5th Check-In; Dictated

[holyrabies]

[The only word to describe Mavis' voice as she starts to speak, reciting from the book she's gotten from the castle, is bittersweet.]

Two lonely bats crashed in the night.
They felt a zing; love at first sight.
They knew right then they would be husband and wife,
For a zing only happens once in your life.

...Merry Christmas, everybody.

[Distracted by thoughts of those left behind, she forgets to thank people for her gifts, but she has not neglected to make sure others got theirs. In addition to her gifts from the meme, Mavis gave each vampire she knows of in the castle the substitute blood the castle has been granting her wishes with. Rose and Dave also have gifts awaiting them. (Dave's is a pin.) All gifts have a note attached simply reading: Love, Mavis.]

Comments

Mavis

[theabjectauthor]

Thank you, Mavis. ... I have a gift for you, as well, but I'd rather give it to you in person. That is ... if you're in a mood to receive company.

Lemony

[holyrabies]

Huh? Oh! Um, you're welcome, and that's really nice of you.

[She laughs, a bit sheepishly.]

I think company would be nice, actually. Why don't you head over?

Mavis

[theabjectauthor]

I'd be happy to. Where might I be able to find you?

Lemony

[holyrabies]

Is coming up to my room okay with you? My room number is 618!

Mavis

[theabjectauthor]

That is perfectly fine! I may be a moment, I live in one of the towers ... but I will be there soon.

[true to his word, he hoofs it down his set of stairs, and up to her floor, and soon he knocks on her door with a flat, rectangular parcel wrapped in dark green and gold tucked under his arm]

Action!

[holyrabies]

[She opens her door and gives him a fond smile, waving her hello.]

You made it! It's really nice to see you, and merry Christmas.

Yay!

[theabjectauthor]

It's good to see you, as well. [he smiles] May I come in?

[holyrabies]

Oh, yeah, totally! Of course!

[She steps aside so he can come in.]

Come right in!

[theabjectauthor]

Thank you. [he steps inside and has a quick look around, enough to get a feel for how she lives without gawking, then holds out the package]

Here you are. I felt it best to give in person, since it requires some small amount of explanation.

[when she unwraps it, she will find a sturdy hardcover notebook, bound in dark red leather with a ribbon bookmark. the endpapers are nicely marbled in complimentary colors, and a bookplate bears her initial, M, below a simple calligraphic symbol]

Mavis

[fluthlu]

Merry Christmas, Mavis. I adore the little cat. Thank you!

[She's already sent the ghosts along with Mavis' gift - the scarf described earlier, as well as a little crochet bat, which is a bit sloppy, having been an experiment.]

... If I may ask, what exactly is a "zing"?

Rose

[holyrabies]

Thanks, Rose. And I'm really glad you like it. You're totally welcome, and I love my gifts! I named the bat Roderich.

A zing is... Something really special. It's when you meet someone special for the first time and you feel... A zing. [Her explanation is more melancholy than when she's eagerly defined the sensation in the past.] It's like love at first sight; feeling and knowing it. You know right away how special that person is to you.

Mavis 5ever

[fluthlu]

That is a lovely name.

[She lets out a little hum of acknowledgement at Mavis' description.]

Ah, I understand. A familiar concept, assigned a name. And you have one of these at home, do you?

Rose, to end!

[holyrabies]

Thanks. I'm glad to have it approved by the creator herself.

[She sighs.]

I do, and it's hard not having him or my dad here for Christmas.

[fluthlu]

[She does a pretty good job at keeping any bitternes out of her voice. It's okay, it's totally okay.]

I can imagine that that must be melancholy. My condolences.

[holyrabies]

[Even though she's good at being blissfully ignorant of many things, Mavis might have noticed the bit of bitterness that gets in; the slight off-ness. But she's being an eighteen year-old girl wrapped up in her own problems at the moment, unfortunately.]

Thank you, Rose. That means a lot to me.

[fluthlu]

You're very welcome.

[It's for the best that she doesn't catch on. Rose just steels herself and turns all of those thoughts off.]

I certainly understand. It's been a dreadfully long time since I've seen many of my loved ones.

[Especially the dead ones.]

[holyrabies]

Oh... Oh, Rose, wow, I'm really sorry. I mean, you've been here even longer than I have. I just... I am really sorry.

[eat_me_beat_me]

Oh that's awesome! Did you write that?

[holyrabies]

Thanks. I didn't write it, though, my mom did. A long time ago... It's about her and my dad.

[eat_me_beat_me]

Your mom? That's cool. It's about her and your dad? When she says "bats" does she mean that literally or... [you never know in a place like this]

[holyrabies]

It is! And yup! I'm a vampire from a family of vampires.

[A beat.]

But friendly.

[eat_me_beat_me]

A friendly vampire? That's cool. Do you still have to drink blood and shit?

[holyrabies]

Thanks! And my dad and I don't drink human blood. You never know where it's been! No offense. We drink blood substitutes.

[eat_me_beat_me]

There are blood substitutes? That's so funky. What is it?

[holyrabies]

Right? And I'm not really sure what they're made of...