CONSOLE [video/action] Guess who's back, back, back from the - wait.

[skeletonenigma]

[Skulduggery's at the Hotel console, looking exactly the same as he did when he went missing a month ago. He's impeccably dressed in a suit, hat, scarf, and coat - and also happens to be a living skeleton, for those new to the turtle. 'Back from the dead' has new and interesting connotations where he's concerned.

It's April 1st. It's a little past dinnertime. Skulduggery takes a moment or two, once the video turns on, before he speaks. He sounds the same as ever, too - Irish, his voice as smooth as velvet.]

I promise, I don't do this on purpose.

[That's directed at... a lot of people, actually. Pepper. Solomon. Cain. Raine. Anton. Erskine. Honestly, anyone who's not so much relieved at his return than annoyed.]

It looks like I missed quite a bit. Someone died, someone didn't die, everyone's blaming everyone else, and now we have a person or persons unknown trying to assassinate every prominent kedan in the city. On top of that, I heard something about an earthquake and power outages. Does anyone know more than the barest details about any of this? And if they do, would they be willing to share it?

[He reaches out to end the feed, then pauses.]

Oh, and why is all the furniture on the ceiling?

[OOC: Feel free to approach Skulduggery in person at the console if you're in the Hotel!]

Comments

[peacefullywreathed]

[Waspishly:]

What the bloody hell took you so long?

[How dare. How dare.]

[skeletonenigma]

[Congratulations, Solomon, you've succeeded in surprising Skul. Twofold; that you're talking to him at all, and that you're so angry with him for disappearing.]

Were you planning something?

[When in doubt, be suspicious.]

[peacefullywreathed]

Yes, as a matter of fact. You're meant to be attending my wedding. We had to put it off because of you.

[It's so nice to have a legitimate cover for the other thing he was planning.]

[skeletonenigma]

Why? You didn't have any guarantee I'd be back. What stopped -

[Aaaaaaaand the penny drops. Or, to be more precise, Skulduggery finally notices that the penny dropped.]

... you're joking.

[peacefullywreathed]

I never joke.

[A pause.]

I'm lying. I was going to tell you the day of, so you didn't have time to tease me about it. Then you buggered off and vanished, and completely ruined that plan; so to make sure you don't do it again, I'm telling you well beforehand.

[His eyes narrow.]

Don't do it again.

[skeletonenigma]

Why would I tease you about your wedding?

[It is, surprisingly enough, a genuine question. Yes, Skulduggery probably would have teased Solomon about it, but at this moment in time he can't see why he would want to. He's too busy being surprised.]

OK. If the Dreaming sees fit to capture me sometime in the next... [... when is the wedding, anyway?] ... month, I'll do my best to either fight it off or warn you beforehand. You did warn Raine what she's getting into, I hope.

[Commitment might work differently in her world. That is, in no way, a backhanded comment. It's certainly not a tease.]

... It is Raine, isn't it?

[peacefullywreathed]

[Flatly:]

No, it's Valdis. We're eloping. Shudder's even already given me his blessing.

[Really, Pleasant. You're supposed to be intelligent.]

[skeletonenigma]

There's no need to be snide.

[He can never tell with you, Wreath. Besides, he's effectively been dead for the last month. A lot can happen in a month. December 2012? Do you have any idea how many people tried to end the world during the span of December 2012?]

When is it?

[peacefullywreathed]

There's every reason to be snide.

Haven't decided. Because a certain required guest wasn't here.

[skeletonenigma]

Am I missing something, or did you and Raine have some way of knowing I'd be back?

[Seriously. Yes, Skulduggery is a suave and debonaire individual, but that's no reason to hinge a wedding's occurrence on his uncertain return. You've never get him to admit it, but he does believe Solomon deserves to be happy. Most of the time.]

[peacefullywreathed]

Oh, please. You're too obnoxiously stubborn to have been gone for good.

[skeletonenigma]

[He sounds amused.] Your faith in my ability to laugh in the face of death is encouraging, but despite what it may look like, I don't have any control over the Dreaming.

[peacefullywreathed]

... You haven't been paying any attention at all to the metaphysical nature of your surroundings, have you?

[SO. AMUSED. The very nature of the Dreaming is that it's malleable, Skulduggery; ergo, you do have control over the Dreaming.]