[ic] inbox for labyrinthum

[jugglery]

WELL, HELLOOOO THERE! Say the words at the thing!
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[crticalhit]

[For his part, Tenna's not too bothered. It's nice to be distracted from his own thoughts by someone else... even if he's called Shadow Milk out here specifically because of these thoughts. Right.

Tenna slides onto a stool as well, resting his elbow against the counter.]

Oh, good! It's been kinda quiet without the convention stuff, hasn't it? Haha... bit hard to get used to.

[For him, anyway. Tenna truly loved every second of the attention. He drums his fingers on the table.]

But uh, speaking of that. You remember what I was saying on that Sleepr thing? About the merchandise everyone was selling?

[jugglery]

[Shadow Milk had loved the attention, also. even the bad attention!]

Hmmm~ Yeeeees?

[he flags down the bartender for something. he wants something sparkly and fruity, his exact words]

You mentioned that people were selling your stuff, right?

[crticalhit]

My stuff, yeah! And stuff that had both me and my old partner in it.

[His mouth sets into an unhappy line for a moment, thinking of the poster he has stashed in the back of his wardrobe. Something those merchants never should have gotten their hands on.

With a sigh, he smacks his empty glass onto the table and gestures for the bartender to refill it.]

He's turned up. Here. That's why there was so much stuff with his face on it.

[jugglery]

[oh. oh no. Shadow Milk fights the urge to laugh, because Tenna does not look happy about this. he clears his throat, thankful when his blue drink is set in front of him]

I... I see! When did you find out? He was here, I mean.

[crticalhit]

A few weeks ago. That smarmy little-- he practically snuck up on me!

[Jumped out at him, unexpected, even if all Spamton really did was happen to be talking behind Tenna at the time. It felt like an ambush. Tenna drums his fingers on the table impatiently as the bartender sweeps off to get him a new drink, his other hand gesturing wildly at nothing in particular.]

I didn't think he'd come here! I figured he had no reason to!

[jugglery]

That means he had a wish, right? Pretty sure everyone has one, no matter how well-off they seem.

[he sips at his drink, feeling less awkward, and more upset on Tenna's behalf. sure, everyone may have a wish, but that doesn't mean they would be brought here. it seems that whoever is in charge in this world picks and chooses who gets to come.

someone made the decision to bring Tenna's old partner to this world, while Tenna was here. the same way Shadow Milk Cookie and Pure Vanilla Cookie were brought here at the same time. it's very twisted!]

[crticalhit]

I guess. He must.

[It comes out a bit harangued. Now that Tenna's actually spoken to Spamton, he has to admit that the other man probably does have valid things to wish for. It's still frustrating though, because he's still angry about everything and doesn't like admitting it. This just muddies the waters, dilutes them.

When his fresh drink arrives Tenna scoops it up just to occupy his hands.]

I really didn't think -- I'd ever see him again. Not here or... anywhere else.

[jugglery]

[oh. Shadow Milk sips throw his swirly straw]

Hmm. You wanna tell me a bit more about him? What's really goin' on between you two?

[crticalhit]

[Tenna presses his lips together, grimacing, as his antennas bend forwards at right angles. He might as well... that's why he'd called Shadow Milk in the first place, after all. He's been stewing over this for weeks already and chasing his own thoughts in circles. It needs an outlet.]

It's like I said. We were partners, a long time ago. Business partners, and -- well, he's my ex too.

[Messy. Don't get involved with your business partner. He takes a sip of his drink.]

He used to help out with my show. He did commercials, infomercials, stuff like that.

[jugglery]

[his ex? damn! things are finally clicking into place for Shadow Milk Cookie. he... he's no expert on romance, but he can sense the resentment, mingled with memories.

he looks down, idly spinning his straw in his drink]

Ahhh. I take it the, uh. Separation wasn't cordial, then. If you guys are strained now.

[crticalhit]

No! He left. He abandoned me without a word! Until last week I hadn't even seen him in nearly a decade!

[His antenna bend forward at angry right-angles.]

And then he just shows up here? Just like that?? It's so-- so-- I don't even know! Who's casting this stupid show we're all on?!

[jugglery]

[siiiiiip and Shadow Milk gives an annoyed laugh at the question]

I'm crumbling to know, myself! No one here seems to have any info about who's running the show here! Useless!

[crticalhit]

What kind of boss doesn't even put in face-time with his talent? I know I put in way more effort at this kind of thing.

[Then again, Tenna is a control-freak, so his concept of suitable management styles should not be relied upon. He huffs, taking a swig of his drink.]

But -- whatever, I can't do anything about that. It's Spamton I have to deal with now.

[jugglery]

[don't worry, Tenna. Shadow Milk will find out who's in charge, and he will tell his comrades. that means he'll tell you when he finds out this place's secrets. and he will destroy]

Spamton... Silly name!

[you're one to talk!!]

Anyway, what happened when you saw him?

[crticalhit]

It's an annoying name.

[Annoying because of who it's attached to. Annoying because of everything it inspires in Tenna. Annoying because he can't let it be anything but that. Unfortunately, answering the question means he has to at least glance sideways at how things went down, which wasn't 'annoying'.

His antennas drift downwards a bit, hovering over his face.]

Okay, well - this is where it gets kind of weird. Because when he showed up he started arguing with me-- [Tenna started yelling at him first, but details] --and he was acting like it hadn't been that long since he saw me? Which is stupid, I know how long it's been, but -- he ran off again! Before I could figure anything out!

Can you believe that?

[jugglery]

Sounds like he didn't want to chat.

[Shadow Milk swirls his straw in his cup, considering. he's upset on Tenna's behalf. why?]

Probably embarrassed, but he at least owes you an explanation. I think.

[says the Cookie who runs away from his own problems]

[crticalhit]

Ugh, I don't know. It's-- complicated.

[And isn't that just the biggest pain in his panels? It's far, far more complicated than any of his most deranged daydreams. Tenna's gone over the events of the past more times than he can count, come up with countless what-ifs about how and when Spamton might reappear one day. None of it matched up with what actually happened.

Tenna has a mouthful of his drink, subsiding a bit from his loud irritation.]

I found him again a few days later and he was ... different. Said he went home and came back here years later. I didn't think that could happen.

[jugglery]

[complicated! Shadow Milk can relate.

what Tenna says next, though, has him lifting his head. his eyes widen a fraction]

Wh-what?

[he hasn't heard of that, either!]

[crticalhit]

That's what I mean by weird!

[Tenna throws his free hand up in the air, at a loss.]

Now he agrees about how long it's been but it's -- all screwy. I have no idea what to do about any of it. It's not what I expected at all!

[He expected to get mad, get into a fight about it, tear strips off Spamton for all those years of accumulated misery. None of that happened. Instead Tenna got information he wasn't ready for.]

[jugglery]

[Shadow Milk is trying to wrap his head around the "Said he went home and came back here years later" mess. he needs more information on this, but he's not sure Tenna can give him that information. he may... talk to others about it, people who have been in this world longer.

anyway, he shakes his head to clear it]

Yeah, that's a lot! Sounds like you were too stunned to properly tell him off, too.

[crticalhit]

[Tenna is definitely not the ideal choice for explaining anything, particularly when he doesn't really understand it himself.

He just shakes his head, antennas falling back into right angles.]

Kinda. I said some things. But we just ended up talking.

[Until Tenna couldn't handle it anymore and left.]

He's still around somewhere, I-- I think. His stuff was still at the convention until it was over.

[jugglery]

[one of Shadow Milk's slender brows rise. it's not his place to ask what they talked about, but that's okay. there's plenty of other things to pick up on]

...Soooo, are you gonna talk to him again? Or, is it too... difficult?

[crticalhit]

[He taps one finger against his glass, mulling it over.]

I mean... yeah. I will. I-If he's still here. There's a lot I still haven't asked, so.

[And really, Tenna doesn't want to avoid him. Far from it. He just doesn't know where to go from here. He looks over at Shadow Milk.]

Do you ever argue with your roommate?

[jugglery]

[Shadow Milk shrugs]

It's more like... I try to argue? But he's too damn nice to yell, or fight back. Which annoys me!

[crticalhit]

Oh!! I know what you mean. Spamton was doing that to me too!

[Not being nice, exactly, but he wasn't arguing back. Which was part of the problem when Tenna wanted to argue with him.]

It's not like it's my fault he doesn't want to fight.