A Friendly Turn
Friday, November 6th, 2015 05:34 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
yamina_chan posting in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png){kind=small}
mindcrackloveIn which consistency enables change.
A response/followup to the story George” by sunset, but not officially connected to it.
Furthermore, a response to a prompt given in 2013. Coincidentally also by sunset.
The story takes place after the final Season 4 Tour, but before the start of Season 5.
It rained.
Not that that was unusual. Not here, at least. Nebris had long since stopped trying to keep track of how many rainy days there were in comparison to sunny ones. Wherever he and his friends would settle down, it was bound to rain. They would joke about it sometimes, call it a curse, fate or just the will of nature, but the fact remained: If Mindcrackers were about, rain was nothing out of the ordinary.
And considering the significance of the day, the weather was quite appropriate in Nebris' opinion. Miserable weather for a miserable day. He closed his eyes, focusing on the feeling of small drops on his skin and the sounds they made when coming in contact with his clothes, the stones and the ground.
It merged with the sound of wind, the rustling of leaves, the -
“Nebs? How much longer do you plan on standin' here? I don't know about you, but I don't think my clothes could become any more soaked than they already are.”
Nebris grimaced. “Well, if they can't get any soggier, then one more minute won't hurt.” Where was he again? Right, sounds. And raindrops. Large ones and small ones and -
“Maybe not, but it certainly isn’t helpful either, now is it? Besides, it's frikin' cold, man!”
- and apparently his companion had reached the limit of his rain tolerance. Opening his eyes once more, he turned to face Pakratt, who was holding both of his arms over his head in a useless attempt to block some of the rain while looking at him impatiently.
“Well?” Pakratt asked.
“Well what? You didn't have to stand there the entire time if the weather bothers you this much”, Nebris pointed out as he turned away from the open field and began walking towards the partially built construction that didn't quite deserve the description 'home'. Pakratt fell into step beside him, giving the sky a quick and disapproving glance all the while careful to not slip into the cow pen lowered into the ground beside the path.
“I didn't. I stood a good ten minutes under the arch, watching you. I was waitin' for it to clear up or for you to come to your senses again, but evidently that's a waste of time.”
“My senses are perfectly functional, I'll have you know”, Nebris said, taking the first of the steps leading up. “I was totally focused on my surroundings when you interrupted me.”
“Totally. That's why you didn't notice when I walked away. You were clearly fully focused and perfectly aware of the passage of time.”
“Exactly!” Nebris beamed, causing Pakratt to chuckle.
Following the stone path through the archway and further beneath the overhanging wing of the only somewhat constructed castle, they eventually entered into the main hall. The dull sound of countless raindrops landing on the roof was broken up by the pattering noises it made on the magnifying glass which Nebris had constructed as a special skylight.
The hall itself was dry and a welcome escape from the unfriendly weather. Torches flickered in the draft which was still allowed to roam the place freely due to it's unfinished state and Nebris began to notice how cold he felt. The rain had done a good job at lowering his body temperature; not dangerously so — it had been a warm day before the sudden change in weather — but enough that it was unpleasant. His clothes were rain-sodden and heavy, sticking to his body and stealing what warmth he had.
One look at Pakratt told him that the other was probably not feeling any different. Water was dripping down from his long hair and his dark suit looked even darker now than it normally did. When the other made a move to unbutton his shirt however, Nebris shook his head.
“Don't wring your stuff out here. You'll ruin my nice floor with water stains.”
“Like that's gonna matter now”, came the only slightly annoyed reply, but Pakratt let his arms fall to his sides again. Satisfied with settling the matter so quickly, Nebris strode to a door in the back of the hall that connected his castle-in-progress to his storage area. It would not stay much longer, having fulfilled it's temporary purpose, but for the moment he was glad that he hadn't taken the time to seal it off yet.
“Give me just a moment. I'll get us some towels or something.” Nebris paused long enough to pull the door open so that he wouldn't have to raise his voice even more over it's creaking. How a door that was only a few weeks old had any right to creak in the first place was beyond him, but then again: he was no door himself. And who was he to judge what a door did or did not do?
“If you want, you can go ahead and light the fireplace in the meeting room upstairs, Pak.”
“I'm not moving from this spot”, Pakratt called after him. “I've seen your place. I'd get lost trying t' find the thing. 'sides, I'd leave water everywhere.”
“Well, that would at least make it easier for me to track where you've gone to. But fine.” Nebris rummaged through his chests for a moment until he finally pulled out two blankets. Not exactly a towel, but it would have to do.
After locking the door again, he tossed one of them to the other man before walking up the stairway, leading Pakratt to the meeting room. It really wasn’t much more than a chamber with a long table and some chairs inside at this point, but it did include a tested and functional fireplace and that was the important part.
Lighting the fire was simple enough and soon both Mindcrackers found themselves enjoying the beginning warmth it provided, while the blankets quickly became wet to the touch after being treated as towels.
After deciding that his blanket was no longer capable of soaking up water, Nebris hung it over a chair to dry out and stepped closer to the fire. This was much better already.
Pakratt followed his example and nodded approvingly.
“That should help a little. Once we've changed into something dry I'll actually feel comfortable.”
Nebris glanced at his guest with a frown.
“I would lend you something, but I don't think my stuff will fit you. I can look if I have something your size, I might-”
“I'm good, Nebris”, Pakratt interrupted. “I brought enough spare clothing with me.”
Nebris blinked. “You did?”
“Well, what else did you think was in the backpack? You didn't think that was all just food and tools, did you?”
Pakratt turned to look at him curiously while Nebris' face went blank. “What backpack?”
The older raised an eyebrow. “Uhm… The one I was carrying when I arrived? I even asked you where I should leave it when I handed you the note.”
Nebris blinked again. Now that he thought about it, Pak did have a backpack when he showed up earlier.
“Oh. That one.”
Pakratt stifled his laughter as he looked at Nebris, bemused.
“Yeah, that one. I can see your memory works just as fine as your senses do these days.”
“I… That is… Shut up.”
This time Pakratt didn't bother to attempt to hide his laughter. “It's alright, man.” Pakratt gave Nebris a knowing smile before turning his attention back to the warm fire. “I know the feeling of being oblivious t' something and the confusion after you notice it. Trust me.”
Not willing to be verbally defeated that easily in his own would-be-home, Nebris crossed his arms in an annoyed gesture. And uncrossed them immediately after. The light pressure was enough to remind him that he had in fact spent quite a bit of time out in the rain. Thankfully, Pakratt seemed to have missed the slightly uncool act on his part. Mimicking the other Mindcracker instead, Nebris turned his eyes to the dancing flames as he asked his next question.
“Why did you bring a backpack in the first place? Okay, I don't exactly live near spawn, but with Nether travel it's not exactly a long way either.”
“I didn't bring it for getting here here. I brought it for our little camping trip. That reminds me: I don't know if MC put that in his note, but he did say that he won't be able to join us until the second day. He's busy with sortin’ out some Orange Wool matters or somethin’.”
At this Nebris couldn't help but look at Pakratt questioningly once again.
Camping trip?
Pakratt glanced at him out of the corner of his eyes and sighed.
“You forgot, didn't you.”
It was not a question. Nebris didn’t have an answer anyway, so it was probably for the best.
“We talked about it last week when we met at the town hall”, Pakratt prompted. Nebris bit his lip. He vaguely recalled running into Pak at spawn a few days ago and talking about how they hadn't done anything with MC and Ray in a while. He also vaguely recalled liking the idea of going on a little adventure with no real adventuring or challenge to it, just for fun. He didn't remember agreeing on a date. The last weeks had been hectic and there had been many things to keep track of, so it was not unusual that something had slipped from his mind. It was still embarrassing to be called out like that.
“Was that this weekend?” he asked lamely.
“Well, this is the last weekend before we leave this place behind for good. You said yourself that we'll all be busy as heck once we reach the new lands.”
“Good Point.”
So much for not losing a verbal battle.
“I...better get packing then. And get something else to wear. Do you know the way to the guestroom you’re staying in or should I lead you?”
“I'm not that hopeless, thank you very much.”
Nebris felt a small smile tug at his face at the slight irritation in Pakratt's voice. At least he was still capable of that much.
“You said yourself that you'd get lost in my place earlier. You can't deny that.”
“I did say that.” Pak crossed his arms while turning to face his host. Nebris was disappointed to see that he had kept them crossed. “But I've not been t' this room before. I did however make sure t' memorize the way to the room I'll be staying in tonight. Stop grinning like that. You know how confusing this thing is, you even warned us all when we were here for the farewell tour.”
“You memorized the way?”
“That's how it works! You can't expect me to know something without learning and then memorizing the learned part. You aren't just magically aware of these things! That's basic knowledge! And I've only been here twice, man, gimme a break.”
As much as Pak was known to out-troll anyone who dared to try, Nebris found that it was still fairly easy to push the buttons that would cause the other to raise his voice in an annoyed ramble without Pak ending up in a bad mood for long, if one knew how to do it. And over time he had not only acquired that knowledge but he had also practiced it wherever possible.
It was just too much fun.
Nebris couldn’t deny that he enjoyed messing with the others and observing their varying reactions towards his antics.
Beef would turn to snark and good humored insults, Guude tended to smack him for it, Anderz would laugh and tell him to do something nasty of some description... and Pakratt would fuss loudly, before breaking into a more or less logical rant.
It was probably a mean hobby, but it was one he wouldn’t be quitting any time soon.
These were the thoughts that ran through Nebris' head as he strode through the halls to his chamber, having left his guest to get changed as well. Once there, he firmly closed the door behind him, locking out the cold breeze, and ditched his drenched clothes.
He momentarily regarded the wet bundle on the floor and decided that he didn't feel like taking care of it now. Instead, he opened the chest at the foot of his bed and pulled out a few shirts and trowsers, tossing them on the sheets.
If they were to have a little trip, then it was best to be prepared.
And that included at least some light armor and some rain protection too. His eyes searched the room for a leather cap he had left here a few days ago when his gaze fell onto a folded piece of paper that lay on the floor.
Nebris paused.
He recognized it as the note from MC that Pak had handed to him earlier, and that he hadn't bothered to read yet. Pakratt had mentioned that MC had given this to him to pass on as an apology for not coming himself, despite Nebris’ invitation.
At some point during the last half hour, he had forgotten why he had asked for a companion in the first place, but now that he remembered, his good mood vanished as quickly as it had come.
The Mindcrackers had decided to leave these lands behind for good and seek out a new home as they had done before. They, as a group, would leave and move forward. Nebris too had been among those that yearned for a new world to explore, and he was still looking forward to this, but new adventures came at a price. They would be able to reach new worlds, but it was a journey that was for them alone.
Over the last weeks, Mindcrackers all around had said their farewells to companions of other kinds: wolfs, cats, horses and other creatures, leaving them to return to the wild to become the new masters of these lands.
Nebris had done the same, until only one very special companion had remained: George, the Dragon that had hatched from the egg they had brought back from the end many months ago. Nebris had been the only one around when the shell broke, and he had taken a quick liking to the creature, despite his initial shock. Knowing the danger, both for and by the infant dragon, Nebris had kept his existence mostly to himself. Only a handful people knew and that was only because George had a habit of roaming the partially built castle when Nebris had visitors. Especially if those visitors had brought food.
MC had stopped by frequently after the initial fear of the dragon-baby had worn off, often bringing a treat with him. So when Nebris decided it was time to part ways with the Dragon he had come to care about so much, it had only seemed logical to ask MC to accompany him. If anyone would understand how difficult this was, it would be him.
So naturally, when he had met with Pakratt instead of MC at his portal, he had been confused and a little hurt and had opted to read the note later.
Slowly, almost hesitantly, Nebris picked it up. It was later, now.
Nebris turned the piece of paper in his hands a few times. It felt slightly damp, but seemed to be unharmed for the most part. The lines were a little smudged here and there, but still legible. He began to read.
Nebris shook his head. Somehow this was just like MC. He still felt hurt, but he couldn't help but smile just a little.
The message was confusing, to say the least, but there seemed to be logic behind it. At least from the youngsters perceptive. In one thing, at least, MC was right: He had not been alone during his final farewell with George. Pakratt had been there, watching from some distance. He hadn’t said much about the situation, but he had followed him into the rain and been there.
Nebris could still feel the leathery sensation on his hands when he had hugged the little Dragon for the first and last time before it had taken flight and quickly become a black dot in the sky. He remembered staring at the spot, even long after there was no longer anything but clouds to see.
His room suddenly felt very lonely. Nebris hurried to get properly dressed and fitfully opened the door. Handle still in hand, he debated where to go. He glanced at the hallway leading to the guestrooms.
In stories, those are characters that the main protagonists look up to and go to in times of grief.
Nebris turned and walked down the stairs. He was not a crying child that needed comfort. Quick steps brought him to the gate that separated the main hall from the outside and he pulled it open.
The rain had eased. Not so much that Nebris considered stepping outside again, but he guessed that it would be gone soon enough. Nightfall was close.
Just when he was about to close his eyes to listen to the relaxing sounds from the safety of his halls, a different noise caught his ears: the creaking of the storage room door.
Nebris froze. Battle-refined instinct told him that this was not his house guest.
He listened. Rain. The sizzling of the torches. Nothing else. He cursed the fact that he didn’t carry a weapon and slowly turned to where the noise had come from. Leaning next to the door on the wall was Etho, wearing armor that Nebris recognized instantly. A second curse followed the first.
Once Etho was sure that he had Nebris' attention, he raised one hand in a wave. “Yo.”
Nebris took a deep breath and took one step back into the hall, trying to remember if he had hidden any weapons within reasonable distance.
“Why, hello there Etho”, he said, taking another step. “I’m sorry, did you get lost? Usually guests knock at the front door and don't just walk in.” He took a third step as Etho shrugged.
“Well, this place is still a construction site, so I figured that rule is not in effect yet.”
“You figured wrong.” More steps. Nebris stopped just out of the would-be reach of a sword.
“So. What brings you to this place? I can't say I was expecting you, so I’m afraid I have no cookies or other snacks to offer you.”
Again, Etho simply shrugged, which caused Nebris' suspicion to climb higher and higher.
Then the Ninja took a step forward on his own. Nebris tensed, watching the other carefully, calculating possible strategies in his head.
“Some snacks would have been nice, but I didn’t expect you to be a good host, so no harm done. As for your second question… Well, with our departure so close, I thought you and I could have some fun. Sort of as a last parting act from these lands.”
The grin that followed, although hidden by Etho’s mask, was unmistakable in his voice.
Flexing his hands, Nebris quickly glanced at the stairs. The armory was just up and to the left… No, that would take too long. But Etho was effectively blocking the way to his storage.
“I'm not in the mood for any games.”
“Is that so?” Etho raised his eyebrows and took another step forward. “In that case, I believe I shall-”
A loud rumble, followed by the outcry of “Ow! You stupid, frickin' thing!” made both men in the hall jump and turn their head. Nebris had to look over twice to make sure that he did indeed see what he saw.
In the corridor that was leading to the right wing of the castle lay books upon books on the floor. An empty bookshelf that used to stand tall and proud was partially blocking the doorway. Banners that had hung on the walls for decoration were now covering the literature on the ground. Also on the ground was one dried but very annoyed looking Pakratt, who glared at him when Nebris called his name in confusion.
“Nebris! Why do you just keep string lying on the ground? And in the dark too!”
“What do you mean, leaving string on the ground?” the castle owner wondered out loud and quickly jogged down the hallway. Once he was a little closer, he could see that the black-haired man was trying to untie some spider silk that had wrapped itself around his ankles while trying to hold the half fallen banners out of this face.
“What the heck did you do?” Nebris found himself asking.
“I didn't do nothing!” Pakratt tugged on the string once more. “I was just walking around, minding my own business, when there's suddenly this deathtrap in my way! I ask again: why do you have string lying around on the ground?”
Nebris knelt down and took one end of the string. How had the other even managed to get it so tangled around his legs in the first place? “You probably tripped over some building supplies. What were you even doing down here? This part of the castle isn't even done.”
“I was looking!” Pak gave the string another tug. Nebris batted his hand away. He had picked his materials carefully, it was unlikely that the string would just snap and give way. This required other methods.
“Okay, so you were looking. What were you looking for in this part then?”
“I was tryin' t' find the stupid restroom that you said was here somewhere. Wouldn't be a problem if you could just have one like any NORMAL people and wouldn't hide it behind some secret wall-mechanism-thing that's super difficult to find!”
“Hey, I take offense to that. My super-secret bathroom door is legit.”
Pakratt turned his attention from the situation at Nebris just long enough to give him a look that clearly showed his disagreement.
“Bathrooms aren't cool, Pak. Secret Bathrooms, however, are.”
“It's a bathroom! You need them all the time! Why would you go and hide them somewhere so no one knows where they are? That doesn't make any sense!”
“It makes perfect sense.”
“No it does not! It makes about as much sense as a- Oh. Hey Etho.”
“Hey... Pak.”
Unnoticed by them, the Ninja had followed Nebris’ lead and had come down the hallway and was now looking at the scene with visible confusion. “What are you doing here?”
“Making a mess, apparently.” Pakratt gestured at the books scattered on the floor. “Because someone doesn't have enough common sense to not have a normal restroom.”
“Why would I have a normal one when I can have a secret one? - There. You're free now.” Nebris moved the last strap over one of Pakratt's shoes and nodded approvingly as the other stood up with a quick thanks.
“I still think your secret entry could be used better. But sorry about your books, Nebs. I'll pick them up in a moment. Etho, could you help me shove this bookshelf back into position real quick?”
Etho frowned but grabbed a hold of one side of the bookshelf while Pak took the other. “You still haven't answered my question. What are you doing here, Pakratt?”
“What, can't a man visit a friend here? Push on three. One, two, three!”
The bookshelf made a grating sound but was otherwise easily enough placed back in it's original spot. With that task accomplished, Pak kneeled down and began picking up books. Nebris gave the loose banner a disapproving look as it was now torn ever so slightly. He would have to move it to one of the darker areas; he didn't have the time to fix it now.
Soon enough the bookshelf was filled and the corridor cleaned up.
“So...”, said Etho.
“So”, echoed Pakratt. “Now. Nebs. About that restroom… where is it, actually?”
Nebris rolled his eyes and lifted part of a different banner on the opposite wall, revealing a button.
“Here you go.” A clicking noise, followed by the scratching sound of pistons moving. Part of the wall moved and revealed a dimly lit room.
“Try to make no mess in there, please.”
Pakratt mumbled a reply that suspiciously sounded like a complaint, but Nebris chose not to inquire further. Before Pakratt entered, however, he turned to look at the other two for a moment and then fixated his eyes on Nebris. “Will you need assistance?”
Nebris shook his head. “Take your time. Just remember to close it when you’re done.”
With that, the resistant castle-like-house-owner stretched himself and walked back to the entry hall.
“Soo...” Etho repeated a little louder, following Nebris. “Why is Pak here again?”
Purple eyes met questioning red ones and Nebris scratched his head. “Well… Would you accept 'because we're going on a trip tomorrow and he's helping me prepare' as an answer?”
“No.”
Nebris shrugged. “Too bad. Because that's all the details you're gonna get.”
Etho was not among the ones who knew about George and although the young Dragon was no longer under his care, that didn't mean that Nebris was just going to break habit and start telling others about it. Etho didn't seem happy with the response.
“Is that why you are acting so aloof?”
“Aloof?”
“You’ve e been acting strange as of late. The fact that I could sneak in here without you noticing proves that you're not using your normal wits. And now there's Pakratt here, and neither of you are giving me a clear answer. Something is fishy and I want to know what.”
Nebris sat down on the stairs leading to the first floor with a sigh. Now Etho was suspicious. And a suspicious Etho was stubborn Etho. That was the last thing he needed now.
“Look. Everything is fine. Or going to be fine.”
The Ninja’s gaze lingered on him. “This is exactly what I mean. Look at you, slumped down there. Where has your focus from earlier gone? If I wanted to, I could attack you right now. You know the rules of the game.”
This perked Nebris' interest. He had to admit, Etho had a point here. That was now the second time today that Pakratt had distracted him from something important.
“That obliviousness of his must be rubbing off or something...”
But it was actually kinda nice too. He looked at Etho again. When was the last time they had had a normal conversation without the constant fear of being stabbed in the back if they let their guard down even for a second? Their game was filled with thrill and excitement, and they had gotten to know each other in a way that was unique to them. Nebris had prided himself in knowing how Etho fought and had taken great joy in their confrontations and struggles to win as well as their other challenges. It was a game that had started so long ago and that had claimed a good portion of his mind.
They were close, but he would have never asked Etho for company on this day. He simply could not trust the other enough to not use it against him. It was a thought that he disliked greatly. And yet they would continue to play this deadly game until one of them won.
Nebris put his face in his hands. That left only one conclusion.
“You won the game, Etho. Not tonight specifically. But overall. I quit.”
To say that the Ninja was startled by this sudden announcement was an understatement. “Repeat that?”
“You won. It's over. Out. Finished and done. Congrats.”
“What do you mean, you quit? You can't quit like that, that's not for you to decide. The rules...”
“I know the rules”, Nebris interrupted. “That's why I'm quitting. The game is not a healthy thing for an extended period of time.”
Etho narrowed his eyes.
“This is not how I want to win.”
“And it's not how I want to lose. I like having you as my rival. But I also like having you as my friend and if we keep this up, we're gonna lose one of those things.”
The Ninja kept silent and Nebris left him to his thoughts. Surely this was even more suspicious now, but they were currently not at the point where he could be open. Not yet. Trust was not that easily built.
“If I win… then I claim my prize now.”
Nebris shook his head. “There's no prize for you to claim. Not anymore. The game is over.” The owner of the almost-castle stood up and looked out of the window. “Still raining, huh? If you want to, you can take one of the empty rooms and stay here for the night. I'm gonna go finish packing. Later.”
He had barely turned around when he felt a strong hand on his shoulder.
“I don't know what you’re doing, Nebris, but I don't trust you. You're not the kind who gives up so easily.”
Nebris felt a headache coming and he turned back to face Etho one more time.
“Neither are you. But one of us has to stop this, or it's going to go on for all eternity and will destroy us both.”
“I know you. You would not just throw a battle. You love winning too much.”
Nebris didn't reply. It was the truth, but he had already lost one friend today. He could take a losing a game if it meant he got to keep an other.
“If you really are serious about wanting to end this,” Etho continued after a moment, “then let's find out for real who the winner is.”
“Can't. I have plans for tomorrow, I can't risk getting hurt. Games are fun, yes. And I had fun playing this one with you. But it's not what I want anymore.”
“Then what do you want?” Etho asked and only his voice betrayed his irritation. Nebris thought about this for a moment. What did he want? A movement in the corner of his eye got his attention. Pakratt had entered the main hall and was now looking at the two of them with interest, while keeping his distance to not intrude on their conversation. Nebris thought back to the note upstairs and smiled.
“A family.”
The look on Etho’s face was priceless, despite the mask.
“Not THAT kind of family, heck no. People I can trust who won't judge me for who I am and who will have my back. People who I can mess with without hurting their feelings. So in this case, I'm picking hate over games.”
“But...”Etho looked confused. “Didn't you just say...”
“Not that kind of hate.”
Nebris gave Etho a grin and then stepped around him. “Hey, Pak. How about I make us something warm to drink and you tell me what sort of stuff you've crammed in your backpack, so that I can put some actually useful things in mine?”
“What do you mean, actually useful?” Pakratt responded indignantly.
If anything, Nebris grin widened at that.
- - -
Authors Note:
If you've come this far, please leave some feedback or a comment. I'd like to know what you thought; what you enjoyed and what could use improvement. =D
A response/followup to the story George” by sunset, but not officially connected to it.
Furthermore, a response to a prompt given in 2013. Coincidentally also by sunset.
The story takes place after the final Season 4 Tour, but before the start of Season 5.
It rained.
Not that that was unusual. Not here, at least. Nebris had long since stopped trying to keep track of how many rainy days there were in comparison to sunny ones. Wherever he and his friends would settle down, it was bound to rain. They would joke about it sometimes, call it a curse, fate or just the will of nature, but the fact remained: If Mindcrackers were about, rain was nothing out of the ordinary.
And considering the significance of the day, the weather was quite appropriate in Nebris' opinion. Miserable weather for a miserable day. He closed his eyes, focusing on the feeling of small drops on his skin and the sounds they made when coming in contact with his clothes, the stones and the ground.
It merged with the sound of wind, the rustling of leaves, the -
“Nebs? How much longer do you plan on standin' here? I don't know about you, but I don't think my clothes could become any more soaked than they already are.”
Nebris grimaced. “Well, if they can't get any soggier, then one more minute won't hurt.” Where was he again? Right, sounds. And raindrops. Large ones and small ones and -
“Maybe not, but it certainly isn’t helpful either, now is it? Besides, it's frikin' cold, man!”
- and apparently his companion had reached the limit of his rain tolerance. Opening his eyes once more, he turned to face Pakratt, who was holding both of his arms over his head in a useless attempt to block some of the rain while looking at him impatiently.
“Well?” Pakratt asked.
“Well what? You didn't have to stand there the entire time if the weather bothers you this much”, Nebris pointed out as he turned away from the open field and began walking towards the partially built construction that didn't quite deserve the description 'home'. Pakratt fell into step beside him, giving the sky a quick and disapproving glance all the while careful to not slip into the cow pen lowered into the ground beside the path.
“I didn't. I stood a good ten minutes under the arch, watching you. I was waitin' for it to clear up or for you to come to your senses again, but evidently that's a waste of time.”
“My senses are perfectly functional, I'll have you know”, Nebris said, taking the first of the steps leading up. “I was totally focused on my surroundings when you interrupted me.”
“Totally. That's why you didn't notice when I walked away. You were clearly fully focused and perfectly aware of the passage of time.”
“Exactly!” Nebris beamed, causing Pakratt to chuckle.
Following the stone path through the archway and further beneath the overhanging wing of the only somewhat constructed castle, they eventually entered into the main hall. The dull sound of countless raindrops landing on the roof was broken up by the pattering noises it made on the magnifying glass which Nebris had constructed as a special skylight.
The hall itself was dry and a welcome escape from the unfriendly weather. Torches flickered in the draft which was still allowed to roam the place freely due to it's unfinished state and Nebris began to notice how cold he felt. The rain had done a good job at lowering his body temperature; not dangerously so — it had been a warm day before the sudden change in weather — but enough that it was unpleasant. His clothes were rain-sodden and heavy, sticking to his body and stealing what warmth he had.
One look at Pakratt told him that the other was probably not feeling any different. Water was dripping down from his long hair and his dark suit looked even darker now than it normally did. When the other made a move to unbutton his shirt however, Nebris shook his head.
“Don't wring your stuff out here. You'll ruin my nice floor with water stains.”
“Like that's gonna matter now”, came the only slightly annoyed reply, but Pakratt let his arms fall to his sides again. Satisfied with settling the matter so quickly, Nebris strode to a door in the back of the hall that connected his castle-in-progress to his storage area. It would not stay much longer, having fulfilled it's temporary purpose, but for the moment he was glad that he hadn't taken the time to seal it off yet.
“Give me just a moment. I'll get us some towels or something.” Nebris paused long enough to pull the door open so that he wouldn't have to raise his voice even more over it's creaking. How a door that was only a few weeks old had any right to creak in the first place was beyond him, but then again: he was no door himself. And who was he to judge what a door did or did not do?
“If you want, you can go ahead and light the fireplace in the meeting room upstairs, Pak.”
“I'm not moving from this spot”, Pakratt called after him. “I've seen your place. I'd get lost trying t' find the thing. 'sides, I'd leave water everywhere.”
“Well, that would at least make it easier for me to track where you've gone to. But fine.” Nebris rummaged through his chests for a moment until he finally pulled out two blankets. Not exactly a towel, but it would have to do.
After locking the door again, he tossed one of them to the other man before walking up the stairway, leading Pakratt to the meeting room. It really wasn’t much more than a chamber with a long table and some chairs inside at this point, but it did include a tested and functional fireplace and that was the important part.
Lighting the fire was simple enough and soon both Mindcrackers found themselves enjoying the beginning warmth it provided, while the blankets quickly became wet to the touch after being treated as towels.
After deciding that his blanket was no longer capable of soaking up water, Nebris hung it over a chair to dry out and stepped closer to the fire. This was much better already.
Pakratt followed his example and nodded approvingly.
“That should help a little. Once we've changed into something dry I'll actually feel comfortable.”
Nebris glanced at his guest with a frown.
“I would lend you something, but I don't think my stuff will fit you. I can look if I have something your size, I might-”
“I'm good, Nebris”, Pakratt interrupted. “I brought enough spare clothing with me.”
Nebris blinked. “You did?”
“Well, what else did you think was in the backpack? You didn't think that was all just food and tools, did you?”
Pakratt turned to look at him curiously while Nebris' face went blank. “What backpack?”
The older raised an eyebrow. “Uhm… The one I was carrying when I arrived? I even asked you where I should leave it when I handed you the note.”
Nebris blinked again. Now that he thought about it, Pak did have a backpack when he showed up earlier.
“Oh. That one.”
Pakratt stifled his laughter as he looked at Nebris, bemused.
“Yeah, that one. I can see your memory works just as fine as your senses do these days.”
“I… That is… Shut up.”
This time Pakratt didn't bother to attempt to hide his laughter. “It's alright, man.” Pakratt gave Nebris a knowing smile before turning his attention back to the warm fire. “I know the feeling of being oblivious t' something and the confusion after you notice it. Trust me.”
Not willing to be verbally defeated that easily in his own would-be-home, Nebris crossed his arms in an annoyed gesture. And uncrossed them immediately after. The light pressure was enough to remind him that he had in fact spent quite a bit of time out in the rain. Thankfully, Pakratt seemed to have missed the slightly uncool act on his part. Mimicking the other Mindcracker instead, Nebris turned his eyes to the dancing flames as he asked his next question.
“Why did you bring a backpack in the first place? Okay, I don't exactly live near spawn, but with Nether travel it's not exactly a long way either.”
“I didn't bring it for getting here here. I brought it for our little camping trip. That reminds me: I don't know if MC put that in his note, but he did say that he won't be able to join us until the second day. He's busy with sortin’ out some Orange Wool matters or somethin’.”
At this Nebris couldn't help but look at Pakratt questioningly once again.
Camping trip?
Pakratt glanced at him out of the corner of his eyes and sighed.
“You forgot, didn't you.”
It was not a question. Nebris didn’t have an answer anyway, so it was probably for the best.
“We talked about it last week when we met at the town hall”, Pakratt prompted. Nebris bit his lip. He vaguely recalled running into Pak at spawn a few days ago and talking about how they hadn't done anything with MC and Ray in a while. He also vaguely recalled liking the idea of going on a little adventure with no real adventuring or challenge to it, just for fun. He didn't remember agreeing on a date. The last weeks had been hectic and there had been many things to keep track of, so it was not unusual that something had slipped from his mind. It was still embarrassing to be called out like that.
“Was that this weekend?” he asked lamely.
“Well, this is the last weekend before we leave this place behind for good. You said yourself that we'll all be busy as heck once we reach the new lands.”
“Good Point.”
So much for not losing a verbal battle.
“I...better get packing then. And get something else to wear. Do you know the way to the guestroom you’re staying in or should I lead you?”
“I'm not that hopeless, thank you very much.”
Nebris felt a small smile tug at his face at the slight irritation in Pakratt's voice. At least he was still capable of that much.
“You said yourself that you'd get lost in my place earlier. You can't deny that.”
“I did say that.” Pak crossed his arms while turning to face his host. Nebris was disappointed to see that he had kept them crossed. “But I've not been t' this room before. I did however make sure t' memorize the way to the room I'll be staying in tonight. Stop grinning like that. You know how confusing this thing is, you even warned us all when we were here for the farewell tour.”
“You memorized the way?”
“That's how it works! You can't expect me to know something without learning and then memorizing the learned part. You aren't just magically aware of these things! That's basic knowledge! And I've only been here twice, man, gimme a break.”
As much as Pak was known to out-troll anyone who dared to try, Nebris found that it was still fairly easy to push the buttons that would cause the other to raise his voice in an annoyed ramble without Pak ending up in a bad mood for long, if one knew how to do it. And over time he had not only acquired that knowledge but he had also practiced it wherever possible.
It was just too much fun.
Nebris couldn’t deny that he enjoyed messing with the others and observing their varying reactions towards his antics.
Beef would turn to snark and good humored insults, Guude tended to smack him for it, Anderz would laugh and tell him to do something nasty of some description... and Pakratt would fuss loudly, before breaking into a more or less logical rant.
It was probably a mean hobby, but it was one he wouldn’t be quitting any time soon.
These were the thoughts that ran through Nebris' head as he strode through the halls to his chamber, having left his guest to get changed as well. Once there, he firmly closed the door behind him, locking out the cold breeze, and ditched his drenched clothes.
He momentarily regarded the wet bundle on the floor and decided that he didn't feel like taking care of it now. Instead, he opened the chest at the foot of his bed and pulled out a few shirts and trowsers, tossing them on the sheets.
If they were to have a little trip, then it was best to be prepared.
And that included at least some light armor and some rain protection too. His eyes searched the room for a leather cap he had left here a few days ago when his gaze fell onto a folded piece of paper that lay on the floor.
Nebris paused.
He recognized it as the note from MC that Pak had handed to him earlier, and that he hadn't bothered to read yet. Pakratt had mentioned that MC had given this to him to pass on as an apology for not coming himself, despite Nebris’ invitation.
At some point during the last half hour, he had forgotten why he had asked for a companion in the first place, but now that he remembered, his good mood vanished as quickly as it had come.
The Mindcrackers had decided to leave these lands behind for good and seek out a new home as they had done before. They, as a group, would leave and move forward. Nebris too had been among those that yearned for a new world to explore, and he was still looking forward to this, but new adventures came at a price. They would be able to reach new worlds, but it was a journey that was for them alone.
Over the last weeks, Mindcrackers all around had said their farewells to companions of other kinds: wolfs, cats, horses and other creatures, leaving them to return to the wild to become the new masters of these lands.
Nebris had done the same, until only one very special companion had remained: George, the Dragon that had hatched from the egg they had brought back from the end many months ago. Nebris had been the only one around when the shell broke, and he had taken a quick liking to the creature, despite his initial shock. Knowing the danger, both for and by the infant dragon, Nebris had kept his existence mostly to himself. Only a handful people knew and that was only because George had a habit of roaming the partially built castle when Nebris had visitors. Especially if those visitors had brought food.
MC had stopped by frequently after the initial fear of the dragon-baby had worn off, often bringing a treat with him. So when Nebris decided it was time to part ways with the Dragon he had come to care about so much, it had only seemed logical to ask MC to accompany him. If anyone would understand how difficult this was, it would be him.
So naturally, when he had met with Pakratt instead of MC at his portal, he had been confused and a little hurt and had opted to read the note later.
Slowly, almost hesitantly, Nebris picked it up. It was later, now.
Nebris turned the piece of paper in his hands a few times. It felt slightly damp, but seemed to be unharmed for the most part. The lines were a little smudged here and there, but still legible. He began to read.
Hey! Nebris!
I am really, really, REALLY sorry!
There. I wanted to have the most important part out right away.
Seriously though, I am sorry. I really meant to come when you asked me, but there are just so many things that I have to sort through. Orange Wool matters, you see? Millbee is nowhere to be found and this place is in such a MESS, I tell you! One of us has to do some serious business work here, and it looks like this person is me.
So I am kinda stuck here. But just when I was about to wreck my poor brain with how to find a solution to this problem — since I sadly can not be at two places at the same time. Imagine how handy that would be! — low and behold there I hear a knocking at my door. And guess who I find on the other side? Good ol' Pakratt!
And now I'm thinking to myself 'Oh, this a wink from heaven!' because now I can tell someone about my problem who knows what I am talking about and that someone can go keep you company in my place.
Which is not quite the same thing, I get that! But: (and this is why I think there's no one more suitable to have knocked on the door — except maybe Millbee, because then he could do some of the work too and I could have actually come myself, now that I think about it — but Millbee would not have knocked, with how this is 50% his business too. Darn it, where is that guy? I tell you...) it's a good thing, because it was Pakratt. He has known you for much longer than me, so that's already a plus. Well… Perhaps not that much longer...and maybe not as long as someone as, say, Guude, but you get my point. Also, there's double points because he's actually older and has more life experience than either of us.
Uh… I don't mean to say that he's old!! He's not, really! Don't tell him I said that. Don't show him that I wrote that either! I really hope you're not so curious that you read this on the way, Pak. I didn't mean it in a bad way, I promise! Just that you are oldER then me, and we usually tend to look up to the people who are more experienced and all that.
THAT brings me to my third reason, then one that's triple points and seals the deal all right: He's a CobbleHater too and thus knows you well, Nebris. And not just any, but like the father of CobbleHaters. And the leader of us four. In stories, those are characters that the main protagonists look up to and go to in times of grief and then they'll get some wise, caring words and morals and then they go out and defeat the evil villain and- wait, hold on, I am getting distracted here. And Pak's looking at me like he's wondering why my quick note is taking so long and like he's about come over and read it.
Uhm… Bottom line: I'd hate for you to be all alone after saying farewell to George. He kinda ended up being a cute not-so-little Dragon and I have seen how attached he became to you. So yeah, it wouldn't do for you to have no one to talk to, and I would have come if all this stuff around me didn't need to be done, but I figured that Pakratt might be better suited for the role. That, and I know y---
Pak said either I hand this to him now or he's going without it. So real quick: I hope you are okay and I am sorry that I didn’t come when you asked me too, but I know you are in good hands.
Sincerely, MCGamer.
Nebris shook his head. Somehow this was just like MC. He still felt hurt, but he couldn't help but smile just a little.
The message was confusing, to say the least, but there seemed to be logic behind it. At least from the youngsters perceptive. In one thing, at least, MC was right: He had not been alone during his final farewell with George. Pakratt had been there, watching from some distance. He hadn’t said much about the situation, but he had followed him into the rain and been there.
Nebris could still feel the leathery sensation on his hands when he had hugged the little Dragon for the first and last time before it had taken flight and quickly become a black dot in the sky. He remembered staring at the spot, even long after there was no longer anything but clouds to see.
His room suddenly felt very lonely. Nebris hurried to get properly dressed and fitfully opened the door. Handle still in hand, he debated where to go. He glanced at the hallway leading to the guestrooms.
In stories, those are characters that the main protagonists look up to and go to in times of grief.
Nebris turned and walked down the stairs. He was not a crying child that needed comfort. Quick steps brought him to the gate that separated the main hall from the outside and he pulled it open.
The rain had eased. Not so much that Nebris considered stepping outside again, but he guessed that it would be gone soon enough. Nightfall was close.
Just when he was about to close his eyes to listen to the relaxing sounds from the safety of his halls, a different noise caught his ears: the creaking of the storage room door.
Nebris froze. Battle-refined instinct told him that this was not his house guest.
He listened. Rain. The sizzling of the torches. Nothing else. He cursed the fact that he didn’t carry a weapon and slowly turned to where the noise had come from. Leaning next to the door on the wall was Etho, wearing armor that Nebris recognized instantly. A second curse followed the first.
Once Etho was sure that he had Nebris' attention, he raised one hand in a wave. “Yo.”
Nebris took a deep breath and took one step back into the hall, trying to remember if he had hidden any weapons within reasonable distance.
“Why, hello there Etho”, he said, taking another step. “I’m sorry, did you get lost? Usually guests knock at the front door and don't just walk in.” He took a third step as Etho shrugged.
“Well, this place is still a construction site, so I figured that rule is not in effect yet.”
“You figured wrong.” More steps. Nebris stopped just out of the would-be reach of a sword.
“So. What brings you to this place? I can't say I was expecting you, so I’m afraid I have no cookies or other snacks to offer you.”
Again, Etho simply shrugged, which caused Nebris' suspicion to climb higher and higher.
Then the Ninja took a step forward on his own. Nebris tensed, watching the other carefully, calculating possible strategies in his head.
“Some snacks would have been nice, but I didn’t expect you to be a good host, so no harm done. As for your second question… Well, with our departure so close, I thought you and I could have some fun. Sort of as a last parting act from these lands.”
The grin that followed, although hidden by Etho’s mask, was unmistakable in his voice.
Flexing his hands, Nebris quickly glanced at the stairs. The armory was just up and to the left… No, that would take too long. But Etho was effectively blocking the way to his storage.
“I'm not in the mood for any games.”
“Is that so?” Etho raised his eyebrows and took another step forward. “In that case, I believe I shall-”
A loud rumble, followed by the outcry of “Ow! You stupid, frickin' thing!” made both men in the hall jump and turn their head. Nebris had to look over twice to make sure that he did indeed see what he saw.
In the corridor that was leading to the right wing of the castle lay books upon books on the floor. An empty bookshelf that used to stand tall and proud was partially blocking the doorway. Banners that had hung on the walls for decoration were now covering the literature on the ground. Also on the ground was one dried but very annoyed looking Pakratt, who glared at him when Nebris called his name in confusion.
“Nebris! Why do you just keep string lying on the ground? And in the dark too!”
“What do you mean, leaving string on the ground?” the castle owner wondered out loud and quickly jogged down the hallway. Once he was a little closer, he could see that the black-haired man was trying to untie some spider silk that had wrapped itself around his ankles while trying to hold the half fallen banners out of this face.
“What the heck did you do?” Nebris found himself asking.
“I didn't do nothing!” Pakratt tugged on the string once more. “I was just walking around, minding my own business, when there's suddenly this deathtrap in my way! I ask again: why do you have string lying around on the ground?”
Nebris knelt down and took one end of the string. How had the other even managed to get it so tangled around his legs in the first place? “You probably tripped over some building supplies. What were you even doing down here? This part of the castle isn't even done.”
“I was looking!” Pak gave the string another tug. Nebris batted his hand away. He had picked his materials carefully, it was unlikely that the string would just snap and give way. This required other methods.
“Okay, so you were looking. What were you looking for in this part then?”
“I was tryin' t' find the stupid restroom that you said was here somewhere. Wouldn't be a problem if you could just have one like any NORMAL people and wouldn't hide it behind some secret wall-mechanism-thing that's super difficult to find!”
“Hey, I take offense to that. My super-secret bathroom door is legit.”
Pakratt turned his attention from the situation at Nebris just long enough to give him a look that clearly showed his disagreement.
“Bathrooms aren't cool, Pak. Secret Bathrooms, however, are.”
“It's a bathroom! You need them all the time! Why would you go and hide them somewhere so no one knows where they are? That doesn't make any sense!”
“It makes perfect sense.”
“No it does not! It makes about as much sense as a- Oh. Hey Etho.”
“Hey... Pak.”
Unnoticed by them, the Ninja had followed Nebris’ lead and had come down the hallway and was now looking at the scene with visible confusion. “What are you doing here?”
“Making a mess, apparently.” Pakratt gestured at the books scattered on the floor. “Because someone doesn't have enough common sense to not have a normal restroom.”
“Why would I have a normal one when I can have a secret one? - There. You're free now.” Nebris moved the last strap over one of Pakratt's shoes and nodded approvingly as the other stood up with a quick thanks.
“I still think your secret entry could be used better. But sorry about your books, Nebs. I'll pick them up in a moment. Etho, could you help me shove this bookshelf back into position real quick?”
Etho frowned but grabbed a hold of one side of the bookshelf while Pak took the other. “You still haven't answered my question. What are you doing here, Pakratt?”
“What, can't a man visit a friend here? Push on three. One, two, three!”
The bookshelf made a grating sound but was otherwise easily enough placed back in it's original spot. With that task accomplished, Pak kneeled down and began picking up books. Nebris gave the loose banner a disapproving look as it was now torn ever so slightly. He would have to move it to one of the darker areas; he didn't have the time to fix it now.
Soon enough the bookshelf was filled and the corridor cleaned up.
“So...”, said Etho.
“So”, echoed Pakratt. “Now. Nebs. About that restroom… where is it, actually?”
Nebris rolled his eyes and lifted part of a different banner on the opposite wall, revealing a button.
“Here you go.” A clicking noise, followed by the scratching sound of pistons moving. Part of the wall moved and revealed a dimly lit room.
“Try to make no mess in there, please.”
Pakratt mumbled a reply that suspiciously sounded like a complaint, but Nebris chose not to inquire further. Before Pakratt entered, however, he turned to look at the other two for a moment and then fixated his eyes on Nebris. “Will you need assistance?”
Nebris shook his head. “Take your time. Just remember to close it when you’re done.”
With that, the resistant castle-like-house-owner stretched himself and walked back to the entry hall.
“Soo...” Etho repeated a little louder, following Nebris. “Why is Pak here again?”
Purple eyes met questioning red ones and Nebris scratched his head. “Well… Would you accept 'because we're going on a trip tomorrow and he's helping me prepare' as an answer?”
“No.”
Nebris shrugged. “Too bad. Because that's all the details you're gonna get.”
Etho was not among the ones who knew about George and although the young Dragon was no longer under his care, that didn't mean that Nebris was just going to break habit and start telling others about it. Etho didn't seem happy with the response.
“Is that why you are acting so aloof?”
“Aloof?”
“You’ve e been acting strange as of late. The fact that I could sneak in here without you noticing proves that you're not using your normal wits. And now there's Pakratt here, and neither of you are giving me a clear answer. Something is fishy and I want to know what.”
Nebris sat down on the stairs leading to the first floor with a sigh. Now Etho was suspicious. And a suspicious Etho was stubborn Etho. That was the last thing he needed now.
“Look. Everything is fine. Or going to be fine.”
The Ninja’s gaze lingered on him. “This is exactly what I mean. Look at you, slumped down there. Where has your focus from earlier gone? If I wanted to, I could attack you right now. You know the rules of the game.”
This perked Nebris' interest. He had to admit, Etho had a point here. That was now the second time today that Pakratt had distracted him from something important.
“That obliviousness of his must be rubbing off or something...”
But it was actually kinda nice too. He looked at Etho again. When was the last time they had had a normal conversation without the constant fear of being stabbed in the back if they let their guard down even for a second? Their game was filled with thrill and excitement, and they had gotten to know each other in a way that was unique to them. Nebris had prided himself in knowing how Etho fought and had taken great joy in their confrontations and struggles to win as well as their other challenges. It was a game that had started so long ago and that had claimed a good portion of his mind.
They were close, but he would have never asked Etho for company on this day. He simply could not trust the other enough to not use it against him. It was a thought that he disliked greatly. And yet they would continue to play this deadly game until one of them won.
Nebris put his face in his hands. That left only one conclusion.
“You won the game, Etho. Not tonight specifically. But overall. I quit.”
To say that the Ninja was startled by this sudden announcement was an understatement. “Repeat that?”
“You won. It's over. Out. Finished and done. Congrats.”
“What do you mean, you quit? You can't quit like that, that's not for you to decide. The rules...”
“I know the rules”, Nebris interrupted. “That's why I'm quitting. The game is not a healthy thing for an extended period of time.”
Etho narrowed his eyes.
“This is not how I want to win.”
“And it's not how I want to lose. I like having you as my rival. But I also like having you as my friend and if we keep this up, we're gonna lose one of those things.”
The Ninja kept silent and Nebris left him to his thoughts. Surely this was even more suspicious now, but they were currently not at the point where he could be open. Not yet. Trust was not that easily built.
“If I win… then I claim my prize now.”
Nebris shook his head. “There's no prize for you to claim. Not anymore. The game is over.” The owner of the almost-castle stood up and looked out of the window. “Still raining, huh? If you want to, you can take one of the empty rooms and stay here for the night. I'm gonna go finish packing. Later.”
He had barely turned around when he felt a strong hand on his shoulder.
“I don't know what you’re doing, Nebris, but I don't trust you. You're not the kind who gives up so easily.”
Nebris felt a headache coming and he turned back to face Etho one more time.
“Neither are you. But one of us has to stop this, or it's going to go on for all eternity and will destroy us both.”
“I know you. You would not just throw a battle. You love winning too much.”
Nebris didn't reply. It was the truth, but he had already lost one friend today. He could take a losing a game if it meant he got to keep an other.
“If you really are serious about wanting to end this,” Etho continued after a moment, “then let's find out for real who the winner is.”
“Can't. I have plans for tomorrow, I can't risk getting hurt. Games are fun, yes. And I had fun playing this one with you. But it's not what I want anymore.”
“Then what do you want?” Etho asked and only his voice betrayed his irritation. Nebris thought about this for a moment. What did he want? A movement in the corner of his eye got his attention. Pakratt had entered the main hall and was now looking at the two of them with interest, while keeping his distance to not intrude on their conversation. Nebris thought back to the note upstairs and smiled.
“A family.”
The look on Etho’s face was priceless, despite the mask.
“Not THAT kind of family, heck no. People I can trust who won't judge me for who I am and who will have my back. People who I can mess with without hurting their feelings. So in this case, I'm picking hate over games.”
“But...”Etho looked confused. “Didn't you just say...”
“Not that kind of hate.”
Nebris gave Etho a grin and then stepped around him. “Hey, Pak. How about I make us something warm to drink and you tell me what sort of stuff you've crammed in your backpack, so that I can put some actually useful things in mine?”
“What do you mean, actually useful?” Pakratt responded indignantly.
If anything, Nebris grin widened at that.
Authors Note:
If you've come this far, please leave some feedback or a comment. I'd like to know what you thought; what you enjoyed and what could use improvement. =D
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Date: Sunday, November 8th, 2015 06:51 am (UTC)-the lurkiest lurker
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Date: Saturday, November 14th, 2015 06:25 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: Sunday, November 15th, 2015 03:20 am (UTC)Glad to hear you liked the letter =D One of the few things that turned out okay despite the sudden 'deadline'. Xb