OPEN TO ALL

[skeletonenigma]

Characters: Skulduggery Pleasant and YOU (but specific starters for Captain Amelia, fellow turtle-parents Hawke and Akito, and Monet)
Date: Catch-all for April before the bombings and console crash events
Location: Throughout Keeliai
Situation: Various! These will include futzing with unused consoles, discovering the turtle baby, and also intercepting kedan informants. But Skulduggery’s going to be all over the Shell throughout the month, so feel free to chime in with your own.
Warnings/Rating: None for the moment. Well, there’s some lock-picking.

I usually start with prose, but I’ll adapt to any style. If you want a specific starter, PM me at Amaraq!

Comments

[akito]

Akito is still torn between being scared and being curious. Had Quintus not been there, he would have run away long ago. At the skeleton-man's comment he brings a hand up to cover his throat, as though he isn't sure if he should be keeping it safe or not. Though he's pretty sure he isn't in any danger, otherwise Quintus would have taken him away.

At least, he hopes so.

"Ah, n-no. I'm fine!"

[skeletonenigma]

"Alright." Skulduggery looks at him for a moment longer, the blank skull hiding the otherwise strange look he would be wearing, and then he turns back to the water. "Suit yourself."

He's learned that occasionally, it's best to let people acclimatise on their own. Perhaps Quintus's mental assurances will be enough to help. If not, Quintus wouldn't let the child wander off on his own.

"You must have been tired," Skulduggery tries, by way of a conversation starter.

[akito]

With the skeleton-man's back to him, it's easier for Akito to calm down. It's easier to ignore the disconcerting lack of familiar expression and focus instead on where he is. Why did Quintus take him all the way to another district?

To meet this person, he realizes so suddenly he's pretty sure the turtle was responsible for at least part of it.

"Um..."

Quintus nudges him in what Akito knows he thinks is a gentle manner, but sends him toppling onto the ground again. Ow.

"...Kind of."

[skeletonenigma]

Skulduggery looks back around when Akito face-plants, sighs, and shakes his head. "Tired enough not to be able to stand up straight? Either Quintus is far more capable of elaborate plans than I thought, or sleeping on top of a moving turtle isn't very peaceful."

I was very careful! Quintus protests.

It's still strange, associating the childlike voice in Skulduggery's thoughts with the boulder-sized turtle standing next to them both. Skulduggery tried responding to every single one at first; now, he's learned how to ignore them as the intrusions they are.

[akito]

"Quintus is stronger than he thinks he is," Akito says quietly, ignoring the way his cheeks heat in embarrassment. Anyone could have been knocked down by that, he's sure, but if he hadn't been tired he thinks he would have been able to keep his balance.

[skeletonenigma]

"That's very true." With the boy back on his feet and Quintus at least partly reprimanded for all he tried to do, Skulduggery decides that it's high time to try for a handshake, so he puts one hand out. "I'm Skulduggery Pleasant."

[akito]

A skeleton's hand is a disconcerting thing, but Quintus' reassurance is enough to make him take the proffered hand in a tentative shake.

"Gazelle," he says; the not-really-a-lie less bitter on his tongue than it used to be. "It's good to meet mister Skullduggery Pleasant."

[skeletonenigma]

Gazelle. Skulduggery tilts his head. Very much not a Japanese name, as far as he's aware; but then, who is he to judge? "Likewise."

Behind Gazelle, Quintus continues to titter at them both in whatever passes for tittering among telepathic turtles. It's quite a bit harder to ignore than many of Quintus's projected wonderings, but somehow, Skulduggery manages it anyway. "So," he says instead. "When did Quintus adopt you?"

[akito]

"Um..." Akito glances to Quintus, who chuffs at him with what Akito assumes is a laugh. "A few days ago."

[skeletonenigma]

About the same for Skulduggery, then. Possibly even at the same time. It was entirely likely, if they lived on opposite sides of Keeliai, that the pervading feelings of peace were simultaneous even if their meetings were not.

"Has he told you anything about himself?" Skulduggery asks. "He avoids the questions whenever I ask them."

[akito]

"He told me some," he says slowly. If Quintus didn't tell this person there must be a reason, even if what he told Akito is very basic. "Did you answer the questions he's asked you?"

[skeletonenigma]

"As many as I can." Or at least as many as he can sanely answer in one day. Quintus has many questions, and most of those are more related to science or Skulduggery's observational skills than Skulduggery's past. "What has he told you?"

[akito]

Akito shrugs, feigning nonchalance. "Just some things he likes. Colours, foods, games. That sort of thing."

[skeletonenigma]

"Nothing helpful, then." Skulduggery looks back out at the sea. The problem is that he can't quite tell if Quintus keeps so secretive because he's been told to, or if the baby turtle genuinely doesn't know the answers to the questions. Maliciousness, or innocence; it could be either one.

He's inclined to believe the latter, but he would admit to a certain bias.

A moment later, and Skulduggery's curiosity gets the better of him. "Games? What games?"

[akito]

"Twenty Questions seems to be his favourite." Which shouldn't be a surprise to anyone familiar with the hatchlings.