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"I said we are now closed. Going home isn't mandatory, but vacating these premises now is."
"But, um, you should go home and get some rest, since it's good for you!"
The Virovirokun and Ambyu-Lance eyed this health advice coming from someone with no medical training they recognised - not even a PDF file of a degree with an autofilled name from a remote website offering six-week correspondance courses while loaded with popups - with skepticism. Even though it's exactly what they would advise if they were in his nonexistent shoes. The words of the manager of this cafe carried more gravitas in their mind, so in deferring to him they also obeyed the second speaker, gliding out the door and into the corner of this dainty town they now lived in.
"Good," said Ralsei, wiping nonexistent sweat from his brow. "I'd hate for them to be cranky in the morning.
"The ledger, master Ralsei," said Swatch, his beaklike mask leaning over the book with immaculate handwriting to review it. Ralsei adjusted his glasses to skim it.
"Oh good," he said again, "it looks like Poppups and Hathys spent a lot of time here today. I'm sure they'll be great friends before long!"
"They didn't purchase much refreshment during their time here," retorted Swatch, pointing at the Dark Dollar column on the page. "Most inefficient use of a table."
"Well that's okay," said Ralsei, "I think friendship is super important. But, um, if you need more money to run the cafe, I can sort that out for you."
"I said it was inefficient, not bank-breaking, young master," said Swatch, indignant at the unintended criticism, "I am able to deal with irrational clientele."
"Oh!" Ralsei looked at the floor in embarrassment. "I didn't mean to say... I'm sorry..."
With a sigh, Swatch closed the book. "No harm done, sir. Besides, with tomorrow's festivities things should look more satisfactory even with maximized projected drink-nursing. Good day, master Ralsei."
Swatch swept up his effects and strode out the door. Ralsei looked around the warm inviting room himself before stepping out into the town square, the door locking behind him without any conscious act.
The other main hubs of social activity looked rather similar in the late evening nobody could tell by light. There were huddles of darkners shooting the breeze, the crowds slowly dissolving as this Ponman or that Maus decided to slip into the distant housing areas beyond the square, looking so distant as to appear painted on an invisible wall. Ralsei regarded them all for a long time, until the lights of the Bakery and the Dojo and Seam's shop finally switched off, and the baby car perambulated right past him on their way home.
"Beep beep!"
"Merry Christmas to you too!"
Everyone said hello or goodbye to him, Ralsei thought. And that's good, manners are important. But were they talking to him as a prince...? He didn't know at all. Swatch for example did not hesitate to discuss business with him whenever he asked, but was that because he considered Ralsei his employer, or just out of manners? Or was it as a friend? He didn't even know which one he wanted it to be, just that he didn't know what it was.
The town square was now empty. A familiar feeling, but with the renovations and expansions carried out on the town, it felt more expansive. More empty.
"Welp," he said to the distant column of energy cascading into the ebony sky above the town, "time to go home."
The Castle Courtyard usually had a few stragglers even at this indiscernible time of day, but not on Christmas Eve. Even the Royal Coat Rack had called it early, leaving Ralsei's own hat stuck in midair until they returned to resume having it hang off them. Ralsei idly wondered where it was they called home. He had no memory of giving them a home. For a prince of the dark, the dark did not merely obey his whims. It followed its own course. Good for them, thought Ralsei. It's important to have a little initiative.
Ralsei next stopped in the antechamber of the castle, pondering the large cauldron and its bubbling mixture. Then his fuzzy hands suddenly stretched out in an arcane pose.
"Potus dat propositum meum metas exercere!"
There was a bang like a large firecracker, and a cup was launched from the frothy mixture that briefly turned the colour of the fountain outside. Without spilling a drop, Ralsei caught the cup and held it as in a toast. Four marshmallows dropped into the cup as well. Only then did he take a drink.
"Yummy, hot chocolate!"
As Ralsei drank his eldritch elixir with reduced sugar, he pondered the door leading to the basement. The new home of the most dangerous darkners he had encountered in his adventures. He felt he lacked the courage to go down there and confront their failure to help lightners bring about true balance. Not without his friends. Which was a shame, because the denizens of the dungeon were having a riveting game of pictionary.
Finishing his drink, Ralsei dropped the cup into the cauldron, where it dissolved back into the brew. Then he headed upstairs, regarding the many unique doors on this level. Before he could inspect them, the darkest door opened with a loud splat noise.
"Mint Julip!" The exhuberant dumpling rolled over to him without moving a muscle below his mouth. Then booped him on the snoot, eliciting a giggle.
"Oh hee hee, hello Lancer!" said Ralsei. "Getting ready for the holidays?"
"You betcha! My bedroom's gonna have even more holes than ever!"
"Um, that sound great! Are you doing it alone?"
"Nah, I'm not stupid. Two of my dads are helping."
"Oh, lovely!" Ralsei smiled. "How are they getting on? Do you need me to get some shovels?"
Lancer shook his head. "Got it all under control. Lesser Dad is standing on my bed explainingeth how magnificentst his toil be, whatever that means, while not doing anything. Meanwhile Mom's hoping to use an alligator to dig even faster!"
"An alligator?" Ralsei's brow furrowed at the incongruity this implied. "Oh, do you mean an algorithm? Like, she's trying to automate the digging process?"
"Nope!" Lancer lifted up an arm, revealing it wrapped in bandages. "These scars are gonna be dope!"
"Oh, well that's... very..." Ralsei's face seemed to lose some of its resolution.
A girly shriek from Lancer's bedroom put an end to the chat, as the door opened with another splat. "Oh Lancer Sweetie Be A Dear And Please Tell Me Where The Iodine Is Kept In Your Room It Seems Al Got A Little Too Hungry And We Don't Want To Be Demonetised."
"Coming Mom!" he called. Then to Ralsei, "have a happy day tomorrow, shortcake!"
"And you t-"
But Lancer was already on his way to provide medical aid, leaving Ralsei alone yet again. He looked at the other two doors, unassuming blue and jagged pink. Despite all the people he'd talked to today, he felt... These rooms represented... he didn't even know. He reached out to the blue door, but had trouble building the courage to even place his hand on the handle. It was almost as if without its true owner around, the door wasn't even real.
"...Kris..."
They were his friend. And so was Susie. And they weren't here. That made sense of course, it was Christmas Eve in the light world too and they'd be... but still. Without them he felt...
"...half." he admitted to himself.
Deciding to not trouble the darkners with his troubles, he walked past the three bedroom doors and faced the blocked off staircase. Without hesitation he walked through the blockage as though it weren't there, deciding to wait for Christmas Day. Maybe that would feel better. Maybe Kris would come. It would be like before, then.