Once Upon a Time...

I hope nobody made themselves too sick, yesterday. I don't think anybody could blame you, though, curse or not. Ice cream is pretty delicious.

Has anybody thought about Halloween costumes, yet? I only had a funny hat last year, but you never know if something more elaborate might be necessary. I always liked Halloween. At least for the fun bits. I have a shameless sweet-tooth, though, so... Maybe I'm just in it for the candy. You can't go wrong with tiny candy-bars.

If worse comes to worse, I guess I could just go as a janitor. That's pretty lame, though, isn't it?

I wonder if it's odd, to go around this City simply to look for things to clean and things to fix and things to do. I suppose that it helps me to get a good feel for the place, though. I'm almost ashamed to admit that I still don't know all that much about what's here, even though I've been around for so long. I'm not sure how long, even, but... Certainly long enough, I'd imagine. I have a horrible concept of time. Blame it on living the way that I have.

In more recent years, however, I'm happy to report that I've felt more acutely aware of... Everything. Of time and the world and what my place might be in it. Whether or not it's any less confusing remains to be seen, really, but... At least I have hold of a certain number of truths, even if a few of them are dreadful things.

Blue.

I'd almost forgotten. How silly of me.

Even knowing these truths doesn't do a thing to change facts. They influence things that aren't facts yet, I suppose, but nothing that has been can truly be changed. Here, the Blue Light has celebrated a one-year anniversary and its own threw a rather fun party in celebration and it was something that he very high deserved. Something good. In Haven, he's under a tree on a hilltop, overlooking the baseball diamond. I feel honored that he'd pick that spot. Ride planted roses. It's very beautiful. It's sad at the same time. For hundred's of years... And all tragic coincidence.

But I'm babbling. I've been babbling on and on all day, and I'm sure that I'd meant to say something important, or something fun, but I've lost it in all of this... Endless babbling. I should think of a song to sing, and maybe that will cease it.

I'm almost certain I have a very questionable singing voice, though.

Oh, here's the door, and I'm right back where I began. I'm sure that I can be very absent-minded, sometimes, but at least I got some work done. Or... At least I think that I got some work done. Perhaps there's a thoroughly mopped maze, and perhaps there's a thoroughly mopping... Non-existent, trick space. I don't pretend to know how it works. Either way, I'll have to be careful to watch where I'm going from now on.

Miss Cindy, I promise it can't be said enough: Welcome back. The time's aren't very convenient, to put it very mildly, but I'm glad to meet you again before those times might prevent such visits.

Speaking of: I wonder if we shouldn't all visit. I'm afraid I haven't been terribly social lately. Heck, I've probably been borderline neglectful. Perhaps a dinner... Something to that effect. I'm terrible at organizing things, but I hope the thought might count for something.

The City found my pocket-watch. I lost it ages ago, practically. Unfortunately, with everything returning to normal, I seem to have lost it again. Wristwatches are much easier to hold on to, really, and I like mine, so I suppose it's all the same.

I had a time trying to figure out my not-so-electric-anymore drill. I'm glad that technology progressed in the order that it did. Otherwise, I'd be very confused.

The music was neat. I wonder what the encore will be.

I didn't think to buy more cocoa, once the weather got warm again. Or coffee.

[The slight squeak of a closing cabinet, the breath near the device shudders just slightly. There's a shuffle, a huff.]

Already, I can't-- Oh. Oh, no.

Blue?

I think this is the first time I'm ever had to wonder why I have so many cleaning products. I mean, the answer is fairly obvious... I tend to clean a good deal. However, there are bottles everywhere of the stuff.

Windex seems particularly unpleasant, today. The smell is awful, isn't it?

I hesitate to get rid of them all, though. I don't suppose somebody would mind holding them for me..? Just for today.

All of my tools have rhinestone-covered handles, it seems. That's sort of funny, I guess... I don't really get it, but that's okay. It's fine as long as they still work, and it's not as silly as some other things that are going on today.

Kay, are you settling back in alright? I'm sorry that I'm not sure how to address it, this time. Nothing much has changed here in a few days, of course, but if you need anything you can always let me know.

I think I'd like to go fishing soon. The weather seems right for it and I haven't been in a long while. I'm not sure about the waters around here, however. The tales of something unsavory in the pond...

Well, I've been swimming there, too, and nothing happened. I suppose that fishing wouldn't be any more risky than swimming. Guess I'll just have to try it and see.

This apartment might also be subject to a mid-season cleaning, soon. I've been here long enough so that I've accumulated more than I need. Yes, I'll add that to my list of projects.

Well. We're going to need a lot of Drano, aren't we?

Well, it's most usually best to tell the truth, anyway. The occasional masking might not do much harm, but it's likely better to be honest when you can.

Perhaps we can use it as a day to break a bad habit or two, at least those of you who make a habit of fibbing. It also wouldn't be a bad day for questions and answers, for people with curiosities.

Do be careful though, everyone.

That was rather rattling, wasn't it? I had quite a time cleaning up after it, here. Perhaps attending to the Palace, as well, will prove further distraction. It's not so bad, in that sense.

Lancelot, now that I rightfully owe you a day of my time, I'm afraid I should say that I'm not sure when I'll be able to follow through with that. There are matters that I must see to before I'll be even remotely decent company. That you for the donation, however. I wasn't sure about being a part of an auction for Miss Waldorf's funds, but I suppose it worked out well enough.

Now, there are still problems to be solved.

Photographs. I've never really had any, now that I think about it. I suppose I never caught on. It's fascinating, though, to see things just standing still like that. Maybe unsettling, because I don't know that I ever got used to the idea.

I've found a couple I'd like to keep, though. I hope that I can. ( I think they're rather lovely, at least. )

Oh, but I hope I don't run into anything too embarrassing! I guess that's happened today, too. I wouldn't want to keep those, now would I?

[[ooc; Cut not IC, apologies for the word bubble. He's already abandoned this, and it mostly blabbing to forget about it. Feel free to find. <3]]

Oh. In all of the fuss, I'd nearly forgotten... Of course I'd return here, wouldn't I?

Could anybody tell me what day it is? I know I said I'd only be gone a few days, but these things are hard to judge from one place to another.

Apart from that, I think I might like to sleep for a bit.

[[ooc; Back from update, fresh from a funeral.]]

Oh, my. Look at the time. It's very odd, but I can't help but think that I've somewhere I need to be or something I need to do. I suppose it deserves a look-see, either way.

Kay, I suppose I'll be stepping out for a few days, and I hope that's no too inconvenient for you. Do be careful, won't you? I cleaned up this morning, so everything ought to be in its proper place.

Pinocchio, I hope you'll stay well-behaved while we're out.

And now... To whatever may happen.

Well, I suppose that was interesting. Even as someone familiar with goblins, trolls, dragons and the like, dinosaurs are a new one on me. It's sort of odd to think about, but there are lives perpetuated by stories. A lot of things that you wouldn't believe to be real exist because there are people who, in a sense, do believe in them.

But there aren't stories about dinosaurs, you know, because there was nobody around to start them. So, maybe they're really more fantastic than anything from a story. They're certainly very mysterious and interesting.

I always liked the exhibits at the Natural History Museum, anyway. I wasn't ever much for books or science or any of that, but looking at those giant skeletons and figurines was pretty cool.

Our suspect, so to speak, has be found and retrieved. The Corinthian has been brought to the Palace, as per Prince Charming's suggestion for a holding cell.

I'd like to know a why, but I'm not sure he has much in the way of reasoning or remorse for his crimes. Perhaps I'm not to one to say, however. Do think about how you treat him, however, and take care. If you do anything terrible, don't tell me. To think that I'd have...

I try to make Haven a justly-named place. I think that I've succeeded, but I know that I will have to work to maintain this, no doubt. There are very particular lines that set this kingdom apart from what it was very, very long ago, and there are times when the two places blur in my mind. (But then, who would I be to deny that things in my mind tend to do an especial amount of blurring at times?)

Haven as it was was just as beautiful, and far more uniform. The name slips, and I'm not completely sure what it might've been, but it was my father's kingdom. I remember that our people were most usually gentle, and were wildly known throughout the lands as having a good work ethic. Even as the son of a king, my father took care to make me realize the value in hard work. Henry was my most constant companion and a good friend, and we attended to our own affairs for so much as we were allowed. He was a brilliant shot. We went hunting a good deal, and Henry was way better at it than I ever was. Then there's the wood, and the pond, and I felt water-logged even for some time after my marriage. My girls loved the gardens and my boys the forests, and they were all given fair warning about witches.

That is what I remember, anyway.

Haven as it is is a bit more rag-tag. We are the living and the dead, ghosts and gobs, and it's not nearly as scary as that may sound. The castle is built up from where my father's fell, amazingly restored by Weyland Smith. The city and the fields are growing. The houses and crops and families are a sight to behold. It's built from the ground-up, and every citizen has contributed a vast amount, more that I ought to have asked of anyone. There are baseball and soccer leagues for the children, provision for everyone, and lovely rose gardens. Apparently, if I should every host any important guests or provide holiday celebrations, I've got that covered for me, as well. I'd like to have a proper Christmas, and I'd like to have a band of some sort. I was given a task to accomplish, in the beginning, and I hope that I've done it well.

Oh. Oh, my.

... I suppose I'm counted among the affected.

How uncomfortable. No offense meant.

I'm reminded of-- Well, no. I don't know if I'm remembering properly.

Kay? I seem to have gotten a deal shorter. Would you happen to have anything that may fit me that I could borrow. I'll wash it, of course.

My sincerest apologies to anyone I may have bothered the other day. I was among the cursed, as it goes. I should probably thank everyone, as well, for not swashing me flat.

But we move on to bigger and better things, don't we? Merry Christmas, everyone! I hope that you find the holiday enjoyable.

( ooc; )

Hey! Riiib! Who took my pond!? Here I am, just minding my own business and waiting for my fortune, and *poof*! Completely new location.

... Have I mentioned, ribbit, how much I dislike when things go *poof*?

The good news is: I'm around people. And about half of people, if you didn't know, are girls! And at least half of them must be (ribbit!) beautiful girls, specifically.

So... Somebody out of that percentage must be willing to donate a kiss to a cursed prince, right?

C'mooon! I can make your life wonderful, you know!