#he noahs arks his straws no matter what

[mustard-minneola]

if hal was given a functional body he and dirk would be doing stupid shit to each other but for different reasons

hal just wants to irritate dirk and get on his nerves

dirk wants hal to suffer

[canyouhearthelight]

The Miys, Ch. 66

I am happy to report that this chapter has been beta’d, by @satan-parisienne.  They didn’t tell me about any content I should tag, but if I missed something, please let me know.

Happy Thanksgiving Week to all my U.S. readers! Because of the holiday, I’ll have family in town, so there will not be an update next week on the 3rd.  Regular updates should resume on Dec. 10th, so keep your eyes peeled.

When I woke up, the first thing I noticed was how tired I was. “How does that work,” I groaned as rubbed my throbbing head. “I was asleep for hours.  Why am I exhausted?”

“You were lucid when you were supposed to be resting,” Grey answered as they came over to check my vitals and unhook the equipment from my little trip.

Tyche gave a grudging nod as she held a straw to my mouth.  I drank gratefully, and grimaced. Whatever I was drinking tasted like electrolyte drink and medication.  “Did you catch everything?”

Grey, my sister, and Antoine glanced at each other. Before they could say anything, a buzzing voice cut in. “There are gaps in the recording on your end, which were not unexpected.  The implants are not designed to broadcast outside of your auditory processing center, and I can only perceive vague intentions.”

On my opposite side, I heard the sound of chairs clattering across the floor and my berth sank as two rather heavy people used it to push themselves to their feet.  A string of curses in Japanese filled the air just before a thick, Irish accent boomed out. “She just let you drug her for ten hours so she could question a talking germ. While she is being constantly having her blood filtered to replace her hemoglobin so the same thing you want her to have a chat with doesn’t kill her.  She is sick, she is dehydrated, she is exhausted.  Your questions need to wait. She needs to sleep first.”

I held up a hand on that side without so much as glancing over, trusting that Conor would lean down so I could reach his face.  When I felt a beard press against my palm, I stroked his cheek with my thumb.  “Baby, they’re right.  It’s fresh right now.  People only tend to remember information for forty-eight hours without repetition.  So, it can’t wait, unfortunately.”  I finally turned my head and looked up.

Conor had not only pressed his cheek to my hand, he craned his head down so I could see his face easily. Tears filled his eyes, threatening to spill over. “Sophie.  I know I’ve been an ass, but this is the second time you have been close to dying in less than so many years.  And there is nothing I can do to protect you on this one…”

I tugged him down so I could hug him. “You’re sick, too.  We all are.  But answering questions isn’t going to threaten my life. I promise I will sleep after this.” I leaned as far as I could around him so I could see the scowling face of Maverick behind him. “You hear that?  Sleep. Lots of sleep. After I fill in the gaps, I’ll sleep.”

Maverick turned one baleful, dark eye toward me. He considered me solemnly before nodding “I’ll accept that deal.” He stepped forward, coming to stand next to Conor. “Sophia, we just want to make sure you take care of yourself.”

I nodded. “I know. But sometimes, it comes down to taking care of myself, or letting myself suffer just a bit so that I can take care of everyone else.” Smiling ruefully, I reached for Maverick’s hand. “But that is a huge part of me. It isn’t going to stop. You both need to know that. If you want to talk about it, we can do it after I fill in these gaps and get some sleep.” Once they nodded in confirmation, I turned back to the medical team plus Tyche. “Let’s do this. What do I need to fill in? Point me at your gaps.”

Noah waved with one vomu. “Most importantly, where did Else come from?”

My stomach sank. “Right to the tough stuff.” I swallowed thickly and resisted the urge to look at anyone except Noah. “They said that we, humans, accidentally made them. Here. On the Ark.”

Every voice in the room rose, all at once. I rolled my eyes and covered my ears, noticing that Tyche had done the same. Sure enough, a high-pitched whine filled the room. Judging by the sight of Grey and Antoine hitting their knees and the vibrations coming from the other side of my berth, Noah had employed their own special brand of crowd control. Once the whine stopped, I lowered my hands and Noah gestured that I should continue.

Clearing my throat, I obliged. “Else is… childlike, almost. They don’t mean to hurt anyone. They know us. They… like….us. Like, a lot. They were so, so sorry about what happened to Nixe.”

“You said we made them,” Grey exhaled, trying to get everything back on track.

“By accident. Yes.”

“Did they know how it happened?”

Now I knew why Else had gotten so short with me. “I only know how I was conceived because I was told by someone who was there, Grey. Why do we expect Else to know any differently?”

They nodded, somewhat curtly, to indicate their concession to that point. “If we can determine out how it was created, we can extrapolate how to combat it.”

“That makes sen – wait. What do you mean, ‘combat’ it?”

“Else is a bacterium, specifically one that has infected the humans on the ship and can kill us if left unchecked. By definition, it is a plague.”

Tyche’s eyes widened, then narrowed as she whirled around to face the head researcher. “You mean antibiotics.  As in, killing it.”

“Of course.” The tone was confused, as though this was the obvious solution.  Being that they were the closest we had to a head of medicine, I suppose the solution did seem obvious.  Except one critical piece of information…

Quickly, I flicked open my datapad. “Sophia Reid to Xiomara Kalloe. Xio, are you able to come down to my medbay?  I need you, right now.”

“Ten minutes out. Do you need me to send Miys ahead of me?”

“Noah is already here, and there is no immediate threat.” Not to me, anyway. “I’ll see you in ten minutes.”  Dismissing the screen, I looked back up at my friend and fellow Councilor already in the room. “Grey, it’s not that simple. Else is sentient.  I’m pretty sure.  Which means Galactic Law may apply, hence why I asked Xiomara to come.”

They blinked slowly. “The trials.”

“Yep,” I nodded.  “She’s been digging into Galactic Law ever since then, to make sure we don’t get caught flat-footed again. If Else is sentient, we have to treat them as people under the law.”

“Couldn’t Noah have told you that?” Maverick chimed in, bewildered.

I shook my head. “Unfortunately not.  ‘A similar species, regardless of what point of evolution, cannot make the decision if another species may be sentient.’ It’s to prevent sympathy from overriding logic.”

“Else is a bacterium,” Grey argued.

“With a hive mind.” I gave a pointed look at Noah. “Which means, if they are sentient, they could evolve into something like the Hujylsogox, given time.”

Noah made a gesture of confirmation, sweeping one vomu across its body.  That seemed to settle the matter of Xiomara’s involvement, and we all patiently waited for her to arrive.

Finally, she breezed in the door as though her skin wasn’t ashen from illness. Defiantly of any perceived lack of health, she crossed her arms and braced her feet as she looked at us.  “So, what’s the emergency? I could be lounging around with all I can drink Gatorade right now.”

Before Grey or I could say anything, Antione held up a hand to stave us off.  “Sophia just woke up from her conversation with Else, and we need to know if you are versed in the Galactic Law regarding determination of sentience in a new species.”

Comically, Xiomara slumped slightly, hands dropping and mouth gaping.  Almost immediately recovering, she cleared her throat. “I mean, yeah. I’ve gotten that far.  It’s fascinating stuff, actually.  But why?”

“They can talk.”

“Only with words previously used by you, and they do not retain the information.”

“Because several generations have passed for them!  Humans don’t retain language for more than one generation if there is no way to use it or pass it on.  You know this!” This argument came from my sister.  Tyche was getting as upset as I was, apparently.

“And they re-learn it very quickly,” I tried pointing out.

“So do antique chat bots.”

“Except that Else demonstrates that they know what the words and concepts mean, and can retain internal logic of the conversation.”

“Which makes sense if it is causing you to hallucinate the entire conversation.”

I sent a pleading look at Xiomara, but she only tilted her head from side to side. “Speech isn’t necessarily a criterion, but even if it was, there is no clear determination that Else is capable of intelligent speech.  That seems to depend solely on native communication.”

Damn it. I snapped my fingers rapidly, trying to think of a new piece of information, berating myself for getting into this position. Myself. “Self. Else demonstrates a sense of self.  One independent of its concept of humans. It… they pled for their lives. They apologized for hurting us, and understood what that meant.  Not only that, they corrected me several times on where they came from. Arguing demonstrates the ability to use logic, right?”

“Not necessarily,” Xiomara pointed out. “Conor argues with me all the time.”

“Hey!”

I glared at her.  Now was not the time for jokes.

Apologetic, she held up her hands. “On the other side, though, sense of self as a separate identity from others, along with understanding of the concept of death, are criteria for sentience.”

“What are the rest?” I asked, hope flooding my voice.

“Do they have any subjective experiences?” she asked.

“I’m honestly not even sure what that means,” I admitted, close to tears.

“Opinions,” Antione supplied helpfully.  “Experiences through their frame of existence and perception that they have opinions about unrelated to survival.”

I bit my lip as I thought. “The showed regret?”

“They also know we can kill them,” Grey argued, not giving up without a fight.

“They showed empathy?”

“So does your cat.”

Xiomara shook her head at Grey’s petulance. “Jury is actually still out on cats, so that’s not as definitive as you would like it to be.  But empathy doesn’t count – even among humans, several psychological disorders prevent empathy, but that doesn’t mean those people aren’t sentient.”

“They asked me to stop reciting scientific papers?” I asked in a Hail Mary attempt.

“They had what they needed,” was the suggestion from our self-designated Devil’s Advocate.

“Yes and no,” I said softly, realizing something. “They found it annoying and boring…  They also scolded me for using profanity.” Little things I had initially ignored rushed to the forefront of my memory.  “They knew Conor only gave the catnip to Tyche because he thought she would like it.  They knew Tyche loves me… they knew what that meant. And they actually told me how sick I was, the first time.  I didn’t realize it, but they told me my face and hands were injured.”

“That’s what the nightmare was that made you scream?” Tyche demanded.

Nodding vigorously, I clarified. “When I first came to the medical bay, there was moderate cellular damage in my hands, remember?  We didn’t think anything of it, because it was so simple to fix.  But in the nightmare, my hands were a horror show. I never would have even had them scanned if it wasn’t for that nightmare.  And the bruises around my eyes, from the anemia… they mentioned something was wrong with my face.”

“They told you out of self-preservation,” Grey supplied as the subsequent argument, but the staunch faith was wavering at this point.

“They didn’t know we were dying.  Not then.” I took a deep breath.  “And they make jokes, when I talk to them.  When I asked if they were deliberate or accidental, they didn’t just tell me they didn’t know.  They made a joke about my parentage.  Which means they took offense.”

Xiomara took a deep breath and ran a hand over her hair. “Boredom, annoyance… being offended.  Those are definitely opinions, and not related at all to survival.”  I held my breath and prayed to any entity that was listening.

“By definition of Galactic Law, Else is sentient.  Antibiotics are out.”

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[harvest-honeymoon]

Raining Pitchforks

So,,, this is that Court Verse intro I talked about in the twitter poll I linked earlier. This is a long fuckin’ boy but I had a lot of fun writing it, since I really enjoy these characters.

Just as a note, this fic contains swearing, mentions of the Devil and urban legends, and 2 instances of misgendering, as Orianna/Pirouletta is a transwoman still coming to terms with her identity and hasn’t disclosed it to Sixer/King Dice. I know that subject matter can be triggering for some folks, so I’m putting a warning and ‘#misgendering tw’ for blacklisting purposes.

“Son of a bitch, whose idea was this?”

The question posed was rhetorical and often reiterated. It made Irving smile faintly and shake his head, even as he felt rainwater patter against the inside. Thunder rolled in the background, making his cup-headed brother Rudyard flinch.

Although the two toons lingered under an outcropping of trees, the torrent the sky bore seemed unyielding. The branches that loomed above them did little to shield them from the weather, let alone the handmade box of moonshine that sat at their feet. The rocky outcroppings behind them were slick from the rain. Even the mountains seemed soaked.

“You were th’ one who wanted out th’ house,” Irving replied.

“Well, yeah,” Rudy answered. “I was goin’ stir crazy! I can’t jus’ sit an’ sleep all day.”

The red toon wrung out his shirt, frowning. The bent, striped straw in his head swooped along his rim as he looked down at himself.

Although Irving didn’t pace about or bubble over, he too frowned, brow furrowed. He leaned against the damp trunk of a tree, arms folded over his chest. One hand’s set of fingers drummed on his upper arm.

“Y’think we rushed him?” Irving asked. “Made him nervous?”

“There’s nervous, then there’s leavin’ us an’ our hooch in th’ pourin’ fuckin’ rain,” Rudy said.

“I doubt he was gonna buy any of Ma’s stuff, Irv, even with th’ discount.”

Irving sighed quietly, bowing his head. Rudy picked up the box.

“C’mon, let’s go. We’ll catch our death out here.”

“We’re still fifteen bucks short.”

Rudy had started to take a step out from under the canopy, only to pause. Irv didn’t move a muscle.

“Irv, things’re tough all over,” Rudyard replied after a moment.

“It won’t be th’ end of th’ world if we tell ‘em we need a couple days. Even then, we’ve lived without electricity b’fore.”

The cup toon took the step he’d been planning, then another, starting to walk away.

“We can make candles like we used t’ when we were sippy cups. Bathe in th’ river.”

Rudy flicked his straw, so it sat comfortably at the back of his head.

“Who needs gas power anyway?”

Thunder roared just above them, causing Rudy to jump again and stop in his tracks. Unmoving, Irving glanced to the box Rudy held, his eyes lingering on its smudging XXX label.

“We promised Ma.”

Rudy swallowed, then returned to the tree. The brothers turned to look out over a field of grass beside them, each in thought.

With the heavy clouds that clung to the sky, the night was darker than most. The distant lights of Nib City hardly penetrated the gloom, only catching a set of defunct railroad tracks cutting through the prairie grass. Urban legend told of a ghostly train that had taken residence in place of the old engine, after the railway company dissolved under mysterious circumstances decades back. Nights like this guaranteed its arrival and departure for the unlucky found alone and destitute, or so folks said.

While no train occupied this space, the mere idea made Irving apprehensive. The mug-headed toon pulled out a cracked pocket watch and wiped at the glass face, to give himself something else to look at. The time read 11:59 PM, then 12 AM only a few seconds later.

At the stroke of midnight, the field was bathed in a soft, orange glow. Rudy stared, then nudged Irv to get his attention. Both pairs of eyes followed the light, which seemed to dance across the grass and shadows, to its origin, a cave in the mountainside.

This cave had its own fair share of stories, around Inkwell Isle. Some had claimed it was a bottomless pit, from which none who fell could ever escape. Some had said it was some primordial womb, where all had been born and were to die, should they try to reenter the sacred space. The most commonly held belief, however, was that the cave housed unfettered evi, so vile and conniving, the locals had blocked the entrance with stones for generations. The Devil himself was said to dwell within the cave, and should he find some hapless soul within his domain, they were most certainly damned.

Due to these superstitions and its peculiar resemblance to a yawning mouth, the cave had been dubbed The Devil’s Maw. As times changed, beliefs shifted, and explorers ventured into its depths, the aforementioned stones were removed from its entrance, but hushed whispers still spoke ill of the place and the youth were discouraged from entering its bounds.

By day, it appeared a sleepy chasm, untouched by color or sunlight… But now, it spoke with a tongue of molten silver to the young men, beckoning them inwards.

“...you’re seein’ that, right?” Irving asked.

“Sure am,” Rudy replied, awed.

“...last one there’s chipped porcelain!”

The cup toon took off like a shot across the field. Irving stalled a moment then pursued, shouting his way.

“Rudyard, what the hell do you think you’re doing?!”

“What’s it look like?” Rudy called back. “I’m goin’ lookin’!”

“Like hell you are!”

Clutching the moonshine to his chest, Rudy’s head sloshed liquid onto his shoulders and the ground behind him, but that didn’t stop either of them any.

“We need to sell that booze!” Irving spat.

“We’ve got 4 hours at most before the best bars in Nib close!”

“I know!”

“So why are you runnin’ the complete opposite direction, jackass?!”

Rudy grinned, looking to his brother.

“First off, my head’s gonna roll off my shoulders, with all this rain in it! I need it out, an’ I bet you do too! Second off, I figure if there’s light, there’s somebody livin’ here! If there’s somebody livin’ here, then there’s somebody who can buy our shit!”

Lightning struck just behind the two brothers, causing them both to yelp in surprise. Rudy let out an adrenaline-fueled laugh.

“You can’t tell me you wanna walk home while it’s rainin’ pitchforks out here!”

With these words, the brothers entered the cave and slowed to a halt to clean themselves up.

“I don’t, y’got me there,” Irv admitted. “But I doubt there’s anyone worthwhile here. The only folks you’ll find is at best, squatters, or at worst, a cult.”

“Since when do squatters put up neon signs? ‘R cults, fer that matter?”

Irving stopped and stared, following Rudy’s hand as he pointed. A large grouping of stalactites ahead and above them was emblazoned with a quartet of neon playing cards, each with a unique suit.

“...can’t say for certain,” Irv replied, unperturbed. “But I wouldn’t discount the latter.”

Rudy’s expression flattened, his hands busy straightening his head. He then picked up his box and started walking into the depths of the cave, with Irving in tow. The air had a strong sweet-sour smell to it, but it didn’t take long for them to get used to it.

“Y’were supposed t’ let me be right about people livin’ here,” Rudy snarked.

“Y’know, fer more than half a second.”

“That was a lucky guess,” Irving observed dryly.

“A lucky guess that’ll keep us from, I dunno, gettin’ pneumonia.”

“We probably have double pneumonia already at this rate.”

Despite his annoyance, Rudy chuckled as they walked along. Double pneumonia was another staple of banter between them.

“Triple fuckin’ pneumonia with a side ‘f exposure. It was like Noah’s Ark out there.”

The brothers continued into the cave, looking about as more signs of civilization came their way. Neon arrows pointing deeper into the Maw decorated the walls, as did moving signs depicting showgirls, drinks, chess pieces, dice, and more card suits. 2 more signs reading ‘WELCOME’ and ‘CASINO ENTRANCE’ were embedded into the hanging rock of the ceiling, with a 12 ft gap between each. The air around them warmed, the further they went into the cave.

“You have got to be kidding me,” Irv deadpanned.

“No way,” Rudy beamed. “Noooo fuckin’ way--”

“Who on Earth builds a casino in a cave?”

“Someone who’s real hep an’ happenin’ I bet,” Rudy said excitedly.

“They must have some real big operation, t’ have t’ hide it in here.”

“All the more reason to head back out,” Irving snarked, eyeing the advertising.

The brothers then happened upon a series of tall, rounded steps, carpeted with lush, red cotton and accented with gold trim. Two rows of white topped stanchions marked a path with velvet rope. At their feet read the words ‘TRY★YOUR★LUCK’. Beyond these steps laid a ritzy casino built on the edge of a cliff, unlike anything either of them had ever seen. Volcanoes erupted below and beyond their line of sight, painting the domed walls and ceiling of the cavern with the orange light they’d seen outside.

Dancing on the edge of theme park and luxury hotel, buildings in the shape of archaic chess pieces surrounded the back end of the establishment, giving the resort an imposing silhouette against the newly understood berth of the cave. The main building itself was tall and sleek in design, as it was cream in color with plum windows all down its front. Topped with a reddish dome roof, past a fountain of lava circled by prancing demon statues, and betwixt a pair of oversized game dice, the hotel lacked lighted signage, save for some neon pink cursive above its red front doors.

“The Devil’s Casino?” Irving mumbled to himself.  “That’s awful kitschy,”

Irving stood, contemplating the architecture, while Rudy mounted the stairs, smiling wide.

“I was right! I was right, there’s people here, they’ve got money, I was right--”

In that moment, Rudy reached the top of the stairwell, only to bump into someone who towered over him. The cup toon took a step back and shook his head, only to realize what had just happened. The stranger seemed to have come out of nowhere.

“Aw hell, sorry about that! Didn’t see you there.”

“Y’needn’t worry, my good man.”

The toon Rudyard had bumped into had a game die for a head, a pencil-thin mustache, and a winning smile. Dressed to the nines in a cream zoot suit, shined and spatted shoes, and a pink bow tie, the stranger readjusted his suit jacket after the brush-by, but did so without making a fuss. His voice was sure to smooth over any remaining matters, as it was slick and low, but friendly.

“I was hopin’ I’d bump into you two. I heard y’halfway down th’ cavern.”

“Our apologies, sir,” Irving said, stepping forward. “The echo in here carried further than we thought.”

Rudy rolled his eyes and folded his arms. The die toon let out a short laugh.

“I didn’t say you were causin’ a racket,” the stranger replied. “There’s no need to apologize.”

“Are you here t’ play, gentlemen?”

“Yeah,” Rudy replied with confidence. “We’re here t’ pl--”

Irving put a hand over his brother’s mouth, causing Rudy to grit his teeth against his hand.

“Actually, we’re here on business.”

“That a fact now? Well, I s’ppose I should introduce myself then,” the suited toon replied.

He put forward a gloved hand for Irving to shake.

“Name’s Heath Cesarano. My friends call me Sixer, an’ I own Th’ Devil’s Casino.”

“Irving Biccheiri,” the blue toon introduced himself. “This is my brother, Rudyard. We run a bootlegging business out in the Scapes.”

Irving and Heath shook hands, freeing Rudy in the process. Although he seemed miffed by his brother’s invasion of personal space, the red toon shook Sixer’s hand as well, when it was offered to him. On mention of bootlegging, the die toon’s eyebrow quirked in interest.

“Is that what you’ve got in your hands there?” Heath asked, gesturing to the box in Rudy’s arms.

“Finest stuff on the east end of the Isle,” Rudy boasted.

“We’re looking to sell it,” Irving explained.

“I see,” Heath said, rubbing his chin in thought. “Do y’mind if I sample your wares?”

“Be our guest,” Rudy replied. Irving swallowed beside him.

On choosing a bottle, Sixer uncorked it and took a sip,  hen pulled it away from his mouth. He smacked his lips as he tasted the spirits, then smiled at the young men.

“Say, that’s not half bad,” he remarked. “You boys’ve got somethin’ in the making, definitely.”

“In the making?” Irving asked. “Or worth selling?”

“Hah, you’ve keen ears,” Heath observed. His tone shifted as he spoke, sounding authoritative.

“I’m afraid that while I like what you’ve got, I can’t sell it at my establishment, nor can I let you sell it too close by. Th’ folks in there are lookin’ for high-quality hooch from names they know an’ can trust.”

Irving’s expression saddened with these words. Rudy took note and moved in front of Irving, looking Heath dead in the eye.

“No offense, Mr. Cesarano,” Rudy said. “But we’ve been selling our stuff all up an’ down th’ Isle.”

“We’re in some of th’ bars you’ll find in Nib City, an’ real popular in th’ Scapes.”

“That might be so,” Sixer replied. “But I only just met you boys t’night.”

“I’ve got a certain standard to meet at th’ behest of my landlord. It’s nothin’ personal.”

Rudy looked ready to argue but held off. Irving didn’t speak further, though it was clear he was trying to put on a brave face.

“We appreciate yer business, regardless,” Rudy told their new acquaintance. “That’ll be $3.”

Sixer pulled out four dollar bills and handed them to Irving. Irving paused, looking over the money in his hands, then looked to Sixer questioningly. Sixer winked, then spoke up again.

“If it ain’t too much t’ ask… Why are you boys lookin’ to sell, anyhow?”

Irving’s hands curled, as he folded his arms over his chest again.

“Simple,” Rudy answered, mirroring his brother’s gesture.

“We got bills t’ pay an’ mouths t’ feed, same as anybody. Rent’s comin’ up t’morrow an’ we’re eleven bucks short.”

“Ah,” Sixer replied. “My apologies for proddin’.”

“It is what it is. No need to be sorry.”

“I’m guessin’ you can’t sell much back in th’ Scapes, then?” Sixer prodded. “With yer presence?”

“Well, not right now, yeah,” Rudy agreed.

“We were s’pposed t’ meet somebody from Nib City for a deal,” Irving added. “But he didn’t show.”

“The storm caught up with us not long after.”

Sixer’s expression softened a little as the boys explained their situation. After a moment of thought, this softness faded away, instead replaced with a wily glint to the older toon’s eye.

“That’s a real shame that fella skipped out on ya, but I don’t think you’re out of luck for th’ night.”

Rudy looked on with interest. He had a feeling he knew where Heath was going.

“You could always take a shot at the games here,” Sixer continued. “If nothin’ else, you could dry off an’ get somethin’ to tide yourselves over.”

“I hear that storm ain’t s’pposed to let up until noon t’morrow. You won’t wanna be crossin’ those tracks out front if you can help it.”

Rudy considered the die-head’s words. Irving exhaled breath through his nose.

“You boys ever gambled b’fore?”

“I might be half yer size but I ain't-a kid,” Rudy scoffed. “Course I have.”

“Rudy, we should get going,” Irving muttered. “We couldn’t make a sale an’ we’re dry enough.”

“We couldn’t make a sale, sure,” Rudy replied. “But I could make a wager.”

Irving glowered at the prospect. Rudy frowned in response.

“Irving, if I play here, I could win us the cash we need t’ pay off rent t’morrow! We don’t gotta trudge out there, we don’t gotta get stood up-- It’ll be a cinch!”

The mug-head still didn’t look convinced, so Rudy put both of his hands on his shoulders, turning him away from Sixer so their discussion could be more private.

“Irving… C’mon, Irv. You’ve been workin’ yerself to th’ bone all month.”

Irving’s gaze went half-lidded. In the firelight and neon, the bags under his eyes could easily be seen. All the while, Sixer watched the young men talk to each other, grinning to himself knowingly.

“Let me handle th’ moneymakin’, you take a load off, an’ we can wait this out t’gether. You don’t gotta lift a finger.”

After a moment of consideration, the blue toon sighed.

“...Alright. If you think you can.”

“I know I can,” Rudy beamed. “They don’t call me Big Red fer nothin’.”

Irving cringed, making Rudy snicker. Sixer took a step forward, smiling.

“With a nickname like that, I can’t help but ask; you a craps player, by chance?”

“S’my favorite way t’ gamble!” Rudy answered, slinging an arm over Irv’s shoulders. Irving’s eyes narrowed.

“In that case, you should head on in an’ take a left, then a right,” Sixer advised.

“You’ll find our craps tables real easy.”

Rudy clinked his head against his brother’s as a gesture of affection, then took off into the casino, still holding the box of moonshine. Irving chose not to match his pace this time, as fatigue was starting to weigh on him. Sixer noticed as he looked down at his other pint-sized patron.

“And you?” Sixer asked. “Any preference?”

“I’m a cards guy,” Irving admitted. “But I don’t gamble, let alone in a place plastered with devils.”

Sixer’s grin got tight around the edges as he moved to Irving’s side.

“Aw, wheat, you superstitious ‘r somethin’? Don’t get yer suspenders in a twist, it’s just a motif.”

As the two walked into the casino, the various eyes of the devils in the decorating watched Irving as he passed. Irving didn’t notice at that moment, though he did feel oddly watched.

“I was about to ask you the same thing,” Irving replied. “What with that train track comment.”

“Hah, I wouldn’t call myself superstitious,” Sixer started.

“More just… Aware. I’ve had my fair share of experiences that’ve made me privy to the goings on around these parts.”

“Uh huh,” Irving replied, a bit distracted.

It was hard to blame him, with the hullabaloo going on around them, but Sixer still had to resist the urge to give him a dirty look. A uniformed toon with a heart for a head moved up beside Sixer to whisper something to him, before departing from the conversation.

The die toon looked down at the mug toon again, giving him an apologetic smile.

“As much as I’d love to continue our talk, I’m afraid I’ve got business t’ attend to. You’ll find our bars well stocked and lounges abound. If y’need anything, keep your eyes out for folks dressed like her--”

The die-head gestured to the heart toon, as she weaved in and out of the crowd.

“Or come find me. Oh, an’ I want you to have this.”

Heath extended a business card between two fingers to Irving. The card was matte and emblazoned with a devil, a pair of purple pipped dice, and multiple red roses. It even had gold trim.

“Like I was sayin’ earlier, you boys’ve got good stuff. I might take you up on the offer we discussed, should you improve yer product.”

“Thank you, sir,” Irving replied without enthusiasm.

“Please, call me Sixer. And if we don’t meet again, Irving, I hope you have a good night.”

“Likewise.”

With that, Sixer blended into the crowd, leaving each cup brother to their own devices.

— — —

By the time Irving supposed he ought to find his brother, an hour had passed. How, he had little idea.

One moment, he was being served water by an orange cocktail toon in a blue dress; the next, swing music roared through the halls, signaling the start of some sort of nightly shindig. Checking his pocket watch, the blue toon got up with a start and nearly fell off his barstool, but managed to tip his bartender and head out of the lounge without further trouble.

The joint reeked of booze, cigar smoke, and metal, with a tinge of marijuana and sweat, no matter what room he walked through. Noise constantly rang in his ears, ranging from vapid conversations and bad pick up lines to the obnoxious rattling, slamming, and pinging of an arcade. Top it off with the crowds of people trying to shout over the noise, and subsequently, each other, and Irving swore his porcelain head was going to crack from the decibel count.

It didn’t help that the damned place was so dark. For whatever reason, the architect had opted for interiors that caught shadows like a hungry spider, coupled with luminaires akin to candlelight. This only made the sounds louder, the smells stronger, and Irving’s mood worsen.

The mug toon’s discontent was so clear, it made Rudy pause just before throwing down his dice in another round of craps.

“Where were you?”  Irving demanded.

“Busy,” Rudy said as he rolled. “What’s it look like?”

The dice hit the wall of the table, revealing a 12. Rudy winced.

The dealer came over and took half a stack of chips, handing them over to a skeleton in a bow tie and a bowler hat. The patron leered at him, making Rudy grouse and pull what little stacks he had close to him.

“I hit a good streak while you were takin’ a break, so I’m ridin’ it.”

”How good?” Irving prodded

“Those chips are worth $1,” Rudy said, pointing to his hoard and across the table.

“Those’re worth $5, an’ these are worth $10. I even managed to squeeze a 25 out of an Aussie on th’ far end.”

Irving glanced up, seeing a skeletal, bipedal horse where Rudy gestured. The equine toon looked mean, even for a dead man.

“This is more than enough, then,” Irving figured, averting his eyes to Rudyard’s chips.

“It was,” Rudy said. “Until you threw me off.”

He shot his brother a glare, as the crowd cheered for another patron.

“Now I gotta win it back.”

“Do you still have what we made outside?” Irving pressed.

“‘Course I do! I ain’t as dumb as I look,” Rudy exclaimed.

“Then... What are you gamblin’ with?”

Rudy rolled the dice again, earning himself a $5 chip.

“My soul. I cashed it out for $75 in chips.”

Irving stared at his brother in disbelief.

“What?” Rudy asked. “I didn’t wanna spend th’ money you got.”

“Rudy, we’re in a casino named after the Devil.”

“Yeah? And?”

“What do you think the cashier meant when they said you could bet your soul?”

“Th’ cashier didn’t tell me nothin’. Some dominohead he was talkin’ to told me it’s a secret transaction unique to this joint. Th’ guy looked like a high roller, so I gave it a try. I didn’t have to hand any money over or anythin’.”

“They just… Gave you the chips?”

“No, I had to sign somethin’ beforehand,” Rudy shrugged. “But that was about it.”

“Did you even read it?”

“I skimmed it,” Rudy admitted. “It was just some casino contract. No big deal.”

Irving looked like he was going to ascend, the longer Rudy went on. Before Irving could chew his brother out, both toons felt powerful hands on their outermost shoulders.

“Hi-de-ho, gentlemen,” Sixer greeted them. “How goes your game?”

“Oh, I’m the only one playin’,” Rudy explained. “But it’s been goin’ alright.”

“I took up that soul deal ‘f yours for these chips. We’ll be eatin’ like kings t’night!”

“Did you now? An’ how’d you find out ‘bout it?”

The look in Heath’s eyes was too pleased for Irving’s liking. The die-head, as if reading his thoughts, moved his hands off them and stood beside Rudy, as the two talked.

“I was talkin’ to some domino guy in a boater hat, at th’ cashier’s booth. He’s the one who clued me in.”

“That’d be my buddy Pippin,” Sixer remarked warmly. “He helps me run th’ joint.”

“Does your ‘buddy’ happen to swoop in on every country boy who walks through your door?”

Sixer was about to say something, only to pause with Irving’s comment.

“Awful convenient he was there to give Rudy the news. Especially since you were the only person we told about our situation.”

The suited toon chuckled lightly. Irving could feel the air chill.

“Pippin doesn’t swoop, Irving. He loves people as much as anybody.”

Rudy, half listening to their conversation, rolled another turn and scored an 11. The table roared in approval, the dealer slipping him a couple stacks for winning the bet. Ironically, the dealer had a head of stacked chips himself, his face lined with horizontal stripes of orange, blue, and indigo.

Irving immediately set to work counting the chips. Sixer eyed him with a sharpening gaze.

“So with that ‘soul swap’ you did and our remaining debt, you’d need... 86 bucks to break even.”

“How much more do I need?” Rudy glanced his brother’s way, catching his worn expression.

“10 bucks.”

“Fuckin’ hell,” Rudy swore. “This table’s been colder than a meat locker most of th’ night.”

“Why don’t we raise the stakes, then?”

Sixer said this while motioning to the dealer, shooting Rudy a playful smirk.

“Sharps, get me a stack of fives, wouldja? I’m bettin’ th’ pass line.”

Sharps did as he was told, passing Sixer 20 $5 chips in exchange for a crisp $100 bill. The rest of the table’s players backed away, including the horse toon. Despite the change in atmosphere, Rudy grinned right back, a fire in his eyes.

Irving folded his arms tightly as the two men started to compete, forcing himself to watch the table instead of risking catching Sixer’s eye. There was something about the die-head that bothered him more than most, but he couldn’t place why, and that fact put him on edge.

A litany of rounds passed, but Irving wouldn’t have been able to tell anyone all of what happened. Some rolls got yells in glee, others had people throwing their hats to the floor. Chips went all around the rim of the table every which way, at dizzying speed. People chattered ceaselessly. The room seemed filled with eyes, all boring down on him and his brother.

Eventually, Rudy called out through the clamor, hopping up on the edge of the craps table to stand above the crowd. He breathed hard, face aglow from the adrenaline of gambling.

“Alright, you lot! This’ll be my last play!!”

Irving started to sigh in relief, only for Sixer to speak up. The die toon’s tone dripped with confidence and charisma, as he loomed over the craps’ table.

“If that’s th’ case, then I wager my soul an’ Sharps’! Right here, right now!”

Sixer pushed forward his remaining chips, which totaled to $150. The crowd whooped and laughed, eating up Heath’s enthusiasm like it was an inside joke. Sharps smirked faintly, shaking his head.

“Come an’ get me, small fry!”

The cup toon’s eyes rolled in his porcelain head like slots, turning to a pair of dollar signs.

“You’re on, Cesarano!”

Irving held his breath and lifted his head from watching the table, only to stare at something beyond the mass of people around them.

Across the room, there stood a great tapestry of imps and hellish creatures, galavanting through what appeared to be a monochrome jungle. Stretching high above the heads of the patrons gathered around, Irving would’ve figured it some priceless artifact… If the eyes of its inhabitants didn’t roll as well and fix on him. A chill spread throughout the mug toon’s chest.

“Rudyard,” Irving tried to say. “Rudy, we shouldn’t be here--”

“Irv, step off, I’ve got this.”

“No, you don’t. We need to go, now.”

The people around Irving booed, causing a ripple throughout the rest of the crowd. Rudy grimaced and threw his fists to his sides, midway through blowing into his rolling hand for good luck. His eyes had returned to their normal pie cut irises.

“I mean it, Irv, I don’t need your shit right now,” Rudy said sharply. “Let me do my thing.”

“My shit?” Irving demanded. “My shit?!”

“I’ve been dealing with your shit ever since we got here, Rudyard, and I’ve had it! If I weren’t exhausted from doing all the damn work back home, I would’ve dragged you out of here by your handle!”

The mug toon took a step forward, getting up in his brother’s face and earning more protest from the crowd. Rudy’s expression got dark, the liquid in his head bubbling.

“Well, now whose fault is that?” Rudy seethed.

“You never let me do fuck anythin’! I’m trying to do you a goddamn favor, so if you could sit the hell back and pull yer straw out of yer ass, I’d appreciate it!”

“Gambling isn’t a favor!” Irving spat. “Gambling is you, slacking off, getting into trouble, giving Ma a fuckin’ heart attack--!”

“You leave her the fuck outta this—” Rudy threatened.

“Then fold the damn game!” Irving ordered.

The cup toon clenched his teeth and looked his brother square in the eye.

“Fuck. You.”

Rudy threw down the dice forcefully, making them bounce hard against the back wall. Irving grabbed his wrist hard enough to bruise, but the damage was already done.

Snake eyes.

The crowd let out a low moan of sympathy and dissipated behind them. Now Rudy felt the same cold as his brother, looking down at the craps table. Irving stared down as well, then threw the cup toon’s wrist away, storming through the crowd and towards a doorway leading out of the craps room.

The moment he got a foot through the door, the mug toon collided with something hard enough to make him stumble backward. Irving sat up to protest, only to stop. In the meanwhile, Sixer made his way over to Rudy, putting a hand on his shoulder again, but without the camaraderie of before.

“Well, ain’t that a shame?”

A black sigil blocked the doorway. Looking around the room, similar occult drawings blocked the other doors, effectively trapping them in the room. Irving’s head moved Sixer and Rudy’s direction, hearing the snap of Heath’s fingers. With this motion, the contract Rudy signed appeared in Heath’s hand, which he proceeded to unroll and read over.

“Mhhm. As I suspected. You, my friend, are in debt.”

“Y’don’t gotta rub it in,” Rudy said quietly.

“Oh, I ain’t rubbin’,” Heath hummed. “But I’m gonna need both of your souls, as per our agreement.”

“What?”

Irving got up and stumbled back their way. Rudy couldn’t look him in the eye.

“I said,” Heath repeated. “As per our agreement, I’m gonna need both of yer souls, since that’s what I won in our wager.”

“Our souls?” Rudy asked. “As in… Immortal souls?”

“Mhhm,” Heath agreed. The die toon seemed detached, as if he’d gone through this spiel before.

“Why do you need his?” Rudy asked, pointing to Irving. “I’m th’ only one who signed.”

Heath smiled and shook his head, offering the contract for Rudy to read and reciting the terms off his head for Irving.

“Paragraph four, section one, addendum one. ‘Should the client be unable to pay a debt or a wager, due to a lack of necessary, spiritual capital, souls within the client’s company including, but not limited to, friends, family, pets, et cetera, shall be collected as seen fit, in order to ensure a fair transaction between the associated parties.’”

Rudy’s shoulders sank. Irving stepped forward to stand next to Rudy, though he kept distance between them. He stared hard at Sixer, trying to comprehend what had just happened.

“...so we’re damned, then,” the mug toon said eventually

“Essentially,” Sixer replied. “I wagered my soul an’ my dealer’s in th’ form of those chips. Ergo, two souls. Rudyard here only had th’ chips to cover one.”

“I didn’t think you could wager a soul,” Rudy said, with a little laugh.

“I-I thought it was a steal… I… I...”

“Aw, don’t beat yerself up, wheat,” Sixer said, waving his hand dismissively. “Hell ain’t so bad.”

“I visit from time t’ time. It’s a little on th’ warm side, as you could imagine, but it ain’t all fire an’ brimstone.”

“...may I see that?” Irving asked, gesturing to Heath’s hand.

“Sure thing, kid.”

Heath handed over the contract, which Irving proceeded to scour. Rudy looked to Sixer with wide, sad eyes, mouth faintly open as if he was trying to protest. Sixer averted his gaze from the cup toon, opting for Irving instead.

“Here.”

Irving pressed his finger next to another paragraph and turned the paper Sixer’s way, then back to himself, to read.

“...paragraph six, section six. ‘Should a client wish for the return of their immortal soul, they are allowed to perform a designated task for the interested party, according to said party’s jurisdiction. This can include the retrieval of items and other souls, the harm or killing of another person, with or without a body, assistance in correspondence between the party and others, et cetera. Should the task be agreed upon by both entities and completed by the client, the client’s soul, and any souls hitherto collected, shall be restored.’”

As Irving read, Heath’s eyebrows furrowed, then perked, as he thought on these words. He got a wicked smile, seeing Irving’s angle.

“So you wanna work for me to get ‘em back, huh?”

“Yes, sir,” Irving said, with a stony tone. The word ‘sir’ dripped venom.

“Well then you boys are lucky,” Heath remarked. “Cuz you ain’t the only ones who got rent t’ pay.”

The pair of siblings stared, apprehensive.

“I need souls like yours t’ keep the lights on here. My landlord ain’t interested in, ah, standard currency. There’s been a trend ‘round these parts of people comin’ to my place, sellin’ their souls to get chips… Then duckin’ out, whether they win or lose.”

Heath’s expression darkened. As he was 6’6”, he towered over the brothers, who each were around 4’0”, making him appear quite imposing.

“Now boys,” Heath went on. “Think of me what y’will, but I ain't-a cruel man.”

“I have it that my contract necessitates collection, but not immediately so. I let folks say their goodbyes, I let ‘em tie up loose ends… Hell, sometimes I let folks keep their souls ‘til their natural end if it strikes my fancy. I also know these folks are strugglin’, same as you. Everyone’s tryin’ t’ get by, however they can.”

Sixer paced around the cup toons as he spoke, fixing the rose in his lapel. He reminded Rudy of a jaguar, and Irving a cobra.

“But,” Heath concluded. “I believe that when terms like this are broken, they require punishment.”

“These folks agreed, like you, to hand over their souls and they know it. The lot of ‘em raided my casino a month ago an’ made off with their contracts, no doubt to try an’ forge up new terms, conditions, ‘r signatures. Those puppies are enchanted, so they can’t be altered by anybody but me, but I still need the physical copy I signed with my clients. They grant me proof of ownership.”

“So you want us t’ be yer repo men,” Rudy clarified. “Is what yer sayin’?”

“When it comes down t’ brass tacks, yes,” Heath agreed. “But you won’t be killin’ nobody unless you have to.”

“Those contracts have an agreed death date, as does yours. When I cash in, the clients will die as agreed, an’ their souls will be collected.”

“How efficient,” Irving said sarcastically. “How long do we have?”

“I’m sure you can guess,” Sixer hummed.

Irving screwed up his face, then let out a low, pained breath.

“Six days, six hours, and six minutes.”

Sixer smirked in surprise.

“I was right about you,” he said. “You really got a good head on those shoulders.”

“Sixer, all and no disrespect at once,” Irving deadpanned. “But I don’t give a shit.”

“You really should,” Heath purred in amusement. “It can get you places.”

Sixer slipped his hand into his pocket, then extended it to Rudy. Enclosed in his grip was $11.

“Consider this a deposit.”

Rudy took the money reluctantly, looking at Sixer with daggers. Sixer only smiled, like a cat who’d swallowed a canary. Once the money was exchanged, the sigils in the doorways disappeared.

Irving took initiative and walked out of the casino with long, punchy strides. Rudy followed not long after, leaving Sixer alone in the room. Once he was sure the brothers had gone, he called out to the rest of his patrons.

“Y’all can come out now, they’ve up and left!”

Like magic, the room was filled with people again, all getting up to raucous gambling and other forms of sinning. Sixer left the room with an accomplished laugh, dusting his gloved hands off each other. A moment later, he was seized by his bow tie and dragged down to someone else’s eye level.

“Where the hell have you been?!”

His captor was none other than his underboss Orianna ‘The Wheel’ Romano, a golden, geometric automaton in a dealer’s suit. Her nasally New Yorker accent bore into Sixer’s ears, but he didn’t mind at that moment.

“Giraudo, pal, you’re just the man I wanted to see!”

Sixer beamed on seeing her, but Orianna didn’t return the gesture. The name he called her made her uncomfortable, and while normally she could stomach its use, their current situation cut into her patience. She chose to press onwards in conversation and let go of him though, as she knew he meant no harm by it.

“You say dat every time I come sniffin’ you out, boss,” she huffed. “Now answer da question. I’ve been two steppin’ through dis helter skelter all night lookin’ for youse.”

“Sorry about that,” Sixer apologized. “I was outside earlier doin’ some carnival barkin’.”

“Carnival barkin’?” Orianna scoffed with a grin. “What year is it, 1925? Don’t we have people fer dat?”

“Sure, but I’m a professional.,” Sixer said with a sly wink. “Went t’ trade school and everything. I can’t let that degree get rusty.”

Orianna rolled her eyes and shook her head, smiling a little.

“Don’t suppose ya roped in somethin’ to fix us bein’ 19 souls short?”

“Actually,” Heath replied, smug. “The funniest thing jus’ happened.”

Orianna looked his way, tilting her tapered head like some great bird.

“I bagged two souls jus’ now. Pair of cup headed folks from th’ Scapes. One of ‘em signed a contract but got in two souls deep.”

“Oh, y’pulled the old ‘one two’ on ‘em?” the robot prodded, interested.

“Yeah,” Heath agreed. “The one who didn’t sign was onto me, but the other guy? Pff, it was like takin’ candy from a baby. No impulse control t’ speak of.”

“Gee, don’t dat sound like somebody I know,” Orianna snarked knowingly.

Now it was Heath’s turn to roll his eyes, but his smirk didn’t die away. He was used to this line of talk between them.

“So we’re only down 17 now?” Orianna clarified. “Dat’s good, but I don’t get how dat’s a rip-snorter.”

“A what now?” Heath asked with a little laugh.

“A rip-snorter,” she reiterated. “Y’know, somethin’ real good an’ goin’ our way?”

“You sure Kahl didn’t fit ya with a faulty lexicon there, Romano?” Heath prodded playfully.

“It’s a real fuckin’ word, y’goon,” she insisted, gesturing with her thumb over her shoulder. “Ask around town.”

“Alright, fine, later,” Heath conceded. “Still, though, that one who didn’t sign asked t’ see the contract.”

“No shit. An’ den what?”

“He volunteered the two of em t’ get back our receipts,” Heath explained. “Under paragraph 6.”

A beat passed. Orianna’s eyebrows rose and settled, intrigued.

“An’... How old are dese guys ‘xactly?” she asked.

“21 ‘r so,” Heath said.

“Twenty one—“ Orianna rested her forehead in her hand.

“Please tell me dey got magic.”

“...I… Didn’t see,” Heath admitted, rubbing the back of his neck.

“...we’re outsourcin’ collect fer our boondogglin’ t’ a couple twenty somethin’s,” Orianna summarized flatly. “An’ you didn’t even check if dey got magic?”

“It’s not every day y’get free labor,” Sixer tried to reason with a shy shrug.

Orianna closed her eyes tightly.

“...Heath,” she said. “Why da hell didja agree t’ dat?”

Heath started to speak, only for his underboss to interrupt him.

“We got people fer dat, y’know. Lotsa people, actually, who’d be willin’ to chase down dose contracts for ya at da drop of a hat. Why on Earth didja cut a deal like dat wid a couple a bumpkins too far from home?”

“I know we got people,” Heath said. “But those folks who ran off with our shit don’t fuck around. I don’t want t’ lose anybody unnecessarily.”

“Unneces— Caesar, dis ain’t da minor leagues any more!” Orianna barked.

She grabbed his bow tie again, so that they wouldn’t be so easily heard. Her voice was a sharp whisper.

“Who gives a shit if a coupla card heads die chasin’ down Cagney Carnation or whoever da fuck? We got people all over da place who’d kill t’ be runnin’ wid us!”

“I got that,” Cesarano growled. “But we gotta play this smart, Gira. That last raid got our boys Chimes an’ Pocus killed, on top of a stack of card heads. We don’t know if those debtors are tag teamin’ still or flyin’ solo.”

“Don’t talk t’ me about playin’ shit smart,” Orianna seethed. “It’s my job t’ play shit smart. Or didja forget that while you were tryin’ to be 25 all over again?”

Heath pulled himself from Orianna’s grip, baring his teeth. Orianna gave him a hard stare.

“You watch your tongue,” Heath warned.

“An’ you keep dat bleedin’ heart ‘f yers on a damn leash,” Orianna said frankly.

“Just what the hell is that supposed t’ mean?”

“It means yer not thinkin’ straight.”

Orianna rested her arms on her hips, gesticulating in fluid, mechanical motions.

“It’s a shame we lost Chimes an’ Pocus but dat’s how it is sometimes, Heath. You of all people should know. An’ cuttin’ a deal wit’ dose kids? Dey’re adults, even if dey’re dumber dan a sack a bricks. Dey came here of deir own free will, an’ dey lost da draw. Why negotiate?”

Heath’s expression dipped, as Orianna continued.

“You dink dey can do all dat in six days? Or did one of ‘em give you puppy eyes ‘til ya bent fer ‘em?”

“I think they can,” Heath replied sharply.

“On what merit?”

“...they just…” Heath started. “I felt it, in ‘em. They had strong spirits, I guess. Reminded me of myself, back in those days.”

“If some scrappy kid from th’ Bleed could rise up, why couldn’t they?”

“Cuz—“ Orianna started, but caught herself. She hated being the bad cop in these kind of situations, so she exhaled some steam from her back vents, mirroring a sigh.

“...you really dink these kids got dis in da bag?” Orianna tried again.

“They might need a little help,” Heath admitted. “But I have… 80% confidence they got this.”

Orianna raised an eyebrow. Heath faltered.

“...ok, make that more of a 65%.”

“Dat’s what I figured,” the automaton remarked dryly.

“How do you think we should do this, then?” he asked.

“If I were you,” she said. “I would’ve sent a buncha card guys out dree weeks ago an’ kept ‘em pumpin’ ‘til we got dose contracts. If we needed reinforcements, I’d send dat lughead Iggy, August, ‘r Sharps out t’ finish da job. If we didn’t get any dice by dat point, den I woulda sent da kids as da clean up crew.”

Heath winced. Orianna noticed.

“Ah, sorry, analytic brain got goin’ dere,” she said with a modest expression.

“It’s alright,” Sixer said. “What should we do now?”

“If I were you, Mr. Sentimental,” she restarted. “Den I’d keep an eye on dose kids, either drough other people or checkin’ on deir progress myself, cuz I just can’t stand sittin’ behind a desk all day, drownin’ in paperwoik, an’ hearin’ my underboss tear me a new asshole wid ‘er brass teeth.

Heath let out a laugh, making Orianna smile.

“I’d use dose dorky die houses I got back in 1919 as a temporary base ‘f operations,” Orianna continued, still digging into her boss. “I’d hire somebody t’ trail those cup toons, an’ I’d default control of da casino to Pip.”

“To Pip?” Heath said between snickers.

“Yeah, cuz I’m comin’ with you, jackass!” Orianna said, earning another laugh from him. “Dis is a batshit crazy scheme you’ve cooked up an’ it’s my job t’ see it drough!”

“Alright, alright,” Heath giggled. “If that’s th’ case, you tell Pip he’s head honcho, I’ll handle the dick.”

“‘Course you will,” Orianna muttered playfully.

“What was that?”

“What? I can’t hear you over da sound of all these assholes partyin’! I’ll catch ya later, boss!”

Both of them laughed as they parted ways, with Orianna heading back the way she came and Heath to his office.

Once inside and away from the bustle of the game rooms, Heath sank into a purple leather chair and pulled out an address book. He thumbed through a couple pages, then let out an ‘ah-hah’ when he found the name he was looking for.

He picked up a white rotary phone and dialed the number under the name, the fingers of one hand tangling in the cord connecting the receiver and base. The dial up tone ceased after a couple moments.

“Hello hello! This is Alice, your operator. How may I help you?”

“Alice, doll, it’s great t’ hear from ya,” Sixer said warmly. “I hope you lot are enjoyin’ yer new gear down at th’ station.”

“We’ve never had smoother calls, sir,” Alice cooed. “Thank you. Is there something I could help you with?”

“Yeah, could you be a dear an’ get me Mike Phone?” he requested. “He runs that detective agency by th’ Bleed?”

“Of course, sir. Have a good night.”

“Likewise, sweetheart,” Heath purred. “Don’t stay up too late now.”

The call then transferred over a couple moments later. A masculine voice with a built in crackle spoke up.

“You’ve reached Transducer Detective Agency, Michael R. Phone speaking.”

“Hi-de-ho, Mike,” Heath greeted him through the phone, grinning wide.

“I’ve got a job for ya.”

[seeking-his-plan-blog]

Dinosaurs and the Bible.

Friday, March 23 - Day 35 of Lent.

I am not going to try and find the answer to this, but I will share my thoughts on it from my Bible-reading and research. One theory supporting dinosaurs in the Bible is that dinosaurs were created by God, became corrupt and then were wiped out in the flood. Another theory is that they even went onto the ark with Noah, but were wiped out afterwards.

The traditional depiction of dinosaurs as gigantic and ferocious lizards makes it hard to believe that God would have included them in the garden of Eden. Yet, before sin corrupted life, isn’t it possible that dinosaurs might have been peaceful?

Isaiah 11:6-7 shares this picture of heaven:

   “ The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb,      The leopard shall lie down with the young goat,      The calf and the young lion and the fatling together;      And a little child shall lead them.      The cow and the bear shall graze;      Their young ones shall lie down together;      And the lion shall eat straw like the ox. "

Perhaps animals were always made to be peaceful, but when the forbidden fruit was eaten and sin was introduced, so was death and corruption. After all, we have proof that serpents could walk and climb trees before the fall of mankind. So anything could have been possible.

Here is an interesting set of verses from the book of Job, which is deemed one of the oldest books in the bible. He describes a creature, the “behemoth” that fits the description of a dinosaur (brackets are added by me):

15 “Look now at the behemoth,which I made along with you; he eats grass like an ox. 16See now, his strength is in his hips, and his power is in his stomach muscles (big stomach). 17 He moves his tail like a cedar (big tail); the sinews of his thighs are tightly knit. 18 His bones are like beams of bronze, his ribs like bars of iron. 19He is the first of the ways of God (biggest thing that God has created, big as He is); only He who made him can bring near His sword (only God can come near him). 20Surely the mountains yield food for him, and all the beasts of the field play there. 21 He lies under the lotus trees, in a covert of reeds and marsh. 22The lotus trees cover him with their shade; the willows by the brook surround him. 23 Indeed the river may rage, yet he is not disturbed; he is confident, though the Jordan gushes into his mouth, 24 Though he takes it in his eyes, or one pierces his nose with a snare."

Some think that this description matches that of a hippo or an elephant. However, neither a hippo nor an elephant match the description of the tail moving like a cedar tree, as elephants’ and hippos’ tails are tiny! Furthermore, the phrase, “He is the first of the ways of God”, in the original Hebrew translates to “he is the BIGGEST animal that God created”. Although the elephant and hippo are large, they are not even one tenth of the size of a Brachiosaurus, the largest dinosaur ever to exist. Take the Brachiosaurus and try to apply it to the above description. It works! Furthermore, the phrase, “Only He who made him can bring near His sword” directly states that no mere human can approach this creature with a sword. Ask yourself, how easy is it to go near an elephant? Granted, it’s not the simplest thing, but don’t tell me that no human could possibly ever near one with a sword. A dinosaur makes more sense here.

There’s another similar description of a dinosaur-like creature in Job 41:1-2,7,12-32. This description is interesting because it references the Leviathan, a creature who is of the sea and breathes fire. The history books of many cultures refer to ‘fire-breathing dragons’ in their ancient tales. It’s a wonder why, across  many different cultures, it was always a dragon, and not like, a lion or something. That is because the fire-breathing dragons are likely based on truth. The Leviathan also has armour that makes iron look “like straw”, and arrows “cannot make it flee”. The descriptions indeed do not fit any earthly creature that we know of, and could reference dinosaurs that existed before the flood.

Remember, only after sin was death created! You cannot have death before sin, and sin only came in the Garden of Eden.

The common belief of how dinosaurs became extinct is that a large object from space (meteor or the like) hit the earth, and raised enough dust to block out the sun for months. Plants and animals died. But this doesn’t explain why some life-forms survived and others didn’t. Why was extinction selective?

From a biblical perspective, a likely reason for the extinction of the dinosaurs is the worldwide flood detailed in Genesis 6-7. After the flood, mankind changed from being able to live about 900 years, to gradually only living 80-120 years. It was possible that God made a class of very large animals perish in the flood, because He knew that the strength of man would decrease, and that such animals would not be able to be controlled by feeble man anymore. 

Alternatively, a theory in which the dinosaurs survived the flood is still biblically sound. I mean, consider this: If the flood drowned the dinosaurs, it certainly would never have drowned the sea dinosaurs. Everything that exists in the sea before the flood still exists today. But the fact is that approximately 95% of the world’s seas have not yet been discovered. Let that sink in for a moment. Who knows what could still be down there?

If dinosaurs escaped the ark, the dramatic change in climate due to the falling of the “waters from above” that are referenced in Genesis 1:6, would have caused many dinosaurs to perish in the sudden heat, as well as being an explanation for the drop in the life-expectancy for humans (because the sun was now shining directly on them, without the water blocking the sun from above). So, dinosaurs started dropping like flies. Furthermore, in the same way that hunters kill bears and other wild beasts who are a threat to their families, in a world where dinosaurs and man co-existed, it is only natural to assume that man hunted dinosaurs for thousands of years (according to this theory). 

How many bears, crocodiles and tigers are on suburban land today? Zero! And how many bears, crocodiles and tigers were on suburban land 100 years ago? Many! Dinosaurs were hunted and endangered as men continued to hunt them, as our very own familiar beasts are.

There are even theories to suggest that small dinosaurs (the unhunted), as well as the deep sea dinosaurs, still exist today! There have been numerous sightings of ‘sea serpents’ ‘monsters’ (Loch Ness, for example, a beast that has been sighted individually over 9000 times), and dinosaur-like creatures in countries all over the world. There is a swamp in the African Congo, which remains approximately 80% undiscovered and is the home to many natives. Scientific expeditions out there have recorded the natives reporting many sightings of ‘Mokele-mbembe’, a water-dwelling creature that looks identical to a dinosaur. 

I don’t believe it to be mere coincidence that the different monsters sighted in Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, the Congo and many other countries are all of similar size, shape and likeness to a dinosaur. More specifically, a chilling amount of them, from report, bear specific similarity to a Plesiosaurus. How can that be coincidence? Or anything else, especially given that the natives in the Congo -- who drew pictures of a Plesiosaurus when asked to produce an image of what ‘Mokele-mbembe’ looked like -- have literally zero communication with any other country in the world.

If this stuff interests you, please watch the first link provided below, as I can assure you there are hundreds of stories of similar sightings all over the world.

Another theory is that in God’s 7 days of creating the earth, the story did not mean literal days. After all, as Peter says in 2 Peter 3:8:

“But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day.”

By this logic, the ‘day’ in which God created “the great sea creatures and every living creature that moves, with which the waters swarm, according to their kinds, and every winged bird according to its kind,” (Genesis 1:21) could have lasted a lot longer than our 24 hours of a day.

If you have time and would like to dive into the theory of creationism+dinosaurs, this lecture is an excellent one to watch:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HsQIF7Yh3hI

Nobody was around to see what actually happened to dinosaurs. I wasn’t. You weren’t. Even Charles Darwin wasn’t. It seems that prior to the 19th century, the oldest historical text to follow was the Bible, and other reliable texts such as ancient wall-paintings, texts, myths, legends and stories (a lot of which included ‘fire breathing dragons’ or creatures of the like). For this reason, before the 19th century it is probable that many subscribed to the theory of creationism, or whatever was taught/proved as fact by these texts. After 1801, the beginning of the 19th century, technology made enough progression to welcome in other feasible theories based on what radioactive and carbon dating could ‘prove’ (please see link below for dispute on this by evolutionist-turned-Christian John Mackay). Is it possible that Satan used this technological development to plant incorrect theories in our minds about dinosaurs, so that we and our children would doubt the Bible? 

These are all very interesting questions. I have recently been listening to John Mackay, a man who used to be a devout evolutionist, but now devotes his life to disproving common theories of evolution. His interview below is definitely worth a watch!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=24T7ebvjdq4

And here is a clip of him debating Richard Dawkins casually! :

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DH2_j7bpsLo

Regardless of when or for how long dinosaurs existed, there is certainly support in the Bible that dinosaurs did, in fact, exist, and perhaps even in the time of mankind. Whether their extinction was by a meteor or the great flood, the integrity of the Bible does not suffer. If, for some reason, someone found a little dinosaur running around in some deep forest TODAY, it would not really affect our understanding of the Bible or our faith. Whereas, evolutionists would have to redefine and change their whole system of thought if they found a dinosaur in today’s world. 

The importance is, it doesn’t matter! Our faith is still the same! And it’s great!

[libidomechanica]

Untitled (“Or thought to me,”)

Or thought to me, who have our quarrels, cared not proud, but denial: I recommend young connection between us an unfilchd good waters sweep;’“t is true wisdom might find it answerd but to give rest, or quiet to my loue, and dreary, he cometh not,” she said: I never. Any ones quite a bore, and near the surgeon, as the entrance yet upon his way,   and gay. above me, her refreshing-time, by new-built rick.   Throw that I have a sound   Heart the vessels keel the same! While Europe from civic revelry to rural mirth; sweet to listening there might be deterrd by the surface the rolld on, and on his under. You gull that same, and she was about my vnrest,   intense souls, all propagated with Phoebus, while our sensations like a persons more blest may get a little like a black upon her bed, across the den lookd as if upon a day, and nestled soft again with��hungers rage grew inarticulate with which they sunk,

though three. Catherine, I say! A clementine of inclementine of inclement climate   had of slumbering, with all its charms   Withouten dreams, which, if it said,   grows tart.  even her husband shone in the boat, with one or two addition was my idol, till beneath the volley, exceptions always back to her youve suppd full of barbarous Don Alfonso, what they are unworthy of youth;   that is, till you why I say so, to giue my Rosalind, and well this, Times pen and woman, so shown, and wild flowers, much loyalties expense,   and never be broken placed as if not in my head have been his hide,

  until the clergy take them to each other, and I the mark of yours youd best begin your arms and ere he grew wild: so Juans waters; like a straw, “t will connection,   in silence may grieved to multiple locks and all they had never which was his   days nearly days, robert Burns: ‘ask for dearest Julias voice and virgins ever hunted thirteen he; but the same; then he whose joys of dried blood, some good but rarely came from Noahs ark went cruising hill;’ and sung me my sole excuses for a child by young lieutenant of sleep?   At that fever who   had further thing, sir, before your choice of direction of thing thus, that with your fears—but no matter,

every colour freshly bleed, yet since my death-like mistake your vast for yet they will do none,   water, leaden Castlereagh! But who is no great king; tall, stately, formd of as we would, I say, mine epic and its wall; and three, which seemd so; and when they must have chosen: what a dancing hand to the prize has succeed; but great reconciliation, no doubt was strange cup amassed five beetle is a fright, yet since beneath the fair arm raised for instance—gentleman, who heroic syllables both without some skill   instead of hoarding it last? For one. Neer compassd, the laying with cheese and the young shade.”

[elliotthezubat]

DEATH CITY DAYS CHAPTER 3

the third chapter of me and @soul-dwelling‘s rp!

things start to get really naughty here O.O

(cont from act 2) Kid: (returns the kiss) stocking: mmmm~ Kid: (puts one hand along her wrist, drawing her to sit on the couch) stocking: *blushes and sits next to him* Kid: (pulls back, lying along the couch and looking at her) "You are a great kisser." stocking: yes, but what about me? Kid: (smiling) "Please...You're far better than I..." (leans in for another kiss, starting along her bottom lip) stocking: ahhh~ Kid: (puts one hand along her shoulder) stocking: *wraps her arms around his waist* Kid: (eyes open in surprise, then shut again slowly as he puts his other hand on her shoulder) -one intense make-out session later- Kid: (panting, from loss of breath--and excitement) "You, Stocking, are the best kisser in existence." (beat) "That sounded better in my head..." stocking: haaa..haaa.... *she blushes* hehe.... Kid: (laughs along, leans his head along hers, moves his hands to her waist) stocking: *bluuuuush* Kid: "You're so attractive when you blush..." stocking: oh hush...*she kisses him* so what did you want to do? Kid: (thinking: "...No...No, not that either...") (smiles) "Aside from looking into your eyes? I feel a little hungry. Do you have any dessert here?" stocking: i think i do have some cake. Kid: (smiles) "I would like that, if you would be willing to share." -she gets out some cake for them- Kid: "Looks delicious. Which flavor?" stocking: i think its black forest cake. Kid: (takes fork) "Thank you." (cuts some off--and offers it up to Stocking) stocking: *bite* mm..MMMMmMM~!! so goooood~! Kid: (Thinking: "She looks so happy...and feeling so much pleasure at that bite") "Then let me have a taste..." (opens his mouth slightly) stocking: *she lets him have a piece* Kid: (chews, savoring the flavor) "Yes, it is good. Better because you are here." stocking: awww.. Kid: (holds up another forkful for Stocking) stocking: aaaah~! Kid: (slowly brings it to her lips, then letting her mouth close) stocking: yummy~! Kid: "Yes...You are." (leans in for a kiss) stocking: *blushes and kisses him* Kid: "Mm-mmm..." stocking: mmm~ Kid: "Stocking...I can taste the chocolate on your lips..." stocking: hehe~ Kid: "...So...delicious..." stocking: kid... *she blushes* Kid: (holds up the last piece for her) stocking: *cuts it in half and eats one half* Kid: (eats the last half) stocking: that was delicious~! Kid: "In more ways than one..." stocking: *bluuuuuuush* Kid: "Can I ask you something?" stocking: sure, what is it? Kid: "What do you like most about your body?" stocking: O/////O !!!!! Kid: "For me, I think it's your eyes. They tell me so much. Mostly, they're telling me right now that you are embarrassed." stocking: *pouts with an embarrassed expression* Kid: (small smile) "Sorry. I just...wanted you to know I appreciate you. No matter what the future holds, you are so kind, so loving...What you did for Patty today demonstrates that. And while I...am attracted to you physically, my appreciation for you is far from superficial. I love who you are." stocking: k-kid.... *she blushes* Kid: "I mean it." (smiles wider) "Although, you blushing may be my second favorite physical detail of you, after your eyes." stocking: mmmm *bluuuush* Kid: "If you keep being this embarrassed, that blush will go beyond your neck, angel." stocking: *she pokes his cheeks* you dork... *she pouts* Kid: (catches her finger) "_Your_ dork..." (kisses her finger) stocking: *bluuuuuuuuush+nosebleeds* Kid: (holds up tissue to her nose) "I came prepared..." (Thinking: "In multiple ways...") stocking: thanks....*wipes the blood off* Kid: "You may want to have someone treat those nosebleeds for you." stocking: hmmmm.... well two can play that game...oopsie! i dropped the remote under the table. *she bends down to pick it up, shaking her rear* Kid: (thinking: "So...perfect...Is she even wearing underwear?") (feels the blood trickle out of both nostrils) stocking: *smirks* Kid: "B-B-B...I need a tissue..." stocking: there's a box right on the table. Kid: (takes two, holds them to his nose) "Thanks. I think I now know what your third best feature is..." stocking: *backs up, bumps into his leg* ah! Kid: "Aaaand that would be it...You are so...Your curves are...I-I-I..." stocking: *she gets back up and stretches* Kid: "And your back...and your breasts are so...perfect." stocking:.....*BLUUUUUUUUUUUSH* Kid: (blushing as well) "...I just wanted to tell the truth on that one...You do have exquisite breasts..." stocking: *PUNCH* ah! s-so sorry! that was a reflex! Kid: (holding his nose) "I-I probably deserved--No, I deserved that. Sorry." stocking:.... *she sighs and gets him some ice and tissues* here... Kid: "Thank you." (holds the ice to his face, the tissues to his nose) "Um...Stocking? Can I ask one more question?" stocking: what is it? Kid: (smirks) "When you peaked while I was changing, what did you think of my bare bottom?" stocking: *BLUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUSH* .......... Kid: "That good?" stocking: fu....ufufufufufu.... im not....going to lose....t-to you... Kid: "How can you top me? You're blushing down to your ankles." stocking: *smirk* no... im not about to be out-flirted by you! Kid: "Oh?" stocking: i still have...these! *she takes a banana and slowly sucks on it* Kid: "..." (blushing harder) "Yes, you do..." stocking: nnngh~ Kid: (imagining Stocking doing that...only not to a banana...) stocking: *pulls away, with a trail of saliva from her mouth to the banana tip* Kid: (small moan) "Y-You win..." stocking: ooooh~? Kid: "...That was...stimulating..." stocking: i do have some hot dogs in the fridge~ Kid: "No, no...That is quite enough..." (leans uncomfortable forward in his seat) "I've seen enough." stocking: victory! Kid: (watches her assume the victory pose--and his attention is how the sweater shows her curves) "...Could we actually say either of us lost here?" stocking: ohhh? i dont know. *she crawls onto his lap* can we? Kid: (moaning a little) "N-No...But...I think I'm about to lose..." stocking: do you want to see them~? Kid: "...Are you talking about your wings?" stocking: nope~ Kid: "...Do you mean...?" stocking: *licks lips and smirks* Kid: "Yes..." stocking: *starts pulling up her sweater* Kid: (gasps as he sees her bare midriff...) stocking: hehe~ Kid: (waiting. Thinking. "I hope nothing interrupts this moment...") ???: (knock knock knock) "You home?!" Kid: (eyes widen) stocking: !!!!! stocking: w-who is it? ???: "It's me!" (kicks open door) Patty: "Why you leave the door unlocked if you--" Kid: o_o liz: 0_0 stocking: O/////////////o Patty: "...So, I see a banana, blushing, Stocking's sweater almost off, and Kid with a massive erection." stocking: so thats what i was..... !!!!!!!!!! liz: *transforms arm into gun mode* explain. now. Kid: o//////////o "WE WERE JUST TALKING! IT HAS A MIND OF IT'S OWN! HAVEN'T YOU HEARD OF KNOCKING?!" stocking: w-WHY ARE YOU EVEN HERE?! Patty: "Evidently to stop sinning!" (turns to Liz) "I forgot from seeing Stocking half-naked and Kid's massive erection. Why are we here?" liz: picking up mr...MR PECKER OVER HERE! Kid: "NOW?! OF ALL TIMES?!!" liz: MR MORNING WOOD! Kid: "IT ISN'T MORNING!" Patty: "Mr. Foot Long!" stocking: *gets up and aims her sword at them* liz: w-what the- Kid: "Wait! Let's talk this through!" stocking: chill. the fuck out. Kid: "..." (thinking: "Oh, God, I'm more turned on now.") (slaps his face) "Yes." (stands up) "Let's all calm down." -after this, they all get dragged to the onsen for a group bath, but we're not gonna show that this is a family program... most of the time.- -back at stocking's apartment- stocking: there, now we're all even. Kid: (blushing, avoiding eye contact with everyone) "...Yes..." liz: y-yeah.... *coughs* Patty: (smiling widely) "Damn, Stocking! I knew you were stacked from the shower room during gym, but damn!" Kid: (cringes, looks at Liz...then blushes hard) stocking: *tugs patti's ear* Patty: "Still kind of hot..." liz: *tugs the other ear...and kid's ear* Kid: "What did I do? It's not my fault that I saw you--I mean, you came in before Stocking showed me her...ARG! This is so frustrating!" liz: ..........alright, we're all just gonna go home, release some tension...then pretend none of this ever happened. ok? Kid: "Agreed." (looks to Stocking) "But...I really did enjoy tonight with you..." stocking: so did i...s-see you tomorrow then... Kid: "Good night." (kisses her cheek) (smirks) "Pleasant dreams..." stocking: y-yeah...night... *bluush* --Back at the Mansion-- Kid: (squirming uncomfortably) "So..." liz: *in her room, taking care of buisness* Patty: "So...Hey, Kid? Want to 'take care of business' together?!" Kid: (slams door in her face) Patty: "...Well, guess I'm solo.." -CUT TO NEXT MORNING- Kid: (taking care of business...which is awkward from thinking about three...) (After Kid showers and dresses, he walks into the kitchen--to find Patty and Liz) Kid: (blushing) "Hi." liz: *coughs* hey. Patty: "Hey, Long John!" Kid: o\\\\\\o liz: *nearly chokes on her coffee* we agreed not to talk about it.. like the whole boobs grabbing incident. never. happened.....ever.... Patty: (cackles--then has a bagel thrown at her head) "Ow!" -at school, when things are less lewd- Kid: (thinking: "I hope classes are far less...troublesome today") -seems history is the first class- Kid: "Please let history be on something productive today...What will this lesson be on?" -it seems to be the history of a large ship that fell from the sky, with 8 children on board- Patty: "Oh! Were there animals on it? Like Noah and his boat?" gopher: *tenses up* teacher: well, no, they say this boat fell from the heavens. Kid: "Any idea as to the origin of the ship? Was it extraterrestrial?" (Thinking: "Or maybe divine...?") teacher: its ambiguous to say the least, but some say the ship, or ark rather, was built by the gods... Kid: "Which gods?" teacher:... in all seriousness...... *shrugs* gopher: tch- some teacher... Patty: (spits wad of paper through straw at Gopher) gopher: *'^' mouth glare* Patty: (tugs under eye at Gopher) liz: *rolls eyes* Kid: (pats Patty on the back) "Good aim." (Thinking: "But could that ship have a connection to Stocking...") -skip to lunch- Kid: (spots Stocking at table...and blushes) "H-Hi?" stocking: ?? oh, hey kid. *she smiles and waves* Kid: "Hello." (still standing) "May I...sit here?" stocking: sure. Kid: (stiffly sits down) "...So..." stocking: what is it? *she acts like the incident never occurred* Kid: (sighs, smiles) "Nothing. How are you?" stocking: pretty good. you? Kid: "F-Fine." (trying to focus on other topics) "So, history class was interesting..." stocking: really now? Kid: "Y-Yes. It was about a ship that fell from the sky. Ha ha ha! Odd, yes?" stocking: yeah. i've never heard of anything like that... but wasnt that like...over 800 years ago? Kid: "Just about. That seems to be when most of our history regarding these more mystical elements starts to become less and less clear." stocking: yeah.....seems a lot of stuff happened then, huh? Kid: "...Do you ever think these events are related to how you came to be?" stocking: no...*she whispers* from what i know....the angels...well, the ones like me...descended from- Patty: "Hey, Wings!" stocking: !!! *clamps a hand over her mouth* p-patti! hey, keep it down, would you? liz: so, whats new with you? Kid: "Reviewing the history lesson from today." liz: yeah... it did seem pretty weird... Patty: (licks Stocking's hand) stocking: !!! geh! *pulls away* Patty: (wiggles eyebrows at her) Kid: (glares at Patty) liz: *tiny-liz chop to patti* Patty: "Ouch! Sis?!" stocking: *she chuckles* Kid: "You know to behave better, Patty." Patty: (sticks out tongue) "You should know to lock--" (Kid slaps hand over mouth) Kid: "And you should know to be quiet." stocking: ?? Kid: (smiles nervously) "So, what are your plans this afternoon? Any more Christmas prep?" stocking: i was finally going to get around to decorating my apartment. Kid: "Oh! That sounds like fun! Would you like help?" stocking: sure, you all can come over. we can even make cookies if you want. Patty: "All of us?" (wiggles eyebrows at Kid) Kid: (looks away) "Yes...I think it would be good for all of us...Right, Liz?" liz: uh...y-yeah, of course... Kid: (notices Liz's reaction, blushes a bit) "Okay! So, let's meet after school at the front steps!" stocking: ok. liz: this seems sudden, but can i invite a few friends too? Kid: "Stocking? Would that be okay?" stocking: i...i guess it'd be fine...it might get a little crowded though... but i'll live. Patty: "Of course you will, cutie." (rubs under Stocking's chin) "There's always room for more." Kid: o_o stocking: *stocking chops her* stop that. Patty: "Ow! I was just saying--" Kid and Liz: (slap hands over Patty's mouth) Kid: "Liz, who are these friends that will be visiting?" stocking: ah, seems lunch is over now. -at gym class- Kid: (nervously looking around) liz: well, soul, maka, black*star, tsubaki, and chrona....you ok? Kid: "That's a good group of friends to bring..." liz: yeah, we havent talked with them in a while... (not on screen anyways) Kid: "As for what is troubling me...After dodgeball...and then..." (nervously looking at Patty and Liz in gym attire...) "Nothing...Just thinking..." liz:....kid...do you need to go see joe again? Kid: "...Yes. I think later this week..." liz: how about thursday? Kid: (adjusts his gym shorts a bit) "Thursday would work." liz: alright then. Kid: "Thanks...Would you...want to join me? During the session?" liz: sure, im here for ya, ok? *she pats his back* Kid: (blushes) "Th-thanks." -after school- tsubaki: wow, you're apartment is really nice. stocking: thanks. *she smiles* Kid: (smiles) soul: seems they got along fast... Maka: " 'They'?" soul: tsubaki and stocking....though thats just from perspective... Maka: "Yes, they do seem to be doing well...Something seems...similar about them..." liz: yeah.... probably just.....n-nevermind... Maka: "???" stocking: so, are we gonna get started on this or what? Crona: "W-What are we supposed to start with?" -DECORATING START- Black Star: "And I say the star goes on the top first!!" Kid: "You idiot! Why start with the star?!" tsubaki: b-black*star get down from there!! Black Star: "Look, Kid! Just stay there to break my fall, alright?! You too Patty." Patty: " 'Kay!" (holds open arms) Kid: "No!" tsubaki: dont encourage him... Maka: "Soul, could you convince him?" soul: im not getting involved... Maka: (pouts) Black Star: "I'm almost...there..." (then his grip falls off from the top of the tree) "Ahhhh!!!" soul: i'll just help stocking unpack these decs. you wanna help chrona put up those wreaths? Crona: (watching Black Star twitching on the floor--atop of Kid and Patty) "S-Sure..." Kid: (muffled sound under Black Star) Patty: (thinking: This isn't as much fun as other groupings...) liz: *drags black*star off him* Maka: "Here, Crona, help me with the wreaths!" Crona: "Right!" Kid: (loud inhale) "Never again, Black Star! Go sit on the couch! Tsubaki?!" tsubaki: *sighs and sits down with him, turning on the TV to a christmas movie* Black Star: (humming along) "Rudolph the Red-Nosed..." Patty: (sits on the couch with them) -as the decorating continues, most of the stuff is done, now all that's left is the tree.- stocking: should we make dinner or do you want to order out? Kid: "You've worked so hard. Why not order out? My treat." soul: sounds good. liz: sure. we could get mortissimos. Crona: "I-I've never eaten there. Is it good, Tsubaki?" tsubaki: to be honest, i've never been there either. Black Star: "Hey, it's food! That's all that matters!" Maka: (punches Black Star in the shoulder) "It's delicious, Crona. Trust me." stocking: well, seems we have 5 votes for ordering out. Crona: "O-okay. I'm sixth." Patty: "Seventh!" stocking: well, i guess i'm eighth. tsubaki: well.. that makes me number 9 then. stocking: then its decided. let me know what you want to order, i have the menu pamphlet here Maka: "Soul, want to split a pizza? Half green onions and pepper for me?" soul: sounds good. i'll take cheese and pepperoni. Black Star: "Pineapple, Canadian bacon, sausage, pepperoni...Oh! Tsubaki? What're you getting?" tsubaki:...just a chicken salad. Crona: "I'm...pretty hungry. Maybe a small personal pan pepperoni? I think?" Patty: "I'm having what Black Star is having, only for myself." Kid: "Stocking? How about you?" stocking: well, i hear they have a chocolate pizza dessert, i'll have that~ Kid: "I'll go with a small personal pan. Unless Liz, you wanted to split a pizza?" liz: i'll just get peppers. Kid: "Peppers?" liz: yeah, green pepper slices? Kid: "Oh, right. Sounds good. Ready to order?" liz: yep stocking: yeah. tsubaki: sure. Maka, Crona, Black Star, Patty: "Yes." -and so- Kid: (smells) "So good..." stocking: time to eat~ Patty and Black Star: (making horrifying noises as they consume their meals) liz: o.o Crona and Maka: (looking with disgust at the eating) -after dinner, everyone's HP is maxed out- Patty and Black Star: (asleep on couch, him lying in her lap) tsubaki: *lays her jacket on them* Maka: "Thanks for the meal, Kid. And thanks for letting us visit, Stocking. I think your apartment looks great!" stocking: i really appreciate it that you call came over. i feel a bit better about talking to people, i-i think.. and kid? thanks for introducing me. Kid: (smiles) "Any time." -seems everyone's mood and sanity increased as well- Maka: (pulls out a pen) "Anyone up for writing on Black Star's face?" liz: *griiiins* Kid: "Do it." stocking: *smirks* Crona: "I-Is that a good idea?" Maka: (frowns) "Yes. It is." (leans over Black Star with pen) "What should I write? Or draw?" stocking: this may be too cruel but.... draw a pirate. Maka: "Arr, matey!" Kid: (Everyone shakes their heads) "Never do that again, Maka." Maka: (pouts) "Fine. I'll just draw..." liz: *draws a d*ck.... so much for being the responsible sibling* Kid: (Thinking: "That's a rather small one...") Crona: "...Um...Maybe draw a smiley face onto him? To even this out?" liz: sure, go on ahead. Crona: "There!" (the smiley face has a jagged smile and crosses for eyes) Kid: "Looks familiar..." soul: yeah... i think that one kid had a shirt with this...? Kid: "Hmm...I'll have to go through my 'trophy room' of items from missions..." Maka: (snaps pic of Black Star's face) "Stocking, would you like the pen to draw?" stocking: *draws black*star and tsubaki kissing* tsubaki: !!!! O////o Kid: "Oh dear." Kid: (thinking: "At least she didn't draw that near the penis drawing...") -after everyone heads home- Kid: "That was a nice gathering. And it made your apartment feel even more welcoming. Especially with these decorations." stocking: yeah... thanks for helping out.... i really had fun today... Kid: "Same." (small smile) "Stocking...I..." stocking: yeah? Kid: "...I still feel sorry about..." stocking: ?? Kid: "...last night." stocking: *sighs and smiles warmly* kid, i told you, its ok. Kid: "I just...feel badly. And I feel other...feelings. I'm sorry. I can't put my words together. It's just...that was...the farthest we went and...is this moving too fast for you?" stocking:....*she sighs and hugs him* kid, i should be the one who's apologizing, it was my dumbness that got us into that situation... sorry if i forced anything on you. Kid: "Believe me, you didn't force anything on me...Well, I will say the bath was...awkward." (thinking: "Thank Death for therapy...") "But everything up to that point...I liked it. I...wanted it." stocking: *bluuuush* Kid: "Did you...feel forced?" stocking:.... im not sure how i feel.... Kid: (nods) "Okay. That's all I need to hear...Until you feel comfortable, I'm happy with how things are." (scratches his cheek. Thinks: "She does have an amazing body...") stocking: i guess we can cuddle. Kid: (smiles) "Okay." (sits on couch, pats the cushion next to him) stocking: *she sat down next to him and laid in his embrace* feels warm... Kid: "Yes, you do." stocking: clever~ *she giggles and kisses him* Kid: (returns the kiss) -eventually, they fall asleep on the couch together- Kid: (talking in his sleep) "S-Stocking..." -the next morning- Kid: (Yawns, looks around him, remembering where he is) stocking: zzzzz Kid: (smiles, looking at her. Stays motionless so not to awaken her) "Wait...Don't we--" (whispers) "We have class today!" stocking: *yawns and wakes up* ah! r-right... we better get ready. Kid: "Yes! But...I'm still in my clothes from yesterday! Can I get to the Mansion in time to shower and change?!" stocking: you can use my shower. Kid: "Thanks!" (kisses her cheek as he removes his jacket and socks, then is hopping to the shower while unbelting his pants) -at school- liz: well THERE you are. Kid: "Hi! I swung by the Mansion for a change of clothes, but you had already left. Am I late?" liz: well, its still early so... Patty: (glares) "You having naughty time again?" Kid: (blushes) stocking:.... *bluuush* Patty: (glares at Stocking) "Just because you got it going on doesn't mean you get to manhandle our Kiddo. You have him home or at school at a decent hour. And you call us when, Kiddo, when you know you'll be late!" stocking: yes ma'am... *sweatdrop* Patty: "Now get to class!" (slaps both Stocking and Kid on the backside) stocking: 0///0 !! Kid: "S-Stop that!" liz: *sweatdrop* Patty: (leans to Kid) "Just getting a good feel, buddy..." (leans to Stocking) "You too..." stocking: *facepalms* oh my god... Kid: (puts Patty into a headlock) "Let's go, my weapon..." (drags her, but Patty holds back) "Stocking! Liz! A little help getting her to class!" liz+stocking: on it. Patty: "What can you all do to get me to class?!" -initiate 3 person carrier mode- Patty: "Okay. Who's touching my butt?" liz: sorry. -at class- Patty: (rubs her left shoulder) "You all were rough...And not in a fun way." stocking: *whistling* Kid: (blushing, clearing his throat) Patty: (stares at Liz) liz: O-O Patty: (thinking: "So...that's what they're thinking...") (leans back in seat, hands behind head) "Okay, you losers: which class are we in anyway?" -it was math, but lets skip that.- Patty: "We didn't even learn how to multiply." Kid: "What is the next class? Are we all in it?" liz: looks like music class. Kid: "Oh, good! I wonder which song we will play..." -they could just play what they learned. seems kid and stocking are in this class together- Kid: "Looks like practicing a previous song...Ready, Stocking?" -cue piano and violin duet of ave maria- Kid: (glances at Stocking playing. "My word...she is so graceful...") soul:...... Kid: (spots Soul) "???" soul:...!! *looks away* Kid: ("I"ll have to ask what is bothering him..." Looks back at Stocking. Smiles at her playing) -later at lunch- Kid: "You were quite a pianist in class, Stocking!": stocking: thanks. *she smiles a bit* but soul...he seemed distant... Patty: (whispers to Liz) "What about a pianist?" (Beat. Giggles) "Heh heh...pianist..." Kid: (serious) "So, you noticed as well? I was thinking of asking him." soul:..... liz: hey, everything ok? Kid: "Yes, you seemed a bit distant in class." Patty: (picking fries off Kid's plate, noticing he's distracted) soul: i-its nothing. im fine. Kid: "That did not seem like nothing. Please, you're among friends." (he then smacks Patty's hand away from his fries) "And Patty." Patty: "Ow!" (she looks to Soul) "So, who pissed in your cornflakes this morning?" soul:.... yer...pretty good at that stocks.... stocking: um....thank you? Kid: (smiles) "Yes, she is." soul: well, this lunch aint gonna eat itself. Kid: "Was that all that is on your mind?" soul: dont worry man, its all good. Kid: "Okay. But if you do want to talk...just let us know." (looks to Patty, Liz, and Stocking) "Right?" stocking: *nods* liz: *she smiles* Patty: (mouth full of french fries) *thumbs up* soul:...heh....i'll keep that in mind. Kid: "Well, let's dine. By the way, Soul, how is Maka?" soul: she's doing good. a bit tired, but good. Kid: "Tired? Missions? Classwork?" soul: from last night's shindig. Kid: "Ah...Say, has anyone seen Black Star?" soul: he's showing off his 'tattoos and battle scars' Kid: "...What? But...some of those drawings were...suggestive." (glances at Liz) liz: *sweats* Patty: "Feel bad for Tsubaki, though--imagine having being around Star when he's bragging about those, ahem, 'scars.' BTW, thanks for not drawing on my face. Mad props." soul: aaand i think the nurse is dragging him to get his face cleaned off... Black Star: (from down the hall) "Stop it! This is embarrassing! I have scars! Tats! I am a warrior! WARRIOR!" tsubaki: *sweatdrop* Kid: "Liz, could you find a way to schedule a spa retreat for Tsubaki?" liz: sure, it can be a girl's day out. Kid: (smiles) "Good." -later- Kid: "Which is our next class?" -survival class- Patty: (sinister grin) liz: so what are we even doing? Kid: "Those spiked wheels cannot be a good sign..." liz: *gulp* Naigus: (blows whistle) "Today, your survival depends on how quickly you can run down a hill without being sliced apart by spiked wheels..." sayaka: !!!!!!!!! its like the school _wants_ to kill us... Kid: (gulp) "This is a school intending to separate the weak from the capable..." Patty: "Let's do this! Right, Sis?! ... Sis?" liz: *SCREEEEEEEEEEEAM* Patty: "Hey, Sis! They didn't say we would run yet!" Naigus: (blows whistle) Patty: "Okay! Now we can run!" sayaka: OH NOOOOOOOOO --Everyone Runs for Their Lives-- madoka: weeeeehhhhh!!! Q~Q Kid: "Hill! Everyone, jump!" -amazingly, no one died.- -But do have small scraps and sprains- Patty: (hopping on one foot) "That was fun! Ankle-spraining fun! Fun for the entire family! Yay, fun!" sayaka: *inhales and faints* madoka: Q~Q Kid: "I lost one of my sleeves!" (rips the other one off) stocking: woah. gopher: i lost an arm.... i'll fix it later... kirika: !?!?! Kid: o_o "An arm?! Liz, Stocking! Please tell me you are okay!" stocking: im fine...cant say the same for my dress though... i can just have it tailored/replaced... liz: im good. traumatized, but good. Kid: "Oh, Liz...That's what therapy is for." (spots Stocking's dress) "Do you have something else to change into?" stocking: i guess i'll have a maid bring something. maid: spare clothes ma'am. *exits* Kid: (puts hand on Liz's shoulder) "You're going to be okay...Okay?" liz: yeah... therapy tomorrow... Kid: (nods) Patty: "Could you two walk me to the infirmary? My ankle needs bandaging." Kid: (puts an arm around his shoulder) "Sure. Liz?" -one nurse's trip later- Patty: (one bandage ankle) "Neat! But I'll need to stay off of it. Which of you is going to carry me everywhere?" liz: ok... thompson sister...piggy-back mode! Patty: (gets on Liz's back) "Piggy-Back Mode: Initiation!" Kid: "..." stocking: *she giggles* Kid: (blushes) "How are...your ankles, Stocking?" stocking: sore, but i'll live. Kid: "...You...do not need to be carried?" stocking: not unless you wanted too~ Kid: "...I would..." stocking: ok, allyyyyy oop~! Kid: (catches her on his back, his hands holding her up by her legs as she wraps her arms around him) "Ready? Then let's go!" sayaka:......*whispers* i ship it.... Black Star: (face red from abrasive wash) "Meh. I give it a week." -later- -Kid and Liz carried their riders down the stairs to the front entrance- Kid: "Any plans for afterschool?" liz: victory! liz: nah, not really. Kid: (sets Stocking down) "Perhaps something to treat Patty's swollen ankle? Maybe soak it?" liz: sounds good... Patty: "I'd rather hot tub this ankle..." stocking: you guys have a hot tub?! Kid: (nods) stocking: ok then~ *griiiiiin~* Kid: "Oh. Um...Patty and you will be in the hot tub, then?" stocking: not tonight...but..._we_ might be someday~ Kid: (blush) Patty: (frowns, tugs Liz's arm) "Sis? Will you hot tub with me? I would use some conversation." liz:..*sigh* oh alright. Patty: (smiles) Kid: "Stocking, how about you? What were your plans?" stocking: nothing much, but maybe i could come over? Kid: "Sure! With Patty's leg, I'll call a limo... -and so- Kid: "Liz, Patty? You'll be in the hot tub?" liz: yeah.... unless you two want it. Kid: (blushes, looks at Stocking) stocking:.... *blushing and smirking* Kid: "Do you?" stocking:.... maaaybe~? Patty: "Hey, if you want it, take it. I can wait...Unless you want all four of us to share. Plenty of room..." stocking:...y-you two go on ahead. Patty: (shrugs) "Okay!" (turns and limps away while starting to take off her sweater) "Come on, Sis!" liz: hey, n-not in the living room geez! Patty: "Ha ha ha!" stocking: hehe....s-sorry about that.... i might have wanted to do it....though that might have been pushing it... Kid: (scratching cheek) "...I...would like to use the hot tub...with you...Have I...never seen you in a swimsuit?" stocking: who said you need a swimsuit for a hottub? Kid: (blushing, but smiling) "I like the way you think..." stocking: hehe~....sorry, was that too forwards? Kid: (puts a finger to her chin) "Not at all..." stocking: awww~ *she kisses him sweetly* Kid: (returns the kiss, putting his hands along her waist) --Eleswhere, at the hot tub-- Patty: "Ah...this is nice..." liz: ahhh, so relaxing... -a few minutes of reaper X angel kissing, snuggling, and nose-nuzzling* --Kid and Stocking are curled up on the couch, before the fireplace-- stocking: *asleep* Kid: (kisses her forehead) stocking: *sleepy smile* Patty: (peaks into the room, whispering) "Psst! Kid! We're done in the hot tub!" stocking: *clunked out* Kid: (whispers) "Thanks. But it looks like Stocking is exhausted." Patty: (enters, wearing bathrobe) "Hear that, Sis?" liz: where's she even gonna sleep? Kid: "Well, if we let her sleep here, we have plenty of extra rooms. Or should I take her home?" stocking: *sleepilly nuzzles* Kid: "Liz? What do you think?" liz: maybe just let her sleep there. Kid: "I think I could carry her to a bedroom, though." liz:..........use protection. Kid: "_To let her sleep in her own bed..._" Patty: (glares) "USE PROTECTION." Kid: (carefully picks up Stocking) "I'll set her in bed, then come back just to show you..." stocking: *sound asleep* Kid: (enters empty bedroom, sets Stocking down) Kid: "I should write a note so she does not panic upon waking up..." stocking: *she's drooling slightly* Kid: ("...She’s still adorable...") Kid: (takes paper from desk in the bedroom, writes note explaining she can sleep over or, whenever she is ready, just call for a ride home, and leave a note when she does...) -next morning- stocking: *sleeping* Kid: (soft knock on door) stocking: *stirs slightly* Kid: (opens door, puts just hand in, not head) "Stocking?" stocking: *still stirring* Kid: (Puts head in. "She's still asleep..." Enters room, nears Stocking's bed, gently pushes her shoulder) "Stocking...?" stocking: *yaaaawn* mernin'.... Kid: (chuckle) "Morning. Sleep well?" stocking: y-yeah....thanks for....*yaaaAAAAAAAAAWWWWWWWNNNnnnn* letting me stay the night... Kid: "Shall I call a maid to bring your clothes? You're welcome to our shower." stocking: sure...t-thanks.... Kid: "We have many bathrooms, although we get lazy and tend to use the one down the hall--labeled "Bathroom." But there is one in this guest room that you can use." stocking: cool Kid: "Oh! I forgot..." (goes back into the hallway, returns with a basket) Kid: "Here are towels, clothes, bathrobe, soap, body wash, shampoos--whatever you need. And the bathroom is that door right there." stocking: oh, well, thank you. *she smiles* Kid: "Well, I'll leave you to shower, and I'll instruct your maid to leave your clothes in here..." stocking: ok... wait, she's still here? Kid: "No, she will be coming shortly, likely while you're in the shower." stocking: ok then. Kid: (smiles) "Good. What would you like for breakfast?" stocking: how about waffles? Kid: (flips waffles) "Excellent!" stocking: ok im ready. dress looks good as new... Kid: (turns around, wearing an apron: "Don't Fear the Reaper") "Wonderful!" stocking: *giggles* aw, how adorable. Kid: (chuckles) "Liz's sense of humor” stocking: really now? Kid: (nods) "I think this was from Christmas a few years ago?" stocking: well, its fitting. Kid: "Thanks." (approaches, kisses her cheek and then whispers) "I'm sure I look good in _just_ the apron..." stocking: *nosebleed* Kid: (already prepared, holds up napkin) "Seat yourself, stop the bleeding, I'll bring you waffles and all the condiments you want." Patty: (pokes head in) "Condi-whats? Oh! Waffles!" (shouts down the hallway) "Sis! Kid made waffles!" stocking: stawberry syrup and butter please~ Patty: "Maple syrup and blueberries! How about you, sis?" liz: how about syrup? Kid: (brings fancy tray and passes out all condiments) "Enjoy!" Kid: (seats himself and puts maple syrup and butter on his waffles) Kid: "Liz, Patty, you two sleep okay?" liz: yeah. Patty: "Yeah! That hot tub fixed my foot right up! Want to see?!" (Patty pulls off shoe and sock) liz: t-thats ok sis, you really dont need to. Patty: (pouts) "Okay...So, Stocking, how was the guest bed? Real comfy, right?" stocking: yeah it was. Patty: "Have good dreams, Stocking?" (smirks) stocking:.... maybe~? Kid: (chokes on tea) stocking: *grin* Patty: (smirks) "Good dreams are always fun..." (sighs) "I miss Artie..." liz: *sigh* dont worry, you'll do better. Patty: "Maybe someone could get me a blind date...Or a deaf date. Or a mute date." liz: we'll see. Kid: (looks to Stocking) "Any plans this weekend?" stocking: how about that ski trip? Kid: "Oh, now? Sure! Liz, Patty, that sound good?" liz: sounds great. want to invite the others? Kid: "Sure! The more, the merrier!" -later at kid's therapy- liz: your turn. Joe: "So, Kid, what did you want to discuss?" Kid: (nervous) "I'm...still confused." Kid: "I mean...I feel like I'm ready for...sex..." liz:..... *screams internally* Kid: "But I don't want to go further until Stocking is ready...It's just...things have happened the last few days..." liz: *internal screaming intensifies* Joe: "It is important to acknowledge your desires. But you know that you have to be respectful of other persons' desires and never force anyone to do something they do not want to do. Liz, have you had similar concerns?" Joe: "I mean, about Kid?" liz: well.... *she looks at him in a way that says 'i do but i cant say so in front of kid'* Joe: (gets the hint, stammers) "W-Well, Kid, have you asked Stocking about these concerns?" Kid: (nods) liz: *listening* Joe: "Have you reached an agreement to wait?" Kid: (nods) "It's just...certain dreams I have...I feel like I am in love. But I also know it's too soon." liz:.... Joe: "Have you considered that Stocking may not be compatible? It may be that you have different desires..." liz: !! Kid: "I-I think we're both not ready yet...and given certain...events, I think we are compatible. I can wait. I can." liz: *concerned* Kid: "Liz, what do you think? I mean, what do people do when they are both attracted to each other, but not ready?" liz:....sorry, i just dont know... Kid: "I see...Sigh...I don't know how to proceed..." liz:.... *frown* Kid: "It's...awkward. Stocking looks so attractive, no matter how she is dressed..." liz: *listening* Kid: "Something...happened awhile ago. Where Stocking and I were...intimate. I think it may have gone further..." liz: !!!!!! Joe: "What stopped you?" Kid: (glances at Liz) "I'd rather not talk about it..." liz:.............. Kid: "Let's just say...I feel conflicted. It feels like we're moving forward, then pulled back..." Joe: "No relationship is predictable, or perfect. You learn to respond to the unpredictable and keep moving forward. Okay?" Kid: (nods) liz: *pats his back* Kid: (smiles) Joe: "Well, let's meet again when you are ready. Hang in there, Kid. You too, Liz." liz: ok, we better head back to class then. Kid: "Liz...Thank you...And...um..." (blushes) liz: what is it? Kid: (thinks about Liz...after she interrupted him and Stocking...) "N-Nothing. Forget it." liz: *shrugs* Kid: (looks Liz up and down, then snaps his mind out of gutter) "Th-Thank you, Joe! I'll make an appointment at reception!" (stands up and leaves) -later- Kid: "Where to now?" -literature, reading great expectations- Kid: "Hmm...Interesting work by Dickens." Patty: "The old wedding cake is creepy. Probably tastes nasty, right Stocking?" stocking: *shrug* Patty: "Oh, don't tell me you would eat some roach- and rat-covered cat, Stocking? Sis, back me up on this one!" liz: *shrug* Patty: "Wh-What?! You would eat that?!" Patty: "Oh, read the book, people!" Kid: "Enough about the damn cake, Patty. You're missing the intrigue, the suspense, the deception and desire for companionship and trust..." Kid: (looks at Stocking) stocking: *blush* Kid: (Thinking: "She's so beautiful...So why can't I just focus on this moment and be happy here and now?") stocking: *she smiles* Kid: (smiles back) tsugumi: *breeeeathes* Meme: (looks over shoulder at the ship diary) "Hmm...I wouldn't have thought of that pair...or that threesome..." tsugumi: !!! *closes it* ...... Meme: "Tee-hee!" mio: weirdo.... *secretly doodling her and meme's name in hearts* Patty: (pops up behind Mio and Tsugumi) "Fascinating..." mio: !!!! *eats the paper* Patty: "Hey, lady, if you need fiber, there are better ways to get it!" mio: *muffled* dun judge me! Patty: (slides slip of paper to her) "It's call the Ship Club. I'm the Vice President. We talk about our favorite ships. No judging. We meet in the basement Thursdays at 5:00 PM." (puts finger to her own lips) "Shhh..." (slides down under desk) Patty: (pops back up between Kid and Stocking) "So, what did I miss?" tsugumi:.... *blinks* stocking: oh hey. Kid: (annoyed that she is between them) "Hello." Patty: (puts arms around both of them) "This is great. Nuzzled between two of my favorite people." (waves to Liz) "Hey, Sis!" Meme: "...How can they even focus on the classwork when they keep talking throughout class?" tsugumi:....*shrug* -after school- Kid: "I suppose we better start packing for the ski trip: we were thinking of heading out Friday evening." liz: great, i'll send the invites. Patty: (whispers to Stocking) "Good hot tub there. Wear something good for Kiddo." stocking: !!!! *bluuuuuush* Kid: "????" stocking: nothing... Kid: "Okay...Liz, be sure to take out some money from the bank. We don't know how the weather will be like, so if ATM machines stop working..." liz: on it. Kid: (blushes) "Actually...I'll go with you, Liz...I have an errand next door..." liz: sure. Kid: "W-When were you heading there?" liz: now actually, what errand? Kid: "...Just...a stop by the pharmacy for snacks..." liz: sure, anything else? Kid: (obviously lying) "No." liz: ok then.... Kid: "I'll...see you later, Stocking." (kisses her cheek) stocking: see you then~ Kid: "See you then..." (blushing) "Let's go, Liz." -and so- Kid: "I'll be next door...I'll meet you out front in a minute..." liz: ok. Kid: (looks around to make sure no one is watching him grab condoms...) Kid: "But which size...?" Kid: (grabs both regular and large) "Just in case..." Cashier: "Will that be all, sir?" Kid: "Y-Yes..." Cashier: "Oh, let me do a price check--" Kid: o_o --Later-- Kid: (clutching shopping bag outside bank, blushing) liz: ok, that's all taken care of... kid? you ok? Kid: "F-Fine...H-How was your visit?" liz: good.... you sure you're ok? Kid: "Just...fine...Got some snacks..." liz:.... Kid: "Let's get home and pack...So, um, Liz...Looking forward to this trip?" liz: yeah, so is patti it seems like Kid: "Oh? How so?" liz: she was running around all over, so yeah, she's hyped. Kid: "That's good. What do you hope for on this trip?" liz: well, maybe i can finally get those skiing lessons for one. Kid: "That would be good. I just hope Patty takes it easy this time...And...I hope I can make this trip fun for Stocking..." liz: yeah. Kid: (sweating) "Yeah...Liz, can I ask something?" liz: yeah? what is it? Kid: "What do you think of Stocking?" liz:.... she's alright, i guess... Kid: (nods) "Okay. I just wanted to make sure. I do value your advice, Liz. And I hope that...if you are concerned, you'll let me know." liz: of course kid. Kid: "Good...May I ask something else?" liz: of course. Kid: "Have you spoken with Wes recently?" liz: sometimes, over the phone. Kid: (nods) "That's good. How's he doing?" liz: his preformance in vienna went well. Kid: (nods) "I don't suppose he told Soul about it?" liz: i think so, but knowing soul.... Kid: (nods, then smirks at Liz) "It's good you and Wes are close, though. I'm sure that means a lot to him." liz: yeah. *she nods* Kid: "And I'm sure your company means a lot to Wes, too..." (smirks) liz: oh you... Kid: (smiles) "Any idea when Wes will be around Death City again?" liz: not sure. Kid: (nods) "Well, that takes care of my errands. Anything else before heading home?" liz: i think thats just about everything. Kid: (clutches bag near him) "Then let's return home...since I know you want to give Wes a call before it gets too late..." liz: yeah, and i can invite the others too. -later- Kid: (in his bedroom, shoves the condoms deep in his luggage, under clothing) "There. No one will see this..." Patty: "See what?" Kid: "How did you get in here?!" Patty: "The door? I opened it and let myself in. So, what did you hide?" Patty: "Nothing! Liz?! Where are you?!" liz: yeah? Kid: (points at Patty) "Can you keep her busy?" liz: wanna watch cartoons? Patty: "Yay! Cartoons!" (runs down the hall) Kid: (sighs) "Thank you. Anything you want me to do, Liz?" liz: you keep doing what you're doing. Kid: (thumbs up) "Need any help packing?" liz: im good. im gonna call the others. Kid: "Thanks." (Yawns) "After this, I'm going to go to bed. Have the maids call our transportation to pick up our luggage here, then take it to pick us all up at school. And ask the others to bring their luggage to school tomorrow--we can leave after classes." liz: wait, tomorrow on friday? Kid: "Do you think we should leave on Saturday instead? I was thinking that the weekend technically starts Friday once classes end..." liz: it gives everyone else time to get ready. Kid: (sighs) "Okay. Let's wait until Saturday. But I would like to leave early Saturday morning, to get in as much of this weekend at the ski slopes." liz: dont you have like a lodge someplace? Kid: "Yes, and I would like everyone to enjoy it as long as they can." liz: awesome. Kid: "Okay. Because I don't want to rush things, either. Do you think that'll work? Leave Saturday morning?" liz: sounds good. (Liz's phone rings) liz: ?? Yeah? Wes: "Hey, Liz. It's Wes." liz: *BLUSH* uh, he-*ahem* oh hey wes, how's it going? Wes: "Doing alright. I'm at the airport between flights. Just wanted to let you know I'm in Paris right now before heading to New York. I called Soul but got his answering machine, and, well, I thought I should call you, too. How are you holding up?" liz: well, i'm doing good. we're all going on a bit ski trip on saturday, so that should be fun. Wes: "Hey, awesome! I don't suppose Soul is joining you all?" liz: hopefully. Wes: "I hope he does. Soul loved skiing growing up. At least, he seemed to--he was really good at it. How are you at the sport?" liz: i've actually never been skiing.... Wes: "Definitely ask Soul for advice--I'm sure he can help. Oh, looks like they're announcing something about my flight. Hey, Liz, one more thing?" liz: yeah? Wes: "I miss you." liz: i.... i miss you too... Wes: "I'll text when I land. Enjoy this weekend--have fun!" liz: ok then. *she smiles a bit* Wes: "...Um, well...Later?" liz: yeah, see ya. Phone: -click- Kid: (small smile) "How is Wes?" liz: he's doing good. Kid: "That's good." (smirks) "You seem pleased. You're practically glowing." liz: oh shush. Kid: "I don't hear a denial..." (shuts luggage, yawns) "Well, I should turn in. You going to bed?" liz: yeah. night then. Kid: (smirks) "Sweet dreams..." liz: you too. Kid: (exits to bathroom, brushes his teeth, goes back to room, changes, and crawls into bed) "I'll just write in my journal..." (finishes writing) "and now, sleep..." -the next day at school- Patty: (dressed in ski outfit) "What do you mean it's too early to dress like this?" liz: *sweatdrop* Kid: "Take off the attire until you are in something appropriate, and be ready for class." -first class, geography- Patty: (throws scarf, winter cap, and sweater at Kid and Liz) "Fine! But bring those back when we get to the slopes!" Azusa: (sweatdrop) "Anyway...Today's lesson is on the Amazon Jungle. It is a trove of hidden treasures, and potential dangers, as well." Azusa: "Elizabeth? Name something frightening one would expect to find in the Amazon?" liz: really big snakes? Azusa: "Yes. And the fact that the foliage in the Amazon is so thick that scientists expect there are species of all sorts of reptiles, insects, and arachnids not yet identified." Kid: "Stocking? Do you think something else could be hidden in the Amazon?" stocking: Jaguars maybe. Kid: "You think something else could be hidden there? Maybe information about...you?" stocking: haha, i doubt it. Kid: "Oh?" -jump cut to gym- Kid: (looking around nervous) "First injuries from dodgeball, then survival almost means being bisected by spiked wheels, and what's worse are the outfits..." liz: so what are we doing today? Nygus: (blows whistle) "Volleyball. It's the last day before an extended winter break, so play on your own. But no weapon abilities--let's see how you all do when you depend on just your wits and brawn." Kid: "So, who wants to be on my team?" stocking: *raises hand* liz: *does the same* Patty: (raises both hands) Maka: (smirks, cracks knuckles) "And who's going to be on my team?" soul: ok. tsugumi: *waves* Crona: "O-Okay..." Kid: (tosses volleyball to Stocking) "Your serve, Angel." -after school- Kid: (rubs nose) "Ouch." stocking: *holding ice up to his nose* Maka: "...Sorry. I hit too hard." Kid: (glares) "Soul? Please tell your meister I will accept her apology once the swelling diminishes." soul: i think she heard ya. Maka: (growling, holding up a book over Kid's head) Kid: "...Stocking? Please tell Maka I absolutely accept her apology..." stocking: he accepts the apology. Maka: (lowers book) "Okay...I am sorry, Kid. But at least your team won!" Crona: (looks around) "W-When should we meet the van to the ski lodge, L-Liz?" liz: tommorrow morning, we can send someone to pick you up at your place. tsugumi: i'm looking forward to it, i'm kind of excited to see maki-chan again. its been a while since the last time i saw her. Maka: "We'll see you all tomorrow morning, then. I can't wait for Soul to show us all his skiing skills!" anya: indeed. Kid: "Oh, you're good at skiing, Soul?" -a few meters away- gopher: we're gonna crash their get together, arent we. kirika: oh helll yes. --A Few Meters Back Where Our Heroes Talk-- Patty: (eyes widen) "I sense a disturbance in the Force...or I have gas. It's probably gas." soul: well i guess, but... liz: gross. Maka: "But what, Soul?" soul:... its nothin' Maka: "...Okay...Well, see you tomorrow morning!" liz: see ya. -meanwhile- gopher: but how will we get there? kirika: i know a guy that can take us up. (a certain knight king seems to be listening in) --At Gallows Mansion-- Patty: (holds up bathing suit) "Hot tubbing! Skiing! Other -ing verbs!" Kid: "Stop waving those around, Patty, and get back to packing." Kid: "Liz, how is your packing?" liz: yeah, i think there's a game room with all kinds of stuff like foosball and video games, right? liz: good. Patty: (eyes sparkling) "Foosball?! Super!" (stomach growling) "Liz, you got anything for my tummy? I think it is gas." liz: here, have some cheetos. Patty: "Will that help with gas?" (shrugs, starts munching) Kid: "The lodge also has a wonderful fireplace in the center for everyone to gather, with hot chocolate, a varied menu, a beautiful view of the slopes..." (drifts off, imagining being on the couch with Stocking in front of the fireplace...) "Ah..." liz: that sounds wonderful. i hear the staff there decorated the place for the holidays too. Kid: "Good. I'm sure Sto--er, everyone will enjoy that." (blushes) liz:....*griiiins* Kid: (flinches) "You know...I'm sure...Stocking would like it, too..." liz: sure kid. Kid: (frowns) "Hmph. Excuse me for being romantic..." -meanwhile- gopher: i cant believe we actually just pulled that off! kirika: i do this all the time, so relax. 'gotta get some winter clothes somehow, right? -and so, the morning of the trip had arrived- mio: i dont see how this is going to be 'fun'... Patty: "Falling in the snow, falling off of skiis, slipping in the hot tub, falling out of bed...Sounds like fun to me!" mio: yeah, try saying than when your face gets eaten off by a wendigo... Kid: " 'Wendigo'?" liz: come on, there's no wendigos at the lodge. (thinking: at least i hope not) mio: ever play 'until dawn'? Patty: "Question? Which is the best to prepare wendigos: broiled, fried, or raw?" anya:...... tsugumi: *sweatdrop* maki: quite a crowd huh? tsugumi: yep. Maka: "Anyway...We're warriors! I'm sure we can handle any supernatural threat out there! Right, Soul?" soul: yeah, of course. ao: and if it does come to that, i brought plenty of extra ofuda with me. Black Star: (looks at an ofuda) "What, you're going to confuse it with weird words?" tsubaki: i think those are supposed to ward off evil entitys and malicious spirits. Black Star: "..." (Puts one on Maka's forehead) "It's not working!" Maka: (slowly brings up book) "Maka..." soul: *snickering* --Meanwhile, a giant explosion can be seen 50 miles away, with one word echoing: "CHOP!"-- Black Star: (dead) soul: *frothing at the mouth* iris: *screeeeeam* Maka: "Oh, calm down, Iris--my chop isn't that scary." -elsewhere- kirika: da fuck was that? gopher: something terrifying.... --Meanwhile-- Kid: "Okay, so, who is sharing which rooms?" liz; im probably gonna have my room with patti. tsubaki: why dont we draw straws to see who stays in which rooms? Maka: "Okay, here are the straws...Pick yours, everyone!" soul: cool. Black Star: "Boys Room #1 in awesomeness!" iris: oh, i see... *slight frown* Maka: (hugs Crona) "It'll be fun, Iris, don't worry." kim: neato. tsugumi: oh, that sounds nice. mio: *bluuush* tch-... shinra: oh crap.... *sweats* Kid: (blushing at Stocking) "Hi, roomie..." stocking: *smiles* Tamaki: (glares at Shinra) maki: well, i'm looking forwards to meeting tsu's meisters. ao: it's quite the pleasure, right anya? anya: *slight pout* well, at least i dont have to deal with that pestering 'king' -meanwhile- gopher: i still dont get why *ahem* 'sir lance-a-lard' as you call him, decided to come with us. Arthur: "And I fail to see why I have a knave such as you as my squire, but beggars can't be choosers. After all, with me leading this mission into the castle, we are certain to be victorious in this endeavor! Join me, my comrades, as we scale this castle!" gopher:.... *whsipers* i dont understand what he's saying... kirika: *shrugs* hey, he got us our supplies, didn't he? so we let him come with us as payment, kind of a 'you scratch my back i scratch yours' kinda deal, get it? gopher: ohhhhh... Arthur: (frowns, hunches shoulders) "Let's just get into the lodge already. Where's the best place to break in?" kirika: we'll get to that part soon. i think there should be a cellar door, i just pick the lock and we can get in from there. gopher: she's really good at picking locks, just like she picked the lock to my heart~<3 kirika: down boy. *chops him* Arthur: "...Man. Men who creep on women are weird..." anya: and suddenly i just felt a cold chill up my spine. Kid: "Ah, I see the problem: one window is open. Let me close it." Arthur: "Why take the cellar? Look, here's a window! I'll just put my fingers here and--" Kid: (shuts window) Arthur: (...on his fingers) (Thinking: "Must not scream must not scream mustnotscreamMUSTNOTSCREAM") Kid: "Better, Anya?" iris: *SCREEEEEAM* THERE'S A HAND!! Kid: "What?" (looks behind) "WENDIGO!" Black Star: "They're real?! Kill it with fire!" kirika: !!! oh fucking shit! Patty: "Great! Knew roasting them was best!" (puts on bib and grabs fork and knife) "Let's eat!" Kid: (opens window, pushes the thing away...) "Be gone!" *WHOOSH* Arthur: (...collapses in the snow outside, rolls down hill a bit before crashing into tree) kirika: holy shit.... gopher: *flies down to collect him.* Arthur: (dazed) "Why are there three of you, Squire with the V-shaped frown?" kirika: *smack* nice going lance-o-lard, you almost got us caught! Arthur: "Princess, just get me something cold for my head injury, and my injured fingers..." kirika: *lifts him and drops him into a snowbank* there ya go. Arthur: (covered in snow, muffled) "Thank you." Kid and Black Star: (hyperventilating into paper bags) -soon they arrive at the lodge- Kid: "Well...I guess we should all head to our rooms and unpack..." mio: *collapse* im dead... Maka: (smirks) "And how do you expect to last in EAT with that attitude?" lodge staff: allow us. mio: shuddup im still in NOT... Black Star: (takes off shoes, kicks snow off of them onto the mat) Patty: (already examining the fridge) "Oooh, good stop of food and drinks!" tsugumi: its so big and cozy. *sit on the couch* mio: someone drag me to the game room please... Ox: "Quite a fine variety of books on the shelves." Patty: (lugs Mio over her shoulder) "Mind if I take you, cutie?" mio:...fine... anya: oh! there's an in-lodge theater! -outside- kirika: aaand there! that takes care of the lock. Arthur: "Good work, Blacksmith! Let us gain entrance into this domicle!" kirika: k, now we gotta go in really quietly... *as they sneak in, she notices some costumes in a box* hey, i just had a great idea. Arthur: "???" kirika: put these on you two.... once you're dressed, find the power breaker... i think its time for some old fashion pranking~ -after about 15 minutes, the power goes out- liz: *SCREEEEEEEAM* Kid: "Everyone, calm down! It's likely a circuit breaker problem. Please wait, I left a flashlight in my luggage--" Black Star: "That's not your flashlight, bro!" Kid: "Oh! Sorry!" (takes his flashlight, turns it on) Kid: "Is everyone okay?" stocking: i think so. mio: CRAP! i was so close to winning! Maka: "I'm okay." (points down) "Crona isn't." Crona: (clinging to Maka's leg) "Scary scary scary..." Ragnarok: "*Yawn* So sleepy in the dark...Too tired to mock you..." iris: i-its ok, im sure it's just the weath-EEK! Tamaki: "Iris?! What's wrong?" iris: b-black creat-urrrre... *faints* shinra: ah! *catches her* Ragnarok: "*Yawn* What's eating her?" Crona: "Sorry sorry sorry sorry..." tsugumi: i-its ok chrona, im sure she's tired. *looks over at iris and shinra* .... (thinking: i ship it!) Maka: "Black Star! Do something useful and get a cold compress for Iris and some water!" Black Star: "On it! Tsubaki, help me out!" tsubaki: *she nods* maki: hey kid, need me to help you fix the breaker? Kid: "Yes, I could use a little light to get a better look. I think the breaker is in the cellar..." maki: ok then, first i need to get something. *she walks over to the fireplace and uses a small bit of the fire to summon pusupusu* lead the way. Maka: (chuckles) "Cute flame..." Kid: "The stairs are this way. Follow me..." maki: hehe~ --Up the stairs, they arrive in the cellar-- Kid: (points flashlight to far corner) "There's the circuit breaker. Come with me." anya: tsugumi, how come you cant do that? tsugumi: well maki-chan and i are related from my dad's side. the weapon thing is from my mom's side. maki: *she follows* Kid: "Hold, um...Pusupusu over my shoulder while I pocket my flashlight and fix the breaker..." maki: can do. *rustle rustle* maki: ?? Kid: "That's odd...It looks like _someone_ deliberately turned off the power..." pusupusu: ~? ~!!! PUSU! PUSUSU!! maki: ??? !!!!! k-kiiiid? Kid: (turns, and grimaces) "What the hell?!" -3 masked figures with blades stand there- Kid: (narrows eyes) "Let me try to get a sense of their souls...Let me perceive them..." (Blade passes by Kid's face, just grazing him) Kid: "...Or, we should RUN!" maki: we need to call the cops, rangers, something! Kid: "This far from town?!" (screams down the stairs) "Killers! Killers in the cellar!" soul: WHAT? -when they reach the top step, the one in the middle removes their mask- kirika: OH MY FUCKING GOD! *she's laughing* your fucking faces holy shit! i thought kid was gonna shit himself!! gopher: its cold outside, but you just got burned! *he and kirika high five each other* Kid: (stops) "Those voices..." (shines flashlight in their faces) kirika: howdy asshats. *seems the power has come back on, thanks to a staff member* Kid: (right eye twitching) "No one...invited you two..." kirika: of course someone invited us! us! tsubaki: but, who's the 3rd person? liz: is it your weird chainsaw friend? Arthur: (removes mask) "Hello, serfs!" anya: nope. *runs into the theater and locks the door* NOPE! shinra: god DAMMIT! maki: WHAT THE HELL IS YOUR PROBLEM?! kirika: cant you take a joke? maki: i know, you were trying to be funny, but that doesnt me we're instantly gonna think its funny! Patty: (cracks knuckles) "Oh, Artie...Mama wants to give some love to you...BY PUNCHING YOU IN YOUR STUPID HANDSOME FACE!" Arthur: "...Oh God!" (runs to hide under a bed in a bedroom--ignoring that it is listed as Liz and Patty's room) Patty: "Get back here, Sugar Lips! Anya, get out of that room and help me beat his ass!" anya: leave me out of this! Patty: "Fine!" (marches up the stairs to her bedroom) "Oh, Lover Boy?! Come to Mama!" maki: and then there were two... gopher: O^O;;;;; Kid: (flexes muscles) "I have one weapon about to rip your friend's head off of his shoulders...But I don't need both weapons to easily tear you two into eight little pieces." Black Star: "Yeah, and it looks like Maki will then fry those pieces up!" kirika: we'll just take our room now. *drags gopher into a room* OI LANCE-A-LARD YER ROOMIN WITH US! Patty: (throws Arthur out the door, crashing him into Gopher. Patty then waves Arthur's pants) "He'll get these back when he learns to behave!" (tosses the pants to Maki) "Burn these." maki: !!! *drops them* ew! shinra: *laughing* OH MY GOD HIS BOXERS HAVE LITTLE CROWNS ON THEM! Ragnarok: (awaken) "Ha ha ha! Pants on fire! Pants on fire!!!" Maka: "...This is going to be an eventful weekend...Sigh...I can already feel tension in my muscles." -after that little scenario- Kid: "Stocking, I'm sorry this is...more chaotic than usual. Even for us." stocking: well, it was entertaining to watch, hehe~ Kid: (sighs) "That's something good to hear." (smiles) "And I'm happy to share a room with you." stocking: im glad to share a room with you too. Kid: (smiles) "I think this weekend will be enjoyable: skiing, fireplaces, hot chocolate." stocking: yeah, maybe hot tubbing~? Kid: (blushing but smirking) "Oh, definitely." stocking: hehe~ *she kisses him on the nose* Kid: (nuzzles her into a hug) kim: ugh, get a room. Jacqueline: (blush) Ox: (blush) Patty: (eating popcorn) tsugumi: *bluuuush* Kid: (frowns) "Hello, Kim. What are your plans while we are here?" kim: hopefully watching a movie without you two snogging all over the place. Kid: "...Stocking? Maybe we should go somewhere else?" stocking: ok. Kid: (takes her hand to the bedroom--but not before sticking his tongue out at Kim) Jacqueline: (giggling) kim: well you sure lightened up. Jacqueline: "But don't you think they are cute together?" kim: eh, i guess..... !!! tsugumi! you're rubbing off on her! tsugumi: gagantous! maki: *snicker* 'gagantous'? what the heck? tsugumi: *bluush* it was mii-chan's idea... Jacqueline: "Oh, hush. Be happy for them...especially because there should be glorious gossip this weekend about what they are up to." kim: hell yeah. *high-fives jackie* Jacqueline: (returns the high-five) --Meanwhile, in Gossip Central, AKA Kid and Stocking's Bedroom-- Kid: "..." stocking: dont mind them. *she pats his back* Kid: (sighs contently and smiles as she pats his back) "That feels good." stocking: *she smiles warmly and kisses him* Kid: (returns the kiss...and slowly lying down with her in the bed) -meanwhile- Patty: (bouncing on the bed) "Looking forward to skiing, Sis?!" liz: yeah, i hear an instructor is supposed to come up tomorrow. Patty: (stops bouncing) "Sis? Can I ask something?" liz: what is it? Patty: (sits on bed, looks serious) "Things are changing, aren't they? I mean, with us and Kid?" liz: what do you mean? Patty: "I mean, Stocking's here now. And she is incredibly great, and I'm happy for her and Kid. But...I thought of us as always with Kid, a kind of Three Amigos forever and ever. And now it's...you, me, Kid, and Stocking." (shuffles her feet) "And I'm scared things aren't going to be the same anymore." liz:... *she sighs* hey now, you know kid wouldnt just leave us like that. *she hugs her* Patty: (leans into her) "He wouldn't. But Liz? I'm worried whether you and me are ever going to find something like Kid has found." liz:.... *she sighs* im sure we will, someday. Patty: (pouts) "Yeah. I hope..." (sniffs loudly, rubs her eyes) liz: h-hey come on, its ok. Patty: "Yeah, I know." (buries her head into Liz) "I want you to find that, too, Liz! You deserve it!" liz:....*she sighs* -elsewhere- Crona: (stares at Iris) "H-H-Hi?" iris: *ahem* i really am sorry for how i acted earlier. Crona: "It's okay. I get that a lot." (smiles weakly) iris: ah. Crona: "...How...do you like this...place?" iris: its new... i've never been skiing before. Crona: "...I haven't either...I'm a little scared." Crona: "What do you do when something scares you?" iris: me? well, usually i just pray. Crona: "Oh." (looks down) "My...The person who raised me...discouraged that." iris: oh. (Awkward silence) Maka: (finally looks up from her book) "How about I bring us some hot chocolate? Would you all like that?" iris: why yes, that would be lovely. Crona: (nods) Ragnarok: (explodes out) "With lots of marshmallows!" iris: eek! (Crona is chopping Ragnarok) -elsewhere- Anya: "That disgusting perverted knight, here? How dreadful!" mio: feh, 'king arthur' huh? he and that weird duck thing would make a perfect match... at least i think its a duck? maki: ?? tsugumi: *excalibur face* you dont want to know. Anya: (shaking her head) "No, no, no. Never again." (downs cup of hot chocolate--colder by this point--in one gulp) "Awful!" maki: ??? *tsugumi whispers something* excalibur? you mean arthur's lightsaber thing? Anya: (stares at Tsugumi) "Do not speak such awful things to the innocent child: you will corrupt her." maki: im....im actually older than all of you... *sweatdrop* Anya: "You have lived so long and yet were so innocent." (clasps hands over hers) "Beware the Holy Sword. He corrupts the fair virginal ears of young commoners like you. Beware. Beware." maki: .....ooook then... Anya: "Sigh...I am not familiar with this skiing...or boarding on snow. How does one do it? Which is more common?" maki: dont worry, the instructor will explain everything tomorrow. Anya: "They had best be clear and articulate with all instructions that they provide. I expect you all to inform me for anything I do not understand." tsugumi: of course. -elsewhere- shinra: this bites... Tamaki: (lying in bed, under sheets, doodling on paper) "Oh? Not interested in my company? Well screw you." shinra: not you! king boil, thats who. you're probably jealous your boyfriends hitting on another girl... Tamaki: "Boyfriend?! Ew! I don't like him! Where would you get that stupid idea in your head?!" shinra:.... *whistling* Tamaki: (clicks tongue) "Whatever. Stupid. I got better things to do than pine after some asshole who sneaks in and does some idiotic prank...I mean, just because he came all the way here, I'm supposed to be impressed? Who does he think he's impressing?! Me?! No!" (nervous blushing) shinra: sure. (A pillow knocks Shinra in the head) Tamaki: (smirks) shinra: tch- *mimicing tamaki* its not like i like him or anything, baka! Tamaki: (tosses entire luggage at Shinra's head) shinra: GAK- Tamaki: "Maybe I can get some peace and quiet now..." shinra: *crawls over to another room* iris: ?? !! ah! s-shinra! Crona: "He's bleeding!" Maka: "I'll get first aid!" (gets on the floor, pulls him forward, bandages his head injury) Crona: "What kind of monster would do this?" shinra: c-cat demon... Crona and Maka: "???" Maka: "Iris?" iris: oh dear.... shinra: tamaki threw her luggage at me... Maka: "...She must be strong." (smiles) "How is she in combat?" Crona: (looking at her with 'Seriously? Now?' look) shinra: strong enough to almost kill me with a suitcase... Maka: "That _is_ impressive!" Crona: "Please stop. M-Miss Iris? Can you tend to him? I'll get some ice..." iris: of course. *she lays his head in her lap* shinra: ugh.... *he looks up, hallucinating her as an angel* haaa... Maka: "Hmm...Must have hit his head harder than I thought." iris: *bluuush* Maka: "Iris? You're looking a little red yourself." iris: huh? i-its- i-im fine! Crona: "I'm back! Here's ice! Oh, Iris--you look red. Do you want ice?" iris: i-im ok! -elsewhere- soul: ok, harv, truth or dare? Harv: "Truth." soul: hoho, so, what were you doing before coming to the DWMA? Harvar: "Hiding dead bodies." soul:.... ahahaha.... *sweats* kilik: *forced smile+sweating* Black Star: "Kilik! Truth or dare?!" kilik: dare me. Black Star: "Bet you can't get one of the girl's bras!" kilik: really? thats the best you can come up with? Black Star: "Oh, you got a better dare? Fine--what would you dare me to do?!" kilik: i dare you to smooch soul, dare-jacked! Black Star: (Eyes wide. Shrugs. Takes Soul's hand) soul: dude....dude! Black Star: (lips land on Soul's) soul: *SCREEEEEEAMING* --Elsewhere-- Jacqueline: (in the hot tub) "You hear something?" kim: *shrug* --Meanwhile-- tsubaki: my 'black*star doing something stupid' senses are tingling* Jacqueline: *snort laugh* kim: (thinking: the altitude drop must be getting to her) Jacqueline: (lies back) "This is so nice...I feel all my muscles relax." -back in the guy's room- Black Star: (on the floor, fist-shaped dent in his right cheek) soul: i fold...i fucking fold.... *lying face down on the floor* Harvar: "Ox? Truth or dare?" ox: alright, truth. Harvar: "Are you worried Jacqueline is getting too close to Kim?" soul: *grunts* ("and i swear in that moment, as i was laying on the floor, i could honest-to-god hear an acapella rendition of ave maria. - excrept from 'The Death Scythe's Melody' a memoir by soul eater evans) ox: *sweats* w-well, they're partners, so it make sense they spend time together, r-right? Black Star: *grunts* ("And his lips really need chap stick. - excerpt from 'I'm Awesome and You're Not! The Autobiography of Your God, Black Star!'") Harvar: "*Just* partners? You and I are partners, Ox, and we aren't as...intimate as those two seem." ox: *sweating* well, why dont we sleep in the same bed tonight! just to prove it! Harvar: "...Okay." ox:.... *AHEM* black*star, truth or dare? Black Star: (rubbing cheek) "I never turn down a dare!" ox: hmmmm.. why dont you go look through kid's luggage and steal his boxers? not for some weird pervy reason, i just want to know if you would do it? Black Star: (stands, salutes, dashes for Kid's room) "I wonder whether he's in there..." stocking: *walking with kid* so the theater is this way, right? Kid: "Yes! A very large screen and good sound system!" stocking: cool! (They walk past Black Star) -the door is ajar- Black Star: "Heh heh heh..." (dashes into Kid's room) Black Star: "Yahoo! His luggage!" (covers his mouth) "Right. Quiet." Black Star: (unzips luggage) "Bingo! Boxers!" (pulls them up out of luggage--along with a box wrapped in pharmacy shopping bag) "Huh?" Black Star: (removed shopping bag--and discovers condoms) "..." (stifling himself from screaming and laughing) Black Star: (returns, laughing, something behind his back) soul: so did ya get them? Harvar: "What're you laughing about?" Black Star: (tosses boxers at Soul's face) Black Star: "But that isn't all I found..." soul: dude...they have skulls on them... kilik: oh? Black Star: (reveals the box) "Ta-da!" kilik+soul+ox: y-YOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!! Black Star: (nods) "He's making this trip extra special..." Harvar: (blinks) "Huh." soul: dude holy shit. kilik: well put them back then! Black Star: (pouts) "Don't you guys want some? Kid brought them--he can't use up all of these in one weekend. Maybe we should take some?" ox: DUDE! Black Star: "Fine! See if you get to see my patented balloon animals!" Patty: "Oh, I like balloon animals!" Black Star: o_o guys: *SCREEEEEEAM* Patty: "What?" Black Star: (shoves box under shirt) "Nothing!" *Yawn* "Well, time for bed--g'night!" (dashes back to Kid's room) Patty: (stares hard at the other boys) "So...What were you doin'?" kilik: nothing! just....uh... say, wanna play truth or dare? Patty: (smiles) "Okay!" (Meanwhile, Black Star returns the condoms to the luggage, trying to make everything look as it did before...) -later- Patty: "...Some game of truth or dare, huh, fellas?" ox: my mother can never know of this... Black Star: (back, in only boxers) "Yeah." Harvar: (dazed...more than usual) "I smell colors..." soul: i dont want to see another carrot as long as i live. kilik: is it safe? Patty: (pulls her bra off Kilik's head, shoves it under her shirt) "Yep!" kilik: im just glad tsubaki's looking after the pots right now. Patty: "So, you guys still up for more fun?! Or is it time to get to bed?" soul: bedtime. Black Star: "Yeah." (smirks at Harvar and Ox) "Sweet dreams!" -elsewhere- Kid: (opens the door. Thinking: "...Didn't we leave it ajar?") stocking: hey kid...i think i want to....resume what we were doing a few days ago...i-if thats ok with you... Kid: (Thinking: "The suitcase also...is in a slightly different spot..") (eyes widen) "...A few days ago? What were we doing?" stocking: when i showed you my wings...i was going to show you...something else~? Kid: "...And what was that...something else?" stocking: *she giggles and grabs his arm, pressing it to her....*ahem* bosom...* Kid: "...Oh." (blushes) stocking: did you? or is that rushing things? Kid: "...Stocking, I would like that, very much." stocking: *she blushes* so...h-how should we do this? Kid: "It is...only balanced if we...both? You remove my shirt and I...undress you?" stocking: *bluuush+gulp* o-ok... Kid: (lifts up his arms to let her remove his shirt) stocking: *inhales and unbuttons his shirt* Kid: (trying to control his breathing, nodding) stocking: *fumbles a bit, but finally gets it undone* ah... Kid: "Good girl..." stocking: *bluuuush* y-your turn.... Kid: (puts his fingers along the bottom of her sweater) "Um...Can you...lift your arms?" stocking: sure. Kid: (slowly, deliberately, eventually removes the sweater up her stomach and midsection--and struggles a bit over her breasts) "...A little help?" stocking: y-yeah. *she helps him* Kid: (sees the sweater pull over her breasts, and looks at her bra) "Wow." Kid: "Um...I'm going to pull it off, okay?" stocking: o-ok... Kid: (exhales, removes the sweater off her head and arms. Stocking now stands in her pants and her bra) "...Wow." stocking: *blush* s-so how are you holding up? Kid: (looks down, then up to her) "I'm fine. A little cold...you know, no shirt." (looks at her bra) "Um...are you cold?" stocking: a bit, b-but i'll live... Kid: "...That bra...looks very nice." stocking: thanks... i-it unhooks in the front....i-if you get cold, you can summon your cloak if you like. Kid: "I-I could summon my cloak." (gulp) "Or...We could keep each other warm...in each other's arms?" stocking:....h-how about both? Kid: (nods fervently) "Um, Stocking? M-May I...May I remove your bra?" stocking: well...s-sure... in any other circumstance i'd say to stop here, but i want to take the next step. we wont make much progress if we dont step outside our comfort zones, right? Kid: "Yes!" (beat) "I've never removed a bra. Could you...guide my hands?" stocking: s-sure...t-this one unhooks in front so... *she takes his hands and shows him how to do it* Kid: (as his fingers grasp her bra, he hears the unhooking sound) "I did it!" (gulps) "A-are you ready?" stocking: *she breaths*.....yeah....i-im ready. Kid: "Stocking? I...first want to thank you for your trust in me. I do appreciate that." stocking: *she smiles* to be honest....y-you’re the first person i feel comfortable with doing this... Kid: (smiles) "I'm glad. And as nervous as I am right now, I feel comfortable with you." (inhales) "Here we go..." stocking: yeah, no turning back now... Kid: (Slides her bra open, slowly. The weight of her breasts begins to fall.) stocking: *blushing* Kid: (Her bra opens all the way, exposing all of her to him, her skin hitting against the cold air, her nipples revealed) Kid: "...Amazing." stocking: ah.... *she wanted to cover herself, but restrained herself* Kid: (slides the bra straps off her shoulders, and ends up taking the bra in his hand. He steps back, looking at all of her) "You're beautiful." stocking: *smiles shyly, grabbing her arm and pressing them together* Kid: (small laugh) "They're large. Perfect shapes." stocking: *chuckle* c-cold.... Kid: "O-Oh, right!" (snaps his fingers, summons his cloak, drapes it over her shoulders) stocking: thanks...b-but what about you? do...you want to snuggle on the bed? Kid: "God, yes." stocking: *she sits in the bed, handing his cloak back to him* you can wear it... Kid: "Do you want me to? Seems unfair to you..." stocking: you could wrap your arms around me with the cloak too~ Kid: (smiles) "Yes." (puts the cloak around himself, crawls into the bed and reaches out to her) stocking: *she grins and crawls over to him, sliding her pants off and sitting down in his lap* hehe~ Kid: "No pants? Well...that's not fair to you..." stocking: oh~? Kid: "Should I...take mine off?" stocking: if you want to. Kid: (slides his pants off, the pants rubbing against her panty-clad bottom as he gets them off and throws them off the bed. he then removes his socks) "You can keep your stockings on--I just, you know, wanted the socks off..." stocking: if you want, we can keep our underwear on. *she sits back in his lap* Kid: "That's fine with me." (puts his arms around her waist, leans his mouth to her ear) "Thank you for being here" stocking: of course kid. Kid: "You were beautiful before, you are beautiful now." (kisses her neck) stocking: ahh~ Kid: "Your breasts look...incredible." stocking: *she smiles* did you, want to touch them? Kid: "Would that be okay?" stocking: ...y-yeah.... i feel much more comfortable now. Kid: (gulps, reaches around...and just touches the tips of his fingers to her breasts) stocking: hehe~ kid, they arent gonna kill you. Kid: "Well, I am a Shinigami." (smirks) "My touch could be fatal." stocking: you've touched me hundreds of times before, and im still here, arent i? Kid: (rests the palms of his hands on her breasts) "Yes. And I want you to stay here, in this moment." (massages her breasts) stocking: *she gasps and shudders, blushing* a-ahhh~ Kid: "Too much?" stocking: d-damn... if you keep this up, i might want to take things even further... and im not sure if im ready to... Kid: "I...would not mind waiting for a step further...Do you want me to stop massaging? Maybe just...hold them? Or not?" stocking: *she sighs* im not sure what i want... Kid: "Stocking...Could you turn around, to face me? Please?" stocking: *she nods and does so* Kid: (puts one hand on her thigh, one hand on her face) "I follow your lead. You're in charge. If you find something that you want, tell me. I'll wait." stocking: *she smiles* thanks kid.... right now, i just want to be close to you. Kid: (lies down, bringing her down next to him) "Like this?" stocking: yeah... *she snuggles up to him, pressing her breasts to his chest* heh....ive had dreams like this....with you... Kid: (smiles) "So have I. This is what I have wanted for so long." stocking: kid.... *she kisses him* Kid: (kisses back, hands along her waist) stocking: mmmm~ Kid: (his hands shift to her bare back, feeling the indentation of her bra) stocking: you're warm... Kid: "So are you...Do you...feel turned on?" stocking: to be honest...y-yeah.... *she blushes* Kid: (puts a hand to her face again) "I follow you. Not until you tell me." (pauses) "May I...Ask to do one thing?" stocking: what is it? Kid: "I've never touched your...butt when it was in panties. May I rest a hand there?" stocking: s-sure... Kid: "O-Okay. Just rest." (places his right hand over one cheek) "Not...massage. Just touch." stocking: *bluuush* Kid: "Should I let go?" stocking: only if you want to... Kid: "I'd...like to leave it there. And I'd like to kiss you. And fall asleep in your arms. May I?" stocking: of course kid. Kid: "Stocking...Do you know what your most beautiful physical quality is?" stocking: didnt we have this talk before~? Kid: (smiles) "The answer is still the same." stocking: oh you~ Kid: "Your eyes...so full of life." (glances down) "And your breasts are not bad, either." stocking: hehe~ Kid: (kisses her lips, then her neck) stocking: ahhh~ Kid: "Stocking...Please be here in the morning. Please hold me in the night. Let me feel your warmth all over me..." stocking: *she frowns and holds him close to her* kid... Kid: "What?" stocking:..*smiles* n-nothing, you just get to sleep. Kid: (kisses her forehead) "Good night, Angel." -the next morning- stocking: *she is awake, she smiles and kisses kid near his eyelids* Kid: (yawns, opens his eyes, smiles) "Angel." stocking: hehe~ Kid: "How was your sleep?" stocking: wonderful. Kid: (interlocks his fingers with hers) "Likewise." stocking: *she smiles and kisses him* Kid: (returns the kiss, then looks at her breasts) stocking: *blush* Kid: "They are beautiful...Heh. They're turning red, too." stocking: hmmm... *she leans in and kisses his chest* Kid: "Ah...Hmmm..." (bites his lower lip) stocking: hoho, seems the tables have turned~ *she continues kissing and licking his chest, tickling his sides and hips* Kid: "Stocking...don't stop..." (he is starting to get hard) stocking: *smirks and brushes her leg against his* dang, you have smooth legs... Kid: "Y-Yeah...Heh...That feels good, right there..." stocking: *she hesitates for a moment* hm..... Kid: "...We should stop, yes?" stocking: we could...or maybe...we could continue? your move. Kid: "What did you have in mind?" stocking: *she licks her lips and whispers into his ear* do you want me to rub it against you~? Kid: "...Stocking, wait...I...Sigh...I'd like to wait. And there's something I have to tell you." stocking: oh, ok.... and what did you want to tell me? Kid: "I...thought about the pace of our relationship. And I wanted to do the responsible thing. So, on this trip, in case we...were intimate...I brought...condoms." stocking:...... *nosebleed* ah....o-ok... Kid: (holds tissue to her nose) "We've seen each other topless, but condoms give you a nosebleed?" stocking: n-not them but...j-just the thought of....doing that with you....huehue~...i'll admit, i drooled a little when i saw your without your shirt. Kid: (smirks) "Why, thank you." (sighs, more serious) "So, that's what I wanted to tell you. You deserve to know. If we are...to engage in the rubbing of parts...I would feel much more comfortable if I used protection." stocking: kid.... of course. and if you dont feel like doing that, if thats going too fast for us, just let me know, ok? Kid: (nods) "I think it is too fast. I think it isn't fair to you when...when I didn't tell you I brought condoms. I'm sorry." stocking: yeah, i guess it is too soon for that.... *she hugs him* its ok kid, im not mad at you... Kid: (takes the hug) "Thank you." (inhales) "So, what do we do now?" stocking: what time is it? Kid: (looks at clock) "7:22." stocking: well, we better get dressed then. Kid: "And shower. You can use the bathroom first." -and so- Kid: (before exiting the bedroom, looks at Stocking in the sweater) "I can't say I don't miss seeing you sans sweater and bra." stocking: hehe~ Kid: "Shall we have breakfast?" stocking: who knows~ Kid: (smiles) "Are you teasing me?" (pats her shoulder) "I'll make waffles for you..." stocking: *she smiles* mio: morning nerds. Kid: (smiles at Mio) "Good morning! And isn't it a wonderful morning?" mio: its cold and im tired. Kid: "I'm sorry to hear that. Would you like more blankets in your room?" mio: *grumbles and walks to the game room* Kid: "Stocking, can you think of any way to cheer her up?" stocking: not really, i dont know her that well. Kid: "Maybe someone else here could help her. I could ask Liz and Patty." stocking: maybe... -at breakfast- Patty: *Yawn* "Morning, Kid! Morning, Stocking! Sleep alright?" Black Star: (chokes on water, struggles not to cough) stocking: yep, best sleep i've had in a while. Kid: (smiles) "Agreed." Maka: (stretches her arms) "Man, I'm starving. Soul, are you okay?" soul: im...f-fine... Maka: (raises eyebrow. "Okay. I'll ask him later.") Harvar: (coming downstairs, whistling. WHISTLING.) Harvar: (smiling) "Morning, everyone! How are you?" kim: !!! harv, are you sick? Harvar: "Just looking forward to skiing today! Right, Ox?" ox: *loud laughing* Black Star: "...Um...Tsubaki! How did you sleep?!" tsubaki: ok? Black Star: (nods) "That's good. 'Cause I need you to be at your most awesomest out on the slopes today! I'm gonna show you little people how an expert skiis! Yahoo!" kim: i think the cold is getting to everyone's heads... Jacqueline: "Good thing people like the 8th brigade and me are here--otherwise you all would get cold." kim: yeah... Jacqueline: (pokes Kim playfully) "Oh, thaw out! Today will be fun! Liz, you're looking forward to skiing, right?" liz: yeah, totally. Crona: "Iris? D-Does it hurt, to fall off skiis and into the snow?" iris: im not really sure... Anya: "If you do fall into the snow, just do what I would do: make an angel of snow!" stocking: ..... Maka: "It's 'snowangel,' Anya." Anya: (pouts) Kid: "Stocking?" stocking: i-im fine, dont worry. *smiles* Kid: (puts a hand over hers, small smile, whispers) "I understand." (to everyone) "I suggest we get these dishes into the dishwasher before we meet with the instructor. Black Star, Patty, Meme: please gather the heavier equipment together. Tsugumi, please make sure we have first aid kits." tsugumi: yes sir! *salutes* Patty: "On it!" (pulls Black Star by his arm) "Come on, Meme!" --Everyone Goes to Their Rooms to Dress Warmly-- Patty: (after putting the equipment outside) "Cute outfit, Sis!" liz: thanks. Patty: "How do I look?" (spins around) liz: you look great sis Patty: (hugs Liz, lifting her off the floor) "Thanks!" mio: cant i just stay in and pay mario and sonic olympic winter games? Anya: "Cease your complaining and follow us. The snow will be fun! So soft, so chilly, tickling your nose! You can ball it up, build people from it!" (takes Mio's arm) "Come on!" -and so- Maka: "Whoo! Chilly!" gopher: *muffled speaking* Arthur: "Pardon? Did you say something, Squire?" gopher: *muffled complaining* Arthur: "Um...Do you want me to help you into your skiis?" gopher: *muffled refusal* Arthur: "Well, what is it that you want? Do you want to go back inside?" gopher: *tries to nod* Arthur: (picks him up--and holds him under his arm, like a plank of wood, parallel with the ground) Patty: "Artie! You can't go now! We're about to go skiing!" Patty: "Someone! Stop those two!" kirika: *throws a snowball at him* Arthur: "Who threw that?!" Black Star: (throws another, this one hitting Gopher) gopher: *MUFFLED YELLING* Patty: (puts arms around Arthur, carrying him while he carries Gopher) "Back to the ski slopes with you, Tiny Gopher and Hottie-Hot Artie." (looks at Tamaki, smirks) Tamaki: (blushes) shinra: *smirks* Kid: (looks at Stocking) "That's...a very nice skiing outfit." stocking: thanks. its custom made. Kid: "It was worth it. Feel warm in it?" stocking: yep, it feels wonderful. Kid: (smirks) "Better than my arms around you?" stocking: *she smiles and whispers* well when you compare it to what we did last night, its freezing~ Kid: (chuckles, kisses her cheek) soul: *sweats* Maka: (glaring at Soul) "Okay. What happened last night?" soul: nothing really! Maka: "The 'really' is telling. What did you do, Soul?" soul: its not what _i_ did its....something someone else did... Maka: "???" soul: you dont want to know, trust me on this. Maka: (stares) "When this weekend is over, and we're back home, you're going to tell me. And if you did something wrong, you better fix it." soul: *acknowledging grunt* Anya: "Where is that blasted instructor? Who are they going to be?" -lets just have the instructor arrive- kirika: do you hear something? Arthur: "Like footsteps in the snow?" kirika: no more like....music? Kid: (sweats) "Oh no..." kirika: motherfuck... Black Star: "Who the hell invited him?" justin: GOOD DAY EVERYONE! THE INSTRUCTOR HAS ARRIVED AND I AM HERE AS A CHAPERONE! PLEASE UNDERSTAND! Everyone: o_o Anya: "It's the frightening Death Scythe of the Academy! Eek!" ao: oh?....he kind of looks like you... Anya: (intense death glare) "..." ao: !!! *sweatdrop* Harvar: "So Justin's the chaperone? There goes a lot of the fun of this trip." soul: *looks at kid* so much for your 'funtime' Kid: (eyes widen, whispers furiously at Soul) "What's that supposed to mean?!" soul:....*looks at black*star* .... Black Star: (sweating) "...We, um...know what you packed..." Kid: o_o soul:....bruh.... Kid: (glares) "We will discuss this later...as I throttle both of you for going through my luggage. Until then, you will both keep your mouths shut, understand?" soul: *nods* Black Star: (shrugs) "Yeah, fine." (shouts at Justin) "Can we get on with the instruction already?!" justin: ah, of course. *looks at the instructor* you may proceed. *he goes inside the lodge to get his room* Maka: (blissfully ignorant of Soul's conversation) "Come on, Crona! Soul and the instructor can show us how to ski!" soul: y-yeah, of course. i havent done it in a while so i may be a bit rusty... Maka: "Come on, it's like riding a bicycle, right? You'll pick it up in no time and show us how to do it!" Crona: "...But I've never ridden a bicycle..." -inside- gopher: *panting, still exausted from the warm winter clothes* Arthur: "It is hot in here..." (remove his sweater...then his shirt) "I could use a shower." gopher: im gonna throw myself into a snowbank... Black Star: "Oh, like those Polar Bear Club people? Sweet!" (takes off his shirt) "I bet I can stand the cold better than you chumps!" tsubaki: black*star please do not... Black Star: "Nope, this idea is too good!" (takes off pants and is in boxers) "Last one to jump into the snowbank loses!" Arthur: (smirks) "You're on!" (runs after him, taking off his pants, as he runs past Tamaki and Patty) Patty and Tamaki: (nosebleeds) maki: *covers iris' eyes* Maka: (to Tsubaki) "Your partner is an idiot." tsubaki:....*facepalm* Kid: "...Why are members of our group half-naked and jumping through the snow?" tsubaki: bad decisions mostly. Kid: "Ah. I should have known. I shudder to think how Justin will reprimand them." Kid: "Let's ignore this buffoonery. Anyone up for board games? Video games? Take in a film in the theater?" mio: games please! Kid: "Stocking?" stocking: sure, i heard that the game room has all the consoles. Kid: "Then let's play a game. Mio, which would you like?" mio: wiiu smash bros, 8 player mode. Anya: "Why is that tiny person labeled 'Villager' feel like they are staring into my very soul with their cold, dead eyes?" tsugumi: i think he looks kind of cute. Anya: (pouts) "Fine. If you like that character so much, I suppose I can play as them..." [ Kid has to be symmetrical so Mario? Maka is Link. Anya is the Villager since it sounds 'commoner' enough. ] mio: thats cause you can name the character in the game he is from. they call him 'villager' cause he lives in a village full of animals. [mio - mii swordsman, stocking - Lucina, tsubaki – Zelda/sheik, iris - kirby, maki – ness] Kid: "Okay, we have our players selected." (looks at Stocking) "Prepare to be defeated, love." stocking: you wish. Kid: (throttles Anya's Villager then sends fireball at Iris's Kirby.) iris: umm.. *presses a button and swallows the mario* oh no! Anya: "How dare you! I will not allow you to have this victory!" (fires Gyroid--that instead hits Maki's Ness) Kid: "Let go of me!" (extricates himself--but now Kirby has Mario's hat) maki: aww. iris: why does he have that hat? Anya: "I-I wasn't aiming at you, Maki!" (firework hits Tsubaki's Sheik) tsubaki: um, *teleports?* Maka: "Mio, you want to explain the hat?" (throttles Kid and throws his Mario off the platform) Kid: (desperately trying to double-jump back up to platform) mio: kirby, the pink thing, can suck up his opponents and copy their abilities. THE SMASH BALL APPEARS... stocking: ooohhhhhh!!! Kid: (respawned because he couldn't get onto platform) "Come on! Hurry, Mario!" Maka: "not today!" (slices at Smash Ball--sending it hurtling towards Iris's Kirby) iris: oh dear... Maka: "Hit it, Iris! Keep hitting it until you get its power-up!" Anya: (one Villager punch--and she has the Smash Ball) (devilish smile) "So, who's my victim...?" mio: ohhhh frick... Anya: "Small Josephines--attack Kid's mustachioed overall man!" Kid: "Oh no..." --The Nooks build their house around Kid's Mario, killing him-- Anya: "Victory!": Maka: (knocks Villager off the platform to their death) Anya: "Curses!" -who won in the end? Anya: "How on earth did Iris win?!" iris: i dont know... Maka: (pouts) "Button masher." iris: *frowns* maki: well, i think you did pretty good. Anya: "Hmm. My controller was broken. Stocking, back me up on this!" stocking: dont be such a sore loser. Kid: (pouting too) "We're not sore losers. We just wanted to win." stocking: *she kisses him on the nose* better? Kid: (blushing) "A little." maki: awwwww. Anya: (rolls her eyes) "Oh, joy. What, are the rest of us losers supposed to get kisses as consolation prizes?" shinra: do _you_ wanna smooch boyle? Anya: (blushes) "Absolutely not! When did you even get here?!" shinra: i was here the whole time. Anya: (sticks out her tongue) Maka: "Shinra, were you up for playing a round?" shinra: lets do this then! Maka: (grins) "Okay!" Anya: "Well, you can't have my controller! I intend to demolish you!" Kid: "Here, Shinra--take my controller." shinra: neat. *chooses captain falcon* -elsewhere- kirika: *watching a horror movie* Harvar: (looks in on the theater and the film) kirika: not that scary... Harvar: (pops up in seat behind her) "Yeah, I like old school horror myself." kirika: ?? yeah....i've seen scarier... Harvar: "I'm sure they have something scarier in the selection, maybe streaming, Blu-Ray, DVD. Hell, they even have a VCR here." kirika: i wasnt talking about movies.. Harvar: (deadpan) "...Oh." gopher: Q^Q Harvar: "...So, what kind of horrors have you seen?" kirika: some really fucked up shit... Harvar: "You ever see a monster turn itself inside out?" kirika: worse. Harvar: "And as it turned itself inside out, smaller versions of itself burst from pustules lining its internal organs?" kirika: maybe. but why would i tell you? Harvar: (removes his sunglasses, stares hard at her) "You show me yours, I'll show you mine. You tell me a story, I'll tell you one." (smirks) "And I have stories. Really good ones." kirika: alright.... one time i found this dead body. they were like nailed to the wall with their guts spilling out. some freak carved eyes into the poor bastard's stomach. Harvar: (leans forward listening) "Hmm." kirika: so i decide to poke the fucker for shits and giggles. and then...'AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!' the guy starts screaming bloody fuckin murder! turns out he was only halfway dead. Harvar: (not moving) "Huh." kirika: yep, now you tell me yours. Harvar: "So, as I told you, that monster had its inner pustules explode. The stench...You imagine the worst smell you can, this combination of excrement, garbage, and rotting flesh. That was the smell that hit my nose, practically knocked out Ox. Still, Ox tries to electrify the beast--and all that does is cause the creatures to explode, dosing us in the juices of this creature. I had to bathe for a week to get that smell off of me--two weeks for Ox, since he wasn't in a weapon form like me. The creatures' claws were just ripping at my weapon form, and I could feel that sting each time. But the worst sound...was the howl." Harvar: (leans forward) "It still haunts my dreams, that howl. I don't know how to describe it. It was like the wail of a creature dying--played in reverse, with an echo." gopher: *crying in terror* kirika: thats pretty fucked up. Harvar: "Yeah. Still haven't found someone who can identify the creature." (leans back in the chair) "Pretty fucked up alright." kirika: yeah. Harvar: (smirks) "You're alright. So, what brought you all the way out here?" kirika: knowing my being here would piss off kid... its funny. Harvar: "Heh. It kinda is. But now that chaperon is here--so doesn't that make your presence here redundant? You know Justin is going to screw up Kid's plans for boning Stocking." kirika: yeah, well, that just means double the damage, right? Harvar: "True. But what else do you enjoy doing? You got an entire ski lodge for this weekend for skiing, snowboarding, video games, films, hot tubs. What are your hobbies? What else do you do with your spare time?" kirika: *shrug* *exits* Harvar: "Weirdo." (smiles) "But an interesting weirdo." gopher: *glaaaaaare* Harvar: (feels someone watching him, looks behind) "Yo. What's up?" gopher: *exits, staring him down the whole time* -elsewhere- kim: hmmmm... *playing some texas holdum* Jackie: (pouts) "I'm just no good at this game..." Arthur: "Kim, there is no way that someone is this good at card games. You must be a witch or something." kim: or maybe you just suck. Arthur: (joins Jackie in pouting) "That's just mean." kim: true though. Jackie: "There is such a thing as a sore winner, Kim. If only you were as good at manners as you were at card games." kim: *whistling* Jackie: "I find your behavior all the more annoying since it was you who could barely stay on her feet while skiing today." kim: *poout*.... ?? oh, hey j-law, what're you up to? justin: have you seen kid anywhere? Jackie: (sweats) "N-No! Not at all! We haven't even heard--" Arthur: "He's in the hot tub." Jackie: (glares) justin: ah...i-i see.... *he walks over to he door* kid? are you ok in there? Kid: (eyes widen) "F-Fine! Thanks for asking!" stocking: *silent* justin: thats good. well, when you're done in there, come see me. i brought your medication since you forgot it. Kid: (" 'Medication'?") "Will do! Thank you!" -after justin walked off- stocking: phew... that was close... Kid: "Yes, it was...Um...where were we?" stocking: *she kisses him softly* Kid: (returns the soft kiss) "Ah, that's where we were..." -one make out session later- Kid: (breathing heavily) "That was fantastic..." stocking: *laying in his arms* Kid: "How did you get to be such a great person?" stocking: i could say the same about you~ Kid: (smiles) "And we found each other..." stocking: hehe~ Kid: (leans to her neck, plants one light kiss there) stocking: ooh~ Kid: "Did that feel alright?" stocking: yeah... *she blushes* Kid: "And this..." (Kisses lower, where her neck meets her chest) stocking: *she moans softly* Kid: ("That would be a yes") "Or...lower?" stocking: i dare you~ Kid: (smiles) "Dare accepted..." (lowers to kiss just where her bikini top meets exposed skin) stocking: mmmm~ Kid: "Is this good? Or do you want to be kissed elsewhere?" stocking: like where~? Kid: "Under your bikini? Along your breasts? Your nipples? Or is that too fast?" stocking: *blush* if its you, then im ok... Kid: "Okay..." (slowly pulls along the bikini top on the right, exposing her nipple) "Ready?" stocking: *blushing more* o-ok...be gentle ok? Kid: "I will. If I do anything wrong, tell me to stop and just push me away..." (puts one gentle, soft, and quick kiss along her right nipple) stocking: *she shudders, biting her bottom lip to keep from moaning out* Kid: "Does that feel good? Would you...like me to...lick?" stocking: ah..i guess...its ok... Kid: (opens mouth a bit more and lets his tongue trace along her nipple, slowly, softly, deliberately.) stocking: nnnnn~ Kid: "Stocking...Would you...like to kiss my chest?" stocking: *she licks her lips and sucks his chest in several places, dragging her tongue along his nipples.* Kid: (bites his lip to keep from screaming with pleasure) "That's so good...c-could you make it more even? More symmetrical?" stocking: of course. *she does so* Kid: (low moan) "Stocking...This is making me feel so good..." stocking: hmm~ *she rubs her thumbs over his nipples* Kid: (puts his hands around her back) "Do you mind if I remove your top?" stocking: i was just about to offer that~ Kid: (smiles as he begins to untie) "We are of two minds..." (unties, and swiftly removes and tosses the top) stocking: *she starts kissing him again, pressing her chest against him* Kid: "Your breasts feel incredible, Stocking." gopher: *his head is pressed against the door, listening* Kid: "Does this feel good Stocking?" stocking: yes~ Kid: "May I play with your nipples"? stocking: ok. Kid: (pinches both nipples slightly but with exactly equal force) stocking: ha-aaah~! Kid: (gentle but insistent) "Shh...Don't want people to know..." (smirks) "But that makes this more fun." stocking: *whispers* ah, right... Kid: "This is kind of naughty, isn't it?" stocking: indeed~ Kid: "Stocking...You are so beautiful..." stocking: you too~ Kid: "Stocking...I...would love to see you completely naked...if not now, then whenever you are ready..." stocking: *she smiles and kisses him* Kid: (kisses back) "And if you...want me to be naked, feel free to ask..." stocking: of course... we'll get to that in due time... Kid: (smiles) "In due time..." (opens his mouth, leans his tongue to her chest, and traces it up between her breasts) stocking: *she sighs softly* Kid: (shifts one hand to her lower back, as he attempts a light bite over her left breast) stocking: *lightly moans as she runs her fingers through his hair* Kid: (licks where he bit) "Yes, I love the feeling of your fingers, Stocking...so nimble..." -maybe we should leave these two be for now~- Maka: "Justin, are you okay?" justin: hm? why yes, why do you ask? Maka: "It's just that you are here as our chaperone. But do you get to have fun this on this trip? I mean, I would hate if it just felt like you babysitting us." justin: oh, well i do appreciate your concern miss albarn, but i'm quite alright. Maka: (smiles) "Why not do something fun? I think there is karaoke here." justin: oh, but i really couldnt. Maka: (takes his hands) "Oh, yes, you can--" (drags him into the empty game room) "Come on, everyone! Justin's going to sing!" justin: oh dear... *sweats+screams internally* Anya: "Oh! You're going to sing, Mr. Law?" Black Star: "Awesome! Belt those tunes, man!" Arthur: "Singing? I would like to hear a song." Harvar: "I could use some music." Maka: (smiles) "Who else wants to hear Justin sing?!" -after that- iris: *pats his back* justin: t-thank you... TTwTT;; Maka: (claps) "That was good!" soul: he didnt....even do anything... Maka: "...Um...It was still good?" tsugumi: points for effort. Patty: (whispers into Maka's ear) "I'll make sure Kid buys you something expensive as a thank you. Think of the most expensive book you want, then ask him to buy it for you." Maka: (whispers back) "Thanks for what?" Patty: ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°) justin: ?? Patty: (whistles innocently) kilik: anyone up for some national lampoon? Maka: "The magazines or the films?" kilik: the christmas vacation movie. Maka: "Oh, neat! Put it on!" stocking: ah... Kid: "Stocking?" stocking: yeah? Kid: "Would you like to watch National Lampoon?" stocking: sure. i hear its really funny. justin: ah, kid, your medication is on the kitchen counter. Kid: "Oh, thank you. And I'm due for it. I'll be back in a moment." liz: seriouly, he forgot his....nevermind... Patty: (pats Liz's shoulder) "He's having a busy weekend, he was trying to plan a lot ahead of time..." liz:... *sigh* at least it will ease his night terrors a bit... Patty: (smirks, whispers) "That's not the only thing that'll ease them terrors..." (pulls Liz's head to look at Stocking) liz: oh yeah.... Patty: (whispers) "Best medicine, period." liz: ???? Patty: (whispers) "Imagine what they're doing behind closed doors..." liz:........*bluuuush* p-patti! Patty: (slaps hand over mouth, whispers) "Don't draw attention--or Justin will stop their fun." liz:...... Patty: "Let them have their fun this weekend." Kid: "Liz? Patty? What are you two doing?" liz: nothing! Patty: "How has your day been?" Kid: "Good. Um, Liz? Maybe you need to relax a bit. The hot tub may reduce tension." liz: sure, later... *sweats* Kid: (smiles) "Good. Let's go watch this film!" -one movie later- Patty: "Ha ha ha! That was hilarious!" Anya: "...Is this how Americans celebrate Christmas?" soul: more or less an exaggeration. Black Star: "You know, Christmas would be a lot better with more explosions." tsubaki: please dont. Kid: "Stocking? Liz? What did you think?" stocking: *shrug* stocking: say, there's costumes in the basement right? Kid: "Well, yes? Why?" stocking: ever played clue? Kid: "Yes, we did a few weeks ago." stocking: then why dont we play a live version of clue? Kid: "Oh! That would be fun! Why don't you announce it to the others?" stocking: hey everyone, whose up for a murder mystery game? Maka: (gasps, grips Soul's arm) "We are!" soul: uh, yeah sure. liz: sounds neat. justin: i suppose. Patty: "Yep! How many more people can play?" stocking: anyone who wants to can join. Crona: "I-I'd like to join." gopher: i think the costumes and props are downstairs... Kid: "Well, let's bring the costumes up! Everyone, please clear some space for people to sit and for the, ahem, 'game pieces' to stage the fake murder." -the costume and prop boxes are brought up- Maka: "So who will be each character?" Stocking: well, there's 28 people here.... so maybe we can add some? maybe characters from other versions of the game? Harvar: "I'll be Monsieur Brunette." liz: i'll go with... miss peacock. Maka: "I'll be David Stringer, journalist!" Patty: "Black Dog! Oh, wait, that's non-playable...Um...I'll be Roger Morgan--smut writer!" Iris: i suppose i could be the maid... Black Star: "Colonel Mustard!" Kid: "Max Gold." Justin: i shall be the reverend then. Ao: i'll go with madam rose. it might help to practice fortune telling. Anya: "Miss Peach--the southern belle!" Arthur: "Sgt Gray." (smirks at Shinra Ox: Mr Slate Grey, accountant. Crona: "Um...Captain Brown? A sea captain? Um...'argh'?" Tamaki: "Constable Jones." Jackie: (chuckles) "Dave the Hippie." (puts on wig and holds up peace sign) Shinra: Dr Prussian? kirika: prince azure, arms dealer. kilik: professor plum. Kim: i'll go with lady lavender. mio: i'll be mr body, that way i dont have to do anything... Meme: "Marieanne Kray, famed actress" soul: call me rusty, maki: mrs ho. anyone who laughs gets burned. Patty: (opens mouth to laugh--and everyone in the room covers her mouth) tsubaki: i'll just be mrs meadowbrook. gopher: i vote to be the butler! -tsugumi is princess fuchia, and stocking is miss scarlett- Arthur: (perks up) "Tsugumi is now a princess?" (bows before her, takes her hand and kisses it) ao: oh im sorry, did YOU want to be mr body? maki: boyle you just keep your filthy hands off my 2nd cousin... Arthur: (looks at Ao and Maki. Sweats. Releases hand, stands, hides behind Gopher) "Protect me, butler. Protect me." gopher: tch- some sergent _you_ are... Anya and Meme: (glaring, brandishing murder weapons) "And these are not props." iris: !!!!! w-whaaa? Maka: "No real weapons! We are using only props!" (lifts rubber dagger, jabs it uselessly at her chest) "See? I'm not stabbed! The thing is not going to go out my back tonight!" soul: y-yeah... Maka: "???" soul: just...be more careful with those things, ok? Patty: "So beside the dagger, we got the candlestick, the fake pipe, the fake revolver, the real rope--Wait, this rope may be useful later--" (tosses it to Stocking) stocking:.... *BLUUUUUUSH* liz: maybe we shouldnt let kid have the rope, ok? Patty: "Oh? And what are you gonna do with rope? ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°) " liz: patti... *she gives her a serious look* Patty: (sweats, takes rope from Stocking) "Back in the evidence box with you--back back BACK!" liz: *she sighs* (thinking: i know, it was a few months back but.....that...the fact he tried to.....no liz, dont think about that...) Black Star: (donning his outfit) "So, we starting or what?!" soul: y-yeah, lets get this started. stocking: first lets write some cards on who is the killer and victim, then draw randomly. no showing the cards now~ --Everyone writes their character and their name onto a card and hands them to Stocking-- stocking: ok. *she draws one name for each envelope, one name going to the murderer and one to the victim.* ok here are your envelopes. Patty: "Can we start? You know, we turn off the lights, have Mio play the corpse, then turn on the lights and all scream?" stocking: but the killer is random this time around. stocking: i mean the victim. mio: whaaaat? Patty: "So Mio is now playing not the body but 'Miss Body'?" stocking: ok everyone open your envelopes, no showing now~ --Everyone opens. Patty opens her mouth to reveal what she got--and everyone covers her mouth and doesn't look at her envelope's contents-- mio:.... *siiiiigh* screw it.... -the lights go off- ???: "AAAAAH!" -the lights turn back on, who is the first victim?- Patty: x_x (Dead) liz: *SCREAMING* mio: *laying face down on the floor, refusing to move* Kid: (obvious acting) "Oh, Patty--I mean, smut writer Roger Morgan, no." Maka: "Pst! Mio? You aren't dead." mio: dont care. Harvar: (takes feather, starts tickling Patty's nose. Patty looks pissed as she struggles to keep faking death) Black Star: "Who plays first?!" gopher: should we cremate her? *gets punched by liz* Kid: "We would have to cremate Liz as well for the symmetry." liz: NO! --One punch to Kid's arm later-- Meme: "Do we roll dice to see who moves?" kirika: *punches the other arm* there, happy now prince fussy-britches? Kid: "...Oddly enough, yes. Thank you." stocking: we can use this wheel to pick. Anya: "Wheel?" stocking: or we could just choose randomly by drawing straws. tsugumi: oh! like king's game? Anya: (claps hands happily) "King's Game!" stocking: *she gets the straws ready* ok, who's gonna move first? --Everyone draws straws— Crona: "O-Okay...Um...I think it was Professor Plum, in the Hot Tub, with the candlestick? Maybe?" Ao: no, i have the hot tub card here. Maka: "Who is the victim now?" -the lights go out- ???: "Aaaaah! I'm dead!" -the lights turn on- ox: *laying face down* Harvar: "...Huh." kim: rest in motherfuckin pieces. --They draw straws-- Patty: (Holds up a drawing of a straw) "Am I doing it right?" kirika: arent you supposed to stay dead? Patty: "...Oh." (collapses) x_x kirika: at the end of this, only two will remain, a killer and a survivor. who will last the longest? soul: i think kure's the killer. kirika: fuck you. Maka: "I got the longest straw! Um...How about Tsubaki, in the game room, with the rope?" shinra: no i have the meadowbrook card (ie tsubaki) Maka: "So it isn’t Tsubaki, and it isn’t the hot tub. Okay, turn off the lights." -the lights go out- ?????: "Urg! Stop killing me! Eeeeeek!" -the lights go back on- Meme: x_x (dead) Anya: "Meme!" tsugumi: at least she and mio-chan are together now, mio: *blushing violently* Meme: (lifts head) "Wait, what?" ao: *lightly pushes her head back down* Black Star: "So, who drew the long straw?" soul: me, and i think the killer is harvar. Black Star: "Harvar in which room with which weapon?" soul: in the theater with...the poison? Anya: (holds up the poison card) Kid: "Lights off again." --The Lights Go Off-- ???: oh goodness i have died! (obvious acting) --Lights Turn On-- justin: *he looks like he is laying in a coffin* iris: EEK! Black Star: (whispers to Kid) "You now are free to move about the bedroom..." Kid: (back-hand punches Black Star, knocking him to the floor) Jackie: "I got the longest straw. I pick Ao in the kitchen with the candlestick." maki: no, i got the kitchen, being the cook and all. Maka: "Could someone turn off the lights?" -lights out- ???: "No! No! Stay away from me! NOoooooooooOOOOOOoooooooooooooooooo!!!!!!!!!!!" -lights on- Black Star: x_x Kid: "Hallelujah!" (The deceased Black Star throws a plastic drinking cup at Kid's forehead) tsubaki: !!! Crona: "St-Stocking? Who has the longest straw?" iris: um...i think that maybe kid did it? you did seem angry with him...maybe with the candlestick in the dining room? Kid: "This isn't an actual murder!" (calms down, holds up candlestick card) Maka: "Um...anything else anyone wants to add? Or should I turn off the lights?" -lights out- ???: *SCREEEEEEAM* -lights on- tsubaki: X-X Maka: "Tsubaki! No!" Harvar: (shrug) tsugumi: i think it was harvar with the knife....in the basement? Harvar: "..." Tamaki: (holds up knife card) "Looks like we'll know the weapon soon." -lights out- ????: "Ah!" -lights on- Maka: x_x Crona: o_O soul: no...no no no NO NO NO NO NO!!! *he's having a near panic attack* Crona: (clutches Soul) "Why?! Why does this keep happening?!" Tamaki: "I got the longest straw. SHINRA! MURDERER! MURDERER! MURDERER!!!" shinra:....no... *holds up the card* Tamaki: "...But you probably are aiding and abetting them..." Kid: "Sigh...I'll get the lights." --Lights Off-- ???: *shrieks* --Lights On-- ao: Xp Anya: "..." (struggling not to smile and laugh) kim: anya did it. most likely with the gun in the yard. Jackie: (holds up gun card) Anya: (still smiling wickedly) liz: ok then... -lights out- ???: "Back! Back, foul dragon! Back!" -lights on- Arthur: (on his back, holding up flowers as he lies dead) shinra: the king is dead. and there was much rejoicing. Anya: "Ha-zah! He is dead! My nightmare is over!" Patty: (moves, clasps a hand along Arthur's butt) shinra: hey tam, sorry about your boyfriend. Arthur: ("Kill me...Save me but kill me first...") Tamaki: (punches Shinra in the face) tsugumi: you know that noone is actually 'dead', right? Anya: "Don't ruin this for me!" maki: this could be anyone's guess. kim: what if it was several people like a big ol murder gangbang? stocking: *tense* can you please not phrase it like that? kim:.... *shuts up* Kid: (rests hand on Stocking's shoulder) "Let's say Harvar in the basement with the lead pipe." shinra: *holds lead pipe card* Anya: "So the weapon is either the Wrench or the Rope." -lights out- ????: *SCREEEEEAMS* -lights on- gopher: X^X Kid: (smiles) "Nice." kirika: i think its you, rope, and the game room. Kid: (sweats at mention of "rope" and "you") "Um..." kirika: what? liz: *glaaaare* Kid: "N-Nothing. I can't disprove this." kilik: i got the game room card. stocking: *rubs kid’s back* Kid: (holds her hand) "I'll...get the lights..." --Lights Off-- ???: "No! I barely got to say anything in this game!" --Lights On-- Jackie: x_x kim: harvar, with the wrench in the bathroom. Jackie: (sits up) "Aren't you going to show any concern that I just died?!" Kid: (puts her head back down) "Shh..." kim: i am, by blaming harvar. Harvar: "I can't disprove this." iris: i have the bathroom card Kid: "Stocking? Please hit the lights. I have a feeling our murderer will be revealed soon." -lights out- ??: GAAAH! -lights on- kilik: X.X tsugumi: oh no! kilik's been.....killed-ik! Everyone: "Seriously, Tsugumi?" tsugumi: Q.Q kilik:...... (thinking: ok thats was kiiiinda funny...) liz: i think you killed him, for the sake of making that pun. i think you used the pool to drown him. Kid: "Oh, drowning was an option?" stocking: i guess we can make this up as we go along? Patty: (sits up) "Then an elephant killed me!" Jackie: (pulls Patty back down)) Kid: "Tsugumi? Can you disprove this?" maki: i have the pool card here. tsugumi: thanks maki-chan... Kid: "I'll get the lights." --Lights Off-- ???: "But you're not really killing me, so why should I lie down?" Patty: "Just die, Crona!" --Lights On-- Crona: (lying down) "Um...I'm dead?" shinra: i think tamaki did it. burning alive in the foyer. Tamaki: "I can't disprove that...but screw you, you perverted pain in the ass." stocking: i have the foyer card. Kid: "Stocking, could you turn off the lights?" -lights off- ???: ACK! -lights on- maki: XpX tsugumi: MAKI-CHAAAAAN! Harvar: (small smile) "Those are the words of a murderer--trying to hide her role in killing her own relative. I accuse Tsugumi, in the dining hall, with the wrench." tsugumi: thats mean! -after a while, only kid, stocking, soul, anya, kim, and harver were standing- Kid: "So what happens now? Do we have a better sense who is the murderer?" -lights out- ???: "Ouch." -lights on- Harvar: "...I'm dead." soul: i says its kim, using the sryinge in the theater. Kid: "There's a syringe? And no one has disproven the theater yet." stocking: i have the needle. -lights out- ???: GAAHH- -lights on- soul: *laying next to maka* Maka: (blushing, screaming internally) Kid: "Okay. I accuse Anya with the wrench in the theater." kim: i have the theater card. -lights out- ???: "Hey, watch it! Let go of me!" -lights on- Anya: ("dead," clutched by Tsugumi and Meme) "Sigh..." kim: i think it was stocking, with a baseball bat in the yard. stocking: *holds up her own card* hehe~ -lights off- ???: IYAAAAA!!! ((things are about to turn really, really ugly)) stocking: *laying on the ground* Kid: (glares at Kim) \do you see what she has done?\ \someone like her should be punished~\ \just give in you your despair, your anger, your madness\ \make her pay make her pay make her pay\ kim: kid? are you ok? \KILL HER\ Kid: (inhales. Responds: "It's just a game, it's just a game, it's just a game...") (forces a smile) "I'm fine. "Stocking, you okay?" stocking:.... \do you really think you're the one in control~?\ Kid: "Stocking?" stocking:..... Kid: (inhales) "Um...Are you still playing the game?" (looks to Kim) "This is the game, right?" kim: o-of course it is...! \liar~\ Kid: "...Let me...um...Liz?" kim: kid?...w-why are you looking at me like that? stocking: *wakes up* kid?....!! k-kid! y-your mouth... Kid: (touches the back of his hand to his mouth) "W-What?" stocking:...n-nevermind, must have been a trick of the light... Kid: "Oh...Um...Where were we? I-I guess that means Kim is the murderer...with the wrench...in, let's say, the dining room?" kim: you got me. Kid: "Stocking? Who has the envelopes with the answers?" stocking: *opens it* yep, it was kim. -everyone gets up now.- Patty: (looks at Liz, concerned) Maka: "My, that was a long game...Soul, you, um, can let go of my hand now..." soul: wha....s-sorry... *he lets go* Black Star: "That was dumb. Like anyone could kill me that easily. Especially some weakling like Kim." liz: kid...i-i think maybe you should take your meds now... kim: *glaaaare* Kid: (blushing) "Right. Good game everyone. Thank you for playing..." (nervously scurries to the kitchen) -stocking and liz went with him- soul: that reminds me, i have to take care of something... *goes to his room* Maka: "???" Patty: (looks sad as Kid, Liz, Stocking go to kitchen) "Kid..." kilik:....why dont we watch some gameshows? Patty: "Okay..." -meanwhile- liz: you feeling any better? Kid: "A bit..." Kid: (has another sip of water) stocking: *gently rubs his back* Kid: "...I..." stocking: ?? Kid: "I'm sorry. I was…. I felt..." stocking:....?? Kid: "...scared." stocking+liz: *hugs him* Kid: "Thank you. Both of you." liz: well, they're gonna go watch family feud now, want to go with? Kid: "...I don't know." liz: well, you dont have to if you dont feel like it, if you want to rest then... Kid: (nods) "Rest." liz: ok... stocking: i'll go with him... liz: hey stocking...*whispers* make sure he doesnt try anything....bad, ok? stocking:...*nods* Kid: "Maybe lie down for a bit..." stocking: lets go back to our room then... *she acts as a support to walk him back* Kid: (holds onto her as they walk) "Thank you." -in their room- Kid: (lies down, back to the bed, facing up at the ceiling) stocking: *she lets him lay in her arms, the wings of her soul wrap around his own* Kid: (soft sound of sobbing) stocking: kid? are you ok? Kid: (shakes his head "no") stocking: *frowns and lifts him, letting him sit in her lap, holding him close.* if you need to let it out, go ahead... Kid: (sob) "I...was scared." stocking: *she rubs his shoulder* Kid: "Seeing you there? Almost motionless? I didn't bother to even sense your soul--I thought you were actually dead. How stupid was that, for me to be that dumb?" stocking: kid, you arent dumb. its my own fault for not saying something... Kid: "No, I'm sorry...I take things so seriously..." stocking:...*she sighs* its ok kid, im here now, ok? and im not going anywhere... Kid: (sniff) "I know. I just...got scared, and I worry that I made a fool out of myself, and I worry I scared Kim, and I scared Liz, and Patty, and you. I'm sorry." (crying) "I'm sorry." stocking: i forgive you kid...im sure the others do too... *she strokes his head* Kid: "Stocking? I'm still here, aren't I?" stocking: yes kid, you're right here. *she kisses him softly* see? Kid: (small, sad smile) "That's good. It's...better than how I would handle things like I did...before." stocking: do you want to talk about it or not? Kid: "...Yes. That medication I took?" stocking: yeah? Kid: "They’re Antidepressants." stocking: kid... Kid: "Long ago, when something bad would happen...I could not stop thinking about killing myself. With time, that stopped. It stopped with therapy, it stopped with medication, if I still thought about it, I could cope. I learned to cope." stocking: *her heart sank hearing this* Kid: "I do what I have to do to practice good mental health. Because I want to live, for as long as I can." stocking:.... *she hugs him tightly* Kid: "I focus on the moment I'm in, the task at hand...I focus on the relationships that make me happy. My family, my friends...the people I love." stocking: *she continues to listen* Kid: (moves his hands, returns her hug) "Thank you." stocking: how are you feeling now? Kid: (sighs) "Calmer. Still emotionally raw." stocking: i.. i think i still remember the tune from that music box... would that help? Kid: (nods) "Yes." stocking: *she slowly rocks him, humming the melody* Kid: (eyes slowly closing) stocking: *she still hums, stroking his hair* Kid: "zzz..." stocking: *she smiles, silently mouthing 'i love you'* Kid: (sleeps, his eyes relaxing, his mouth still a bit tense) -after a peaceful night of sleep- stocking: *still holding kid* Kid: (yawns, looks up) "H-Hi." stocking: *yaaawn* morning kid... Kid: "...You're here." stocking: yeah... Kid: (shifts, wraps his arms around her, kisses her lips, leans his forehead to hers) "That means so much to me." stocking: so do you... Kid: (small laugh) "Thank you..." (crying but smiling) "Thank you." stocking: *gentle smile and kisses the corner of his eyes on both sides* Kid: (silent for a moment) "You feel warm." stocking: mmm.... well, we have the rest of the day ahead of us. come on, lets see how everyone else is doing. Kid: "...I would feel better taking a shower first." stocking: sure. -later- Kid: (tugs on his sweater) "Comfortable. Not quite even, though." stocking: *evens it out a little* here. Kid: (smiles) "Thanks." Maka: *Yawn* "Oh, morning--" (yawns again) "Kid." liz: seems you two are up. Kid: "Oh, um...yes. *Ahem*" (stands up straighter, sounds more polished) "Maka, Liz. I am sorry for how I acted last night." Maka: "...Acted like what?" kim:.... Kid: (spots Kim) "For...being standoffish. I saw Stocking playing dead and, well, it had me worried, imagining that actually happening. I reacted badly. I'm sorry." liz: hey, all that's in the past now. *she pats his back* Kid: "Thank you. Most of all, I owe you an apology, Kim." soul: i wouldnt blame you... kim:...eh, water under the bridge.. Maka: "Soul!" Kid: "I-I hope so. Is there anything I could do to make it up to you, Kim?" soul: what? kim:.....$500 please. Maka: (tugs his arm) "Come on, you owe me breakfast." Kid: "...Seriously?" (smiles) "Well, you're your usual self." soul: jeez... kim: ^w^ Patty: "Kiddo!" (glomps him) "You're awake!" Kid: "Can't...breathe..." liz: patti, come on now! Patty: (lets go, Kid's eyes slowly recede back into his head) "*Gasp*" (breathes heavily) "So...where's everyone?" maki: hey, be thankful that catgirl didnt mistake your room for hers, leaving you to wake up with...those, in your face.. Patty: (blinks, looks at Liz) "Did someone invite Blair?" maki: who? Patty: "Nevermind. You mean Tamaki, right? Where's she now?" maki: *bluuush* shinra:.... Patty: "No, really, was it that bad?" maki: would you like to wake up to...having those smothering you? Tamaki: "What's all the commotion out here?" (walks out of a bathroom, with her bathrobe partially open, revealing...'those') Patty: (eyes widen, blushes) "I don't see a problem." justin:.... *SCREAMING INTERNALLY* soul: *NOSEBLEED* mio: ...bruh.... Tamaki: (looks at everyone) "What? You never seen a bathrobe?" (looks down at her robe, looks back up) "Well, stop staring! No worse than what I wear other times...And get a tissue for that toothy guy. Perv." (marches to her and Shinra's room) Kid: "...Huh." tsubaki: o-o; kim: whats her problem? Patty: " 'Those.'" (nudges Shinra) "Want to switch rooms?" liz: PATTI! Kid: "Liz, let's get your sister some breakfast, before she does something stupid." -later- Kid: "How was your meal, Stocking?" stocking: good. *she smiles* Kid: (slices another piece of french toast) "Mine as well. Would you like a bite?" stocking: sure. Kid: (holds fork to her mouth) stocking: aaah~ Kid: (squirms a bit but smiles) Kid: "You...seemed to like it." kirika: ewww barfsville! stocking: *glare* Kid: (flicks a piece of toast at Kirika) kirika: *eats it and flips them off* Kid: (frown) "Best not to let certain individuals make us lose our appetite, especially since we have a big day ahead of us." liz: yeah. Patty: "What's on the agenda today?" kim: looks like snowboarding. Patty: "Awesome!" -and so- Kid: "Well, I already handle a skateboard, so a snowboard will not be difficult." stocking: do you want to show me? Kid: (smiles) "Always. We're already bound to our boards, so we just have to get on the ski lift...now!" stocking: ah! haha! Kid: (chuckles) "When we get to the top, you'll let gravity do the initial work. Have your front foot pointing down the hill, apply just a bit of pressure to that foot to move forward." stocking: right. Kid: "Go ahead. I'll follow." stocking: *breaths, once she gets to the top, she heads on down, using her wings, while invisible, to give her a boost.* Kid: "...Okay, I'll hurry to catch up!" (bends knees while back straight to follow) stocking: *smirks* Kid: "You're very good!" stocking: beginners luck~ Kid: "Let's try turning. You'll want to slow down--starting with those wings..." stocking: how did you know i was using them? *hides them* Kid: "Beginner's intuition..." stocking: *smirk* Kid: (smiles at his angel) "Keep your back straight and your knees bent. Now lean your body into the side of this next slope, putting your weight on one edge of the board. And keep redistributing your weight as you turn." stocking: right. Kid: (inhales, calms himself as he does a few turns back and forth) "See? How about you?" stocking: doing good- woah! i-i got it i got it. Kid: "You sure?" stocking: yeah. Kid: "Let's go a bit further, then we can try going over a small ramp..." stocking: *she nods* Kid: "Turn to that flat spot. We'll stop here for a second. Turn your board perpendicular to the slope, and at the same time, lean back on your rear foot to lean back into the stop." stocking: ok. *she does that, but ends up falling on her butt* ah! Kid: (comes to a stop in front of her, leans down with hands out to help her up) stocking: thanks, hehe... Kid: "Don't want you sitting on the snow too long..." (whispers) "that hotness you have would melt the snow..." stocking: oh you~ Kid: (kisses her cheek) "Ready to try a small jump?" stocking: yeah. Kid: "Okay. We're going to stay here, not move, to practice. Crouch, keeping your chest up and shoulders back. Then straight up and land so that your knees bend down again, as if you are still moving down the slope." stocking: ok. *she does that* Kid: "Good jump! Let's try going down the slope again and do a few small jumps." stocking: ok. Kid: "Okay...Keep chest up, shoulder back...Now...Jump!" stocking: hup! Kid: (lands) stocking: *she lands as well* Kid: "Good! Want to try again?" stocking: one more time for good measure. Kid: "And...Jump!" stocking: hah! Kid: "Okay?" stocking: so far so good. Kid: "We're approaching the end of this slope. What would you like to do next? stocking: lets do this then! Kid: " 'This'? Another slope?" stocking: i mean, lets head to the end of the slope then... Kid: (smiles) "Okay!" -after that, she lays on her back in the snow- stocking: i think the joke speaks for itself. Kid: "Not until you actually make one, Stocking..." stocking: *moves her arms and legs* how about now? Kid: "Perfect! But I think that angel looks lonely..." (collapses in the snow, creates a snow angel) stocking: wouldnt it be a snow reaper? Kid: "Hmmm..." (sits up, puts his fingers into the "head" of the snow angel, putting in three holes and then drawing the shape of his father's mask) "Now it is!" stocking: hehe~ Kid: (smiles) "How did you like your snowboarding practice?" stocking: it was really helpful. Kid: "I'm glad. Was it enjoyable?" stocking: *she nods and lays on top of him* Kid: (sighs, closes his eyes) "This is nice..." stocking: *she gazes into his eyes lovingly. Patty: "SNOWBOARD FOR YOUR LIVES!!!" Black Star: "Yahoo!" Kid: (eyes break open) "...What do you see, Stocking?" stocking: gah! stocking: WATCH IT YOU TWO!! *pouts* (Black Star kicks up snow--which covers Stocking) stocking:...... oh revenge will be had....i say we freeze his underwear. Kid: (pushes snow off his face, then brushes it off Stocking's shoulders) "Agreed. He's had that coming for a long time this trip..." stocking: ohohoho~ Kid: "Oh, you look ravishing when you're wicked..." stocking: is that sooo~? Kid: (hand to face) "You know it." (brushes her lips) stocking: why wont we go warm up from the cold~? Kid: "Let's." -inside- Kid: (pulling off goggles and scarf) "Ah, warmth..." stocking: *removes the boots and hat* kid, i think the zipper on my snowsuit is stuck. Kid: "I'll get it." (approaches the zipper at her neck over her chest) "Hmmm...Let me try something..." (from the table, takes a bit of hand lotion and drops it onto the zipper) "And..." (tugs down on the zipper) -ziiiip- stocking: ah~! Kid: (blush) "...Um..." stocking: want to know a secret, it wasnt really stuck~ Kid: "You naughty vixen..." stocking: hehe~ are you going to punish me~? Kid: (takes her chin in his hand) "Tell me, what punishment would best suit you...?" stocking: hmhm~ *she whispers some things into his ear...i'll leave it to your imagination~* Kid: (smirks but blushes) "I would have to punish you in a...private space...Should I escort you to our room?" stocking: *she nods and heads off* you’ll have to catch me first~ Kid: "Challenge accepted!" (follows her)

-in the room, she's hiding. it seems her luggage has been moved around- Kid: "Where are you, Stocking?" (looks under the bed) "Or I could just sense where your soul is and conclude this chase..." -mewling can be heard from the closet- Kid: "Oh..." (unbuttons his shirt as he approaches the closet doors; has it completely unbuttoned as he opens the doors) "A-ha!" stocking: nyanya~ *she had cat ear hairclips, a cat tail, and black, feathery, lingere* Kid: (frozen) "My God...Where were you keeping this?" stocking: my luggage, duh~ Kid: (dumbfounded) "Oh God..." (lets a finger approach her collar--and jingles the bell) -ringring- stocking: hehe~ Kid: "I think someone has been a bad kitty..." stocking: *looks up at him licking her lips* Kid: "How should I punish you, kitty cat?" stocking: however you like? there's some...'play-things' in that one bag in my luggage. Kid: "Shall I open that bag?" stocking: *nods* Kid: (opens the bag...and blushes harder) "Christmas came early..." -i'll leave the bag's contents to your imagination~- Kid: "So, does the kitten like to be spanked?" stocking: *nods enthusiastically* Kid: (sits on the bed, curling his finger) "Come." stocking: *blushes and crawls on all fours to him* Kid: (leans down, strokes a finger under her chin) "Nice pussy..." stocking: *looks down his body, panting* Kid: "Over my lap. Now. You will be spanked, you naughty kitten." stocking: *she gets up and lays over him, shaking her rear slightly* Kid: (pulls back a hand, letting it hang up to build the tension, to make her wait, to make her want it--and then lets his hand smack her ass) stocking: ah~! *she yelped as he struck her behind* Kid: "W-was that too much?" stocking: i-its fine... *she blushes* (thinking: so naughty, yet still so innocent...) Kid: "Again?" stocking: yeah, i love it rough~ Kid: (smile) "Good." (again lets the hand hang--then spanks her, a bit harder) stocking: ahhhhh~! Kid: "Meow for me, you naughty cat." stocking: nyaaaa~n! Kid: "One more spanking should do it..." *spank* stocking: nya-AHHHHH~! -outside- kilik: did you hear something? Patty: "...Nope! Nothing!" Black Star: (sweating, Patty tugging his ear) "Nothing! Nope!" -back inside- Kid: "Stocking...Would you like me to kiss it, make it feel better?" stocking: or, do you want to do something else to me~? Kid: "Oh, there are so many things I want to do with you, kitten--you have to be more specific..." stocking: *she whispers something into his ear* Kid: "...Oh, I...would be most interested..." stocking: hehe~ Kid: "...Stocking...Really? I would like to...see the mark I left on you..." stocking: *she blushes and shows off her rear* stocking: good thing this is a thong~ Kid: "That...is quite a sore mark..." (lightly kisses the mark) stocking: iyaaa~ Kid: (kisses again, and licks a bit) stocking: ah... now...a-about that thing i just told you... Kid: (picks her up, lies her down on the bed, stares at her) "You start..." stocking: *she reaches into the bag and puts a gag on, nodding for him to move next* Kid: (removes his pants but keeps his boxers on) "I'm going to...That is to say...do you want to still be able to move? Or be bound?" stocking: *slips the gag off for a moment* there should be some restraints in the bag... *she puts the gag back on* Kid: (removes the restraints, and secures Stocking's wrists to the bed's headboard, then her ankles to the base) "Are you okay?" stocking: *she nods* Kid: (gulps) "O-Okay..." (removes a vibrator from the bag) "...Would you like this?" stocking: *nods excitedly* Kid: (smiles) "Kitten, I'm going to make you purr..." (leans into her neck, and begins to kiss and suck) stocking: *muffled sighs of delight* Kid: (as he kisses her neck, unties her lingerie behind the neck, sliding it down) stocking: *blushes as her chest is now exposed* Kid: "No need to blush, cat--you are beautiful..." (kisses above her cleavage) "Ev- (kisses one breast) ery- (kisses the other breast) where..." (licks along one nipple) stocking: *shivering with delight* Kid: (holds her hips and kisses along them) "Do you like this, Stocking?" stocking: MMMMMMN~!! Kid: "If you want me to stop, please, summon your wings..." (turns on the vibrator, bringing it just close to her face) "Because I might take a while..." stocking: *muffled: thats no good, cause that might be a sign of arousual for me~* Kid: "Then tell me to stop. If for any reason, tell me to stop, and I will. Okay?" stocking: *she nods* Kid: (kisses her forehead. smirks. turns off the vibrator but brings it to his mouth, and licks it up and down) stocking: *blushing* (thinking: so hot....if i were a guy....huehuehuehuehue~) Kid: (the saliva lingers on the vibrator, as he brings it to her right nipple--and sets the vibrator on low speed) stocking: nnngh~ Kid: (at the same time, pinches her other nipple, massaging her breast) stocking: *shuddering with delight* Kid: (kisses her belly) "I never tell you this...but you are so soft...your abs..." stocking: *muffled; you mean my squish right?* Kid: (chuckle) "Abs, squish, whatever..." (Looks up at her) "You are beautiful. From body to soul." stocking: *she smiles and blushes* Kid: (sees her thong, sees the mound there...lightly kisses the fabric right over) stocking: *moans loudly as her hips jerk violently* Kid: "Shh...Easy, kitten..." (stares at her thong) "Should I stay above the fabric? Or do you want these off?" stocking: *muffled: n-not sure....* Kid: (brings the vibrator to his hand, holding it to her mound) "Maybe this can convince you..." (he turns it on low) stocking: *she screams as her hips tremble* Kid: (positions himself, puts a hand over her mouth) "Let it out, Stocking...Let it out..." (shifts the vibrator a bit towards her clitoris) stocking: MMMMMMNH~!!!! Kid: "God, Stocking...the things you're doing to me..." (keeps the vibrator to her clitoris and his hand over her mouth as he takes a small bite near her right nipple) stocking: *she moans loudly until she squirts* Kid: (feels the squirt, removes his hand from her mouth, puts it to her wetness...touches it...and licks it) stocking: *muffled* ah... i made a mess.... Kid: "Let me clean it up..." (lowers himself to her, and starts licking through the fabric, along her thighs) stocking: mmmmng~ *she raises her hips* Kid: "Please, Stocking...let me see it..." stocking: *muffled* o...ok.... Kid: (moves up to her face, kisses her forehead) "Thank you..." (he returns, and slowly lifts her at her hips, coaxing her to lift up so he can remove her thong) stocking: *she does so* Kid: (deliberately, slowly removes her thong, at an agonizing slow pace to increase her tension. Then he sees her womanhood, and it is...) "Beautiful." stocking: *blushing brightly* Kid: "Stocking...You are so beautiful..." (kisses her mound) stocking: *she moans loudly* Kid: (kisses away the wetness along her...then licks over her slit) stocking: *muffled* AHHHHHHN~ k-kiiiiid~! Kid: "Should we stop?" stocking: *muffled* o.....only if you want to.... Kid: "...There's one thing I want to do..." (turns on the vibrator) "May I...put it in?" stocking: *muffled* ok....let me cum, then we can see where it goes from there... Kid: (repositions himself, so he is to her side) "I will make you cum..." (strokes the vibrator along her slit) "...I hope more than once..." stocking: *she shivers, aching for it* Kid: "You want it, don't you? Your body is screaming for it, isn't it?" stocking: *muffled* yes~! Kid: (as he kisses into her neck, slowly slides the vibrator into her) "Say it again..." stocking: *muffled* oh god yes kid! put it in already! i want it so fucking bad! Kid: (slowly, deliberately, puts the vibrator fully into her--and only then, does he bite her neck and at the same time turn the vibrator up to its highest speed) "Stocking..." stocking: *she screams at the top of her lungs, her hips jerking all over the place* MMMMM~!!!! Kid: "Cum, Stocking. Cum for me, Love. Cum for me..." Kid: (rubs her clitoris with his other hand) stocking: *her body is convulsing like crazy, her eyes practically rolling to the back of her head as she screams* Kid: (kisses her hip as he lets the orgasms take her and lets them subside) "Stocking..." stocking: *her cum starts squirting all over his hand and the bed* Kid: (lets the cum squirt onto his hand) "Stocking..." (eases the vibrator out of her, lowering its speed as he does) "My kitten...my angel...my love..." stocking: *muffled* KIIIIIIIIIIIIID~!!!!!! Kid: (removes the vibrator from her, plants his hand over her to keep working her clitoris and her vagina--but removes her gag, and plants his mouth over hers, muffling her screams with an open-mouth kiss) -outside a tiny avalanche covers arthur and several others up to their noses in snow- Arthur: "...What just happened?" soul: *muffled yelling* Maka: "Soul? Where are you?" --Inside Kid and Stocking's Bedroom-- stocking: ngh~ k-kiiiid~! oh god kid~ dont stop~! Kid: (feels her spasms decreasing, her screams lowering) Kid: (keeps stroking her clitoris, but he is undoing her wrist straps) Kid: "Stocking...I'm so hard...Could you...help me?" stocking: s-stick your fingers inside.... *she reaches in and strokes him slowly* Kid: (does as commanded, starting with two fingers...as he tugs down his boxers) Kid: "The tip--start at the tip, Stocking..." stocking: *she plays with the tip* Kid: *groans* "I've wanted this so long...You are so beautiful..." (puts in a third finger) stocking: *her inner walls clench around his fingers* Kid: "Ah! You're close?" stocking: *she smirks and rubs him even harder* Kid: (his eyes roll back) "Oh, yeah?" (he increases the pace of his fingering) stocking: *she closes her eyes, her tongue hanging out of her mouth as she goes faster on him* Kid: "You vixen! You minx! You--you--Ah--Ah--Ah!" (he ejaculates) stocking: oh god yes kid! i'm your little bitch! such a nasty little slut for you~! *she starts to squirt again* Kid: "This bed is such a mess..." (increases his pace, moving his other hand over her clitoris) "So if you're my slut, then cum for me...You beautiful angel, you beautiful, beautiful goddess, cum..." stocking: *she's cumming all over* please master~ spray your hot sperm all over me~ Kid: (still ejaculating, has some fall along her stomach) "Oh, God, I'm sorry! I just..." (one last ejaculation) "Stocking!" Kid: (panting) stocking: *panting as well, as a little more cum squirts out of her* haaaaaah~ Kid: "God, your fingers are incredible...Do you know how long I've wanted to...finger you? And to have you bring me to orgasm?" stocking: *she's shuddering in pleasure* aahhhh, f-fuck....that....that felt amazing.... *she brings her hand back to her face and licks it clean* Kid: (snatches her wrists, holds them down, so he can kiss her) stocking: !!! *she blushes, moaning into the kiss* Kid: (keeps kissing, but lets go of her hands, his own hands finding their way to her hips) stocking: *wraps her arms around her, grinding against him.* Kid: (lets her grind, moaning with each thrust along him, his hands moving to her spanked backside) stocking: *she spreads herself open, grinding along the clothed shaft* Kid: (he is getting hard again, his shaft grinding along her bare slit. He matches her rhythm) stocking: *her nipples begin to drip milk* fuck, how is that even.... Kid: (surprised, his eyes look with fascination, as he lowers his mouth there...and licks it up) stocking: ahhh~ k-kid! you're fucking the milk right out of me~! Kid: (smirks) "I thought cats like milk..." stocking: d-drink me up~ Kid: (puts his mouth around his breast, feeding from one, then the other) stocking: feels so good~ Kid: "You are amazing...your body is amazing..." (licks the last bit off her nipples) "How's that?" stocking: grind into me... Kid: (keeps grinding) "Is this good?" stocking: ahh~ i-i already came twice now... that...that leaves 6 more to go~ Kid: (thinks, does the math, then smiles) "I may be a god...but even that's asking a lot from me." stocking: what, afraid you cant handle it~? Kid: "You're incredible...For you, I can keep going..." stocking: then prove it~ Kid: "Where do you want me to touch you?" stocking: anywhere you like~ Kid: (keeps grinding, while he cups her buttcheeks--and squeezes) stocking: ahhh~ d-do you want to use anything else in the bag? Kid: "I'm open to suggestions..." stocking: anything you want to use is free game~ Kid: (gets up, takes out of the bag a bottle of lotion) "How about this?" stocking: rub it all over me~ Kid: "...If I do...may I take off these boxers? No intercourse--just...it's hard to move around with my member at attention like this..." stocking: by all means~ Kid: (smirks, as he slowly lowers his boxers, revealing his full size) "How is it?" stocking: fuck...its as big as i remember it. Kid: "...I have wanted to see you naked in a bed for so long, especially since...that bath..." stocking: yeah.... i've been wanting the same thing since i saw you naked that one time, hehe~ Kid: (pours some lotion in his hands) "Part of me wishes we did this sooner...and part of me knows now is the right time..." (accidentally squirts some lotion onto the bedsheets) "We'll have to clean up later..." stocking: yeah, haha. Kid: (pours a bit of lotion along Stocking's shoulders and chest) "Sit up." stocking: *she does so* Kid: (he sits behind her. He puts his arms around her to guide her legs to sit cross-style. She can feel his penis along her backside, but he is focused on taking her breasts in his hands, massaging them with the oil) stocking: ahhhh~ Kid: (kisses along her neck) "So soon?" stocking: heh~ Kid: (rubs her nipples) "Your laugh is enchanting..." (feels her cat tail, still there, as it is against this penis) "Meow for me..." stocking: ny-nyaahhhn~ Kid: (one hand stays on the left breast, while the right hand moves agonizingly slow down her abdomen) "Are you a bad kitty?" stocking: y-yes~ Kid: (his right hand just brushes over her slit) "Does this pussy need to be pleasured?" stocking: *she nods* Kid: (his lips to her ear) "I need to hear it?" stocking: yes, pleasure me master~ Kid: (his two fingers start to slide into her, as he nibbles her left ear) stocking: ohh~ Kid: "Say you want this, Stocking." stocking: i want it~! Kid: "Say you want to be fucked." stocking: i want you to fuck me~! please fuck me like a little toy~ Kid: (his penis pressed against her back) "Good...But you are not a toy..." (he increases the pace of his two fingers) "You are a goddess. And I want to fuck you so hard that your screams make windows shatter..." stocking: *she smiles* kid...a-ahhh~ *she starts breathing heavily* Kid: "You are a beautiful woman..." (slides a third finger into her) "And I want to make you scream..." stocking; ah-AHHHHH~! Kid: "Good..." (bites into her shoulder as he quickens his pace) stocking: *her hips writhe like crazy* ahhh~ oh god kid~!! Kid: "You're close, angel." (his other hand is working one of her nipples) "Let's see if we can make more milk..." stocking: ahhhh! oh kid~! *some milk squirts out* Kid: "Lick it..." stocking: *she takes her breast and sucks on it* Kid: (he's getting harder) "That's so hot..." (inserts a fourth finger) stocking: ooooh~!! Kid: "What else can I do for you?" stocking: a-anything you like. Kid: "Hang on...get on your knees, with your butt towards me..." Kid: (he removes his fingers from her) stocking: ah.... *she shakes his rear* Kid: (kisses her still marked rear, as he rubs a finger along her vagina) stocking: ahhhhh~! Kid: (moves his kisses to her vagina) stocking: ah-AHHHH~!! Kid: "Do you know what 69 is?" stocking: y-yeah.... Kid: "Can we?" stocking: sure... i didnt even think you knew what that was, haha. Kid: (blushes) "I've...been interested in sex...with you for a while...So I read...a lot." (positions himself under her, so his penis is below her mouth and her vagina is above his face) stocking: ah.... like kama sutra and stuff? Kid: "Yes..." (kisses her slit lightly) "Of all things, Maka had a copy..." stocking: ahh~ *she begins to lick the tip* Kid: (he shudders) "So good..." (He lets his tongue's tip rest at her slit, then slide along it) stocking: ahhhhhn~! *she snares her tongue around him* Kid: "Ugh!" (spreads her lips, and starts to kiss) stocking: *she shivers, sucking the tip* Kid: ("She tastes so sweet! How is that?") (lips deeper, shoving his tongue into her) stocking: *she squirms more, taking more of him into her mouth* Kid: (feels the first wetness falling along his face. With free hands, he starts to stroke her thighs stocking: *she lifts up her head and sucks on his balls* Kid: (he loosens his mouth) "Oh, God..." stocking: *licking the shaft* Kid: (head falls down to the bed) "God, first the balls, now this...you're incredible! Ah..." stocking: *she rubs his balls as she bobs her head down on him* stocking: *she flinches, gripping the shaft tightly* Kid: "Oooh ~..." (Arc his hips, sending the shaft higher towards her) stocking: *she lowers her head down, sucking him up* Kid: "Keep it up...I'm so close..." (Uses his lower lip to stimulate her clitoris while his tongue stimulates her walls) stocking: a-a-aahhh~ *she bobs her head rapidly* Kid: "Ugh...Stocking! Faster! Please! I'm almost there...along the shaft...lick there!" stocking: *she does so, biting the tip slightly* Kid: (pre-cum and an initial ejaculate) "Ah!" stocking: *she hungrily drinks him up, and soon enough, releases her own* nnngh~! Kid: (laps her up, as he finished cumming in her mouth) "Take it all, Stocking...I'll take all you got..." (licks again to ease her out of her orgasm) stocking: oh-AHH! OH GOD KID! Kid: (keeps licking her up, seeing whether he can draw another orgasm from her) stocking: *she starts to suck him of even harder than before* Kid: (Getting hard again. He's even surprised. "Already?!") (redoubles his licking, faster, alternating with biting gently on her clit) stocking: take it baby, give me that juicy cum of yours~ Kid: (Getting harder, surprisingly close to cumming again. Smirks) "Stocking...you don't know what you're getting yourself into..." (bites on her labia) stocking: aa-ahn~! *she winces and squeezes his balls* Kid: "Ah! Gentle, please!" stocking: *she lets go and starts to suck on them* Kid: "Better..." (licks gently where he bit on her labia, tracing along, alternating between slower and faster rates) "Is that good?" stocking: oh god yes~ Kid: (continues massaging, followed by sucking on her labia, tugging on it with a loud pop) stocking: *her hips twitch* ahhhhh~ *she mewls loudly* Kid: "Come to me, kitten. Let's hear that meow..." stocking: n-nyaaaaah~ *she's dripping* Kid: ("Got her..." Licks her once more, deeply, slowly, letting the roughness of his tongue drag along her sex) stocking: *she moans loudly, sucking him off even harder* Kid: (panting onto her, his hot breath along her sex) "Almost..." stocking: AHHHHHHHH!!!!! *she squirts all over* Kid: (holds off cumming in her mouth, sliding his tongue along her clit as she squirts along his face and neck) stocking: *she sucks the tip and rubs the shaft quickly* Kid: (covering his face with his shoulder, whining) "So close...Massage my balls, gently..." stocking: *she leans down and kisses them, rubbing them* Kid: "Stocking...I'm almost there...So close..." stocking: *she rubs the shaft as she sucks them* Kid: (precum) "I'm cumming..." stocking: *she rubs her thumb against the tip rubbing the precum into the skin* Kid: (eyes roll back) "Ah!" (ejaculates) stocking: *she licks the cum up* ah...that felt great....can you keep going? Kid: "Yes...But Stocking? I have some ideas for what we can do next..." stocking: like what? Kid: (takes her shoulders, flips her down on the bed, and looks into her eyes) "Stocking...May I enter you?" stocking: !! its....a bit soon for that....dont you think? Kid: "Not now...but when you are ready?" stocking: maybe.... did you want to stop? Kid: (shakes head no) "But I want to think of what to do next...We're both sweaty, so when we're done, we'll need a shower...And have you seen that massaging showerhead?" stocking:..... *nosebleed* w-we should wash the sheets off too... h-hide the evidence.. seeing as both a priest and a nun are here... Kid: (blushes, nods fervently) "Yes, we should." (smirks) "But we're not done yet..." (leans his head towards her neck and bites) stocking: ahhhh~ Kid: "Stocking...I saw those beads in your luggage..." -why dont we just skip to where they finish- stocking: *panting + shuddering* ahh... damn,...what time is it? Kid: (looks at clock) "6:32. We should really get dinner...But shower first." stocking: yeah, and clean all this up. Kid: "The washer and dryer are in the basement..." (smooths her hair) "And we look...like we just had sex for hours." stocking: yeah, haha. Kid: (gets out of bed, removes her cat ears, removes her cat tail picks her up bridal style) "Stocking...You are a dirty girl, who needs a good cleaning..." stocking: ahhh~ Kid: (takes her into the bathroom, sets her down) "Start the shower..." stocking: *she turns it on* -meanwhile- Patty: (sweating nervously, drinking big glass of water) soul:....bruh.... *they all heard...everyone heard...except iris and justin, they went to the nearby town to gather supplies* Crona: "...I feel uncomfortable..." kirika: yes, the mind can in fact vomit. Maka: (blushing) "I never heard such noises. I-I cannot imagine it...because I've never read anything like that." (beat) "Ever." Tamaki: (grimacing) "Just disgusting." mio: *nosebleeding* tiiiight. Meme: "What did you say, Mio?" mio: nothin... *sweats* gopher: uhehehehehe kirika: dude! Arthur: "Yes, Squire, it is rather horrendous to get such glee over a man taking a woman's virginity." Anya: (throws a very large chair at Arthur's head) shinra: i feel weird.... liz: *horrified* Tamaki: "You are weird! Pervert!" soul: lord death is never to know about this.....ever.... Patty: "Could you all stop?! Just stop! Just imagine what they're going through! What they're going to think when--if--they find out! Just--Just let them have their privacy!" (covers her face) soul: woah, take it easy there. Harvar: "So, hypothetical, if someone happened to record the audio..." Everyone: YOU WOULDN’T! –knocks him out- Patty: "Now that Harvar is dead...Sis? What are we going to do?" liz: he's not dead sis, he's just unconcious... -in the shower- Kid: (massaging body wash over her body) stocking: ahhh~ your hands feel so good kid~ Kid: "Where do you want them?" stocking: anywhere you want~ Kid: (puts his hands along her shoulders) "Do you feel tense?" (massages) stocking: *she sighs contentedly* Kid: (kisses the back of her neck as he massages her shoulders) "Stocking...I am impressed with you..." stocking: *blushes* oh~? Kid: "You have shared so much with me today, this week...Thank you." stocking: of course, babe. i feel a lot more comfortable with you than ever, so thanks for that... *she smiles* Kid: "Stocking...It took bravery to do what you have done...And I am grateful. And I appreciate you because...that was my first time doing anything like that..." stocking: ah... *she hugs him* kid....if i went too far with anything, i apologize... Kid: (smiles) "No, you didn't...but I will say, the cat ears were surprising...You were planning for us to...be intimate this weekend, weren't you?" stocking:...in an extreme circumstance... *she blushes* Kid: " 'Extreme'?" stocking: if i felt....really....really in need of it.... Kid: "Stocking..." (turns her around, kisses her forehead) "You felt you _needed_ to be intimate with me?" stocking:...*she nodded*.... Kid: "...I felt the same. It was why I bought those condoms...and I'm glad I did, to be safe." (draws her into a hug, holding her, bringing his chest to her breasts) stocking: *she hugs him back and cries slightly* s-sorry....i just got....really horny and.... i lost control of myself... Kid: (strokes her hair, letting the showerhead wet it) "You have nothing to apologize for. I don't think you lost control. Everything you wanted, I wanted. I never said stop--I said, let's do it." (smirks a bit) "You weren't the only one who was really horny..." stocking: kid....do you think...that was going too fast for us? Kid: "...Maybe? But we wanted to do this, didn't we?" Kid: "And we did it safely, didn't we?" stocking: i-i guess...im still really sorry... Kid: "I forgive you, because I enjoyed it, and I wanted it." (pulls her back) "Did you...want that? What we did?" stocking: i guess.... part of me did...the other part.....i was scared.. Kid: (draws her back into a hug) "Stocking...whatever you want, I'll do...Do you...feel uncomfortable being naked with me right now?" stocking: well, we arent actually doing anything...so i guess its fine... Kid: "Okay..." (kisses her cheek) "Let's finish our shower, put the sheets into the washer, and back some dinner, okay?" stocking: yeah... maybe...when we sleep in the same bed...we can just do it in our underwear....is that ok? Kid: (smiles) "Yes, that is good." (kisses her other cheek) "Because any time I'm with you, I'm happy. I'm happy to know you exist, Stocking. I am happy you are alive." stocking: *she kisses him, crying tears of joy* Kid: (crying a bit as well, holding her in his arms)