Holy Templar Sanctum (Aincrad)

[Apollymi]

Charles was still laughing. It was so strange. Angelica spent a lot of time with Charles and yet she'd never seen him so very amused by anything. It was like the naming choice for her familiar was the single most amusing thing he'd ever heard in his entire life. He made several points and in defense of his thoughts he wasn't wrong exactly. Angelica had rather childishly chosen the name of her pet, but it'd also made a great deal of sense. And he did agree that the pet was awesome. But apparently he saw some sort of contradiction in her, given the childish name of her pet and her general demeanor. "I am not a kid. It's... complicated!" she was playfully exasperated. Still, she couldn't bring herself to stop the lad from having his fun.

In fact, he was soon rolling on the ground after pretending to interpret the names of the others. The names he went through were all actually options she'd had before she decided Junipero for her pet. She wouldn't be admitting that though. No instead she would give a casual snort of her nose and turn it up in the air. "Hmph, I'll have you know I didn't name the rest of them, in case someone ever came here and wanted one," she said only to soon after giggle herself. This man was acting hysterically and it was actually good to see him so relaxed and happy considering how very stressed he'd seemed earlier. "Alright. I'll admit, I did choose it a bit whimsically. But I'm not changing it, it suits him..." she said her hands on her hips.

[Bloodedge]

She wasn't a kid, she claimed. That was very true. Just at a glance, one could easily say Angelica Edelfelt was beyond mature... physically. "You're not a kid. You're right. Anybody could look at you and say you haven't been a kid for a long, long time. It's sinful, really. But..." He had to take a moment for composure. Several deep breaths were taken before Charlemagne could finally force out another clause. "Your decisions have preteen written all over them! It's cute, but hilarious!" he said before more laughter emerged.

Ah, the humor. It took everything he had just to sit upright again, which he managed while Angelica mentioned never naming the other... juniper owls. At least she finally admitted to the hasty naming of the first, though. All things considered, Charlemagne had no issue with the name Junipero; it was just the most amusing thing ever. "It does suit him. I'd even call it a good name, it's just... knowing the story behind how you got it is way too funny. Ah. I think I almost died. Why'd you spring that all on me at once?"

In the midst of recovery, Charlemagne had a strange realization. The arm clutching his side was still fitted with a vambrace. He hadn't even moved his belongings to Floor 98; he had no way of becoming more comfortable on this floor. Here he was though, clad in full adventure gear and without a clue how he'd be sleeping when the time came. "So, two questions. First, where do I sleep here? Second, you wouldn't happen to have some guy clothes floating around somewhere, would you?"

[Apollymi]

Angelica wasn't a kid, and Charles seemed to be almost painfully aware of that. He even managed to mention it, though all of his laughing. Seriously, she'd never seen someone so amused by something, but when he finally managed another sentence afterwards he claimed her naming notions were 'preteen' in nature. She wasn't quite sure what that meant, but it sounded like it should relate to immature in some way. She would have been upset about it, but he'd also claimed it was cute but hilarious. Apparently, the combination of cute and hilarious wasn't a terrible thing. She still managed to scoff, "Well, I'm glad you found it so funny..." she managed. Of course she was pouting but her face was also a little red. He thought something she did was cute and that was apparently enough to keep her temper from flaring up too much.

After he finally managed to get himself together, Charles admitted that he only found Junipero's name so amusing because he understood the context of his creation. He also agreed that it suited him, which made the bird itself stand just as pridefully as Angelica did with its wings crossed over its chest. As for why she'd sprung this information on him, or his potential death she could only scoff. "Oh please! I did nothing to you, how was I supposed to know a simple explanation of my familiar would leave you rolling on the floor holding your sides?" she asked as if it wasn't at all reasonable.

As for his strange realization Charles asked two questions one of which seemed to be a bit strange to Angelica the other of which made sense if one considered he hadn't moved any of his clothes from one place to another. She gave him a strange bit of brow raising as if she was considering the right way to answer his question. "I assumed you'd sleep with me. That makes the most sense," she said giving a nod of her head. A combination of things lead her to such a simple conclusion. When girls came over they generally shared her bed. If Charles and her were to be married there was nothing saying they couldn't share a bed and actually everything implying that they should. And it wasn't like she'd banish him to some other corner of her palace when he was staying with her. As for his clothes she gave a casual shrug. "I make all my clothes. I could probably make you some too, if you wanted. As long as you have some idea of what you want it to be like," she finished up looking at him seeming to be remembering the size and shape of his body and deciding several things which she probably shouldn't have been doing, like the idea of placing him in a skin tight top because he was muscular and should show it off.

[Bloodedge]

Finally, the laughing fit was over. Now that he could experience calmness again, Charlemagne could uphold a normal conversation. If he'd dealt with that state of hysteria for much longer, maybe he would have actually died from it eventually? He'd always heard that sort of thing was possible... but no matter. A small amount of additional laughter was all he suffered from then on, brought about by Angelica's huffy state. "I'm not sure how you should have expected that, really. Still... ouch. I haven't had a laugh like that since I figured out the best way to calm Roland down," he stated.

Two questions were presented, and for them he would get two answers. First came the matter of where he'd sleep, which was... about what he should have expected. Angelica seemed to believe it was only sensible that he sleep with her. Something about that sentence was provocative in a certain way. Charlemagne also thought the rest of that notion was obvious. "I'm guessing you don't mean there'll suddenly be a second bed in your room," he said with a sigh. Surely she meant to make him wither down to a fragment of a soul. Whatever the case, clothing was something she addressed just as casually. Angelica's creations were not limited to building and landscaping; it apparently extended to clothing and the like as well. Of course, the offer for clothing came with the condition that he know what he'd want it to be like. "Literally the worst question ever. Something cool, but I'm not picky at all past that. Well... I guess something comfortable? I can sleep in anything, but it feels weird to be relaxing in a proper building with all this armor and padding," he said with a casual shrug.

[Apollymi]

According to Charles he hadn't laughed like he just had since figuring out how to calm Roland down. It was mentioned by Bradamante at some point that Roland occasionally became crazed. She said one of the female knights once beat him into submission but there was apparently a funnier way to get the job done. "Do I want to know? I am kind of curious..." she said almost quizzically. Well, if it was really that funny, it was almost necessity that she know. She deserved a gut clenching laugh or three.

Moving on from that point for a moment, there was still the issue of sleeping arrangement. Apparently Charles thought to mention a second bed within her room for him which made her shake her head gently as he sighed. "You ask me some of the strangest questions. Of course I mean for you to share my bed, does that not suit you?" she asked but was that really a question? No. Not really. Charles would have to come to terms with them sharing spaces. It'd likely be better if every night they spent together wasn't necessarily plagued by awkwardness. In Angelica's own opinion, she'd have no problem sleeping beside Charles, and it would likely be a great comfort to her.

Ah but his clothing, apparently she'd asked a bad question. He just wanted something cool, comfortable, not padded or armored for his time relaxing inside buildings or at leisure. She could at least understand that. She spent a few seconds looking at him seeming to settle completely on that idea of putting him in a skin tight top. But she could go for his comfort as well. Something a bit stretchy and some looser fitting pants? Yes, that seemed right. As she gave it thought, she was forming magic within her fingers, creating a gem which would explode in her hand after a few moments and into her hand would pop the clothing which seemed to fit the necessity of Charles' desires. The shirt was crew cut skin tight for him and made of something like breatheable silk. The loose pants a shade of grey to fit with his general theme though she wouldn't mind a pop or two of color at some point. That could wait she supposed. "Here." she offered as if she hadn't done a thing in the world. Both pieces would fit his form and she thought fit his list.

[Bloodedge]

Angelica's curiosity would undoubtedly be answered. Surely she'd heard of some methods used to stop Roland's rampages, but she obviously knew nothing of the most surefire method. Roland's madness was triggered by how easily he fell for women, and how easily his advances were apparently rejected. As such, the easiest method was to show him a woman that didn't reject him. "You remember Astolfo, right? I'm not sure if you've seen him since that first meeting, but a certain situation resulted in Astolfo wearing a skirt. He still wears it," Charlemagne explained. Of course there was more, but he thought nothing else had to be said.

No, there was no thought in Angelica's mind of producing a second bed. She fully expected that he'd share hers, and on the night of their first date no less. Propriety was strange in this world. Where he'd come from, that sort of thing was regarded as the most inappropriate thing one could do by the previous generation. Here he was in this world, though, Angelica's father had literally sent him into the situation. So then, did it suit him or not? Well... after earlier events of the day, it was hardly worth arguing. Whatever trip he would make to Hell, if any, was assured already. "I'm not even going to try. Fine," he conceded.

As for comfortable clothing, it seemed Angelica hardly required much consideration. She conjured a gem, from which she spawned a set of clothes presumably suitable enough to his form. Given how capable she was when attempting anything he'd seen her do thus far, he assumed there were no mistakes. He didn't get a solid look at the clothes, but he did begin fiddling with his vambraces immediately after taking them. "Thanks a ton! I haven't slept in a real bed in years, so I definitely don't want to fall asleep in armor... again."

[Apollymi]

Astolfo? Astolfo... that was the individual who used to spend a lot of time with Jeanne d'Arc. Angelica remembered seeing that one a rather feminine looking pink haired man. Who Charles stated wore skirts and the like to give Roland a target for his strange advances which would calm him down as he wouldn't be directly rejected in the way his crazed behavior normally forced women to respond. So, he was really so crazed in such a state, that even appealing to a pretty man would do? "Hehe..." Angelica covered her mouth. Mumbled laughter slipped between her fingers. "Tehehehehe~" Oh well it wasn't going to stop. "Bwhahahahahahahaha!~" there it was, a full laugh of monumental proportions. To have discovered that this worked and to simply keep someone on hand just to make sure it did, was utterly ridiculous. "Haha... that's great. Really, truly great," she murmured. Ah, though Angelica did get it just a bit. Among the group of people Charles hung out with at large, she found in order of cuteness the group to be Charles, Turpin then Astolfo for her personal taste in men.

It took a few more moments of suppressing giggles but eventually the only sign that Angelica had almost been hysterical was the gentle redness of her cheeks. It was fine, there was no one around but Charles. Speaking of, he seemed almost defeated when accepting their sleeping arrangement. "I.. ah..." she paused. "I have adjusted so much to the strangeness of your sensibilities that I figured I would spend at least a few minutes explaining the logic of the situation to you," she said. "Or are those the 'hang-ups'?" she asked. Perhaps a bit more understanding of his upbringing would lead to less tension overall.

Whatever the case, after handing over those clothes Angelica was immediately thanked. Apparently, Charles hadn't slept in a bed in a long while, and beyond that he claimed that he didn't wish to fall asleep in armor again. Literal years since he'd had a comfortable nights sleep. That sounded horrid. "It wasn't really a big deal, Charlie." she almost huffed in response to the thanks she received for such a simple thing, but she gave it a bit more thought. "Hm, I suppose you would miss out on the comforts of home if you're always away," she said. "So, while you're here feel free. Make yourself at home, use all the luxuries and enjoy yourself," she said seeming to roll into the role of hostess with relative ease. His vambraces were being removed, so she figured he planned to get comfortable immediately. Perhaps she should respect his sensibilities and turn another way to avoid embarrassing him too much. Never mind that she still remembered earlier and wanted to surprise herself with his look. No. This was obviously for Charles' sake.

[Bloodedge]

Just as he anticipated, Angelica found the solution of Astolfo to be worth a fit of laughter. Charlemagne had always been against the pink-haired male wearing skirts, but even he couldn't discredit the usefulness of an anti-Roland defense. If only Astolfo learned how to stop lifting that skirt for no reason at all. "Isn't it?! It's... not so incredible to me on a day-to-day basis, but it's always great to see Roland stopped. Everything else is just wrong, but at least there's that." Charlemagne was not exactly filled to the brim with hard opinions. Perhaps he had at least one for each of his companions, though? Yes, that was likely the case... and this was the hard opinion reserved for Astolfo.

Apparently, Angelica found some weirdness in his refusal to argue their sleeping arrangement. In Charlemagne's opinion, it should have been expected by this point. "There's really not much to it. I just don't even feel like fighting it at this point. And... yeah, I guess you could call it a hang-up. It's considered improper. Before I came to this world, I was considered too young to drink alcohol. Two teenagers sleeping in the same room, much less the same bed, is heavily-frowned upon. Though, public displays of affection was also something that would get you weird looks at a minimum. Other countries used to joke about mine considering it lewd to even hold hands in public," he explained. Charlemagne wasn't sure if Angelica would gain any proper insight from his speech, but those were a few things about his original upbringing worth noting.

Whatever the case, he was instructed to make himself at home. Considering what had already transpired today, it wasn't even worthwhile to care about disrobing. Angelica seemed completely unfazed by that sort of thing anyway. As such, his vambraces hit the floor, and his faulds were soon to follow. Onto the greaves, Charlemagne sighed. "I'm not even going to pretend I'm used to how nonchalant you are about everything. But, it's hard to resist a bed fit for a princess. I'm pretty sure my last bed was made of straw or something," he mused. With that, Charlemagne had rendered himself armorless and moved straight to discarding his tunic.

[Apollymi]

Astolfo in a skirt was apparently sometimes a problem, but not always. At the very least, the usefulness of letting him run about in such a rambunctious way outweighed the negatives of it. Still, the idea that someone could be sated, even temporarily with the idea of someone just not saying no to them was a bit ridiculous. It would probably be better for him to simply learn to deal with his feelings better, but she supposed she couldn't really blame anyone for how the reacted to things at least initially. More interesting than that though, was Charles' apparently firm opinion about the situation. He seemed much more the type to 'live and let live' but the skirt wearing Astolfo was an opinion for it.

Moving on, Charles refused to argue with Angelica about sharing her room and bed with her. Apparently, it was connected directly to his odd hang-ups. According to the type of society he was originally from their behavior would have been considered improper for some reason. Even things like holding hands were frowned upon to the point of it being teased by even other cultures. This would cause nothing but utter confusion in Angelica. "So, you're telling me that your home world lacks magic and humans have to make their entire existence meaningful in less than ten decades, and beyond that someone has decided to enforce rules that would make it difficult to start meaningful relationships as early as possible? Who does it benefit to live this way?" Angelica questioned. It was completely ridiculous to her to enforce social norms which would keep two willing participants from being happy. It was like the entirety of society was decided on a weird fault of a singular individual's taste.

Oh well, she'd have to continue thinking on how very backward that was as a way to live later. Right just now, she was busy fighting with herself about staring down the lad as he seemed to come so shamefully close to completely abandoning modesty. She didn't exactly watch but her attention was drawn by movements and the falling of his garments. Those armor pieces were like singing of birds that marked the start and ends of the day. Charles thought her amount of relaxed attitude around things like nudity to be odd, but couldn't resist the call of a bed. "Straw? That sounds terribly uncomfortable. My bed is made of giant swan feathers... probably not the softest thing, but definitely better than straw..." she mused as she stole a few glances. "As for my attitude, I don't see any reason it should bother me. Talking to my mother let me know I am probably not too odd in this regard. She seemed completely to disregard anything resembling shame when discussing how I ended up able to talk to her," she said giving it a bit more thought outside and preserving her own surprise.

[Bloodedge]

Angelica couldn't be blamed for how she viewed the social norms of his old world. Many members of his generation would consider her preaching to the choir, as a matter of fact. She once again raised some fair points, and as for who received the benefits of that lifestyle, well... "Hmm. I'm pretty sure the only people who even get satisfaction out of it are old people who only have a few years left themselves. Humans project a lot where I come from," he said simply. About that time, he slipped out of his tunic while rising from the ground.

As long as Charlemagne didn't think too much about it, he didn't care about the state of his own clothing. Had they been on an adventure in a strenuous situation, he'd never have cared in the beginning. Here he was now, though, loosing his trousers and fully prepared to dawdle about briefly in only a pair of boxers─ at least for the amount of time it would take to don whatever Angelica made. All the while, he heard talk of Angelica's bed and her mother's teachings. "I have no idea what giant swan feathers are supposed to feel like, but it's not the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard of. It's still weird, and so are you. You're still living among humans with very different ideals. By majority rule, you're the oddest person I've met in over a thousand years. But, that's alright. Everyone's different somehow; it's something to appreciate. I wouldn't change it for the world."

[Apollymi]

Angelica asked a question based on her own understanding of the way the non-magical world worked. It seemed there were no problems to be taken with her understanding. No assumption she'd made in her tirade had been called untrue. Instead, projection was the name of the game when it came to humans. They lived vicariously through their children and only came to enjoy the unceasing problems they caused others as they reached their status as elders. "That seems stupid. And like a good way to never have someone speak to you again," she said simply, in her opinion these elders of the non-magical world were problematic if they went along with this nonsense. This was especially the case, since they had to be young once. The idea that someone would make a world which aimed to keep the young down was ridiculous, it went against everything that Angelica felt in her heart. Passing on the torch, leaving the next generation with good values so they could make their own decisions, seemed like a better way. This was especially true when humans of the other world considered their limited lifetimes, but perhaps the rest was a trick of mortality. Being alive and knowing that death was coming but not knowing what death would equate to, likely caused a great deal of strain on humans, she could see that potentially.

There were many things Angelica could have chosen to focus on, and she'd been trying not to have any of them be Charles' form. But she was failing at that just a bit. He seemed so keen to strip out of his clothing and she was keen to steal glances. His form quite attractive to her, she knew she should be averting her gaze soon enough to ensure her surprise. Imagine her dismay when he so easily stood around in just his boxers to have part of this conversation. She could have had several things to say to it as well, but he'd gone and said something sweet. Even while pointing out the strangeness of Angelica and the openness of her attitude, he was accepting of it. In fact, his words were that he wouldn't change it. That made her face flush. and she found herself twisting a little lock of hair while turning her nose up a bit. She was caught off guard for just a moment. "Hmph, well if you feel that way about it. I'll just keep being me..." she said affirmatively. Even if she was odd, if her soon to be husband didn't care too much she had no reason to care what anyone else thought of her. She could be happy knowing he understood her. The thought alone gave her a terribly warm feeling inside.

[Bloodedge]

"It is pretty stupid," Charlemagne agreed. "Mind you, it's not like they're all like that. It's also technically good in a weird way, at least short-term. A lot of young people do grow up and separate from their elders to get away from that attitude, becoming their own people. That's pretty wholesome until... some of those same people become old, and become the same way," he stated. The world was one big, convoluted mess of growth in different directions, whether one was viewing Charlemagne's original world, or the one they were in currently.

Charlemagne wasn't going to be standing around in his skivvies all day or anything. While they spoke, he was stepping into the pants he'd been given. His pace was casual, almost as if he didn't care at all. Once he'd gotten into them, there was a surprising amount of comfort to be found. Charlemagne hadn't sported a pair of relaxing pajama bottoms in so many years, he couldn't even begin to count them. Ah, but then there was the shirt─ the shirt he flung over his head as if to don it, slipped both arms into, and... immediately failed to successfully pull over his head. Angelica was claiming she'd keep being herself, and in that same time, Charlemagne was blinded by that black, silken garment. "You shouldn't ever be anything else, but hey, uh... does being 'you' include being able to help me out a bit? This is uh... a way smaller shirt than I thought it was at first─" he said, one arm kept extended overhead with a hand flapping about.

[Apollymi]

Agreement. Charles also thought it was a stupid way to live. It was not just a simple complementary understanding either, he came with further elaboration. Apparently, it wasn't uncommon for those oppressed by the previous generation to move away and not all parents were bad. She'd heard something like that from Jeanne. Her parents sounded very involved in the lives of their children. "That change in attitude seems counterproductive to living happily, they should have stayed wholesome," she said seeming to not understand how someone goes shirking authority, to being so full of themselves they think their own should be obeyed.

Whatever the case, she was now watching as Charles very casually slid himself into pants. That was probably for the best. Her own hint of embarrassment manifested in her turning away, but Charles's words made her look back to find the lad basically trapped within the black shirt she'd made for him. The corner of her lips would lift into a gentle smile as she stared at him. She found it rather funny but was also immediately distracted by that exposed torso of his. She took a deep breath and swallowed seeming to try and clear her thoughts while taking a few measured steps closer. "Yes, I suppose I would help you out there, trapped as you are~" she teased. She was careful, but not really. She couldn't really resist reaching out pulling the twisted pieces of shirt straight but having their skin make contact at various intervals. She'd help his head through the neck hole and stretch her arm so that he could find the one he'd missed. Her own body rather close to his as the arrangement would allow him to poke his head through. She was working with almost blankness behind her eyes, she shouldn't be like this but... he was so nice to look at and touch. Obviously he was distracting her.

[Bloodedge]

Once more, Charlemagne could only agree with the princess's train of thought. He, too, believed it would have been better if the elderly didn't randomly inherit the flaws of previous elders. Alas, that single negative allowed the other side of the equation to shine more brightly. Perhaps this was what many viewed as necessary evil. "It does suck. I don't think it's such a terrible thing, though. It's easier to appreciate the good things about the wholesome side when the other half exists like it does," he stated. Charlemagne occasionally managed a prolific line or two; it just happened to occur this time while he was trapped under a shirt and presumably looking anything but cool. . .

Death by embarrassment was a thing many people wondered about. Did it exist? Would anyone ever find out? Well, Charlemagne more specifically wondered if he could implode due to being too uncool. It seemed he couldn't, as there were few things less cool than his current predicament. Luckily for the Templar Knight and future Holy Emperor, Angelica had him covered. He could almost hear her laughing at his expense. In his head, at least, she was. Strangely, he soon felt contact against his skin in moments he would normally deem unnecessary. Why could he feel her on his torso when all she had to do was help find the hole in his shirt? "Um─? Having trouble out there?" he wondered aloud. Either way, his shirt was eventually straightened enough... and he could satisfyingly feel the neck hole of it slipping over his head. "Ahh~!" Finally, freedom! Charlemagne's head emerged from the confines of that shirt, and he proceeded to pull it down over his torso. Oh. Suddenly, his trapped state made sense; the shirt was like another layer of skin! "Huh. I wasn't expecting a compression shirt. I didn't think I told you about the workout," he said, assuming the shirt was created for the sake of fitting his pre-sleep workout routine... which he'd probably never actually told her about.

[Apollymi]

Once more, he agreed. It would seem that Angelica's understanding of social norms in that non-magical world were at least less convoluted than her understanding of the world in general. Charles seemed to be on a line of prolific thought, even with his head covered by tight black fabric. He claimed that it was terrible but that the wholesome stood out more against the grotesqueness of the previous generations folly. "I can't argue that... it seems pretty sound," she said seeming to think that maybe it did make the good among the bad stand out as shining examples.

What didn't stand out as a shining example of anything good was her current fixation on Charles's body. Of course, she'd never denied being interested in him, and as such she felt he shouldn't find her activities that odd. Of course, it was more or less just a matter of her own contact with his skin while she helped him into his shirt. He questioned on her on her work but she remained mostly nonchalant about her activities. "It is taking a bit of doing, but it'll be worth it," she mused. And lo, his head popped through and she stepped back, watching as that second skin covered his exposed flesh and she was pleased. This was exactly the look she'd imagined and she couldn't have been happier to see it. Her unabashed staring would only be interrupted by some more speech from Charles. What was he saying now? He wasn't expecting what he called a 'compression' shirt and he hadn't told her about his workout. "I made that shirt because I thought it would look nice on you... I was right," she said plainly. "What's a workout?"