[action] so damn unfair

[espio]

[Someone's been missing lately, and that someone happens to be very important to the Garden's pet lizard. The result is pretty much that, during every ounce of free time available, Espio the Chameleon has been hiding in corners, sulking, being invisible, and generally being far quieter than anyone has come to expect from him.

Unfortunately, he's picked up some sort of cold, which isn't very good when you're making a full-on effort to hide, especially when a sneeze can completely throw off your concentration when trying to stay invisible.

So yes, the corner of the library just sneezed, briefly revealing a pink lizard who promptly disappears again.]

Comments

[Action] because duh

[fierybluebird]

[Picks Espio up and cuddles him quietly, it doesn't matter Espio's objections to this. Lizard cuddles get.]

I'm sorry.

[Because he knows how much it hurts. He knows deeply. It doesn't show much on his face though, but Marco just cuddles the invisible chameleon and buries his face in him.]

Re: [Action] because duh

[espio]

[Augh, Marco, when did you even get here? How did you - well, obviously, sneezing and stuff... but BLUH. Feeble pushing is feeble, then - sneeze.]

Ugh...

Get off.

Re: [Action] because duh

[fierybluebird]

No.

I need a hug and you're better than a plushie. [TRAPS!]

[espio]

One day you're gonna actually understand "I wanna be left alone..."

[Wriggle, wriggle, slump and sigh.]

[fierybluebird]

Aye, maybe. But not today. You're surly like Ace, but I don't think leaving you alone would actually make you feel better.

No, I know that it won't. I know it better than most.

[espio]

[Sigh. Then... ACHOO~!]

What's good being sick if I can't even pass it on to annoying people?

What are you doing in the library, anyway?

[Why yes, he is avoiding the subject.]

[fierybluebird]

Reading. [Also avoiding the subject of how he was working on getting his mastery on teaching up.] Until I caught you.

If I catch your cold despite being a phoenix I'm going to be even more annoying. Just so you know.

[espio]

Yeah, but at least you'll be annoying Grell as well...

...

[Actually, he does have a lot to say about the subject. It's pretty obvious he wants to say something. He's just... refusing to, out of stubborn and the fact he doesn't want to declare all his feelings to the whole damn library.]

[fierybluebird]

But for now, I'm just going to bug you. Come on, let's go get you soup. [It's like cake, but for colds.]

[Action]

[marearcana]

[At the sound of the sneeze, Twilight perks up and looks around for the source... but she doesn't see anyone else around.

Could she just have been hearing things? Huh...]

Re: [Action]

[espio]

Ah - hah...

[He manages to restrain that one, but only just.]

Guh.

[Turns his page, and resumes reading, oblivious to the nearby pony.]

[Action]

[marearcana]

[So there's a book apparently floating in the air with no visible impetus? Yeah, something is definitely up.]

For now she's just going to stare from a distance, though.

[espio]

Anyone ever told you it's rude to stare?

[marearcana]

[She still can't see him, but she can tell someone is in front of her.]

Maybe you shouldn't be carrying on a conversation while invisible, then.

[espio]

Telling you it's rude to stare isn't exactly a conversation.

[marearcana]

Well if you're going to sit around reading like that people are going to stare whether you want to or not.

[Way to not address why, Twilight...]

[espio]

So far, you're the only one to stand and stare at me. Staring isn't gonna make me suddenly appear, you realise.

[Page turn.]

Asking might get you somewhere, though.

[grainsoftruth]

Huh?

[Osaka blinks, bemused, and turns her head to look up and down the aisle. Wow, she's been down here a couple of times, and it's never done that before. That's kind of weird.

There's a reasonably dusty-looking book sitting peacefully on the shelf just above her head, barely within her reach if she stands on tiptoe. She pulls it off, managing not to dislodge any of its neighbours (she's getting better at this already!) and gives it a little shake. Unfortunately, although it makes her nose itch a tiny bit, it's not enough to induce any genuine sneezing for now.

Instead, she turns to face the corner where she thought she saw the lizard, and carefully leans forward.]

Achoo!

...Achoo!

[espio]

[Wh-what. What is she - huh? Crazy girl!

Irritated, Espio climbs up the wall just enough to have a height advantage, then whaps Osaka on the head with his paperback.]

[grainsoftruth]

Ach- ow!

[Her yelp just then is more surprised than pained, but either way she stumbles and loses her balance, landing flat on her backside. The book drops out of her hand, pages splaying out on the floor.]

Hey... [She rubs at the top of her head.] That's kind of mean, even for a ghost.

[espio]

Well, don't sneeze on me, then!

[Hops back down from the wall, returning to his usual pink lizard self, plonking himself back on the floor and glaring up at her.]

[grainsoftruth]

[She waves her hands in what she hopes is a pacifying way.] I wasn't! I wasn't, I swear. [Which is true, at least! She was only pretending to.]

But I was just wondering... if it ain't sneezing that gets you to come out, what is it?

[espio]

[Stare. He has no idea what connects where with this statement - he has to think about it.]

I "come out" when I want to. I just - hah - have a cold.

[grainsoftruth]

[She stares right back, but after a second her face breaks into a wide, good-natured smile.] Oh, okay! It sure has been cold around here lately, huh?

[Then she tilts her head.] And I guess you're working on it already, too. That's good. I never knew it worked the same way for ghosts.

[espio]

[This girl is really difficult to follow. Geez! Still, at least her crazy kinda reminds him comfortably of home.]

Okay... so why am I a ghost, now?