[ But it's a big enough place that she could probably skip in shouting and she wouldn't wake up Lucrezia. ...Not that it would matter, it's not like anyone has a real sleeping schedule around here. ]
Do you remember where the kitchen is? It's by the back entrance.
[She heads over after that, but there's no acrobatics to get in, nothing overly strenuous. She's already in hot water with Steph and Tim for sneaking away from their protective selves, so she's trying to behave at least a little bit. Once she makes it inside, she tries for the kitchen first. It's possible she's hoping for more of that hot chocolate.]
[ It's silent in the mansion, completely still except for the tiger who is surely awake somewhere, as is Aron trying to forever chew Joshua's sword off the foyer wall, but the other animals seem to be conked out, and even the maids have to sleep. It would make it an eery scene for a normal person, especially with the other half of the mansion still in disrepair.
In the kitchen there's no Joshua or cocoa, but there is a small object on the edge of the big table. A small figurine of a glass ghost on a black pedestal. There's another one not far off from that, though it's pedestal if orange.
If she actually looks for them rather than get fed up and walk, there will be skulls, and jack-o-lanterns, and black cats, but mostly ghosts, and they're spread further and further apart the further away they lead. Twenty-eight pieces total eventually track a path out into the cracked courtyard (isn't he the worst?), the broken statue no longer allowing water to trickle into the fountain. That's where Joshua will be sitting, and resting on a big blanket beside him is a colorful chess board with the four bats resting at it's center, the only light provided by the moon and the candles spread around. It's just not fun to give a gift without a matching theme.
Oh, and look, there's the cocoa. Nothing wrong with tradition. ]
[Once, while she was still based in Gotham, Dick told her the story of Hansel and Gretel, about how they were lost and tried to follow breadcrumbs out of a haunted forest. The little figurines remind her of that now, so with a smile she collects each one, takes a few moments to inspect them, and then pockets them to find the next clue.
She tries not to think about how much she misses Dick and instead plays the game, finally finding Joshua outside with her pockets bulging and a very pleased smile on her face.]
[ They'll find out soon enough, as he moves over to kneel down, setting the extra cup of cocoa down near her before beginning to move the pieces to their correct spots. ]
It looks like it. A good thing one of the animals didn't try eating or playing with a piece before you got to it.
[ Joshua actually needs to pause occasionally to remember which piece is supposed to be which. Maybe he should have gotten her a standard one for beginners? No, that wouldn't have been half as fun. He switches the bats with the cats. ]
Then they're the knights. The black cats can be the bishops. Who should be the queen, the skull or the jack-o-lantern?
[She gives him an apologetic smile, because it really would be so much easier if she did. As it stands, she could probably pick up what he expects her to do if they just start playing, but that doesn't translate to actually knowing the rules of the game.]
[ He just shrugs, not taking any issue with it. Joshua can have endless patience with certain things; it's not like he's getting any older. ]
The ghosts are the pawns. Pawns can only move forward one square, except for the first move, you can move it two spaces; And it's important to remember they can only capture diagonally. The bishops, or the cats, can go diagonally any time.
[ He'll trace a finger in the air above the board's spaces to follow whenever he explains a piece, although he moves somewhat quickly. ]
The knights can only move in this L shape...like this, or this; however you can make it that way. The hats are the rooks, and they can move side-to-side and up-and-down. The King can move one square at a time in any direction. The Queen actually has the most moves, since she can move any number up-and-down, side-to-side, or diagonal, but she can't go through her own pieces.
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You did? What is it?
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[ She's probably smart enough to deduce it, but we'll see. ]
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Should I come there?
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[ But it's a big enough place that she could probably skip in shouting and she wouldn't wake up Lucrezia. ...Not that it would matter, it's not like anyone has a real sleeping schedule around here. ]
Do you remember where the kitchen is? It's by the back entrance.
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Can wait til then, if you're... going to bed, now.
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[Because she's such a loudmouth to begin with.]
Meet you... at back entrance?
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Just come on in. [ That's how it was when Zelman lived here... Visitors just came over unannounced, and who cared? ] I'm sure you can find me.
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Joshua?
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In the kitchen there's no Joshua or cocoa, but there is a small object on the edge of the big table. A small figurine of a glass ghost on a black pedestal. There's another one not far off from that, though it's pedestal if orange.
If she actually looks for them rather than get fed up and walk, there will be skulls, and jack-o-lanterns, and black cats, but mostly ghosts, and they're spread further and further apart the further away they lead. Twenty-eight pieces total eventually track a path out into the cracked courtyard (isn't he the worst?), the broken statue no longer allowing water to trickle into the fountain. That's where Joshua will be sitting, and resting on a big blanket beside him is a colorful chess board with the four bats resting at it's center, the only light provided by the moon and the candles spread around. It's just not fun to give a gift without a matching theme.
Oh, and look, there's the cocoa. Nothing wrong with tradition. ]
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She tries not to think about how much she misses Dick and instead plays the game, finally finding Joshua outside with her pockets bulging and a very pleased smile on her face.]
Hello, Hansel.
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Don't worry, I wouldn't have let you get lost.
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Think I... got them all.
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It looks like it. A good thing one of the animals didn't try eating or playing with a piece before you got to it.
Do you like it?
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Yes, very much. Especially the bats.
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[ Joshua actually needs to pause occasionally to remember which piece is supposed to be which. Maybe he should have gotten her a standard one for beginners? No, that wouldn't have been half as fun. He switches the bats with the cats. ]
Then they're the knights. The black cats can be the bishops. Who should be the queen, the skull or the jack-o-lantern?
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That one.
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Do you know what the other pieces are called? Or how you win?
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[She gives him an apologetic smile, because it really would be so much easier if she did. As it stands, she could probably pick up what he expects her to do if they just start playing, but that doesn't translate to actually knowing the rules of the game.]
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The ghosts are the pawns. Pawns can only move forward one square, except for the first move, you can move it two spaces; And it's important to remember they can only capture diagonally. The bishops, or the cats, can go diagonally any time.
[ He'll trace a finger in the air above the board's spaces to follow whenever he explains a piece, although he moves somewhat quickly. ]
The knights can only move in this L shape...like this, or this; however you can make it that way. The hats are the rooks, and they can move side-to-side and up-and-down. The King can move one square at a time in any direction. The Queen actually has the most moves, since she can move any number up-and-down, side-to-side, or diagonal, but she can't go through her own pieces.
The goal is to capture the King.