[ hello? he can do that?? ishmael starts flailing her arms as she tries to wrench herself out of the tentacles' grasp, but to no avail. she's too exhausted, but that doesn't mean she's tired enough to mouth off. ]
[ How else does she think he does kidnappings so regularly? Okay maybe she doesn't know about his regular kidnappings, but she's seen Splat scurrying about before and Kleken's method really isn't all that different. Just on a much larger scale. ]
You can file complaints with Splat at a later date.
Falling behind? From what?! Tell me right now or else!
[ and trust her, you do not want her to Lose It entirely. right now she's mentally cycling through her mind on what e.g.o she should choose to get her out of his clutches - ]
Behind Splat, of course. He appears to have entered the hallway already.
[ A floor above them, there's a tell-tale slam of a door, and when they arrive at the top of the stair case there's a pointed lack of tentacle monster to lead the way. The slimy trail, though thinner at this point, indicates that Kleken's words are correct. ]
[ it isn't always? this is her first time?? then again, she shouldn't be too surprised. there's always some weird shit happening to her every christmas, no matter what universe, so thanks kleken for fulfilling that quota albeit unknowingly.
she does stop struggling with the tentacle's hold on her though, choosing to just... let her feet dangle freely as she plops her cheek on her palm with a pout. ]
And this is why you don't miss leg day.
[ huffs. she does notice that the slick trail that splat left behind is diminishing though, and she blinks once they reach a very opulent hallway where the floors and walls practically gleam with cleanliness. ]
[ If anything, Kleken has more legs than more other people. They just could also be arms too. Admittedly, he's also very much unaware of gym terms, so leg day is being taken in the most literal of terms right now. ]
[ Once they're through the door and in the hallways of the king rank, he sets them both down, drawing back in his tentacles to a respectable amount around himself. ]
It would appear so. What a strange place for Splat to go.
I'm just saying you need to work out more, is all.
[ that's something to work on in the new year, assuming he'll still be around and all.
she finds herself back on her feet again, shooting kleken one of her exasperated looks before her gaze lands on the trail of slime that goes further down the hallway and... seems to end at one of the doors? things are started to add up in ishmael's mind now as she leads the way. ]
Yeah... strange, isn't it. Why the King rank of all places? [ a pause, as she turns to face him again. ] You got promoted, didn't you.
My schedule is already far too full with working out to add more.
[ He doesn't even try for a believable lie; he's rather sure they both know he'll never do it and he'd rather go for the outrageous lie than one that might commit him to being dragged off to do work outs however people might do them. Knowledge he'd much rather not have. ]
[ He begins following the trail toward the propped open door, carefully stepping to the side of the trail in order to avoid any messes being spread onto his shoes. The look he's shot when Ishmael stop has him smiling for a moment, shamelessly lacking in surprise. ]
[ he's not even attempting to weave a much more convincing lie anymore. maybe the holiday slump is also getting to him, and that's why he went all this way just to take her here.
she rejoins him at his side with the most unimpressed look on her face, staring down at the trail of slime that leads further into the room. looks like splat's already broken himself in their new abode. ]
[ The looks he often received from others, Ishmael included, would very much suggest what they thought of his intelligence. But there's a very fuzzy difference between the sorts of looks he's given. Probably because they all tend to carry some trace of exasperation in them. ]
[ Splat's long gone into the abyss of the king-ranked suite by the time they reach the door, something Kleken doesn't bother to note or comment on as he offers an arm to Ishmael as requested. ]
Of course, my apologies. Do come in and join me in breaking into someone's suite.
[ she's never been more exasperated than ever, especially with that added comment about breaking into some guy's suite. this is obviously his place?? yet she takes his harm anyway and lets him lead her inside. ]
If anything, it's Splat who's doing the breaking and entering around here. The door just so happened to be open when we arrived.
[ and speaking of splat, where is that little shit now... ]
Ah, perfect response. We'll give that to security once they find us here.
[ Unfortunately, he isn't about to drop the joke now that she's gone along with it. Something something, giving a mouse a cookie, except this mouse is an octopus who'll grab that cookie whether it's being willingly given or not. ]
[ He leads her into the suite, the entry hallway and living room both decorated to look more like the entrance of a jazz club than an actual living space. There is in fact jazz music being played, so clear it almost sounds as if someone were playing live, despite the fact that they appear to be the only two living beings here. ]
[ security... right. though then again, the face cards are given a lot more privileges compared to lower ranks, so maybe they would give a damn on whoever's breaking and entering the most luxurious suites. but she still thinks he's bluffing as usual, so she'll just cross that bridge once they get to it.
speaking of suites, this one is even swankier than the queen suite she'd once visited. the dimly lit interior has made her think that they've broken into an underground bar instead of someone's abode. as expected of a guy with expensive taste, she muses. ]
Mm, sure. Just don't put anything too weird in it.
[ she walks over to the bar and hops onto the nearest stool available, expectantly waiting for him to show off his bartending skills if he has any. ]
[ And just as easily as she slips into her seat, he slides behind the bar and his tentacles start to spread out and grab bottles. It should come to no surprise to her that the base of the drink he prepares for her is wine, though a New York Sour is probably more on the bold side than an easy drink. With her eyes on him, he makes a little show of it, less with the spinning of bottles and more with the disappearing and reappearing of bottles as he makes two glasses. ]
[ He does have a clean pour and stirring hand- or tentacle as it were, so there's definitely some experience at work. And it's with his own hand that he slides the drink forward once he's done. ]
[ she watches him work the bottles with her chin on her palms, her normally lifeless eyes sparkling at the process. the barkeeps at the taverns she used to frequent back when she was still a sailor were nothing like this - they just serve her up a drink straight off the bottle and call it a day. the tentacles are definitely doing the heavy lifting here though, let's be real.
once he's done, she picks up the glass, gives it a little swirl and a whiff, before bringing it to her lips for a sip. oh, that's lovely actually. ]
Hm, not bad. A lot fancier than what I'm used to back home, but I don't hate it.
[ Let's be real, when aren't the tentacles doing the heavy lifting between the two. ]
[ He leans himself on the counter, eyes fixed on her and her reaction as she investigates the glass while leaving his tentacles to take care of the clean up. It's a touch satisfying, to know that the work he'd put into learning how to make a display of mixing a few cocktails had come in handy for something that wasn't simply for impressing (and more importantly distracting) clientele to the Istvan gang. He could use it for... ]
[ Hmm, he'd been about to use a word there that would have had him deeply considering his relationship with others and that isn't a line of thought he'd like to go down right now. ]
I'm pleased that it's to your tastes. Wine cocktails are my specialty.
[ she hums as she takes another sip, now fully taking in the dimly lit lounge with a deep breath. there are plenty of jazz bars in this resort, but one has to be hard-pressed in finding one that isn't overtly sexual like all the rest. the atmosphere here is not unlike the bars she used to frequent after work, drowning her sorrows all the while.
but she's not going that here. not in front of him, at least. ]
I figured. It's not too late to make this into a full-time job instead of sticking to the conning gig, you know.
Oh? Open up a night club for the other resort guests in this borrowed suite? Do you suppose the resort would allow such a thing?
[ He teases at the possibility, but it's definitely something he's hard considering now. With the flexibility in design offered to those in the King rank, it'd be easy enough to make sure that guests stayed only within certain areas and the rest of the suite would remain blocked off for his own comfort. Supplying the bar was also easy enough, staffing it however... ]
[ Ishmael can probably see the logistics being run through Kleken's head right now as he smiles back at her. ]
Why not? You'll still be entertaining guests either way. Though it'd be better to pitch it as a hobby to your peers more than a source of income if that's what you're worried about.
[ don't mind her, she's just encouraging him. not that kleken needed it anyway. she can practically hear the cogs turn in that cunning little brain of his.
she'll leave that idea to him. for now, she drains the rest of her drink in one go before hopping off the barstool. ]
Anyway, shall we continue the tour? There's a lot to cover in this kind of suite, I bet.
[ More like entertain himself with his guests, but semantics. The idea is most certainly taking hold though, settling into his mind and those of several tentacles, working through more details in the background while he fixes his eye on one key component to his plans. ]
[ Even though she doesn't know it yet. ]
Of course. Is there a sort of room you'd be interested in seeing? I'm certain we could find it.
What joy is there in a place that isn't shared with others?
[ Okay that's a straight lie, there's plenty of joy Kleken finds in having his alone time, but there's equally as much unspoken loneliness in such a huge space. There's also only so many recreations of his home he can make before he runs out of ideas, and most of those spaces lack the people filling them to make them feel properly like home. ]
[ So spaces to lure in associates here was a much better use of his free space. ]
[ she can only offer a shrug as an answer. she's used to loneliness, a single buoy floating in the endless waters. but she would've gone crazy if she were to have a massive suite like this too, so she understands his sentiment to an extent. ]
Well, that much is true.
[ she then tilts her head curiously at him, as a sudden plan hatched in her brain. ]
Is this the part where you're going to ask me to stay the night?
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What the... Hey! Where are you taking me?!
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[ How else does she think he does kidnappings so regularly? Okay maybe she doesn't know about his regular kidnappings, but she's seen Splat scurrying about before and Kleken's method really isn't all that different. Just on a much larger scale. ]
You can file complaints with Splat at a later date.
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Falling behind? From what?! Tell me right now or else!
[ and trust her, you do not want her to Lose It entirely. right now she's mentally cycling through her mind on what e.g.o she should choose to get her out of his clutches - ]
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Behind Splat, of course. He appears to have entered the hallway already.
[ A floor above them, there's a tell-tale slam of a door, and when they arrive at the top of the stair case there's a pointed lack of tentacle monster to lead the way. The slimy trail, though thinner at this point, indicates that Kleken's words are correct. ]
He's quite fast.
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she does stop struggling with the tentacle's hold on her though, choosing to just... let her feet dangle freely as she plops her cheek on her palm with a pout. ]
And this is why you don't miss leg day.
[ huffs. she does notice that the slick trail that splat left behind is diminishing though, and she blinks once they reach a very opulent hallway where the floors and walls practically gleam with cleanliness. ]
Wait... We're at the very top, aren't we?
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[ If anything, Kleken has more legs than more other people. They just could also be arms too. Admittedly, he's also very much unaware of gym terms, so leg day is being taken in the most literal of terms right now. ]
[ Once they're through the door and in the hallways of the king rank, he sets them both down, drawing back in his tentacles to a respectable amount around himself. ]
It would appear so. What a strange place for Splat to go.
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[ that's something to work on in the new year, assuming he'll still be around and all.
she finds herself back on her feet again, shooting kleken one of her exasperated looks before her gaze lands on the trail of slime that goes further down the hallway and... seems to end at one of the doors? things are started to add up in ishmael's mind now as she leads the way. ]
Yeah... strange, isn't it. Why the King rank of all places? [ a pause, as she turns to face him again. ] You got promoted, didn't you.
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[ He doesn't even try for a believable lie; he's rather sure they both know he'll never do it and he'd rather go for the outrageous lie than one that might commit him to being dragged off to do work outs however people might do them. Knowledge he'd much rather not have. ]
[ He begins following the trail toward the propped open door, carefully stepping to the side of the trail in order to avoid any messes being spread onto his shoes. The look he's shot when Ishmael stop has him smiling for a moment, shamelessly lacking in surprise. ]
Oh did I?
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[ he's not even attempting to weave a much more convincing lie anymore. maybe the holiday slump is also getting to him, and that's why he went all this way just to take her here.
she rejoins him at his side with the most unimpressed look on her face, staring down at the trail of slime that leads further into the room. looks like splat's already broken himself in their new abode. ]
Well? Aren't you going to welcome me inside?
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[ The looks he often received from others, Ishmael included, would very much suggest what they thought of his intelligence. But there's a very fuzzy difference between the sorts of looks he's given. Probably because they all tend to carry some trace of exasperation in them. ]
[ Splat's long gone into the abyss of the king-ranked suite by the time they reach the door, something Kleken doesn't bother to note or comment on as he offers an arm to Ishmael as requested. ]
Of course, my apologies. Do come in and join me in breaking into someone's suite.
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If anything, it's Splat who's doing the breaking and entering around here. The door just so happened to be open when we arrived.
[ and speaking of splat, where is that little shit now... ]
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[ Unfortunately, he isn't about to drop the joke now that she's gone along with it. Something something, giving a mouse a cookie, except this mouse is an octopus who'll grab that cookie whether it's being willingly given or not. ]
[ He leads her into the suite, the entry hallway and living room both decorated to look more like the entrance of a jazz club than an actual living space. There is in fact jazz music being played, so clear it almost sounds as if someone were playing live, despite the fact that they appear to be the only two living beings here. ]
[ Unless Splat has learned a new skill- ]
Would you care for a drink?
[ Yes, that is a bar against the wall. ]
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speaking of suites, this one is even swankier than the queen suite she'd once visited. the dimly lit interior has made her think that they've broken into an underground bar instead of someone's abode. as expected of a guy with expensive taste, she muses. ]
Mm, sure. Just don't put anything too weird in it.
[ she walks over to the bar and hops onto the nearest stool available, expectantly waiting for him to show off his bartending skills if he has any. ]
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[ And just as easily as she slips into her seat, he slides behind the bar and his tentacles start to spread out and grab bottles. It should come to no surprise to her that the base of the drink he prepares for her is wine, though a New York Sour is probably more on the bold side than an easy drink. With her eyes on him, he makes a little show of it, less with the spinning of bottles and more with the disappearing and reappearing of bottles as he makes two glasses. ]
[ He does have a clean pour and stirring hand- or tentacle as it were, so there's definitely some experience at work. And it's with his own hand that he slides the drink forward once he's done. ]
Do let me know if you'd like something different.
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once he's done, she picks up the glass, gives it a little swirl and a whiff, before bringing it to her lips for a sip. oh, that's lovely actually. ]
Hm, not bad. A lot fancier than what I'm used to back home, but I don't hate it.
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[ He leans himself on the counter, eyes fixed on her and her reaction as she investigates the glass while leaving his tentacles to take care of the clean up. It's a touch satisfying, to know that the work he'd put into learning how to make a display of mixing a few cocktails had come in handy for something that wasn't simply for impressing (and more importantly distracting) clientele to the Istvan gang. He could use it for... ]
[ Hmm, he'd been about to use a word there that would have had him deeply considering his relationship with others and that isn't a line of thought he'd like to go down right now. ]
I'm pleased that it's to your tastes. Wine cocktails are my specialty.
[ For definitely unknown reasons. ]
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but she's not going that here. not in front of him, at least. ]
I figured. It's not too late to make this into a full-time job instead of sticking to the conning gig, you know.
[ she jests. probably. ]
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[ He teases at the possibility, but it's definitely something he's hard considering now. With the flexibility in design offered to those in the King rank, it'd be easy enough to make sure that guests stayed only within certain areas and the rest of the suite would remain blocked off for his own comfort. Supplying the bar was also easy enough, staffing it however... ]
[ Ishmael can probably see the logistics being run through Kleken's head right now as he smiles back at her. ]
That would be a rather entertaining concept.
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[ don't mind her, she's just encouraging him. not that kleken needed it anyway. she can practically hear the cogs turn in that cunning little brain of his.
she'll leave that idea to him. for now, she drains the rest of her drink in one go before hopping off the barstool. ]
Anyway, shall we continue the tour? There's a lot to cover in this kind of suite, I bet.
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[ More like entertain himself with his guests, but semantics. The idea is most certainly taking hold though, settling into his mind and those of several tentacles, working through more details in the background while he fixes his eye on one key component to his plans. ]
[ Even though she doesn't know it yet. ]
Of course. Is there a sort of room you'd be interested in seeing? I'm certain we could find it.
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[ why is she asking for very watery rooms... ]
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There could be, if you give me time to have them created.
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Take your time, I guess. But you really don't have to take up my suggestions. It's your place at the end of the day.
[ until he gets demoted, that is. ]
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[ Okay that's a straight lie, there's plenty of joy Kleken finds in having his alone time, but there's equally as much unspoken loneliness in such a huge space. There's also only so many recreations of his home he can make before he runs out of ideas, and most of those spaces lack the people filling them to make them feel properly like home. ]
[ So spaces to lure in associates here was a much better use of his free space. ]
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Well, that much is true.
[ she then tilts her head curiously at him, as a sudden plan hatched in her brain. ]
Is this the part where you're going to ask me to stay the night?
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