bottlecaplogs | Noelle's December Catch-All

[It's Noelle's favorite time of the year! Unfortunately, creating decorations can be difficult for her without opposable thumbs... but she can at least help set them up! She meets with Mayaka in the low-tier housing.]

Hi again! How are you settling in? Are you ready for a quest?

[Lately, Noelle has a little extra spring in her step. It's certainly a positive upswing from her depressive episode of the last few months... and it doesn't seem forced, either. This is right after Noelle and Shoka spoke, too. How curious.

She also brings along one of his misshapen gingerbread cookies to the baking lesson. It's old and ready to be thrown out. Noelle insists it's there to compare 'before and after'.]

Hey, Bigby! I'm glad you could make it!!

[ooc: very likely Deltarune spoilers throughout this thread.]

[Noelle has spent more of her time in the kitchen than out of it lately. It makes her happy to work on something productive that other people can enjoy... and she offered cookies as a quest reward for information regarding Dess, so she owes plenty of cookies. She invited Kris over because apparently someone needs to order them to eat now, so after making sure they had some food, she kinda-sorta forced them to stay and help her gather ingredients and watch the cookies in the oven.

At least when they're like this, they probably won't eat all her cookies before they cool like they used to? Still, it's weird, thinking there's someone else in their head. Especially someone who...

... she doesn't need to finish that thought.]

So, Kris, um...

[How does she talk to them now? It's not like they've really worked out the rift between them-- the many years they spent avoiding her, or the fact they 'don't remember' doing all of that awful stuff to her, or the million questions she has. But if she doesn't handle this delicately, they'll just go back to avoiding her.]

... do you still like gingerbread cookies?

Edited (spoiler warning) 2025-12-11 00:18 (UTC)

Noelle has been around ovens so much with her baking that she hasn't felt quite as cold as before-- or maybe it's the surprising amount of support she's received. Or even both. Regardless, she hasn't seen Agnes around lately.

A sudden fear that she may have just disappeared drives Noelle to check on her. She gingerly climbs up the Canopy and taps on Agnes's door with a hoof. "Hi, um, is anyone home? It's Noelle."

Agnes comes to answer the door after a moment, giving Noelle a quiet look.

"You smell like pastries." Because she can't figure out what else to say. Her home is dark, definitely not decorated for the holidays, and she herself looks...well, a little scruffier than usual.

[Kris stands in front of the oven, face pressed up against the glass, staring diligently at cookies both of them know they can't see. The lack of sight only makes their body feel further away, something strange and foreign that moves about on its own with only minimal feedback that reaches all the way back to Kris. They focus on the heat against their face, the comparative chill of the tile under their feet. It's not enough to completely ground them, but it's... it's something. It's real, probably. Something has to be.

There's a part of them that still wants to believe last month didn't happen. Maybe they've just... hallucinated all of this. Maybe their soul found a way to make Noelle forgive them without telling the truth. They've seen it manage the impossible before—why not this, too? Isn't this an outcome worth perfecting? Doesn't it have its own secrets to keep?

But the more time passes, the more they realize... they never really know what it's thinking. They don't know what it wants, what it thinks of people like Noelle, what it thinks of them... so maybe this was always doomed to happen eventually. The guitar, the Knight, they should've known it would find more ways to make life difficult for Kris.

... and yet, this scenario isn't playing out at all like the ways they'd imagined it. The Noelle in their mind was more disgusted with them. The Noelle next to them is just... acting like things are normal, kind of. There's an awkward atmosphere that feels different from before, but she still sought them out intentionally. She still talks and laughs and brings up old stories like they're not a husk of their former self. She even made sure they got to eat something. They don't know what they're supposed to do with this information yet.]

Yes.

[They speak, only realizing she'd asked a question after the answer comes. They... haven't really been all that present so far. They stiffly force their legs to move, stepping back from the oven with minimal resistance, half-turning towards her.

Kris nods. They sure fucking do still like gingerbread.]

... don't make it that much anymore.

Edited 2025-12-11 04:57 (UTC)

[After some trekking, the little Sneasel finally arrives at the Spire. This is her first time here, and her first time leaving the heart of town since she arrived! She'd heard that they might need some help, and wants to put in some effort to pitch in instead of spending all day in the Archives.

As she enters the low-tier housing level, she's surprised by how the accommodations here are so different from the Lum Berry housing. This look of surprise is quickly replaced with a big smile as a familiar Deerling walks up to her.]

L-chan! [Mayaka would normally reach out to shake a good friend's hand when she's excited to see them, but she's still wary about her exposed claws. Also, Noelle has hooves instead of hands. So, she makes do with hopping up and down on the spot to express her joy.]

I'm still settling and figuring stuff out, [she says, not bothering to sugarcoat her words even though she's in a good mood now.] But today, I'm here to help. What're we doing, anyway?

Hey, Noelle.

[ He greets her with a smile, ears perking at the excitement in her voice. Like Noelle, he seems to be far more content than he has been for quite a while. Maybe it's something about the holiday season. Maybe he finally slept on the right side of the bed. Whatever the reason might be, things finally feel at ease for once.

It helps too, getting to tag along on something that he knows means a lot to her. While it might not be like back home, Bigby can at least try to make it a little special. ]

Can't miss a lesson from the expert herself. Promise I won't make that big of a mess.

[ Briefly, he glances at that stale cookie, the suddenly overwhelming feeling of fondness making his smile go just a little lopsided. Funny that. ]

"That's probably because of all the pastries I made, fahaha. I'm still trying to get the recipes right with no hands..."

Is there a polite way to say 'you look awful'? Their first conversation was incredibly emotional; it feels weird to be so unsure. She's always torn, now, between her awkwardly polite self and her other self.

"... want to try some?"

There's a pause that lasts longer than it probably should before Agnes nods.

"Sure. I haven't had very many pastries. Bigby introduced me to pumpkin pie, at least."

It probably shouldn't be a surprise to her that Noelle Holiday has a thing about Christmas. No, that's not surprising at all. It's that she's here to share it with Agnes that's the disconnect.

[Did they mean that they haven't made it since they got here? Or are they talking about all the years they spent ignoring her? Noelle isn't sure how to ask, and then the moment is gone, and she doesn't say anything at all.]

... Your mom was way better at making them than me, actually, fahaha. Just, like, an amazing baker in general. Especially her pies. Remember how you stuck your face in one like it was a pie eating contest, and I started bawling my eyes out 'cause I wanted some, and Dess, she...

[... didn't chase them around with a wiffle bat that time because Toriel was there. Instead, Dess 'encouraged' them on to eat the entire thing, which Toriel saw as an important lesson for them about sharing. They had an upset stomach all afternoon and all night.

Does Kris remember that...? Did they even see the quest she posted? Did they care?]

Edited 2025-12-15 01:16 (UTC)

Maya-chan! [She hops up and down as well. Mayaka's excitement is infectious.] Decorating for the holidays! I thought we could try making some-- um, you know, if you want. I might have hooves, but I've figured out some ways to be a little creative!

[She leads Mayaka towards where she's set up some papers, quills, and various paints. She suddenly seems bashful-- Mayaka seemed so apprehensive about her drawings in the snow last time. Will this seem like too much?] I gathered everything I think we need, but if you have any other ideas, um... we can always do something else!

[It makes her relieved to see Bigby happy, too.] We could always post a quest to clean up if we do...! Fahahaha! [Would that work? She feels guilty even posting what she thinks is an important quest... and yet, she's in such a good mood, the thought only makes her smile waver for a moment.]

I've got all the ingredients already! How about we start with mixing the butter and brown sugar?

Noelle reaches into a satchel and retrieves a peppermint cookie and a gingerbread cookie-- unfrosted. Lacking hands, she has to do it with her mouth. She only leaves minor teeth marks in them.

"I've been testing things out, so they might be like, totally weird or whatever. It's fine if you spit them out. Actually, maybe I should get you some water or tea or something, just in case...?"

She looks at Agnes, trying to judge if she's had anything to drink in a while.

Agnes is a Ninetales, surely that means she doesn't need to drink water. Right? Right. Clearly. ~~Bullshit.~~

Also lacking hands, Agnes takes the cookies with her mouth, setting both down on the floor and tearing into the gingerbread cookie like she might have skipped breakfast. "It's good. Lots of flavor."

Woah! Thanks for preparing all this. Must've been a ton of work.

[Mayaka marvels at the various art materials laid out in front of her. While she's still too shy to show off her drawings, she's been craving for a way to express herself creatively. It would be rude to brush off the invitation after Noelle made all the effort to prepare this.

The Sneasel kneels down and tucks her legs neatly underneath herself before reaching out to sort through the paints and papers. It's all a blank canvas and, for once, it's not something she feels pressured to draw perfectly for a prize submission.]

Let's do this! [Mayaka says decisively, wanting to assure the Deerling that she's onboard with her idea.] What's the holidays like from where you're from? I mainly think of KFC, fancy Christmas lights and trees.

[As she says this, she glances around the hallways, wondering what would be a painting they could make to add to the festive cheer.]

"You think so? I'm glad!" It seemed like she really liked it, though that may have just been out of hunger.

Noelle steps away for a minute. When she returns, she's just brought some water in a bowl-- easier for Pokemon like them without hands, even though it makes her feel like a pet dog every time.

"Here, maybe cleanse your palette. I'd like you to try another one or two after."

Agnes has less issue with drinking like a pet dog, though there's a wry look at Noelle, like she realizes this isn't just about a palette cleanser. But she doesn't call it out immediately, instead lapping up a good amount of water.

"Are you looking in on everyone, like this?"

Well, now we've got to destroy this place. Make that quest worth their while.

[ Definitely more his style, even if much of his time lately has been spent doing exactly not that. Turns out making and finding gifts requires some careful handling. He nods at her instruction, looking over the ingredients all laid out. Certainly easier than scrambling around for everything like he did the last time he was here. ]

Watch my technique, alright? I can handle some feedback.

[ Butter and sugar in the bowl, he goes for one of the wooden spatula looking instruments to start mashing it all together. ]

Oh, it was nothing! [It was a bit of work, but Mayaka doesn't need to know that. Noelle takes the non-brush end of a paintbrush in her mouth and begins to paint.

... Unfortunately for her, she realizes her mistake as soon as Mayaka asks her a question. This worked better when she was alone. Noelle does her best to prop up the paintbrush before replying.]

Hmm... are you from a part of the world where Christmas is a more personal and, uh, romantic holiday? [She's heard about this!] Where I'm from, it was more about spending time with family. And we really went all out! Decorating the house, my mom throwing a big Christmas party, making cookies and sending cards, caroling...

[For a moment, her face falls. Maybe she's missing all that right now.]

... um, a lot of stuff. It was probably our favorite time of the year, fahaha.

"... um. No."

Caught. Noelle guiltily places a sugar cookie shaped like a star in front of Agnes. "I haven't seen you around, and... I know the holidays aren't always a great time for everyone, y'know? And you were there for me when I was just getting up from my coma, so... yeah."

... It's tough when you're like this, right? [At least he has hands of a sort, but they're small.] Um, maybe try a little more gently. And try to get those lumps on the bottom.

[While he's mixing more ingredients together, she brings out the cookie cutters he so nicely- albeit sacrilegiously- gave to her early. She smiles at all of them, but the Pikachu one especially.]

Thank you for these! Gosh, I'm really happy to have fun shapes. You remembered the werewolf thing, too...

That's true. Where I'm from, there's lots of stuff targeted at couples during this time of year. Fancy light displays to visit on a date, special dining promotions for two, that sort of thing. My family doesn't really have any Christmas traditions apart from eating KFC.

[Mayaka doesn't have any strong feelings towards the holiday because of this, though she takes joy in preparing gifts for friends. Noelle, on the other hand, sounds like she has lots of precious memories associated with the season.] It sounds fun, the way you describe it.

[The Sneasel leans over with curiosity, to see what Noelle had started to paint.]

What were to going to draw?

"Well, it's not like I have any tragic backstory related to the winter holidays. I just...they're not something I've ever had anything to do with, before. The people whom raised me were religious, but not that religion."

Cultish, but she isn't going out of her way to underline the details of what that made her childhood like, today.

"I'm staying out of everyone's way, that's all."

[ Gently, she says, which he translates as slower in his mind. Bigby adjusts with a careful nod. As hard as it is to deal with a new body, he can't say he hasn't been through this before.

Regardless, he's focused on doing this right, so much so he doesn't even notice her pull out the cookie cutters. ]

... Thought they'd be nice to have. Even if they're a little different from home. [ He sighs lightly to himself, relieved to hear the early gift wasn't a miss. ] And that one was the hardest to get. No one knew what the hell I was talking about, but I guess that Pokémon is the closest thing they got to a werewolf here.

[ He pauses from the mixing, giving her a little grin. ]

I think my favorite was the Voltorb though.

It was fun! But definitely, like, a lot of work. Just getting to hang out and eat KFC sounds way more laid-back. [She's curious about Mayaka's family, but she doesn't want to pry-- it might make her sad, since they're stuck here for the foreseeable future.

Instead, she focuses on the art in front of them. She's begun to paint a rendition of a Christmas tree with ornaments and an angel on top. It seems simple enough that she can do it without using hands.]

Just a Christmas tree! Nothing super special, haha. What about you?

No tragic backstory related to the winter holidays-- just many other serious things. So it goes.

It's hard to imagine having no relationship to the holidays, though. They've been a big part of her entire life. Even though these past few years haven't been the same since... it happened. And this year will be incredibly different now that she's away from home.

"I'll stay out of everyone's way with you for now, then." She proceeds to make herself comfortable. "... sometimes, the expectation that you should be all jolly and cheery just makes you feel worse for not feeling that way, I guess."

Pfft-- what a great shape for a cookie, fahaha! [As annoyed as she can be about the lack of hands and opposable thumbs, it could have been worse. (As guilty as she feels for thinking that.)]

Oh! There you go, you're getting the hang of it. It's kind of fun, right? A little bit of a workout. [Soon, she's instructing him on how to roll out the dough, which also takes quite a bit of effort. She does her best to help so it's not all on him, though.]

[For a second, it seems like she's going into segue into cookie cutter-related nostalgia... but then she looks at the Pikachu cookie cutter and smiles.]

... this one seems pretty popular, huh? Fahaha...

Agnes lets out a soft huff and scoots her way closer to Noelle, because she's actually gotten quite good with being close to others rather quickly. It's like she's been touch-starved or something!

"You guess? I think you're speaking from experience."

It's nice and festive! Perfect for the season even if it's not special. [Mayaka begins to realise that Noelle doesn't seem to very confident in herself.

[She decides to follow the Deerling's cue and begins painting a deep green fir on her parchment. She pays extra attention to the branches, going over them a few times with brush strokes to mimic the needles of a Christmas tree.]

Since there's not a lot of space for trees down here, maybe we can paint a few to make up for it.

[She scrutinizes her own painting, frowning a little at how amateur it looks since she can only make basic movements with her claws for now. She doesn't apply the same critical eye to Noelle's attempt, though.]

It's warm and fluffy, Noelle thinks. This... feels nostalgic, even though it wasn't long ago Agnes was warming her up in the Clinic. She leans in, inadvertently releasing more of a sweet and soothing smell from the flower on her head.

"... The holidays weren't the same after my sister... well. Disappeared." Even though usually she would just pick a fight with their mom at the holiday party... even then. Weirdly, she looks back even on unpleasant memories like that with some fondness. "I don't know. Isn't it weird how the world just... keeps going? After something terrible happens?"

Wow, you're really good at this! [She sounds genuine, at least. Her Christmas tree is more of a solid triangular shape as opposed to painting individual needles.] Can I ask how you learned to draw? I used to try and follow some tutorials online, but I wasn't that good at it.

Uh....[Mayaka falters at Noelle's question, and feigns busyness by beginning to paint the next Christmas tree on an empty sheet of paper.]

I've just always liked drawing since I was a kid. My parents thought sending me to art class was a waste of money, so I borrowed guidebooks from the library and watched videos too. [This is all true, just a convenient omitting of the fact that she's always tried to emulate the manga she loves.]

Well, it took me a lot of practice, but I can't say I'm... [The Sneasel trails off, quickly realising that saying she's 'not good' might be too careless. She knows all too well how frustrating it can be to hear those words from someone you think is better than you, especially when it comes to a topic like art.]

... I'm always looking to improve. But, if I let my inner critic stop me from drawing, I don't think I'd have as much fun with it.

[ His grin gets a bit bigger at her laugh, but he catches himself before his fangs start to show. Just as well, because his expression slowly turns serious when it's time to handle the dough. With how small he is, there's only so much power for this in those arms of his. A small pout starts to appear, but as long as he tries, there's no need for him to get frustrated just yet. ]

Hm. Think so? [ He pauses what he's doing, glancing at her first before the cookie cutter in question. Words follow a thoughtful hum. ] Guess it is pretty cute.

[ Back to staring down at the dough, before oh-so casually adding: ] So that one's your favorite too then?

Noelle's December Catch-All

Happy Pawlidays (Mayaka)

Happy Pawlidays (Bigby)

Holiday Baking Special (with Kris)

Humbug (with Agnes)

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cw kris is dissociating and that means lavvy gets to write ten billion words of introspection

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