466 ❀

[ino]

[Hallway/room filter forever]

[Ino's standing outside Once-ler's door with Uru. Having disabled the traps and all that good stuff, she's just knocking on the door now]

Once-leeerr! It's me! You decent? [nope, she's never letting you live the PJs down, oncie]

Comments

[amiable]

[ As for Uru, she can't help her caution. Ino had disabled the traps like nothing-- but she isn't sure if there's more. The Once-ler really is an odd guy...

But here she stands with a bag full of marshmallows and ready to be made hot chocolate. ]

Does he really going to renew those traps each time...?

[whichwayyoulean]

[Ino let the jammies go already. Of course, as it's Ino's voice he hears first, he doesn't think to check his peephole first. He really has to learn to stop trusting these assholes he loves so dearly.

And so, he opens his door without the caution most other residents receive]

Of course I'm decent. It's the middle of the da- [And then he notices there's another person here] Oh. Look at that, you have a friend.

[ino]

Yeah ... [a little sigh. she knows, uru, she knows ...

but when he opens the door, she'll beam up at him]

This is Uru. And she brought you something! [glances at Uru. THIS IS WHEN YOU BRIBE HIM WITH SWEETS, URU, QUICK BEFORE HE TELLS US TO LEAVE!!]

[amiable]

[ EXCUSE HER, INO.

THERE IS SOME HALF-SPIDER, HALF-SLENDERMAN, HALF-POSSIBLY HUMAN AT THE DOOR AND URU IS STARING. ]

[whichwayyoulean]

[The Once-ler gives Ino a sort of look which shows this was not a welcome intrusion on his alone time, before turning back to Uru]

...I expected her to be more chatty.

[Oh hey, but she has marshmallows]

[ino]

[ ... yeah, ino did too, so she's ignoring that look and glancing at uru ...

whispers] Uru?? Are you okay?

[amiable]

HI!

[ Okay, upon closer inspection he's just really tall. Ino didn't mention that, though. Ino, why?! ]

It's nice to meet you finally!

[ A little bow of the head now. ]

1/2

[whichwayyoulean]

[Maybe his friends have run out of sane people to send his way and are now resorting to crazy people.

Because if there's one thing he needs in his life right now, it's obviously not a healthy mental environment. No siree. Not when the power of friendship beckons.

God, he has to stop hanging around these people]

2/2

[whichwayyoulean]

Yeaaaaaaaah, sure. Likewise. ...I guess.

[Okay. Going to try a smile here]

Hi?

[ino]

[yes. good. shooting you a smile, once-ler. THANK YOU FOR BEING POLITE AND TRYING, she appreciates it.

and now back to uru ... she'll sort of look at her and nod towards him. go ahead, give him his gift!]

[amiable]

[ She pauses, noting Once-ler's efforts so she smiles back at him now. A genuine smile.

She holds out the bag. ]

Ah, please accept this!

[whichwayyoulean]

[Marshmallows make ALL the difference when it comes to the Once-ler. He lights up happily as he takes the bag. YESDELICIOUSUSGARYGELATINOUSGOODNESSYES. That is deemed enough of an offering to be allowed inside, so he steps back into his room a little, gesturing them to follow]

Well, thanks. That was kind of you. Wonder where you learned my secret weakness. [INO]

[ino]

[she'll just stroll in casually, smug grin on her face]

We brought hot cocoa, too. 'Cause it's getting cold.

[amiable]

And marshmallows and hot cocoa go best together! [ She follows them in closely, eyes zooming on anything that stands out in the room.

So this is the Once-ler's lair... ]

[whichwayyoulean]

I noticed, the leaves have changed colour, so I guess we're going into Fall, huh?

[The room is pretty bare, except for the bed in one corner and a wardrobe in another. There are other doors, of course, leading off to other room, but for the most part, the main room is as bleak and uninviting as you can manage in a magical castle. Every window is boarded up, save the one that stands in front of his little cactus]

I've gotta admit, there's no better combo.

[ino]

The first day of fall is my birthday, so it's pretty soon.

[she's glancing around too, but not for the same reason as uru] Do you have a table or something, so we can all sit?

[amiable]

Why are all the windows...

[ She takes note of Ino's comment-- however, she's staring at the boarded up windows. That's not healthy... ]

[whichwayyoulean]

Oh, is that soon? [La la la, playing ignorant on that birthday matter] Uh sure, give me a sec, I think I have something in the back.

[And he'll go rooting around in his workshop, WHICH YOU'RE STILL NOT ALLOWED INTO INO. But that's okay, he'll just shoo the kitten army out to distract the womenfolk with their fuffy antics while he finds a table that isn't covered in machine parts]

[ino]

Yeah. [she'll pick up one of the kitties, waiting until he's in the workshop clanging around before looking to uru and whispering]

I told you, he really needs some friends.

[amiable]

[ Her voice drops as well. ]

Why are his windows like that?

[ino]

[whisper whisper ...]

He's sort of hung up on being a hermit ...

[she'll point to where the cactus plant is sitting] I had him take some down so he could grow his plant, but he's still pretty depressed, so he likes to sit around in the dark.

[amiable]

[ Her expression settles into a more serious and concerned one. When she looks around the room again, she doesn't get a sense of "home" or "warmth". It... feels lonely just being in here, even with Ino and Once-ler. ]

I wonder what exactly happened that he thinks this is the only way to treat himself...

[whichwayyoulean]

[It's at this point the Once-ler re-emerges from his workshop, carrying a little table and pushing a couple of wheel-y chairs with his foot]

Someone'll have to sit on the bed because, hey big shocker, I don't have a lot of chairs for the company I never actually ask for.

[He'll place the table down and arch a brow] Also whispering is rude, FYI.

[ino]

[ino will take the bed, then! because she has no qualms with making other people's personal things a place for her ass to camp out. floppin' right on there no problem]

I was telling her about your cactus. [LIES] It looks good, by the way.

[amiable]

[ Uru takes a chair without complaint. ]

Yeah! [ Awkwardface. ] It's a nice cactus!