"Sorry!" she calls through the door. "Wasn't tryna startle ya." Astrid hesitates to add that it's not a particularly hard thing to do. "I tried ta come through the front door, but I couldn't find me key...again. So yeah, we came through the basement. I wanted ta show off me workshop anyway." It didn't occur to her that she could just make another key with the special ooze putty Blue gave her. 

A grin spread across her face as she looks up at Cantio when the door opens. It's evident she's excited to see him after a few weeks away from home. The hug seals the deal, and she throws her arms around him in return to give him a big hug. Her face nuzzles into his chest a little as she appreciates the comforting warmth of a good Dad Hug^TM.

Finally, she steps back, her eyes turning towards Blue Raspberry. She somewhat expected Cantio's surprise when he regards the seemingly adult man standing in their hallway. Blue introduces themselves, and Astrid grins up at Cantio, giving an affirmative nod only for him to pull her closer, almost pulling her off balance. 

"Ack, aye, this is me very best friend!" she echoes, pulling away to stand almost defensively between the two of them. "Blue's been on a lotta adventures with me. I ran into them when I was in Frost Gale and had them come back home with me!"

The next words come out a bit more sheepishly. "I also... kinda... invited them ta live with us."

Astrid pulls away from him, her stance almost defensive as she looks back at him and introduces her very best friend. He is… confused, and concerned to say the least by this sudden turn of events. The smile he offers the knight as they introduce themselves could best be described as hesitant; possibly, because Cantio more often than not forgoes his mask in the safety of their own home, and he is notoriously less confident around others.

… But it’s more likely because they appear to Cantio like a full grown man in a knight’s suit romping around with his twelve year old daughter.

“That’s…” he trails off, uncertain how to handle this situation. It’s not like he could throw the person out even if he tried. “This is the friend that’s gone with you on all those adventures?” He looks at Astrid, tail coiling around one of his legs nervously.

“They’re different than I imagined— I didn’t realize they were… um… a knight.” He looks back to Blue Raspberry— all smiles and waves at this point. “It’s nice to meet you too, Blue Raspberry…” He offers his own wave, albeit a bit less enthusiastic.

…and then Astrid mentions she’s invited them to live here.

The air leaves Cantio’s lungs.

“Wai— wait, what?” He looks at Astrid, puzzled. “That’s— I mean, that’s… shouldn’t we have talked about something like that together first, Astrid?” He doesn’t sound mad about it, but more confused and concerned about what he’s just been introduced to. “Not that we don’t certainly have the room, Veliky built this place like we were a family of five, but…” he trails off. “I don’t really know your friend very well.”

Blue Raspberry frowned. They didn't know why, but they got the distinct sense that Cantio was a lot less comfortable with them than they'd been hoping he would be. They even seemed downright uncomfortable with the knight being here. Right, Cantio didn't know them very well! Maybe they'd like them more if they knew just how many adventurer's they and Astrid had been on together?

"Yeah, we've been lots of places together. We fought bandits, displacer beasts, got eaten by a Corey Board Bees, went to a ball, met a bunch of orphans and a ghost, fought harpies, went to a volcano, explored an underground city...." they listed off their adventurers with Astrid, counting them on their fingers as they went.

They thought about how they'd reveal that they were actually an ooze and not a knight. Would Cantio like them better knowing they weren't a real knight? Were they uncomfortable because Blue Raspberry was a knight? But, the ooze wanted to be a real knight... eventually.

"Do you... not like knights?" they asked sadly.

While Blue Raspberry lists everything they've done together, Astrid nods vigorously in agreement with each thing, adding a bit to each of the listings. "Aye, ya saved me from gettin' smashed by a bandit... Oh, and from gettin' munched on by a big cat. Gettin' eaten by the Charybdis wasn't fun... Yeah, I met miss Melodia with Blue Raspberry!! Alla that!"

She hears the heartbreak in Blue's voice and whips around to face them. "'Course he likes knights! We just dropped a lotta stuff on 'im suddenly! Cantio's gonna love ya, I know it!" 

Then Astrid turns back to Cantio, considering that yeah, maybe she should have mentioned it to him first. "Ah... um... yer probably right about that. I probably should've said somethin' ta ya first..." The girl looks truly sheepish. It was a slip of the mind, and not something she's ever really had to do before. After all, this whole having a house thing is new, and it's a completely different situation than what little she remembers about living with her mother. In that situation, she wasn't really free to do much of what she wanted or make her own decisions. With Cantio, she gets to be pretty autonomous. In that autonomy, though, she has to remember there are other people to consider, especially her new father. 

"Sorry..." she says quietly. "I just...got a little overexcited, I guess." Something within her expects to hear harsh words scolding her for being foolish and overzealous. Cantio wouldn't do that, but she can't help that feeling welling up.

Her head turns back to look at Blue Raspberry before she looks at Cantio again. "Blue's real important ta me, and people like that's what ya fill a home with, right? I know they look like a grown adult, but they can be like... anythin' they want! When we met, they were a big wolf! I trust 'em with all that I got. We keep each other safe." 

Cantio blinks, raising his golden gaze up to Blue Raspberry when they start listing off a bunch of things they’ve done with Astrid— some which Cantio recognizes, and some which he doesn’t. He still pales slightly when he mentions they got eaten by a Corey Board Bees…. What the hell is a Corey Board Bee!? They got eaten by multiple of them? How!?

He looks to Astrid as she adds onto the list— oh, a Charybdis? Is that what they were trying to say? Well, that does not make him feel any better about them getting eaten by it, but the past is in the past, and it’s already happened… this must be the sea monster Astrid had mentioned at the ball.

“Ah…” he trails off, tail flicking when Blue Raspberry asks if he doesn’t like knights— Astrid whips around almost like she’s been bitten in order to defend his opinion on knights. He’s not sure if he’s ever mentioned his opinion on knights, actually. “No, no, it’s not that.” he answers hesitantly, waving his hands in a surrendering gesture while he tries to… nicely figure out how to tell them the discomfort that comes with knowing his daughter’s been hanging out with a full grown man for months.

The thoughts slip from his mind, however, when Astrid looks sheepishly back at him.

He doesn’t think he’s done anything to make her upset— but this is all still just as new to him as it is to her. He hesitates, looking between her and Blue Raspberry as she explains their importance to her, and that’s…. True… It sounds like they've been through a lot together.

Maybe Blue Raspberry is a good person? Like a big brother-type, and he’s just being paranoid.

He really does want to be a good dad, and that means keeping Astrid safe, too, but… then again, if Blue Raspberry is protecting Astrid out there, then… he should be grateful, right? And he is! Just, this is a lot to take in all of the sudden. “Well… you’re right, and… I’m grateful they…” He looks at Blue Raspberry for a second, because some of Astrid’s words are finally processing; their ears are kinda pointy, but outside of that, they definitely do not resemble a wolf.

“Wait, you…. They were a wolf? Are…are you a druid?” He looks quizzically at Blue Raspberry.

Blue Raspberry was relieved to hear Cantio didn't have a problem with knight. The ooze had a goal to become an actual knight at some point in the future. They just needed a king to hire them. How hard could that be? There were probably lots of kings around, they just had to go find one and get a job from them. That was definitely how being a knight worked.

"Uh, yeah! I mean, no. Um. Maybe! No..." Blue Raspberry floundered between taking the convenient excuse that Cantio had just offered up and telling him the truth, but they had decided with Astrid to be honest with him about their oozey self, so they had to tell the truth. "No, I'm not a druid. I don't even know what a druid is, actually... I'm..."

Even if they had discussed it earlier, they were still hesitant. They looked at Astrid nervously before looking back to Cantio and resolving themself. "I'm an ooze." they gave a nervous, toothy smile as they finished.

With the ooze out of the bottle, Astrid's eyes dart between Cantio and Blue Raspberry, waiting for a response. The pause is long, silent, and anxiety-inducing. Cantio just seems to be processing, and Astrid can't take the quiet anymore, so she immediately jumps into an explanation. Words fall from her mouth in a nervous jumble of sentences. They've told others that Blue Raspberry is an ooze, and those situations went fine! Why is she nervous now?? It's cause it's Cantio, and she's worried he'll react badly given that he'll have to live with this. What if that's too much for him? What if he leaves? Nope! Throw that from your mind! 

"B-Basically, we met on me first solo adventure, an' they were a big blue wolf! Saved me from bandits, then we met again, but they were a knight, an' we became friends an' went on trips together and did all kindsa stuff. I knew they were an ooze basically from the start, an' they've been a really good friend and companion, an' like I said, we've kept each other safe. They're really nice, I promise ya'll like 'em! They just eat a lot, but so do I, so that's not really a big deal. We mostly stay outta trouble. Mostly! We ain't done nothin' I wouldn't do with anyone else! Please, can they stay here? They don't have a real home, and we've got alla this space, and I just wanna share it with 'em. They'll be on their best behavior, they always are! Honestly, I don't even know why people have any aversion ta oozes. They're real nice, just always hungry. But Blue won't eat nothin' without permission, right Blue? Please, da, can they stay with us? Please, please, please?" 

Cantio furrows his brows when Blue Raspberry starts to flounder between yes, no, and maybe so; he’s not sure which to take at full value until the knight finally decides to continue with something further. He blinks, cocking his head as the knight says they’re not a Druid, they’re…

… An ooze?

For a moment, Cantio just stares back at Blue Raspberry, puzzled; he searches the knight quizzically, but…. An ooze….? They look very…. Significantly not-oozelike at all, don’t they….? Is this some kind of a joke that he’s not in on? Is ooze slang for something that he’s not understanding? Are druids going by oozes now?

No, no, that’s a bit of a stretch… or, is it?

After spacing out for a moment while pondering the lack of ooze-resemblance from Blue Raspberry, he hears Astrid begin to speak and looks at her with a slight, puzzled frown. He does listen to her though— of course he does— Astrid is important to him. He breathes a slow sigh, expression softening as she prattles about the knight, the adventures they’ve shared, and how Blue will be on his best behaviour.

The young man crosses his arms and looks back to Blue after Astrid’s pleading; honestly, Blue looks older than him; and it’s weird to be in this situation. That much certainly shows in Cantio's expression. He is, after all, an open book without his mask.

“Well…” he trails off, looking back at Astrid with a soft sigh; his shoulders drop a bit, and he offers the girl a weak smile. “We’ll try it out.” he agrees hesitantly, “I just want you to be safe first and foremost, Astrid; so, just… best behaviour.” He’s still feeling a little uncertain, but he looks at Blue with a weak smile. “And… please continue keeping her safe out there when you're traveling, okay?”

Blue Raspberry gave a big, happy smile as Cantio said they could live here. They reached out and took both of Cantio's hands in their gauntlets and shook them up and down vigorously, their armor clanking loudly from all the movement.

"Thank you! Of course, I'll keep her super safe while we adventure together! I'll be on my best behavior too, I even promise not to eat any of the furniture!" they said quickly, their words slightly drowned out by the noisy armor.

Blue Raspberry let go of Cantio's hands and gave him a small bow and then looked happily at Astrid. Astrid and Blue Raspberry both ran off, Astrid continuing to show Blue Raspberry around the huge house that they could now call their home.

"Yes!" Astrid says, all anxiety leaving her in exchange for pure happiness. She even does a little fist pump. "Thank ya, da! Best behavior! We promise!"

Then Blue Raspberry mentions not eating furniture as they shake Cantio's hands, and Astrid has a mild look of panic. "Aye, yeah, like I uh- like I said, they're hungry. Cause ooze! It's fine!" When Blue releases Cantio's hand, Astrid throws her arms around her favorite father and snuggles into his embrace. "I'm real excited ta be home. Sorry fer interruptin' yer practice. We'll get outta yer hair. I've got a couple more thin's ta show Blue." She gives Cantio another squeeze, which he returns, warmly then grins up at him as she steps back. "Love ya! C'mon, Blue!" 

As she takes two steps to walk away, Astrid suddenly turns around and looks at Cantio again. "Oh yeah, Blue goes by Wolfe in front of most other people nowadays. We got a lotta weird looks fer introducin' them as Blue Raspberry..." To this, Cantio appears a bit confused, but he smiles and agrees nonetheless, still kind of overwhelmed by everything that just transpired before him. He wishes them well and that he'll see them soon for dinner, then he returns to his room, flustered and thinking maybe he'll play violin some more to work those feelings out. 

With Cantio greeted and handled, Astrid rushes off down the hall only for there to be a knock at the front door. Confused, Astrid rushes over and peeks out only to see Charles standing outside. "Oh, shoot!" She flings the door open. The Blixtbot^TM's hand still rests in the raised position, and he looks down at Astrid with mechanical focus in his red glowing eyes. 

"Mistress Astrid, report: Approximately ten minutes have passed since you entered the house. Query: Did you forget to unlock the front door?"

"Definitely didn't forget, I swear," she lies. Badly. "Come in, come in. Come on, Spicy!" The Blixtbot^TM steps inside then stands patiently in the foyer area, and the hellhound barks then rushes in, right into the living room area (that's not quite unpacked) and starts rolling around on the carpet. Astrid looks between the two of them then at Blue Raspberry. 

"Well, the rest of this is stuff we haven't unpacked totally yet," she says. "That's the kitchen, and there's the dinin' room and the livin' room area." Pointing to each of the areas, she indicates what they are. The living space is towards the back of the house with large windows looking out over a beautiful view of the Dragon's Spine, thunderclouds flashing in the distance. A brick chimney rises toward the vaulted ceiling with a hearth and mantle. They have only a couch unpacked currently, which isn't nearly as nice quality as the rest of the house - not that either of them mind. The dining room doesn't contain a fancy table, it's mostly empty save for a few boxes. The kitchen has a little breakfast nook and table, which is the table that sees the most use with it being the perfect size for a family of two. It'll still be a great size for a family of three.

Haphazardly laid out on the kitchen island is a very official-looking document with a seal and everything. It already looks like it's got a grease stain on it. At the bottom, Astrid's full name is printed cleanly on a line. 

Blue Raspberry held their hands behind their back and looked away from Charles and Spicy Pawsage, averting eye contact as they came in. The forgetful ooze had also forgotten about the two waiting at the front door. Woops, back to the tour!

They looked at everything as Astrid pointed it out, taking in everything they could about the place they'd be living. They followed her through the living room and into the kitchen, looking at the piece of paper on the table. It looked oddly familiar. Did they have one of these? They picked it up and looked at it closer. It wasn't exactly the same, but it was definitely very similar to another piece of paper they had stored inside them. A paper they'd had in there for nearly as long as they could remember. As long as they'd had their armor, even.

"Hey Astrid, what's this?" they asked curiously, holding the paper up and pointing to it with their other hand.

Astrid looks back at Blue when they pick up the paper and ask about it. "Hm? Oh, that? I think Miss Veliky called it a deed." She comes over and looks at it. "It's somethin' that basically says this house belongs ta me. See, it's got me name on it and everythin'!"

Seeing the grease stain on it, she ponders then makes a slightly cringey face. "Come ta think of it, I'm pretty sure she told me ta keep this safe. Maybe I shouldn't leave it sittin' out, huh?" Astrid holds her hand out to take it back while she tries to think about where she could store it. Honestly, Blue Raspberry might be the safest storage unit, all things considered... 

Blue Raspberry held the deed in front of them and looked it over some more. So, this piece of paper says this house belongs to Astrid? If they had one of these, did that mean they had their own house? The ooze was woefully uneducated in how property ownership actually worked. They were also completely unable to read any of the document in front of them, just recognizing the fancy wax seal and the complicated border around the edges of it as similar to one they had.

"I think I have one of these..." they muttered slowly as they looked it over. They placed Astrid's deed back onto the table and reached a hand into the neck hole of their cuirass and pulled out a very similar paper which they placed on the counter next to the other. The two did look very similar, but, even if they couldn't read it, there were some obvious differences in what was written on them. Most notably was the name written at the bottom and the address written at the top.

That catches Astrid by surprise. "Huh? Ya have one of these??" she asks, confused. Then Blue Raspberry places another similar piece of paper on the counter, and she looks between the two of them with growing concern. The format is slightly different, but the two documents are extremely similar in design. They both have seals, stamps, fancy filigree on the edges, proclamations of land ownership, names, and addresses. Astrid's brow furrows as she looks at the slightly slimy deed beside hers. 

She reads it out with some confusion and concern in her voice. "This document declares that the property at 14 Solaria Way in Sol City, Capitol Landin' falls into the singular ownership of one Sir Upticious Lee of Sol City." The rest of it is legal jargon she doesn't have the vocabulary to read effectively. Astrid's brow furrows even more as she looks at Blue Raspberry. "Where the heck did ya get this? Did ya eat it on accident?" 

And furthermore, what the heck are they supposed to do now that they have it? They should probably return it right? Maybe they should ask Cantio. No, no, they just let him go back to playing. They can't bother him now. They can figure this out. Right??

"I dunno if I'd call it an accident..." Blue Raspberry mumbled as they looked away from Astrid, their index fingers tinking as they tapped them together in front of them. They'd definitely eaten it on purpose at the time, though it felt like so long ago now. This reminded them of something else they'd forgotten doing a long time ago. Lying to Astrid...

"Um, so, you remember when we first met? I mean, met me, as a knight, not a wolf? You asked me where I got my armor and I told you about getting it from some ruins and fighting some cult members. Well, I really did fight cultists with someone! I wasn't lying about that! But, uh, I was sort of lying about getting my armor from it. I already had it then. You know, I was using it to pretend to be human, before I could make myself look like this and all. I actually found this armor... on a corpse... in the sewer.... in Sol City..." they stammered out, losing track of what Astrid had even asked in the first place in their effort to fix their past mistake. "Oh! Right, the deed. So, I um, might have eaten that corpse, along with all the other stuff they had on them. And this deed was one of the things they had." they added, finally remembering the point of this story. "I'm sorry I lied, but you didn't know I was an ooze then, so..." Blue Raspberry trailed off with a shrug.