as he tried to think of something to say. “...I solved a dispute between a lord and the island people if that’s anything...”

She waved him off. “No, no, I want juicy gossip! Did you strip any nobles of their titles, get control of the jurisdiction of another land, or meet any new women who’ve held your interest?”

Zen felt himself begin to blush as Obi covered his mouth to try and stifle his laughter, but even then, he made a few snorts. This earned him sudden attention from the Queen.

“I see you’ve gotten a new aide,” She commented as she gave each a once over. “I’m glad to see that you’ve taken a liking to Kiki Serian and Mitsuhide Louen."

“Yes,” He responded back, “they’re all very loyal. I’m happy to have them each as one of my loyal aides.”

She smiled at her son, then at his aides. “If you’ve all managed to get Zen to trust you, then you’re all right in my book.”

Mitsuhide blushed before frantically waving his hands in the air. “N-No, I am not worthy of such praise! I am merely a humble servant doing what his master commands!”

The blonde royal chuckled. “I see, then you wouldn’t mind having a little celebration for my arrival?”

“Will there be cake and wine?!” The Prince’s Knight asked enthusiastically.

“You bet!”

“Then what are we waiting for?! Let’s get this party started!”

The queen stumbled to her living quarters, practically tripping over thin air. I’ve had too much to drink today…

She allowed herself to lean against the wall as she made her way down the hallway and into her room. After she had come in and closed the door, she threw herself on her bed.

Izana sure knows how to drink… Just like his father…

A pang hit her heart immediately at the mention of her late husband. She tried not to think about it too much, but it still hurt whenever she did. Will the pain ever go away?

After a few minutes, it was apparent that it wouldn’t. The dowager royal decided to sift around her personal belongings and letting her hands rest on an old photo album. I forgot I let this here…

Her hands quickly pried it open and flipped through the photos. She let her eyes rest on them all; pictures of Izana and Zen happy as children. Izana when he first held Zen—a baby then—in his arms for the first time. His smile was so wide as he gazed upon his new baby brother.

What a long time ago… Where have the times gone?

Her fingers seemed to move on their own when they flipped through the page of photos. They finally stopped on one photo in particular; a picture of Zen and a girl when they were young. It was taken when they took a short trip to Tanbarun for diplomatic reasons and she took him to the park while her spouse and eldest son sat through political meetings with Tanbarun’s king. The girl had long, vibrant red hair that fell easily to her hips, her green eyes wide with wonder. It was no question how Zen managed to make a friend out of her; he was like that when he was young and innocent.

I feel like I’ve seen that girl before…

Her finger glided across the photo, stopping at the redhead's hair. It began to rub it as if, through some miraculous miracle, she’d be able to grab a hold of that hair.

Her body suddenly felt very tired and groggy. The wine must finally be settling its sleeping effects on me…

The queen closed her family photo album and set it down on her bedside table. I’ll show him it tomorrow and see if he’ll remember who she was, she thought before turning over and falling into a deep sleep.

A gentle knock on her door woke her up the following morning. “Your Majesty? Your presence is requested at your morning meal.”

The queen let out an exhausted groan before heaving herself out of bed. “Please report back to them that I’m on my way.”

After the blonde royal heard the footsteps begin to recede back into an opposite direction, she sifted through her closet for anything to wear and quickly changed into it. Once she was finished, she made her way to the dining area that was set aside especially for the royals and nobles alike.

Upon flinging open the doors to the exclusive dining area, Queen Haruto was graced with a chorus of greetings.

“Good morning, Queen!”

“What a fine morning, huh, Your Majesty?”

“You look lovely this fine morning, Queen Haruto!”

The blonde royal smiled back at them. “Thank you all for your pleasant greetings. I’ll take my seat now.”

Doing just that, she took a seat next to her eldest son and settled herself in.

The queen scanned the table, realising that though her youngest son’s aides were present, he, himself, was not. “Would you happen to know where our dear Zen is?”

Izana merely gave her a shrug in response. “I’ve no idea.”

They decided not to waste any more time and went straight into eating. I’ll have to find Zen later on, she thought to herself.

Once she had finished all of her paperwork for the day after eating breakfast, Queen Haruto set about finding Zen to spend some quality time with him.

Where could that little troublemaker have run off to?

She tried his office first but found out it was for nought. Of course, he wouldn’t be in his office, doing paperwork, like he should be!

His aides, unlike him, were ever so dependable and were already stationed inside their master’s office.

“Would any of you have the faintest idea where Zen could be?” The blonde royal asked.

Mitsuhide scratched his cheek as he thought. “If I may be so blunt, Your Majesty, you should try the pharmacy ward. He enjoys sneaking off there.”

She nodded in acknowledgement. “I see. Thank you for your helpful insight, Sir Mitsuhide.”

Once she had reached the door to the pharmacy, she realised she hadn’t asked his loyal aide why he enjoyed going there so much. Oh well. Perhaps I’ll find out?

The dowager queen turned the knob and let herself into the pharmacy.

“Your Majesty!” The Chief Herbalist—she remembered that her name was Garack Gazelt—quickly greeted as she pushed back her chair and stood up. “I didn’t think you’d grace the pharmacists with your presence on your visit! How may I help you? Have you any injury that needs inspecting?”

The blonde shook her head. “No, no, nothing of that kind. I merely came to see what my dear son was doing in the pharmacy.”

At this, the Chief visibly began to furrow her brow and sweat. “W-Well, you see…”

“--So, you’ve been working hard, huh, Shirayuki?” The voice of her son reached her faintly as footsteps accompanied it.

“Yes, but I enjoy it very much!” An unfamiliar yet bubbly female voice responded back. Their footsteps were coming closer. “You’ve been working a lot too, with your mother’s arrival and all, right?”

“Aahh, about that--”

Zen’s voice was cut abruptly off when his eyes took in the presence of his mother. “M-Mother?!”

The woman with him began to turn red. “That’s your mother?!”

The queen took no notice of this as she stared at the woman with wide eyes. “Y-You’re… her!”

The woman she was looking at had the same vibrant-red hair and green emerald eyes as the girl in the photo did. If she had to guess the girl’s age, she’d be about the same age as the woman in front of her.

“Huh?” The red-head let out as she blinked in confusion at the blonde royal. “What do you mean by that?”

The queen hurriedly reached inside of her coat and took out the picture, comparing the girl from it to the woman in front of her. Sure enough, it was a match.

“You’re the girl from this photo!” She repeated once again before turning the photo around and showing it to them.

“Hey, Zen, that’s you from when you were little, right?” The red-head asked.

Her son nodded in confirmation. “That’s right, Shirayuki, but is that girl next to me you?”

The girl’s—Shirayuki’s—eyes widened as she took everything in. “Is that really me?! I mean, it looks like me, but then again, it could be any other...”

She suddenly stopped speaking, becoming eerily silent. The Second Prince gave her a worried look. “Are you okay?’

The young red-head quickly came back to senses and frantically began waving her hands around. “Y-Yeah, I’m fine. I just remembered a promise I made to a young boy around my age when I was little.”

His eyes started widening in surprise. “P-Promise?!”

Shirayuki gave a slight nod of her head. “It was a long time ago, but a promise all the same.”

A surprised expression settled itself onto the queen’s facial features. “What did you two promise each other?’

The young herbalist began to blush. “W-Well… we promised each other that when we’d meet again, we would...”

“You would…?”

She took a deep breath. “...We would marry each other.”

An eerie silence enveloped everyone as they took this all in.

“WHAT?!?!”

After Shirayuki had explained as best as she could to the both of them about her experience, they ended up in her office.

“...And that’s all I can remember,” She finished sombrely.

“Who would’ve thought you two met before?” Queen Haruto asked rhetorically.

“I sure didn’t,” Zen said in response. “I can’t believe we met in Tanbarun before...”

“Well, your father had to talk to the King of Tanbarun then,” The queen explained. “I used to take you to the park while Izana stayed behind to observe how your father handled diplomatic matters.”

“Before my grandparents passed away, they used to take me to the park when they had the time,” Shirayuki admitted sombrely. “I enjoyed those times so much...”

Upon seeing the hurt gleaming in the young herbalist’s eyes, she sighed. “You two have had a lot happen today; go take a break. That’s an official order from the Queen herself, mind you!”

The young red-head gave her a slight smile. “As you wish, Your Majesty.”

Even though she was supposed to be in her room, taking a break, her mind wouldn’t wind down. She decided the best thing to do was to take a walk around the palace.

Her feet lead her past the pharmacy, stopping at the doors to the castle’s courtyard. I wonder if anyone would mind if I collected my thoughts out there?

She shook her head before twisting the doorknob and letting herself out. I’m sure it’d be okay.

The slight breeze swayed her hair from side to side, bringing a sense of calmness to her mind. Her skin suddenly began to stand on edge when she realised she wasn’t alone.

Who else is here with me?

“Shirayuki!” She heard a familiar voice call out. She quickly spun to the source of it and saw Zen standing before her. “I didn’t know you let yourself out here.”

Shirayuki gave him a tight-lipped smile. “I didn’t know you did, either.”

The silver-haired prince rubbed his neck before averting his gaze. “I just came out here to sort out my thoughts. At the moment, they’re sort of jumbled...”

The young herbalist went to his side before intertwining her hand with his own. “I feel the same, too.”  

He shifted his gaze back to her as he stared into her eyes, a slight smile playing on his lips. “It’s just like you to find the perfect thing to say to me when I don’t even know what I want to hear.”

He led her to a tree that was ridden with age but still had a swing tied on one of its branches.He held out his hand to her. “Care to join me for a swing, Milady?”

She took his hand. “Why, thank you, kind sir!’

The Second Prince helped her get settled onto the swing. She grasped the rope stabiliser as Zen pulled her back and let go. “Wheeeeeee!”

He chuckled at her excitement as he pulled back the rope and let go once more. “Reminds you of when we were little, huh?”

“Yep!”

Zen grasped the rope again, but, unlike before, didn’t let go.

Shirayuki hurriedly got off of the swing and went to his side. “Zen, are you okay?”

He suddenly held her in his arms, hiding his face inside the crook of her neck.

“Z-Zen...” She let out, embarrassed.

All this did was straighten his resolve. He didn’t lessen up one bit.

“Zen,” She started a bit unsurely, “what’s wrong? Are you alright?”

He tightened his grip around her considerably. “I’ve been thinking about what I promised you before… When we were children…”

The words, so clear and hopeful, came back to her. I promise the next time that we meet, I’ll marry you!

It brought a smile to her lips. “Aah, that promise… It’s okay if you don’t honour it. We were merely children, after all.”

That didn’t seem to help him in the least. “Still, I made a promise… It hurts when I think that I may not be able to keep it…”

Shirayuki pulled back so she could look him in the eyes. “Zen, I don’t want you to marry me because you feel obligated to over a promise. As far as I’m concerned, we’re two totally different people than who we were back then.”

Zen smiled. “All the same, a promise is a promise…”

He leaned in, his mouth close to her ear. “…One that I intend to keep.”

She visibly began turning the same shade of red as her hair. “W-What?!”

#Zenyukiweek17 #Day 2 #connected #AnS #Akagami no shirayukihime #Zenyuki #prompts #omg why did I even write this #it's so horrible like please don't read this #it's not worth it at all

[sabraeal]

Some shidan and garrack ;w; discussing, drinking, just more of them and maybe have shidan ACTUALLY kiss the lady. Uhh idk if you’ve incorporated them modern au but if not canon verse is good! :)

“Higata.”

Garrack’s TA startles, and she stifles a laugh. He’s a high-strung kid, more limbs than sense at times, but a hard-worker nonetheless. He doesn’t have the natural aptitude of Ryuu, or the studious heart of Shirayuki, or even Obi’s gift of lateral thinking, but he’s the sort of kid that doesn’t give up. He’ll throw himself against a wall before he’ll walk away from it – or, she can’t help thinking a bit uncharitably, go around it.

Listen, they’ll be hand-pouring gels for month to make up the cost of the boxes he went through only to realize he was using the wrong fucking ones. For fuck’s sake, they have a chart.

Higata cranes his neck to look back at her, his chair creaking beneath him. She holds back a grimace. That thing is probably older than him. When was the last time the labs got new furniture? Before her time, probably.

“Is everything set for the conference?” she asks, leaning against his cube. For once the Eastern Wetlands Conservation Conference was withing driving distance; usually they chose much nicer places to have their February conference – like Miami, or Charlotte, or anywhere without windchill – but local politics, namely Brecker’s last appeal, had made the planners select a location according to the statement it would make.

“Ah-ah!” Higata pours himself out of the seat, all unrestrained limbs. It’s impressive he can organize them in a way that keeps him standing. “Yes, Professor. All set. And ah…” He scratches at the back of his neck thoughtfully. “I got Professor Weise’s rental through Monday. He can just drop it off at the airport before his flight.”

“Great.” Garrack taps on the corner of his cube with a grin. “Shidan will be going over his recent run of data with me this weekend, so can you schedule a lab meeting for when I get back?”

He nods, eager to please as always. She was always good at picking the obedient ones. “Sure. I’ll get it set up for Tuesday.”

He turns back to his work, and it’s testament to how inoffensive he usually is that she’s almost back to her office before she realizes the problem.

“Higata,” she says, poking her head around the corner of his cube. He nearly falls out of his chair, but she’s too focused to care. “Is there a reason you’re not setting it for Monday?”

He blinks at her owlishly. “Oh, er, I just thought you might…um…”

“We don’t have all day, Higata.”

“I thought you’d want to spend Monday with Professor Weise,” he blurts out, turning a ripe cherry-red. “If I, uh, saw my girlfriend as little as you saw the professor, I’d need a day for, um, just us…”

Garrack stares. “Shidan is my what now?”

“He isn’t –?” Higata looks as if he’d rather be anywhere else rigth now, and Garrack can’t help but find the feeling mutual. “I thought he was your boyfriend.”

A long silence stretched between them.

“Make the meeting Monday,” she says, spinning on her heel. “First thing.”

“Right. Oh, professor, by the way –”

She glances back over her shoulder.

“It’s supposed to snow tonight.” She waits for Higata to come to his point. “Will Professor Weise be all right driving in that?”

“Shidan?” She grins. “Oh, I’m sure he’ll be fine.”

Shidan arrived two hours late, roller-bags wheels clogged and knit-wear choked with snow. He shakes his great mop of hair, spraying water and slush all over her and her mudroom, and says, “This place is godforsaken.”

“So dramatic,” Garrack teases, enjoying his struggle with his boots. That’s a better view than she’s seen in a while. “It’s just a little snow.”

He sends her a dirty look from between his legs, still locked in a tussle with one set of water-logged bootlaces. “There’s six inches of fluff out there. I nearly died twice.”

“Twice?” She lifts her eyebrows and shrugs. “That’s hardly a blizzard at all.”

“This place has changed you.” He tosses his boots onto the plastic trays she uses for drying shoes and sets himself onto divesting himself of his layers. “And not for the better.”

“You say that like a man who doesn’t want the brandy in the liquor cabinet,” she remarks, grinning as he drops his last coat to the floor. “You know, it’s just Massachuetts, not Alaska. You don’t need three polar fleece and a parka.”

“It’s freezing out there,” he insists. “Men die in these temperatures.”

“Men can also drown in an inch of water, but they have to be stupid to do it.” She jerks her head over her shoulder. “Come on, let’s warm you up.”

“Ugh,” he groans, rubbing his hands.He pushes past her into the living room, shoulder knocking against her. “Great idea. Brandy, right?”

Garrack frowns. “You’re not even going to read into that a little?”

“I’ve known you for almost fifteen years,” he calls back, collapsing on her couch. “Given the option between sex and alcohol, I know exactly which one you’re likely to offer me.”

She does not feel disappointed. “Well,” she grumbles, “you could at least pretend to be shocked.”

It takes two glasses for Shidan to thaw enough to ask, “Do you know what talks you’re going to?”

“Ah, yes.” She’s finally settled into her chair – a circular, pillow-nest thing, precariously balanced on top of its base – and he has another thing coming if he thinks she’s moving anywhere for the next few hours, especially to find her talk notes. Her back still aches from shoveling. “I printed out the schedule and circled a bunch.”

His mouth cants, smile sly. “Is it physically possible for a human to see all of them in a weekend?”

“I did that once – once – and suddenly I’m some sort of talk-attending robot?”She’s missed this, his teasing. She forgets how human he makes her feel.

He’s looking at her from out under hooded lids, his smile curving fondly. “You’ve done it three times, and you wish. I should be glad we didn’t do robotics, otherwise you’d probably built copies of yourself so you could go to all of them.”

“If I’d gone into genetics, I probably could do the same thing.”

“See,” he laughs, pausing to take a sip of his brandy. “The world should thank turtles, really.”

“And I’m guessing that you have no plan,” she drawls, watching as he ducks his head to hide his grin. “Are you just planning on following me around like a lost duckling?”

“I’m not lost if I mean to be following you around,” he says, so easily, in the sort of way she never could manage. She’s not good at affection; not the long-lasting kind, the kind that matters. “After all, I didn’t fly this far just for turtles.”

Her hands are nerveless around her glass, numb. She s trying excruciatingly hard not to think of Higata and his stupid, stupid comments “You didn’t?”

He sends her an incredulous look over his rim. “Garrack, I could go to any number of niche conferences in an academic year. Most of them in places god hasn’t abandoned for, I don’t know, the hubris of man. Whatever it is that makes him not like Boston.”

“The Patriots,” she supplies, though she’s not sure where it came from, since her mind is certainly not working.

He shrugs. “That’s fair.”

She times it just right; he’s taking another sip when she says, “You know, my lab thinks we’re fucking.”

Shidan splutters alcohol over her reclaimed-wood coffee table. “W-what? How did that happen?”

Garrack shrugs, a thousand times more casual than she feels. “I don’t know. Higata just assumed that I’d be spending Monday all day in bed with you.”

His eyes are wide, and he is so very, very still. She’s watching him so closely that she sees him relax each of his muscles individually, as if he has to remind each one that tense is not its natural state. “Huh,” he says finally, his voice an octave higher than normal. “Strange.”

“Mm.” She’s hardly thinking when she says, “But then again, he doesn’t know that you rejected me.”

“When I –?” Shidan bolts upright on the couch, his face flushed. “W-when I did what now?”

“In undergrad,” she clarifies, her heart is certainly not beating madly in her breast. She’s a grown woman, it’s been over a decade, she doesn’t care. It’s – she’s over it now. “When we were at –”

“You were drunk!” he blurts out, his eyes so wide she can almost see the white all around. “I thought you were – you never said anything the next day!”

“You said, and I quote, don’t make this weird.” She sets down her glass so its not so obvious how her hands shake. “Why would I go and bring it up sober?”

“I thought you – you didn’t remember.” Her runs a hand through his hair, leaving sweaty runnels through the strands. “You just said, I think we should fuck. That seemed like a very drunk thing to say! A very pass-out drunk thing.”

“Shidan, I was in my twenties.” She can’t even look at him; she has to stare somewhere toward her kitchen so he’s not even in her line of sight. God, she wishes she could conveniently stop existing for the next ten minutes. “I liked you, and I was not good at emotion!”

“You’re not very good with emotion now!” he snaps, voice cracking. “Why are you – why would you bring this up?”

“I don’t know, I just – it seemed funny I guess?” she tries desperately. “I didn’t think – I thought you wouldn’t even remember, I don’t know!”

The silence that stretches between them is painful; shewants to fill it with – with something,with anything that will make him forget that she ever brought it up. Shereaches for her glass, hoping it will at least numb the agony of this moment –

Shidan sits down on the table in front of her, handsgripping his knees. He’s inescapable this close, and one look at him tells herhe knows, that he’s not letting her squirm out of this witha few drinks and some comment about her big mouth.

“Garrack,” he says, so softly. She wishes he would stopbeing so close; she wishes he would lean in closer. “Do you still like me?”

She fidgets with the pillow, staring at his knees. “We’refriends, so –”

“Garrack.” He leans forward, wrapping his hands around therim of the chair above. It shudders a little under his weight. “Do you like me?”

She can’t avoid his gaze now, so she stares him right in theeyes, trying hard not to blink. “No,” she lies.”

She’s sure that will drive him away, that he’ll put spacebetween them, but –

He grins, and leans it.

Even though her eyes are wide open, she still doesn’tbelieve it’s happening until his lips brush over hers, until she feels just thegentlest flick of his tongue over the bottom of her lip.

“Shidan,” she breathes, leaning up into him, and that’senough, it’s enough; he’s putting aknee between hers, pressing down into her –

The chair tilts with a wooden shunk, and they both tumble back, stuck inside the nest. Shidan ishalf sprawled over her, half spilled off to the side, and he stares over at herwith wide eyes. Definitely not a partof his plan.

That’s fine. She’s good at improvisation.

“Oh good,” she says, twisting so that she’s above him. “I’vealways wondered if this chair could fit two.”

#anonymous #garrack/shidan #the wide florida bay #100 days of obiyuki (and more) #my fic #modern au #The Wide Florida Bay #i feel like in the manga #that we're going to find out garrack was just as hung up on him #as he was on her #and shidan is going to cuss himself out #for not making a move for literally forever #also if you have not seen these nest chairs #they are amazing #and dangerous #i have ended up in nest mode so many times i cannot even say #i've taken two or three smaller friends with me by mistake

[chuuyaaf]

Hi! Could you write a scenario of Kunikida, Chuuya, Atsushi, and Akutagawa being super jealous of their s/o and s/o has to reassure them that they're the only one(s) she loves? Thanks in advance!

Atsushi is a precious cinnamon roll and I need to protect him. 

(f/n) = friend’s name

Scenarios are under the cut because it’s super long again T_T

~Admin Kat

Kunikida:

“(f/n)!!!” You squealed, attacking your long time friend with a massive hug. “It’s been forever! How have you been?! Oh my god, it’s like my life isn’t the same without you.”

Your best friend had recently come to visit from your hometown and you were ecstatic. You haven’t seen him in ages and seeing him in front of you now made you nostalgic for the old days. He was staying in Yokohama for about a week, both for business and personal reasons.

“Personal reasons?” Kunikida, your boyfriend, peeked up from his computer.

(f/n) nodded, scratching the back of his head and smiling, shutting his eyes. “Yeah, I have some unfinished business to attend to.”

That was the first day that Kunikida noticed that something was up. Over the course of the next few days, (f/n) visited the agency daily, often sitting next to you and chatting while you worked.

“Can you even get any work done with your ‘friend’ visiting all the time?” he asked one day.

You giggled and nodded. “Of course~”

It didn’t take long before Kunikida came up with the conclusion that his personal business was you.

Every time he saw you with (f/n), his temper shortened and he immediately buried himself into his desk to work. He’d even create work so he’d have something to do just so he didn’t have to witness your interactions with your friend.

If he was married to his work before, now he and his work were one and the same. It was the only thing he did. One day, when Dazai was pulling another one of his infamous antics in an attempt to commit suicide and ate a hallucinogenic mushroom and was standing on the main desk, muttering nonsense about pink elephants, Kunikida just simply walked by him and sat down by his desk, working. That meant that the rest of the ADA had to deal with Dazai, which was about as chaotic as anyone would think.

You began to worry about your boyfriend. Not only was he burying himself in work during the day, he began to come home later than usual as well. Most of the time, you were already asleep by the time he got home. If you were awake, he barely said anything to you, which made your chest tighten with worry.

But you weren’t stupid. You knew something was up. So you decided to talk to him. Tonight.

You waited up for Kunikida to come home and when you finally saw him enter your bedroom, you immediately went up to him and gave him a long, affectionate hug followed by a gentle kiss.

“You seem tense,” you whispered to him.

“I’ve had a lot of work,” he replied shortly, although he did enjoy the sudden affection as soon as he arrived home.

“Are you sure? It’s not like the Agency has had an influx of cases, recently…If anything, I’d say you’re trying to avoid something.”

“Something like what?”

You pursed your lips together to the side in a little smirk. “Maybe…(f/n)-kun?”

Kunikida’s breath halted for a second and he felt his heart jump at his lover’s ability to read him (although one can’t really say that it’s that difficult).

“No way.” He attempted to walk past you, but you moved so you were in front of him once again.

“Kunikida-san~ How many times have I told you that you’re a really bad liar?”

“I’m not!! J-Jealous or anything…” he looked away from you, whispering the last half of the sentence.

You smiled at him and wrapped your arms around his neck, kissing him again.

“Don’t be. (f/n) is just a friend, that’s it. He just had to take care of his personal business.”

“And what was that?” he grumbled.

You giggled at your boyfriend’s jealousy. “He had a pretty bad fight with his sister and she left to here, so he’s trying to make up with her. I’ve been helping him track her down.”

Ah…That was the personal business…..

“Kunikida…”

He looked down at you, looking a bit more relaxed.

“You’re the only one in my heart. And you always will be. Promise.”

Chuuya: 

“My beautiful lady, would you care to commit a double suicide with me?”

Dazai Osamu took your hand and looked up at you with suggestive eyes.

You giggled and pulled your hand back. “Not quite, Dazai-kun~”

Overhearing Dazai’s proposal, your boyfriend stormed over.

“Tch. Your face was the last thing I wanted to see after working that job,” Chuuya grumbled, grabbing you by the waist, holding you tightly up against him, causing you to blush.

Dazai sighed and stood up. “You know, the building we raided had a collection of those weird hats. I even saved one for you!”

“Wait, really?” Chuuya’s eyes lit up like a puppy.

“I’m lying, of course.”

“DAZAI!”

For the past three days, you were on a mission with Dazai, himself. He no doubt picked you for the sole purpose of pissing off Chuuya. The entire time that you were gone, Chuuya was grumpy and had a shorter fuse than he ever had. Having you gone was bad. Having you alone with Dazai was hell itself. He even considered going on the mission itself just to make that bastard didn’t lay his hands on you. But the boss wouldn’t have liked that.

Your cheeks returned to their usual color upon witnessing Dazai and Chuuya’s typical, but comical fight. They were now yelling insults at each other back and forth and you swore your boyfriend would pop a vessel if this escalated any further.

You sighed loudly enough to get both of the boys attention. “Chuuuuuuyaaaa, I’m tired,” you whined. “Can we go home? I brought a gift for you.” You looked up at your boyfriend with a smirk.

And he knew exactly what your gift was. He pulled you closer to him and gave Dazai a death glare. “Sure, (y/n)-chan. Let’s go home and away from this bandage-kinked asshat.”

On the car ride home, Chuuya was holding you against him fiercely, but you felt how tense he was.

“You’re jealous,” you accused.

“What?! No, I’m not.”

“You. Are. Jealous.” You walked your fingers up his chest and poked him in the nose.

“Who knows what that asshole was saying to you?!” he finally confessed, earning a hearty laugh from you.

“I knew it~” you teased.

You moved yourself so that you were sitting on his lap, your thighs on either side of his hips. You planted a passionate kiss onto his lips. “You have nothing to worry about,” you whispered. “I couldn’t stop thinking of you the entire time. I love you. Chuuya. You and only you.”

Chuuya looked into your eyes with a gentle gaze before a smirk appeared on his face.

“You better,” he said before roughly kissing you and turning so that you were now laid underneath him. “Maybe you can just give me that ‘gift’ now~”

( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

Atsushi:

You carried a stack of papers against your chest and walked next to your boyfriend, Atsushi. The two of you were assigned to an errand of delivering paperwork to some important organization. Since you were both new, neither of you really knew what importance the paperwork had. But you didn’t question it.

You two took the elevator up to the floor of the office you were expected at, which was on the fourth floor. The elevator stopped on the second and another boy walked in. He immediately noticed you and completely ignored Atsushi.

“Oh? And what’s your name, pretty lady~?” he said with a grin.

You blushed slightly and then extended your hand out. “(y/n)! And you?”

The boy stated his name, shaking your hand, holding on for a bit too long for Atsushi’s comfort. The two of you talked for a bit until the elevator arrived on the fourth floor.

“Oh!” you noticed once the doors opened. “I have to go now, it was nice to meet you!”

“Nice to meet you, too, (y/n)~” He waved with a pleasant smile before the doors closed again.

After you two dropped off the documents, you were back in the elevator. During the whole ride down, Atsushi didn’t say a single word. This continued until you two exited the building.

Atsushi was trapped within his own mind, again.

It’s my fault.

I’m not good enough.

I deserve this.

She’s going to leave.

She’s already planning to-

“Atsushi-kun.”

He got ripped out of his thoughts.

“You’re making that face again.”

“?”

You smiled at him. “You always make that face when something’s bothering you. And when something bothers you, you tend to blame yourself for it.”

You stopped walking and pulled on his hand to get him to stop, too. You leaned into him and gave him a gentle kiss, smiling at his slightly pink cheeks.

“You don’t have to be jealous, love. I know you always think of yourself as the one who gets abandoned…Do you remember the promise I made you when we first started dating?”

Atsushi smiled at the thought and pulled you in.

“I won’t ever leave you. I promise. You’re the only one in my heart.”

Akutagawa:

When you weren't off doing missions for the mafia, you were at the local bar. You were usually with the girls or with coworkers from a recent mission, but tonight you were alone.

Unfortunately, considering the type of bar that this was, that wasn't the case for long.

"What's cookin', good lookin'?"

You had to stifle your laughter at the random guy's cheesy pick-up line.

"Really? That the best you got?" you teased before taking another sip of your drink.

"It got your attention, right?" he said with a grin. "You're one of the higher-ups, right?"

You gave him a weird look. "Not really, I just work with the executives a lot because of my-"

"I was wondering what a pretty lady like you is doing in the Port Mafia~"

"...boyfriend," you mumbled the last part, irritated that you were interrupted.

"(y/n), who's this?" a familiar voice spoke from behind you.

"Ryuu~" you looked back at Akutagawa and smiled. You turned back to the stranger that was hitting on you. "I don't know, some random guy that decided to talk to me. Anyway, I was telling him that I work with the executives a lot because of my boyfriend," you made sure to emphasize the last word this time.

With that information and the glare that Akutagawa was giving him, the guy hitting on you immediately paled. "OH, I'm sorry, Akutagawa-san!"

He quickly left, nearly pissing himself in fear.

You smirked at his reaction and turned back to your boyfriend. "What brings you here, Ryuu?"

He shrugged, still eyeing the guy, who was now hiding in one of the corner booths. "Figured you'd be here."

You followed his gaze and chuckled. "Why are you still staring at him?"

"He's dangerous, (y/n)."

You eyed your boyfriend with a raised brow. "Really...That low-ranked member who can barely steal something from a convenience store without confessing...is dangerous...?"

Akutagawa lost his composure for a split second, knowing that his efforts to keep him away fell through. "..........Yes."

"Oh~?" you smirked at him, smiling while biting your bottom lip. "Are you jealous~?"

"!!!" Akutagawa reacted in shock, accidentally knocking over an empty bottle. He straightened himself up and sighed. "Of course not, I would never be."

You grinned and poked at him. "Yes. You. Are."

He grumbled and turned to the side to hide his slightly pink cheeks.

"Don't be, love~" You stood and hugged him from the side, kissing him on the cheek, which made him even more flustered.

He's so cute.

"You're the only one I love, I promise~"

#Anonymous #i swear once i start writing i just #DONT STOP #kunikida doppo #kunikida x reader #nakahara chuuya #chuuya x reader #atsushi nakajima #atsushi x reader #akutagawa ryunosuke #akutagawa x reader #fluff

[askthedespairkids]

Some Shitty Foundation Short Stories

I managed to write 5 mini stories of the named anons “behind the scenes” so to speak, so it’s basically what goes on in the foundation when nobody is watching.

So basically, these fics are canon that I couldn’t show through asks. Unless something is seriously out of character. Sorry they’re kinda shit, I didn’t really put a whole lot of thought into them.

-That doesn’t make sense!-

 “Poly…amorous…?” Sadao tilted his head, Dragonous had simply let the word slip as the two were talking about Mage. The Ultimate Hero gave a big nod and pushed her sunglasses up. “I…I don’t think I’ve ever heard that term before?”

 “Oh, it’s real simple. It just means that she might want to go out with more than one person. So instead of one partner, she could have two or three.” Dragonous explained. The hypnotist was silent, staring intently at the red-head.

 “But…that makes no sense.” Sadao frowned.

 “Of course it makes sense. It’s just how people differ from you, Irunami-chan! Nothing bad about-“

 “I know that.” Sadao cut her off. “That’s not what I mean though…like, Mage-chan is from America, right? They use cars a lot there, so, like…what happens with they’re all taking a car ride to the shops or something?” Dragonous just stared at him with confusion. “Like, say Mage-chan had two partners, right? What if all three of them went to the shops. Does that mean someone just gets but in the back seats by themselves? That doesn’t seem fair? Do the rules of ‘shotgun’ apply to it or do they rotate who sits where?”

 “Th…that’s what you’re confused about…?” Dragonous had to giggle. “Geez, Irunami-chan, you’re mind comes up with the weirdest questions.”

 “Then I’ll have to ask Mage-chan when she’s finished with the lunch rush!” Sadao smiled. “People are interesting, you know? I love learning about people!”

 “Yeah, same. I get to meet tons of cool people in my travels, you’d probably get along well with a lot of them.”

 “Introduce me sometime then!” Sadao beamed.

 “Heh, it’s a deal.” Dragonous smiled back.

 --

 -7th Branch Days-

 “Hayashi-kun!” Junpei called out. “Did you get that paperwork that Gekkougahara-san sent to us…? It should have arrived by now.” Neku put a finger to his lips and thought for a few seconds.

 “I think Kamisaka left with Richard to get the paperwork. They said they had to take care of something anyways, they should be back soon.” Neku shrugged. “I guess you and I are just gonna have to play the waiting game until they decide to come back.”

 “I have a bad feeling about this though…” Junpei pinched the bridge of his nose. “Something about Richard-kun and Ka-chan being near each other for that amount of time makes me concerned for my mental wellbeing…”

 “Yo-chan~!” The familiar voice came from the doors of the 7th branch, Richard and Orochi walking back into the offices. “We’ve brought what you need.” The decipherer started to walk over to him. There was a worrying grin on his face as he got closer to Junpei. Oh boy.

 “What are you so happy ab…out…” Junpei’s voice slowed down as Orochi’s full figure came into view. Whilst he was still wearing his usual t-shirt and trench coat, the glaring difference in this outfit…were the denim short-shorts, completely exposing his legs. “…what the actual fuck are you wearing?”

 “Do you like them?” Orochi winked “Or maybe you need to see them from a better angle~” He leaned over Junpei, bringing his face to the same level as the blond. “They were Richard-kun’s idea. He said you were the type of guy that liked it when guys showed off more skin.”

 “Wh-what?!” Junpei’s face flushed. “Wh…wh-why would he think that?!”

 “Isn’t it obvious…?” Richard smiled. “You’re one of the easiest to read, silly!”

 “Well…?” Orochi leaned closer. “Is he right, or would you rather not answer that in front of everyone…?” Junpei’s face only went a deeper shade of red as Orochi inched closer.

 “I…” Junpei suddenly slapped Orochi and pushed him off. “Y-y-you seriously are an idiot! Idiot! Idiot!” Junpei cried out.

 “Ugh…we just had to get people like them, didn’t we…?” Neku sighed, resting his head on the desk. “Just my luck…”

 “Ah, now, now, dear Mr Hayashi. They aren’t bad children…I just wish to help Mr Yokozawa with his feelings, is all.” Richard glanced at the bickering pair. “Besides, having a little noise in this place isn’t a bad thing, is it…?”

 --

 -Protagonist Curse-

 “…eh…?” Ryuu blinked. “What are you…?”

 “Giving you my underwear, obviously.” Kobo frowned, acting as if this gesture was completely normal for everyone to do. “We’re really close so we gotta prove it to each other, right? Then you gotta take my underwear. It’s, like, the rules of video games.”

 “Wh-what kind of video games have you played where underwear is a reward for getting close to people?!” Ryuu cried out, still trying to wrap the fact that Kobo was trying to shove the blue and grey boxerbriefs into his possession.

 “A really good one, I should lend it to you sometime. Besides, if I’m following the rules of the game, then you fit it perfectly.” Kobo smirked. “You got the protagonist curse.”

 “P…protagonist curse…?” Ryuu tilted his head, letting out a yelp as Kobo pulled playfully on the ahoge protruding from the top of his head.

 “That thing right there is the sign of a protagonist in the series. And obviously they’re the ones collecting everyone’s underwear. So these are for you because you’re pretty much the protagonist of our class, if we go by the game’s rules.”

 “Th…that’s…insane…” Ryuu sighed. “Okanaya-kun…why don’t you and I ever just have a normal conversation for once…? Just once…?”

 “Ha! You know that ain’t happening anytime soon, Nagata!” The tour guide chuckled, shoving the underwear into the shorter male’s hands. “I’ll see you around!” He turned to leave.

 Ryuu just looked at the fabric in his grasp and sighed once again. “I guess I can’t really do anything about it…for now, I’m just gonna have to get these to my room before anyone se-“ Ryuu turned to leave, only to find Maemi, Toson, Yuuki, and Sadao behind him. “U…u-uh…th-this isn’t what it looks like…!”

 “Drat.” Toson scoffed. “Looks like Okanaya-kun beat us to it.”

 “Eh?”

 “We were going to give you ours first, but I suppose Okanaya-kun was just too fast for us. Still won’t stop us though, that I can promise.” Yuuki tipped his cap.

 “E-eh?!”

 “Oh, by the way, Nagata-kun, who are you planning on giving your underwear to?” Maemi asked.

 “EH?!!”

 --

 -Old memories-

 “So you guys all were at Hope’s Peak at the same time, right…?” Rogue asked Kyoji and Ethos ad the three, along with Daisuke, all sat at one of the tables in the lunch hall. “Anything embarrassing happen with Takai-kun whilst I was gone? Come on, you guys need to let me know about anything I missed!”

 “Ah, Kimyona-san, that’s-“

 “Aw, come on, Takai-kun, you know you can tell me anything! I won’t judge! Me, you, and Yuichiro-chan were besties back in school, remember?” The artist grinned. “Now spill it, you two.”

 “Well, this wasn’t something about Takai-kun specifically, but I do remember Oroya-kun having trouble with trying to reach some books in the library because he was so short in his first year of school. He got so flustered when Takai-kun helped him that he said ‘s-senpai’ with one of those really touched voices.” Kyoji recalled.

 “Th-that’s not true!” Ethos quickly objected. “I wasn’t flustered about it! I mean…sure, I was caught off guard that much is true…”

 “Though you were very conscious of your short stature before you hit your growth spurt. Even Ando-san was taller than you, if I remember right.” Daisuke added on.

 “When did this discussion turn to me, anyways…?” Ethos laughed a little. “But Rogue, what did you do when you left anyways…? Anything weird happen to you, other than the obvious powers…?”

 “Uh…” Rogue looked away for a second. “I…guess you could say some weird stuff happened. Like the lakeside incident…” When the three pairs of eyes looked at her curiously, she could only frown as she recalled. “When I was first trying to control my powers, I was practising by a lakebed…I was just kind of going over everything I could do, when suddenly my electricity activated and hit the water. I killed all of the fish in the waters…I didn’t mean to though! Though I suppose the fishermen didn’t mind.”

 “That was you?” Kyoji’s eyes widened. “I heard about that incident a few years ago, but to think that it was you…”

 “Yeah, I’m much better with my powers now. Which is great, by the way, because it can be hell if something goes haywire.”

 “It’s good you were able to return to us though, Kimyona-san…” Daisuke smiled softly. “Even with Okumura-kun there with me…our second year and third year just weren’t the same without your voice always leading us around.

 “Aw, Takai-kun, that’s so sweet…” Rogue’s expression slowly dropped. “I…just hope we can find Yuichiro-chan soon. It would be great if all three of us were together again…”

 “Then we’ll work together to make it happen, alright…?” Daisuke looked at his friend.

 “R-right! Let’s bring him here safely!”

 --

 -Common Ground-

 Rina and Emi sat across from each other, almost as if ready to discuss some kind of important business meeting. The two had met in Emi’s room, the lights had been dimmed, and the tension between the two was unbelievable thick.

 “…Teruteru…” Emi said.

 “….Peko-chan…” Rina nodded back to her. The two paused before letting out small giggles. “I’m so glad we do this, Chouko-san. I’m just happy we have something in common.”

 “M-me too…y-y-you’re definitely the n-nicest i-in our class…I c-c-can’t stand K-Kamisaka, honestly.” Emi chewed on her nail lightly.

 “I think he’s just a little…eccentric…” Rina scratched her head. “Though Yokozawa-kun is nice, don’t you think? And even if she’s a little strict, Watanabe-san is nice as well. She’s just a little more…intense than the others.”

 “I h-h-have trouble with int-t-tense people…W-Watanabe w-was a nightmare t-t-to live with i-in that mansion…” Emi frowned. “Th-though I a-agree about J-Junpei-san…”

 “So…do you have a plan yet for Hanamura-kun…? You must have thought of something to get him…” Rina leaned forward, awaiting her answer.

 “I-i-it’s still a w-w-work in progress…w-what about y-y-you with Peko-san…?” The music critic twisted her headphone as she asked.

 “Akane’s been helping me out a lot with trying to impress her. I’ve never liked anyone before, so this is all really new to me. I’m just nervous that I’m gonna mess things up and she’ll never want to talk to me again, I mean…she did forget me at one point.” Rina’s mood seemed to drop.

 “Th-that was b-because of the de-despairs though, not be-because of y-y-you.” Emi reminded her. “I th-think you’ll d-d-do fine, honestly. Y-you’ve got a g-good personality, and you’re c-c-c-cute.”

 “You think so…?” Rina smiled weakly, walking over to give Emi a light hug. “You’re the best, Chouko-san.” She stood up straight. “Alright…I won’t give up until Peko tells me her feelings for me! It’s all or nothing, you know?!”

 “S-s-same with m-me and Teruteru…I’ve g-got to st-step my game up, y-y’know. I w-w-want a real answer t-t-to wh-when I a-asked him out…” Emi’s eyes were full of determination. “W-we have crushes o-on o-our old uppercl-classmen. B-but we’re gonna win. We h-have to.”

 The two looked at each other and nodded confidently.

#Mod J #Mod post #DR #Foundation Short Stories

[badlydrawnstuff]

det au part 7

Arséne: *he is pacing in front of his desk again. Please, stop him.* It's been a while since I've made a check update. Stop me if I make a mistake. *he picks up his notes, and clears his throat* Sheepy and I started off by making progress with Tom's case. The group of teenagers assisted Watson in getting back home, as his search for Sherlock was fruitless. Fortunately, Sherlock arrived on his own. We then... Er.. "Interrogated" Pi- Naoya. I'm not used to that yet. Sheepy and I then rescued Kazuya from Twilight. As Watson gave him a medical check-up, I spoke more with Tom. Progress was made. I then left to find Diego, and Sheepy helped make progress with Kazuya. This is, unfortunately, when Sherlock was kidnapped, and Nyar made his first contact with us. We immediately left to retrieve Sherlock, and did so successfully. At roughly the same time, Van Helsing came to us and has stayed put.

[he stops for air] We visited Phil for the first time, then went to visit Germain. Unfortunately, his home was being ransacked by Twilight at the time, as they were searching for the butterflies. I managed to glean more information from Tom as we returned home through an old tunnel. ... I managed to hear "Toothbrush gun" in between events, and quite frankly, I'm horrified. Diego came to us, and I left with him. Others checked in with Phil's household- Everyone was safe. Harley went with Germain to judge damages done. I met Mycroft, and was surprised by just how far his head was up his ass- Pardon my language. I asked Sheepy to research recent fires, but the answer to that came in later. [air] I snuck out later that night with Diego to visit Mycroft and learn what we could. ... Irrelevant time marker- Obtaining Pepper. I'm blaming Sheepy. Nyar called, claiming he had Naoya and his family in his clutches. We decided to treat the matter with tact, not rushing into it immediately. We also more formally met Mycroft now, as well as his children. [air, again. give a minute] I then left some time later, to rescue those who were captured by Twilight. Germain managed to free Ryuunosuke from Twilight's grasp, in the meantime. He and Watson had Ryuu reunited with his friend, and they both left. Around this point, Sherlock's arm was fully healed, which is strange and worthy of note. [air] All three Toudous were brought back, and Mycroft was taken. We, in reply, set off to fetch him. We were separated, and ... [arsene looks bothered] We know what happened then. Mycroft and his family moved in the building over, as did Germain. [last air break] Nyar and Phil came to us to talk about stopping Twilight. The day after, I met Jason and worked more on Tom's case. ... Sherlock, Sheepy and I intended to do multiple things, but got sidetracked by the Jackson family's plight. I picked Sheepy up the day after, then Watson, Mycroft, and Sherlock went out. Sheepy and I then went exploring, but found no evidence. We now conclude at the current time, 8:19 PM. ----- Sheepy: Sheepy: Ugh... Arsé-kun: Arséne: *he finally sits back down, and neatly puts the files away* Sheepy: Sheepy: Why. Arsé-kun: Arséne: I missed the last two potential updates, and we've been doing this for years. Sheepy: Sheepy: Horrible. Arsé-kun: Finis: That was most educational. I feel as if I've learned something. Sheepy: Sheepy: Wow. Arsé-kun: Finis: What, did you not? heepy: Sheepy: No. Arsé-kun: Finis: Such a shame. Sister, please put the couch down. Sheepy: Cardia: *she puts it down* Arsé-kun: Finis: Thank you. Sheepy: Sheepy: When will they get back? Arsé-kun: Finis: That, I do not know. Sheepy: Sheepy: I'm bored of waiting. Arsé-kun: *Meanwhile, and by meanwhile I mean somewhere else, several hours beforehand* Sheepy: Sherlock: We probably should've told them that we'd be out late. Sheepy: Sherlock: We'll be home soon anyway, so... Arsé-kun: Watson: I'd have called already, but I forgot to charge my phone. Sheepy: Sherlock: I didn't bring mine either. Arsé-kun: Mycroft: You two, I swear. I did. Sheepy: Sherlock: I have a bad memory. Arsé-kun: Mycroft: *he goes to dial the office phone, but stops because he almost walked into a pole. 10/10* Sheepy: Sherlock: You should look where you're walking. Arsé-kun: Mycroft: I most certainly should. Sheepy: Sherlock: We can stop and wait here until you make the call, but someone may bump into us if they aren't paying attention. Arsé-kun: Mycroft: m-hm.. Sheepy: Sherlock: So I'll keep a lookout. Arsé-kun: Mycroft: Please. *he calls the office phone. Because everyone is busy at the moment, nobody picks up* Sheepy: Sherlock: Darn. Arsé-kun: Mycroft: Perhaps they're busy? Sheepy: Sherlock: Probably. Sheepy: Sherlock: Let's hurry home then... Arsé-kun: Mycroft: *he takes a step or two away, and looks back* Sheepy: Sherlock: What's up? Arsé-kun: Mycroft: Are we going? Sheepy: Sherlock: *he looks to Watson before following* Arsé-kun: Watson: ..... *he hasn't moved* Sheepy: Sherlock:....Watson? Sheepy: Sherlock: *he gently shakes Watson* Arsé-kun: Watson: ......... *he's unresponsive and staring off into space* Sheepy: Sherlock: Are you okay? Sheepy: Sherlock: *he waves a hand in front of Watson's face* Hullooo...? Arsé-kun: Mycroft: *he joins in, equally as confused as Sherlock* Sheepy: Sherlock: Maybe he realized he left the stove on. Arsé-kun: Mycroft: Very funny. *he grabs Watson's wrist and attempts to make him move. He doesn't budge* Sheepy: Sherlock: I'm concerned. Arsé-kun: Mycroft: As am I... Sheepy: Sherlock: Do we take him to a hospital? Sheepy: Sherlock: Or bring him home? Arsé-kun: Mycroft: *he looks around* Which one is closer..? Sheepy: Sherlock: I'm not sure. Sheepy: Sherlock: Home might be safer, but... do you think it's a stroke? Arsé-kun: Azathoth: No. *he strolls out from behind Watson, keeping a hand on his shoulder* Good evening, vermin. I see you're still alive. Sheepy: Sherlock: Wh... Sheepy: Sherlock: You... Arsé-kun: Azathoth: Fortunately for you, I am unarmed. Can't a guy do his grocery shopping? *he shrugs* Sheepy: Sherlock: Don't touch him with your grubby hands. Arsé-kun: Azathoth: I'm almost insulted. Fortunately, I already have what I want. Sheepy: Sherlock: What're you getting at? Arsé-kun: Azathoth: Oh, this one was so valuable to my dear son. I'm going to make him truly valuable. Sheepy: Sherlock: Leave him alone. Sheepy: Sherlock: Your son is just taunting him, isn't he? Arsé-kun: Azathoth: Oh, Nyarlathotep absolutely was, but... His knowledge... It has potential. I want it for my own. Sheepy: Sherlock: Too bad. Sheepy: Sherlock: That masked man already used him for Phil. That's enough. Arsé-kun: Azathoth: What are you going to do? Shoot me in public? *he gestures with his free hand* The public may not be looking now, but if I am harmed, they will see you, having harmed a civilian. Sheepy: Sherlock: I... Arsé-kun: Azathoth: The great Sherlock Holmes, harming the public he'd protected? What an uproar that would cause! Sheepy: Sherlock: I can't let you take him away...but...I can't do anything to you... Sheepy: Sherlock: That masked man messed with my head somehow, so why not me? I'm an unfinished experiment of yours! Why him?! Arsé-kun: Azathoth: All he did was attempt to repair your memory. *he scoffs* So much more potential, and that's what he did? Sheepy: Sherlock: He didn't have time to do more. Arsé-kun: Azathoth: He absolutely did, and he spent most of it on the phone or fooling around. Sheepy: Sherlock: If there's so much more potential, then take me! Just leave him alone! Arsé-kun: Azathoth: *he looks thoughtful* Arsé-kun: *and Mycroft looks about ready to punch Azathoth* Sheepy: Sherlock: Do whatever you want to me. Just... leave Watson alone. Sheepy: Sherlock: You don't get willing participants often, do you? Arsé-kun: Azathoth: ... You present a compelling argument. Calm your other, and I will give my answer. Sheepy: Sherlock: Mycroft, it's fine. Arsé-kun: Mycroft: It's really not... I don't want to lose yo--Watch out! Arsé-kun: *and Sherlock receives a solid smack to the side of the head* Sheepy: *he's surprised and dazed, facing Azathoth* Arsé-kun: Azathoth: I appreciate your willingness, but I'll have to decline. *he takes a step back. Watson follows suit* Have a good evening, gentlemen. Cheerio! *and then something just plain snaps* Sheepy: Sherlock: Ugh! Watson- *being hit on the head didnt help his head any and nor did azathoth's fun time bubble snapping* Arsé-kun: ??: ---- Sir! Wake up, Sir! Sheepy: Sherlock:......? *he slowly opens his eyes* Arsé-kun: Tatsuya: Oh! It's about time.. Sheepy: Sherlock: *he squints, visibly confused* Where's Watson? Where's Mycroft...? Sheepy: Sherlock:...where am I? Arsé-kun: Minako: *she leans into Sherlock's frame of view* Mr. Mycrofts right over here! *she gestures over her shoulder* And we brought you to our home base! We figured it'd be safer... Sheepy: Sherlock: Thank you... Arsé-kun: Minako: No problemo, Mr. Holmes! Anything we can do to help ^^ Sheepy: Sherlock: Did you see Watson? Arsé-kun: Tatsuya: W-we didn't, I'm sorry to say.. Sheepy: Sherlock:......It's fine. Sheepy: Sherlock: I need to check on Mycroft. Arsé-kun: Minako: Go ahead! *she gets out of his way. Tatsuya follows a moment later* Sheepy: Sherlock: *he goes to check on Mycroft!* Arsé-kun: Mycroft: *he seems fine, and he's discussing what the hippity hap just happened* Sheepy: *Sherlock kinda just lurks* Arsé-kun: Minato: *he stops eating for a whole one seconds* Yu, whatever you just said makes no sense in any theory of magic or... Actually, just shut up. Sheepy: Yu: Huh? Sheepy: Sherlock: Um... Arsé-kun: Minato: No ethereal being would be able to pull something like that off- !! *he shoves food into his mouth. panic* Sheepy: Sherlock: Uh... Sheepy: Yu: Who says?! Sheepy: Yu: Maybe it's a special one. Arsé-kun: Mycroft: *he raises his voice a tad* Oh, Sherlock! Sheepy: Sherlock: How are you feeling? Arsé-kun: Mycroft: Confused and angry. I was afraid you'd have to get carted off to the hospital, too. Sheepy: Sherlock: No... I'm fine... my head just hurts... Arsé-kun: Mycroft: You hit the ground pretty hard... Sheepy: Sherlock: I still feel it. Arsé-kun: Mycroft: *he looks frustrated* Arsé-kun: Minato: ... *he looks at Yu* The only special one here is yu. It doesn't make sense. Sheepy: Yu: I'm very special. Arsé-kun: Minato: But are you more special than my right eye? Sheepy: Sherlock: *heck you mycroft hug me* Sheepy: Yu: No. Arsé-kun: Mycroft: *oh ok* Sheepy: Sherlock: I'm sorry for worrying you. Sheepy: Yu: Your right eye is the source of all power. Arsé-kun: Minato: Damn straight. Arsé-kun: Mycroft: I apologize for not having done enough. Sheepy: Sherlock: There's nothing you could have done. Arsé-kun: Minato: *he shoves another spoonful of ice cream into his mouth, then slides his cell phone across the table towards the Holmes* Sheepy: Sherlock:...? Sheepy: Sherlock: I don't remember his number. Arsé-kun: Mycroft: Oh, I was going to use it to call the office. My phone got... .... nd it's very late now. Sheepy: Sherlock: Okay. Arsé-kun: Mycroft: ... I'll put it on speaker, so we can both talk. *he dials the office* Sheepy: Sheepy: *deep, creepy voice* Who did you want me to... target? Arsé-kun: Mycroft: That's not funny. Sheepy: Sheepy: Sorry, I thought it was a phone call from someone I cared about. Arsé-kun: Mycroft: Hand the phone off to someone more mature than yourself! We got jumped in public. Sheepy: *Arsene receives the phone* Arsé-kun: Arséne: Are you three all right?? Sheepy: Sherlock: ...No. Sheepy: Sherlock: Watson was kidnapped... Arsé-kun: Arséne: WHAT?! Sheepy: Sherlock: He said something about... uh... making Watson as useful as the masked man acts like he is... Arsé-kun: Mycroft: The worst part is that Watson just... Went with him. Sheepy: Sherlock: Yeah... Arsé-kun: Minako: *she lowers her voice* Vampire? Incubus? Arsé-kun: Arséne: *he swears quite a bit in french* Where are you both now? Arsé-kun: Mycroft: You know the little corner sweets shop, by Mulberry Court? That's where we are. Arsé-kun: Mycroft: The shop looks closed, but we're inside. We'll come out- Arsé-kun: Arséne: Non. Laisse tomber. Just forget it. If you got jumped in public, it's not safe. Arsé-kun: *Tatsuya wants to say something. Mink is thinking hard. Minato's eating again* Arsé-kun: Tatsuya: ... I could, uh. I could bring you back on my bike...? Sheepy: Sherlock: *he looks to Mycroft* Sheepy: Sherlock: Should we accept the kid's offer? Or...? Sheepy: Sherlock: Personally, cars and motorcycles make me feel uh... sick... Sheepy: Sherlock: I'll do whatever you do. Sheepy: Sheepy: So, like, purely out of curiosity, Arsene? Sheepy: Sheepy: How are we going to break the news to Iris? Sheepy: Sheepy: She's in her room right now. Arsé-kun: Arséne: ... Not in the worst way possible, aka just yelling it up to her. Arsé-kun: Mycroft: I say we should. It'd be faster, and safer than walking. sheep: Sheepy: I won't. Arsé-kun: Arséne: Me, neither. sheep: Sherlock: Okay, then I will. Arsé-kun: Mycroft: Either way, I suppose we should get going. sheep: Sherlock: Thank you for your help. Arsé-kun: Mycroft: It bears repeating- So thank you verrrry much for your help! sheep: Sheepy: It's genetic. sheep: Sheepy: Now Harley has to say it or I'll doubt he's really related to them. Arsé-kun: *Arséne laughs, says goodbye, and hangs up* Sheepy: *so they go home* Arsé-kun: Finis: *he decided to wait outside for them.* Sheepy: *they arrive!* Sheepy: Sherlock: Hullo, Finis. Arsé-kun: Finis: Welcome back, uncle. You too, father. Sheepy: Sherlock: Sorry for being late - ... huh? Arsé-kun: Finis: Is something wrong? Sheepy: Sherlock: No, no, I was just a little surprised, that's all. Arsé-kun: Finis: *he nods, and holds the door open for them* Sheepy: *Sherlock enters* Arsé-kun: *Sherlock is nearly tackled by Arséne. Mycroft enters without incident* Sheepy: *you sure about that? mycroft receives a hug at 99 million miles per hour from cardia. you're dead mycroft* Arsé-kun: Mycroft: *HRK* Sheepy: Cardia: I was worried! You disappeared for hours! Fran kept asking me if you were back, too. He had something to tell you. Arsé-kun: Mycroft: I'm sorry, I'm sorry, please remember my spine! Sheepy: Cardia: Oh! I forgot. Arsé-kun: Mycroft: Thank you! Sheepy: Cardia: By the way, where's the third guy? Arsé-kun: Finis: Did you not hear? He got taken away.. Sheepy: Cardia: Huh? Arsé-kun: Finis: Did you not hear me? Sheepy: Cardia: I heard you. Sheepy: Cardia: I'm just wondering why they'd take Watson away. Arsé-kun: Impey: Why don't we go get him back, then? Sheepy: Sheepy: Sounds good. Arsé-kun: Arséne: ... ... I don't know. Sheepy: Sheepy: ? Arsé-kun: Arséne: I'd love to, don't get me wrong, but it may be expected. Sheepy: Sheepy: Hmm... Arsé-kun: Arséne: I hate to ask this of you two, but... ... mais.... Could you both clarify what exactly happened? Sheepy: Sherlock: We were heading home and Watson suddenly stopped reacting. Sheepy: Sherlock: That man who shot Harley, uh... he was there. I don't know what happened... he smacked me pretty hard on the head. I think he left with Watson afterwards. Sheepy: Sherlock: He claimed that Watson would be of use to him. Arsé-kun: Mycroft: *he nods two or three times. relax* Accurate. The only detail I can add are that Watson seemed drugged, but we'd have noticed if he was beforehand.. Sheepy: Sherlock: And that... despite us being in a public area, no one seemed to notice him assaulting me. Arsé-kun: Mycroft: Nobody seemed to notice it at all. ... Then again, the only part that probably would have caught anyone's attention was the assault. Sheepy: Sherlock: Yeah. Arsé-kun: Mycroft: ..... Even then, though. It felt like it was so long before someone even noticed me trying move you. Arsé-kun: Mycroft: Even then, I can't help but wonder if it was social apathy or something else. Sheepy: Sherlock: Weird... Sheepy: Sheepy: Well, he is Azathoth, isn't he? Arsé-kun: Finis: I was going to make a comment about societal apathy... Sheepy: Sheepy: He's called the blind god for a reason. It's meant to be a jab at him to call him oblivious, but it seems like everyone was blind to your presence. Arsé-kun: Impey: That's possible?? Sheepy: Sheepy: Well, Watson worked on Phil's neck without anesthesia and Phil was just fine moments later. Sheepy: Sheepy: Phil is Nyar's brother and Nyar is Azathoth's son. Sheepy: Sheepy: If both of them are capable of almost instantly healing from wounds, what do you think their father is capable of? Arsé-kun: Germain: Feats the human mind may not be able to comprehend. Sheepy: Sheepy: Exactly. Arsé-kun: Germain: *he seems to be thinking* Arsé-kun: Germain: .... I don't know if we'll be able to rescue him at all, friends. Sheepy: Iris: I won't accept that! Don't give up - we haven't even tried yet! Sheepy: Iris: We succeeded all the other times, so why... why's this time any different?! Arsé-kun: Germain: If he is willing to use his powers in broad daylight to do what he wants, who's to say we'll be able to counter them? Sheepy: Iris: I don't care! I'll go rescue him myself if you guys won't! Arsé-kun: Germain: It's too dangerous. You could die. Sheepy: Iris: What's the point in living if you're all alone? I don't want to lose him... he's all I have... I'm not going to watch as I lose someone important to me again! Sheepy: Iris: I'm not helpless anymore! Arsé-kun: Germain: ... .... *he nods and smiles, raising his hands to clap* So brave, dear Iris! I cannot help but want to assist you in any way I can. Sheepy: Iris:...? Huh? Arsé-kun: Germain: I do not want you doing this alone- Therefore, I have decided to help you. Sheepy: Iris: Thank you! Arsé-kun: Germain: Now, would anyone else care to join us, or will it be only us? Sheepy: Sheepy: I'll help if Arséne lets me. Arsé-kun: Arséne: Go on ahead. Sheepy: Sheepy: Nice! Sheepy: Sherlock: I'll help. Arsé-kun: Mycroft: If you are joining, I shall as well. Sheepy: Sherlock: Thanks. Sheepy: Cardia: Is it safe for me? Arsé-kun: Mycroft: Not exactly, but I'm not going to stop you from joining. Sheepy: Fran: Um... Mycroft, I know this is off topic, but, uh... Arsé-kun: Mycroft: Oh? Right, didn't you have something to say to me? Sheepy: Fran: They probably have the keystone so you might not want to let her go with you... but that wasn't what I wanted to say. Arsé-kun: Mycroft: .... That is a very good point. But, go on. Sheepy: Fran: I don't want to seem like a busy body who's criticising your parenting or anything - this is more just a concern Sheepy: Fran: Make sure to have her go outside often. That, and make sure she's in a well ventilated area when she's inside. Arsé-kun: Mycroft: Ah, the poison. Far ahead of you. Sheepy: Fran: Um, with how the Horologium is structured... basically, it's putting out toxins in the air constantly. Sheepy: Fran: Small amounts, of course, but it can build up and, well, the poison just so happens to be deadlier as a gas than anything else Sheepy: Fran: If you start feeling like you're having trouble breathing or you get a cough, that's what's causing it most likely. Sheepy: Fran: Not to scare you. Sheepy: Fran: The keystone amplifies that. Arsé-kun: Mycroft: ... So what about burns from the toxins? Sheepy: Fran: Um, those are because it's in a liquid form. In theory, it won't kill, but... Arsé-kun: Mycroft: I'd probably be dead by now if it did. Sheepy: Fran: It can melt through everything. The burns are caused by it melting your flesh, basically. Sheepy: Fran: Which is painful, but, again, not as deadly as breathing it in Arsé-kun: Mycroft: Boy howdy, am I glad to know I won't die. Sheepy: Fran: Um, I also found a temporary fix to her poison. Arsé-kun: Mycroft: Good, excellent! Sheepy: Fran: It's the substance that's protecting her body from the poison. Sheepy: Fran: If put on clothes or other objects, they won't melt. Arsé-kun: Impey: I put it on all the doorknobs n' stuff for that! Sheepy: Fran: I put it on a pillow case, covers, and a blanket... Sheepy: Fran:...That's all so far, actually. Arsé-kun: Impey: We should work on it Sheepy: Fran: Yeah... Arsé-kun: Impey: Speaking of working, though, I wanna help you guys, too! Sheepy: Fran: As do I. Arsé-kun: Finis: I, too, am joining. Sheepy: Sheepy: Is Van joining? Arsé-kun: Van: Absolutely. Sheepy: Sheepy: Great. Sheepy: Sheepy: Arséne? Arsé-kun: Arséne: What do you think? ... I think it's safe to say all in my sight currently would like to join, or eventually will. Sheepy: Sheepy: Is that a yes? Arsé-kun: Arséne: I feel like I'm being doubted. Sheepy: Sheepy: We need to know. Arsé-kun: Arséne: Of course I'll help. It'd be absurd for me to not do so. Sheepy: Sheepy: Good. Sheepy: *Sherlock has plopped down in a chair. He's got his violin! he's also sitting with his legs over the arm. that looks uncomfortable buddy* Arsé-kun: Wagahai: *sherlock's lap is my chair now. notice me* Sheepy: Sherlock: *he pets Wagahai* Arsé-kun: Wagahai: *yaaaaaaay, happy cat purr* Sheepy: Sherlock: *good cat* Sheepy: Sherlock: *I was going to play the violin but. cat.* Arsé-kun: Finis: *he decides to inspect the violin for himself, now that Sherlock isn't using it* Sheepy: Sheepy: We're saved from his bad mood music. Sheepy: Sheepy: Thank goodness! Arsé-kun: Finis: ... May I try? Sheepy: Sherlock: Go ahead. Sheepy: Sheepy: Oh... oh no.... Arsé-kun: Finis: Thank you. *he takes the violin gently and sets it up to play* What? I have wanted to try for quite a while, since I read about them. Sheepy: Sheepy: It's easy to make violins sound awful. Sheepy: Sheepy: Sherlock intentionally plays badly when he's in a bad mood to annoy everyone. Sheepy: Sheepy: You can tell whether or not it's worth talking to him from the quality. Arsé-kun: Finis: The poor violin. I'm amazed it's condition is this good when treated so poorly. *he picks up the bow, and starts up Concerto No. 5 in A Major. By Mozart. He has never touched a violin. how.* Sheepy: Sheepy: Uh. Arsé-kun: Germain: Ah, Mozart. Sheepy: Sherlock: *he continues to pet Wagahai. he seems to be in his own little world. just him and wag.* Arsé-kun: *Sherlock has had a stressful day. Let him relax, with the violin being played properly in the background* Sheepy: Sheepy: You prodigy types are the reason why I have self-confidence issues. Arsé-kun: Finis: *he pauses* Not at all. The only reason I know the song is because I played it on the piano- Which, while it's not the right instrument, it's... ... *he's finally caught on to what Sheepy meant* I'm so sorry. Sheepy: Sheepy: Iris already is on her way to getting a medical degree and is a genius inventor, you're playing Mozart despite it being your first time playing the violin, Cardia has superhuman strength, and I... Sheepy: Sheepy:............ Arsé-kun: Arséne: Adapt to new situations with ease, faster than I'd ever seen anyone else. Sheepy: Sheepy: Huh? Arsé-kun: Arséne: You're already as successful more successful a thief than I was at your age, as well as a much better detective. Sheepy: Sheepy: Yeah but you're helping. Arsé-kun: Arséne: Oh, shush. Sheepy: Sheepy: Not that helping is bad, but you didn't get that push when you were my age. Sheepy: Sheepy: At least I doubt it. Sheepy: *anyway the next day. do they try to save watson today?* Arsé-kun: *Absolutely!* Sheepy: *time to go to the department store!* Arsé-kun: *And Impey forgoes stealth in favor of kicking the door in. We're the rescue squad, hoooooooo!* Sheepy: Sheepy: Where are all of the grunts? Arsé-kun: Impey: There were way more..! There's, like, nobody! Sheepy: Sheepy: Hmm... are we sure Watson is here? Arsé-kun: Impey: We'd better look! Sheepy: Sheepy: Alright! Arsé-kun: *time to look around!* Sheepy: Sheepy: Hmm... find anything yet? I haven't. Arsé-kun: Impey: Nope! I don't see nor hear nor smell or anything anyone! Sheepy: Sheepy: Darn. Arsé-kun: Impey: Anyone else? Sheepy: Fran: No. Arsé-kun: Germain: Nothing here!~ Arsé-kun: Germain: Van Helsing, what about you? Arsé-kun: *there's a few beats of silence. vaaaaan..* Sheepy: Iris: Abby? Arsé-kun: Impey: He's still here, right? Didn't wander off or anything? Sheepy: Iris: *she looks around for him* Sheepy: Sheepy: Maybe he's a ghost. Arsé-kun: Germain: *he exits a room, coming out right behind Sheepy* That would be scary. Sheepy: Sheepy: *he twists around and slugs Germain before realizing that it's him* Arsé-kun: Germain: *he takes the hit gracefully and doesn't budge* I'm sorry, did I scare you? Sheepy: Sheepy: Yes! Arsé-kun: Germain: So sorry. Sheepy: Sheepy: I didn't mean to punch you, sorry. Arsé-kun: *Van is eventually found in the corner of what appears to be an examination room of sorts. He's curled into a little, shaking ball- Quite the opposite of his usual behavior.* Sheepy: Iris: Abby! Sheepy: Iris: *she goes over to comfort him* Arsé-kun: Van: *he jerks away from her touch, mumbling a 'no' or seven. He's panicking pretty badly* Sheepy: Iris: Don't worry... everything's okay... you're safe. Sheepy: Iris: No one is going to hurt you again. Arsé-kun: Van: .... .... ? *he turns his head a tiny bit* Sheepy: Iris: It's just me. Arsé-kun: Van: ... ... I... I'm s-sorry... Sheepy: Iris: You're my friend. Friends take care of friends, right? Sheepy: Iris: It's no problem. Arsé-kun: Van: ... *he nods, leaning ever so slightly towards her* Sheepy: Iris: You can stay here as long as you feel you need to. I'll stay with you. Arsé-kun: Van: St-stay..? Here...? Sheepy: Iris: Did you want to leave? That's fine too. Arsé-kun: Van: *he nods* Sheepy: Iris: *she puts out her hand in case Van wanted to take it* Arsé-kun: Van: *he does take it* Sheepy: *Iris leads him out of the room!* Arsé-kun: *Van stays close to her. This is his safety Iris. She is safe.* Sheepy: Iris: *she isn't bothered by this. actually van = safety to her so she's happy to have him close* Arsé-kun: Germain: ...? Sheepy: Iris: *she isn't sure if she should talk about it* Arsé-kun: Germain: ... .... Ah. Shall we leave, presuming no one has found anything? Sheepy: Iris: Yeah. It's for the best. Arsé-kun: Germain: *he whistles* We're leaving, all! Sheepy: Sherlock: We'll need to find another place to look. He isn't here. Arsé-kun: Impey: Nobody is. It's so weird.. Sheepy: Sheepy: I've got a theory. Sheepy: Sheepy: They moved buildings. Sheepy: Sheepy: We already know where this is so... Arsé-kun: Impey: Probably! I don't think was their only one! Sheepy: Sheepy: That too. Arsé-kun: Impey: ...? Diiid something happen? Sheepy: Iris: *she looks unsure if she should talk about it* Arsé-kun: Germain: Judging from what I see, perhaps, but it may not be our business. Sheepy: Sheepy: Ew you're touching her grubby science hands. Sheepy: Iris: Sheepy! Sheepy: Sheepy: When we were little she wanted to hold my hand all the time and back then they were grubby from dirt instead of science. Arsé-kun: Van: .... One more peep out of you, and my shotgun will be so far up your ass that you'll be shooting bullets from your eye socket, and you'll taste nothing but gunpowder for the rest of your short-lived life. Arsé-kun: *he is not happy, to say the least* Sheepy: Sheepy: *he slowly hides behind Germain* Arsé-kun: Germain: *he shakes his head* Such obscenities. In front of children, no less. Sheepy: Sheepy: Yeah I'm a children. You're threatening a kid. Cruel... Arsé-kun: Van: ... *he looks at the floor* Sheepy: Sheepy: I wasn't aware it'd be insulting to you. Iris and I insult each other all the time without really meaning it. Arsé-kun: Impey: ........ Yeah, now's the time to go, get outta here! Sheepy: *so they leave!* Sheepy: Sheepy: Where to now? Sheepy: Iris: Where would they take him? Sheepy: *Suddenly, Sanchan gets a phone call!* Arsé-kun: Germain: *this isn't weird at all.* Hello, Nyar. What do you want now? Sheepy: Nyar: Saint-Germain, I... ... Ugh... ... H...hey, you like clothes shopping, right? There's a great place nearby, actually...*cough* it's...er, "Paulline's dresses"...right by that one seafood place, "Jumbo Shrimp"... ... actually I'm - *bang, bang* Auuugh! Arsé-kun: Germain: Oh, thank you. I'll call you back when you've stopped being dead. Sheepy: *Nyar's end goes mostly silent other than pained panting* Arsé-kun: Germain: .... *he covers the phone* I'm not sure what he was going to tell me, but he got caught. Sheepy: Sheepy: Seems like the places were a hint though. Arsé-kun: Germain: I'll definitely investigate myself later. Sheepy: Sheepy: Is he okay? Arsé-kun: Germain: He's dying, but he'll be fine. Sheepy: Sheepy: Oh. Arsé-kun: Van: ... *he occasionally looks up from the ground to look at Fran* Sheepy: Fran: Um, are you okay? Arsé-kun: Van: ... Can I talk to you? Sheepy: Fran: Sure. Arsé-kun: Van: ... ... *he lowers his voice* No, I'm really not. Sheepy: Fran: What's going on? Arsé-kun: Van: ... I don't know. Arsé-kun: Van: I was fine until I walked in.. Sheepy: Fran: Maybe your memories were stronger in there? Arsé-kun: Van: N-no.. I just remembered what they did to me, and... Sheepy: Fran: It's the room they tested on you in, right? I just mean, you have more vivid memories when you're at the source. Arsé-kun: Van: ... Oh. Yeah, I guess. Sheepy: Fran: I'm not exactly sure how to help you. Sheepy: Fran: I know the source of your problem. Sheepy: Fran: I just... don't know a solution. Arsé-kun: Van: ... It's fine, it'll be fine. Sheepy: Iris: Abby, um... I can understand how you feel. Arsé-kun: Van: .. I'd rather not say there's any in public. Sheepy: Iris: I've been doing it all of these years and it only hurts more. Arsé-kun: Impey: Why're you guys lagging behind?? Sheepy: Iris: Sorry! Sheepy: Fran: Where are we headed? Arsé-kun: Van: It's fine, you nosy-- No idea. I'm following you guys. Sheepy: Fran: Impey? Arsé-kun: Impey: Uh! Sheepy: Fran:...Saint-Germain? Sheepy: Fran: Where are we going? Arsé-kun: Germain: ... *he's still on the phone* .. I think we should check near a few shops. This line is suspiciously dead. Sheepy: Sheepy: Like the ones he listed. Sheepy: Sheepy: You think Nyar is in any real danger? Sheepy: Sheepy: If so, do we stand a chance? Arsé-kun: Germain: I'd hope not. What's going to hurt him, a flashlight? Sheepy: Sheepy: Azathoth? Sheepy: Sheepy: He's really powerful right? Arsé-kun: Germain: Only when he actively bothers to be. Sheepy: Sheepy: Oh. Sheepy: Sheepy: Hmmm... Arsé-kun: Germain: Either way, those shops are closer to your home than we are now. We may as well check on the way. Sheepy: Sheepy: Yeah! Sheepy: Sheepy:.... Sheepy: Sheepy: So wait. Sheepy: Sheepy: They chose a place near home...? Sheepy: Sheepy: Hmm... Sheepy: Sherlock: *he begins to powerwalk back. impatient.* Sheepy: Nyar:.......cooking appliances...*cough*... Sheepy: Nyar: go to..... Sheepy: Nyar:................. Sheepy: Nyar: grah'n bug r'luh-agi gnaiih ilyaa c-ooboshu Arsé-kun: Germain: ... *he smirks a little* All right, how about I call you later? It's clear someone's with you. sheep: Nyar: ........... sheep: Sheepy: Uh. Arsé-kun: Germain: ... ... Are you still there? Sheepy: Nyar: *groan* Arsé-kun: Germain: Okay, you are.. sheep: Nyar: J-just end it... I'm no toy... Arsé-kun: Germain: *he takes the phone off speaker, and then covers the receiver* I'm going to keep listening in. Go on ahead of me. sheep: Sheepy: Okay. Arsé-kun: Germain: Go explore the shops. I'll catch up. sheep: Sheepy: Sounds good to me! Arsé-kun: Germain: *he leans against a building and begins listening again* sheep: Nyar: I'm already in enough pain... Arsé-kun: Azathoth: Oh, I'm sorry, son. I should have started with the numbing. sheep: Nyar: Wh-why're you doing this? Arsé-kun: Azathoth: Why are you helping them? sheep: Nyar: ......Because they helped Phil. sheep: Nyar: I'd be backing you up if you'd helped him. Arsé-kun: Azathoth: Do you mean to say I didn't?? *he sounds annoyed* I had all that research done for you. I had searches done for the necessary things. sheep: Nyar: I was under the assumption you did all that for your own reasons. sheep: Nyar: It has become a necessity in creating the perfect soldier, hasn't it? Arsé-kun: Azathoth: I was curious about it, yes, but it was not my focal point of my research until you presented it. sheep: Nyar: So it wasn't for him, but rather for yourself. sheep: Nyar: That's exactly what I'm talking about! Arsé-kun: Azathoth: Is it? .. Oh, and be a dear- Hold this for me. I will numb the pain for you. I should have done that first. Arsé-kun: Azathoth: *he hands Nyar a mask- more specifically, a gas mask. It's attached to something, and it is on. Azathoth proceeds to slam it against his face* bug shagg ng-fhtagn gof'n sheep: *Nyar is knocked out by it* Arsé-kun: Azathoth: *he does the smart thing, and hangs up the phone before doing anything else* Arsé-kun: Germain: .... Hm. Arsé-kun: *and so, Germain runs off to catch up* sheep: Sheepy: There you are. Arsé-kun: Germain: Have I missed anything? Sheepy: Sheepy: No. Arsé-kun: Germain: Ah. Sheepy: Sheepy: We still haven't found Watson. Arsé-kun: Germain: Well, good news and bad news. The good news is, Azathoth is where Nyar is. Sheepy: Sheepy: What's the bad news? Arsé-kun: Germain: Azathoth attacked him and knocked him out before hanging the phone up. Sheepy: Sheepy: Oh boy. So we don't have any support from within anymore . Arsé-kun: Germain: m-hm. Azathoth knows he was helping us. Sheepy: Sheepy: Oh shoot. Arsé-kun: Germain: He mentioned the "secret place" earlier, though.. It may be hidden under a store. Sheepy: Sheepy: Hmmm... Sheepy: Sherlock: Watson is top priority. We have to go for him. Arsé-kun: Germain: I'm more afraid of what he wants with Watson. Potential could mean a lot of things. Sheepy: Sherlock: Exactly. Sheepy: Sherlock: If Azathoth was going to test on Nyar or something, he already would have. We have to make rescuing Watson top priority because he most likely will be tested on Arsé-kun: Minako: Sheeeepy!! And Mr. Holmes, too, hello! Sheepy: Sherlock: Oh, hullo! Sheepy: Sheepy: Minako! Arsé-kun: Minako: Hi, hi! :D Did you guys ever figure out what happened yesterday? Sheepy: Sheepy: Kinda? We're actually going to go help Watson right now. Arsé-kun: Minako: Oh? You found out where he is? Sheepy: Sheepy: We have an idea but that's it. Arsé-kun: Minako: And what's that? Around here? Sheepy: Sheepy: Uhuh. Arsé-kun: Minako: Uhhh.. *she stops and thinks* I know Paulline's has a basement, Jumbo's got a locked backroom... Maybe it's one of those? Sheepy: Sheepy: I think it's the former. Arsé-kun: Minako: Good luck getting in there! Me n' the team have never gotten in there! Sheepy: Sheepy: He mentioned cooking appliances. Sheepy: Sheepy: Clothing stores usually sell cooking appliances. Arsé-kun: Minako: Then wouldn't the latter make more sense...? Wait, Mister Watson did? Or someone el-- *she stops* Sheepy: Sherlock: It's neither. Sheepy: Sherlock: He mentioned that it was a nearby location. Arsé-kun: Minako: I dunno, Jumbo's got a kitchen with appliances! Sheepy: Sherlock: Meaning, it's not either. Sheepy: Sheepy: We can check there. Arsé-kun: Minako: Good idea! Just, just do it later. Boss doesn't like anyone snooping around, so.. I hope you know how to pick a lock? Sheepy: Sheepy: Sherlock does. I don't. Arsé-kun: Minako: Well, okay! Sheepy: Sherlock: I can't wait until the boss leaves. Arsé-kun: Minako: Well... You might be able to get away with it! You're Mr. Holmes! Sheepy: Sherlock: And it's a difference between life snd deatj. Arsé-kun: Minako: It's that important?? Then there's no way he can kick you out! Sheepy: Sherlock: *he nods* Arsé-kun: Minako: If it's as bad as it sounds, you'd better get going! Arsé-kun: *as they start heading over, Impey exits* Sheepy: Fran: Huh? Sheepy: Fran: Impey? Arsé-kun: Impey: Oh, hey! Were you guys coming in? Sheepy: Fran: Yeah. Um, did you notice something? Arsé-kun: Impey: Not a thing! Y'know, the backdoor isn't locked when it's open! Sheepy: Fran: Oh, let's go there then. Arsé-kun: Impey: No need, already checked it out! Sheepy: Fran: Good job! Arsé-kun: Impey: Thank you! Checked back to front, no signs of him at all. Nobody even saw me, I was so quick! Sheepy: Fran: Thank you for doing that! Sheepy: Fran: Where to now then? Arsé-kun: Germain: I'd suggest we move onto the dress store, but it's beginning to get late.. Sheepy: Sherlock: ...But... Sheepy: Sheepy: They can jump us better at night. Arsé-kun: Impey: Righto. Sheepy: Sherlock:...Fine. Arsé-kun: Germain: It's unfortunate, yes, but it cannot be helped. Sheepy: Sherlock: I understand. Arsé-kun: Impey: We can send out the night brigade! Sheepy: Sherlock: But it's dangerous at night. Arsé-kun: Impey: Well, yeah, but they'd be the most accustomed, right? Sheepy: Sheepy: My chances of survival are near zero if I get caught by them. Arsé-kun: Impey: Fair enough..! Sheepy: Sheepy: Let's go home. Arsé-kun: Germain: m-hm. Arsé-kun: *DUDUDUDUUD HOME* Sheepy: Iris: Oh! You're back! Arsé-kun: Impey: We'reee back! Sheepy: Tom: tick tock Sheepy: Tom: 3 hours remain Arsé-kun: Arséne: You'd better be talking about the races. Sheepy: Tom: one curious little sheep went out at night, the butcher found him Arsé-kun: Germain: Delightful. Sheepy: Tom: 13 little sheep remain Sheepy: Tom: tick tock Sheepy: Tom: a sad little sheep goes out to find his friend, the butcher finds him Arsé-kun: Arséne: Tom, please stop. Sheepy: Tom: 12 little sheep remain Sheepy: Tom: 3 hours remain Sheepy: Sheepy: Thanks Tom. Arsé-kun: Arséne: *he folds his hands over his head* Why have you been like this all day? Sheepy: Tom: a bird picks off a brave little lamb Arsé-kun: Arséne: Mouton, take your toy. Please. Sheepy: Sheepy: *he takes Tom* Sheepy: Tom: dont go to the races little fox the bird will find you Sheepy: Sheepy: You think it's because of yesterday? Arsé-kun: Arséne: I don't know. I thought he recovered just fine.. Sheepy: Sheepy: Then maybe he's messing with you. Arsé-kun: Arséne: I'll throw him in the washer if he is! Sheepy: Tom: a brave thief executes tom Sheepy: Tom:... Arsé-kun: Arséne: I didn't say it'd be on. Sheepy: Tom: Tick tock. Your clock's running out. Sheepy: Tom: woah Arsé-kun: Arséne: *he groans and slides his hands down to over his face* Enough, Tomas! Sheepy: Tom: *his clear speech turns to incoherent chattering. he hasn't done that for a while but at least it isn't ominous?* Arsé-kun: Germain: *he suddenly seems curious about what Tom's saying* Sheepy: Tom: *mumbling* a bullet strikes, a coat dyed red with the crimson blood of an unfilfilled life, Sheepy: Tom: Your clock's running out. Tick tock. Sheepy: Sheepy: Thanks Tom. Arsé-kun: Arséne: *he looks. Somewhat distressed* Sheepy: Tom: a lost life, a lost friend, a lost family, make your choices well, thief, and keep your eyes sharp Sheepy: Tom: You won't like the results if you're careless. Sheepy: Tom: woah Arsé-kun: Arséne: *he makes this NOISE. this extremely distressed whine, that sheepy's only heard when he decided to watch the exorcist for movie night, among others* Sheepy: Tom:... Sheepy: Tom: vote on tornado Sheepy: Tom: you lost your keys in the refrigerator Arsé-kun: Arséne: Is that where I put them?! *he goes and looks. bye. he's leaving the room* Sheepy: Tom: you lost your life to the gun that used to bring you comfort Sheepy: Tom: bang bang Sheepy: Iris: *she is scared. who is tom talking to now* Sheepy: Sheepy: *he is patting Tom* Arsé-kun: Germain: Tom, tell me something. Is what you see a guarantee, or a possibility? Sheepy: Tom: are you always guaranteed to take the expected action? Arsé-kun: Germain: I see. That would be a no. Sheepy: Tom: you'll find yourself in a bad situation if you don't take caution Sheepy: Tom: sometimes the best action is no action at all Arsé-kun: Germain: m-hm... But tell me, did you need to word it all like that? Sheepy: Tom: ........ Sheepy: Tom: i play the role I've been given, I read the lines of the script as dictated Sheepy: Tom: my life was spent as a prop in a play Sheepy: Tom: a meaningless decoration in life Sheepy: Tom: only to be taken down when my time came Sheepy: Tom: only in my death am I an actor, and not many people get the opportunity to be recast Sheepy: Tom: and so I read the lines exactly as they are Arsé-kun: Germain: I see. No subtlety.. I may try that one day. Sheepy: Tom: woah Arsé-kun: Germain: Whoa, indeed. Sheepy: Sheepy: Tom, you've got rabbit fur on you. Take better care of your fleece. Sheepy: Tom: you arent the boss of me Arsé-kun: Impey: Speaking of rabbits! Where are all the animals? Sheepy: Sheepy: Ask Arsene when he reurns from hiding in the fridge. Arsé-kun: Arséne: *he returns, nonchalant* Cardia and Finis have them, last I checked. Sheepy: Sheepy: Oh thank goodness I thought the fridge ate you. Sheepy: Sheepy: It's rebelling. Arsé-kun: Arséne: We can feed Impey to it. It's not like he's doing anything. Arsé-kun: Impey: Hey! Sheepy: Sheepy: Impey would be a good sacrifice. Sheepy: Sheepy: But then we'll die from starvation. Arsé-kun: Impey: And I'm too good looking to die! Sheepy: Sheepy: Which would kinda stink. Arsé-kun: Germain: It sure would. Corpses tend to smell bad. Sheepy: Sheepy: That too. Sheepy: Sheepy: but no one will cook if we don't have Impey. Arsé-kun: Arséne: You imply no one did before him. Sheepy: Sherlock: Breakfast is not a necessary meal in present times. It was only necessary in the past because people would need the energy for physical labor. Lunch is not a necessary meal either because dinner comes six hours later. We'd only need to worry about dinner. Sheepy: Sherlock: Dinner is only required once every few days. Arsé-kun: Impey: Aw, now I'm hungry again! Sheepy: Sherlock: I ate food today Sheepy: Sheepy: I'm hungry too but I'm also tired. Sheepy: Sherlock: By the way, have those kids eaten? Arsé-kun: Mycroft: Yes. Sheepy: Sherlock: Okay, good. Arsé-kun: Mycroft: Also, Sisi has been given a "makeover" *airquotes and all* And I'm not cleaning it up. Sheepy: Sherlock: What? Arsé-kun: Mycroft: Whoever left a dirty tee lying around- It's Sisi's now. Sheepy: Sherlock: Um. Sheepy: Sherlock: *he finally looks over at Mycroft. Sherlock that position you're in already looked uncomfortable. Please.* Dirty tee? Sheepy: Sherlock: Like, t-shirt? Sheepy: Sherlock: I don't have any t-shirts. Sheepy: Sherlock: Harley does so maybe Wilson got into his drawer? Arsé-kun: Mycroft: I hope not. Sheepy: Sherlock: It wouldn't be a surprise. Sheepy: Sherlock:....Um... Arsé-kun: Mycroft: ... Hm? Sheepy: Sherlock: What if he doesn't wake up? What's going to happen to Wilson? Arsé-kun: Arséne: We take care of him, of course. Sheepy: Sherlock: Wilson's a daddy's dog. He's incredibly attached to just Harley. Sheepy: Sherlock: Wilson will be okay, right? Arsé-kun: Arséne: Dogs, like people, can readjust. Sheepy: Sherlock: Can people have nightmares when they're in a coma? Arsé-kun: Arséne: I... I don't know. Sheepy: Sherlock: What if he's having nightmares? Arsé-kun: Arséne: I'm a thief and a detective, not a doctor. Sheepy: Sherlock: Oh. Arsé-kun: Impey: *he's back, and grinning* I hope you guys don't mind not having pillows for the night! Sheepy: Sherlock: People use pillows? Arsé-kun: Impey: Yes? Arsé-kun: Mycroft: I should have mentioned the kids snagged them all in an effort to create the ultimate castle. Sheepy: Sherlock: Oh. Okay. Sheepy: Iris: Everyone's? Arsé-kun: Mycroft: I think so. Sheepy: Iris: I didn't want people going into my room... Arsé-kun: Mycroft: Considering I heard the phrase "You can't go into a girl's room without getting cooties", I think you're safe. Sheepy: Iris: Good! Sheepy: Iris: Because my room is off limits. Arsé-kun: Germain: The matter aside, now may be the time to turn in for the night. Sheepy: Sherlock: I was trying to. Arsé-kun: Germain: Then go. No one is holding you here. Sheepy: Sherlock: No, in this chair. Sheepy: Sheepy: Don't sleep in the chair. Why do you even have a bed if you're always going to sleep in the chair? I want a bed. Arsé-kun: Arséne: *he attempts to pull Sherlock out of the chair* That is not a bed, Sherlock. Use yours. Sheepy: Sherlock: No. Sheepy: Sherlock: It's comfortable. Arsé-kun: Arséne: Banned. Sheepy: Sherlock: I like it here. Arsé-kun: Arséne: We're going upstairs. Sheepy: Sherlock: ? Sheepy: Sherlock: We are? Arsé-kun: Arséne: Bonne nuit! *and he decides to drag Sherlock upstairs. bye* Sheepy: Sheepy: I want a bed. Arsé-kun: Impey: Quick, use Sherlock's, it's empty! Sheepy: Sheepy: It has no pillows. Arsé-kun: Impey: Uhhh. Uhhh! *he runs off, and returns with a pillow* Here! Sheepy: Sheepy: Okay. I'm stealing Sherlock's then. Let's go, Tom. Sheepy: Tom: two hours remain Sheepy: Tom: tick tock Arsé-kun: Germain: Well, good night, all. *he yawns and leaves. bye* Sheepy: Iris: *she doesn't seem like she's going upstairs.* Arsé-kun: Impey: ...? Sheepy: Iris: I'm going to stay down here for a while in case Daddy comes back. Arsé-kun: Impey: Oh. Well, okay! ... I was going to go out for a bit, but I'd better not. Sheepy: Iris: I don't want you to go out. Arsé-kun: Impey: I'm not! I'll wait until morning. Sheepy: Iris: Okay. Arsé-kun: Impey: *he bends down to be on eye level with Iris* As for you! If he's not back by two, go to bed, or at least try? Sheepy: Iris: I'm scared because he isn't here. Arsé-kun: Impey: But we all are! Sheepy: Iris: Without him here the fork man will come and hurt me. Arsé-kun: Germain: *he looks back in* The.. what? Sheepy: Iris: The fork man. He killed Mom. Arsé-kun: Germain: ... .... I suddenly feel like I know who you are talking about. If I am right, would you like me to slit his throat? Sheepy: Iris: Wh..what? Arsé-kun: Germain: :) ? Sheepy: Iris: You know who he is??? Arsé-kun: Germain: If. I may not. I do know a man who wields a trident, but he is not of a mean temperament.. So perhaps not. Sheepy: Iris: He uh... he moved really slowly until he attacked. And I remember rattling chains. Arsé-kun: Germain: ... Oh, god damn it, Hansel. Someone apparently did not like your mother. Sheepy: Iris: Rather than leaving after killing her, he just stared at me for a while before leaving. Sheepy: Iris: Is he going to come after me? Arsé-kun: Germain: He is... Not very vocal, but I highly doubt it. No reason. Why would anyone want to harm a child? Sheepy: Iris: Why would he hurt Mom? Arsé-kun: Germain: Like I said-- Apparently, someone did not like her. Sheepy: Iris: You mean him? Arsé-kun: *Impey, meanwhile, has exited stage Upstairs. He did not like this conversation* Arsé-kun: Germain: No, not him. ... Don't tell the others I said this, except maybe your father. Hansel works for an organization with little say in the matter. *he makes eye contact with Iris. it's weird and unsettling* I'll apologize for his actions now, but perhaps you'll be able to find out why it happened. Sheepy: Iris: Huh...? Arsé-kun: Germain: Think Twilight, but much smaller. Sheepy: Iris: But... why haven't they been stopped? Arsé-kun: Germain: Because they aren't well known. They've only got a few members, all of which are assassins. Sheepy: Iris: But he joined knowing he'd have to kill people, didn't he? Arsé-kun: Germain: I doubt it. Sheepy: Iris: Why doesn't he leave? Arsé-kun: Germain: I doubt he can. A leader that can control multiple assassins is powerful, after all. Sheepy: Iris: Oh... Arsé-kun: Germain: ... *he yawns again. he doesn't bother opening his eyes again* Excuse me. Sheepy: Iris: You should sleep. Arsé-kun: Germain: I intend to. You should, too. Sheepy: Iris: I need to wait for him to return. Arsé-kun: Germain: ... If you say so. Arsé-kun: *Germain leaves the room* Arsé-kun: *What will Iris do?* Sheepy: *wait* Arsé-kun: *... Okay, now what?* Sheepy: *play with wag? be worried about van and watson* Arsé-kun: *Wag plays with her for a while, before going to sleep on the table.* Sheepy: *she is now alone again.* Arsé-kun: *She can't check on Watson, obviously, but she CAN check on Van!* Sheepy: *she checks on Van* Arsé-kun: Van: *he's... Lying on the floor, staring up at the ceiling. He sits up a bit when Iris looks in* Sheepy: Iris: Are you feeling okay? Arsé-kun: Van: Better than before, I guess. Sheepy: Iris: That's good. Arsé-kun: Van: ... Did you need something? Sheepy: Iris: I just wanted to check if you were okay. Arsé-kun: Van: ... Oh. Thanks.. Sheepy: Iris: I was worried about you, so... Arsé-kun: Van: .... I suppose I panicked. ... I'm not quite sure why. It's not like anyone else was in there with me. Sheepy: Iris: It's human nature. I get scared when I'm alone. Arsé-kun: Van: ... I suppose.. *he doesn't seem sure. he's still trying to find his glasses, too.* Sheepy: Iris: They're on your head. Arsé-kun: Van: Oh. *he puts them on* Sheepy: Iris: Sorry if I'm bothering you. I can't sleep. Arsé-kun: Van: You're not. I can't, either. Sheepy: Iris: I feel really scared and worried and I keep wishing that he'd just walk in through the door like nothing happened. Arsé-kun: Van: Of course you do. .. It's human nature. Sheepy: Iris: I don't feel safe without him here. I guess that's another reason why I came to see you. I feel safer with you around. Arsé-kun: Van: Is it really me, or is it my guns? Sheepy: Iris: It's you! Sheepy: Iris: I don't like it when he's not here. Sheepy: Iris: I was told that that man isn't going to hurt me but I can't believe that. Sheepy: Iris: Please protect me from him if he comes. Arsé-kun: Van: .... .... *he almost growls. almost* Yeah. I'll shoot the son of a bitch. Sheepy: Iris: Thank you...! Sheepy: Iris: He uh...he had chains, and he had a hood. His trident looked more like a fork but I was told it was a trident. Arsé-kun: Van: ... Don't recognize it, I think. .. I'll think about it in the morning. Sheepy: Iris: Okay. Arsé-kun: Van: ... Well, if we're staying up, I'm up now. Sheepy: Iris: So am I. Arsé-kun: Van: I'm going downstairs, then. Sheepy: Iris: I'll follow you! Arsé-kun: *so they go downstairs* Sheepy: Iris: Wagahai is sleeping so we can't play with him Arsé-kun: Van: ... *he sits on the sofa, and turns the tv on* Sheepy: *Iris joins him!* Arsé-kun: *they watch some tv. yahoo.* Sheepy: *exciting! it's kid cartoons!* Sheepy: Iris: *she seems to be happy just that she's with Van.* Arsé-kun: Van: *he leans back on the sofa. is there anything better on tv? ... nope!* sheep: *oh well!* sheep: *Iris seems to be enjoying it at least* Arsé-kun: Van: *he looks bored shitless. the show is going to put him to sleep before anything else. he's dying, squirtle* sheep: Iris: Is there anything you wanted to watch? I'm okay with anything. Arsé-kun: Van: It's too late for anything decent to be on.. sheep: Iris: Really? Arsé-kun: Van: Or anything appropriate. sheep: Iris: Oh. sheep: Iris: I've never watched tv at this time of night Sheepy: Iris: Although sometimes Sheepy is up and watches horror movies. Arsé-kun: Van: Not the time for those. Sheepy: Iris: They scare me. Sheepy: Iris: When I see them I always end up not sleeping. Arsé-kun: Van: *he grunts in the affirmative, sliding down the sofa a little* Sheepy: Iris: Are you tired? Arsé-kun: Van: Kind of.. Sheepy: Iris: It is late. Arsé-kun: Van: m-hm. *he loosely gestures back to the tv* Don't worry about me. Sheepy: Iris: Okay. If you say so. Arsé-kun: Van: *he takes his glasses off, and puts them onto his shirt collar* Sheepy: Iris: *she yawns* Arsé-kun: *the tv continues to be on. time passes* Arsé-kun: Van: ... .... ...... *he slowly slumps over, having finally fallen asleep* Sheepy: *Iris soon decides that he has the right idea and goes to sleep. good night sleep tight dont let the fork man break into your house and smash his fork over your head, killing you instantly* Arsé-kun: *THAT IS NOT HOW IT GOES* Sheepy: *SURE IT IS* Arsé-kun: *Either way, Arséne comes downstairs a few hours later. He sees Van and Iris, and wisely decides to leave them alone. He DOES, however, get blackmail material, before disappearing into the kitchen* Sheepy: *Arsene you jerk.* Arsé-kun: *Yes.* Arsé-kun: *Drinking tea, Arséne looks out the backdoor. How's the weather lookin'?* Sheepy: *Well, it's sunny with a chance of Nyar. Bloodied up and passed out.* Arsé-kun: Arséne: *he honestly considers just leaving Nyar there, but ultimately decides against it. He goes outside and carefully retrieves Nyar, before going inside and dropping him off with Germain* Sheepy: *Nyar doesn't comment. He's covered in bandages, stained with what one can assume is blood. It looks a little off though.* Arsé-kun: Germain: ... ... *he looks Nyar over, and moves him to the bed before starting to clean the blood off* Sheepy: *Germain you're going to be at that for a while because there's a lot of it.* Arsé-kun: *He doesn't mind. Let him help his friend* Sheepy: *Nyar slightly opens his eyes and clumsily reaches out towards Sanchan's face. Pat. pat. pat. Squint. Oh, that's not Azathoth.* Arsé-kun: Germain: Good morning. How do you feel? Sheepy: Nyar: with my hand Arsé-kun: Germain: All right, how do you feel, mentally? Sheepy: Nyar: my brain is a soggy noodle Arsé-kun: Germain: ... I see. Would you like to rest a while longer? Sheepy: Nyar: we're going on an adventure Sheepy: Nyar: you, me, the ten liters of blood I've lost Arsé-kun: Germain: You're still drugged, aren't you? Sheepy: Nyar: how much anesthesia can kill a man Arsé-kun: Germain: Depends. Why? Sheepy: Nyar: I think I'm dying Arsé-kun: Germain: Oh, probably. Sheepy: Nyar: are my legs still there? are they still there??? Arsé-kun: Germain: Yes, sir, still there. Sheepy: Nyar: oh, thank goodness. Arsé-kun: Germain: Nothing is missing, as far as I am aware. Sheepy: Nyar: well my blood is missing Arsé-kun: Germain: Well, yes, but.. I can't just give you a transfusion, can I? Sheepy: Nyar: *he tries to sit up. owowow.* Arsé-kun: Germain: Careful, now. Sheepy: Nyar: we're going on a trip- Sheepy: Nyar: -is the room spinning? stop spinning the room saint-germain Arsé-kun: Germain: Please lie back down, Nyarlathotep. You're still not fully healed, as well as sedated. Sheepy: Nyar: *he does as ordered* Arsé-kun: Germain: ... If you know, why were you in the backyard? Sheepy: Nyar: chainsaw Sheepy: Nyar: I'm gonna borrow the chainsaw Arsé-kun: Germain: Please don't. Why were you in the backyard? Sheepy: Nyar: to get the chainsaw Arsé-kun: Germain: What would you need that for? Sheepy: Nyar:.... Arsé-kun: Germain: ... That's what I thought. Sheepy: Nyar: saint-germainnnn....we gotta goooo... Arsé-kun: Germain: Not now, Nyar. After you've recovered. Sheepy: Nyar: it'll be too late then Arsé-kun: Germain: It won't. Please rest. Sheepy: Nyar: you'll regret it Arsé-kun: Germain: Yes, I will, but I'd like you to not harm yourself any further. Sheepy: Nyar: ... Arsé-kun: Germain: ... Yelling "But the Spanish Inquisition is coming!" is not a valid excuse. Sheepy: Nyar: you won't get to know my secret Sheepy: Nyar: and soon it'll be useless Arsé-kun: Germain: Then tell me now. Sheepy: Nyar: cooking Sheepy: Nyar:.... Sheepy: Nyar: cooking? Arsé-kun: Germain: ... So the restaurant, or the shop next to it? Sheepy: Nyar: second Arsé-kun: Germain: Underneath? Sheepy: Nyar: uhuh Arsé-kun: Germain: All right. I'm going to go pass that on, and also make some tea. Get some rest, please? Sheepy: Nyar: my worth is now gone do you can throw me in the garbage Arsé-kun: Germain: Absolutely not. *he closes the curtains* Go to sleep, Nyar, or I'll hop you up on nighttime pain medication. Sheepy: Nyar: *he gives Germain a groggy look before deciding to sleep* Arsé-kun: Germain: *he quietly leaves, and goes down to the kitchen.* Arsé-kun: Arséne: -- And either way, we need the information he has. We need to know where Watson is, right? Sheepy: Sherlock: We can't trust him. Arsé-kun: Germain: He says that Watson is hidden underneath the cooking shop, next to the restaurant. *he puts the tea kettle on* And you don't have to. I can see why you wouldn't. Sheepy: Sherlock: What?! Really? We have to go...! Arsé-kun: Arséne: *he puts his cup down* This being an emergency, I'll agree. We can eat afterwards! Sheepy: Sherlock: *he gets his hat and dashes out the door!* Arsé-kun: *Arséne chases him out!! Germain watches them, and closes the door behind them* Sheepy: *how kind! or is it to stop nyar from running out to fight azathoth with the plastic fork of power* Arsé-kun: *both* Sheepy: Sheepy: They were in a rush. Arsé-kun: Germain: And with good reason. Sheepy: Sheepy: Something about Nyar and Watson. Arsé-kun: Germain: Nyar has told me where he last saw Watson. So, I passed it on. Sheepy: Sheepy: Oh, good. Arsé-kun: Germain: Hopefully, they make it in time.. Sheepy: Sheepy: I hope Watson is okay. Arsé-kun: Germain: As do I.. Sheepy: Sheepy: I'm a little worried that those two went alone. Arsé-kun: Germain: I'd have gone with them, but I've got my own problem.. Sheepy: Sheepy: Huh? Arsé-kun: Germain: ... *he smirks a little* If you've ever wanted to ask Nyar anything, now's the time- He's higher than a kite. Sheepy: Sheepy: Why? Arsé-kun: Germain: Remember I told you yesterday how Azathoth had attacked him? He apparently tried to test on him.. Sheepy: Sheepy: Well, Nyar would be a good test subject. No one is quite like him. Arsé-kun: Germain: Exactly. Thankfully, nothing seemed to stick except for the drugs. His wounds should be healing as we speak. Sheepy: Sheepy: That's good. Arsé-kun: *MEANWHILE, WHERE IT MATTERS* Sheepy: Sherlock: We're almost there- Azathoth! Arsé-kun: Azathoth: Good morning, gentlemen. *he's sitting where he doesn't belong- in midair.* You just missed your dear Watson by a couple of seconds. He just left! Sheepy: Sherlock: Wh...how- no, where is he? Arsé-kun: Azathoth: How should I know where he's wandered off to? I opened the back door, and he left! Sheepy: Sherlock: What? Why? Arsé-kun: Azathoth: I was going to leave, as well- But oh, now I have to talk to you. Sheepy: Sherlock: What did you do to him? Arsé-kun: Azathoth: Why so hurtful? I just chatted with him! The poor dear, is he always hounded on like this? Sheepy: Sherlock: What? Sheepy: Sherlock: Who? Arsé-kun: Azathoth: Dr. Watson, of course! Is every action he takes questioned so mercilessly? Sheepy: Sherlock: I don't know. Arsé-kun: Azathoth: Better work on that! I'd better get going- The grocery sale ends at noon~ *he strides on out. bye* Sheepy: Sherlock: Wait! Arsé-kun: Azathoth: *from outside* Cheerio! Sheepy: Sherlock: Ugh... where could Watson have gone? Arsé-kun: Arséne: *he seems nervous for a moment* I don't know. We'd better find him, and quickly. Sheepy: Sherlock: Right... Arsé-kun: Arséne: *he almost drags Sherlock out, running. they must move at a swift pace* Sheepy: *Sherlock eventually matches his pace* Arsé-kun: *and they're running, scanning the crowds for the familiar streak of ginger* Sheepy: Sherlock: Waaatson! Watson??? Arsé-kun: Arséne: ... ! There! Turning the corner! Sheepy: Sherlock: Let's follow! Arsé-kun: Arséne: Right. Sheepy: *Sherlock dashes after Watson* Arsé-kun: *and he does, inevitably, catch up* Sheepy: Sherlock: Watson! *hope you're ready for a bear hug watson. because you're getting one* Arsé-kun: Watson: *he freezes up, as if he doesn't know what to do* Sheepy: Sherlock: Watson? Arsé-kun: Watson: ..... ........ Please let me go. *he doesn't sound entirely there..* Sheepy: Sherlock: Are you okay? Sheepy: *Sherlock doesn't seem to be willing to let go...* Arsé-kun: Watson: .... Yes, just fine... Sheepy: Sherlock: You don't seem like it. Arsé-kun: Watson: .... I am truly fine and well.... *he starts to sag a little in Sherlock's arms. Whatever you say, Watson* Sheepy: Sherlock: Let's go home. Everyone is waiting for you there. Sheepy: Sherlock: You seem tired, too. Arsé-kun: Watson: ...... ....... I'm very tired... Sheepy: Sherlock: I can carry you back. Arsé-kun: Watson: ...... *his voice is growing quiet* ..... If you so desire.... *and he nearly drops, the only thing holding him up being Sherlock* Sheepy: Sherlock: *he picks up Watson* Arsé-kun: Arséne: *he looks rather distressed, meanwhile* Sheepy: Sherlock: Arséne! I have him. We have to go home. He's tired. Arsé-kun: Arséne: ... We've got a bit of a bigger problem.. *he waves his hand in front of passerby. They don't seem to notice..* Sheepy: Sherlock:...! Sheepy: Sherlock: This is what happened yesterday.... Sheepy: Sherlock: So Azathoth is around... Arsé-kun: Arséne: *he latches onto Sherlock's arm* We'd better stay together, then. Sheepy: Sherlock: Okay. Sheepy: Sherlock:...Let's just head back and keep an eye out for him. Arsé-kun: Arséne: R-right... Sheepy: Sherlock: *he begins to head back* Arsé-kun: *Arséne stays with him, looking around warily. He freezes up for but a second, followed by a shout of surprise and letting go of Sherlock in favor of curling into a ball on the ground* Sheepy: Sherlock:!! Arséne! Arsé-kun: Arséne: *he's shuddering* Je suis vraiment désolé! Je veux aller a la maison! Sheepy: Sherlock: *he looks around* Arsé-kun: *He doesn't see anything, but the weight in his arms seems to have lifted...* Sheepy: Sherlock:...? Arsé-kun: *watson has vanished!* Sheepy: Sherlock: ?! Sheepy: Sherlock: Where did he go??? Sheepy: Sherlock: *he bends down* ...Arséne, are you alright? Arsé-kun: Arséne: Je me sens malade.. Sheepy: Sherlock: I don't understand. Arsé-kun: Arséne: Je suis désolé. Je ne pouvais rien faire... Sheepy: Sherlock: *he pulls Arséne close* Arsé-kun: Arséne: merci.. Sheepy: Sherlock: We clearly don't have enough manpower alone, so let's go home, reorganize our thoughts, and get a larger group. Arsé-kun: Arséne: ... Allons-y.. Sheepy: *so they go home!* Arsé-kun: Arséne: Nous sommes de retour..! Sheepy: Nyar: And so then- Sherpoodle's back~ Arsé-kun: Germain: .... *he looks towards the door. Looks back* I don't see anything. Are you sure..? Sheepy: Sheepy: Welcom- eh? No he's not. Sheepy: Nyar: They're deadghosts now. Arsé-kun: Arséne: Ehhh?? Qu'est-ce que vous avez dit? Sheepy: Sheepy: That's not funny. Sheepy: Tom: you're too late Sheepy: *Tom is staring at Arséne and Sherlock...* Arsé-kun: Arséne: .... ......... Sheepy: Tom: a bullet takes the life of a thief, a detective is left all alone Sheepy: Tom: are you ready? Sheepy: Sheepy: Tom, who are you talking to Arsé-kun: Arséne: .......... ................ *he's gone pale* Sheepy: Tom: the time approaches. Sheepy: Tom: for now it is like an eternity away, but when the fated time comes it'll feel like an instant Sheepy: Nyar: Pssshh. They're standing right there, Tom. He's not dead. Sheepy: Sheepy: Did you two plan this or something? Arsé-kun: Arséne: ......... *he slowly goes over to Sheepy, and lightly tugs on his sleeve* Sheepy: Sheepy: Tom, stop that, you're scaring me. Sheepy: Tom: stop what? Sheepy: Sheepy: Tugging on my sleeve. Sheepy: Tom: *his gaze has followed Arséne but he doesn't comment* Arsé-kun: Arséne: ...... ........ *he's trying his damnest not to cry. Normally, this is very simple, but he's extremely distressed. he hugs sheepy from behind for a good moment, before letting go and fleeing the room* Sheepy: Sheepy:???? What's touching me? Sheepy: Sherlock: Arséne!! Wait! *he chases after Arséne* Arsé-kun: Germain: *he opened his eyes about ten seconds too late* I still don't see anything.. Sheepy: Nyar: They went to their room. Arsé-kun: Germain: ..... Tom? Sheepy: Nyar: I'd explain what's going on to them but it's too much fun to watch. Sheepy: Tom: what Arsé-kun: Germain: Did they leave the room..? Sheepy: Tom: they went upstairs Arsé-kun: Germain: .... Sheepy, watch him for me. *he decides to go upstairs himself* Sheepy: Sheepy: Okay. Sheepy: *Sherlock is trying to comfort Arséne* Arsé-kun: *And Arséne's trying to calm down. The keyword is trying. This is all too much for the poor guy* Sheepy: Sherlock: Maybe it's all just a bad dream. Arsé-kun: Arséne: *he shakes his head* Sheepy: Sherlock: Maybe he's suddenly developed blindness? Arsé-kun: Germain: ....... I can just barely see you two, so that would not be it. Sheepy: Sherlock: Huh? Arsé-kun: Arséne: ..!! Sheepy: Sherlock: Saint-Germain! Arsé-kun: Germain: .... It's taking a monumental effort to even hear you two, let alone seeing. ... Neither of you have died, by the by. Sheepy: Sherlock: What happened to us? Arsé-kun: Germain: Azathoth is trying to keep you two hidden, I would guess. ... I don't know how long he can do it for. Sheepy: Sherlock: Oh... Sheepy: Sherlock: Because we need to get more people to rescue Watson? Arsé-kun: Germain: ... Perhaps. He may be intimidated by you both. Sheepy: Sherlock: Why? Arsé-kun: Germain: Being a threat to his plans? I'm not sure.. Sheepy: Sherlock: Oh... Arsé-kun: Germain: Either way, I will inform the others that you are indeed here. Sheepy: Sherlock: What does he plan to do with Watson? Did Nyar say? Arsé-kun: Germain: I will ask, but he barely got information to me earlier.. Sheepy: Sherlock: Okay. Arsé-kun: Germain: *he goes back downstairs* They were telling the truth. Sheepy: Sheepy: Really? Arsé-kun: Germain: Truly. Azathoth has them hidden from sight. Sheepy: Sheepy: So that was Arséne that was hugging me? Sheepy: Sheepy: I didn't feel like I as being crushed so it wasn't Sherlock. Arsé-kun: Germain: I'm inclined to say yes. Sheepy: Nyar: So did I tell you about the time I beat up my dad with a pool noodke? Arsé-kun: Germain: Six times, now. Do you know what your father wanted with Watson? Sheepy: Nyar: Why do I want you? These are all such complicated questions. Arsé-kun: Germain: Please stop that. Sheepy: Nyar: But......... Arsé-kun: Germain: Enough, before I confine you to the bed again. Sheepy: Nyar: Because my dad is jealous because my dearie and I have something special~ Arsé-kun: Germain: *has he turned a shade redder? It's hard to tell* I'm going to ignore you. Sheepy: Nyar: Why? Phil already ignores me. Arsé-kun: Germain: Phil has the emotional capacity of a rock. Sheepy: Nyar: Eve took away his emotions. Arsé-kun: Germain: You're blabbering again. Sheepy: Nyar: But she did! Arsé-kun: Germain: *ugh.* Yes, thank you for sharing. Sheepy: Nyar: I miss the old him. Arsé-kun: Germain: ... As do I. Sheepy: Nyar: He's so distant now. Arsé-kun: Germain: m-hm... *he then makes a wise decision- switching languages so he can't be eavesdropped on* Arsé-kun: *It becomes impossible to understand the conversation, excluding Germain's face turning redder, and Nyar smirking* Sheepy: Sheepy: *he is confused* Arsé-kun: *Maybe you shouldn't be trying to understand still* Sheepy: Sheepy: *fine, time to play with sisi* Arsé-kun: Sisi: *PLAY???* Sheepy: Sheepy: *YEAH* Arsé-kun: *playtime is fun. Tom gets involved.* Sheepy: Tom: aaaaaaaa Arsé-kun: Sisi: *y he screem* Sheepy: Tom: hes gunna serv me wit buttr Arsé-kun: Impey: *he wanders in, rubbing his eyes. he looks like a mess- the same as every morning* Mornin', all! Sheepy: Sheepy: Hi, Impey. Nyar is staying over. Sheepy: Sheepy: He's loopy from the anesthesia that Azathoth used on hi- Sheepy: Nyar: Oh it's that guy! The engineer guy! Did I tell you about the time that I beat up my dad with a pool noodle? Arsé-kun: Impey: No! I wanna hear that, though! Sheepy: *And so. Nyar tells the story about the time he beat up Azathoth with a pool noodle. He keeps going off track and blabbing about stuff that's not at all relevant to the story.* Arsé-kun: Impey: *he's thoroughly entertained by this. Impey, you've doomed them all* Sheepy: Sheepy: Impey... you fool... sheep: Nyar: And that's when I said... "it's Nyar-lat-ho-tep!!". .. Wait, no... I didn't say that. sheep: Nyar: Speaking of which, Phil's birth name is Nodens, but he prefers Philemon. Arsé-kun: Germain: *he's given up stopping Nyar. He has sat down, put headphones on, and picked up the newspaper* sheep: Nyar: Azathoth's name is Azathoth but he goes by Azathoth. sheep: Nyar: Saint-Germain's name is Leopold but his given name is MyBoyfriend... it's a creative name............ Arsé-kun: Germain: ... !!!! *he buries his face into the paper. Seems like the headphones weren't on* sheep: Sheepy: You're really loopy from the anesthesia. Arsé-kun: Impey: Has he eaten anything? Does anyone know? sheep: Sheepy: I don't think so. Arsé-kun: Impey: Doesn't it take longer to recover if he doesn't, or something? sheep: Sheepy: Probably. Arsé-kun: Impey: What about you? Have you eaten today? sheep: Sheepy: He grabbed me as soon as I came downstairs, so no. Arsé-kun: Impey: Well, I'd better get on cooking, then! sheep: Sheepy: Would it be too much trouble? Arsé-kun: Impey: Not at all! sheep: Sheepy: Okay. I want to watch. Arsé-kun: Impey: *he seems delighted* I'll surely teach you how to make righteous pancakes! sheep: Sheepy: Okay! - He felt dazed. When Watson came to, he was lying back in a recliner. Confused, he looked around, but even that slight movement made him dizzy. Leaning back and listening, he heard quiet music being played from somewhere. He wasn't sure from where- the room seemed empty apart from himself and his seat. He closed his eyes. He opened them again upon feeling a slight pinch on his arm. Turning his head ever so slightly to the right, he observed nothing was unusual. Strange, he thought. Ever so stranger, there was a shadow now cast on the wall in front of him, displaying someone standing next to him- Yet, there was no one. His eyelids grew heavy. He closed his eyes. He didn't want to open his eyes again. He felt comfortable where he was. He felt like he could sleep here for as long as he liked. The music stopped, and Watson opened his eyes. There, before his face, was a lightly swinging watch. Instinct told him to watch it as it swung back and forth, back and forth... He couldn't look away. He wanted to grab it, hold it, but his limbs felt heavy. He was confused, and somewhat distressed. Why couldn't he move? "Relax." The order was simple, but effective. Watson felt his body go limp, and his head lolled to the side. For the briefest moment, a hand that was not his own entered his vision, only to right his head. What was happening? "Have no fear. You seem afraid- There is nothing to worry about." Again, Watson found himself obeying the order. The worry drained from his mind, leaving only the previous confusion. Who was talking to him? Why was he obeying without question? Was his face displaying his confusion? His questions were endless. "You seem confused. It is not worth thinking about. Just let yourself relax." For the third time, Watson obeyed without question. Without the questions filling his mind, his attention returned to the watch. He did not even wonder about the pinpricks of pain he felt upon his arm or neck. He did not want to. "Watch, as it swings." Watson did not need to be told again. His attention was purely on the watch as it moved. "You do not need to move your body. Watch with your eyes. Allow the rest of your body to relax." His head drooped forward. His eyes, glued to the watch, rolled up in their sockets to continue gazing at it. The watch was raised up ever so slightly, and his eyes followed it. His eyelids began to flutter lightly- They did not want to stay open. The voice- the calming, relaxing voice- continued to drone on and on. The voice became less commanding and more gentle as they spoke, keeping Watson's attention off of themselves. Gradually, his eyes closed, and he slumped to the side. He seemed to be fast asleep. A nasty smile covering his face, Azathoth uncloaked all that he had hidden. The numerous needles in Watson's arm continued to function properly, and the music began to play again. Azathoth stopped and pocketed the watch. Another job well done, but his work wasn't done yet. After carefully adjusting the mask on Watson's face- the mask he'd never registered was there- and lowering the seat so Watson was lying flat on his back, Azathoth sat down on a stool next to him. As he gently turned Watson's head to the side, he began to utter some more. "You do not need to ever feel pain again," he suggested, picking up a stray scalpel, "Nor do you ever need to feel anything but a resounding calm." Shaking his head, he placed the scalpel back from where it had came. He next picked up the end of a wire, considering it closely. He flicked a switch next to him, not even giving it attention. He only looked away from the wire when the gasmask began to emit fog- It was time to begin. The shadow on the wall no longer displayed two people. It now displayed one man, and one writhing mass, making sounds akin to giggling. This was going to be his best test subject yet. - Arsé-kun: Impey: --- And that's how it's done! Sheepy: Sheepy: I've learned today. I'm going to cook for Arsene eventually. And then he'll have to pay me. Arsé-kun: Impey: Doesn't he already? Sheepy: Sheepy: Yeah. Arsé-kun: Impey: Then what's the point..? Getting more money? Sheepy: Sheepy: Showing appreciation I guess. Arsé-kun: Impey: I suppose- Hey, now. Don't pass out in your pancakes, Nyarly! Sheepy: *Sorry, too late, Impey. Nyarly's out.* Arsé-kun: *meanwhile, some pancakes have Miraculously Disappeared. I blame either Arséne or Sherlock* Sheepy: Sheepy: Creepy. Arsé-kun: Impey: What? I wasn't looking. Sheepy: Sheepy: They disappeared. Arsé-kun: Impey: *he sniffs the air* Is it me, or have we been graced with Sherlock's presence? ... Arséne probably would have unbraided my hair! Sheepy: Sheepy: Probably Sherlock. Arsé-kun: Impey: Uh-huh. Sheepy: Sheepy: Because it's a Holmes thing to love pancakes. Sherlock likes them plain, Harley likes them with maple syrup, and- actually, I forgot about Mycroft. I don't know if he likes them. Arsé-kun: Mycroft: Mycroft doesn't care. Sheepy: Sheepy: You don't like pancakes? Sheepy: Sheepy: So it's not genetic to love pancakes? Sheepy: Sheepy: Also, Azathoth cursed Sherlock so he's around here somewhere but you won't notice him. Sheepy: Sheepy: He's like me when I went to school. Sheepy: Sheepy: Ignored, neglected, shunned, Arsé-kun: Mycroft: I know how that feels. *he sits down at the table, opting to ignore Nyar- who is getting moved by Germain. Seems he decided to check on Nyar* Sheepy: Sheepy: Nyar is here because he was drugged by Azathoth and he ended up here. Sheepy: Sheepy: You just missed him telling the same story exactly seven times. Arsé-kun: Mycroft: I'm glad I missed it. Sheepy: Sheepy: I wish that I did. Sheepy: *Tom is staring.* Sheepy: *When did he get to the table?* Sheepy: *Why is he staring at Mycroft?* Arsé-kun: *Who knows?* Sheepy: *We just don't know.* Arsé-kun: *mysterious tom, mysterious methods* Sheepy: Tom: hi Arsé-kun: Impey: When'd you get there, Tom? Sheepy: Tom: when you werent looking Sheepy: Tom: i want pancakes Sheepy: Tom: but sheep are allergic to pancakes Arsé-kun: Impey: Aw, sorry, Tom! Sheepy: Tom: i havent had food in Sheepy: Tom: 20 years Sheepy: Tom: sherlock has competition Arsé-kun: Mycroft: He certainly does. Sheepy: Tom: but im dead and if he gets sick he'll be in big trouble Sheepy: Tom: woah Sheepy: Tom: did they not brjng watson back Arsé-kun: Germain: No, unfortunately. Sheepy: Tom: come baaaaack watson Sheepy: Tom: i miss you Sheepy: Tom: by the way changing your password didn't help because i know the new one Sheepy: Tom: i know everyone's passwords. Arsé-kun: Germain: Suddenly, my internet history makes sense. Sheepy: Tom: i had to know if sheep were allergic to pancakes Arsé-kun: Germain: That's all right. Sheepy: Sheepy: Where is everyone else? Arsé-kun: Impey: Fran's working... Again.... Van n' Iris are upstairs? I think? N' the other kids are.. Uh.. Arsé-kun: Mycroft: In another room, sharing boxes of cereal and watching tv. Sheepy: Sheepy: It's good that they're unaware of what's happened. Sheepy: Sheepy: And you don't seem happy about that first part. Arsé-kun: Impey: Of course I'm not! He overworks himself.. Sheepy: Sheepy: Is he a workaholic or something? Arsé-kun: Impey: Yes! Sheepy: Sheepy: He needs a hobby. Arsé-kun: Impey: Then he'll work on THAT constantly! Sheepy: Sheepy: That's how it works? Arsé-kun: Impey: It is for him! Sheepy: Sheepy: I'll make him come down and eat. Arsé-kun: Impey: Please! Sheepy: *Sheepy goes upstairs. Moments later Fran comes rushing downstairs to Impey. Sheepy is following* Arsé-kun: Impey: I owe you one! What'd you do?? Sheepy: Fran: Are you OK??? Sheepy said that you were hurt! Arsé-kun: Impey: Yeah. My feelings are hurt. Eat something, dammit! Arsé-kun: Impey: oh yeah and i cut myself on the sharp part of the counter Arsé-kun: Impey: But eat something! Sheepy: Fran: I'm sorry... I forgot! Sheepy: Fran: Shouldn't I check on that first? Sheepy: Sheepy: You did? Arsé-kun: Impey: Nope, it's fine, it's cool for ten more minutes! Arsé-kun: Impey: ... I'd show you, but ya'll are eating! Sheepy: Fran: I'm sorry... Arsé-kun: Impey: Shhhhhhhhut your trap n' have some pancakes! Sheepy: *Fran follows Impey's advice* Sheepy: *Tom is still staring at Mycroft...* Arsé-kun: Mycroft: ... What are you looking at? Sheepy: Tom: sherlock Arsé-kun: Mycroft: *he glances behind himself. lightly punches the air behind hi- wait it connected* ... Oh. Things get weirder every day. Sheepy: Tom: blame azathoth Arsé-kun: Mycroft: *he visibly shudders* Sherlock, your hands are bloody cold! Get them off my neck! Sheepy: *Sherlock removes his hands* Sheepy: Tom: he's giggling Arsé-kun: Mycroft: How are you so cold?? Sheepy: Tom: "ive always been this cold so i always wear my coat" Arsé-kun: *Meanwhile, the floating top hat and mask have arrived! Armed with a whiteboard and a marker. Hi, Arséne* Sheepy: Tom: wow Arsé-kun: Arséne: I'm desperate, okay? Sheepy: Tom: you always are pretty pitiful Arsé-kun: Arséne: D: Sheepy: Tom: thats for threatening me yesterday Arsé-kun: Arséne: *he scribbles on the whiteboard "I'm being bullied!" and faces it towards the table* Sheepy: Sheepy: Finally, someone bought a levitating whiteboard. I've been asking for that. Arsé-kun: Arséne: "I'm hurt!" Sheepy: Sheepy: It has emotions. Arsé-kun: Arséne: *he erases it with his sleeve and draws an up arrow on it* Sheepy: Sheepy: Gosh, my only friends are inanimate objects. Arsé-kun: Arséne: "That's not funny." Sheepy: Sheepy: A hat, a mask, a whiteboard, a marker, and Tom. Sheepy: Sheepy: My only friends... Sheepy: Sheepy: Nevermind, floating whiteboard and marker, your sense of humor is garbage. I've disowning you. Arsé-kun: Arséne: *he draws a sad face* Sheepy: Tom: woah Sheepy: Sheepy: Don't sad face me. You have hat and mask to be friends with. Arsé-kun: Arséne: .... "Never mind. Forget I came down here." Sheepy: Sheepy: I'm a terrible choice anyway. Sheepy: Sheepy: I have no redeemable qualities but everyone has to put up with me anyway. Arsé-kun: Arséne: ... *he takes the hat, and plops it on Sherlock's head, before handing him the whiteboard and marker* Have a blast. Sheepy: Sheepy: Run while you still can. Sheepy: Sherlock: What do I do with it? Where are you going? Arsé-kun: Arséne: Use it to talk to them. I'm going back upstairs.. Sheepy: Tom: you actually just upset arsene just so you know Sheepy: Sherlock: Why?? Sheepy: Sheepy: Eh? Arsé-kun: Arséne: Don't feel needed down here. *he takes the mask off, and puts it on the table* Sheepy: Sherlock: Why not? Sheepy: Sherlock: I need you. Sheepy: Tom: look at what you did sheepy Arsé-kun: Arséne: You were doing just fine without me. Sheepy: Tom: you took a perfectly good arsene and gave him anxiety Arsé-kun: *Impey nearly chokes in the background* Sheepy: Sheepy: Nobody told me that that was Arséne! Sheepy: Sheepy: I'm not smart. Arsé-kun: Mycroft: Sherlock's still behind me. Do the math. Sheepy: Sheepy: 1 + 1 = I'm an awful human being who was just a jerk to an already stressed out person. Sheepy: Tom: checks out Arsé-kun: *Arséne actually leaves now, looking even more stressed than he was when he arrived* Sheepy: Sheepy: *he picks up Tom and decides to go talk to Arséne!* Arsé-kun: *first, you have to FIND arséne* Sheepy: *tom can help with that* Arsé-kun: *it's like hide and seek, but a lot more stressful!* Sheepy: Sheepy: Arseeeene?? Sheepy: Tom:......... Sheepy: Sheepy: Where did he go... Sheepy: Tom:........... Sheepy: Sheepy: Do you see him, Tom? Arsé-kun: *Arséne, meanwhile, has jammed himself under his desk and he's back to square 1- uncontrollable sobbing. Lupin is having an extremely bad day* Sheepy: Tom: if he wants to be left alone why are you bothering him Arsé-kun: Arséne: ...! Don't tell him thaaat! Sheepy: Tom: do you want me to tell him your location Arsé-kun: Arséne: I'll come out.. *he unjams himself and sits down on the sofa. you can see it shift* Sheepy: Tom: hes on the sofa Arsé-kun: Arséne: .... Merci.. Sheepy: Sheepy: *he goes over to the sofa. where is arsene sitting. uhhh. just guess and dont sit there* Arsé-kun: *and, of course, he sat right on arsene* Sheepy: Sheepy:??? Arsé-kun: Arséne: *he lightly puts his arms around Sheepy* ... Sheepy: Sheepy: *he doesn't seem like he's gonna move. sorry Arséne* I'm sorry. I didn't mean to hurt you. Arsé-kun: Arséne: ... *he tightens his hug a bit* Sheepy: Sheepy: I'm scared about what Tom said and I don't want to lose you. Arsé-kun: Arséne: *he hugs even tighter. he's shaking a little* Sheepy: Sheepy: I'm not good at making friends. I don't feel comfortable around most people. You're the only one I can actually relax around. I don't want to lose that. Arsé-kun: Arséne: .... I'm so, so sorry.. Sheepy: Sheepy: Why're you sorry? Sheepy: Sheepy: I insulted you. Arsé-kun: Arséne: Bec--- You heard me?! Sheepy: Sheepy:...Huh? Sheepy: Sheepy: I did! Arsé-kun: Arséne: I'm sorry, I'm so sorry, je suis désolé! Sheepy: Sheepy: Why're you sorry?? I don't get it... Arsé-kun: Arséne: Because I'm completely out of sorts..! Normally, that wouldn't have ever bothered me.. Sheepy: Sheepy: It's understandable that you are. Sheepy: Sheepy: I'm sorry that I can't do more to help you... Arsé-kun: Arséne: .... Can I pull a you? Is that permissible? Sheepy: Sheepy: Huh? Arsé-kun: Arséne: Shut up and give me attention. Sheepy: Sheepy: *he hugs Arséne* Arsé-kun: *arséne's day has now improved Significantly!* Arsé-kun: *it then proceeds to tank again, because they both remembered that Arséne is due to Die* Sheepy: Sheepy: *I'm sorry Arséne if you liked that shirt because Sheepy has his face buried in it and has started to cry. Remember how you're gonna die? Yeah actually it's ok if he ruins your shirt* Arsé-kun: Arséne: *he's stopped crying, and is trying to comfort Sheepy. He's gotta keep up appearances! He's fine!!* Sheepy: Tom: *he is watching the two wordlessly* Arsé-kun: *the phone! the phone is ringing! and it's sherlock's office phone!* Sheepy: *Sherlock gets the phone* Sheepy: Sherlock: Hullo? Sherlock Holmes speaking. Arsé-kun: ?: Oh, hello! I'm a nurse working for the hospital. I've got good news! Your brother woke up! Sheepy: Sherlock: Really?! Sheepy: Sherlock: Mycroft!! We're going! Arsé-kun: Mycroft: Huh? Sheepy: Sherlock: Harley woke up! Arsé-kun: Mycroft: Sherlock, we're going! Sheepy: Sherlock: OK! We'll be right there! Arsé-kun: nurse: All right! He should be all cleaned up by the time you get here. Sheepy: Sherlock: Great! Sheepy: *so they go?* Arsé-kun: *they fucking run out of there before anyone else can join them* Arsé-kun: Germain: Haven't they learned yet..? Sheepy: Tom: no Arsé-kun: Germain: *he groans before stealing Mycroft's seat* Sheepy: Nyar: Sherpoodle never learns....unlike real poodles Arsé-kun: Germain: That was the most logical thing you have said all morning. Sheepy: Nyar: My brain is like a poodle. Sheepy: Nyar: Fuzzy and small. Arsé-kun: Germain: Still better than the wet noodle it was before. Arsé-kun: Tom: you know what else is fuzzy and small Sheepy: Nyar: You? Arsé-kun: Tom: no Sheepy: Nyar: What? Arsé-kun: Tom: yes. i baa-mboozled you Sheepy: Nyar: I've been tricked. Arsé-kun: Impey: *he picks up Tom* You weren't there a few seconds ago, you lil' shit! How'd you get here?? Sheepy: Tom: im fast Arsé-kun: Impey: Yeah, I see that! Sheepy: *nyar actually eats his pancakes* Arsé-kun: *Germain looks impressed* Arsé-kun: Germain: Well, you didn't fall asleep in them this time ^^ Arsé-kun: Finis: .... *he gets tired of eavesdropping, and wanders away.* Arsé-kun: Finis: *he's been watching since he heard that Sherlock and Arséne were back, and he's learned a lot.* Arsé-kun: *On the other hand, he's now extremely bored, and he doubts they would appreciate him telling them that he has been listening* Arsé-kun: *He decides to walk in anyway, and quietly take a seat for himself. He uses his dictionary as a booster seat. Smart!* Arsé-kun: Finis: ... *he looks at Nyar* You look trashy. *n-not as smart.* Sheepy: Nyar: That's because I am. Sheepy: Nyar: I feel like garbage. Sheepy: Nyar: So, like, when I've recovered, will I not be allowed to come visit anymore? Sheepy: Nyar: I know I said some pretty nasty things but I actually haven't done much to you guys. Sheepy: Nyar: Sherlock's memory is slowly recovering because of me. Sheepy: Nyar: I wasn't even the one who broke his arm. A grunt did. Sheepy: Nyar: I used fear factors as convincing but that's really my only crime Sheepy: Sheepy: H-he never said it was you... right? He just said... "thief"... Arsé-kun: Arséne: If it isn't me, then it's you. If not you, then... Diego? .... Does Iris count? Arsé-kun: Germain: You can stay with me, Nyar. I've got space. *he leans on Nyar's chair* I'm just glad you're able to speak coherently right now, though. sheep: Nyar: I feel like death. sheep: Sheepy: I was thinking Diego, but... "little" concerns me. sheep: Sheepy: Am I little? Arsé-kun: Arséne: Eh. Not really? sheep: Sheepy: Then is it Iris? Arsé-kun: Arséne: I hope not..! sheep: Sheepy: She's little. Arsé-kun: Arséne: Tom's little. sheep: Sheepy: Tom isn't a thief. Arsé-kun: Arséne: I don't know, he's definitely stolen some hearts. sheep: Tom: ... sheep: Sheepy: He's dead though.. Arsé-kun: Arséne: ... Good point. sheep: Tom: bet on tornado Arsé-kun: Arséne: ... Thank you, Tom Arsé-kun: Van: *he arrives downstairs, having jumped right over the railing, the sofa, and everyone on the sofa. don't try this at home, kids!* sheep: *Iris did try it at home! And crashed into Arsene and Sheepy. good thing sherlock isn't here* Arsé-kun: Arséne: *oOF* sheep: Sheepy: *AAAAAAAAAAA* Arsé-kun: Van: *he looks, and makes a 'tut' noise* You're going to kill someone like that. sheep: Iris: I was copying you. *pout* sheep: Sheepy: *I WAS ALREADY SAD AND NOW IM HURTING TOO* Arsé-kun: Van: Don't do that. sheep: Iris: Why? sheep: Sheepy: I'm suing you for damages. Sheepy: Iris: You're bullying me! Sheepy: Sheepy: You test your inventions on me! They hurt! Arsé-kun: Arséne: *he imitates an old man* my ba-aaack Sheepy: Sheepy: And you hurt Arséne. Sheepy: Iris: It was an accident. Arsé-kun: Van: A lot of bad things are accidents. *he decides to head into the kitchen. Impey is staring because he saw Van's landing. Impey is ignored* Sheepy: Sheepy: Like me. Sheepy: Sheepy: I'm an accident. Sheepy: Tom: nothing is a mistake. just a happy little accident. sometimes that accident improves the image as a whole Arsé-kun: Arséne: Ah, Bob Ross. Arsé-kun: Van: *he has also decided socializing isn't his strong front today. everyone receives a grunt of helloness* Sheepy: Sheepy: Hi. Sheepy: Sheepy: Sherlock and Mycroft are out to see Harley. He's woken up. Arsé-kun: Van: *he glances back at Sheepy. he hears you, but doesn't feel like replying* Sheepy: Sheepy: They nearly got Watson but didn't. Also, Nyar is staying here. Arsé-kun: Van: *he sees Nyar, and decides! He doesn't care* Sheepy: Sheepy: He's recovered from being loopy I think. Arsé-kun: *mEANWHILE AT THE HOSPITAL, WHERE SHERLOCK IS NOT LOSING HIS ENTIRE SHIT* Sheepy: *I'm sorry Mycroft personal space isn't a thing anymore. At least him intruding into your personal space is helping him keep calm* Arsé-kun: *Mycroft does not mind or care* Sheepy: Sherlock: Where's his room again? Arsé-kun: Mycroft: Down the hall- Hello, yes, we're going to visit our brother, yes, thank you- Not too much farther. Sheepy: Sherlock: Okay. Arsé-kun: *so, they get there! As promised, Harley is awake and cleaned up.* Sheepy: Harley: *he looks over at them but doesn't comment. does he not recognize them, or?* Arsé-kun: Mycroft: *he slowly waves hello. he expects a verbal beatdown* Sheepy: Harley:....... Sheepy: *Harley hesitantly copies it* Arsé-kun: Mycroft: ...? How.. uh, how are you feeling, Harley..? Sheepy: Harley: Uhh...*he seems to be thinking* .... Arsé-kun: Mycroft: ... Brain not working just yet? Sheepy: *Harley takes a moment to register what Mycroft said and shakes his head* Arsé-kun: Mycroft: Understandable. ... I wonder if we are permitted to take him home? Sheepy: Sherlock: I have doubts. Arsé-kun: Mycroft: Lets find out, shall we? Sheepy: Sherlock: Alright. Arsé-kun: Mycroft: Alright. Pop into the hall and ask, I guess. Sheepy: *Sherlock pops into the hall* Arsé-kun: *Sherlock has a short discussion with the lead nurse! Due to him knowing Watson, and them really badly needing space, taking Harley home is permitted! This is unprofessional, but they really need the space* Sheepy: *great!* Arsé-kun: Mycroft: Well? Sheepy: Sherlock: They said yes. Arsé-kun: Mycroft: Ah! That's great. Sheepy: Harley:....*he still seems confused..* Arsé-kun: Mycroft: Is something wrong? Sheepy: Harley: Who.... ... Arsé-kun: Mycroft: .... .... Ah. We're your brothers. He's Sherlock. I'm Mycroft. ... You've known him far longer than I. Sheepy: Harley:.... Arsé-kun: Mycroft: ... You've also got a little dog named Wilson. He'll be glad to see you. Sheepy: Harley: ! Arsé-kun: Mycroft: Oh, do you recognize him? Sheepy: Harley: *he nods* Sheepy: Sherlock: *he seems concerned* Sheepy: Sherlock: What about Watson? Do you remember him? Sheepy: Harley:? Sheepy: Sherlock: Watson, the one who took us in. Sheepy: Harley:? Sheepy: Harley: *he looks over at Mycroft* ? Sheepy: Harley: *point* Arsé-kun: Mycroft: N-no? Sheepy: Harley: *well, okay.* Sheepy: Sherlock: Home is kinda far from here. How will he make it? Arsé-kun: Mycroft: I could get my car.. sheep: Sherlock: I guess so. Or I can carry him. Arsé-kun: Mycroft: You are not carrying him all that way! sheep: Sherlock: I'm not? Arsé-kun: Mycroft: No! sheep: Sherlock: Why not? sheep: Sherlock: He's not heavy. Arsé-kun: Mycroft: I'm getting. My car. sheep: Sherlock: *he frowns* ...OK. Arsé-kun: Mycroft: Thank you. I'll drive slow for you. sheep: Sherlock: Uh... okay. Arsé-kun: *mycroft exits stage left. mycroft returns from stage left about twenty minutes later* sheep: Sherlock: Oh! You're back! Arsé-kun: Mycroft: Did you think I wasn't coming back? sheep: Sherlock: I thought you were going to come back. Arsé-kun: Mycroft: Well, good. *he looks to Harley* sheep: Sherlock: Harley has been staring out the window most of the time you've been gone so i was lonely. sheep: *Harley was staring out the window but now he's staring at Mycroft. gaze.* Arsé-kun: Mycroft: .. Well, come on. We're going. sheep: Harley: *he unsteadily gets to his feet.* Arsé-kun: Mycroft: Would you like a hand? sheep: Harley: *he nods* Arsé-kun: *And so, Mycroft assists Harley! He expects Sherlock to swoop in and pick Harley up, anyway* sheep: *Sherlock doesn't* Arsé-kun: *amazing!* sheep: *instead, Sherlock is uncomfortable* Arsé-kun: Mycroft: .... I messaged Finis on the way. He informed me going slow is the exact opposite of what I should do in this case. sheep: Sherlock: Really? Arsé-kun: Mycroft: Apparently so. I didn't know that. sheep: Sherlock: Wow. sheep: Harley: *he isn't listening.* Arsé-kun: Mycroft: ... Something have your attention? sheep: *Harley points at a squirrel* Arsé-kun: Mycroft: Ah. sheep: Sherlock: When we went to the park a few times he broke up from us and we found him covered in the squirrels he was feeding Arsé-kun: Mycroft: What is he, a Disney Princess? sheep: Sherlock: No that's me. sheep: Sherlock: He's just the king of squirrels. sheep: Harley: *he wants the squirrel but has no choice but to continue leaning on Mycroft* Arsé-kun: *the squirrel continues its journey looking for NUTS* sheep: Harley: *good squirrel* Arsé-kun: Mycroft: And here's the car. Do you want to walk, Sherlock? sheep: Sherlock: I'll get lost if I do. Arsé-kun: Mycroft: Well, then get in the car. sheep: *Sherlock gets in the car* Arsé-kun: *mycroft drives back to the office. nobody dies* sheep: *sherlock feels like he's dying and harley is amused by the window* sheep: *so only one person is miserable but who cares about him* Arsé-kun: Wilson: *he's started barking like mad and racing around the offices. chill, dog* sheep: Harley: *WILSON!!!!!* Arsé-kun: Wilson: *DAD!!!!* *he nearly jumps into Harley's arms the minute the door is opened* sheep: Harley: *he pets wilson. have you been a good puppy while ive been gone. i bet you have. i love you wilson* Arsé-kun: Wilson: *this is the most excited dog the world has ever seen* sheep: Harley: *this is the most excited Harley the world has ever seen* Arsé-kun: Mycroft: ... Sherlock, are you all right? sheep: Sherlock: *dizziness: check. sweating: check. nausea: check. general discomfort: check. dying: possibly* sheep: Sherlock: *he whimpers. good reply.* Arsé-kun: Mycroft: .... I'm so sorry. sheep: Sherlock: *he's just going to lie here for a while and suffer don't mind him* Arsé-kun: Arséne: Bonjour, Harley! sheep: Harley: *he looks up, visibly confused* Arsé-kun: Arséne: ...? sheep: Harley: Who're you? Arsé-kun: Arséne: *he looks downright hurt for a moment, but perks right back up* Have you forgotten? I'm Lupin. C'mon, lets get inside, allons-y! sheep: *Harley goes inside* sheep: Harley: *he points to Saint-Germain and looks to Mycroft* Watson? Arsé-kun: Mycroft: Nope. Good try, though. sheep: Harley: *he points at Iris* Watson? Arsé-kun: Germain: Well, you're not wrong. sheep: Iris: Watson is my dad. sheep: Harley: *a hint! he points to Van* Watson. Arsé-kun: Van: Absolutely not. sheep: Harley: *he appears bothered by this. who's watson??????* Arsé-kun: Arséne: Did you not tell him.. Hey, wait, where's Sherlock? sheep: Harley: Car. Arsé-kun: *arséne makes a face and goes to get Sherlock* sheep: *Sherlock has seen better days. he looke like death warmed over. rip.* Arsé-kun: Arséne: ... *he pulls Sherlock out, and brings him in a different entrance. The convenience of multiple doors.* Sheepy: Sherlock: Everything's spinning.......... Arsé-kun: Arséne: *he puts Sherlock down on the sofa* ... Unfortunately, I'm not quite sure what to do. Sheepy: Sherlock: I'm dying......... Arsé-kun: Arséne: Hi, dying. I'm Arséne. Sheepy: Sherlock: I'm going to die. Arsé-kun: Arséne: Sure. Sheepy: Sherlock: *he lies down on the sofa* ...................................... Sheepy: Sherlock: The room is spinning................................................. Sheepy: Sherlock: *he closes his eyes* ................................................ Sheepy: Sherlock: ........... Sheepy: Sherlock: *he suddenly shoots straight up to a sitting position* THEY USED THE CLOSET LIKE A PORTAL FROM THE LION, THE WITCH, AND THE WARDROBE! Arsé-kun: Arséne: ..... what Sheepy: Sherlock: Eight years ago! Sheepy: Sherlock: The blood trail ended at the closet! Sheepy: Sherlock: They used the closet as a portal! A portal to somewhere!! Arsé-kun: *Arséne has no idea what Sherlock is talking about, but he decides to write it down anyway* Sheepy: Sherlock: He left through Iris's closet. He probably came in through there too. Like some sort of monster. Sheepy: Sherlock: He's probably like Azathoth. Arsé-kun: Germain: Good call. Sheepy: Sherlock: Huh? Sheepy: Sherlock: Do you know him? Sheepy: Sherlock: The killer, I mean. Arsé-kun: Germain: If you mean who I think you do, then unfortunately so. I've already spoken to Iris about it. Sheepy: Sherlock: Who is he? Arsé-kun: Germain: He's a guide and generally? A very passive man. It's unfortunate what he was forced to do. Sheepy: Sherlock: Who forced him to kill her? Arsé-kun: Germain: His boss, I'd presume. Sheepy: Sherlock: Who's his boss? Arsé-kun: Germain: You imply I would know such things. Sheepy: Sherlock: What's his name? Arsé-kun: Germain: Hansel. What I do know from him is that he did not wish to do the task presented to him, but did due to something personal on the line. Sheepy: Sherlock: Why didn't he go to the police? Arsé-kun: Germain: Aforementioned personal business? Possibility of being killed? sheep: Sherlock: I see. sheep: Sherlock: How did he get in through the closet? Arsé-kun: Germain: .... I would not know that. Sheepy: Sherlock: Is it normal for him? You immediately recognized him from that. Arsé-kun: Germain: Yes. He tends to use irregular entrances. Sheepy: Sherlock: Oh. Arsé-kun: Germain: ... At least, they make some sense. Sheepy: Sherlock: Like from where? Arsé-kun: Germain: Oh, I don't know. A washing machine? Sheepy: Sherlock: Can he come out of washing machines? Arsé-kun: Germain: No. Sheepy: Sherlock: Oh. Sheepy: Sheepy: *during all this he sneaks out in his Joker outfit. time to steal stuff* Arsé-kun: *where is he going?* Sheepy: *the clocktower because it had twilight stuff so it might be good to investigate?* Arsé-kun: *Sheepy gets there to see a few twilight grunts leaving. They're bloody and bruised* Sheepy: Sheepy: *he hides and waits for them to leave* Sheepy: Sheepy: [text: to Arsene] I see Twilight grunts. They seem like they've been in a fight. Investigating further. Arsé-kun: Arséne: [text: to Sheepy] YOU WENT OUT?! Sheepy: Sheepy: [text: to Arséne] You didn't notice??? Arsé-kun: Arséne: [text: to Sheepy] Non! I'm with Sherlock and Harley! Sheepy: Sheepy: [text: to Arséne] Wow Arséne you're getting oblivious as you go up in years. Arsé-kun: Arséne: [text: to Sheepy] Where are you, though? Sheepy: Sheepy: [text: to Arséne] Clocktower. Arsé-kun: Arséne: [text: to Sheepy] I'm on standby. Message if anything happens! Sheepy: Sheepy: [text: to Arséne] Beaten up Twilight grunts makes me think that it's another case of Van. Going in right now. Sheepy: Sheepy: *he enters the clock tower* Arsé-kun: *it smells like blood.* Sheepy: Sheepy: *he looks around* Arsé-kun: *there's blood.* Sheepy: *he goes up the stairs* Arsé-kun: *the smell is stronger. There's also a sound much like someone trying to yell for help, but they're muffled* Sheepy: *Sheepy quickens his pace and approaches the voice* Arsé-kun: *There's a kid! They're bound up and gagged, lying on the floor, writhing, trying to scream* Sheepy: *Sheepy comes over and starts to untie him* Arsé-kun: kid: *he stares up at sheepy with his big, red eyes. red, glowy eyes. before he utters a low growl. words don't seem to be wordsing right now* Sheepy: Sheepy: I won't hurt you. Don't worry. Sheepy: Sheepy: I'm not a part of Twilight. Arsé-kun: kid: .... *he whines, bowing his head down* Sheepy: Sheepy: *he continues to unbind the kid.* Arsé-kun: kid: *once able, he clings onto Sheepy like his life is on the line* Sheepy: Sheepy: *he finishes untying him and removes the gag* Arsé-kun: kid: *he bites onto Sheepy's sleeve. ultimate grip* Sheepy: Sheepy: I'm Sheepy. I'll do my best to help you. Do you have a place to stay? Or did you want to comes back home with me? There's a doctor there if you're hurt. Arsé-kun: kid: .... *he whines again, clinging to Sheepy's arm a bit tighter than before* Sheepy: Sheepy: Okay, let's go home then. Are you able to walk or did you want me to support you? Arsé-kun: *the kid tries to stand on his own. his legs wobble, and he quickly grabs onto Sheepy again. He looks up at Sheepy. help him. you knOW YOU WANT TO* Sheepy: Sheepy: *he supports the kid* Sheepy: Sheepy: *he returns home with the kid!* Sheepy: Sheepy: I'm back! Arsé-kun: Arséne: Welcome back. .... A kid? Sheepy: Sheepy: He was captured by Twilight. He may be hurt. Arsé-kun: Impey: *he appears on the stairs* They're still grabbin' kids?! Sheepy: Sheepy: Seems like it. Sheepy: Sheepy: Can you get Fran? Arsé-kun: Impey: I sure can! *he disappears, but is still audible* Fraaaan, hurt kid! Sheepy: *FRAN IS HERE* Arsé-kun: *Impey follows him back* Sheepy: Sheepy: I'll stay with you. Sheepy: Fran: Um, you can lie down here. Arsé-kun: *the kid climbs onto the couch and curls up on it. he's staring at Fran and Impey* Sheepy: *Fran goes over and begins to patch him up* Sheepy: *Fran eventually finishes* Arsé-kun: kid: ... *he grunts and inspects the bangages* Sheepy: Fran: How are you feeling? Arsé-kun: kid: .... *he looks up at fran with his big ol glowy red eyes. he whines* Sheepy: Fran:...! Arsé-kun: Impey: ... What is it, bud? Sheepy: Fran: Look at his eyes. Arsé-kun: Impey: ... y'think it's...? Sheepy: Fran: I'm sure it is. What else would cause that? Arsé-kun: Impey: ... Good point. But... he's behaving too well, I think. Sheepy: Sheepy: *he doesn't get any of this. he's stilll hanging out with the kid.* Sheepy: Fran: That's true... Sheepy: Fran: Then what is it? Arsé-kun: Impey: Might it be that he's still a kid? Or... Sheepy: Fran: Maybe. Sheepy: Fran: Did you have another idea? Arsé-kun: Impey: ..... I do smell an awful lot of blood on him. Sheepy: Sheepy: He roughed up a bunch of Twilight grunts. I smelled it too for a while. Arsé-kun: Impey: By himself?? Good job, kiddo! *he goes to pat the kid's head. he apparently moved too fast, and got snapped at* Sheepy: Sheepy: Hey hey, he's still shaken from earlier. Be more careful Arsé-kun: Impey: Righto. My bad, kiddo. *he goes for it again, but much slower* Sheepy: Sheepy: I wonder if he can stay in Sherlock's room for now. Sherlock can sleep in Arséne's room. Arsé-kun: Impey: I dunno, I think we should hold onto him for now. Right, Fran? Sheepy: Fran: It'd be best if we can monitor his condition. Sheepy: Fran: He can use the lower bunk. I'm not tired anyway and I should stay up in case he needs anything. Arsé-kun: Impey: Or, at least one of us should! Sheepy: Fran: Right... Arsé-kun: Impey: By which I mean me! You've been up since you got up. I at least got a nap. Sheepy: Sheepy: I can stay up. Sheepy: Sheepy: Would you prefer that? *he looks over at the kid* Sheepy: Fran: I'll sleep if you're staying up. sheep: Sheepy: Okay. Arsé-kun: Impey: *he slooowly goes to pick the kid up. No fight from the kid* All right, we're gonna head up. See ya in the mornin', Sheepy! sheep: *So the next day!* Arsé-kun: Impey: *he's up early and already cooking! Seems he was serious about staying up all night..* sheep: *Sherlock is here!* sheep: Sherlock: Have you fed the dogs and Wagahai already? If not, I will. Arsé-kun: Impey: Yep! Pepper, too. How're you? sheep: Sherlock: I didn't sleep. Arsé-kun: Impey: You, too? Sheepy: Sherlock: I started worrying. Arsé-kun: Impey: 'bout what? Sheepy: Sherlock: Whether we can actually get Watson back or not. Arsé-kun: Impey: Why wouldn't we? We've succeeded at everything we've done! *he turns his attention back to cooking for a minute or so* Sheepy: Sherlock: Think about it this way. Sheepy: Sherlock: We aren't up against Nyar anymore. We're up against someone who actually cares. Sheepy: Sherlock: Azathoth said it himself: Sheepy: Sherlock: "Nyar could've done so much more to you, and yet he spent most of the time talking on the phone and goofing around". Arsé-kun: Impey: ... That's a good point. We might have to really put effort into this one! Sheepy: Sherlock: We were in a scenario where we couldn't lose when we were against Nyar. He was going to throw it no matter how badly we performed. Sheepy: Sherlock: Our first interaction with Azathoth ended in Harley and Mycroft getting shot. Mycroft got lucky that it was just his arm. Our second ended in Watson being taken away. Arsé-kun: Impey: Yeah, true. ... *he stifles a yawn* Can't give up before we try, though! Sheepy: Sherlock: I know. Sheepy: Sherlock: It's difficult not to worry, though. Arsé-kun: Impey: Well, yeah, of course! .. Hey, did anyone tell you 'bout last night? Sheepy: Sherlock: No. Arsé-kun: Impey: Guess I'd better! Sheepy found a kid in the clocktower. Poor kid was tied up the way Abby was! Arsé-kun: Impey: But it's cool, he's in a lot better shape! Sheepy: Sherlock: That's good. Arsé-kun: Impey: He's under the table, if you wanna meet 'im. Sheepy: *Sherlock looks under the table* Arsé-kun: kid: *he's definitely there, and he looks at Sherlock. .. his eyes aren't red anymore* Sheepy: Sherlock: Hullo. Arsé-kun: kid: ..... hi. Sheepy: Sherlock: I'm Sherlock. Arsé-kun: kid: ... Delacroix. Sheepy: Sherlock: Nice to meet you, Delacroix. Arsé-kun: Delacroix: ... I already like you better than him. Sheepy: Sherlock: Huh? Arsé-kun: Delacroix: You used my name, and not some stupid nickname. I appreciate it. Sheepy: Sherlock: No problem. Arsé-kun: Delacroix: ... *he turns his attention back to Sisi, who just waddled in. dog dog dog* Sheepy: Sherlock: Oh! Sisi! Arsé-kun: Sisi: *hello bark* Sheepy: Sherlock: Have you met Sisi yet? Arsé-kun: Delacroix: no.. Sheepy: Sherlock: He's a very good dog. Arsé-kun: Sisi: *im going to smell you, and be your friend, love me* Sheepy: Sherlock: Seems like he likes you already. Sheepy: *Nyar has arrived!* Arsé-kun: *Germain follows him in, rubbing his eyes* Sheepy: Nyar: I heard you talking about me. Sheepy: Nyar: And I can confirm that I wasn't trying. Sheepy: Nyar: Well, to kill you guys anyway. Sheepy: Nyar: Just to intimidate you. Sheepy: Nyar: If I was trying to kill you, none of you would be here speaking right now. And yet, I can also confirm that your concerns are correct. Azathoth is more dangerous than me, even when I'm trying. Arsé-kun: Delacroix: .... *he peeks out at Nyar. still petting Sisi* Sheepy: Nyar: Hello there. Arsé-kun: Delacroix: .... ... *he makes this face* Sheepy: Nyar: ? Sheepy: Nyar: What is it? Arsé-kun: Delacroix: from down here, you smell like burnt octopus. Sheepy: Nyar: *he raises his eyebrows* Sheepy: Nyar: I understand that last part. Sheepy: Nyar: Not that first part, though. Sheepy: Nyar: They weren't burnt........ Arsé-kun: Delacroix: .... Well, then you smell. Sheepy: Nyar: I'm sorry for that. Sheepy: Nyar: I was going to go take a shower later. Arsé-kun: Germain: You can do that without melting? Sheepy: Nyar: What, you think I'm a witch? Sheepy: Nyar: I love water. Arsé-kun: Germain: ok. Sheepy: Nyar: I thought you knew that. Arsé-kun: Germain: I do. *he honestly considers dumping this glass of water on Nyar's head. he pours a tiny bit* Sheepy: *Nyar doesn't react.* sheep: Sherlock: Maybe it's a delayed reaction. Arsé-kun: Germain: Wait, hold on. *he puts a single shake of salt in the glass, and then dumps the entire thing on Nyar's head* sheep: Nyar: Why. Arsé-kun: Germain: ..... *he just dumps the salt on, too. fuck it* sheep: Nyar: Why're you like this? sheep: Nyar: Now it looks like I have dandruff. Stop dumping things on me. Arsé-kun: Germain: Let me have my fun, you cephalopod sheep: Nyar: Cephalopod? sheep: Sheepy: I knew it. I knew he was a tentacle monster in disguise. sheep: Nyar: No. sheep: Sheepy: Octopi don't like seeing inconsistent colors which is why they solve Rubik's cubes. *he places a Rubik's cube on the table*. If you're really a tentacle monster you'll have to solve this. You won't be able to resist the temptation. sheep: Nyar: ................... Arsé-kun: Germain: He's gonna do it. sheep: Nyar: *he looks away, visibly stressed out* .......... sheep: Nyar: There are normal human beings who don't like seeing inconsistent colors. Why does it make me a tentacle monster? Arsé-kun: Impey: *he's finished cooking, and picks up the rubix cube* What if these were all monotone? Like, varying grays? sheep: Nyar: ............................. sheep: Sheepy: Don't do that. That's evil. sheep: Nyar: ... Ugh! Give me that! *he snatches it away from Impey and solves it very quickly, putting it down on the table with a huff* Arsé-kun: Impey: Wait- sheep: Sheepy: He really is an octopus. Arsé-kun: Impey: ... Good job? sheep: Sheepy: This means he eats his own arms when he gets stressed out. Gross. sheep: Nyar: I do not! I might chew my nails but that's normal! sheep: Nyar: A third of adults chew their nails. Arsé-kun: Arséne: *he's been throwing stuff out his window into the back yard. an inflated kiddie pool has just landed in the backyard* sheep: Sheepy: Arsene is back at it again. Arsé-kun: Impey: Is this the legendary yearly clean-up? sheep: Sheepy: Yeah. Arsé-kun: Impey: Wow! sheep: Sherlock: *he is busy pacing back and forth. ignore him* sheep: Sheepy: It's rumored that when Arsene cleans, someone's cancer is cured. sheep: Sherlock: *he takes out a pen and starts writing on his arm. he's apparently come up with something* Arsé-kun: *Impey decides to go outside. Impey is nearly beaned with a printer* sheep: Sheepy: Rest in peace. Arsé-kun: Impey: I SAID KEYS! *he gets intentionally smacked with a pillo* Arsé-kun: Arséne: .. Can you throw that back up? I still use that sheep: Sheepy: Now it's gross. Arsé-kun: Arséne: Good point. sheep: Sherlock: ...*he pauses and looks over his arm, vocalizes an "Aha!", and continues writing* sheep: Sheepy: Wash it before you use it. Arsé-kun: Arséne: he can have it. Impey germs. You know. *he moves away from his window, presumably to finish cleaning. spring cleaning* sheep: Sheepy: Ew... Arsé-kun: Impey: !! Jerk! *he throws the pillow back. He misses the window, but the pillow exploded on contact with the wall. powerful wall. great wall. lovable wall* sheep: Sheepy: I liked that pillow. Arsé-kun: Impey: I've never seen a pillow explode like that before! sheep: Sheepy: Wow. Arsé-kun: Impey: I only threw it back up! What was that about? sheep: Sheepy: You killed it. sheep: Sheepy: You murderer. sheep: Sheepy: If we don't eat soon, Sherlock will eat before us. sheep: Sheepy: He'll probably eat our food too. sheep: *Sherlock is talking to himself and pacing still.* sheep: *So, you have time , impey* Arsé-kun: *and so, impey comes back in and actually eats something. arsene also joins them* sheep: *sheepy eats too* Arsé-kun: *even delacroix comes out to eat food. he's not very chatty* sheep: *Harley isn't talkative either. and keeps dropping his fork. save him* sheep: *Nyar went somewhere.* Arsé-kun: Germain: *he refills his cup, and wanders outside. nice day* sheep: *Nyar is in the pool.* Arsé-kun: Germain: .. *he dumps the water in the pool* Would you like me to get the hose, madam? sheep: Nyar: I'm uncomfy. This flesh feels gross and wrong. sheep: Nyar: I'm kinda stuck though. Arsé-kun: Germain: Nah, not really. sheep: Nyar: What if someone sees? Arsé-kun: Germain: Nyar, does it really matter? They'd find out anyway. sheep: Nyar: I'm already being suspected, no thanks to you. Arsé-kun: Germain: You're welcome. sheep: Nyar: Alright, you think anyone can see? Arsé-kun: Germain: I think they can. Here, I'll block you. *he moves a few inches to the right* sheep: *Nyar transforms into an octopus! this transformation would be horrifying if you hadn't seen it before.* Arsé-kun: Germain: Done? sheep: Nyar: (Yes.) Arsé-kun: Germain: how cute. Shall I move again? sheep: Nyar: (I'm much more comfortable now. I don't know how you stand it, but I guess you were born that way.) sheep: Nyar: (If you wanna. And I'm the cutest around. Dad is just gross.) Arsé-kun: *Germain decides to just. join Nyar in the pool. mature adults* sheep: Nyar: (I don't think Phil can change, actually. So I'm your only choice for cute octopi.) Sheepy: Nyar: *stick* Arsé-kun: Germain: .... Thanks Sheepy: Nyar: *pay attention to me or I'll stick more of them on you* Sheepy: Nyar: (What will you say if they see me?) Arsé-kun: Germain: *he is, he is!* Arsé-kun: Germain: You're an octopus, not some... Horrible monstrosity. Sheepy: Nyar: (I could be a horrible monstrosity if you want) Arsé-kun: Germain: Not in public, Nyar. Sheepy: Nyar: (You'd like that in private?) Arsé-kun: Germain: Of course. Sheepy: Nyar: (Wow. Weirdo.) Sheepy: Nyar: (What if they ask how an octopus got here?) Sheepy: Nyar: (This isn't exactly what I wanted but it's still better.) Arsé-kun: Germain: Considering you've gone mysteriously absent, and that they have an IQ over seven.. Sheepy: Nyar: (Most of them. Not all.) Sheepy: Sheepy: I was hoping for an eldritch abomination and instead I got a flapjack octopus. Arsé-kun: Germain: How unfortunate for you. *he goes to pick Nyar up* Sheepy: Nyar: (This was the only one I felt safe with.) Arsé-kun: Germain: It's cute, so it's fine. Sheepy: Nyar: (Impey won't cook me if I look like this.) Sheepy: Nyar: (Octopi are expensive normally...) Arsé-kun: Impey: *he's come out to investigate* !! Sheepy: Nyar: (Oh shoot.) Arsé-kun: Impey: Oh, it's cuuuute! Sheepy: Sheepy: It's Nyar. Arsé-kun: Impey: <3 Sheepy: Sheepy: He's...cute... Arsé-kun: Impey: Fran! Fran, come here! Sheepy: Fran: *he arrives!* What's going on? Sheepy: Nyar: *he is starting to get flustered. he hides in his tentacles. he was not expecting to be the center of attention* Arsé-kun: Impey: *he points at Nyar* Cutie! Sheepy: Fran: It is cute! Arsé-kun: Germain: *he looks down at Nyar* Positive reception thus far. Sheepy: Nyar: (I'm uncomfortable.) Arsé-kun: Germain: No, you're adorable. Sheepy: *Nyar changes to the color of Sanchan's sleeve* Sheepy: Nyar: (I'm invisible.) Sheepy: Sheepy: A mystery has been solved. Arsé-kun: *Impey finally tears his attention away from Nyar to go through the trash* Sheepy: Sheepy: Why Sheepy: Sherlock: -And so. My conclusion *he taps a large map on the wall* Is that he's here. Sheepy: Sherlock: Any questions? Arsé-kun: Arséne: *he starts clapping* Bravo, Sherlock! You're a brilliant madman, but brilliant nevertheless! Sheepy: Sherlock: *he seems pleased with himself!* Arsé-kun: Van: .... I understood.... Barely any of that, with how fast you were speaking. From the top, in english. Sheepy: Sherlock: So, the first thing I noticed were Azathoth's shoes. Sheepy: Sherlock: The dirt on them came from this general area. Sheepy: *Sherlock taps the map* Sheepy: Sherlock: Watson did not have it on his shoes. Sheepy: Sherlock: Meaning that he was headed there. Arsé-kun: Van: How do we know he wasn't going somewhere else, perchance? Sheepy: Sherlock: He was going towards that area, and Azathoth ended up dirtying his shoes while casing it. Sheepy: Sherlock: It was fresh dirt too. Arsé-kun: Finis: .... I understand thus far, but how about the specifics? Sheepy: Sherlock: The company who owned this factory went bankrupt recently. Sheepy: Sherlock: The factory has not been in use since then. Arsé-kun: *there's a moments pause, where it's expected for someone to comment. no one does. Watson is not here to comment.* Sheepy: Sherlock: *he looks bothered by this* Sheepy: Sherlock: It's spacious as well. Meaning, he could do as he pleased in it without worrying about space constraints. Sheepy: Sherlock: Like with the department store. Arsé-kun: Finis: ... There may be space for all of the grunts there. Sheepy: Sherlock: Right-o. Arsé-kun: Arséne: We'd best be careful. The security inside would be intense. Sheepy: Sherlock: Right. We should go as soon as possible. Arsé-kun: Arséne: .. At least, after we get the others inside. Sheepy: Sherlock: Right. Arsé-kun: Germain: What's going on? *he comes in, with Nyar on his arm. he's absently petting nyar's head.* Sheepy: *Nyar approves.* Arsé-kun: Germain: Some kind of meeting? Sheepy: Sherlock: I figured out where Watson is Arsé-kun: Germain: That's wonderful! Sheepy: Sherlock: Once everyone is ready, we're going Sheepy: Nyar: (I'm going to have a rematch with Dad.) Arsé-kun: Germain: All right. *he leans outside* Get inside, you two! Sheepy: Fran: *he comes inside* Arsé-kun: *Impey follows!* Sheepy: Sherlock:...Actually, what're we going to do about Harley? Can we leave him alone here? Sheepy: Sherlock: Would Azathoth send people to grab him while we're gone? Sheepy: Nyar: (He's useless.) Arsé-kun: Arséne: Are we all going? I was thinking we keep to two groups, like last time. Sheepy: Sherlock: Good idea. Sheepy: Sherlock: Who's going and who's staying? Sheepy: Tom: ........ Arsé-kun: Van: .... Arsé-kun: Mycroft: ... As I'm not good at combat, I think I'll stay behind. Sheepy: Sherlock: Harley seems to have gotten attached fo you anyway. Arsé-kun: Mycroft: Surprising. Arsé-kun: Arséne: I'd like to go- Sheepy: Tom: little thief, three hours remain. are you happy with your life? Arsé-kun: Arséne: I don't want to go anymore. Sheepy: Sheepy: I wanna go. Arsé-kun: Arséne: ..... I suppose I will, anyway. Sheepy: Tom: little thief, are you ready to face the bullet that threatens to end your future prematurely? Arsé-kun: Arséne: *he just. slams Tom's face into the table* Enough! Sheepy: Tom:......... Sheepy: Tom:................ Arsé-kun: Delacroix: .... ??? Sheepy: Tom: aaaaaaaaa Sheepy: Tom: im bleeding Arsé-kun: Delacroix: *he grabs Tom off the table* ?? Sheepy: Tom: make it stop make it stop make it stop Arsé-kun: Delacroix: *he hisses and nearly drops Tom* What the heck? Sheepy: Sheepy: Should we bring Tom? Arsé-kun: Arséne: Non! Sheepy: Sheepy: Why not? Sheepy: Tom:.... Arsé-kun: Arséne: He's going to stress us out at this rate. Sheepy: Sheepy: He's doing his best to help. Arsé-kun: Arséne: Saying someone is going to die, repeatedly, is rather stressful. No, and no. Sheepy: Sheepy: Okay. Sheepy: Tom:........... Arsé-kun: Delacroix: *he awkwardly pats Tom's head* Sheepy: Tom: *he doesn't seem to mind.* Arsé-kun: Van: ... I'll hold back this time, as well. I'll guard. Sheepy: Iris: *she looks conflicted* Arsé-kun: Germain: I, for one, will gladly go. Sheepy: Nyar: (I'm going.) Arsé-kun: Impey: I'll go! Sheepy: Nyar: (I can escape anything.) Sheepy: Fran: I'll follow Impey. Sheepy: Nyar: (Besides, I doubt he'll test on me again.) Arsé-kun: Delacroix: I'd like to not be anywhere near that hellhole. I'll pass. Sheepy: Iris: Ummm... Sheepy: Iris: I'll stay with Abby. Please keep Daddy safe. Sheepy: Nyar: (I can serve as a distraction device worst comes to worst.) Arsé-kun: Germain: As can I. Sheepy: Nyar: (Actually, I've got an idea.) Sheepy: Nyar: (There's probably vents, right? I can drop down on him. That'll give him a scare.) Arsé-kun: Germain: Or a broken spine. Good plan. Sheepy: Nyar: (Oh, good point.) Sheepy: Sherlock: IS everyone ready to go?? Arsé-kun: Arséne: I think we're as ready as we'll be. Sheepy: Sherlock: Then let's go. Arsé-kun: *the journey begins!!* Sheepy: *Sherlock leads them there. Nyar has probably switched back to being human.* Arsé-kun: *i'd hope so. being an octopus in public is weird. Arséne decides he never wants to see that again* Sheepy: *Im sorry Arséne* Arsé-kun: *instead, Arséne focuses his attention on Sherlock, just in case. Germain is keeping an eye on their surroundings* Sheepy: *Sherlock is focused on remembering his way there.* Arsé-kun: Impey: --And anyway, I don't know how long I can do it for. Sheepy: Fran: I can take over. Arsé-kun: Impey: I don't know.. You already do one of us.. Sheepy: Fran: That's a good point. We can test it and see if I can handle it. Arsé-kun: Impey: Not tonight, though. Sheepy: Fran: Right. Sheepy: Sheepy: So how are eldritch abominations born? Sheepy: Sheepy: I don't remember any mention of Azathoth having a wife or anything so how did he have kids? Arsé-kun: Germain: However he wanted. Sheepy: Sheepy: So like a plant? Sheepy: Sheepy: Is Nyar a plant? Sheepy: Nyar: I'm a plant, you caught me. Sheepy: Nyar: Saint-Germain is also a plant. Sheepy: Nyar: Even you are a plant. Sheepy: Nyar: I'm sorry, you're adopted. Sheepy: Sheepy: I know. Arsé-kun: Arséne: Joke's on you- He already was. Sheepy: Nyar: Well. Sheepy: Nyar: I've made a huge mistake. Arsé-kun: Germain: You sure have Sheepy: Nyar: So, so, so wait. Sheepy: Nyar: Fluffy isn't Watson's kid? Arsé-kun: Arséne: Non? He's mine. ... And he was adopted. Sheepy: Nyar: *he looks bothered by this* Arsé-kun: Arséne: Iris is Watson's. Sheepy: Nyar: You're acting like there's only one. Arsé-kun: Arséne: There is. Sheepy: Nyar: Then what happened to the other one? Arsé-kun: Arséne: There's never been another one. Was there supposed to..? Sheepy: Nyar: There was definitely going to be a second one. Arsé-kun: Arséne: Considering his wife... ... Sheepy: Nyar: I knew that his wife died. Arsé-kun: Germain: From what I understand from this, she may have been pregnant at the time. Sheepy: Nyar: I was confident the child was already born. Arsé-kun: Germain: ... Do you know something we don't? Sheepy: Nyar: I've been fed false information. Sheepy: Nyar: Do I? Sheepy: Nyar: Maybe. Sheepy: Nyar: Or maybe I don't. Sheepy: Nyar: If I give away all of my information that I've been withholding, I'd lack interest. I'd be the throw away villain whose entire purpose had been lost. Sheepy: Nyar: So. Sheepy: Nyar: I won't tell you. Arsé-kun: Germain: Yet. Sheepy: Nyar: Yet. Sheepy: Nyar: I'll just say one thing: Sheepy: Nyar: Your perception of reality may not be correct. Sheepy: Nyar: Our presence does things, you know. Sheepy: Nyar: And sometimes we don't want you knowing things. Arsé-kun: Germain: ... I think I understand. :) Sheepy: Nyar: So. Any other questions? Arsé-kun: Impey: Are we there yet? Sheepy: Nyar: I'm willing to answer just about anything you might find of interest. Sheepy: Nyar: No. Sheepy: Sherlock: We're close. Arsé-kun: Impey: What kind of octopus were you? Were you poisonous? sheep: Nyar: A little but not deadly. All octopi are poisonous, actually! And, a flapjack octopus. sheep: Nyar: The only deadly octopus is the blue ringed octopus. sheep: Nyar: They're the size of a golfball and their bites are painless, unlike normal octopi, but can kill an adult human within a few minutes. sheep: Nyar: Their poison can affect you even if they don't bite you if you prolong contact, but it won't be deadly. Arsé-kun: Impey: ... What about things that aren't human? How's it affect those? sheep: Nyar: ... I doubt it'd work on Dad. Arsé-kun: Impey: Dang! sheep: Nyar: Unless you mean animals or toddlers, in which case, it'd still kill them. Arsé-kun: Impey: Toddlers are still human! sheep: Nyar: Incorrect, toddlers aren't humans sheep: Nyar: They're gremlins. Arsé-kun: Impey: ... Okay, true! sheep: Sherlock: We're here. sheep: Sheepy: Creepy. sheep: Nyar: So do we have a plan? Arsé-kun: Arséne: I don't think so. sheep: Sheepy: I can ask a guard where watson is. There's a voice they'll react to. Arsé-kun: Impey: Right, that! sheep: Sheepy: Then we just have to get there. sheep: Nyar: You make it sound so easy. Arsé-kun: Impey: Will it not be? sheep: Nyar: Dad is much more skilled than me. He's actually bothering, too. sheep: Nyar: As I said... sheep: Nyar: If I really wanted to... sheep: Nyar: I could crush you right here and now. Arsé-kun: Germain: But you won't. sheep: Nyar: Of course not. sheep: Nyar: We have a common goal. Arsé-kun: *and here comes a guard!* sheep: Sheepy: *In a commanding voice* You! Where is Watson? Arsé-kun: guard: .... back. sheep: Sheepy: Thank you. Arsé-kun: guard: .... Please leave the premises. sheep: Nyar: *he approaches the guard* Arsé-kun: guard: .... Please. sheep: Nyar: Hmhm, this place has a cockroach infestation, doesn't it? Seems like you've got a little something there on you... sheep: Nyar: They reeeeaaallyyyy like you, huh? Arsé-kun: guard: ... .... *they don't look* sheep: Nyar: *he frowns* It's your loss, really. I was warning you because this type will burrow into people. One is right now. Arsé-kun: guard: ... .... *they quickly smack their arm and look back at Nyar* And now it is dead, much like you will be if you remain on premises. sheep: Nyar: You'd kill Daddy's little ball of sunshine? ... Hmm. He's trained you all well. sheep: Nyar: Hmhmhm... well, look at the time. It's time for your nappy-poo, sweetie. *he suddenly smacks the guard very hard on the head* Arsé-kun: *the guard goes straight down. are we sure you didn't kill him?* sheep: Nyar: *he checks* sheep: Nyar: Oh, goodie. They're just sleeping... and possibly have permanent brain damage. sheep: Nyar: Let's go in. Arsé-kun: Impey: *he decides to look elsewhere* Yeah. sheep: *so they go in* sheep: Nyar: *he looks around* Arsé-kun: *lots of grunts doing their own thing. two are repairing uniforms. they're the only ones who don't look totally dead inside. this is completely irrelevant.* sheep: Nyar: ... Sheepy: Nyar: *he seems interested in the two, but doesn't comment. instead, he thinks about how they can infiltrate the base further.* Arsé-kun: Arséne: .... Where should we go? Sheepy: Nyar: I could go in and sacrifice myself as a distraction device. Arsé-kun: Arséne: Please don't unless you have to. Sheepy: Nyar: Phil would be mighty convenient just about now. Sheepy: Nyar: He'd be useful for planting ideas in their head. Sheepy: Nyar: Let's just be sneaky. Arsé-kun: Arséne: Right. Sheepy: *Nyar begins to sneak deeper in* Arsé-kun: *Arséne follows suit, keeping quiet* Arsé-kun: *scooby doo sneaky music begins to play. Impey would be whistling it if he could* Sheepy: *Nyar doesnt question it. They sneak further in.* Arsé-kun: *it's not actually playing- Impey is quietly humming it* Sheepy: *do they get there without incident?* Arsé-kun: *yes!* Sheepy: *They arrive to the room with Watson!* Arsé-kun: *there is nothing of note happening. Just more grunts. find watson?* Sheepy: *yes* Arsé-kun: *well, they all have helmets, and none are paying attention to the team.* Arsé-kun: *Nyar attempts to have the grunts remove their helmets* Arsé-kun: *Most of the grunts completely ignore him. Only one starts to move, and they can't seem to get the helmet off. Wires are poking out* Sheepy: Nyar: *he squints* Arsé-kun: *a bit of ginger ponytail is also peeking out.* Sheepy: Nyar: Follow me. Arsé-kun: ?: .... *they look at Nyar* Sheepy: Nyar: The masks are outside. I'd appreciate it if you help bring them in. Arsé-kun: ?: ..... yes, sir. Sheepy: *And so, Nyar heads for the front of the building* Arsé-kun: *the grunt follows him.* Arsé-kun: *everyone else is following at a distance.* Arsé-kun: *the grunt follows without a word* Sheepy: *...The moment they get outside, Nyar picks up the grunt and runs! Arsé-kun: Impey: Oh, okay Sheepy: Sheepy: He did all of the work. Arsé-kun: Impey: Well, didn't we only come just in case? Sheepy: Sheepy: Yeah. Sheepy: Sheepy: But he's also the Crawling Chaos, so... Arsé-kun: *From behind them, a burst of three gunshots. A single moment of silence, and Arséne falls to the ground.* Sheepy: Sheepy: Arséne! *he drops to Arséne's side* Arsé-kun: Azathoth: Did you all think you'd get away so easily? I'd shoot you all down, but I've run out of ammo. Sheepy: Sheepy: Y...you... Arsé-kun: Azathoth: Terrible, I know. I don't care. Thy forbid I wake up, for none of you would exist. ... Not that it matters. I learned what I wanted. *he tosses the gun away. what a waste of an rk5* Sheepy: Sheepy: W...wake up? Arsé-kun: Azathoth: Shall I spell it out for you? If I were fully here, only I would be left. Where's the fun in that? Sheepy: Sheepy: Why're you relying on people if you could easily wipe us out? Arsé-kun: Azathoth: What did I just say, child? I am not at full power, and cannot be. Arsé-kun: *Impey, meanwhile, has decided getting Arséne out of harms way is the best plan* Sheepy: Sheepy: Is that why Nyar was having trouble causing hallucinations? Sheepy: Sheepy: Or was that caused by your testing on him? Arsé-kun: Azathoth: That was me, actually. *he seems proud of himself* Sheepy: Sheepy: Is it permanent? Arsé-kun: Azathoth: Of course not. Sheepy: Sheepy: Why is he working against you? Arsé-kun: Azathoth: How should I know? Sheepy: Sheepy: I thought he had an evil plan in mind to make all of humanity suffer by rebelling against you. Darn. Arsé-kun: Azathoth: Oh, he probably does. He just wants attention, silly kid. Sheepy: Sheepy: That's it...? Arsé-kun: Azathoth: Probably. Sheepy: Sheepy: Doesn't he already get enough? Arsé-kun: Azathoth: Apparently not? I never understood him, or Nodens. Sheepy: Sheepy: What did Nodens do? He's going by Phil now and I don't get it. Sheepy: Sheepy: The books make him out to be someone who hunts for enjoyment and gives people tidbits of information so they'll make a fight more interesting for him... Sheepy: Sheepy: But he's just an emotionless husk based on my interactions... Arsé-kun: Azathoth: That was right once. Idiot got rid of the feelings he had. I appreciate the loyalties he has now, but it's so boring. Sheepy: Sheepy: He works for you? Arsé-kun: Azathoth: I think so? *he seems thoughtful* ... I'm not sure. Sheepy: Sheepy: The last interaction I had with him ended in him kicking a hole in the wall because he thought it was completely normal to do so... Sheepy: Sheepy: Where did his emotions go? Can he get them back??? Arsé-kun: Azathoth: Again- I do not know. I may turn my attention back to him for that reason. Sheepy: Sheepy: That'd be good. He's unsettling at times with how emotionless he is. Arsé-kun: Azathoth: ... ... *he shifts his hair out of the way, and cracks an eye open* ... You remind me of a mortal Nyarlathotep was obsessed with for a time. *he puts his hair back* Ask him about it. I want him to squirm. Sheepy: Sheepy: Eh? Arsé-kun: Azathoth: :) Sheepy: Sheepy: Is that why you aren't killing me? Arsé-kun: Azathoth: It may. *he yawns* It may not. Sheepy: Sheepy: Okay. I should let you sleep. Arsé-kun: Azathoth: That'd be nice, but I've got something to do, first. Sheepy: Sheepy: Huh? Arsé-kun: Azathoth: I've got to drive someone mad, then I can nap for the week. I scheduled it, so I'm going to do it. Sheepy: Sheepy: Okay. Have fun. Arsé-kun: *azathoth exits stage left by just. not existing here anymore. bye* Sheepy: *Sheepy leaves and drops something without realizing it on the way out!* Arsé-kun: Azathoth: ... *he returns for a moment to retrieve it. he decides to keep it.* Sheepy: *it's cute, fluffy, and likes to scream.* Arsé-kun: Impey: --- Sorry, sorry, I'm trying not to! You've got like, ten minutes, before I get hungry, Fran! Sheepy: Fran: He's hurt...! I'm right here anyway... Arsé-kun: Impey: Yeah, yea- Sheepy! What took? Sheepy: Sheepy: I was talking to Azathoth. Arsé-kun: Impey: oDo Sheepy: Sheepy: He was surprisingly very nice to me... wait! Is Arséne okay??? Arsé-kun: Impey: Injured, but alive! Sheepy: Sheepy: That's good. Arsé-kun: Arséne: ... ... ...? Sheepy: Sheepy: *he joins Arséne* Arsé-kun: Arséne: ... ooh, oww... I was shot, wasn't I..? Sheepy: Sheepy: You were. Sheepy: Sheepy: But you're not dead! Arsé-kun: Arséne: .... Remind me to throw Tom into the trash. Sheepy: Sheepy: Okay. Sheepy: Sheepy: Just try to relax. Arsé-kun: Arséne: It's hard to.. Sheepy: Sheepy: You'll bleed more if you don't relax. Arsé-kun: Arséne: ... Right, you're right, I'm sorry. Sheepy: *so meanwhile! happy fun times with van!* Arsé-kun: Azathoth: -Don't look so mad at me. I only had one thing to say! *he holds his hands up* Sheepy: Iris: *she is hiding behind Van* Arsé-kun: Delacroix: *he's also behind Van, and hissing at Azathoth* Sheepy: *Harley is watching this. it's not like he can do much in his current state so* Arsé-kun: Azathoth: Oh, come on, Helsing. I thought you were a good boy. You're a good boy, right? Who's a good boy? Sheepy: Iris: ? Arsé-kun: Van: .... .... Sheepy: Iris: Stop taunting Abby! Arsé-kun: Azathoth: I'm already done! That was all. Sheepy: Iris: *she still seems intimidated* Arsé-kun: *Van's gone quiet* Sheepy: Iris: Abby...? Arsé-kun: Van: ....... ........ *he utters a low growl and looks down at the kids. glowing red eyes are bad. very bad* Arsé-kun: *Delacroix hisses at him, loudly, and backs away* Sheepy: Iris: Are you okay, Abby? Arsé-kun: Van: .... .... *he pushes Iris away, and opens fire on Azathoth. Azathoth lets it happen.* Sheepy: Iris: ?! Arsé-kun: Delacroix: Idiot! Get out of there..! Sheepy: Iris: *she doesn't seem willing to leave Van. sorry delly* Arsé-kun: Finis: ... ... *he's watching from the backdoor. He shakes his head* Sheepy: Iris: *she waits for Van to pause to tug on his jacket* Abby? Are you alright? Arsé-kun: Van: *he shoves her away, a bit harder this time* Sheepy: Iris:...? Arsé-kun: Azathoth: *he starts laughing, and picks himself up off the ground* Bravo, bravo! The perfect reaction, finally! *he holds his arms out* Take it out on me, soldier! Sheepy: Iris: Abby... you need to calm down! He's planning something! Arsé-kun: Van: *iris is ignored in favor of shooting at Azathoth until he runs out of ammo* Arsé-kun: Van: *he growls again, and tosses his gun away in favor of getting the other one* Sheepy: Iris: *she lets out an "Ow...!" before returning back to trying to stop Van* Arsé-kun: Van: ...! Arsé-kun: Van: ... .... *the glow seems to die down a little. his anger has subsided a bit, but he is still very growly and gutteral* .... Did I... Do that? Sheepy: Iris: It's okay... I know you didn't mean to. Just please calm down... Arsé-kun: Van: .... .... Arsé-kun: Azathoth: This is what's going to stop you, good boy? Arsé-kun: Van: ....! *he clutches his head with his free hand* Make it stop...! Sheepy: Iris: *im gunna hug you so please chill* Arsé-kun: Van: ... ..... *he starts to point his shotgun at himself..* Sheepy: Iris: Abby! No! Sheepy: Iris: Don't! Arsé-kun: Van: ....... .......... *he starts wobbling in place, nearly dropping his shotgun. he opts to pull the trigger- and misses completely, the bullet soaring over his shoulder* Sheepy: *CARDIA IS HERE TO KICK BUTT! IM SORRY AZATHOTH ITS TIME FOR ONE PUNCH MAN TO THE GUT* Arsé-kun: Azathoth: !!! *that tears through him like paper. he drops.* Sheepy: Cardia: Bug off and don't come back! Sheepy: Cardia: That's only a demo of what I'll do to you if you show your face around here again, jerk! Arsé-kun: Azathoth: ... *he quietly begins laughing again* Perhaps. I've learned what I wanted. Sheepy: Cardia: Huh? Arsé-kun: Azathoth: .... Note 345k, trigger fades with emotional stimulation. *he nods to himself, and stumbles to his feet. he's heavily bleeding red and black* If I can not be assaulted again, I will leave. Sheepy: Sheepy: Oh, how nice of you to escort me home, but I would've rather you walked me back to make sure any creepy strangers didn't come up to me rather than teleporting home. Sheepy: Sheepy: I'm sorry Azathoth but you can't come in because they don't like strangers here. Sheepy: Sheepy: But next time you want to visit you can stay outside. Arsé-kun: Azathoth: *he chuckles* I'm sorry, I wasn't aware I was your butler now, Curly. *he shakes his head* I already told you what I was doing. With that- *he drops into his own puddle of blood and disappears. bye* Sheepy: Sheepy: Bye, have a nice trip. Arsé-kun: Van: ... .... Sheepy: Sheepy: Sorry about that. He said he wanted to drive someone crazy. He's going home to take a nap now. Sheepy: Iris: Abby, he's gone now, so everything is okay. Arsé-kun: Van: .... *he drops to his knees, letting go of the gun. he's breathing faster than need be, and visibly sweating. the glow has gone away* Sheepy: Iris: *she hugs him and tries to calm him down by talking in a soft voice. Iris does her best.* Sheepy: Sheepy: So I've got information once Van is feeling better and everyone is ready to hear it. Arsé-kun: Delacroix: *he's staring at Sheepy* Sheepy: Sheepy: What? Arsé-kun: Delacroix: You're so casual..! What the hell?! Sheepy: Sheepy: I can't bring myself to be bothered by this for some reason. Sheepy: Sheepy: Maybe because I'm tired. Arsé-kun: Delacroix: Weirdo. Sheepy: Sheepy: So is everyone ready for the newest scoop? Arsé-kun: Finis: I suppose so, yes. Sheepy: Sheepy: So I talked to Azathoth while Fran and Impey treated Arsene. Sheepy: Sheepy: For a long time, too. It was surprisingly a pleasant conversation. Arsé-kun: Mycroft: How are you alive?! Sheepy: Sheepy: He didn't seem to be interested in hurting me. Sheepy: Sheepy: He was actually very relaxed once it was just the two of us. Sheepy: Sheepy: I don't know why. Sheepy: Sheepy: Actually, he gave a possible reason as to why but I don't get it. Sheepy: Sheepy: So anyway. Arsé-kun: Finis: Go on. Sheepy: Sheepy: I can say for certain that Phil isn't fully an ally. Sheepy: Sheepy: He's working for Azathoth. He's apparently very loyal at that. Sheepy: Sheepy: Or, at least with. Azathoth wasn't confident if Phil was working for him. Arsé-kun: Finis: ..... I feel like I understand. Continue. Sheepy: Sheepy: Azathoth may shift his attention towards getting Phil's emotions back, which may give us time to relax. Sheepy: Sheepy: As for Watson, Nyar currently has him. He had wires and stuff. He was listening to Nyar's orders wihout question. Hopefully we can fix him. Arsé-kun: Mycroft: And where, exactly, is Nyar? Sheepy: Sheepy: No clue. Arsé-kun: Germain: On his way. *he looks at the bloody yard* What happened here? Sheepy: Sheepy: Azathoth escorted me home except he got here too fast and apparently got Van angry. Sheepy: Cardia: I shoved my fist through his stomach. Arsé-kun: Germain: Very funny- Good work, Cardia. Anyone else willing to share? Sheepy: Iris: Abby's eyes turned red and he started growling. Arsé-kun: Delacroix: It's what happened to me. Sheepy: Sheepy: I remember that. Arsé-kun: Delacroix: ... "Potential".. Something like that. Sheepy: Sheepy: Hmm... Sheepy: Sheepy: Saint-Germain, you missed an important detail. Arsé-kun: Germain: Oh? Sheepy: Sheepy: It's about Phil. Arsé-kun: Germain: Oh, I heard it. Sheepy: Sheepy: You did??? Arsé-kun: Germain: I was just around the front. Sheepy: Sheepy: Oh. Arsé-kun: Germain: I'd doubt his loyalty. Phil tends to only involve himself in things for the knowledge it brings. Sheepy: Sheepy: So he's okay? Arsé-kun: Germain: Correct. Sheepy: Sheepy: That's good. Sheepy: Sheepy: I have a question. Arsé-kun: Germain: Yes? Sheepy: Sheepy: Nyar isn't here and you're smart, sooo... Sheepy: Sheepy: Azathoth said something weird to me. Arsé-kun: Germain: Not surprising. Carry on. Sheepy: Sheepy: "You remind me of this human that Nyar was interested in for a while. Ask him about it - I want to see him squirm" or something. Arsé-kun: Germain: *his eyebrows shoot through the stratosphere. he stares.* Sheepy: Sheepy: He even opened one of his eyes. Sheepy: Sheepy: What's he talking about? Arsé-kun: Germain: .... That's something that is out of my business. What I can say is that it may not be a bad thing. Sheepy: Sheepy: It's not? Arsé-kun: Germain: He went upstairs. Ask him. Sheepy: Sheepy: Well, okay. Sheepy: Sheepy: Let's go then! Please come to be my body shield. Arsé-kun: Germain: How elegant. Sheepy: *Sheepy goes inside and upstairs* Arsé-kun: Watson: *he's sitting next to, and leaning on Sherlock. He seems tired.* Sheepy: Sherlock: *he has an arm wrapped around Watson* Sheepy: Sheepy: Oh! Watson! How are you feeling? Arsé-kun: Watson: ... Tired. Sheepy: Sheepy: Understandable. I hope you feel better soon. Arsé-kun: Watson: ... Thank you.. Sheepy: Sherlock: *he is surprisingly quiet* Sheepy: Sheepy: Nyar, Azathoth said that I reminded him of someone you took an interest in for a while, and that you'd squirm if you remembered him. Sheepy: Nyar: We aren't talking about this. Arsé-kun: Germain: Well, he's certainly squirming. Sheepy: Nyar: Wait, how are you still standing if you talked to him for a while? Was it just a side comment? Arsé-kun: Germain: That's what we all want to know. Sheepy: Nyar: *he looks bothered* Sheepy: Sheepy: We bonded over badtalking you. Arsé-kun: Germain: ... It may have been a serious statement. Sheepy: Nyar: You think so? Arsé-kun: Germain: I take it back with respect. Arsé-kun: Germain: Clearly it was unimportant. Sheepy: Nyar: No, no, now I'm thinking about it. Sheepy: Nyar: How would that be possible? Arsé-kun: Germain: Hell if I know. It's too complicated for me to try and figure it out. Sheepy: Nyar: I do feel very relaxed when he's around, but... Arsé-kun: Germain: Well, then it was a correct statement. Sheepy: Nyar: Hmm. Sheepy: Sheepy: I'm scared. Arsé-kun: Germain: Why? Sheepy: Sheepy: I've gotten involved in something weird. Arsé-kun: Germain: You sure have. Welcome to reality. Sheepy: Nyar: I'm overthinking things. Arsé-kun: Watson: .... *he's fallen asleep in the background* Sheepy: *Sherlock keeps him supported* Arsé-kun: *good sherlock* Sheepy: Sheepy: I can't believe it. I'm like catnip for eldritch abominations. Arsé-kun: Germain: Apparently. Sheepy: Sheepy: Will Phil react to me? Arsé-kun: Germain: Doubtful. He would have by now. Sheepy: Sheepy: Awwwww.... Sheepy: Sheepy: Oh well....... Sheepy: Nyar: You think that that cult from a while back has something to do with his? Arsé-kun: Germain: ...... I completely forgot about that, actually. That's how minor it was. Sheepy: Nyar: Yeah, but she was concerned about it. Sheepy: *Sherlock has decided that it's naptime* Arsé-kun: Germain: Enough out of you, Nyar. Sheepy: Nyar: Whoops. Arsé-kun: Germain: That was intentional, wasn't it? Sheepy: Nyar: Gosh. I just got really comfortable and it all slipped out... Arsé-kun: Germain: Do I have to tape your mouth shut? Or will you make a new one to yap? Sheepy: Nyar: No. Sheepy: Nyar: That wasn't a joke though. Arsé-kun: Germain: ... Lets discuss this elsewhere. Let them be. Sheepy: Iris: *SHES HERE!* Daddy! You're back! Arsé-kun: Watson: .... Iris, hello.. Sheepy: Nyar: Yeah, I definitely agree. Sheepy: *Watson gets a hug!* Arsé-kun: Watson: *he returns it. she's okay, everything is right with the world. except that he's AWAKE* Sheepy: Iris: How're you feeling? Arsé-kun: Watson: Drowsy. ... What happened to you? Sheepy: Iris: *she breaks eye contact* I tripped. Arsé-kun: Watson: .. Iris. Sheepy: Iris: ? Arsé-kun: Watson: ... Tell me what really happened in the morning, please. Sheepy: Iris: Okay, Daddy. Please get some rest. Arsé-kun: Watson: .... Okay. You should, too. Sheepy: Iris: I will! Arsé-kun: Watson: *he leans back, and waits for her to leave before going back to sleep* Arsé-kun: *the next morning!* Arsé-kun: *Watson is the first one up, and he puts his coffee on. He has a hoodie on, and the hood up, to hide the wires n shit. It's weird and uncomfortable.* Sheepy: *The sun is shining. The birds are chirping. Sherlock is lying on the sofa with an empty, almost lifeless look in his eyes as he plays the violin badly to reflect his thought process and melancholy. It's a normal day.* Arsé-kun: Watson: *he groans and goes to Sherlock* It's that kind of day? Sheepy: Sherlock: *It takes him a good minute to pause playing and reply* The birds are happily chirping away, the sun is shining on this pleasant day, I hope a truck hits me. Arsé-kun: Watson: .... *he decides to sit on the sofa. specifically, right on Sherlock's gut* Keep that up, and I'll arrange for it to happen. Sheepy: Sherlock: *OH. He wasn't expecting that.* Sheepy: Sherlock: I knew I could count on you. Arsé-kun: Watson: Can I count on you to play properly? Sheepy: Sherlock: I can play properly. Arsé-kun: Watson: prove it. *he grins* Sheepy: Sherlock: What do you want to hear? Arsé-kun: Watson: That's a good question. Sheepy: Sherlock: I don't know what to play. Sheepy: Sherlock: Oh, right. Sheepy: Sherlock: Harley's out of the hospital. Actually, we took him out the moment he woke up because they're having problems with too many people and not enough staff. Sheepy: Sherlock: He's still recovering. Sheepy: Sherlock: By recovering I mean he's nothing like how he was before and he's acting strange. And dropping things. Arsé-kun: Watson: !! Sheepy: Sherlock: He's been sticking with Mycroft so you probably won't get to see him until Mycroft comes over. Sheepy: Sherlock: Anyway, what did you want to hear? Arsé-kun: Watson: *Watson thinks about this* That depends, what are you willing to play? Sheepy: Sherlock: I don't really care right now. Arsé-kun: Watson: ah, just play what you were before- but properly, please. Sheepy: *Sherlock goes back to playing but stops putting his woes and confused, negative thoughts into his music. sounds good!* Arsé-kun: *Excellent! Watson goes and retrieves his morning caffeine.* Sheepy: *I hope you enjoy Legs Prosecutor's theme song written by Sherlock Holmes, Watson. It's pretty reminiscent of vampire movie music.* Arsé-kun: *but it's still good and not depressing* Sheepy: *this is true. let's hope this actually keeps up rather than sherlock deciding to be depressing again* Sheepy: Sherlock: *No, wait, it's starting to turn back to a song of his melancholy again. Nevermind.* Arsé-kun: Watson: *he lightly bumps Sherlock* No. Don't. Sheepy: Sherlock: It's a song about my depression. Arsé-kun: Watson: Yes, I hear it. Sheepy: Sherlock: I hope today is the day where my heart suddenly fails me and I die. This seems like a good day for that. Arsé-kun: Arséne: Don't do that. Sheepy: Sherlock: Hi, Arsene. Sheepy: Sherlock: I'm bored. Sheepy: Sherlock: I'm also sad and I don't know why. Sheepy: Sherlock: *he checks his gun, points it at the wall, bang! moves it some. bang! sherlock stop putting initials in the wall with your gun you may be a good shot but Stop* Arsé-kun: Van: *he's been attracted to the sound of gunfire* Sheepy: *It's just Sherlock shooting at the wall. nothing interesting.* Arsé-kun: Van: ... Why. Sheepy: Sherlock: I'm bored and sad, as I said. Sheepy: Sherlock: ...Ah, shoot, I broke focus and missed. Sheepy: Nyar: Hello, Dearie~ *where did he come from?* Sheepy: Nyar: I was drawn here from the noise but I'm pleasantly surprised to see you up and moving. I apologize for Dad's... additions to your frame. Sheepy: Nyar: I doubt that any human could remove that without possibly permanently injuring you. So, the question must be asked: How was it put in in the first place? Hmhmhm... Sheepy: Nyar: It can be removed the same way it was put in, and it was added the same way it'll be taken out. A vicious cycle that leads to no answer. Arsé-kun: Watson: I'd like to know, myself, but not now Sheepy: Nyar: You aren't interested? Sheepy: Nyar: Gosh, being a mysterious antihero is difficult when nobody is curious. Arsé-kun: Watson: I just had my coffee. Arsé-kun: Watson: I'll care in about half an hour. sheep: Nyar: Well, okay. Arsé-kun: Van: *he's looking at the wall* Did you really need to waste bullets for this? sheep: Sherlock: I'm bored and sad, as I said. Arsé-kun: Van: Fair enough. .. Hand me your gun, I want a turn. sheep: Sherlock: *he hands Van the gun and goes back to playing the violin* sheep: Sherlock: Do you ever wonder what life would be like if you hadn't been born? sheep: Sherlock: Would it be any different? Arsé-kun: *Van decides to copy Sherlock, and shoots his initials into the wall-* Arsé-kun: Van: Nope. sheep: Sherlock: If I was never born, I doubt anyone would miss me. sheep: Nyar: Well, of course not. sheep: Sherlock: People act as though individuals are one of a kind sheep: Sherlock: but if, say, Isaac Newton was never born, someone else would have come up wih his equations. sheep: Sherlock: He cried out the loudest and thus got the credit. Arsé-kun: *Germain arrives to see what's going on. Bad violin and gunfire.* sheep: Sherlock: However, he is interchangeable, and we could put anyone in his place so long as they would have discovered the same things and no one would bat an eye or notice a difference. sheep: Sherlock: Basically, people only see the accomplishments of the individual and not the individual's true self. sheep: Sherlock: Without his accomplishments, Isaac Newton would be as worthless to the human eye as any other person. sheep: Sherlock: ...So. sheep: Sherlock: What I'm trying to say is... sheep: Sherlock: Whether or not I'm a detective, I will make no impact on humanity and thus will be forgotten like everyone else, since to the people of the future I am worthless. sheep: Sherlock: Meaning, I could quit my job and become a bee keeper and no one will bat an eye. sheep: Sherlock: The bees will appreciate me. sheep: Sherlock: Bees don't have a concept of past Arsé-kun: Arséne: how could you? sheep: Sherlock: past or future. sheep: Sherlock: How could I what? Arsé-kun: Arséne: Leave us for the bees. sheep: Sherlock: I'll be appreciated there. I'll be worth something. sheep: Sherlock: The bees will be happy that I'm taking care of them and I'll be happy that I'm taking care of the bees. Arsé-kun: Germain: Bees, hmm.. sheep: Sherlock: There are many detectives more influential than I. sheep: Sheepy: Speaking of bees, where's Tom? sheep: Sheepy: I haven't seen him since yesterday. Arsé-kun: Germain: He wasn't brought along, was he? sheep: Sheepy: Arsene said no. sheep: Sheepy: Did he run away? sheep: Sheepy: Would Tom run away from home! Arsé-kun: Germain: Can he? sheep: Sheepy: I think so. sheep: Sherlock: He went into your bag. sheep: Sheepy: Wrong, Tom isn't in my bag. sheep: Sherlock: No, yesterday. He went in before we left. sheep: Sheepy: .... sheep: Sherlock: I could tell because your bag had been shifted slightly before you picked it up. Arsé-kun: Germain: He'll probably be fine. sheep: Sheepy: Yeah... sheep: Sheepy: Speaking of which, how are you feeling, Watson? Arsé-kun: Watson: A little tired, but otherwise functional. sheep: Sheepy: That's good. Arsé-kun: *Pepper the rabbit is here.* sheep: *you know who else is here? Harley. he's inspecting the bun. pet bun.* Arsé-kun: *happy bun* sheep: Harley: *he looks over and points at Watson* Watson? Arsé-kun: Watson: Correct. sheep: Harley: I don't know what that means. Arsé-kun: Watson: I'm Watson, yes. sheep: Harley: No. Arsé-kun: Watson: *he seems interested* No? sheep: Harley: I don't know what that means to me. Arsé-kun: Watson: You've lived with me for quite a few years, now. sheep: Harley: Yes. Arsé-kun: Watson: ... All right, this is bothering me. Come here so I can put your hair up. sheep: *Harley comes over* Arsé-kun: *Watson puts Harley's hair into a pony* sheep: Harley: Why? Arsé-kun: Watson: You would always wear it up like this. sheep: Harley: No. Arsé-kun: Watson: No? sheep: Harley: I wore it short. Arsé-kun: Watson: I meant as of late, Harley. sheep: Harley: No. Arsé-kun: Watson: No? sheep: Harley: I slept for a long time and it grew out, like Rip Van Winkle. Arsé-kun: Watson: No, no. You're still recovering- Not all of your memory has returned yet. You let it grow out when you were living with me. sheep: Harley: I don't live with you anymore. Arsé-kun: Watson: Yes, you do. Sheepy: Harley: Why? Sheepy: Harley: Why did I start living with you? Arsé-kun: Watson: Somewhere to stay, somewhere to be safe. Sheepy: Harley: I'm an adult. Arsé-kun: Watson: Now you are, yes. Sheepy: Harley: Was I not then? Arsé-kun: Watson: You aren't born as an adult, Harley. Sheepy: Harley: So I've been with you since I was born. Arsé-kun: Watson: Well, no. Sheepy: Harley: How long have I known you for? Sheepy: Harley: I feel comfortable being around you. Arsé-kun: Watson: ooh.. at least twelve years, now? Sheepy: Harley: That explains why. Sheepy: Harley: So your familiarity is why I feel comfortable. Arsé-kun: Watson: I'd presume so. Sheepy: Harley: So how do Sherlock and Mycroft come into all this? I don't understand. Sheepy: Harley: I don't get that sense of familiarity with Mycroft and I don't get that sense of comfort with Sherlock. Sheepy: Harley: *he has sat down. he had some difficulty getting over there. seems like doing coordinated things like walking in straight line isn't his strong point currently.* Sheepy: Sherlock: *all of this discussion about him has caught his attention* Sheepy: Sherlock: *...before he quickly loses interest and starts going for Arséne's attention.* Arsé-kun: Arséne: *attention!!! yes, great!* Sheepy: Sherlock: *he is happy for the attention.* Sheepy: Nyar: So. Are you ready to listen to my melodious voice yet? Sheepy: Nyar: 'Cause I've got both questions and answers. Sheepy: Nyar: And you're lucky Dearie 'cause they all concern you. Arsé-kun: Watson: Well, I suppose. I don't feel like I have much of a choice. Sheepy: Nyar: So. How much do you remember? Sheepy: Nyar: Of your little experience yesterday. Arsé-kun: Watson: ... .... Was it yesterday? Either way, not very much. sheep: Nyar: It was. sheep: Nyar: Do you remember anything in particular? Arsé-kun: Watson: Not very clearly, no. ....I was with other grunts? One was speaking to me, but I don't recall what was said.. Arsé-kun: Watson: ... I may have only recalled them due to having a similar hair color, but that doesn't really make sense to me.. sheep: Nyar: Finally, the time has come for the man of mysteries to supply answers. Arsé-kun: Watson: *he looks unfazed* I didn't even ask. sheep: Nyar: Let me tell you a little story. Arsé-kun: Watson: oh, no. sheep: Nyar: Once upon a time a poor man, let's call him H, was ordered to kill a pregnant woman, let's call her M. His boss, O, suspected her child to have the capability of becoming the perfect soldier that my father oh-so desires. Arsé-kun: Watson: ... .... sheep: Nyar: So H killed M and was later berated due to making the mistake of not confirming that the child was dead. sheep: Nyar: And my father stole that child away, even though they weren't prepared to be born yet. Arsé-kun: Watson: Stop right there. sheep: Nyar: We work in mysterious ways. sheep: Nyar: I apologize, Dearie. I've known this for a while now. Arsé-kun: Watson: ... I get the impression you're amused by all this. sheep: Nyar: Humans are playthings to me but sometimes I get emotionally invested in my toys. sheep: Nyar: You interest me, meaning I've gotten emotionally invested in you. sheep: Nyar: All they know is Azathoth and by now I doubt there's any point in taking them away. sheep: Nyar: By now it'd be kidnapping. sheep: Nyar: So I really wouldn't recommend it. sheep: Nyar: Anyway. sheep: Nyar: As I mentioned, no human can remove those wires without hurting you. sheep: Nyar: I'm not human, as you may have guessed, so lucky you. Arsé-kun: Delacroix: *he's standing in the doorway with a little juice box. he Probably squeezed the box in surprise at one point, because he got red on his face.* Is this normal morning conversation for you people?? sheep: Nyar: It is now! Arsé-kun: Delacroix: Awful. sheep: Nyar: Buuuuuuut.... sheep: Nyar: Sorry, I don't feel like it. sheep: Nyar: I mean, you may be able to bribe me... sheep: Nyar: But I've got other business to attend to- sheep: Sheepy: Please? sheep: Nyar: .............. Arsé-kun: Arséne: Incredible. sheep: Nyar: Lucky you. I'm feeling generous... sheep: Nyar: So I'll do it. Arsé-kun: Delacroix: Great, can I say what I came in for? sheep: Nyar: What? Arsé-kun: Delacroix: Braids guy isn't feeling good, and you guys have to suffer making your own food. sheep: Nyar: That's too bad. Arsé-kun: Delacroix: Isn't it? sheep: Nyar: Guess we'll have to solve the mystery of who will cook today before I submit my case to you detectives. Arsé-kun: Van: Not me, that's for sure. sheep: Sheepy: I can make curry. Arsé-kun: Arséne: That'd be suitable for later. sheep: Sheepy: Iris can make breakfast stuff but she's upstairs. Arsé-kun: Arséne: Must I do it this morning, then? sheep: Sheepy: We also have cereal. sheep: Sheepy: If ya wanna. Arsé-kun: Arséne: ... Well, I don't. sheep: Sheepy: Sherlock can cook but he won't put effort into it even though he can do it well. sheep: Sheepy: It'll leave a sense of emptiness and sadness.... sheep: Sherlock: I'm empty inside. sheep: Sherlock: I'm also not moving. Arsé-kun: Mycroft: I would, but I tend to overdo it. sheep: Sheepy: Cereal.... sheep: Sheepy: Wait. Harley will drop the spoon a bunch. sheep: Sheepy: Um. I guess I'll try to summon Iris? Arsé-kun: Watson: If you can't, I'll try. sheep: Sheepy: [Text: to Iris] Your ship was sunk by canon. Arsène and Sherlock broke up. sheep: *Sherlock's phone buzzes! he takes it out, writes a short text, and puts it away.* sheep: Sheepy: ... sheep: Sheepy: She blocked my number. sheep: *Arsene also receives a text!* Arsé-kun: Arséne: *he takes his phone out and looks* Sheepy: Iris: [Text: to Arsene] LUPPIE!!!!! sheepy said that you and holmesies broke up. hes lying right? holmsies said that sheepy was lying but i need to know it from you too Arsé-kun: Arséne: [text: to Iris] He's lying, he wants you to come down and cook because Impey is feeling unwell.. Please unblock his number- What if there's an emergency? Sheepy: Iris: [Text: to Arsene] then i text you? Sheepy: Iris: [Text: to Arsene] ill unblock sheepy but im not coming downstairs Sheepy: Sheepy: She unblocked my number. Sheepy: Sheepy: She called me a jerk and said that she's ignoring me now. Sheepy: Sheepy: Thank you Iris. Sheepy: Iris: [Text: to Arsene] im buuuusssyyyyy get holmsies to cook Sheepy: Iris: [Text: to Arsene] tell daddy i said hello though Arsé-kun: Arséne: [text: to Iris] Busy? Doing what? And you know Sherlock's cooking is bland. Sheepy: Iris: [Text: to Arsene] im buuuuusssyyyy doing things Sheepy: Iris: [Text: to Arsene] (；¬д¬) Arsé-kun: Arséne: [text: to Iris] Define busy. Busy as in "I'm preoccupied" or busy as in "I don't want to say what it actually is"? Sheepy: Iris: [Text: to Arsene] im preoccupied ( >д<) Arsé-kun: Arséne: [text: to Iris] Okay, just make sure you come eat something today, or I'll have to come up there! (◕‿◕✿) Sheepy: Iris: [Text: to Arsene] Im really busy and wont be coming down for a long time so dont bother me. (╬●∀●) Sheepy: Iris: [Text: to Arsene] if you keep bothering me about it ill block you (°ㅂ° ╬) Arsé-kun: Arséne: [text: to Iris] Not if I do it first! :P Sheepy: *...Arsene has been blocked!* Arsé-kun: Arséne: Oh, she blocked me. Oh, well. Sheepy: Sheepy: Nice. Sheepy: Sheepy: That's two. Sheepy: Sheepy: Let's take Sherlock's word of advice and all starve to death because we only need to eat once every three weeks. Arsé-kun: Watson: Don't do that. Sheepy: Sheepy: Cereal's gross. Arsé-kun: Delacroix: Well, have fun suffering! Sheepy: Sherlock: If it helps any she blocked me too. She apologized but also said that it's in case Arsene tries to use my phone to message her. I feel...... betrayed - heartbroken. *He's got his violin again. No.* Sheepy: Sheepy: Three. Arsé-kun: Watson: *he takes his phone out* Arsé-kun: Watson: [text: to Iris] You've made Sherlock feel sad and unwanted. You're going to have to hear his violin, too, you know. Sheepy: Iris: [Text: to Watson] its not personal Sheepy: Iris: [Text: to Watson] he never uses it anyway Arsé-kun: Watson: [text: to Iris] All right, I'll bite. What's wrong? Sheepy: Iris: [Text: to Watson] why do you think theres something wrong? im just busy Arsé-kun: Watson: [text: to Iris] The mass quantities of blocking you're doing. Sheepy: Iris: [Text: to Watson] i dont wanna come down Arsé-kun: Watson: [text: to Iris] Shall I come up there, then? Sheepy: Iris: [Text: to Watson] youre not okay and abby had a breakdown yesterday Sheepy: Iris: [Text: to Watson] i just want things to go back to how they were Sheepy: Iris: [Text: to Watson] my door is locked so good luck Arsé-kun: Watson: [text: to Iris] There are two thieves in the house. A locked door isn't stopping anyone. Sheepy: Iris: [Text: to Watson] you wont find me Arsé-kun: Watson: [text: to Iris] We'll see about that. Sheepy: Iris: [Text: to Watson] ヾ(*｀⌒´*)ﾉ Sheepy: Iris: [Text: to Watson] im going to hide now so good luck because im not bringing my phone Sheepy: Iris: [Text: to Watson] no hints for you Sheepy: Iris: [Text: to Watson] sorry daddy Sheepy: *...Watson has been blocked!* Arsé-kun: Watson: ... Four. Sheepy: Sheepy: She blocked you??? Arsé-kun: Watson: She bothered to explain herself, at least. Sheepy: Sheepy: That's progress. Sheepy: Sheepy: What was her reason? Arsé-kun: Watson: She's worried and moody. I'll talk to her later, I suppose. Sheepy: Sheepy: Oh, that's fun. Sheepy: Sheepy: Good luck with that. Arsé-kun: Watson: Thank you. Sheepy: Nyar: Anyway. Sheepy: Nyar: Since that's all cleared up. Sheepy: Nyar: I've got a job for you detectives. Arsé-kun: Arséne: oh no Sheepy: Nyar: It'll be interesting, I swear. Sheepy: Nyar: So! Sheepy: *Nyar takes out a newspaper and puts it down on the table* Sheepy: Nyar: *he then points to an article about a mass suicide in a cult- wait, this newspaper is from 14 years ago.* Sheepy: Nyar: This interests me. Sheepy: Nyar: So I want information on it. Arsé-kun: Arséne: ... If it's this old, can it wait until I'm done with my other case? Sheepy: Nyar: Well, I guess so. Sheepy: Nyar: I thought you'd be more interested. Sheepy: Nyar: But that other case did come first, soooo... Arsé-kun: Arséne: *he nods* I'll let you know if I find anything, though. Sheepy: Nyar: That's good. Sheepy: Nyar: I'm looking forward to it. Sheepy: Sheepy: I'm hungry. Arsé-kun: Arséne: Then go get something. Sheepy: Sheepy: I'm going to make curry if nobody decides on food. Arsé-kun: Arséne: *he sighs* If you absolutely must. Sheepy: Sheepy: I don't have to. Sheepy: Sheepy: There's cereal. Arsé-kun: Arséne: Go eat something, will you? Sheepy: Sheepy: Okay, fine. Sheepy: *sheepy goes and gets food. sherlock has started to play the violin again. harley's completely ignoring everyone* Arsé-kun: Impey: ... oh, hey. Sheepy: Sheepy: Impey! You're sick. Why're you cooking? Go rest. Arsé-kun: Impey: Who told ya that? Just 'cause I feel trashy doesn't mean I can't help out 'round here. Sheepy: Sheepy: There's times when you have to set limits on yourself and rest. Sheepy: Sheepy: You're getting this advice from the person who refused to rest for very long after being stabbed in the stomach. Sheepy: Sheepy: So go rest. Arsé-kun: Impey: Y'know, normally I'd agree, but I'm super hungry. Sheepy: Sheepy: There's cereal. Arsé-kun: Impey: oh shit you're right Sheepy: Sheepy: That, and Iris has already locked herself in her room and blocked everyone who's texted her over the incidents yesterday. Your health going downhill would not improve this situation any. Sheepy: Sheepy: So don't push yourself. Arsé-kun: Impey: Huh? Did she- Man, I'll be fine. It happens. Sheepy: Sheepy: Did she what? Arsé-kun: Impey: Did she really? Do we gotta break into her window? Sheepy: Sheepy: Well. Sheepy: Sheepy: I can pick locks. Sheepy: Sheepy: So can Arsene. Sheepy: Sheepy: So no. Arsé-kun: Impey: Well, okay. ... I can't just leave mid-cooking, though, so! Sheepy: Sheepy: ? Arsé-kun: *because he's already set up and everything! He just hasn't actually STARTE-oh now he has.* Sheepy: Sheepy: Do you need help? Arsé-kun: Impey: I don't need it, but it'd still be appreciated! Sheepy: Sheepy: Great, because I'm helping now. Arsé-kun: Impey: Okay! Sheepy: *instead of looking at Impey's face, though, Sheepy seems to be staring at Impey's arm.* Arsé-kun: Impey: Eyes are up here! Sheepy: Sheepy: You've got a weird mark on your arm. Arsé-kun: Impey: Huh? Oh, that! Arsé-kun: Impey: I did that myself! Don't worry about it. Sheepy: Sheepy: Uhuh. Sheepy: SHeepy: Okay. Arsé-kun: Impey: What? Sheepy: Sheepy: Sorry, I don't believe you. Arsé-kun: Impey: Fran did it. He's actually a vampire. Sorry, I never told you. *he's kidding* Sheepy: Sheepy: No, if he was, you would've seemed sick sooner. Arsé-kun: Impey: Huh? Sheepy: Sheepy: I'm saying that if there's a vampire, it's not Fran, but rather the kid. He's the newest one in the group, I've never seen those marks on you before, and he stayed with you two. Arsé-kun: Impey: i was... kidding.. Sheepy: Sheepy: Huh? Arsé-kun: Impey: About him being a vampire, that was a joke.. No need to take it so seriously! Sheepy: Sheepy: I guess that was too intelligent from me. Arsé-kun: Impey: That wasn't the problem! Sheepy: Sheepy: Let me wallow in self-pity. Arsé-kun: Impey: no! Sheepy: Sheepy: Where did I go wrong? Arsé-kun: Impey: *he shrugs* Sheepy: Sheepy: I was sure that there was a hint of truth in your joke. Sheepy: Sheepy: Maybe Fran will die if exposed to sunlight and that's why he doesn't like going outside. Arsé-kun: Impey: Noo! He DOES skip tanning, though. He goes from pasty to burnt! Sheepy: Sheepy: Ow. Sheepy: Sheepy: He did seem very pale to me and this explains why. Arsé-kun: Impey: m-hm! Sheepy: Sheepy: Actually, I'm curious. What's your relationship with him? You two are basically inseparable but at the same time Fran seems to pay very little attention to ... everyone including you. Arsé-kun: Impey: Now? Best friends, amigos! ... But yeah, he's like that. Arsé-kun: Impey: He's kinda shy. Sheepy: Sheepy: Ohh. Sheepy: Sheepy: Well it's good that you aren't bothered by it. Sheepy: Sheepy: I'm actually shy too. Arsé-kun: Impey: You don't seem like it! .. I mean that as a compliment! Sheepy: Sheepy: Talking to adults doesn't bother me because I don't care what they think of me. Sheepy: Sheepy: But I get very nervous talking to people around my age and quickly give up. Arsé-kun: Impey: That why you don't talk to those kids? Sheepy: Sheepy: I guess I wouldn't seem shy because you're an adult. Sheepy: Sheepy: And yes, that's why. Arsé-kun: Impey: But you're gonna be an adult soon, right? Then what? Sheepy: Sheepy: Adults don't care about me. They never have. It's set in their mind that I'm worthless and there's no changing it. Sheepy: Sheepy: So there's no point in acting like I can change it. Arsé-kun: Impey: I dunno! Seems like everyone here cares! Sheepy: Sheepy: I guess so. Arsé-kun: *rank ku ha?* Sheepy: Sheepy: I can change how the group of kids feels about me and I'm scared of ruining it. Sheepy: Sheepy: It's like a nice shirt. Sheepy: Sheepy: You don't want to wear it because there's a chance you may make it dirty. Arsé-kun: Impey: Eh. Better get it dirty than never wear it. Sheepy: Sheepy: That's easy to say. Arsé-kun: Impey: You think so? Sheepy: Sheepy: It's not easy to do. Sheepy: Sheepy: In the end, that shirt is lost or becomes covered in dust - unwearable. Sheepy: Sheepy: That's what happens to all of my relationships with people around my age. Arsé-kun: Delacroix: Then you wash the damn thing. Move over, Socrates, I wanna put this in the sink. Sheepy: *Sheepy moves* Sheepy: Sheepy: That's easier said than done. Arsé-kun: Delacroix: Yeah, a lot of things are, unless you're mute! Arsé-kun: Impey: Aw, Delly, that's mean- Arsé-kun: Delacroix: ARGH, you stop that! Sheepy: Sheepy: Huh? Arsé-kun: Delacroix: Call me by NAME, you mudblood, not some.. babyfied version of it! Arsé-kun: Impey: Aw, sheesh. I'm so sorry, Dracula Delacroix the second, I'd better only use your full name, at all times! Sheepy: Sheepy: I knew it. I knew he was a vampire. Arsé-kun: Delacroix: Well, isn't that good for you? Just don't share it. Sheepy: Sheepy: Okay. Arsé-kun: *Delacroix leaves* Sheepy: Sheepy: Tom went missing. Arsé-kun: Impey: Huh? How? Sheepy: Sheepy: Sherlock says he went with us yesterday. Arsé-kun: Impey: Aw, geez! Sheepy: Sheepy: Maybe he fell out.. Arsé-kun: Impey: I hope not! Sheepy: Fran: *he seems like he's just woken up. he yawns* Good morning, Impey. Do you want help?...oh, I was beaten to it. Arsé-kun: Impey: Mornin', Fran! C'mon, you can help, too! Sheepy: Fran: Okay. Sheepy: *Fran joins them* Arsé-kun: Impey: Still tired? Sheepy: Fran: Yeah... I fell asleep at my desk and it wasn't restful... Arsé-kun: Impey: Aw, geez. Sheepy: Fran: My back hurts some from it. Arsé-kun: Impey: I've told you this- If you're going to sleep on your desk, at least don't half ass it! Climb on it if you have to! Sheepy: Fran: Sorry... Arsé-kun: Impey: It's fine! Sheepy: Fran: I was tired. Sheepy: Fran: So I didn't think about it. Sheepy: Fran: I'll try to in the future. Sheepy: Sheepy: Are we close to done? I've never made this before. Arsé-kun: Impey: Yep, nearly done! Sheepy: Sheepy: Okay! Sheepy: Sheepy: I feel awkward now. Sheepy: Sheepy: I didn't intend to open up to you. Sheepy: Sheepy: Please don't see me as an idiot or a coward... well, you're an adult, so if you see me as that now you've always seen me as that. Arsé-kun: Impey: Why would I? I get what you meant. Sheepy: Sheepy: You do? Arsé-kun: Impey: Yeah. Sheepy: Sheepy: That's good. Sheepy: Sheepy: Impeeeyyy a hobo broke into the house again. He's talking to me. Sheepy: Sheepy: It's scaring me Arsé-kun: Har: Hee-eey! Sheepy: Sheepy: What do I do? Arsé-kun: Impey: Not be a jerk! Sheepy: Sheepy: Okay get the knife. I'm either a jerk or dead. There's no in between. Sheepy: Fran: Um, there's cereal. Arsé-kun: Har: *he looks to Fran* I don't wanna steal all of the cereal, though. Sheepy: Fran: Um... Sheepy: Fran: We didn't really uh... plan on you to be joining us, I think. Arsé-kun: Har: Yeah, sorry 'bout that. Sheepy: Fran: I mean... Iris hasn't come downstairs and Sherlock may skip breakfast so maybe...? Sheepy: Fran: Umm.. Sheepy: Fran: Toast...? Arsé-kun: Har: That'd be cool. Sheepy: Fran: There's bread. Sheepy: Fran: There's also butter. Sheepy: Fran: Make sure to grab the butter without Sherlock written on it. Sheepy: Fran: How are you and your two brothers doing? Arsé-kun: Har: We're functioning. Aber's fine, Morty's... being Morty. Arsé-kun: *har ventures into the Fridge. Wow! A Full Fridge!* Sheepy: Fran: That's good. Sheepy: Fran: But how are you? Arsé-kun: Har: I'm surviving! Sheepy: Fran: That's always good. Sheepy: Sheepy: *he has started to ignore Har. he's uncomfortable.* Sheepy: Fran: Did you want to join us? Sheepy: Sheepy: *he freezes up some upon this being asked* Sheepy: Sheepy:.... Arsé-kun: Har: Nah, I'm good! I'll just take up space. Sheepy: Fran: That's not true. Arsé-kun: Har: *he notices sheepy's face* I dunno about that! Sheepy: Sheepy: No, it's nothing like that. Arsé-kun: Har: If you say so! Sheepy: *anyway they finally finish cooking* Arsé-kun: *hooray!* Arsé-kun: *in the distance and not so distance, Mycroft dying because Sherlock touched his neck again with his cold, cold hands.* Sheepy: Sherlock: *will me touching you with my cold, cold hands make you pay attention to me?* Arsé-kun: Mycroft: *iT MAKES ME WANT TO DIE* Sheepy: Sherlock: I'm lonely. *he has at least taken his hands off of Mycroft's neck. now he's got his arms wrapped around his neck and is leaning on him. Leeaaaannn...* Arsé-kun: Mycroft: I can't sit down at a seat with you doing that. Sheepy: *Sherlock stops* Arsé-kun: *and Mycroft takes a seat* Sheepy: *Sherlock resumes* Sheepy: Sherlock: Iris won't be joining because she's in a mood. Arsé-kun: Impey: Aw, that's a shame! Can I throw it in her window? Sheepy: Sherlock: You could try? Arsé-kun: Impey: Neat. Sheepy: Sheepy: Or you could use the door. Arsé-kun: Impey: I dunno, I hear it's locked! Sheepy: Sheepy: Are you forgetting who I am? Arsé-kun: Impey: No, I meant that I can't do it! Sheepy: Sheepy: I can pick the lock. Sheepy: Sheepy: I was gonna do it for Watson anyway. Arsé-kun: Impey: Oh, then go ahead! Sheepy: Sheepy: Did you want to do it now or later? Arsé-kun: Impey: Oh, not yet! Lets eat, first! Sheepy: Sheepy: Sounds good! Arsé-kun: *most of the team arrives to eat food. it is food time* Sheepy: *food time is nice! sherlock plays good music and harley seems more coordinated than yesterday.* Arsé-kun: *excellent!! great!! radical!!* Arsé-kun: Impey: *he ate, but still seems hungry* Sheepy: *nyar only gets brushed off by sheepy five times. it's amazing.* Sheepy: Fran: *he gives Impey a concerned look* Arsé-kun: Impey: .... What? Sheepy: Fran: *he gently pushes his plate over to Impey. js this a good replacement?* Arsé-kun: Impey: Oh, no, no! It's fine, really! *he pushes it back* Sheepy: Fran: Are you sure...? Arsé-kun: Impey: Yeah, I ate! You need it more. Sheepy: Fran: I'm sorry... I'm not that hungry... Arsé-kun: Impey: Aw, shush. You need it more. Sheepy: Fran: You're still hungry and you do more physical activity rhan I do. Arsé-kun: Impey: IIIII'm gonna go upstairs. Sheepy: Fran: But... ... well, okay. I'll join you when I'm done. Arsé-kun: Impey: All right. *he leaves and goes upstairs, shaking his head and fidgeting with his braid* Sheepy: Nyar: You've got no obligation to trust me, but I assure you that you don't want to be awake for the procedure. Arsé-kun: Watson: No, you're absolutely right. It may harm me if I am. Sheepy: Nyar: Or make you go insane. Sheepy: Nyar: I've got a pretty good idea how Dad got it in. I doubt you know much about Lovecraft's stories, but... Arsé-kun: Watson: ... And that would be unfortunate- I think I can figure it out Arsé-kun: Watson: Either way, I do not think we have anything strong enough in this building.. It'd need to be effective more than a couple of minutes. Sheepy: Nyar: Exactly. Sheepy: Nyar: We have to look around for something. Sheepy: Nyar: Saint-Germain will be a witness of the procedure if both you and he are comfortable with it. Sheepy: Nyar: I'm aware of Sherlock's... inability to trust me, which is definitely understandable, but... Sheepy: Nyar: He can't watch. Arsé-kun: Watson: *he nods* Absolutely not. I doubt he'd be able to. Sheepy: Nyar: It's not so much you. Arsé-kun: Watson: m-hm. Sheepy: Nyar: If you wake up and see me before I've gone back to looking like I look currently, it may inflict madness upon you. Sheepy: Nyar: So we have to be careful with that too. Arsé-kun: Watson: If I wake up and see something I don't understand, I'll look elsewhere. Sheepy: Nyar: Good. Sheepy: Nyar: Just, close your eyes and try not to look, worst comes to worst. Sheepy: Nyar: I apologize on behalf of my father for everything you're going through currently. Arsé-kun: Watson: ... Well, it's not your fault, but I accept anyway. Sheepy: Nyar: I'm partially responsible. Arsé-kun: Watson: Not for this. Sheepy: Nyar: The moment the grunts grabbed your daughter it was fated that you'd become part of this whole Twilight mess. Sheepy: Nyar: And I threw gas into the fire with my actions. Arsé-kun: Watson: Well, yes, but I meant this event in specific. You didn't do it, did you? Sheepy: Nyar: I didn't. Sheepy: Nyar: I tried to clue the group into where you were but I was too late. Sheepy: Nyar: Dad beat me to a pulp before testing excruciatingly painful things on me. After a while he used anesthesia but he used... way too much. Sheepy: Nyar: Basically, I failed in assisting you despite briefly being in the position to be able to. Arsé-kun: Watson: You did what you could. Sheepy: Nyar: This is true. Arsé-kun: *Impey has given up on subtle eavesdropping and is looking in the room. Something's caught his interest.* Sheepy: Nyar: So.. We need something to knock you out for a while and something or someone to ensure Sherlock won't come in. Sheepy: Nyar:...? Sheepy: Nyar: Hello, Impey. Arsé-kun: Impey: Oh, uh! I could block the door! Sheepy: Nyar: That would be appreciated. Sheepy: Nyar: You can't look in though. Sheepy: Nyar: No one can look except for Saint-Germain. Arsé-kun: Impey: Oh, that's fine. You won't be a cute octopus, so I don't wanna see. Sheepy: Nyar: Yeah, I'll be an eldritch abomination. Arsé-kun: Impey: Neat. Sheepy: Nyar: So now it's just knocking you out. Arsé-kun: Impey: y'think Sainty-G might have an idea? Sheepy: Nyar: Idea? Arsé-kun: Impey: Yeah, an idea. Sheepy: Nyar: Idea........ Arsé-kun: Impey: *he goes and sits next to Watson* Yep. Sheepy: Nyar: Saint-Germain probably has an idea Sheepy: Nyar: Thank you for the food earlier, by the way. Sheepy: Nyar: Anyway, although you don't really have to... Sheepy: Nyar: My brother, Philemon... or Nodens as he used to be called is a little... stiff, as you've seen. Sheepy: Nyar: Basically, he's had his emotions stolen away. Yes, by the same person who took his memories and put that chip in him. Sheepy: Nyar: According to Fluffy, my father may turn his interests towards getting Phil's emotions back. Furthermore, Phil is currently partnered with him. Sheepy: Nyar:...This worries me. I think he's up to something. My father was trying to reprogram people, as you experienced yourself, and Phil's ability is, to, well... Sheepy: Nyar:....Put ideas into people's heads and make them believe that idea unconditionally. Many famous scientists got their moment of insight from him. The only drawback is that he's incapable of lying, meaning for reprogramming purposes it'd be useless unless my father convinced him that it was the truth. Sheepy: Nyar: Basically, if my father managed to get his emotions back, he'd have a very powerful tool who was indebt to him. We need to get Phil's emotions back first in full. Sheepy: Nyar: This will be payment for removing the wires and doing a few other things of your choice. Your wish is my command in this case, as long as your detective friends either investigate this or the cultist case. Sheepy: Nyar: Although, since Fluffy asked, the wire removal will be free of charge. Arsé-kun: Watson: If you'll write this all down for me, that'd be wonderful. Sheepy: Nyar: No worries, I will. Arsé-kun: Watson: *he stops to think* .. Lupin already said he'd investigate the cult next, didn't he? Sheepy: Nyar: He did. Arsé-kun: Watson: I'd gladly do what I can for the emotional issue, except I seem to be wildly outclassed. I'm a doctor, not a magician. Sheepy: Nyar: And I'm a magician, not a doctor. Sheepy: Nyar: Yet, I've gotten nowhere. Arsé-kun: Watson: I don't know, I think you're closer to cosmic eldritch than magician. Sheepy: Nyar: Well, I am that. Sheepy: Nyar: Phil, not so much, despite us being twins. Not sure how that works. Arsé-kun: Watson: Recessive genes? Sheepy: Nyar: Well, we were born of asexual reproduction, but maybe. Sheepy: Nyar: Or something like that. Arsé-kun: Impey: *he leans back, raising his eyebrows* You gonna talk to Sainty-G or not? Sheepy: Nyar: I will, I will. Sheepy: *Nyar gets up and goes to talk to Saint-Germain.* Arsé-kun: Germain: *he's looking out the backdoor, watching Van and Sheepy try to reach Iris' window. Van is not thief material* Sheepy: Nyar: Hey, I need you to do a thing. Arsé-kun: Germain: How vague. Sheepy: Nyar: Two things, actually. Sheepy: Nyar: It's time to play doctor and remove Watson's wires, but I have to knock him out. Sheepy: Nyar: I'm still recovering. Sheepy: Nyar: So we're gonna have to do it through natural means. Sheepy: Nyar: Any ideas? Sheepy: Nyar: Impey's gonna guard the door or whatever. But, I'd rather a witness be there in case anything happens. Arsé-kun: Germain: You let.. ... You left them alone, didn't you? Sheepy: Nyar: Yeah, why? Sheepy: Nyar: Impey kept insisting I talk to you. Arsé-kun: Germain: ...... Well, I guess we don't need anything anymore. Lets go upstairs. Sheepy: Nyar: ...Okay. Arsé-kun: Germain: *he shakes his head* I can't believe you did this. *he starts heading over to the room* Sheepy: Nyar: You're not telling me what I did wrong and it's worrying me. Arsé-kun: Germain: When we're alone I will. sheep: Nyar: Okay, okay, geez! sheep: Nyar: I feel like you're disappointed in me...uh? Arsé-kun: Germain: Not exactly. I just expected you to catch on. sheep: Nyar: I've been here a few days. sheep: Nyar: My memory is foggy of the first one. sheep: Nyar: I was out the second one. Arsé-kun: Germain: That's fair. sheep: *so they go in.* Arsé-kun: Germain: ... *he quietly gestures ahead* My point's been proven. sheep: Nyar: Wh-what the... Arsé-kun: Germain: .... Now's a better time than any. Sheepy: Nyar: ...Good point Sheepy: Nyar: Impey, get out. Arsé-kun: Impey: ... .... *he looks up* Huh? Sheepy: Nyar: Get out. Sheepy: Nyar: The procedure's starting now, so get out. Arsé-kun: Impey: ... Oh! Uh! ... I'm sorry? *he looks apologetic, but he does start to get up* Sheepy: Nyar: You already knocked him out, so we don't need anything. Sheepy: Nyar: Your vampire whatever should last long enough. Arsé-kun: Impey: *he nods and quickly exits stage left. very quickly. bye* Sheepy: Nyar: *He closes the door and uh. That's an eldritch abomination, not Nyar. Um.* Arsé-kun: Germain: *this is fine.* Sheepy: *Nyar gets to work!* Arsé-kun: Impey: *he, as promised, is now guarding the door. he's wiping his face off with his sleeve and looking somewhat sheepish* Sheepy: Sherlock: *he approaches* What's going on? Arsé-kun: Impey: I've made a mistake. Sheepy: Sherlock: What'd you do to him? Arsé-kun: Impey: N-nothing bad! He's fine, I swear! Sheepy: Sherlock: You're lying. Arsé-kun: Impey: ... Okay, kind of, but he's fine! Sheepy: Sherlock: *he squints* Arsé-kun: Impey: It was kinda bad! Arsé-kun: Impey: .... Okay, really bad, please punch me! Sheepy: *Well, you asked. Sherlock slugs Impey riiight in the face. Rip* Arsé-kun: Impey: *yOWCH* Thank you!! Sheepy: Sherlock: *he speaks more slowly* What. Did you do to him? Arsé-kun: Impey: *he seems to shrink a bit, and he's grabbed his braid* C-can you not tell anyone if I tell you? It wasn't on purpose, I swear! Sheepy: Sherlock: Speak. Arsé-kun: Impey: I, uh, I accidentally, uh, y'know how, uh, Delly? *he pauses for a moment* I know you were listening to our conversation, by the way! I could smell you. *he nods and looks away for a minute* I, uh, me too, and I, kind of accidentally.. Sheepy: Sherlock: *he seems. more angry.* Arsé-kun: Impey: *he ducks down a bit more* I didn't mean to! Sheepy: Sherlock: I don't care. Sheepy: Sherlock: You still did it. Sheepy: Sherlock: He's been through enough. Arsé-kun: Impey: .... Yeah. I did. *he's trying not to cry..* And he has, I know. Do you want to kill me? Should I go? Sheepy: Sherlock: I'm not going to kill you. Sheepy: Sherlock: Don't you ever pull something like this on him again. Arsé-kun: Impey: I won't, I won't, promise! Sheepy: Sherlock: *he's pressing x to doubt but backs up some* Arsé-kun: Impey: *he's still warily watching Sherlock* Sheepy: Sherlock: Don't come to me for anything for a while. I won't be sympathetic. Sheepy: *with that, Sherlock turns to leave.* Arsé-kun: *Impey is quiet. He's started staring at the floor* Sheepy: Sherlock: *he walks off* Arsé-kun: Impey: .... ... *he slides down to the floor. remember Try not to cry? failed step one* Sheepy: *I'm sorry Impey.* Sheepy: *at least sherlock wont beat you up because he's ignoring you now?* Arsé-kun: *that is not an improvement* Sheepy: *well he is?* Arsé-kun: *this is not helping* Sheepy: *thats too bad* Arsé-kun: *MEANWHILE DOWNSTAIRS* Arsé-kun: Finis: .. I've suddenly got a feeling of absolute dread. Sheepy: *Sherlock comes downstairs and he's visibly ticked.* Sheepy: Cardia: It's the detective! Arsé-kun: Finis: *he accidentally makes eye contact* You know what? I don't want to know. Sheepy: Sherlock: Impey hurt Watson. Arsé-kun: Finis: What did I literally just say? Sheepy: Sherlock: I'm leaving. Sheepy: Cardia: Have fun! Arsé-kun: Finis: ... If you get kidnapped, it's on you. Sheepy: Sherlock: I don't care. Arsé-kun: Finis: Lovely. Sheepy: Sherlock: *and so, he heads to the door!* Arsé-kun: Arséne: You better not. Sheepy: Sherlock: I'm going. Arsé-kun: Arséne: Don't you dare. Sheepy: *Sherlock opens the door. rebellious.* Arsé-kun: Arséne: *he stands up, and there goes everything on the desk* Do not! Sheepy: Sherlock: Bye. Sheepy: *aaaand he's exited.* Sheepy: Sheepy: Rebellious. Arsé-kun: Arséne: Fils de pute! Sheepy, hold the fort! *he goes after Sherlock* Sheepy: Sheepy: Okay, bye. Sheepy: *Here's a fun game! Where's Sherlock? seems like he ran away. literally.* Arsé-kun: *nothing Arséne can't deal with!* Arsé-kun: Finis: ... This is no fort. Sheepy: Sheepy: He always says that. Arsé-kun: Finis: Why? Sheepy: Sheepy: It sounds cool. Sheepy: Sheepy: It's also a figure of speech. Arsé-kun: Finis: Well, I figured that. Sheepy: Sheepy: Haha. Arsé-kun: Finis: ... Also, when was he going to mention that he stole a painting from father's house? Sheepy: Sheepy: He doesn't need to if Mycroft already knows. Arsé-kun: Mycroft: You've got to be kidding me. Sheepy: Cardia: I don't know if I have enough for you, Wilson. You have to wait until I'm done. Arsé-kun: Wilson: *he puts his head back down on Harley's lap and sighs. he will wait* Sheepy: Sheepy: He put it on the wall somewhere. Sheepy: Harley: *he pets Wilson* Arsé-kun: Mycroft: Oh, I see it now. I thought it was coincidence at first. Arsé-kun: Wilson: *DAY MADE!* Sheepy: Sheepy: Nope, he stole it from you when Sherlock visited you. Sheepy: Harley: *who's a cute puppy. it's you.* Arsé-kun: Mycroft: And to think that I was watching him. Sheepy: Sheepy: He's skilled. Sheepy: Sheepy: And I! am his assistant, his prodigious student. Sheepy: Sheepy: ...Is what I want to say, but I don't know if I'm good enough yet. Arsé-kun: Mycroft: Fearfully noted. If either of you touch my car, you'll be paying for damages. Sheepy: Sheepy: Ehhh?? Sheepy: Sheepy: Why? Arsé-kun: Mycroft: It's my car. Sheepy: Sheepy: But if I touch it will it explode? Arsé-kun: Mycroft: Knowing our luck? Yes. Sheepy: Sheepy: What if I touch you? Sheepy: Sheepy: Will you explode? Arsé-kun: Mycroft: I hope not. Sheepy: Sheepy: *poke* Arsé-kun: *nothing happens* Sheepy: Sheepy: Darn. Arsé-kun: Mycroft: What do you mean "darn"?! Sheepy: Sheepy: I was hoping that you had King Midas's touch. Arsé-kun: Mycroft: Then I'd be dead. Sheepy: Sheepy: By the way, Sherlock just threw a hissy fit and left. Sheepy: Sheepy: You just missed him. Arsé-kun: Mycroft: Is that what that was? Sheepy: Sheepy: It was a particularly bad one, yeah. Arsé-kun: Mycroft: I'll let Arséne handle it. Sheepy: Sheepy: Apparently Impey hurt Watson but I doubt it was intentional. Arsé-kun: Mycroft: *he winces* Does he know that? Sheepy: Fran: What did you say? Sheepy: Sheepy: I doubt he cares, honestly. He's overprotective of Watson, along with Iris, Arsene, and me... oh, I said he got mad at Impey. Sheepy: Fran; I'm sorry.. I have to go find him. Arsé-kun: Mycroft: Oh, go ahead. Sheepy: Fran; *so he hunts for impey.* Arsé-kun: *well, Impey's not guarding the door anymore. Seems Germain's taken over.* Sheepy: Fran; Have you seen Impey? Arsé-kun: Germain: Not since he was here, no. Sheepy: Fran: Where did he go? Arsé-kun: Germain: He headed towards your room. *he then gives Fran very detailed dirt. heres the dirt* Sheepy: Fran: Th-thank you...! Arsé-kun: Germain: Quite welcome. Do make sure he is okay. Sheepy: *Fran goes back to his room.* Arsé-kun: *The window is fully open when it wasn't before. "Sorry" is written on the wall in marker. I hope that's marker.* Sheepy: Fran: *he looks out the window* Arsé-kun: *it's the great outdoors!* Sheepy: Fran: *but where is impey* Arsé-kun: *use that big brain of urs fran* Sheepy: Fran: *where did he go??? he ran away but where???* Arsé-kun: *I'd tell you, but I don't know* Sheepy: *Fran investigates.* Arsé-kun: *He finds! One (1) cell phone that is not his, and other miscellaneous belongings of Impey's* Sheepy: Fran: *he collects them up and looks around* Impey? Arsé-kun: *it's fucking nothing.* Sheepy: Fran: *he investigates more.* Arsé-kun: *He finds a box under the bed but that's about it. It has cobwebs. It's not new* Sheepy: *Fran puts Impey's stuff on the desk* Sheepy: Fran: *does the box have secrets about where Impey webt?* Arsé-kun: *no, it just has a neatly folded sweater. that's it* Sheepy: Fran: *awww. oh well.* Sheepy: Fran: *he investigates the sweater because now he's curious. this is weird. it must be a hint.* Arsé-kun: *A card falls out!* Sheepy: Fran: *A HINT! he reads the card* Arsé-kun: *It's got hearts drawn all over it on the front. On the inside, it just says "Here's to a year and another year for you! Lets stay together no matter what!" and has Impey's signature, followed by a little fanged smiley face* Sheepy: Fran:...*his hands are trembling. he puts it down. oh. he's crying. um, well.* Arsé-kun: Germain: *he looks in* .... I'm so sorry. Sheepy: Fran: I-... I have to find him...! Arsé-kun: Germain: ... I will come with you. I feel at fault for not having broken him and Sherlock up when I had the chance. Sheepy: Fran: Thank you...! Arsé-kun: Germain: Quite welcome. ... We'll use a different exit. No need to get more attention. Sheepy: Fran: Okay... Sheepy: *Fran and Sanchan hunt for Impey!* Arsé-kun: *THEY DO THEIR BEST BUT THEY DON'T SUCCEED!* Sheepy: *Fran is upsetti.* Arsé-kun: *Understandable.* Sheepy: Fran: Why didn't he say something...? Arsé-kun: Germain: He may have been too upset... He'll most likely return. Sheepy: Fran: You... you think so? Arsé-kun: Germain: I'd like to presume it was an emotional response. Once he has cooled off, he'll probably come back. Sheepy: Fran: I hope so.... Sheepy: Fran: I feel so scared without him.. Arsé-kun: Arséne: Tell Sherlock that. Sheepy: Fran: What? Arsé-kun: Arséne: You heard me. Sheepy: Fran: Why? Sheepy: Sherlock: L-let go...! Arsé-kun: Arséne: Because actions have consequences, and he hasn't seemed to learn that today. *he tightens his grip* Why, so you can punch every house on the block? I don't think so. Sheepy: Sherlock: Let go! Arsé-kun: Arséne: ... Make me. Sheepy: Sherlock: *he gently places his now broken hand on Arsene's arm and starts to push on it while trying to pull his arm away. this lasts for a few seconds before he yelps and pulls his hand away* Sheepy: Rip Sheepy: Sherlock: Let gooo...! I'm not coming back right now! Arsé-kun: Arséne: You broke your hand. Yes, you are. Sheepy: Sherlock: I don't need to go back to fix it! So let go! Arsé-kun: Arséne: What would Watson say about this? Sheepy: Sherlock: *he tries to pull his arm away again* Sheepy: Sherlock: Leave me alone! Arsé-kun: Arséne: Why, so you can get picked off and killed, alone? Sheepy: Sherlock: Does it really matter at this point? Arsé-kun: Arséne: Say that again, to my face. Sheepy: Sherlock: Does it really matter? Arsé-kun: Arséne: *he smacks Sherlock, right across the face.* Yes, you imbecile! Sheepy: Sherlock: *upon being slapped, Sherlock struggles more* Sheepy: Sherlock: Let go, let go! Arsé-kun: Arséne: ..... See if I care. *he lets go* It isn't like you mattered to me or something. Sheepy: Sherlock: *with his newfound freedom, Sherlock makes a break for it! See you, space cowboy.* Sheepy: Fran: I'm sorry... Arsé-kun: Germain: .... *he grabs Fran's arm* ... Don't. You didn't do that. Sheepy: Fran: I don't get it... Sheepy: Fran: I never thought Impey would run away... and Sherlock's always been so laid-back. Arsé-kun: Germain: Pardon my language, but great googly moogly, it's all gone to shit. Sheepy: Fran: Why...? Arsé-kun: Germain: I don't know. Sheepy: Fran: What do we do? Arsé-kun: Germain: Mass homicide. Arsé-kun: Germain: ... I'm joking, of course. Sheepy: Fran: For real what do we do? Sheepy: Fran: We need to make sure his hand is treated but we also need to find Impey. Arsé-kun: Germain: I'm afraid any attempt we make will end like.. that. Sheepy: Fran: But... if a broken bone stays likethat long enough, it can become permanent. Arsé-kun: Germain: Unless you want me to threaten him with violence, I'm out of ideas. Sheepy: Fran: I guess we go home and ask everyone else. Sheepy: Fran:...Arsene? Arsé-kun: Arséne: ... What. Sheepy: Fran: Is that okay with you? Arsé-kun: Arséne: Sure. Sheepy: Fran: Okay... Arsé-kun: *they go home!* Sheepy: Sheepy: *the first words out of his mouth are the french that Arsene spoke before he left.* Arsé-kun: Arséne: ... ... *snrk* Sheepy: Sheepy: *...he repeats it a few times, like a child who just learned a new word. he sounds unsure of himself.* Arsé-kun: Arséne: I cannot believe you've learned to swear. Sheepy: Sheepy: Eh? Sheepy: Sheepy: What does it mean? Arsé-kun: Arséne: Eh? Sheepy: Sheepy: The phrase. Sheepy: Fran: Oh dear... Arsé-kun: Arséne: *he's still angry, but it's hard to be* .... *and he starts laughing* Sheepy: Sheepy: Arsene!! What does it mean??? Arsé-kun: Arséne: Work it out, Mouton! Sheepy: Sheepy: Ehh... ... Sheepy: Sheepy:... Sheepy: Sheepy: You jerk! Sheepy: Sheepy: You big bully, you!!!! Arsé-kun: Arséne: I didn't do anything! You repeated me! Sheepy: Sheepy: I'm a pure child and you knew I'd copy you! Sheepy: Sheepy: My innocence! Destroyed! Arsé-kun: Arséne: I'm more surprised you figured out it meant "bitch". Sheepy: Sheepy: I guessed! Sheepy: Sheepy: From context! Sheepy: Sheepy: Ugh! Sheepy: Sheepy: Hello! Police! I'm being bullied.. Sheepy: Sheepy:... Arsé-kun: Arséne: *he remembers he's angry again. moment ruined* Sheepy: Sheepy: Police? Sheepy: Sheepy: Where's Sherlock? And your shirt is bloody, ewwww. Sheepy: Sheepy: Clean that out before it sets! Sheepy: Cardia: Robber! Look. I made Uncle more pretty! *she gestures to Harley* Arsé-kun: Arséne: He ran off. *he just takes his shirt off. issue solved* Quel salaud. Vie de merde. *the french insults stop to look at Cardia and Harley* ... Oh, he's beautiful. Sheepy: Harley: I'm gorgeous. Arsé-kun: Arséne: But not as gorgeous as me. Sheepy: Harley: You don't have flowers like me, Lupin. Arsé-kun: Arséne: Oh, is that needed now? Sheepy: Harley: The truly gorgeous one is Wilson. Arsé-kun: Wilson: *bark!* Arsé-kun: Arséne: Oh, how could how I have made this mistake Sheepy: Harley: He's handsome. Aren't you, Wilson? *pet* Arsé-kun: Wilson: *YES I AM* Sheepy: Fran: I'm uh... going upstairs. Arsé-kun: Delacroix: Great. Take care of your blubbering boyfriend. Sheepy: Fran: He's back?! *he rushes to his room!* Arsé-kun: *and there's the boy, crying into a ball of cat fur. i mean wag* Sheepy: *Impey gets hugged at terminal velocity by Fran* Arsé-kun: Impey: !!! Sheepy: Fran: Impey...! I missed you so much... please don't go again... Arsé-kun: Impey: S-sorryyyyyyyy! Sheepy: Fran: You're safe and that's what matters. Sheepy: Fran: Please don't blame yourself for what happened... Arsé-kun: Impey: B-but I did... Sheepy: Fran: Nobody else blames you. Arsé-kun: Impey: But I did! I shouldn't have. Sheepy: Fran: It was an accident. Sheepy: Fran: Everyone makes mistakes. Sheepy: Fran: But if you dwell on them... you'll never be happy. Sheepy: Fran: So don't hurt yourself over it, please. And.. don't run away again. I was so scared... Arsé-kun: Impey: *he's definitely crying again* Sheepy: Fran: *he tries to comfort Impey* Sheepy: Fran: It's okay... Arsé-kun: Impey: It's really nooot! Arsé-kun: Impey: I should have kept myself under control! Really! Arsé-kun: Impey: Maybe I could have ASKED, even, but I couldn't even do that! Arsé-kun: Impey: Maybe Delly's right. I AM inferior. Arsé-kun: Impey: He's got better self control and he's ten! Arsé-kun: Impey: ... Maybe this time the lesson will sink in. Arsé-kun: Impey: .... *he's quiet for a bit, holding Fran and trying to calm himself* Have I ever told you where I lived before Twilight? Sheepy: Fran: Impey... you aren't inferior just because you reacted when you were pushed to your limit. Sheepy: Fran: He's feeding on you. I, uh, dont know much about vampires but I doubt they do that often. Sheepy: Fran: You're also basically starving yourself living off of just me and waiting for me to recover between each one. Sheepy: Fran: So... I'd say that you have amazing self control. Everyone is at their limit right now. Sheepy: Fran: No... you haven't. Where did you live? Arsé-kun: Impey: Anywhere I could. The minute anyone found out what I was, I had to move n' quick. Sheepy: Fran: Nobody wants you to leave. If for some reason you decide you have to, I'm going with you. Arsé-kun: Impey: .... Fine. Sheepy: Fran: You give me strength. Arsé-kun: *germain decides he's bored of listening to sappy radio and goes back downstairs* Sheepy: *the front door opens. it's Sherlock. he's talking to someone...* Arsé-kun: Arséne: .. Welcome back? Sheepy: Sherlock: Oh, hullo. Sheepy: Sherlock: *he enters. as does the person who he was talking to. he looks fancy!* Sheepy: ?: Good evening. Arsé-kun: Arséne: Bonsoir. Sheepy: ?: Nice to meet all of you. Sheepy: ?: My name is... ... You may call me Eggs Benedict. I actually was discussing a... case with Mr. Holmes. Sheepy: *The stranger's left arm is oddly limp...* Sheepy: Eggs: I hope I am not intruding. Arsé-kun: Arséne: If it is about a case, then not at all. Sheepy: Eggs: Is Watson here? Mr. Holmes has a bad memory so I would appreciate it if someone were to remember the details for him. Arsé-kun: Watson: Surprisingly, yes. *it's watson!! he's alive!* Sheepy: Sherlock: *he sits down. he's apparently tried patching up his hand but it didn't work too well.* Sheepy: Eggs: Good evening. Sheepy: Eggs: I've come with a case, as you heard. Sheepy: Sherlock: *he's eyeing Eggs curiously* Arsé-kun: Watson: Yes, I did. *his eyes go straight to Sherlock's hand* And what did you do?? Sheepy: Sherlock: I punched a wall. Sheepy: Eggs: A thief visited my father's home last night and stole a precious jewel. Sheepy: Eggs: My father is a collector, you see. Arsé-kun: Watson: Yes, I do. *he looks at arsene for the briefest of moments* Sheepy: Eggs: I would appreciate it if you would retrieve it. Sheepy: Sherlock:... Arsé-kun: Watson: Either way, I see no reason to say no. Sheepy: Sherlock:...Wait. Sheepy: Sherlock: Your father came by it honestly, didn't he? Sheepy: Eggs: Of course. Sheepy: Sherlock: You look familiar. Arsé-kun: Watson: Details, then, Mr. Benedict. When did it happen and such? Sheepy: Eggs: I heard a strange noise last night around ten o clock. I came down to see a tall man with the stolen jewel. He ran away afterwards. It was too dark to see anything. *he's clutching his shoulder. is he leaving something out...? he seems uncomfortable.* Sheepy: Sherlock: I've definitely seen you somewhere before. Sheepy: Eggs: Two others were staying with us, as they usually do. They slept through it. As did my father. Sheepy: Eggs: Is there anything else you would like to know? Sheepy: Sherlock: *he is still staring very hard at Eggs. what're you thinking about buddy?+ Sheepy: Sherlock: What's the name of your father? Sheepy: Eggs: That's personal information. Arsé-kun: Watson: It's not if it is necessary information. Sheepy: Eggs: I can't disclose that information. Sheepy: Sherlock: I've met your father before. Sheepy: Eggs: I wouldn't know. Sheepy: *Eggs is visibly uncomfortable.* Sheepy: Sherlock: Watson, I'm not taking this case. Arsé-kun: Watson: .... I'm more concerned about his arm. Sheepy: Eggs: My arm is fine... Arsé-kun: Watson: You're fooling no one. Sheepy: Eggs: *he clutches it tighter and looks away* Sheepy: Eggs: I, uh... Arsé-kun: Watson: Clearly, something happened to your shoulder that's paralyzed your arm. Was it a gun or a knife? Arsé-kun: Watson: No judgment from me on either. Sheepy: Eggs:...Gun. Arsé-kun: Watson: Presuming it was the thief. Sheepy: Eggs: Yes... Arsé-kun: Watson: If left alone too long, the damage may become permanent. Sheepy: Eggs: If dealt with by the hospital, my father may be informed. I can't worry him. Arsé-kun: Watson: And he won't be worried by bloodstains? Sheepy: Eggs:... Sheepy: Eggs: Um... Arsé-kun: Watson: *he sighs* Come here so I can treat it. Sherlock, you too. Sheepy: *both come over.* Sheepy: Sherlock: I'm confident. His father is Professor Moriarty. Sheepy: Eggs: Wh-what?! Arsé-kun: Watson: I'd have to agree. He sounds rather similar, and they share a few features. Sheepy: Eggs: H-he... n-no, it's not... Sheepy: Eggs: *he is flustered.* Arsé-kun: Watson: No need to be so nervous. We're not going to arrest you or something. Sheepy: Eggs: Really? Arsé-kun: Watson: Why would we? You've done no crime. In fact, you're reporting one. Sheepy: Eggs: My father hasn't committed any crimes since the incident. Arsé-kun: Watson: I didn't even know he was alive! How is he? *he's taking care of the wound best he can* Sheepy: Eggs: Wheelchair-bound but otherwise healthy and happy. Arsé-kun: Watson: No wonder nothing has happened... Was that mean? I'm sorry. Sheepy: Eggs: It's fine. Sheepy: Eggs: And, the gem was obtained through honest means. Sheepy: Eggs: I know his track record but I can assure you that this one was. Arsé-kun: Arséne: *he shifts the phone* Seems honest to me. Can you three take this eleswhere? I've got a case to focus on. Sheepy: Sherlock: Alright, fine. Sheepy: Sherlock: Arséne, I want to talk to you later. Arsé-kun: Arséne: Fine. Sheepy: Sherlock:...Thank you. Arsé-kun: *they move one room to the right. Germain has taken over a sofa. sanchan why* Sheepy: Eggs:...So, um, I know you don't like him, Mr. Holmes, but this doesn't concern him. It's a case from me. Arsé-kun: Watson: ... Just to make sure, was there any property defacing? Sheepy: Eggs: No, there wasn't. Arsé-kun: Watson: All right, Zorro is out of the question. Violence was also involved, so both Phantoms are out as well- The original, and Joker. Sheepy: Eggs: Phantom... Arsé-kun: Watson: Hm? Sheepy: Eggs: Phantom...Fantom...Fantomas? Sheepy: Eggs: Th-that was just a prank letter, I'm sure... Arsé-kun: Arséne: *from the other room. he's raised his voice* That's French for Phantom, and I am offended and appalled! Sheepy: Eggs: Three phantoms? Arsé-kun: Watson: One more than the number of phantoms we can tolerate. *he's kidding. i think* Sheepy: Eggs: Do you know who Fantomas is? Arsé-kun: Watson: Never heard of him. Sheepy: Eggs: I see. Sheepy: Eggs: I received a threatening letter from him previous to this. Sheepy: Eggs: It mostly spoke of the horrors he had done to others and how he would be visiting me. Arsé-kun: Arséne: *he leans in, looking actually offended* I'm amazed you're still alive, then. Sheepy: Eggs: I almost wasn't. Sheepy: Eggs: I informed no one in the household of the letter due to the fact that I often receive threats. Arsé-kun: Arséne: Fair enough, and my apologies- I was speaking with a client. *he nods and frowns* Fantomas is a French phantom thief. I'd say gentleman thief, but he's so ruthless and callous in his ways that it'd be stupid. Sheepy: Eggs: Why did he attack me? Arsé-kun: Arséne: I wouldn't know. Sheepy: Eggs: That's unfortunate. Would it be too risky to take back the stolen belonging from him? Arsé-kun: Arséne: Absolutely. Sheepy: Eggs:... Sheepy: Eggs: That's fine. Arsé-kun: Arséne: You're going to do it anyway, aren't you? Sheepy: Eggs: No, no. Sheepy: Eggs: I'm going to explain the situation to my father. I'm sure he'll understand . Arsé-kun: *EGGS, YA PHONE IS DOIN' THE RINGS!* Sheepy: *Eggs picks up.* Sheepy: Eggs: Hello? Arsé-kun: Moriarity: Don't ever run off again. It's bad enough I have to clean this blood up. Sheepy: Eggs: I'm sorry...! I was trying to find someone who could help... Sheepy: Eggs: It slipped my mind to tell you. Arsé-kun: Mori: You didn't turn your phone's location off. Sheepy: Eggs: No, I didn't. Arsé-kun: Mori: Riddle me this, son: Why. Sheepy: Eggs: Why would I turn it off? Arsé-kun: Mori: No, no. Why are you there? Sheepy: Eggs: To get help. Sheepy: Eggs: The detective here ended up recognizing who stole it and says that we shouldn't try. Arsé-kun: Mori: I'd like to presume they are of French origin, then. Sheepy: Eggs: I think so. Arsé-kun: Mori: Can you explain the bloodstain? Sheepy: Eggs:...Um... Sheepy: Eggs:.... Sheepy: Eggs: The thief shot me in the shoulder. Arsé-kun: Mori: Just your shoulder? You did not bleed a fountain from your shoulder. ... I will wait until you are here to ask. Sheepy: Eggs: The doctor here treated my shoulder so I should be fine. Arsé-kun: Mori: ... .... .... *he's silent for a few moments* Sheepy: Eggs: Dad? Arsé-kun: Mori: I suddenly believe I know exactly who you are with. They are both alive? Sheepy: Eggs: Yes. Sheepy: Eggs: Mr. Holmes has a broken hand but other than that both of them seem okay. Arsé-kun: Mori: Give them my regards- Especially Holmes. I'm surprised he survived. Sheepy: Eggs: I was surprised myself. Sheepy: Eggs: But, how did you figure out who the thief was? Arsé-kun: Mori: It's not that hard. Sheepy: Eggs: Huh? Sheepy: Eggs: He didn't leave any signs of who he was except for the threatening letter he hid among my things and I never spoke of it because I thought it was a prank. Arsé-kun: Mori: I recognize the name from years past. Sheepy: Eggs: So then you saw the letter, or did he leave his name somewhere? I didn't thoroughly check the scene. Arsé-kun: Mori: I checked the letter, of course. Who do you take me for, the police? Sheepy: Eggs: No, I just didn't know you knew of it. Arsé-kun: Mori: Well, I do. Give my regards. To the other Holmes, as well- I know there's more than one. Sheepy: Eggs: Herlock or Mycroft? Arsé-kun: Mori: Yes. Sheepy: Eggs: I will. Sheepy: Eggs: I believe both are here... Arsé-kun: Mori: Excellent. I expect you home at twenty-one hundred, sharp. Sheepy: Eggs: I'll do my best. Arsé-kun: *Mori hangs up* Sheepy: Eggs: Before I leave, can I speak with Mycroft? Arsé-kun: Watson: Oh? You know him? Sheepy: Eggs: We work together. Sheepy: Sherlock: *he has lost interest in Eggs* Arsé-kun: Watson: Then I see no reason why not. Arsé-kun: Germain: Now that all of that is out of the way, hello, Benedict. Sheepy: Eggs: Hello. Sheepy: Eggs: I didn't see you there. Sheepy: Sherlock: *he looks to Arséne. talk to me.* Sheepy: Eggs: How have you been, Saint-Germain? Arsé-kun: Germain: I've been all right, fortunately. Arsé-kun: *arsene comes back with mycroft. arsene left at some point? stealthy. mycroft looks surprised, followed by annoyed* Sheepy: Eggs: Good evening, Mycroft. Arsé-kun: Mycroft: ... .... Evening, Robert. *he drops the angry look* We're not at work- I've got no reason to be sour towards you. Sheepy: Eggs: What? Sheepy: Eggs: *he is visibly surprised.* Sheepy: Sherlock: His name isn't Eggs? Arsé-kun: Mycroft: Of course not, Sherlock. That would be horrible. *he looks back to Eggs* Don't look so shocked. It's like you thought I was genuinely angry. Sheepy: Eggs: I did. Sheepy: Sherlock: Then why did he call himself Eggs? Arsé-kun: Mycroft: To not mention his real name, I'd presume. Sheepy: Eggs: My father sends his regards to you and your other brother. Sheepy: Sherlock: Is that really a good thing considering that he's the Napoleon of crime? Arsé-kun: Mycroft: That's a good question. I'd say yes. Sheepy: Sherlock: Have you met him before or something? Sheepy: Sherlock: The most personal, close-up interaction I've had with him is getting thrown off a waterfall. Arsé-kun: Mycroft: A time or so. Sheepy: Sherlock: How was he? Arsé-kun: Mycroft: In a lot of pain, as far as I could tell. Sheepy: Sherlock: *he stares off into space for a moment before finally replying* Well, that's understandable. Arsé-kun: Watson: It certainly is. Sheepy: Sherlock: I still hurt some every so often from the fall. Sheepy: Sherlock: Especially in the winter. Arsé-kun: Watson: Injuries tend to hurt more in the winter. Sheepy: Sherlock: Is it ever going to heal??? Arsé-kun: Watson: Fully? Perhaps not. Sheepy: Sherlock: Ughh... Sheepy: Sherlock: But I'm much younger than him. The fall was probably worse for him. Arsé-kun: Watson: I want to presume so. Sheepy: Sherlock: Unless he's magical. Arsé-kun: Germain: I doubt that would save you from a waterfall. Sheepy: Sherlock: It wouldn't? Arsé-kun: Germain: I doubt it. Sheepy: Eggs: ... Sheepy: Eggs: Anyway, that's all I had to say really. Sheepy: Eggs: I'm supposed to return by 9:00 at latest and I don't want to worry him further. Sheepy: Eggs: I apologize for being brief. Arsé-kun: Germain: Tis fine. Sheepy: Eggs: You can visit any time, of course, as long as you notify my father ahead of time, so if there's anything on your mind we can continue there or when you return to work. Sheepy: Eggs: Oh, er, I'm running late. I really have to be going. See you soon. Sheepy: Eggs: And thank you for treating my shoulder. Arsé-kun: Watson: Of course. Sheepy: *Eggs leaves.* Sheepy: Sherlock: Arsene, I want to talk to you. Arsé-kun: Arséne: ... Okay? Sheepy: Sherlock: I'm sorry. Sheepy: Sherlock: Please don't be mad. Arsé-kun: Arséne: ... I'm sorry I lost my temper, as well. Sheepy: Sherlock: I was scared, stressed, and confused... I needed some distance. Sheepy: Sherlock: I didn't mean to hurt you. Arsé-kun: Arséne: ... It's fine. I didn't hurt you either, did I? Sheepy: Sherlock: No... you didn't. Sheepy: Sherlock: I shouldn't have done it. Arsé-kun: Watson: Or punched a building. Sheepy: Sherlock: It's better than punching Impey, which I did. Sheepy: Sherlock: I should apologize to him too. Arsé-kun: Watson: That would be wise. Sheepy: Sherlock: Where is he right now? Arsé-kun: Arséne: Upstairs. Sheepy: Sherlock: *he gets up and heads upstairs* Arsé-kun: Impey: ...!! Sheepy: Sherlock: Impey, I'm sorry about earlier. Sheepy: Sherlock: I wasn't thinking. Arsé-kun: Impey: But you had some points.. Sheepy: Sherlock: I was just stressed and I shouldn't have taken it out on you. Sheepy: Sherlock: Is there some way I can make it up to you? Arsé-kun: Impey: ... Yeah. Could you not share what I did, exactly? I don't want everyone knowing... I'll probably get chased out.. Sheepy: Sherlock: I won't share it with anyone. Arsé-kun: Impey: Thank you! Sheepy: Sherlock: If it helps any I broke my hand. Arsé-kun: Impey: N-not at all! Sheepy: Sherlock: But now I can't punch you again until it heals. Arsé-kun: Impey: How did you break your hand?? Sheepy: Sherlock: I punched a wall. Sheepy: Sherlock: Well. Dented it. Arsé-kun: Impey: How and why?! Sheepy: Sherlock: By punching it and because I was upset. Arsé-kun: Impey: D: Sheepy: Sherlock: I'll be okay. Sheepy: Sherlock: I'll heal quickly. Sheepy: Sherlock: I always do. Arsé-kun: Impey: If you say so.. Sheepy: Sherlock: I didn't hurt you, did I? Sheepy: Sherlock: I didn't mean to if I did. I just... lost it. Sheepy: Sherlock: I'm sorry. Arsé-kun: Impey: Me, too. Sheepy: Sherlock: Well... um, now that that's that. Now what? Arsé-kun: Impey: Not sure. Lemme drop Fran on th' bed so he can nap, and let's go back downstairs! Sheepy: Sherlock: Okay. Arsé-kun: *so he does, and they do!* Arsé-kun: Impey: I'm not elusive! Sheepy: Sheepy: A mystical, mythical Impey. Arsé-kun: Impey: Much better! Sheepy: Sheepy: You missed someone named Eggs. Sheepy: Sheepy: You could've been friends and bonded over weird names. Arsé-kun: Impey: Seriously? Sheepy: Sheepy: Well we've bonded and I have a weird name. Sheepy: Sheepy: That must mean something. Arsé-kun: Impey: That's just your nickname! Sheepy: Sheepy: My nickname is an improvement over my real name. Arsé-kun: Impey: Is it really? Sheepy: Sheepy: Yeah. Arsé-kun: Impey: Really? Sheepy: Sheepy: My real name is... Sheepy: Sheepy: "The". Sheepy: Sheepy: Sorry guys I've lied all along. Arsé-kun: Arséne: Good try, Mouton. Sheepy: Sheepy: Only you know my real name. Sheepy: Sheepy: Names are power, according to many different ancient cultures. Arsé-kun: Germain: A fair point, that is. Sheepy: Sheepy: Speaking of power, today I learned that Van doesn't have the power to instantly open windows with his mind and that throwing me at windows ends up in me smacking into them. Arsé-kun: Germain: How unfortunate. You could not grab onto the windowsill? Sheepy: Sheepy: Nope. Sheepy: Sheepy: Should I have tried picking the lock? Sheepy: Sheepy: I haven't but I don't know what traps await. Arsé-kun: *a single gunshot echos from upstairs. just one.* Sheepy: Sheepy: *well. he rushes upstairs because that didn't sound good.* Sheepy: Sheepy: Van, what'd you shoot? Arsé-kun: Van: The lock. ... I may have gotten more of the door. I did not plan my actions well. Sheepy: Sheepy: I could've picked the lock for you... Arsé-kun: Van: Ran out of patience. *he puts the shotgun down against the wall, and casually intrudes. fuck the rules* Sheepy: *The room is mostly pink. The Watsonbot is on the table with some tools nearby. Looks like she's been working on it recently. There's also a few large stuffed animals on the bed that seem to be themed after the 221B group. Iris's phone is on her bed. enough details, though. Iris seems to be absent.* Arsé-kun: *Van checks two places- Under the bed, and the closet* Sheepy: *Iris is in the closet. seems like she just woke up because she gives Van a dazed, confused look* Arsé-kun: Van: Why..? Sheepy: Iris: *she sleepily rubs her eyes and blinks. pauses.* ... A-Abby?! Arsé-kun: Van: I'm intruding. *he takes a wrapped cinnamon roll out of his pocket and gives it to Iris. he snagged it when no one was looking* Sheepy: Iris:...? Sheepy: Iris: Thank you...! Arsé-kun: Van: ... Also, I broke your lock. Good luck. Sheepy: Iris: Huh? Why? Arsé-kun: Van: To get in. Ran out of patience. Sheepy: Iris: I don't know how to fix it... Arsé-kun: Van: Me, neither. Sheepy: Iris: I'm sorry for blocking you. Arsé-kun: Van: Are you? Sheepy: Iris: Yes. Arsé-kun: Van: Are you really? Sheepy: Iris: I'm not sorry for blocking everyone else excluding Daddy. Arsé-kun: Van: Perfect. *he gives her a can of lemonade, from a different pocket. he planned this part* Sheepy: Iris: Thank you. I'm sorry for worrying you. Sheepy: Iris: I was scared. Sheepy: Iris: So I tried to block everything out. Sheepy: Iris: Instead I ended up falling asleep in the closet. Arsé-kun: Van: .. *he kneels down* What scared you? Sheepy: Iris: The thought that I may lose you to whatever caused your behavior to change yesterday and the thought that Daddy has been tested on by Twilight and may not be the same one day. Arsé-kun: Van: .... He's fine. Those wires are gone. No one told you? Sheepy: Iris: Huh? Arsé-kun: Van: ... I suppose not. A lot has happened in the last few hours. Sheepy: Iris: Really? Arsé-kun: Van: Yes. *he gives her a short update. He doesn't know all the details, but..* Sheepy: Iris: *she frowns* Holmsies? Fighting with people? Arsé-kun: Van: Stress, I heard. I don't know. Sheepy: Iris: I see.. Sheepy: Iris: But are you okay? Arsé-kun: Van: *he shrugs* I'll live. Sheepy: Iris: *she looks worried* Arsé-kun: Van: ... I'd talk to you about it, but I feel wildly out of place in here. Sheepy: *Iris gets up. Seems like Bunbun Sherly will be joining her for Listen To Van's Problems hour* Arsé-kun: Van: You okay with going somewhere else? Sheepy: Iris: Uhuh. Arsé-kun: *they end up in van's close- ROOM. HIS ROOM. WHICH IS CLOSET SIZED.* Sheepy: Iris: Why did you accept being put in a small room? Arsé-kun: Van: ... I like it. There's only really room for me. Sheepy: Iris: Oh... Arsé-kun: Van: And apparently you. Sheepy: Iris: And Sherly. Arsé-kun: Van: Yes, and- Arsé-kun: Germain: What is this, a new club base? Sheepy: Iris: It's Germy. Arsé-kun: Germain: It sure is. *he steps in and shuts the door behind him* Is something happening? Sheepy: Iris: *she looks to Van* Arsé-kun: Van: ... I don't know what came over me before, and I am sorry. Sheepy: Iris: That's what scares me. I don't want to lose you. Arsé-kun: Van: .... I can only hope that won't work a second time. Sheepy: Iris: But what if it does...? Arsé-kun: Van: .... Then keep away from me. .... I think I may have only acted that way because I believed I'd hurt you. Sheepy: Iris: But... Arsé-kun: Germain: But then what is keeping you stable would not be nearby. Sheepy: Iris: Yeah! Arsé-kun: Van: .... Then I don't know. Sheepy: Iris: I don't know either... Arsé-kun: Germain: .... Though, now I am curious. You'd never really attached yourself to anyone. Why Iris..? Arsé-kun: Van: ...... I'd like to know that, myself. Sheepy: Iris: Huh? Arsé-kun: Germain: Perhaps I should explain myself better. *van nods* ... As long as I've known Abraham, he'd never really bonded with people. You make the first notable exception. Sheepy: Iris: Really? Arsé-kun: Germain: Truly. Even I wondered at times if he cared. Sheepy: Iris: But he's really nice. Arsé-kun: Germain: Especially to you, I notice. Sheepy: Iris: *she seems unsure as to what to say* Arsé-kun: Germain: ... Then again, it may just be Abby's hidden talent for getting along with children. I've decided he has that, just now. Arsé-kun: *Germain gets punched in the shoulder. He looks unfazed* Sheepy: Iris: Does that mean he gets along with Sheepy? He's magical. Arsé-kun: Van: He's not exactly a child... He's immature more than anything. Sheepy: Iris: Huhh?? But he's only a little older than me! Arsé-kun: Van: He's tolerable. Sheepy: Iris: Usually. He used to be nicer but something just changed one day and he became distant. Arsé-kun: Germain: Puberty. Sheepy: Iris: Will I become like that too? Arsé-kun: Germain: Doubtful. Sheepy: Iris: Is that just a guy thing? Sheepy: Iris: And will he ever grow out of it? I don't like the new him. Arsé-kun: Germain: No, and it's very possible. Sheepy: Iris: That's good. Sheepy: Iris: I hope he does at least. Sheepy: Iris: Abby!! Did you go through a phase like that? Because you don't seem distant. Arsé-kun: Van: ... ... Something like that. Sheepy: Iris: So he'll probably go back to being nice eventually because you did. Arsé-kun: Van: Sure. Sheepy: Iris: Great!! Sheepy: Iris: By the way, Abby. Sheepy: Iris: You remind me of someone. Sheepy: Iris: You remind me of Zieksy. Sheepy: Iris: His resting face makes him look angry all the time but he's actually really nice. Sheepy: Iris: He also tries to make everyone think he's really mean but once he gets comfy in a situation he forgets about the act. Arsé-kun: Van: ... Well, alright. Sheepy: Iris: *did she insult him??? that worries her a little.* Arsé-kun: Van: Do I look that angry? Sheepy: Iris: Uhuh. Arsé-kun: Van: Huh. Sheepy: *so anyway the next day! fun! egg!* Arsé-kun: *Impey's up early again! And today! He sat down and had cereal. low effort day* Sheepy: Nyar: Hey. It's me. Everyone's favorite eldritch abomination. Arsé-kun: Impey: Morning, Nyar! Sheepy: Nyar: Good morning. Sheepy: Nyar: Or bad morning. Sheepy: Nyar: Whatever you get your kicks from. Sheepy: Nyar: I hear everything worked out well in the end with Sherlock. And, also, I gotta thank you because you ended up being very useful. Sheepy: Nyar: You removed a little bit of inconvenience out of my life. Arsé-kun: Impey: "Ended up"? What am I, a load? Sheepy: Nyar: Well, no. Sheepy: Nyar: Being called useful is actually a very big compliment from me. Arsé-kun: Impey: Or so you say! Sheepy: Nyar: Most of the time people are just playthings to me. But once they've proven they can get me further to my goals... I start to grow a little attached to them. Sheepy: Nyar: Who knows. Maybe I'll grow attached to you. Sheepy: Nyar: Not in a literal sense, of course. Sheepy: Nyar: Anyway, I'm sure it'll please you to know that the effects of my father's testing are slowly fading and I'll be in condition to do as I please soon enough. Arsé-kun: Impey: It had lasting effects? You sure seemed fine. Sheepy: Nyar: Well, physically I seem fine. Sheepy: Nyar: I'm sure you noticed me trying to induce hallucinations on that grunt a few days back. Sheepy: Nyar: Obviously it didn't work so I ended up having to knock him out with my bare hands. Ugh. Sheepy: Nyar: If I was at my true potential, I could've easily broken his mind to the point of no return and had him do my bidding. Arsé-kun: Impey: Aw, don't do that. 's no fun. Sheepy: Nyar: But I was not due to the restrictions he set with his testing. Sheepy: Nyar: It's fun for me occasionally. Sheepy: Nyar: Anyway, as I said, the barriers he set are breaking down. Arsé-kun: Impey: And that's great! Just don't, uh, use everyone here for your entertainment, huh? Sheepy: Nyar: This group is already entertaining me. Sheepy: Nyar: And so, I don't have to throw any unnecessary conflict in to spice things up. Sheepy: Nyar: Lupin agreed to my case with the cultists and I believe Watson is willing to assist me with getting Phil's emotions back. Meaning, they're useful to me and thus I definitely don't want to throw any "wrenches in the machinery" so to speak and ruin their chances of going down the correct path. Arsé-kun: Impey: That I understand! No need to be a gremlin in an airplane! Sheepy: Nyar: Yeah, something like that. Sheepy: Nyar: Once you guys finish up what I want you to do, I may grant a few wishes. Arsé-kun: Impey: ... That's tempting, but what's the point? Stuff like that tends to leave people worse off. Sheepy: Nyar: I don't mean like that. Sheepy: Nyar: I'm not going to make something out of nothing. Sheepy: Nyar: I just mean, if you want something done, I'll do it. Sheepy: Nyar: Don't expect so much out of me when I haven't been fully powered for a looooooooong time. Arsé-kun: Impey: Nothin' from me, that's for sure! Sheepy: Nyar: Well, okay. Sheepy: Nyar: Either way, I wouldn't be granting them now because again, my requirements have not been fulfilled. Sheepy: Nyar: You gotta work for my services. Sheepy: Nyar: *he plops down on one of the chairs. sticks legs on table. thanks nyar.* Arsé-kun: Impey: Hey, get those off the table! Sheepy: Nyar: *he moves them* Sheepy: Nyar: When is everyone else going to get up? I'm so booooored.... Arsé-kun: Delacroix: Not yet, probably! So lazy! Sheepy: Nyar: Clearly the entire world revolves around me so I should have entertainment 24/7. Sheepy: Nyar: That's a joke. Arsé-kun: Delacroix: Hey, hey, tell me this! What's the color of your blood?? Sheepy: Nyar: Black. Arsé-kun: Delacroix: Why?? Sheepy: Nyar: 'Cause I'm not human, that's why. Sheepy: Nyar: I'm an eldritch abomination. Sheepy: Nyar: Technically, my blood is just what my body is formed of. Sheepy: Nyar: It's not really the same as your blood. Sheepy: Nyar: It's more like... hmm.. Sheepy: Nyar: I don't know how to explain it. Sheepy: Nyar: It's not that interesting. Arsé-kun: Delacroix: Sounds it. Arsé-kun: Impey: Aw, Delly, leave him alon- Arsé-kun: Delacroix: Knock that off! Sheepy: Nyar: It doesn't bug me. Sheepy: Nyar: Now that I've told you two this, I know I won't be bit by any vampires. Arsé-kun: Delacroix: .... Arsé-kun: Impey: No, you look like you're tempting him. Sheepy: Nyar: Unless, of course, you want to poison yourself. Arsé-kun: Delacroix: Would it? Sheepy: Nyar: It would. Sheepy: Nyar: It's like drinking oil. Sheepy: Nyar: Like, car oil. Sheepy: Nyar: I guess. Sheepy: Nyar: I've never done it. Arsé-kun: Impey: *he grabs the back of Delacrox's shirt collar* Don't do it, Delly! Arsé-kun: Delacroix: Stooooooop calling me that! Sheepy: Nyar: Maybe he'll stop calling you childish names when you stop making childish mistakes. Arsé-kun: Delacroix: I AM a child! Sheepy: Nyar: Like even considering taking that as a challenge. Sheepy: Nyar: Then accept the nickname. Arsé-kun: Delacroix: I'm not! I'm hungry- No! Sheepy: Nyar: If you drink my blood you'll probably start vomiting up your insides or something. Sheepy: Nyar: I don't actually know. I'm bluffing at this point. Sheepy: Nyar: Dad might be curious about the results actually. Sheepy: Nyar:...Actually, whatever. You can do it if I can call you Delly. Arsé-kun: Delacroix: *he looks absolutely, downright offended for a minute* ... Fine, but only because I don't think I could stop you anyway! Sheepy: Nyar: Go nuts then, Delly. Arsé-kun: Delly: *he flinches, then climbs the back of the chair to get at Nyar's neck. Delly, no. thats not what he meant probably* Sheepy: Nyar: *he doesn't seem bothered* Sheepy: Nyar: You have fun with that, kiddo. Arsé-kun: Delly: *he does his thing for a bit, before letting go and falling off the chair- thankfully, onto his ass* Sheepy: Nyar: You done? Arsé-kun: Delly: ... y-yeah... Sheepy: Nyar: ... Uhuh. Sure. *he pulls out a phone* [text: to Saint-Germain] saaaaaaaaaaiiiiiiiint germaiiiiin i have a question Sheepy: Nyar: [text: to Saint-Germain] lets say a child vampire drank my blood. would they die. yes no pleasr anserr Arsé-kun: Germain: [text: to Nyar] uh no. i dont know? can i wake up first Sheepy: Nyar: [text: to Saint-Germain] you aren't fully awake yet Sheepy: Nyar: [text: to Saint-Germain] hiw are you typing if youre asleep Arsé-kun: Germain: [text: to Nyar] Very funny. And no, I doubt they would unless it was far too much. Sheepy: Nyar: [text: to Saint-Germain] well the kid drank my blood Arsé-kun: Germain: [text: to Nyar] I'm coming. Sheepy: Nyar: [text: to Saint-Germain] finally Arsé-kun: *Germain arrives about thirty seconds later* Sheepy: Nyar: Hey. Arsé-kun: Germain: Why did you allow this? Sheepy: Nyar: You're 95% of my self control. Arsé-kun: Germain: *hand applied to face* Sheepy: Nyar: Whoops. Arsé-kun: *Germain bends down to check on Delly. He's fine, if not a bit dazed. And possibly violently hallucinating* Arsé-kun: *By the way, he is.* Sheepy: Nyar: Whoooops. Sheepy: Nyar: I was curious. Sheepy: Nyar: But now he's hallucinating. Hmm. Well, that means whatever Dad did has nothing to do wih my bloodstream. Arsé-kun: Impey: Why are you so casual about this?! Sheepy: Nyar: I'm the Crawling Chaos, duh. Sheepy: Nyar: Have you read the books? Arsé-kun: Impey: No? I never had time, really! Sheepy: Nyar: Well, they're great reads. Especially the ones about me. Sheepy: Sheepy: I agree. Also, is Delacroix sick? Arsé-kun: Germain: If you can understand them, that is. Arsé-kun: Impey: Oh, uh Arsé-kun: Delly: .... I've made a mistake. Sheepy: Sheepy: Rest in peace Arsé-kun: Delly: I'd like a free pass for death now. Sheepy: Sheepy: Nyar could probably give you that if you want it. Sheepy: Nyar: That's my boy, Randy. Always knowing how I'm going to reply next. *he ruffles Sheepy's hair* Sheepy: Sheepy: Like Randolph Carter? Sheepy: Nyar: *he quickly pulls his hand away* Sheepy: Nyar: I was just messing with you. Sheepy: Sheepy:....Uhuh. Sheepy: Nyar: Anyway, kiddo, you should expect the hallucinations to affect all of your senses. Sheepy: Nyar: I'm always glad for willing participants in tests to see just what my body is capable of. I stated the possible dangers to you and yet you didn't seem deterred, so this is all on your head. Arsé-kun: Arséne: .... I've decided I don't want to know anymore. *how long have you been there, lupin?* Don't tell me, I don't want to hear it. Sheepy: Sheepy: Arsene, Nyar is trying to buddy-up to me and is acting like he knows me very well. It's creeping me out. I don't want friends. I'm a loner who's liked by no one. Arsé-kun: Germain: No, you're not. You'll regret that later in life. Sheepy: Sheepy: I'm the loneliest of loners. Sheepy: Sheepy: My inability to trust people along with my crippling depression and inability to be true to myself causes me to hold people at a distance. People who think they're my friends actually know nothing about me no matter how much they act like they do. You can't be friends with someone you can't trust. *he sits down in a chair* That's why my only friends are Arsene and Sisi. Arsé-kun: Germain: ... ... Poor Iris. Sheepy: Sheepy: She has friends other than me. Arsé-kun: Germain: Tell her that yourself. I happened to hear that she's very upset about you pushing her away. Sheepy: Sheepy: I'm not going to lie about how I feel. Arsé-kun: Germain: I never said to lie. I said to tell her yourself. Arsé-kun: Germain: Please. Tell her, yourself, that you think she knows nothing about you, and that you don't trust her. I'll fetch popcorn. Sheepy: Sheepy: Are you trying to start something up? Sheepy: Sheepy: I like her but again, if I don't feel like I can trust basically anyone including myself, it's unfair to her to call myself her friend. Arsé-kun: Germain: But why is that, exactly? Sheepy: Sheepy: Can one really give reasons as to why they feel things? Sheepy: Sheepy: You can rationalize and try to explain things all you want, but the fact of the matter is that the brain is a very complicated thing and not even your mind understands its actions at times. Arsé-kun: Germain: That's fair enough. I concede. Sheepy: Nyar: Lupin, when are you going to start investigating the cultists? I'm getting impatient. Gosh. I wanna see your reactions. Arsé-kun: Arséne: Not yet... I've got a case, and anyway, that statement scares me a little. Sheepy: Nyar: I don't know what you'll come up with but I've got a clue as to what the true end result of it is. Arsé-kun: Arséne: Could you perhaps share? Sheepy: Nyar: Hmmm... Sheepy: Nyar: I'll say this. Sheepy: Nyar: It's very, very relevant to you. Sheepy: Nyar: Or maybe someone close to you? Sheepy: Nyar: Who knows? Arsé-kun: Arséne: ... Sheepy: Nyar: Although, I wonder. Arsé-kun: Arséne: I wonder where Tom is.. Sheepy: *Tom falls down the stairs, screaming. He didn't have those clothes before.* Sheepy: Nyar: Nevermind. That's spoilers. Sheepy: Nyar: It's too much information and you'll guess where I'm going with it. Arsé-kun: Arséne: ... Ah, there you are! *he retrieves Tom* Where did you get these..? Sheepy: Tom: twilight Sheepy: Tom: i made a friend and also i accidentally became a captain of twilight Sheepy: Tom: it was a fun adventure Arsé-kun: Arséne: ..... I'm not going to ask. *he deposits Tom on the table* Sheepy: Sheepy: I'm impatient. Tell me the answer. Sheepy: Nyar: Noooo. It's a game. You can't just cheat to the end. Sheepy: Sheepy: It's called using a walkthrough! Sheepy: Nyar: You can't use walkthroughs for mind games... Sheepy: Tom: these clothes are nice Sheepy: Tom: so is azathoth hes my friend now Arsé-kun: Impey: Whatt'd'ya mean you made friends with Azathoth? Sheepy: Tom: he made me this outfit Sheepy: Tom: we talked about life and stuff Sheepy: Tom: or death in my case Sheepy: Tom: and our interests Sheepy: Tom: and were friends now Arsé-kun: Impey: Uh. Good job? Sheepy: Tom: thank you Sheepy: Sheepy: Did she tell you she hated me being distant, Saint-Germain? Arsé-kun: Germain: Yes, in fact. Sheepy: Sheepy: If I tell her how I feel, what d'ya think will happen? Arsé-kun: Germain: Either acceptance, or grief. Sheepy: Sheepy: Not risking the latter. Sheepy: Sheepy: I doubt it'll improve things. Arsé-kun: Germain: A fair point.. Sheepy: Sheepy: If she wants to be upset, she's going to get upset, and there's really no point in pushing my luck. Sheepy: Sheepy: It's how people are. Sheepy: Sheepy: They'll find some reason, any reason, to act a certain way towards you. Sheepy: Sheepy: Of course, you can influence that, but only negatively usually. Sheepy: Sheepy: And with that in mind, just because I'm distant and it may seem like I'm not trying doesn't mean I don't care. Sheepy: Sheepy: It means I care too much. Arsé-kun: Arséne: Good to know. *he leaves the room..* Sheepy: Sheepy: ? Sheepy: Tom: *he's disappeared. Where did he go? Oh, he followed Arsene. Maybe? He's there, anyway.* Sheepy: Tom: aaarssssseeeeeeeeeeneeee Sheepy: Tom: i met byrd Sheepy: Tom: he was acting strange and didnt seem to recognize me Sheepy: Tom: will he burn me Sheepy: Tom: will you burn me Arsé-kun: Impey: No? Sheepy: Tom: but i scared everyone Arsé-kun: Impey: So what? Sheepy: Tom: so nobody dislikes me over it Sheepy: Tom: thats good Sheepy: Naoya: *he knocks on the door* Arsé-kun: Germain: Who is it?~ Sheepy: Sheepy: *he opens the door and then closes it* Sheepy: Naoya: W-wait! I need to talk to you! Sheepy: Naoya: *he knocks on the door* Arsé-kun: Impey: *he goes and opens the door for Naoya* Sup, dude? Sheepy: Naoya: Um, is Mycroft here? Arsé-kun: Mycroft: ... Unfortunately. Sheepy: Naoya: Um... Sheepy: Naoya: I'm sorry to bother you. Sheepy: Nyar: It's Naorin! Sheepy: Naoya: *he ignores this* I have something really important to tell you. Arsé-kun: Mycroft: ... All right, who at my workplace made a fool of themselves this time? Sheepy: Naoya: I wouldn't really call it "making a fool of themselves"... Sheepy: Naoya: Robert Moriarty was accused of murder. Arsé-kun: Mycroft: god damn it Sheepy: Naoya: And by extension, all of those really gruesome 'crucifixion' murders. Sheepy: Naoya: Last night he was found collapsed nearby the victim. There's apparently witnesses and everything. Arsé-kun: Mycroft: Boy, I'm glad the police immediately blame someone. Sheepy: Naoya: I just thought you should know. Sheepy: Naoya: He's having a lot of trouble finding an attorney despite having a lot in the way of assets, apparently. Arsé-kun: Watson: *he's just gotten downstairs with his cane* .... I know someone who can help. Sheepy: Naoya: You do? Sheepy: Naoya: I don't know if anyone would want to touch this case. Arsé-kun: Watson: Well, they owe us a favor, so.. Sheepy: Naoya: The police want to clean this situation up and forget about the murders all together. Anyone who comes after this will just be a "poser"... Arsé-kun: Arséne: Pardon my French, but fuck the police. *he's back! he deposits a brown sheep toy next to tom he found it!* Sheepy: Naoya: Meanwhile if they don't succeed in proving him innocent, they might be associated as the ones who defended a serial killer for the rest of their lives. Sheepy: Tom: aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa Sheepy: Naoya: It'd be appreciated if you did contact them, though. Arsé-kun: Watson: Let me turn my coffee on, and I'll call them. Sheepy: Naoya: Okay. Arsé-kun: *and so, watson does! he steps out* Sheepy: Naoya: I apologize for interrupting your morning, everyone. Arsé-kun: Impey: Aw, it's fine! It's always a mess anyway! Sheepy: Naoya: Is it? Arsé-kun: Impey: Yeeep! Sheepy: Naoya: Ours was usually a mess when Nyar stayed with us. Arsé-kun: Germain: low blow. Sheepy: Nyar: Wow. Sheepy: Nyar: I'm offended. Sheepy: Nyar: I haven't seen Phil in like three days and I'm already worried about him. Sheepy: Nyar: But I've moved in with my husband. Sorry Naorin. Arsé-kun: Germain: your what Sheepy: Nyar: My husband. Sheepy: Nyar: Mycroft. We're married... Sheepy: Sherlock: Nevermind, I'm going back upstairs. Arsé-kun: Mycroft: Me, too. Wait up. Sheepy: Sherlock: *he waits for Mycroft before going up.* Arsé-kun: Germain: Look, Nyar, you've scared them off. Sheepy: Nyar: Whoops. Sheepy: Nyar: But actually I'm here for Saint-Germain. Arsé-kun: Germain: Terrible. Sheepy: Nyar: Why? Sheepy: Nyar: I loved you and you you do this? Break my heart with your heartless comments? I want a divorce. Arsé-kun: Germain: Flatter me and insult me all you like, but not now. Sheepy: Nyar: Awww... Sheepy: Nyar: But what will I do if not that? Arsé-kun: Germain: Millions upon billions of other things. Sheepy: Naoya: *he appears uncomfortable* Sheepy: Nyar: Heyy, Naorin. Phil is working with Twilight's head right jow so watch out. Sheepy: Naoya: I know. Arsé-kun: Germain: Ah, that makes things easier. Sheepy: Naoya: He said so. Sheepy: Naoya: I can't really get mad though because I have no clue what he's planning. Sheepy: Naoya: And his behavior towards us hasn't changed. Sheepy: Naoya: Which, in the end... after everything Kazuya has been through due to you, Nyar, is what's most important to me. Sheepy: Nyar: Heyhey, this is supposed to be my redemption arc. You seriously haven't done your research if you think I had any control of the situation. Sheepy: Naoya: I don't want your excuses, Nyar. Nobody liked how you changed and it's very difficult to see you as more than the person who hurt all of us. Things have been much more relaxed after you left. Sheepy: Nyar: Kiddo, if you keep pushing away allies over here, one day you'll have none and be in a very dark place. It's how life works. I would call my Twilight head personality an act. I wouldn't call how I treated you three before this whole Twilight nonsense an act. Sheepy: Naoya: It'll never go back to how it was, Nyar. You've burnt your bridges. Stop trying to rebuild them. Arsé-kun: Germain: *he looks to Nyar* I've told you this before- You can't just yell "It was all an act!" and expect everything to be fine. You keep doing this, and you haven't learned. Are you going to this time? Sheepy: Nyar: Hmm... Sheepy: Nyar: Probably not. Sheepy: Nyar: It's how I am. Sheepy: Nyar: Am I going to change for someone whose opinion of me would be terrible either way? Sheepy: Nyar: No. Arsé-kun: Germain: That's what you said three times ago. Sheepy: Nyar: ........ Sheepy: Nyar: People call me a monster because I am one. That's what I am deep down and no amount of "You can change!" will fix that. Sheepy: Nyar: So if you've got any faith in me in terms of changing for the better, your hopes will be dashed. Arsé-kun: Germain: No one is telling you to. *he raises an eyebrow* I'm more expecting you to run to the states and curbstomp an abusive orphanage to the ground. Sheepy: Nyar: Well. I could. Arsé-kun: Germain: I'm still waiting for the world domination attempt. Sheepy: Nyar: If I rule the world, nothing will be fun anymore. Arsé-kun: Germain: What about the inevitable revolution? Sheepy: Nyar: I could just easily wipe everyone out. That's no fun. Sheepy: Nyar: Just remember, Naorin, one day you're going to have to make a decision, and the choice you take may tear your heart to pieces but it's necessary for the greater good. It's how adult life is. Arsé-kun: *there's a moment of uncomfortable pause* Arsé-kun: Impey: *he leans on the table, looking up at them* How long have you two known each other, anyway? Sheepy: Nyar: Forever. I've known him since...... Sheepy: Nyar: Gee. Arsé-kun: Germain: Far too long. Sheepy: Nyar: Yeah. Sheepy: Nyar: Phil, Saint-Germain, and I have been together for forever. He's basically part of the family. Arsé-kun: Germain: That makes me sound far too old. Sheepy: Nyar: You're not that old. Sheepy: Nyar: But you did know Phil before he was a piece of cardboard personality-wise. Arsé-kun: Germain: m-hm. Such a shame, that was. Sheepy: Nyar: By the way, Naorin. If you really care about Phil, you wouldn't be so accepting of him working for Twilight. He could be hurt, you know. Or maybe end up like Kazzy was. Who knows? Sheepy: Naoya: He was determined about it. Sheepy: Naoya: Anyway, um, I'm sorry, but I'm really busy and will have to go as soon as Dr. Watson confirms that Robert has gotten legal help. Arsé-kun: *speaking of which, Watson's still on the phone. he's not done yet* Sheepy: Naoya: *oh.* Sheepy: Naoya: *he is visibly uncomfortable from Nyar's presence...* Sheepy: Sheepy: Hmm... I guess maybe they don't want to defend that guy? Arsé-kun: Impey: *he tilts his head a little* .... Nah, he's sayin' something else. Arsé-kun: Impey: uh... Mostly complaining and something about a black cat.. Sheepy: Sheepy: Eh? Arsé-kun: Impey: .... ..... Oh! He's coming back. Arsé-kun: *and watson does exactly that!* Sheepy: *Watson suddenly feels very cold fingers on his neck.* Arsé-kun: Watson: !! Sherlock!! Sheepy: Sherlock: Hullo! Arsé-kun: Watson: Yes, hello. *he looks to Naoya* I've been given an affirmative. Sheepy: Naoya: I'm glad. Sheepy: Naoya: Thank you for calling them. Arsé-kun: Watson: Quite welcome. Sheepy: Naoya: Okay, um, I've informed Mycroft and found a defense for Robert, so everything is well. I'll be going now... Thank you. Arsé-kun: Germain: No problems. Stay safe on the way home! Sheepy: Naoya: Thank you! *so he leaves.* Arsé-kun: Arséne: Will anybody else be needing the phone? Sheepy: Sheepy: Yeah, I need to call all of my many friends with it. Arsé-kun: Arséne: Are you so distant you can't bother to go upstairs? Sheepy: Sheepy: What do you mean? Arsé-kun: Arséne: Never mind. *he steps out, and goes to sit down at his desk* Sheepy: Sheepy: What's upstairs for me? Arsé-kun: *sorry, sheepy, you'll have to wait. Arséne has picked up the phone* Sheepy: Iris: Good morning everyone! *SHE'S HERE???* Arsé-kun: Impey: Mornin', Iris! Glad you could join us!! Sheepy: Iris: Daddy, how are you feeling? Arsé-kun: Watson: Better than yesterday! You, too? Sheepy: Iris: Uhuh! Sheepy: Iris: I'm really glad the wires were removed. I was worried. Sheepy: Nyar: I'm capable of good things after all, huh. Arsé-kun: Impey: I'm just glad I didn't ruin anything..! Sheepy: Nyar: Nah. Sheepy: Nyar: Saint-Germain had to step out but all is well. Arsé-kun: Watson: Speaking of well.. Sherlock, your hand? Sheepy: Sherlock: What about it? Arsé-kun: Watson: How is it feeling? Sheepy: Sherlock: Well, the skin in my hand contains nerve endings that enable my brain to register any sensations my hand feels. Our sense of pain is coupled wih the sense of touch, which enables us to react when we touch something that hurts us, such as a hot plate or very cold ice. Sheepy: Sherlock: Basically, anything I feelings I have with my hand were created by my brain. Arsé-kun: Watson: Sherlock! Sheepy: Sherlock: What? Arsé-kun: Watson: Not what I meant! Sheepy: Sherlock: Then what did you mean? Arsé-kun: Watson: Does it still hurt? Sheepy: Sherlock: Pain is not a good measurement of an injury. Sheepy: Sherlock: A papercut hurts more than a bad burn and hitting one's funny bone can be more painful than breaking a bone. Arsé-kun: Watson: So it does. Thank you. Sheepy: Sherlock: I barely slept last night. Sheepy: Sherlock: Do I really have to help Moriarty's son? Arsé-kun: Watson: It'd be preferred if you did. Asougi and Ryuunosuke are on it. Sheepy: Sherlock: Asougi is that mop man, right? Arsé-kun: Watson: That's right! Sheepy: Sherlock: And Ryuu is the one whose eyes dart around all the time. Arsé-kun: Watson: *he looks delighted!* Yes, yes, that's right! Sheepy: *Sherlock seems pleased with himself!* Arsé-kun: *Iris also looks pleased! She somehow got onto Impey's shoulder? He probably put her there. Look at the happy child. LOOK AT HER* Sheepy: Nyar: *he seems proud of himself. hmm.* Arsé-kun: *the room's overall mood seems to have gone way up! ... Except Delly's, he's still sitting on the ground and suffering intensely.* Sheepy: Sherlock: There's Susato too, right? Didn't you work with him once? Or wait... Maybe she's that bookworm who really liked your stories... Sheepy: Sherlock: He? She? Arsé-kun: Watson: She. Sheepy: Sherlock: Right, she's the one who liked your stories. Sheepy: Sherlock: But... Sheepy: Sherlock: I'm still defending the son of the Napoleon of crime. Sheepy: Sherlock: I'm not okay with this. Arsé-kun: Watson: You may not be. If you can find evidence pointing to him having done it, you can say that. Sheepy: Sherlock: Really? Sheepy: Sherlock: I guess you're right. Arsé-kun: Watson: I like to be sometimes, you know. Sheepy: Sherlock: You usually are. Sheepy: Sherlock: I'm usually not unless it's something I care about. Sheepy: Sherlock: Such as the planets. Sheepy: Sherlock: There are ten planets, right? Sheepy: Sherlock: The moon is a planet. Sheepy: Sherlock: It's like the little brother of Earth. Sheepy: Sherlock: Pluto is cold but everyone likes it anyway. Sheepy: Sherlock: Mars is closest to the sun and it's very hot. Arsé-kun: Impey: Most of that was wrong!! Sheepy: Sherlock: Like what? Arsé-kun: Impey: The Moon's not a planet! There are 8 planets! And Mercury is closest to the Sun, not Mars! Sheepy: Sherlock: Even if the moon isn't a planet by birth, it should be considered a planet because it's been in the family long enough. Sheepy: Sherlock: Sheepy is adopted but he's a Lupin, for example... Sheepy: Sherlock: So even ifthe moon is adopted, it's still family. Arsé-kun: Impey: Then we'd have too many planets! Sheepy: Sherlock: We would? Sheepy: Sherlock: There'd be Mercury, Mars, Earth, Moon, Jupiter, Pluto, Saturn, Neptune, Cyanide, Plato, and the Sun. Sheepy: Sherlock: Wait. Plato is a philosopher. Arsé-kun: Impey: The Sun isn't a planet, and where the heck did you get Cyanide?! Arsé-kun: Impey: Did you mean Ceres?? Sheepy: Sherlock: Mercury is a toxic substance. Arsé-kun: Impey: It's named after the Roman God! Sheepy: Sherlock: Cyanide is toxic too. Arsé-kun: Impey: All of the planets except Earth are- Cyanide isn't a planet, Sherlock! Sheepy: Sherlock: Even the Moon? Sheepy: Sherlock: Earth is named after the ground, earth. Sheepy: Sherlock: Moon is the name of the man who lives on it. Arsé-kun: Impey: The Moon isn't a planet!! It's a moon! It has an entire category named after it!- No! Sheepy: Sherlock: It's his private vacation place. Sheepy: Sherlock: I have an entire category of stories named after me and their content is questionable. Arsé-kun: Watson: That I can confirm. Arsé-kun: Watson: .... I was ignoring that category. Sheepy: Sherlock: I wasn't referring to your writings. Sheepy: Sherlock: I was referring to what Iris and Sheepy showed me. Arsé-kun: Watson: I thought you meant the semi-official things. I want to drink bleach instead of coffee now. Do you think they mix? Sheepy: Sherlock: I like the dog one. Arsé-kun: Watson: Okay, that one is fine. Sheepy: Sherlock: Bleach is bad for your health. Sheepy: Sherlock: Dogs aren't. Sheepy: Sherlock: I like Sherlock Hound. It's a nice show. My favorite character is the dog version of you, Watson. Arsé-kun: Impey: *he's put his head in his hands. cyanide is not a planet* Sheepy: Iris: Holmsies knows nothing about planets. Arsé-kun: Impey: I noticed.. Sheepy: Iris: He doesn't remember much past a few years after he met Daddy so he doesn't remember many things you learn as a kid. Sheepy: Iris: Like planets! Sheepy: Iris: Or, what else... Sheepy: Sherlock: Something about that seems wrong. Arsé-kun: Impey: ... That's why that's bothering me! There's a moon that's got Cyanide, just not a planet! Sheepy: Sherlock: Cyanide is the blue planet. Arsé-kun: Impey: Nooo! Those are Uranus and Neptune! Titan is a moon! Sheepy: Sherlock: Cyanide is a fruit. Sheepy: Sherlock: It's a poisoning but also a fruit. Arsé-kun: Watson: Closer. It's in the seeds of some, specifically. Sheepy: Sherlock: It's the red one. Arsé-kun: Watson: ... Sheepy: Sherlock: They're put in pies. Sheepy: Sherlock: Cyanide pies. Arsé-kun: Delly: ... That's a fucking apple Sheepy: Sheepy: Cyanide pies are my favorite. Sheepy: Sherlock: No, no. Sheepy: Sherlock: Apples are trees. Arsé-kun: Delly: ............ Nyarlathotep, can I drink bleach? I'd like to drink bleach now. Sheepy: Sherlock: Cyanide is in the seeds of the red fruits. Sheepy: Nyar: No, I already drank it all Arsé-kun: Delly: drat Sheepy: Sherlock: I had a case where someone poisoned someone else with the seeds. Arsé-kun: Watson: Yes, you did. Sheepy: Sherlock: Cyanide seeds. Arsé-kun: Watson: Okay, now you're doing this on purpose. Sheepy: Iris: Holmsies the last time you went to the store you wrote down "apples"... Arsé-kun: Arséne: *he leans in* He knows what an apple is. He ate one the other day. *he exits stage right. he just wanted his 2 cents* Sheepy: Sherlock: Arséne bought it for me. Arsé-kun: Impey: Please tell me Cyanide being a planet was you joking, too.. Sheepy: Sherlock: Yes. Sheepy: Sherlock: I was supposed to recharge but my hand kept waking me up. Arsé-kun: Impey: Okay, good!! Sheepy: Sherlock: So I'm running on fumes and want attention. Arsé-kun: Impey: You're gettin' it! Sheepy: Sherlock: Good. Arsé-kun: Impey: Geez! I thought you were being serious..! Arsé-kun: Germain: No. He's Sherlock. Arsé-kun: Impey: Sainty-G, how could you?! Sheepy: Sherlock: I wasn't. Sheepy: Sherlock: I know very little about space but I know that cyanide isn't a planet. Sheepy: Iris: Holmsies! You know a lot about things that can kill people! How do you cure depression??? Sheepy: Sherlock: A depression is caused when the dollar is worth very little and the employment rate is very low. Sheepy: Iris: No! Sheepy: Sherlock: There is no one way to "cure" a depression. Sheepy: Sherlock: The economy is a very complicated system. Sheepy: Sherlock: For one, the government must create jobs to be able to keep their economy afloat. Sheepy: Sherlock: Secondly, printing money will actually damage the economy more. Sheepy: Iris: Holmsies! Sheepy: Sherlock: Third, borrowing money won't help because a depression is actually a very, vey extreme case of a recession. A recession can cause a depression and once a depression ends the damage might cause a recession. Sheepy: Sherlock: A recession is generally caused by an economic decline in activity such as trading between countries or occupations within the country. Sheepy: Iris: Daddy, how do you cure depression? Arsé-kun: Watson: Very carefully. Arsé-kun: Watson: Why? Sheepy: Iris: Because I don't want Sheepy to be distant anymore. Arsé-kun: Watson: ... Ah. Sheepy: Iris: So how do I??? Arsé-kun: Watson: That depends on a lot of factors, and I doubt he'd be too willing to share them. Sheepy: Iris: Like what? Arsé-kun: Watson: Personal experiences. Sheepy: Iris: Oh. Arsé-kun: Watson: ... I'll talk to you about it a bit later, how about that? Sheepy: Iris: Okay! Arsé-kun: *Arséne is now done on the phone. He was arranging a meeting with Jason* Sheepy: Sheepy: You've returned. Arsé-kun: Arséne: oui. Sheepy: Sheepy: Who were you calling? Arsé-kun: Arséne: Jason. As the toy was found, the case is nearly closed. Sheepy: Nyar: Nice. Sheepy: Nyar: After that, get to my case. It'll be fun. Sheepy: Nyar: If you've got any questions, ask them now. Once you actually start it, it's closed book. Arsé-kun: Arséne: Here's one: Why? Sheepy: Nyar: As I said. This case isn't so much for me as it is for you. Sheepy: Nyar: There may be some questions on your mind that will be answered once you look into this cult. Arsé-kun: Arséne: ..... ....... Fine. *he seems unhappy* Sheepy: Nyar: I can't say you'll like the results, though. Sheepy: Nyar: But, don't forget: Sheepy: Nyar: The truth is unchangeable. Humans try to create their own "truths" but only end up hurting those around them. Sheepy: Nyar: So, will you accept what you find? Or will you deny the facts and believe your own construct of reality? Arsé-kun: Arséne: Take a wild guess. Sheepy: Nyar: ... Good. Any other questions? Arsé-kun: Arséne: Will you leave me alone so I can actually start? Sheepy: Nyar: Don't you at least want to know which cult you're looking into? Arsé-kun: Arséne: Write it down. Sheepy: *Nyar writes down the date "04-01-2002" and passes it to Arsene!* Sheepy: Nyar: That's all you get. Arsé-kun: Arséne: Thanks a lot. Sheepy: Nyar: Ah... right. One other thing. Sheepy: Nyar: There's no witnesses. Nine out of the ten cultists committed suicide through poisoning. Now, I wonder what happened to the last one, hmm? Arsé-kun: Arséne: A variety of things could have happened, actually. Sheepy: Nyar: Good luck! If you're struggling, I'll help you. Sheepy: Nyar: Yes. Sheepy: Nyar: But, what really happened? Arsé-kun: Arséne: A hot pile of shit, probably. Sheepy: Nyar: Awww, that's no way to think of it. Arsé-kun: *delly is still dying internally* Sheepy: *Sheepy has his head in his arms. He may or may not be taking a nap right there at the table.* Arsé-kun: *that explains why he isn't talking* Sheepy: *sheepy is either asleep or talking. there is no in between.* Arsé-kun: *fair point* Sheepy: Sherlock: So when am I supposed to meet Asougi and Mr. Naruhodou? Arsé-kun: Watson: Tomorrow morning. Sheepy: Sherlock: ... Sheepy: Sherlock: *he raises his eyebrows* Arsé-kun: Watson: ..... I know, trust me. I asked if it could be later. Sheepy: Sherlock: If I don't sleep tonight I can probably join them. Arsé-kun: Watson: Don't do That... Sheepy: Sherlock: Then what do you want me to do? Sheepy: Sherlock: Good luck waking me up. Arsé-kun: Watson: Just go to bed early..?? Sheepy: Sherlock: Oh! Good idea. Sheepy: Sherlock: I'll go to bed at 4 PM. Arsé-kun: Watson: Good luck Sheepy: Sherlock: I should wake up by 1 AM, whic is morning. Arsé-kun: Watson: That's... A bit too early. Sheepy: Sherlock: Is it? Sheepy: Sherlock: When should I aim to wake up??? Arsé-kun: Watson: Maybe around six? Sheepy: Sherlock: Uhh... Sheepy: Sherlock: So then I go to bed around ten. Arsé-kun: Watson: Sounds good. Sheepy: Sherlock: Please remind me. Arsé-kun: Watson: I'll do my best. Sheepy: Sherlock: I know I won't remember. Sheepy: Sherlock: I hope I don't have to do too much. Sheepy: Sherlock: Think about it this way. Sheepy: Sherlock: Eggs Benedict is most definitely innocent. Yesterday he approached me for a case and it felt as though we were being watched. He then left and in the same night he was knocked out. Based on the way he held his arm, he most likely did not use his right or left arm too much on his way back home in case he would accidentally jerk his left arm. Furthermore, he did not appear armed. Sheepy: Sherlock: But: This means that the one who shot him in the shoulder knocked him out nearby the murdered individual. Sheepy: Sherlock: If I find evidence pointing towards the true killer, they might turn their attention towards, I don't know, Iris, you, me, anyone who lives with us. Arsé-kun: *John H. "This is why you're my partner" Watson was approving until that last part* Arsé-kun: Watson: That's the risk for any case, Sherlock. Sheepy: Sherlock: Except the one who shot him claims to be Fantomas. Sheepy: Sherlock: Fantomas is a sadistic murderer who draws out death as long as he can so he can get as much enjoyment out of it as he can. Sheepy: Sherlock: The fact that the victim was shoddily crucified points toward it being Fantomas. Arsé-kun: Arséne: *he nods* I was hoping not to have to deal with him again. ... I suppose we don't have much choice, do we? Sheepy: Sherlock: I haven't had to deal with him yet, but... I guess so. Sheepy: Sherlock: I was hoping for a normal case for once. Arsé-kun: Arséne: That would be nice. These all seem to be tying into single or multiple other points.. Sheepy: Nyar: Like cultists. By the way, have you solved it yet? I've given you enough information for you to solve it right here and now. Arsé-kun: Arséne: *he looks annoyed* I haven't. Finished. My other case. Sheepy: Nyar: Fiiiiiiinnnnneeee... Sheepy: Nyar: A detective worth their salt would've solved it already. Arsé-kun: Arséne: The only salt here is me. I'm getting salty. Sheepy: Nyar: Wow. Sheepy: Nyar: Do you need a hint?? Sheepy: Nyar: Here's a hint: The date and the number of people who didn't poison themselves are all you need. You may br getting frustrated but it concerns something or someone you care about. Sheepy: Nyar: Once you get that far, you get your payment of information. Arsé-kun: Arséne: .... Arrêtez. Arsé-kun: Germain: Oh, I understand it now. It's one and one, and that makes two. Arsé-kun: Germain: Two plus four, for April, is six Sheepy: Nyar: Oh, oh! Don't tell me, based on your tone of voice, you figured it out! Arsé-kun: Germain: And six is afraid of seven Arsé-kun: Germain: Because seven eight nine. Sheepy: Nyar: Saint-Germain... Arsé-kun: Germain: But wait! There were nine cultists who died. Sheepy: Nyar: Yes. Arsé-kun: Germain: So the cult is the Cult of Eight. Sheepy: Nyar: Eh? Sheepy: Nyar: There were ten members and one had passed earlier due to complications... Arsé-kun: Germain: *he just nods and looks satisfied* And from there, I know exactly what group you're speaking of. Sheepy: Nyar: Oh shoot he heard me. Sheepy: Nyar: *he clears his throat* SO! You've figured it out, haven't you? Sheepy: Nyar: Your tone of voice says you did. Arsé-kun: Germain: Time to become the next Scotland Yard! Sheepy: Nyar: Saint-Germain... I love you but you're ruining the mood. Sheepy: Nyar: And if you keep it up, I won't tell my story and Arsene will never hear the thrilling story of the cult. Arsé-kun: Germain: Fine, I'll stop. Sheepy: Nyar: Alright, Arsene! Are you ready for a story? Arsé-kun: Arséne: Non! Sheepy: Nyar: Rreeeaallllyyyy? Sheepy: Nyar: Oh well. Sheepy: Nyar: Have fun not knowing things then. Gosh. Arsé-kun: Germain: *he puts a hand over Nyar's mouth* I do believe he is growing tired of your voice Sheepy: Nyar: *he pouts* Arsé-kun: Germain: Don't give me that face. Sheepy: Nyar: *pout, pout* Sheepy: *a knock at the door!* Arsé-kun: Arséne: *he gets it, but not before grabbing the brown sheep toy and tom* Sheepy: Jason: Good morning, Chief! Arsé-kun: Arséne: Bonjour! sheep: Jason: Thank you so, so much for helping me find it. sheep: Jason: And confirming what happened to Tom. sheep: Jason: Please take good care of him. sheep: Tom: ...... sheep: Jason: I hope you don't mind if I visit him occasionally. sheep: Tom: i dont want you to leave but i dont want to leave sheep: Jason: I'm...sorry. I can't rest easy until I've brought your killer to justice. sheep: Tom: nonononononono dontdontdontdontdontdontdont Arsé-kun: Arséne: Don't? Will something happen, Tom? Sheepy: Tom: dont do it Arsé-kun: Arséne: You heard it here, Jason. Whatever you're planning, don't. Sheepy: Jason: ...Alright. Arsé-kun: Arséne: I mean it. Don't make me have to save you or something. Sheepy: Jason: Alright. Sheepy: Jason: I won't. Arsé-kun: Arséne: Thank you. Sheepy: Jason: I'll be going now. Thank you. Arsé-kun: Arséne: Quite welcome. Stay safe! Sheepy: *Jason leaves.* Sheepy: Nyar: Sssoooooo.... Sheepy: Nyar: Nice job on that case. Arsé-kun: Arséne: Stop right there. Sheepy: Nyar: Fiiiine Sheepy: Nyar: I'm pushy because I understand the importance of it Arsé-kun: Arséne: That's wonderful. Sheepy: Nyar: Why? Sheepy: Nyar: You call it wonderful and yet don't act. Arsé-kun: Arséne: I said I would. Stop it. Sheepy: Nyar: Fine. Sheepy: Sherlock: I don't get why I can't just solve whatever the case is. Sheepy: Nyar: It's not related to you. Arsé-kun: Arséne: Ask again, and I won't. Sheepy: Nyar: Fine. Sheepy: Iris: Sheepy, it's bad for you to sleep there. Sheepy: *other than an irritated huff, Sheepy doesn't react to Iris. rude* Arsé-kun: Germain: That's not very nice of you. Sheepy: Sheepy: Okay. Arsé-kun: Germain: Okay. *and he decides to just grab Sheepy and pick him out of the chair* Arsé-kun: *he then decides to dump Sheepy off on the bed upstairs. Specifically, Arséne's* Arsé-kun: Germain: ... I don't know if you're listening, and I know you're having trouble trusting others, but.. Arsé-kun: Germain: You can't push everyone away. A time will come when you need others in your life. Arsé-kun: Germain: Iris looks to you as more than a friend- she sees you as her big brother. Arsé-kun: Germain: *he hums and looks around* Arsé-kun: Germain: I understand if you don't feel the desire to immediately reconnect- It may not feel worth it. Arsé-kun: Germain: Just... Just don't be so distant that it harms not only yourself. *he exits, and goes back downstairs. He wonders if he should find Iris a Lovecraft book to read, so they can connect on that front* Arsé-kun: *Germain decides to scan the bookshelves. While doing so, he remembers Delly is still dying and goes to check on him.* Arsé-kun: Delly: *he's opted to lie on the floor, and he looks absolutely miserable* Arsé-kun: Germain: ... Are you going to be all right? Arsé-kun: Delly: .... I've been scarred for life. I've made a mistake, Saint. I can't even see your face right now. All I see are tentacles n' stuff. *he shudders* Arsé-kun: Germain: .... I should have stopped you. My apologies. *he carefully picks Delly up, and deposits him in his own bed. Let him rest* Arsé-kun: *Germain then returns to hunting for books* Sheepy: Nyar: What'cha looking for? Sheepy: Nyar: I can help you find it! I'm great at finding things. Sheepy: Sherlock: Arsene, my hand still hurts. What do I do? I don't want it to keep hurting. *he leans on Arsene some. Sherlock why do you do this.* sheep: Nyar: This book is about me. *he grabs one of the lovecraft books* You should read it, Saint-Germain. sheep: Nyar: I like it. sheep: Nyar: Have you ever noticed how our names aren't pronounceable to humans??? We won't arrive if you get our name wrong. Someone else will probably... Arsé-kun: Germain: You imply I haven't. It is what I was looking for, though. Sheepy: Nyar: Ooohh.. Arsé-kun: Germain: So, thank you. Sheepy: Nyar: No problem! Sheepy: Nyar: What're you reading it for? Arsé-kun: Germain: Oh, I'm not. Sheepy: Nyar:??? Arsé-kun: Germain: It's not for me. Sheepy: Nyar: Who's it for? Arsé-kun: Germain: :) *he just kinda nods and goes back to Iris* Sheepy: *Nyar follows* Sheepy: Iris: What's that? Arsé-kun: Germain: It's a book. I was thinking maybe you could try reading one of Lovecraft's works in particular, so you'd be able to speak with Sheepy a bit easier. Sheepy: Iris: How would that help? Arsé-kun: Germain: It's something he is interested in, isn't it? Sheepy: Iris: Yes, but... Sheepy: Iris: I don't understand it too well. Arsé-kun: Germain: Considering we've got one hell of a character living with us right now, I don't think it'd be too hard to understand. Sheepy: Iris: Sheepy did seem to understand the situation very well as soon as he heard Nyar's name... Sheepy: Iris: But I don't understand the stories. Arsé-kun: Germain: That's understandable. Sheepy: Nyar: There's a story about me. You should read it. Sheepy: Sherlock: -I don't want to go out tomorrow because I wanted to spend the day sleeping. Sheepy: Sherlock: If I go out tomorrow for the case I'll not only be defending the son of my mortal enemy but I'd also be endangering us.. Sheepy: Sherlock: But Watson is insistent. Sheepy: Sherlock: I don't even know if he's going with me. Arsé-kun: Arséne: Hm.... Sometimes you need to do things you don't want to. *he shrugs* I don't want to look into this cult, but here we are. Sheepy: Sherlock: I always do things I don't want to do. Arsé-kun: Arséne: Look on the bright side- You're not defending the man himself. You're defending a man who happens to be related. Sheepy: Sherlock: Hmmm.. Sheepy: Sherlock: I guess so. Sheepy: Sherlock: I'm scared of possibly seeing him again. Arsé-kun: Arséne: I'm rather nervous about seeing Fantomas again. ... I'm unsure which is worse. Sheepy: Sherlock: Fantomas isn't injured from it. Sheepy: Sherlock: So, Fantomas Arsé-kun: Arséne: Fair point. Arsé-kun: Arséne: Here, look. If Watson doesn't come, or he's not able to, I'll come. How about that? Sheepy: Sherlock: Okay. Sheepy: Sherlock: Thank you. Sheepy: Sherlock: I'll ask to make sure thogh. Sheepy: Sherlock: Watson! Are you going to come with me tomorrow? Arsé-kun: Watson: I don't know, am I? Sheepy: Sherlock: Huh? How do you not know?? Arsé-kun: Watson: Do you want me to? Sheepy: Sherlock: Yes. Arsé-kun: Watson: Then I shall! Sheepy: Sherlock: That's good. Sheepy: Sherlock: I was concerned that you were saying that you didn't know if you were going because you didn't want to go. Sheepy: Sherlock: That raises the question of why you go, actually. Are you going by choice because you find it fun, or are you going because I strongarm you ito it...? I wonder this sometimes. Arsé-kun: Watson: I want to help you. I'm your partner, after all. Sheepy: Sherlock: That's true. Sheepy: Sherlock: Harley is your partner too but you don't write much about him. Arsé-kun: Watson: I have. Sheepy: Sherlock: I just mean not as much as you do about me. Arsé-kun: Watson: At least, not that I've released. Sheepy: Sherlock: Huh? Sheepy: Sherlock: I've never read it. Does he not want it to be released? Arsé-kun: Watson: No, no. I just never had the chance. I'm never pleased with the wording or the flow of it. Sheepy: Sherlock: Oh. Sheepy: Sherlock: He is a complicated person. He pushes everyone away but at the same time he's extremely possessive of those he hasn't pushed away. Sheepy: Sherlock: He has an odd view on things too. I click with basically everyone I meet but his opinion of it is: "If you're friends with everyone, it's like you're friends with no one"... Maybe he's just very picky? It's not good to have unmeetable standards, but it's also not good to have no standards at all. Arsé-kun: Watson: He's trying to solve a rubix cube where a single puzzle piece would suffice. Sheepy: Sherlock: That sounded incredibly intelligent. So intelligent that the meaning was lost on me. Arsé-kun: Watson: He's making it harder than it needs to be. Sheepy: Sherlock: Oh. Sheepy: Sherlock: The only ones who have met his standards are Wilson and you. Arsé-kun: Watson: Wilson is a dog. Sheepy: Sherlock: Wilson will only be nice to me when he wants something. Sheepy: Sherlock: Wilson and Harley are very alike. Arsé-kun: Watson: m-hm. Like master, like dog. Sheepy: Sherlock: Both of them have extremely high standards and will only lower their standards when they feel they need something. Arsé-kun: Watson: ... At least, he did. Sheepy: Sherlock: What do you mean, past tense? Arsé-kun: Watson: He's been staying exclusively with Mycroft and his kids. Sheepy: Sherlock: I noticed that. Sheepy: Sherlock: His mind is very scrambled. Sheepy: Sherlock: The only one he actually recognized was Wilson. Arsé-kun: Watson: He recognized my name, but not who I was. Sheepy: Sherlock: No, that's not it. Sheepy: Sherlock: I mentioned your name to see if he remembered it. Sheepy: Sherlock: Since he didn't seem to recognize us when we walked in. Sheepy: Sherlock: He pointed to everyone in this group and said your name. Arsé-kun: Watson: He tried his best. Arsé-kun: Watson: Either way, from what I've seen, he's been improving. Sheepy: Sherlock: He is. Sheepy: Sherlock: He's still a little clumsy but not as bad as before. Arsé-kun: Watson: M-hm. Shall we check on him, while on the topic? Sheepy: Sherlock: Okay. Arsé-kun: *time to check on him!* Sheepy: *he's petting Wilson. nothing interesting about that.* Arsé-kun: Watson: Good afternoon, Harley. Sheepy: Harley: Good morning. Arsé-kun: Watson: How are you feeling? Sheepy: Harley: Fine. Arsé-kun: Watson: That's good. Sheepy: Harley: *he doesn't seem sure what to say, instead looking down at Wilson again* Arsé-kun: Wilson: *he continues to be a dog* Sheepy: Harley: I don't have anything else to say. Arsé-kun: Watson: That's fine. Sheepy: *Harley begins to get visibly uncomfortable.* Arsé-kun: Watson: Well, Sherlock, he's fine. Sheepy: Sherlock: He doesn't seem social but physically he looks fine, yeah. Arsé-kun: Watson: m-hm. Sheepy: Harley: Why're you talking about me like I'm not here? Arsé-kun: Watson: My apologies. Sheepy: Harley: It's scaring me. Sheepy: Harley: I'm not social because past your names, I know very little about both of you except that you seem familiar. Arsé-kun: Watson: Then why not ask? I'd be perfectly willing to share. Sheepy: Harley: Well, then, tell me about yourself. Arsé-kun: *And so, Watson does, with a decent amount of detail. Not TOO much. Just enough* Sheepy: Harley: So we have very little in common. Arsé-kun: Watson: Sort of. We've lived together, like I've previously mentioned. Sheepy: Harley: Why? Arsé-kun: Watson: Financial assistance, later working together. Sheepy: Harley: Who was assisting whom? Arsé-kun: Watson: I, to both you and Sherlock here. Sheepy: Harley: Why? Arsé-kun: Watson: Because you and he are detectives, and I came along as the doctor and sidekick. Sheepy: Harley: No. Arsé-kun: Watson: No? Ah, that is not what you meant. Why, as in why did you have financial difficulties? Or why, as in why did I assist you? Sheepy: Harley: Supporting two people along with yourself sounds difficult. Arsé-kun: Watson: It was, but it was worth it. Sheepy: Harley: I'm sorry. Arsé-kun: Watson: For? Sheepy: Harley: Putting you through that. Arsé-kun: Watson: It's fine. You're not at fault. Sheepy: Harley: Fault is an abstract concept that at the end of day doesn't matter. Sheepy: Harley: Whether someone is or isn't at fault, it's happened and there's no changing it. Arsé-kun: Watson: A valid point. Sheepy: Sherlock: But the concept of "fault" is used to teach people to learn from their mistakes and change their ways, or to stop people from committing acts like it again. Arsé-kun: Watson: Also a valid point. Sheepy: Sherlock: If you completely disregard fault, while it's easier to sum a situation up as "what's done is done", the real problem is never solved. Arsé-kun: *Watson decides to step back and listen to these two. Arséne is eavesdropping to avoid researching cults* Sheepy: Harley: Okay. Sheepy: Harley: *he points to Arsene* It's Lupin. Sheepy: Harley: He's the one who carried Sherlock out of the car when he got carsick. Arsé-kun: Arséne: Yes, I did. Sheepy: Harley: That's the only time I interacted with you. Arsé-kun: Arséne: Is it? My apologies. Sheepy: Harley: I see. Arsé-kun: Arséne: We'd just been starting to get along, too.. Sheepy: Harley: We aren't fighting. Arsé-kun: Arséne: No, we're not. sheep: Harley: So we're getting along. Arsé-kun: Arséne: Yes, we are. Sheepy: Harley: You sound disappointed. Arsé-kun: Arséne: I'm not, I assure you. Sheepy: Harley; I see. Sheepy: Harley; So we're still getting along. Sheepy: Harley; Meaning you lost nothing... Arsé-kun: Arséne: I suppose so. Sheepy: Harley; So you shouldnt be disappointed. Arsé-kun: Arséne: You're right. Arsé-kun: Arséne: *he seems to brighten up* Sheepy: Harley: *he looks down at Wilson again* Arsé-kun: Arséne: *he kinda just pats Harley's shoulder, and pats Wilson with his other hand. Mutual pats* Sheepy: Harley: *he looks over* Arsé-kun: Arséne: Don't you get tired of sitting inside all day? Sheepy: Harley: Tired? Sheepy: Harley: Why? Arsé-kun: Arséne: You're always looking outside.. Do you want to go out? Sheepy: Harley: Yes. Arsé-kun: *Arséne looks to Watson for permission. Permission is granted!* Arsé-kun: Arséne: Great! Lets go out, Harley! Arsé-kun: *he seems excited* Sheepy: Harley: Okay. Arsé-kun: *they go Outside! Wowza.* sheep: Harley: Where are we going? Arsé-kun: Arséne: Not far. Is there anywhere you'd like to go? Sheepy: Harley: I don't know. Sheepy: Harley: I want to go to a place with squirrels. I like them. Arsé-kun: Arséne: We could visit the park, then. Sheepy: Harley: Is there one nearby? Sheepy: Harley: If so, I want to go there. Arsé-kun: Arséne: It's not too far.. Sheepy: Harley: Okay.

#badlydrawnstuph #Detective AU

[k-itsmaywriting]

Drink Up (Animal Owner!AU)

haha get it because Obi is a cat

More from Magic!AU

Before she even leaves Shidan’s office with Ryuu, Shirayuki is about to burst with excitement.

The door closes behind them, and Obi steps towards them from across the corridor. He greets them with a smile – he must see her shaking too. “You look like you’ve got good news.”

Her grin widens as she rushes towards him. “We’ve got an excursion to Yuris Island!” She can feel the soles of her feet burning as she hops up and down, beaming. “I’ve only ever read about Yuris Island systems in books but I’ve never gotten to see any of them myself.”

“I’m looking forward to learning from them,” Ryuu says. His voice is lighter than usual. Shirayuki’s glad he’s on his toes too. “We can find possibilities for new cures.”

“So when are we leaving?” Obi asks. “And what’s going to happen with your deliveries?”

Shirayuki whips her diary and pen from her bag. “Shidan has organised a ship for us next Sunday, since it’s quite far and my broom only fits one person.” Her mind is racing as fast as her pages turning to the date. “That means I’ll have to let Haki know by tomorrow…” She turns to walk through the halls, pen still scribbling her thoughts into her diary. “I’ll need to prepare a stock of creams for summer rashes and burns in my area, and teas for headaches and flus…”

She feels her bag knock against her thigh as Obi nudges it. “We’ll have to make a nice long visit to the store today, then. We could even get dinner afterwards.” He winks.

Ryuu cringes next to her, but Shirayuki just laughs, blush dusting her cheeks. “Sounds like a plan!”

The spring in Obi’s steps match Shirayuki and Ryuu’s now. “Kind of looking forward to being on a boat for the first time. I’ve been to a lot of places, but the ocean isn’t one of them. You excited, Ryuu?”

He nods. “Definitely.”

“I bet it’ll be wonderful to see the endless seas, feel the wind…” Shirayuki sighs. She can’t wait until next Sunday.

However, it seems to turn out that Obi is not a boat person.

Shirayuki exits the ship cabin, gently lowering the door into the deck behind her. She crosses towards where Kihal, one of Yuris Island’s sea witches, steers the helm. They had only been at sea for about an hour, and Kihal said the weather is a little better than most days, but…

Kihal spots Shirayuki approaching, and politely smiles at her. “How is he feeling?”

Shirayuki locks her fingers tight together, looking down. “Not so good. He’s already thrown up twice, but he’s still getting worse.” She sighs. “I should’ve prepared for this…”

“Don’t worry,” Kihal says. “I have plenty of things stocked in the cabin for this. It’s definitely not the first time this has happened, and it won’t be the last either.”

Kihal leaves the helm towards the ship’s cabin. Shirayuki follows behind, watching the wind lightly catch against the strings of blue and green beads circling around the length of Kihal’s white, wide-brimmed witch hat. It’s the most beautiful hat she’s ever seen – on the mainland they’re usually plain black and store bought, but Shirayuki gets the feeling that Kihal’s is much more special than that.

They descend the ladder into the ship’s cabin. Inside is Ryuu kneeling on the floor, holding cat Obi limply in his arms. He looks up at Shirayuki and Kihal as they step down. “He’s fallen asleep,” he whispers.

Shirayuki reaches her arms out, and Ryuu gently places Obi into hers. She presses the back of her hand on his forehead. He feels a little warmer than usual, and she can see his eyebrows are furrowed as he sleeps, like he’s concentrating on it.

Next to her, Kihal’s hand envelops in a green glow as she pulls it back. A pillow and a blanket follow across the cabin. She sets them on the floor. “He should be fine now that he’s fallen asleep. I can give you medicine now, but if he sleeps for the rest of the trip then I highly doubt you’ll need it.”

She nods. “Okay. Thank you, Ki—“

Obi suddenly gags. He hurls his head over Shirayuki’s arms, but the next thing she knows she’s falling down in a cloud of smoke. She crashes awkwardly on her knees and tumbles on the floor onto a weight that crushes her arms.

The smoke clears after a few seconds, and Ryuu and Kihal rush to her. “Shirayuki, are you okay?!”

Shirayuki opens her eyes, struggling under the weight, only to be see Obi’s side pressing her arms into the wooden floor. “He…he transformed back?!”

Obi jolts to a sit, finally off Shirayuki’s hands. “S…sorry, I just—huuuurgh!”

Kihal extends her hand and shoves an empty barrel to Obi just as he empties more breakfast from his stomach. She grimaces, “I take that back. He’s worse than I thought…”

Obi groans as he falls onto his back, throwing an arm over his eyes.  He grits his teeth, voice croaking, “I’m sorry…”

“Don’t be sorry.” Ryuu places a hand on Obi’s head and pats it. “It just happens.”

“It’s frustrating,” Shirayuki adds as she takes Kihal’s pillow with her free hand and slots it under Obi’s head. “But we’ll take care of you. Kihal has medicine for it.”

“I do have to warn you of some side effects, though.” A desk drawer opens across the room, and two small bottles fly into Kihal’s hands. “The easier option is ginger tea. It’ll settle your stomach, but I can’t guarantee it’ll be full proof. The other one will have your sickness gone in no time, but…”

Obi’s arm slides off his face, and he just manages to tilt his head down to look at Kihal with dreary eyes.

The corner of her mouth twitches. “You will feel very, extremely drunk until you’re off the ship.”

Obi reaches his arm out, hand trembling. “The second one, thank you…”

Shirayuki has never seen Obi drunk, but this doesn’t make her sure of whether or not she wants to.

For the sixth time in an hour, Obi transforms. Smoke envelops the cabin interior, and when it clears human Obi is lying on Shirayuki’s lap. Again. Well, only half his upper body is, and one of his shoulders hangs above the ground. His legs are sprawled on the floor under Kihal’s spare blanket. Shirayuki’s given up on moving his head so he can use her thigh as a pillow long ago.

Kihal sits on her chair across them. She leans forward and places her chin onto her hand, an amused stretched smile across her face. “So, Zen Wisteria defended you in court, huh? I’ve heard he’s one of the best young lawyers around, what was it like?”

“Oh, Zen was greeeaat,” Obi slurs. “The prosecutor was scary, not gon’ lie. But he just…” he waves his hand, “Stood his ground and was like ‘nahhh, he doesn’t needa go to jail! Just give him like 200 hours of comm’ service with the most badass, most beautiful witch in the country. That’ll stop ‘im from trespassing into shops ‘n’ shit for funsies’.”

Shirayuki’s cheeks light on fire, and Kihal laughs. “Well, she’s pretty amazing.”

“Kihal, Miss Sea Witch with the good ass medicine, listen.” Obi holds a finger out. “She is amazing. She knows like, everythin’, and is the kindest person ever. And she’s soooo cute like she does this pouty thing when I tease for not being able to eat spicy food or whatever and her cheeks are so freakin’ squishy and…”

She can see Kihal holding in her laughter. “You know you’re in her lap and that she can hear you, right?”

“Yeah and I wanna kiss her squishy cheek like every day. Kihal, would it be weird if I kissed her squishy cheek?”

Kihal looks back at her. Shirayuki just smiles sheepishly and whispers, “Honestly, I’d rather he do it when his mouth doesn’t reek.”

Once again, smoke erupts from Obi with a pop and fills the cabin, floating out of the open door above them into the midday sky. Obi’s fur tickles Shirayuki’s legs as he breathes quietly, finally asleep.

Ryuu peeks into the cabin from the deck. “Shirayuki, want me to watch him now?”

Shirayuki swaps with Ryuu. For a while she stays alone on the deck, leaning over the ship to watch the waves sway by the ship’s hull.  Kihal comes back up to steer the helm again.

“We’ll arrive at Yuris Island in about half an hour,” she says. “After I show you around town in the afternoon, there’s a special dinner we organised to welcome you. You’ll probably need it after all of…this. And you know, just to make you feel at home.”

Shirayuki spins to face Kihal. “Oh, you don’t have to do that!”

Kihal laughs. “Please, we insist. Unless you all dislike seafood and wine.”

“Obi nooo I’m not that drunk! I can walk by myself! Promise!”

Shirayuki feels her skin warming still – the evening wind feels a little colder than before. It’s probably a light shade of pink, but not that she’d be able to tell anyway with how muddled her head feels.

Obi rolls his eyes and squats, back facing Shirayuki. He holds his arms away from his sides. “Come on. I am not letting you fall on your face two steps out of this feast. It’d be embarrassing for all of us.”

Shirayuki pouts, “Fine. But only because you’re offering.”

She stumbles forward and Obi catches her on his back, quickly standing up. She wraps her arms around his neck and leans into him, resting her head on his shoulder.

Obi turns to Kihal standing by the entrance. “Thank you so much for everything today, Kihal.”

“My pleasure.” Something about Kihal has changed a little. She seems more relaxed compared to when they met this morning, and even a little snarky now. “But we can drop the formalities if you’d like. I’ve already seen both of you out of your minds – I don’t think there’s much distance to be kept anymore.”

Shirayuki beams, “Friend!?”

Kihal’s grin widens, a bubbling laugh escaping her chest. “Friend!”

They wave each other goodnight, promising to meet at 7 in the morning at their stilt house, and Obi piggybacks Shirayuki up the island. The walk is quiet with only the sound of crashing waves far behind them, and Shirayuki’s occasionally drunken mumble.

“…Obiiii.”

“Hmm?”

“Am I too heavy? You must be tired…”

Obi snorts. “I don’t think you have to worry about being heavy. Besides, it’s faster if I carry you – wouldn’t want Ryuu to start worrying about us.”

Shirayuki hums, suddenly lifting her hand. She takes a bit of Obi’s cheek between her thumb and index finger, and squeezes it. “Your cheeks are surprisingly squishy…”

“Not as squishy as yours,” he laughs.

Shirayuki groans. She presses her palm flat against Obi’s cheek, turns it towards her and kisses his other. Obi suddenly stops, staring at the ground, skin burning warmer and warmer under Shirayuki’s hand as she pulls away. “Just admit you’re cute already,” she murmurs.

Obi huffs, but breaks into a wide smile as he props Shirayuki higher up his back and strides up the mountain. “Fine. I am cute. And you win this time, Shirayuki.”

“Always do!”

#obiyukibingo2018 #obiyuki #akagami no shirayuki hime #magic ans au

[k-itsmaywriting]

Nothing More Magical (Obiyuki Kissathon Day 4)

Witch Shirayuki!AU ((pssst Obi is a cat))

Shirayuki closes her eyes as she lies on her bed, listening to the sound of waves turning over each other before crashing into the harbour. Her exhausted arms and legs slowly sink into her mattress until her chest rises and falls calmly in sync with the quiet night. It had been a long day, and she has a big one coming for her tomorrow morning. So for now, she decides, she will—

“Miss? You’ve got another letter.”

She opens her eyes to see the wooden ceiling above her and all her jars of magical herbs floating in the air. She turns her head to the side, and Obi is sitting cross-legged on the floor next to her bed with an unfolded piece of paper in his hand. “Another job?” she asks.

“Sort of.” Obi hands her the piece of paper and watches her read it. “This year’s winter weather has gotten the better of some of Yuzuri’s greenhouse. Her plants might not hold out for much longer, so Shidan has asked you to fly in to help with the experiments if you have time to spare.” He huffs. “It must be pretty tough being a witch doctor and a researcher. It’s your week off right now, too.”

Shirayuki sits up on the bed and raises her hand in the air. A small blue light begins to glow from her palm, drawing in some of the jars scattered around the room until they are right in front of her. She twitches her fingers one by one before reading the labels on the turned jars. “I already have nine deliveries across the country to do tomorrow, the daily area check, plus…” She turns her head and looks at Obi. “I have to be there with you when you go to court at two…”

Obi waves his hand dismissively, “You don’t have to worry about it too much. Shidan, Suzu and Ryu all know how busy you are, especially with my hearing tomorrow.”

“I don’t think I’ll even remember to go to Lyrias afterwards…” she murmurs.

“Oh, come on, Miss. You don’t rely on me that much. I’ve only been your assistant for two months.”

She looks down at him sadly. “But…” She doesn’t want him to go. He might’ve become her assistant under punishment for trespassing into a building at night (for fun, she might add), but they quickly became good friends and partners. They now stuck together like glue. But after all, if he works for her as a punishment, then surely he couldn’t be happier to be free tomorrow…

So instead she sighs and tries to force a smile on her lips. “I guess that means tomorrow will be our last day of work together.” She sends the jars away to their original places and then reaches that hand out towards the top of Obi’s head. “It’s been fun.”

“Miss, what are you—Oh my god, Miss—No—“

Shirayuki giggles as she scratches the centre of Obi’s head, causing a pair of black cat ears to pop up. Obi grits his teeth and clenches his hands in an attempt to stop himself from curving his back and rolling into her fingers. “You’ve been such a good assistant, Obi!”

Obi rolls his eyes and in the next moment a puff of smoke shrouds him from sight. Now with a cat’s smaller form, he jumps through the cloud and lands on the bed next to Shirayuki.

“There’s no use hiding your ears, you know,” Shirayuki says as she rolls over to curl next to Obi. “Besides, they’re very cute.”

“Miss, I am a grown man.”

“Is it so bad that even a grown man such as yourself can’t enjoy cuddles?”

He groans. “No…”

Shirayuki beams as she opens her arms and waits for Obi to crawl into them. When he does, she wraps her arms around him and pulls him closer, nuzzling her face into his fur and pressing a kiss to the top of his head. “Goodnight, Obi,” she purrs.

Winter’s chilly wind whooshes past Shirayuki as she jets above the townscapes of Clarines. She raises her head and takes a peek at the sun in the sky. “Obi, the last place we need to deliver to Northern Flu medicine is Kirito, correct?”

Obi’s head pops out of the hood of Shirayuki’s thick robes. “That’s right, Miss. I just hope he’ll be in bed this time—Ah, shit!” He screams, “Bird! Straight ahead!”

Shirayuki lowers her head and sees a bird flying straight towards them. She screams, holds on to her pointy hat and drops the broom’s height down a few metres. After the short turbulence, she sighs with relief. “Thanks for the warning, Obi.”

“It hasn’t stopped beating,” Obi blurts.

She turns around. “What was that?”

“My heart.”

They arrive at Kirito’s house a few minutes later and drop off his medicine by his window. For the next few hours after that they fly around a smaller area near the east of Clarines’ capital past the citizen’s houses and windows looking for anyone who could be sick. To their pleasant surprise, nobody had called them down that day.

“Looks like everyone else is doing well. That’s a good sign!” Shirayuki exclaims. “So, I guess the next thing on our to-do list is…” Her voice trails off. The broom slows down just a little as she turns the tip towards the town’s courthouse. “If we make it in time, you’ll get to be freed a little earlier than expected, Obi…”

Obi sits in her hood, staring off into the space behind her and watching the fading trails the broom had left behind. “Don’t worry, Miss,” he says with a flat voice, “I’ll come visit.”

She hopes so. “You don’t have to if you don’t want to…” She sniffles quietly and rubs her welling tears onto her sleeve.

An uncomfortable silence rings between them. All they hear is the harsh wind in their ears, and the sound is not as pretty as their voices to each other.

“You know, Miss,” Obi finally turns around to look at the back of Shirayuki’s hat. “The first thing I noticed about you, well, besides your pretty face, was that you had a hood on your cloak and a hat. I’ve actually been meaning to ask why that was.”

With a chuckle escaping from her throat, she answers, “Zen told me before you came that I was in charge of keeping a certain cat in check, and that he would be my assistant for his community and service hours.” She turns her head around and smiles. “I was wondering how this little kitty would travel with me on my broom, and then I thought I’d buy myself a hat so he could use my hood for warmth. My bag had too many things in it, after all.”

Obi begins to laugh. “I thought you were just making a sort of fashion statement, Miss!”

“My cloak is too cool,” she pouts, “Officer Sakaki can’t arrest me for that!”

Shirayuki lands her broom in front of the courthouse. Obi hops out of her hood onto the ground while she dismounts, and he transforms back into his human form with a poof of smoke. Just as they turn towards the doors to enter, Zen jogs out of the courthouse towards them. “Shirayuki! Obi!”

“Zen?” Shirayuki blinks. “Shouldn’t you be inside?”

He laughs with a shrug. “Big deal. You guys are early anyways.”

Obi stuffs his hands into his pockets while Zen turns around next to him and begins guiding him into the courthouse. “So, who’s going to be my judge today?”

Zen looks at him, puzzled. “…Judge Haruka, obviously. Same as last time.”

“I just hoped that by some sort of miracle he would be sick today,” Obi groans and throws his head back in frustration.

Shirayuki pats Obi’s back. “Don’t worry, I’ll tell them that you’ve done every single task I’ve assigned you, and that you’ve done them absolutely wonderfully.”

Zen snorts, “This guy?”

“I’ll have you know I am an excellent witch’s assistant. I’m a cat, it’s in my DNA.”

“You know I’m joking. Well, I’ve done my part by reducing your jail time to community and service,” Zen reminds him. “Good luck, you two. I believe in you guys.”

While Shirayuki and Obi enter the courtroom, Zen remains outside and sees them off with a reassuring smile and wave.

“It looks like you’re a free cat now, Obi.”

As they exit the courtroom he takes a look at Shirayuki who stares straight ahead of her. It seems to Obi that she has gotten used to the fact Obi isn’t her assistant anymore. Perhaps she is still sad, but a hunch tells him she’s not going to give him a tearful goodbye anymore. Well, not that he really wants her to cry…

Just in front of the doors to the outside, they spot Mitsuhide and Kiki standing together. Shirayuki calls out to them, and the two of them run straight towards them.

“Shirayuki! Obi! It’s been a while!” Mitsuhide beams. “I heard from Zen that the hours are over.”

“Sure are,” they both nod and confirm together, to their surprise.

Kiki smiles. “It looks like these two months have brought you two quite close together.”

“S-speaking of which,” Shirayuki stumbles, “Where is Zen?”

“He’s defending in another court hearing right now,” Kiki replies. “This one stole a bunch of crystals from a staff manufacturer.”

Mitsuhide sighs, “Forenzo was not impressed.”

“Shirayuki!”

Everyone quickly turns towards the door to see them burst open. A broom lands abruptly and Suzu’s feet skid on the floor. “Shirayuki! I’m really sorry, I know you’ve had a busy day but we really need more people at the research lab right now! The experiment is at a really vital stage right now and we need as many brains as we can get!”

“O-oh!” Shirayuki nods hastily and begins to follow him out. “I’ll be right there!” She turns around to the others before jumping on her broom. “I’ll see you guys later!” And with that she begins to fly off with Suzu.

Mitsuhide, Kiki and Obi are left inside the courtroom staring out, then at each other.

“How does it feel, Obi?” Kiki asks, “To not get a goodbye kiss from Shirayuki?”

“I am going to live the rest of my life wishing that Suzu got lost for at least an extra five minutes just so I might get at least a hug.”

“Well,” Mitsuhide adds, “I guess that means you’ll have to hug her, not the other way around.”

Both Obi and Kiki turn to him. “Mister Mitsuhide, you are an…”

Ryuu inches the plant seed in the clamp towards the molten crystal in the steaming beaker, gripping his fingers on the edge of the bench to keep his face from getting to close to the flame. Shirayuki, Suzu, Yuzuri and Shidan all crowd behind him, watching closely for the exact moment.

Inside the molten crystal, a bubble suddenly pops. All three researchers shout at once, “Now!!”

He swiftly places the seed inside the small gap, leaving half the seed in the outside. The cheers and clapping that erupt behind him is enough indication that it was a success, as well as the plant roots that slowly seep through the crystal.

“Ryuu! We did it!” Shirayuki pulls him into their group hug and then turns her head, “Obi we—!“ She freezes.

After their in-the-moment celebrations, Yuzuri returns to Lyrias’ greenhouse while the others begin to write their report on the bench. While Shirayuki hooks her lab coat onto the hangar at the other side of the room, Ryuu suddenly taps her shoulder.

“Shirayuki, I’m sorry we had to call you in so suddenly. We were…” he hesitates, “just concerned that something might go wrong, or if we forgot something.”

Shirayuki lets out a puff of a sigh from her chest. “Don’t worry about it. I’m happy I got to see the end of the experiment! If anything, I would’ve been a little upset if you didn’t call me in.”

Ryuu gulps, building up courage. “Shirayuki, is…everything okay?”

When she tilts her head with confusion, Ryuu’s gaze points to her side, the empty space where Obi had been. He stumbles, “Ah—well, I just thought…it’s not like you to not use your telekinesis for things like putting your coat away…”

She knows Ryuu was referring to Obi, but forces a smile anyway. “I’m fine! Just a little tired from all the deliveries today. I saw Kirito was well enough to bring his own breakfast up today.”

“So, do you…want to go home for today? Suzu and I will write up the report and we’ll give it to you to look over tomorrow.”

For a while she considers against it, but eventually nods her head slowly. “I think I’ll go home today. Thanks, Ryuu. Tell Suzu and the others I said thanks as well.”

Before Ryuu can say anything else, Shirayuki begins to step away towards the door, then out of the laboratory.

Shirayuki trudges through the door to her apartment. As soon as she steps in, the glass jars all over her floor begin to rise into the air, but she shakes her head and fans her hand down until the gently set onto the wooden floor. She closes the door behind her and tiptoes to her bed, throwing herself on top of her blankets and burying her face into it.

She turns her head to lie on her cheek. On top of her sheets she spots strands of black cat hair, and some strands of her own red. Ugh, how she wants to kick herself. She didn’t even say goodbye! She just…flew off to do the experiment and then proceeded to forget that he was even gone and she was so angry and sad at herself—

There is a mew at the window.

Shirayuki throws herself off the bed and looks at the window. Sitting on the sill outside is a black cat. She gasps and rushes to the window, her feet kicking over a bunch of jars on the way before she pulls the window open. “Obi!” she screams.

The cat remains unfazed by her outburst, instead licking its paw. Shirayuki’s hand drags down the edge of the window and falls to her side. She instead watches it and asks, “Are you cold? Do you want to come inside?”

It jumps off the sill into Shirayuki’s room. She faces out her window to close it again, staying there to stare out into the sky. Behind her on the floor she hears the soft clink of glass against wood and turns around, but before she can she sees smoke and golden eyes emerging as two arms wrap tightly around her.

“Did you miss me, Miss?”

Shirayuki stands frozen in place while Obi presses a soft kiss into her shoulder. His arms are so, so warm around her and she just wants to fall down and lie with him just like they did the night before and—

Obi’s hands suddenly drop to her waist and he tickles her. A squeal jumps from Shirayuki’s chest as she doubles over and backs into him, shutting her eyes tightly and laughing under his fingers. “Obi, you idiot! Why didn’t you say anything when I called you?!”

“You didn’t recognise me! I’m so offended!”

She gasps, “I did! I called your name and you didn’t do anything so I thought it wasn’t you!” She breathes sharply when Obi lets go of her and steps back. “But what are you…” she turns around. “What are you doing here? I thought…you’re free now.”

“I am,” he says. “And that means I’m free to choose to do whatever I want now. So, I decided to stay here. Forever.”

Shirayuki’s eyes widen, and Obi just flashes a wide grin, “If I really did have nine lives, I would fall in love with you nine times over.”

#obiyukikiss #obiyuki #akagami no shirayuki hime #hahahahahh the last bit is so corny pls punch me #im actually rly proud of this idea!! #i thought it was cute so i wrote this instead #it's silly #but cute #sorry it's kinda rough i just finished it #magic ans au