caramelcuniculus

[caramelcuniculus]

“Hwah?” Yellow eyes dilated as William’s figure fixed into view. Almost being ran over was an easy way to overstimulate the senses, and he only managed to get more shaken up once the new atmosphere and new stranger were in perfect vision. Hassel knew what it was like to be somewhere new in an almost immediate amount of time. Hassel also knew that this change of scenery was anything but ordinary.

“Alright… I think I’m far from alright.” The art teacher was standing on a street he’d never seen, with someone he’d never met. However, William seemed to be the most normal… wait.

“Is that a halo on your head? No, I’m sorry. I must be delirious.” Hassel rose a hand to his forehead, pressing his palm into it. Hard. “I… very much almost died. So, no, I cannot say I’m alright.”

Yes, Hassel was merely losing his mind. That was all. The art teacher was usually so collective, but this was beyond madness. “Is there somewhere to sit? Please?”

@caramelcuniculus ❤ Liked for a Starter

ꕥ✧∘* "Woah...! Dude, are you alright?" The Vanium asked in a concerned tone, looking over the frazzled state of the human before him.

He genuinely looked like a fish out of water, then again--he did almost get hit by a car. That'd throw anyone off! Especially him--!

ꕥ✧∘* "You uh, need any help?"

[caramelcuniculus]

Hi, it's me again. I hope y'all didn't miss me too much! Hdskjdhjs but anyways, I wanted to pop in and say that I'll be coming back from my hiatus now! Things will still be on the slower side so I apologize for that, but I won't be completely away. Now, a part of the reason why I stepped away to begin with was because I felt I had given myself too much on my plate. So... I'm going to have to cut some things off. I'm going to be clearing out my inbox and I'll be DMing those whom I'm in threads with to see if they'd be alright in dropping or continuing if they would really like to. In a perfect world, I would be able to continue all my threads, but I simply don't think that's doable at the moment. :,) But anyways! I'm glad to be back and I'll be sending those messages out shortly! Thank you very much for your patience!

[caramelcuniculus]

Hey everybody. This isn't an easy post to make, but it's been a long time coming at this rate I believe. I'm putting my blog on hiatus. There are too many things going on in my life at the moment that I have to be there for, and here cannot be as much of a priority as it once was. I don't know when I'll be back, either. I do want to say thank you, from the bottom of my heart. Everyone I've been able to meet and roleplay with have been such a blast and I'm happy to have met every single one of you. I hope I can come back some day, but I have to focus on me first. That's just... how it is. So once again, thank you so much, and I'll see you around!

[caramelcuniculus]

It would be a lie to say that Venomous' refusal of a handshake deterred Lucifer's mood a little. On one hand, he should consider being shot down like that rude, but on the other, he wondered if this was a side effect to his awkwardness that would make sense, even for the King of Hell's standards. Lucifer decided to follow suit and hold his arms behind his back, too. Because if they couldn't be shook, what good were they?!

Venomous' fun facts were… definitely fun, to say the least! If caught quick enough, Lucifer's slight wince would've absolutely been noticeable. Maybe he should've expected this. Not with Venomous previously refusing a handshake, but the fact that both of them had to be invited here for some reason. Lucifer supposed that reason was villainy, because of course it would be. There aren't a lot of good things to be said about someone with the title of 'King of Hell,' but Lucifer always felt he was a lot better than what the position gave off. He wasn't some terrifying beast, he was nothing more than a neat, nice guy. Granted, Venomous hadn't the slightest idea of this, and if things kept going his way, he never would. Being the King of Hell always managed to put a dent into first impressions. Always.

Lucifer's hand rose to rub his chin, taking in the dangerous details Venomous bestowed onto him. Was it really that wise to be so specific with someone you just met? Or did Venomous simply not care enough? If it were the latter, even Lucifer would have to silently commemorate him on his openness. "That's fun," Lucifer blurted out, presenting somewhat of a grin. "I'm not too much of a mech expert myself, so I'm glad to see you and this Lord Boxman handling it quite well." Lucifer assumed it was a well-off business, anyways… If it wasn't, the King of Hell wouldn't think Venomous would be speaking of it as nonchalantly as he currently was. Lucifer knew he wouldn't if he was in his shoes.

That sort of life couldn't be too bad, when Lucifer gave it more thought. It wasn't like Venomous and the Lord of Boxes were actively going out of their way to stir up trouble. If anything, they were watching their patrons do all the dirty work while making a profit back from the chaos. It was kind of like his own profession, with less confusion on what exactly you were doing. A mechanical supplier was smack-dab on the title, while King of Hell had so many implications that it constantly threw Lucifer into states of distress. What would happen if the two of them switched spots, even for one day?

… Seemed Lucifer had trailed off as well, but Venomous' mention of their business card and… something else, managed to snap the King of Hell back to reality. "I'd love a card, actually!" He wasn't sure what he would do with it, but its got to be a nice thing to have.

And now onto that quieter comment. Lucifer leaned in with a squint a curved lips. "And what is this of glowing orbs? What else is there to you that you're not telling?"

Handshakes are a typical request - a standard, even. And yet, his eyes fall towards Lucifer's hand, pausing briefly, and then folding his arms behind his back. A 'pleasure.' Formalities. He has had enough of these fake niceties - heck, his patience for them worn down long ago.

"...Fun facts," he echoed. Certainly a way to ask what PV offers. Unless Lucifer here is being serious? ...Couldn't be. "I majorly work and study in bioengineering and biochemistry, along with co-running Boxmore - factory that creates robots and weapons for fellow villains - with the founder, Lord Boxman. Together we create high-quality bots and weaponry that can be shipped right to your doorstep..." He takes in a deep breath after droning on. "...I have a card with our numbers if you require it. I recommend leaving the technology questions to Boxman. If you want to inquire about my work or the... 'glowing orb' deals... well, knock yourself out." Figuratively. Though, literally doing that might finally give this party some life, and hopefully means less time PV has to talk.

[caramelcuniculus]

the human mind is truly incredible . // from Shuji to Adachi! focused on these two from the dynamics you suggested, and while I'm unfamiliar with Adachi I think they could have a neat dynamic!! Shuji probably travels often and him being so social, it's not off to strike up a conversation in Junes or smth while Adachi is on break with any of these(?) I'm open to improv'ing or plotting, depends on how you wanna answer these! (which btw, no worries on answering all of them! this is the 'throw pasta at the wall and see what sticks' technique lol!)

Junes was one of those places that Adachi managed to find some peace in the world. Sure it was a supermarket of sorts, still with a handful of people wondering through the isles at this late hour, but what were you going to do about it? Hell, for the first time in awhile, Adachi was coming here to do the decent thing and get groceries for himself. The detective usually spent his time within Junes simply idling around. It wasn't like he had anything better to do whenever he wasn't stuck at work.

The same could be said about the new fellow that approached him, an aura surrounding him being unreadable. Still, as a detective, he had to be somewhat skeptical of everything he came across. Even in this case, where a seemingly well-off man had come before him speaking nothing but sophistication. Did this guy mistake him for someone else, or was he a lonely scientist type and needed anyone to listen to him? Adachi gave Shuji's figure a good look-over; a scientist indeed, right? But what was one of those doing in Junes?

Adachi's eyes blinked, opting to stare at the stranger for a few seconds longer before letting out a tut. "That's one way of opening up to a new acquaintance." Yes, because truth be told, Adachi was already somewhat enthralled by Shuji's… everything. The detective was sure he hadn't seen him around before, so why not get on a possible genius' good side? "Though I gotta admit, the human mind is definitely a spectacle. You never really know what its going to give you, or what it'll give anyone else for that matter."

With a sigh, Adachi fixed his posture and offered Shuji a hand to shake. "That makes you some master of the mind, then? Huh! Its my pleasure, sir!"

[caramelcuniculus]

Hello everybody! I wanted to do a quick status update real quick and say I am so so so so so sorry for vanishing out of the blue and not keeping up to my replies. I was taking a mental health break essentially when my school's Spring Break came around last week and I haven't gotten around to doing... anything. I haven't forgotten about all the things people have been sending me and threads and such and I'll be getting to those as soon as I can :> Thank you very much for your patience, from the bottom of my heart.

[caramelcuniculus]

Pokemon Horizon is already starting to scratch my brain....... help

[caramelcuniculus]

With a soft burst of laughter, while Robin's eyes remained fixed in a n almost ferocious way. It intrigued Carmine, to say the least. Many suitors might have been thrown off by it, but fortunately for the two of them, that wasn't why the knight was here. Both of them could settle with this distance between their duties, to hide away for even a few moments to reach some place of peace. Robin was hiding much about herself, wasn't she? Well, not that it was the knight's business, but Carmine loved being nosy. Maybe this would let both of them learn even more than what they both current present on the surface.

It was almost like a game. A fun game, though. No stakes were apparent here, so long as Robin kept her word. 'I won't tell if you don't.'

Carmine whistled quietly, giving a fast nod. "I'm not telling a soul. I think I'd get in more trouble than you if I even had the thought. I don't, by the way. Just in case you were fretting over the slightly possibility." It would be a mutual secret, then. I twas a high honor to conceal something like this, and far more dangerous with it being kept and shared with a noble. High risk, high reward? Even just a little time pulled away was worth it in Carmine's mind.

With Robin's request, the knight quickly obeyed. Her head turned to gaze at the local area for a final time, scanning for unwanted eyes, then retreated behind the screen. She sat herself with such grace that the display made it hard to believe she was a mere knight. Concealed eyes blinked at Robin, only to look off to the side. "That does sound deathly boring. At the very least, you've got me here, and I can guarantee some of my stories will entertain you."

Carmine's head snapped back to Robin. "I'm absolutely sure of it! Now, I just need to figure out which of my stories would be the best to share…" While the knight had plenty of instances she could recall in a split moment, Carmine didn't want to tell Robin a horribly brutal one. Truth be told, that was going to be a challenge. Carmine was one of the best knights there was, always charging into battle headfirst. She had no fear, no second guesses, and that brought her praise upon praise.

These stories would not only leave a bad taste in the noble's mouth, but on her own tongue. She could almost taste the blood spilled on those days and many other days. What to do…

Carmine had closed her eyes to concentrate, but she'd gone a long while being through the conflicting path of Memory Lane. Maybe she fell asleep? Or maybe-- "I've got it!" The lighter memory struck her as fast as lightning, yellow eyes flying open. A wide smile formed, both due to this rediscovery and the memory itself.

"You should know the life of a knight isn't the easiest. Most of what one sees is very hard to stomach. However, there is one story that always warms my heart." Carmine took a deep breath before continuing. "It was one of our own kingdom's inhabitants. A raiding group, or something of that sort, swept into one of the farthest towns and brought hell with them. Us knights eventually made it to the scene and pushed back the gang. The town was safe, but that didn't mean it wasn't left in ruin."

The knight's head lowered solemnly. "Everything was in some sort of disrepair, but that didn't mean everything was shrouded in despair. In fact, this story follows myself helping a young woman, similar to my age. Who was frozen from fear. She worried for her life… but I assured her that I would look after her. I stayed awake throughout the few nights I spent with her, while the town was being put back together. Despite myself being the knight, this woman tended to my wounds and kept me fed. She didn't have to do anything like that, but I like to see it as a shared, mutual bonding."

Carmine straightened herself up, then sighed. "This was a few months ago. She is alright now, and on occasion, I visit her. Just to make sure she remains in good health and good spirits." The knight sighed and shook her head with melancholy. "Humanity can be found even at the worst times. That was what I learned. And I, for one, think that's beautiful."

In all honesty- Robin was tied between worlds. On one hand, she enjoyed the life of nobility, being able to consume and create art, wearing fine things and relaxing. But on the other end, she liked being a shrine maiden, speaking with the kami and performing the rites. Both ends were somewhat peaceful.

Deep down, despite her happiness, she did sometimes yearn for adventure. To cut her long hair, remove the hair pieces and jewels, shed her dozens of layers of silk to instead wear more breathable fabrics. To bind her chest and race into the forests, slaying demons, made into some folkhero.

Carmine's feminine side mixing with the responsibility of knighthood was a distant dream the shrine maiden doubted she'd find. Yet here she was. Perhaps Carmine would allow Robin to hear fabulous stories of warfare and chivalry.

A laugh came from the wolf-girl when such a joke was made, but her sharp eyes did not soften much. If anything, they burned with a fire that had scorched many suitors into silence.

"I won't tell if you don't. Please, sit beside my screen. I want to hear stories of your achievements. It's so boring, just watching you all dance while I cannot show my face!"

[caramelcuniculus]

The young chef had generally been wondering how exactly Winter worked. He was made of pure ice and snow, then? If he was so insistent on not trusting Crispin with his flames. The king's stresses were definitely misplaced, unless again, winter was what kept his form together. That was a hypothesis in itself! But Crispin didn't need to out-science himself already. They haven't even done anything yet! All he knew was that his Pokemon wouldn't be seeing the snowy spotlight. Man!

Chemistry, really?! How dare the noble compare their medium to-- hey! Crispin had to add speed to their step, trying to catch up with Winter. Now he was acting rather rude… The fire-type trainer let out a loud sigh. "You know what I mean. The chemistry with all the chemicals and super-specific mixing!" Crispin held their hands at their sides, forming them into aggravated fists. Now this was probably not going to be much fun! Double man!

Crispin's face fell. "Oscillating reaction?" The chef wouldn't lie, the king's description sounded kind of… cool? Crispin liked remarkably artistic things. That descriptor could apply to plenty of the meals Crispin had made recently. Truly, he's honing in on his craft. But he knew Winter wasn't taking him to cook. Crispin had absolutely no idea what an oscillating reaction was. Would it be wise of the Winter King to put that sort of experiment in the hands of someone completely clueless?!

Winter claimed a child younger than him could do this. He better keep true to his word.

As the two walked, Crispin wouldn't spare themself the sight of the surrounding Winter Kingdom. Everything was so cool and blue… an entire contract to their fiery persona! Still, it was nice. A pretty sight for sure. Now Crispin was wondering if there could ever be a Fire Kingdom… wouldn't that be-- oh, they're here already. Hazel eyes blinked at the self-opening doors and followed Winter inside.

Look around… don't mind if he do! Crispin walked away from Winter to look at some of the high-tech gadgets looked so cool… He was starting to-- "Explode?!" The young chef jumped at the mention, snapping his head at the snowy noble. Hazel eyes stared, then he stepped away from the equipment. "Okay then!" Crispin rose a quick hand behind his neck. "So… now what?"

"No, no, much better than that." Though science-fiction poems do sound fun. Maybe they can examine some of those another time. He listens to the child go on about his strange team--whatever that means--and wonders whether he might have made a mistake in dealing with a child who has a team full of fire-wielding beasts...

"Love melting me, perhaps!" Winter jokes with one of his hearty 'ahahaha!' laughs, in part to cover his nervousness about the possibility of flames. He pays absolutely no attention to the boy's appropriately childish protests. Children always think they're much more capable than they actually are. It's a fair assumption for them to make; with how often they're underestimated, it may seem to them that they can do nearly anything that an adult tells them they can't, or shouldn't. Though Winter is quite the free spirit, he is not reckless enough to let a child accidentally blow himself up during a science experiment by throwing out too much firepower.

"Cooking is science, young Crispin! Chemistry, in fact! This should be perfect, then. Nothing too complicated. Walk with me!" The Winter King commands, not even bothering to look back and check whether the boy is actually doing as he's told. He just keeps walking and talking, as if the possibility of Crispin's free will to refuse doesn't exist. "I think you will enjoy creating an oscillating reaction. They're quite mesmerizing to behold, and with the advanced technology of my lab, making something remarkably artistic will be so simple, even a child could do it! A child younger than you, that is."

Of course, under normal conditions, creating these reactions takes an awfully long time. The addition of magic will speed things along so that they can do more than just stand around waiting for chemical reactions to begin. He wants to foster interest, not boredom. Thankfully, the laboratory isn't far away, and they're approaching it in no time! The doors open themselves immediately as Winter nears them. So convenient! "Here we are! Feel free to look around, but don't touch anything yet. We wouldn't want you to explode!"

[caramelcuniculus]

" could be worse, but i'm judging. " / marcy. :)

"Isn't it supposed to be that you're not judging?"

The Vampire Queen had a somewhat disappointed look on her face. Tharja would always be one to judge. Marceline was quickly becoming aware that the mage wasn't the kindest presence. Not that it bothered Marceline too much. In fact, LSP remained one of her closest friends despite her inflated ego and overall bitchiness. Good for her, and good for Tharja! But only when it didn't inflict her. This was not it.

Marceline looked at the highly-held bass in her possession. It wasn't hurting her or anything, so what was the real harm of playing this way? Finn and Jake tried talking her down from it (with some success), but that was… definitely a day that happened. Marceline held the doubt anything like that would happen again. Ever happen again.

She rolled her eyes as a smirk started to form. "Are you thinking I can't do it? 'Cause I'm going to do it. You just have to give me sometime to get used to it." Marceline spent some time smirking at Tharja to staple her point. Then enough silence passed.

"Some tiiiime to get used to it."

[caramelcuniculus]

Chie was typically one for competition. Whether it be at some games or food-eating contests, Chie wanted to be at the top of her game. Why shouldn't she be? She has to give everything her all! It wouldn't be the same if she didn't do that. She wouldn't really be herself at all. If these past few months had taught her anything, it was that she had to embrace her true self. This was her true self! Strong and pure of heart!

But being strong and pure of heart didn't make her detective material. It didn't put Chie in these serious, potentially life-threatening situations. The life of Shirogane Naoto was a dangerous one. The life of Satonaka Chie was not… for the most part. It wasn't fair to Shirogane to compare the two of them even in the slightest bit.

"No, we shouldn't." Chie was about to apologize again, but kept her mouth shut. The two of them returned to silence, right there in the food court. A place founded by precision and planning now saturated in a state of peace. It was strange, but it wasn't bad. Different could be good sometimes! This was one of the good times, even if this meeting with Shirogane was starting off rocky.

Then, the detective's question arrived. Chie looked at her, dumbfounded, lost t what that meant and what it could mean. "My future?" It was a hard ask, especially when Chie wasn't sure she could answer it. She mostly stared at Shirogane for a time, then closed her eyes in the detective's presence. "My future…"

Some time to think passed and Chie's eyes opened. Her features looked mature, serious, but still containing that Chie charm. "I'll be honest with you, I'm not entirely sure at the moment. I had a few thoughts before, but then everything with the shadows and TV World popped up and turned, well, everything on my head. To keep it short, I'll have to think on it more. For now, I'll be sticking to school. What else can I really do, huh?"

Chie's face softened slightly. "Do you have plans with continuing your detective work, or are we in the same, undetermined boat?"

For something as simple as a cautiously worded affirmation, Satonaka seemed delighted. “Well, detective work brings about a unique kind of stress.” She didn’t wish to downplay the stresses of assignments and exams, especially when it had been coupled together with a murder case and a lesson in acknowledging the thoughts you wished to lock away. It simply occupied a different category. “But we shouldn’t treat it as a competition.”

She’d heard the lengths people went to when it became a competition about who had it worse, and while it wasn’t difficult to tune it out, Naoto couldn’t deny there was something aggravating about it. She certainly wasn’t going to take Satonaka up on a competitive lap around the Samegawa or see who could eat the most, but hearing about those inane ideas was much more tolerable.

She looked around. With the case concluded, there wasn’t much of a reason to gather at the food court, but Naoto supposed it was for old time’s sake she was dragged here. After this year, Narukami would move back. The others would focus on assignments, careers, prepare for exams. Grow up, essentially.

“Have you figured out what you want to do in the future?”

@caramelcuniculus continued from here

[caramelcuniculus]

" the human mind is truly incredible. " / fr. melina. in the driest tone ever.

Tharja's tone was not something the musician could distinguish genuine from sarcasm. Melina had a feeling, a current sentiment at that, but she wanted to hold out and give the mage the benefit of the doubt. This was mostly how Tharja typically spoke anyways, or that was the impression the musician was getting. Deep breaths, Melina.

Breath blew beautifully from her lips as she lowered her head to decipher Tharja's comment. Was she not one satisfied with humans? Or was she so dejected by them that they were a subject of some sort of study? It was puzzling, with no better word to describe it. The sentiment was one to make her smile slightly as she rose her head to face Tharja, but then it froze and shattered upon an overlooked deduction. What a fool she's been in her own thoughts!

"It is, it is," Melina started, looking at the mage with narrowed eyes. "Human I may, not even I know its true depths and potential. But really, does anyone?" The musician nervously chuckled, an unease aura enveloping Melina. Not so much Tharja. She must know the meanings of her words. A wise mage as she makes no mistakes.

"Are… are you human?" It was a very odd, but honest question, and due to her tense features, Melina was expecting an honest answer.

[caramelcuniculus]

Now that the tiger thought about it, Bianca wasn't sure she'd ever seen V before. Not that it'd be an issue, but it would explain why V was potentially shaken up by her appearance. Was she really the reason? No, V would more than likely try running away from her. Guess this was something the tiger was going to have to figure out… respectfully!

"You sure, glimmer?" Bianca took a careful step forward, keeping the softest of looks on her features. "I don't want to pry, not at all, but you seem out of it. From what I can tell, at the very least." Another step forward. "Any thoughts you wanna talk about? It might clear your mind."

The tiger shouldn't do this. If anyone had a developed sense of understanding boundaries, it was Bianca. Maybe she hadn't fully learned them yet. Maybe that was why she wasn't leaving. Maybe that only made her worry more. Bianca wouldn't be stepping away now unless V verbally instructed her to.

"If you really need to talk, you can always come to cousin Bianca!"

"Huh?"

V was snapped out of her fear-induced silence by the sound of someone speaking to her, and stopped staring off into space almost immediately. However, it wasn't N or that purple thing, or any drone whose voice she recognized. It was a... uhh... animal person?

Not the weirdest thing she's seen, but okay.

"O-Oh, yeah. I'm fine." Lies. "Just got lost in thought for a second there."

[caramelcuniculus]

Slimon's joy wasn't something to take for granted. Even through small hiccups like the problem the king presented, Slimon would surely turn around, wouldn't he? It made him cherish the last bit of positivity from the slime-Simon as much as he could. Winter wanted to think better, that all of their planning wasn't about to nosedive from one white-haired lie. Thinking got him nowhere; the snowy noble knew better. And he received his answer for his dishonesty in nothing but Slimon's dropped smile.

He didn't have to go any further, but he did. And the slimy friend had all the right. What lingered in Winter's mind now was how well they were going to take Simon's response back.

Hug, hugging. Hugging was good! Slimon was always a cuddly type, but Winter assumed he wouldn't be doing this if he was really angry. Had the nobility dodged a bullet? Maybe he could slide through this, just this once. And then the two of them could have their party and Winter would never, ever, ever--

'You're a really bad liar.' No they weren't. Were they? Winter's features almost literally melted off their cold face. Frozen instead, their emotion were laid on full display. Guess they'd been beat, with facts and logic no less! "Ah…" Winter's eyes darted to both sides. He felt… bad. Trust him, if he could avoid lying in this case, he would've went with the truth. Well, if it regarded anything but the status of the Candy Queen. Yes, the Candy Queen, because that was who she was now. Strange, deranged and anything in that range. It was like a song they would've loved to profess, about the evils of the candy culprit for many of their kidnappings. They couldn't do that now. Not with Slimon. Not with any Simon.

And yet, the skater's arms still embraced him. Did he know? Did he already figure it out? If he saw past his lie, he very well could see right through the rest of him. And, well, how disturbing would that be? How disgusting would Winter be in his eyes? It was a reality the king wanted to avoid, but he's found himself stepped on its center stage. What an idiot he was.

What ingenious, stupid idiots the Simons were. The whole bunch.

Winter sighed. Maybe they should give this one last shot. "Bonnie has… lost herself. She isn't what she's supposed to be. Not anymore. Now, she parades around as a sorceress named the Candy Queen. She's been harassing me for ages now…"

Winter didn't lie. He didn't lie! But he wasn't telling the truth. How funny and fitting words could be?

"I don't want you to get involved with her, sweet Slimon, which is why we cannot invite her to our party." Silence swayed the pressure in the air, especially in the king's system. They told their slimy self all they could. Wasn't that enough? "I am sorry."

"Three whole floors!?" That sounds amazing! Slimon is very excited to be able to share such an amazing experience with Winter, and with Winter's versions of his own friends and family. He is less excited, however, to hear the news of Bonnibel. She can't come? Because of her plans? Because she can't handle the cold?

"Aw man... Winter..." Slimon frowns, clearly disappointed by the news. He snakes his slimy arms further around the king, one of them wrapping around the arm which has its hand resting on Slimon's shoulder. Seeking additional surface area for comfort, perhaps? He looks up at them again, a lazy grin slowly returning to his face as his arms hold him a little tighter. "You know my world wasn't always slime, right?"

He stays silent for a few pointed moments, allowing that realization--and what it means for them--to sink in. He knows more than he lets on, and even his slime-frazzled brain is capable of spotting a lie this obvious.

"I can be absentminded these days, but I'm not stupid, and you're a really bad liar. Candy people do just fine in the cold. It helps them stay solid, like it does with me." Flexible arms, firm despite their softness, squeeze just a bit harder. Not threatening, but insistent. Slimon is not fond of being treated as though he's stupid, or being left in the dark about matters he wishes to understand; a trait which most Simons share, in his limited experience. Simon is a man defined in part by his thirst for knowledge of the unknown, and the lengths to which he will go to achieve it.

"Is she different in your world? Did something bad happen?" Perhaps this Bonnibel never forgave Winter for his kidnapper-y past? Or maybe she was killed or irrevocably changed in one of Ooo's many... incidents. As much as Slimon is grateful for the element of slime overtaking his world (it allowed him to live without the crown, after all), it did have its negative effects, and not everyone has survived. Despite his carefree nature, he is very much familiar with tragedy. "It's okay, I won't be mad."

[caramelcuniculus]

Drayton was strolling through the Savannah biome, stopping only when he smelled something delicious. And already he was changing course to check it out, and maybe annoy Crispin a little while he was at it. "Yo! Flavor Town! Cooking up something good as usual?"

The Savanna biome possessed such a sizzling vibe to it that always put Crispin at ease. That was a given; the young chef was fully affiliated with these parts! Still, the sandy, yet not too sandy terrain kept the peace in his otherwise fiery heart. It was good to have instances to merely vibe…

That is, until Drayton yet again drew him out of his food-cooking daydreaming. Maaaaan!

Crispin gasped similarly to that of being caught at a crime scene. Then, he let out the loudest of groans. Not Drayton again, coming to rain on his parade. As always. How did the dragon-type trainer always manage to do that? Crispin may not have hated him, but it was really tempting sometimes. Sometimes. Today wouldn't be one of those times. The fire-type trainer wouldn't allow it.

"Flavor Town?!" It wasn't a new one from Drayton, but it always managed to take this Blueberry League member off guard every time he said it. Hazel eyes gazed down at his fully frying pan for a moment, watching the sizzling vegetables. "Uh, yeah! I'm making a veggie kabob! Surprisin', huh?"

Crispin typically had at least some small portion of meat in their meals, but today wasn't like most days. It would be just a bit different… for better or for worse. "Anyways, what's up? Any reason why you're stepping in my biome?"

[caramelcuniculus]

"I think you should dude."

That was… definitely a voice! It wasn't one that was recognizable, nor was anybody within the same room Teddie was in. Despite this, the voice was booming almost, as if it was speaking directly in front of him. It was absolutely odd, but the tone of the speaker sounded very relaxed, almost as if this sort of communication is commonplace. Well it should be, shouldn't it?

And here Prismo was, assuming too little and, probably, receiving too much.

"I'm right here, by the way." If Teddie's blue eyes looked around, they'd eventually land on the sight of a glass cup. On the cup was a shadowy, omnipresent figure of a pink man with blue eyes. The eye looking at Teddie blinked slowly in his direction. "Hey."

"My shoulders have been so tense this week...Maybe I should ask for a day off?"

[caramelcuniculus]

Happy Hotel… that's what one unfavorable resident here oftentimes called this place. Lucifer didn't want to call it that; nothing in the Pride Ring, and the rest of Hell for that matter, was happy. Eons had passed and many more would in due time, yet happiness couldn't be a constant. Was this chaos the child born from free will? It had to be. Otherwise there wouldn't be a need of a Hazbin Hotel. There wouldn't be a need of Hell at all. Could that, then, really spur a happiness?

It'd been some time since the Hazbin Hotel finished its refurbishing inside and out; the place was gorgeous. The prevalence against the exterminating angels was its own means of marvelous. Free will had brought nothing more than despair, but this, and only this, was starting to change the King of Hell's mind. Lucifer believed in his daughter's vision and vowed to remain at her side throughout this endeavor. That would never change. Still, he couldn't help but hold some doubt. Sin has slithered for longer than redemption had resurfaced. How much would it take to truly turn things around?

Much. So, so much. But each new presence made a difference.

Levitating steps entered the walls of the Hazbin Hotel. Lucifer had been attending to his own devices. A few papers were in his hands, lettering way too small for far away eyes to read… The fallen angel seemed pretty happy about it, though! A wide grin and even wider eyes made up his features. What he had was questionable, but that shouldn't matter to the brand new guest. Lucifer failed to notice them at first until they dimly called his name. Any joyful notion had suddenly vanished. Curiosity overtook his emotions, alongside some sense of unease. Now who was this sinner?

"Lucifer Morningstar, King of Hell. Yes, that's me." Lucifer had a bit of stiffness in his voice. He's had many, many different introductions in his life. He's had persons from all walks of sin, with their own set of… strange demeanor. This was already one of the rarer ones. Lucifer fixed up his attire slightly, appearing more professional. The sinner was forward, so he'd be forward in return… somehow.

Only for it to turn into Des having no interest in him at all. Their ominous, confusing figure not wanting him should've made his shoulders loosen. They didn't. If anything, Lucifer was now much more tense. This wasn't about the King of Hell anymore. This was involving Charlie! His Char-Char! Lucifer forced a swaying smile to form. Now what did this sinner really want?

"Charlie? Yes, it is. She owns and runs the Hazbin Hotel you now…" Lucifer's voice died upon seeing Des' floating feet. "Float in!" The king tried to lighten the suffocating atmosphere that had been accumulating ever since Des appeared. What's a little goofing between strangers? Lucifer snickered genuinely. He thought it was even a pinch of silly.

Maybe Lucifer shouldn't joke around. Charlie could potentially be in trouble. He could handle this now, and if he must, later. For now, Des needed to state their business. "As for the hotel's host herself… she's out! At the moment." Which wasn't a lie either, thank himself. Both her and Vaggie were off to have a bite somewhere. How cute! And how convenient.

"I could leave her a message for you if you'd like, or I could lend you a hand myself." Yeah, let dad handle the shady shadow. "What really brings you in today?"

Starter for Lucifer of @caramelcuniculus!

On the streets of Hell, traveling among yet contrasting against the dull reds of imps and spilt blood, is a shadow. A ghostly figure, clad in cape and fur, follows its mark in complete silence. Their footfalls produce no sound, no vibration, no disruption of the pavement below them. Passers-by who happen to notice them give them a wide berth, recognizing this one as strange even among their kind. They stay true to their course, stopping only once their mark pauses in front of the door to a particular place. A foolish, naive, and painfully tempting place. They walk--float? Hover?--Closer to their target, and then...

"...You are Lucifer." The apparition speaks with firm certainty, two voices in unison just imperfect enough to be noticeable. One soft and lilting, the other low and rough; both with quiet determination. Though their face is scratched out and their eyes either obscured or nonexistent, the feeling of their gaze upon him is difficult to overlook. They sheath their blade (which appears--rather disconcertingly--to be made from the same material as their body) and give a slight bow of greeting to Hell's eccentric ruler. No need for a blade... Not now.

"This... is your daughter's hotel. Yes?" The question is tacked on as an afterthought; they know where they are, and they have come with purpose. "Charlotte... 'Charlie.' Is she here?"