An early-days RP. Cross wishes to say hello to an old friend. A lot of 'no' ensues.
Initial Setting:
Outside of the Conservatory .
[]
Cross undoes all the wonderful by existing
Cross leeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeean
Cross on something. probably not ardette lest he wants his spine de-curvified
Ardette And wouldn't that be a shame
Cross ja?
Cross it vould?
Cross reconnecting with old squares
Cross so hey ve need an argument or somezhing
Cross my spine's gonna be exactly as noodly as it alvays is
Ardette Straighten your goddamned tie or don't wear one at all.
Cross no i like it
Cross it's gotta be offset /look at my hair/
Cross it all balances out
Alan :U
Cross has an alan with, yes
Alan goes and fus doh rahs some crows
Ardette Yes, well, at least that hasn't changed.
Cross dude you have missed a /lot/ hahaha. but ja
Cross it's still doin zhe crazy thing
Cross wishes he could fus crows
Cross So ah, no reason vhatsoever to be here, whassuuuuuuuuuup
Cross does an annoying voice for the last bit
Ardette raises her eyebrows. No reason?
Ardette makes a wide sweeping gesture. No reason to dirty my doorstep, Cross?
Cross 'cause i like 'dirty'?
Cross EYEBROW WAGGLE
<Cross>: no cross no
Cross knows he hasnt a snowball's chance in hell
Ardette flatlook. Go to hell.
Cross ...though after the solar flares, he's possibly seen hell to test that theory
Cross ...
Cross It's mostly acid zhere yknow?
Cross I shtill don't believe in it
Ardette Well, go collect more empirical evidence on the matter and get back to me.
Cross neinh, can't
Cross scoops up alan
Cross doesn't need hell anyway u3u
Cross mostly, I missed zhe bus and valking home is kind of cold right now, it's less vindy right here u_u (also you need bozhering)
Ardette only seems to notice Alan now and doesn't even hear his next statement. "..." She points at the boy. "What is that?"
Cross "You know humans come in size small, ja?"
Ardette stares at Alan, and then Cross, and then Alan and back to Cross. "Does he speak German?"
<Ardette>: Silly Dette he doesn't speak at all
Cross kind of B< faces at ardette.
<Cross>: translation: no, /idiot/
<Cross>: cross, you need to explain these things
Ardette <<Good. Where did he come from and where is he going?>>
Cross <<He's my son? And we're going home eventually? Maybe dinner first. You in?>>
Cross says this like its COMPLETELY NORMAL.
<Cross>: alan is probably doing a fine job fus'ing the birds away and never minding pops here
Ardette jerks her head and leans forward a little bit as though she misheard him. <<What-- I'm sorry, your son?>> She MUST have misheard him.
Cross reaches a palm out <<You hurt your hearing? I can fix that.>>
Cross /yes/
Ardette leans awaaaaay from that palm and stares at him, horrified. <<...who the bloody hell would trust you with a kid!?>>
Cross <<Not you?>> he uselessly offers after a moment's thought \</
Ardette snaps at him. <<He isn't a pet, Cross, you can't flush him down the toilet if you forget to feed him for a week!>>
Cross <<Hey. You talk like I'm the same person last time I ruined your doorstep mat>>
Ardette glares at him. <<You are the same person from last time you ruined my doorstep mat.>>
Cross shakes his head calmly disappointed (not really). <<Zhe old guy never intended to pay for zhat mat.>> and he hands a couple credits over.
Cross just for the hell of it
Ardette sneers and slaps his hand away. <<God damn it, I don't want your cred.>>
Cross laughs
Cross <<Whatever, you can't tell me what I can and can't do considering how long since I've even seen you around. He's not a pet, he just doesn't speak normally.>>
<Cross>: meanwhile alan barks at wildlife
Cross NOBODY BOSSES ME
Ardette <<I can tell you whatever I want when you come to my studio and make this my problem. What's wrong with him?>>
Cross leers over his shoulder to see where Alan's playing at. Okay, so maybe he's playing up the responsible dad thing a little right this moment
Cross <<Nothing's wrong. His vibe takes place of his speech is all.>>
Cross fiddles with his tie, and makes it absolutely as crooked as it was before he fussed with it.
Ardette looks over at Alan, too, worried he's getting into things he shouldn't be, as kids do. When she raises her hand and makes a curling, twisting motion with her fingers, thus straightening Cross' collar and tightening his tie, it's automatic, distracted. <<Explain.>>
Cross hand up to his neck immediately "hgh."
Cross "Well I see you're as uptight as usual." it's so casual it's not even an insult
Ardette looks at Cross directly and sighs. "Don't change the subject."
Cross rolls his eyes, still having fun. <<He can't talk. He replicates just about every other sound under the sun instead. And we have no idea what dance style suits him.>>
Cross still thinks alan is a little young to really know which is best for him, really
Cross seems suspiciously sober today. Ardette should probably be afraid
Ardette scoffs, thinking the same thing. <<Of course you don't. He's, what, 7? 8?>>
Cross Neun
Ardette nods, looking back at Alan. She's silent for a moment. <<Before you ask, the answer is no.>>
Cross <<But I didn't ask.>>
Ardette <<Good.>>
Cross <<I have regular income now.>>
Ardette <<I'm happy for you.>>
Cross <<So why no?>>
Cross mischievous airquotes <<hypothetically>>
Cross alan dude that's a sweet stick but don't hit anything with that
Ardette <<Because-->> She sighs and gestures to Alan. "Would you please...?" Do this 'fathering' thing you're trying?
Alan thats what happens when adults get tired of you
Cross B<
Alan draws inthe dirt
Alan :|
Alan that lady is scary
Cross sighs. See? all friendly and behaved, <<I'm a musician, not a dance instructor or choreographer. I've got him signed up for a couple dance lessons and they're not getting anywhere. Nothing stands out interesting to him.>>
Cross <<That is why I'm here.>> he grins and loses the serious again, <<well, that and checking if you're still alive and all.>> it's a joke but seriously, so many dead friends
Ardette crosses her arms tightly. <<Well, here I am. I am very much alive.>> And she sounds bitter, but that's more to do with Cross pretending to give a damn about that. <<My answer is still no. I don't take children.>>
Cross sighs, this time more thoughtfully. <<He needs to dance so he can 'speak', I want to make sure he can do that. Anyone else I could look to? Mafia and I....>> he hisses inward
Alan skiddadles
Alan climbs a tree
Alan plays twinkle twinkle little star ( terribly)
Cross okay so tanze and dance sound too similar to really sneak under the radar
Cross looks up the tree. <<Well at least you're listening!>>
Cross "Are you gonna need help getting down from zhat too?" YEAH HE REMEMBERS LAST TIME.
Ardette holds up a hand to stop him. <<If you're still burning bridges, that's not my problem. I'm not saying no just to spite you, Cross.>> She does a doubletake when she sees Alan in the tree, because oh, great, that's exactly what she needs, is a FM's kid breaking his neck on a Square's property.
Alan >:|
Alan RASPBERRIES AN ELEPHANT NOISE
Ardette jerks back, looking offended.
Alan 8|
Alan >:U points at his dad
Alan That wasn't to you lady
Alan "TAN!"
Ardette snerks in disbelief and looks at Cross, gesturing to his monkeytreeSon. <<Well, for starters, I don't understand his language.>>
Cross "Alan buddy, both her ears are working, she knows zhat's you."
Cross "Zhat last noise is my name. Sort of."
Cross "Alan c'mon time to get down from zhere." ',Bl
Ardette SIGHS and pinches the bridge of her nose.
Alan makes himself comfortable and sturms his ukelele
Cross "Hey don't make me come up zhere."
Cross staredown (up?)
Cross dad stare.
Cross will figure out the directions later
Ardette leans against the wall and glares holes into the back of Cross' head.
Alan U_U is a good tree climber
Alan cieling climber is a different thing
Cross fails to feel any pain from the newly acquired hole in his head.
Alan looks at Cross and gives him a "WHAT DID I DO?" arm wave
Cross either he's already got one there or he's used to eyes with actual kick to 'em. take your damn pick
Alan "BLOOP?!"
Cross "Dude do you have any idea how high up you are?"
Cross "I'm not mad I'm concerned here!"
Cross KIDS BREAK AND STUFF, THIS IS SOME KIND OF FACT
Alan >:| is just fine but he doesn't know how to say it
Alan makes an okay sign?
Cross "Hhff. Fine, Just. Be careful and fur gottsake take care of the ukelele, okay?" whoops and there goes the angry tones all gone
Ardette slowclaps behind him. "Bravo," she drawls, hooray for proactive parenting, but that's not going to affect the pull of gravity on Alan's tiny body as he plunges to the earth and gets her sued by the FM, or worse.
Alan U_U is square
<Ardette>: Cross ain't.
<Ardette>: Yet?
Alan nither team has any others he likes
Cross wouldn't let fm sue ardette for gravity. that's the don's power
Cross that'd be like insulting the don
Cross "You didn't really answer my question zhough. Anyone else who does dance lessons in zhis district? It's ...been a while."
Ardette scowls, 'been a while' indeed. "What am I, your bloody search engine? Look it up. Like you looked me up."
Cross oh my god this woman
Cross "Hey I vasn't making shit up about checking if you vere still alive." still smiling. seriously, it's a pity it isn't crooked or she could plausibly fix it
Ardette isn't flattered, and she isn't smiling. Surprise, surprise. "And I wasn't lying when I said I had more than one reason to say no."
Cross "Look, I shtopped asking hahaha, It's fine." well no, he'd rather somebody who's too stubborn to give up at her job dealing with this kid, but ehg, this has proven informative all the same. "..., ve're gonna get dinner once zhis kid decides he's had enough tree serenades, you vant anyzhing? I gotta come back by here fur zhe bus stop anyhow." why the hell not? He likes seeing how many times he can get her to say no in a given timespan.
Ardette points up at Alan. "I want you to get that boy out of my tree before he kills himself."
Cross's phone rings, he's got a text
Cross seemingly ignores Ardette "Ve're getting Chinese."
Cross BUSY REPLYING
Alan :|
Alan Can hear you from here dad.
Alan :V barks at cross
Cross "Vell maybe you should come down vhere I can hear youuuuuuuuuuuuu."
Ardette jumps a bit at that bark, jesus, she won't get used to that any time soon, damn sounds.
Cross get out of the nice lady's ...
Cross the...
Cross get out of the lady's tree.
Ardette gives Cross a sweet little sneer.
Cross no big deal, haha. "Pff, like you've never had to put up vith noise in zhis district. C'mon, I know a place, zhey got zhese little springrolls made of amazing."
Alan climbs down the tree U_U
Ardette sighs and pushes off from her place propped up against her front wall. "I'm not playing catch-up with you tonight. I have to close up." She finds herself watching Alan, one hand on the door, following his slow, meandering path down the tree, don't fall, you little twerp, please don't fall...
Cross has one eye on the kid, he's just good at not looking concerned
Cross <<You're worried I'm gonna fuck up and get him hurt.>> he leans back himself.
Ardette <<Oh, don't sell yourself short. I'm not worried; I'm almost certain.>>
Cross <<His name is Alan.>> he sees his kid getting down from the tree without problem, and has his questions answered about how alan got into the ceiling 'rafters'
Ardette just nods, in acknowledgment that, yes, she'll remember that, and yes, acknowledging that her remembering that is weirdly important to him. "Well," she sighs, and gives him a grimace that's a poor excuse for a smile. "It's been surreal. Goodbye." She closes the door in his face.
Alan Trots over to cross 'u'
Cross "I'll take zhat as a no fur dinner too zhen? Haha. Tschuss." he hoists alan right up RRRGH
<Cross>: pretend like he snuck in a smoke break while alan was treewards
<Cross>: i forgot
Alan weee
Cross so zhat vas ardette u_u
Cross needs ukelele to power him to chinese restaurant
Alan plays nonsensical strumming
Cross rolls with it NOT LITERALLY