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[hagrides]

[That is definitely some kind of bug person on your communicators right now. Sorry.]

Good evening, or whatever time of day you may be viewing this message. I have a small request.

As some of you may know, I am largely unfamiliar with human clothing as well as many human customs. However, I have gleaned that costumes are traditional for celebrating this season. It would bring me great relief if someone were to offer advice on costumes that might fit my body type and would suit the occasion.

Thank you for your time.

[He bows politely, as one does when asking for a favor.]

Comments

[hagrides]

There will be selfies aplenty for all who wish to see them. Perhaps we could even take one together.

[itsknighttime]

there better be when a fire guy does anything it ends up smokin
haha ok bad joke
i tried im a bit tired

[[Gasp.]]

oh
shit
yeah thatd be fuckin hella tight
i got to get a cool costume even if its just a picture if my bro lets me out for it this year

[hagrides]

Are you not normally allowed to go out for the occasion?

[itsknighttime]

ah you know
too busy doing family stuff i guess
you know
bonding

[[Like being on the roof at times when he's not a ghost in a window.]]

hes actually here too so thats got me all sorts of fucked up in good ways
not like fucked up like im not happy hes here just i dont know how to family anymore
whatever even if he gets pissy ill go out my window and we will fuck around in costumes

[hagrides]

I hope that you are able to enjoy your time with him, at least. I miss my own family greatly.

[And even when he returns home, he won't have much more time with them. Every moment is precious.]

[itsknighttime]

i
i actually am? hes the closest thing i ever had to a dad so
its pretty cool hes here
you should meet him some time he does cool shit

[[...That is sad, this poor, poor, really cool moth guy. Hopefully his family all comes around.]]

btw you got a sec where i can lock something to ask you a question that i gotta ask you keep between you and me?

[hagrides]

I shall not repeat a word. You may be confident of that.

locked;

[itsknighttime]

ok so kind of two things both unrelated as fuck

i met another guy from your world not like in person but on the network
and he seems cool but tbh i think maybe he might need some thoughts and prayers
i dont know how to talk to him... them
they keep taking away an active personality from themselves and like talking in third person which is cool thats not a problem
just is he ok?

they
are they ok

or christ
whatever im supposed to say
hes really cool too and i dont want to be offensive or some shit
he called himself the knight or themselves
maybe its a girl i dont know
fuck maybe *theyre* a girl i mean

locked;

[hagrides]

[Ah. Of course this came up.]

The Hollow Knight. 'They' is appropriate.

They have been taught that they are not a person. That expressing the slightest personhood would be a failing on their part. That to think or to feel was both disobedient and dangerous, when the sole reason they were created was to be empty.

That belief has been deeply ingrained in them. Even I, who has known them since their birth, have been unable to sway them from it.

All I can ask is that you treat them with patience and kindness. They are very dear to me.

locked;

[itsknighttime]

[[Dave is digesting all of this because it's honestly helpful. It drives him into the ground to think he might be taking someone's personality away but, not having anyone to ask was worse.]]

yeah thats them
damn man
so okay theyre not really just a hollow shell theyre an actual person under the guise of bein some hollow shell
but yeah bro dont you worry i got you
and i got them

IS it dangerous for them to be a person to themselves now or?
is that just what they got told and they wont turn into a pumpkin at midnight if they get to chill out and feel like a whole person?

sorry to bring the heavy topics just i didnt know who else to ask and i actually really fuckin like them i think theyre cool and be damned if im not making good on my promise for a sleepover
were painting nails nohomoing about boys and when i figure it out time wise you should come

[hagrides]

I would be happy to attend.

It is not dangerous, no. The situation in question has been resolved, and regardless of what they were taught, they could never be truly empty to begin with. The only concern is that they may become upset if you insist upon their personhood.

[itsknighttime]

bro
its going to be so cool and maybe youll meet my big bro then too
i bet hed ironically know how to paint nails and talk about boys without it being anywhere near the need for a no homo

ah cool ok ok
i was a bit confused and like i said i think theyre cool
im not down to give someone a mental meltdown

alright well that answers that
you down for one more feelings jam i really dont think anyone else could answer here that i know

[[Or like enough to ask and know he's not going to get a bullshit Hallmark card answer.]]

[hagrides]

I am truly grateful for your kindness to them.

What is it you would like to jam about?

[itsknighttime]

nah man its cool
theyre really nice to me too and im not a dick like at least ninety nine percent of the time unless im ball bustin a buddy you know?
no worries

ok so
youre a dad
you got little silk spinners at home
what if
as a dad
one of them totally fucked up and turned out entirely different than you thought they would
theyre still the same cute pupae you remember
but they suck at what you wanted for them
like as a dad on a scale from 1 to god damnit
how close to god damnit would you be?

[hagrides]

Negative levels of god dammit. Just because I envision something for my child does not mean that they are required to turn out that way. Nor does it mean that the future I envisioned is necessarily better than the reality.

Parents are not infallible. We impose our expectations and biases on our children, and I admit to that. But children are not extensions of their parents, and may choose to take their own path.

[itsknighttime]

[[This... is actually uplifting. Okay so without the evil possession doll, Dirk might not be upset by some of the things Dave wants in his life.

Then again this is Dirk and not a cool moth guy.]]

alright thats pretty reassuring
i mean not that it was particularly anything but hypo-theory i just got curious
you know a random curiosity that had nothing to do with me
in fact im just asking for a friend
who also has a dad
and

questions

singular question
that i asked and wasnt...

so ok what kind of things do you figure would be cool for snacks at a sleepover for you guys?

[hagrides]

[Literally no one has ever said that and had it actually be a hypothetical question, Dave.]

They have no mouth, and sadly will be unable to eat anything. My own preferences are simply to experience new food.

[itsknighttime]

[[Except Dave, right? Right!]]

ok one
man i will bring all the snacks youve got to try doritos and im sure theyve got that shit here somewhere they got everything here

and two
holy fuck
they have no mouth?
how do they eat?
WHAT do they eat?

[[Please don't say souls. Or souls maybe he could get some of those. There are a lot of things here Dave didn't think he could find except on ebay.]]

[hagrides]

They do not.

[Better or worse?]

[itsknighttime]

[[Somewhere in between.]]

well

[[Just well for the first message.]]

more for us i guess
what kinda things do i get for them then?
other than a comfy pillow and a cool blanket
im getting cool blankets and pillows
we have to use them to make a fort but also sleep in
no telling me you have an allergy
were getting cool shit

[hagrides]

Oh, absolutely get them a blanket fort. I shall change my usual sleeping posture for the occasion so that I may join you.

[He usually sleeps hanging from the ceiling but like, blanket forts.]

They might enjoy watching a movie.

[itsknighttime]

[[The call of blanket forts is a strong one, he and Karkat love blanket forts.]]

man its going to be so fuckin baller
we can hang a sign on it that says no girls just for emphasis that its a sleepover for real men doing manly things
yeah join us
i dont know how you usually sleep but bro
blanket fort

oh fuck movies
yes
ah shit classic ghostbusters if i can find it
can be nostalgia boner for me and maybe he hasnt seen it
have you seen it?

[hagrides]

Men and those without gender. They may wonder if they are allowed in if not specified.

[That's 99% because of their lack of self-esteem and only 1% because of any ambiguity.]

I typically hang from the ceiling, which may be comfortable, but it's no blanket fort.

You may safely assume that neither they nor I have seen any movie that you can think of.

[itsknighttime]

fuck
yes
my bad i swear im goin to try to get better at this
maybe do me a solid and explain when i say bro its like not because im callin them a guy

haha oh my god
thats so cool
ok how about
big if because idk how you feel about it
we just nail like blankets to the ceiling and i can ask my bro to sew a few together so they hang down and then you can sleep wherever the fuck you wanna

i got so many movies in my head right now and im going to get so many more in my head while im thinking of other cool shit we can do

[hagrides]

I would be delighted. Only if that is not too much trouble for you, of course.