{ two. action and dictated }

[nihilo]

[ Alice is sitting on one of the couches at the lobby with one nutcracker on her lap, like a ventriloquist's doll.

She can't quite speak through her stomach or anything, but she does try, moving the puppet's hand to wave at passersby and making voices. ]

Ladies and gentlemen, meet Lothar.

Comments

Action!

[thehangedrose]

[Don't mind this familiar stalk of a gangly young gentleman giving it a narrowed look as he stops nearby. It's not a doll, no...but it still is creepy. Just a bit.]

A new friend of yours?

foreveeeeer

[nihilo]

[ Yeah first victim! Alice stands up, cradling the doll on one arm like her mini assistant. She moves its arm for a handshake with Garry. ]

Lothar, meet Garry. Garry, Lothar Junghanel.

and everrrr

[thehangedrose]

Lothar? What an odd sort of name...is he named after somebody?

[And after a few seconds of hesitation, he'll outstretch his hand to shake it slightly, still a little too far away for the magic to work between him and her. He is having some warm feelings in his chest, but he ignores them for now, not knowing where they are coming from.]

[nihilo]

[ Alice shrugs. ]

You wouldn't know him. He's very important though.

[ She smirks, barely concealing a toothy grin, when she steps in closer to kiss him on the lips, not insistent, but one can argue if that was the magic at all. ]

[thehangedrose]

Is he? Well, maybe you could tell-

[And that statement is cut short when he's kissed. At first his eyes widen in surprise, but the nutcracker nearby does its thing, and he breaks the kiss only to go for another one, cupping her cheeks as he leans in.]

[nihilo]

[ Alice smiles under the kiss and leans into it, setting aside that puppet so it doesn't interfere. She's laughing when she finally breaks free. ]

1/2

[thehangedrose]

[Oh man, that's nice, it really is. Gary wants to give an award to whoever first invented kissing, it's really quite a wonderful feeling...]

[Wait hang on, maybe he's not going to give that award just yet.]

[kalinda]

[She's walking by, trying to hide her perturbed look from kissing her best friend, shaking her head and-- oh.

You know, she's surprised she has yet to see a ventriloquist or a puppetmaster (that wasn't the castle) around here.

YOU GET A LOOK.]

[nihilo]

[ BUT WHAT KIND OF LOOK?

Alice grins at her and makes the puppet wave as eagerly as wooden arms allow. ]

Come say hello.

[kalinda]

[A NEUTRAL LOOK. Well, one that hides "weird" for the nutcracker and "cute" for the lady...

Regardless, she's staying put for now.]

Hello.

[nihilo]

[ No, lady, you're hiding those looks just too well. Alice peers down at the doll, like handling a living child, and mutters. ]

He can't hear you!

[kalinda]

[YOU WANNA GO? No, but seriously, that's weird!

But she'll give her the attention, tilting her head in the slightest.]

Having fun?

[nihilo]

[ Alice sits up straighter, giving up on the charade for the moment. ]

You're not.

[separateways]

[Oh, Alice. Ada just can't escape you.]

That's a strange doll.

[nihilo]

[ She's like toilet paper stuck to your shoes, Ada. She pouts as if that hurt her feelings. ]

Only because you haven't been properly introduced.

[separateways]

I didn't know nutcrackers cared for proper introductions.

[There's some irony in this woman holding into a nutcracker, but Ada doesn't make jokes like that.]

[nihilo]

This one does. He's rather refined.

[separateways]

[Ada feels compelled to come over to take a closer look, despite not really liking Alice at all. Hm.]

I've always thought these things were tacky.

[nihilo]

He's an old-fashioned one. [ She lowers her voice, as if the puppet may be insulted were it to hear. ] An antique.

ahhh you can choose whether or not they actually ended up meeting in the library :,)

[circleoflife]

[And have a lion coming through the lobby! He looks over and sees Alice and gives a smile, looking at the puppet.]

Why, what a charming little fellow, you are.

[Actually it's sort of weird and creepy and why did humans decide to make that of all things, but the nutcracker doesn't need to know that! Mufasa's just looking out for his self-esteem and all.]

let's say they met and had awesome storytelling time! :3

[nihilo]

[ Alice will never entirely get used to a talking lion. An intelligent talking lion. It's as if evolution has been turned on its head. Still she grins at Mufasa, moving to crouch in front of him. It would only be polite. ]

Mufasa, Lothar. [ And turning to the doll, making it bend itself on the waist. ] Ah, well-practiced, too!

awwww yis

[circleoflife]

[A chuckle, at that, as he bows his head.] Indeed. I daresay better practiced than many of the residents here.

[Wait, why does he feel so weird all of a sudden?]

\o/

[nihilo]

[ Oh, the heart tingles. Alice just laughs it off. ]

Lacking in proper gestures of respect, are we?

[circleoflife]

It does seem to be a sadly lacking quality, here...

[Yep no longer looking at the nutcracker, and instead just staring at Alice with fondness.]

[nihilo]

[ What are they even talking about now? Alice just tries to keep herself from smiling too wide as she leans in for a kiss on the lion's nose! ]