Mystic Ruins Hotel

*Drench dances crazily with a pair of maracas, not really following the tempo but having a great time nonetheless. Sugar slowly approaches the chao as she plays the flute, and as she enters the final notes of the song, she allows the little chao to finish it off prominently*

*Whip seems sad and conflicted as he looks to Tikal as well, and though he continues to appear more and more controlled by turmoil the longer he does, he manages to speak to her anyways*
Whip: "Tikal... don't worry, okay?"
*Whip offers his hand to her*
Whip: "It.... I don't... We'll fix this."
*He closes his eyes briefly in thought*
Whip: "Yeah... we'll fix this."

*The baby chao clap their hands, and the scared baby chao joins its friends in their adoration of Sugar*
Melody: *raises her hands up happily* They trust you~!
Ana: *looks at Drench* Cha-chao cho~! (You played great, Drench~!)

Tikal: *her smile looks impossibly a bit more happier and a bit more heartbroken* I wish you all good luck.

*Sugar can only seem to manage ecstatic giggles as she semi-bows to all the chao, though she offers her hand specifically to the scared baby chao, smiling as sweetly as someone with her name possibly could*
Sugar: "Excuse me, do you mind being my newest friend~?"
*Drench shakes his maracas once more before twirling Ana around and dipping her with one arm, giving her a half-lidded smile*
Drench: "Cha-o~" (Thanks, you--)
*Drench shakes the maracas once as emphasis*
Drench: "Chao chao cho~" (--didn't do bad yourself~)

*Whip nods and turns back to Mana and Tanya, subconsciously squeezing Mana's fingers as he does*
Whip: "Alright. We're off to Empire City then. We should probably ask Redbeard the one-eyed pirate outside to teleport us."
*He scratches the back of his head nervously*
Whip: "I might not be allowed to be seen in my airship over at Empire City."

Baby Chao: *makes baby chao sounds of confusion as a question mark appears over its head*
Melody: *an exclamation mark pops up over her head instead* Sugar, do you mean...?
Ana: ... *a spiral pops over her head as her face turns red* Chaaaaao...! (Dreeeeench...!)

Mana and Tanya: ...
Tanya: Nii-san, what did you guys do? O.O

*Sugar nods her head happily, the spiky parts of her bangs drifting in the air lazily with her as her smile widens into a grin*
Sugar: "I would like it if you would accept me as your caretaker, little chao~"
*Drench pulls Ana back to her feet, though his smile doesn't die down at all*
Drench: "Look Ana, you're a legendary three-toned chao~!"
*He is clearly enjoying this*

*Whip looks away nervously from the group, scratching his cheek as he chuckles half-heartedly*
Whip: "Let's see... which one was Empire City again?
*Not once does he make eye contact with anyone as he recollects*
Whip: "I think I heard rumors about some supermarkets and high-end clothing stores getting robbed by a bunch of thieves, but that couldn't have been us, we're 'Treasure Hunters', not thieves..."

Melody: *turns to the baby chao with a large smile* Cha chao chao!/She wants to adopt you!
Baby Chao: *her mark turns to an exclamation point and she looks at Sugar, before suddenly hiccuping and then crying*
Melody: *pats the baby chao and looks back at Sugar* Don't worry, she's really happy!
*The other baby chao, however, start whining and crying for Sugar's attention, as if they all want to be adopted too*

Mana and Tanya: ...
Mana: *lets go of Whip's hand and pushes him by the back as she looks at Tanya seriously* Tanya, we gotta get him out of here. I don't house criminals.
Tanya: *salutes* Aye aye, captain! *readies her hammer*

Sugar: "Eh? A-all of you?"
*Sugar's eyes open wide with shock as she gazes around at all of the chao, looking upon them like bright lights surrounding her*
Sugar: "Ohh~! I can't say no to you all! Of course I'll take you all~!"
*She sweeps down and wraps her arms around the chao, and when her arms won't reach, she shoots a light into the grass, causing it to bend and dump all the chao into her arms at once so she can cuddle them all equally while giggling with glee*
Sugar: "I'll be all your mothers from now on~!"

Whip: "H-hey wait! I said I was a treasure hunter! Treasure hunter!!"
*Whip springs away from Tanya's hammer in terror, waving his hands in front of his face frantically*

Melody: *sweatdropping* U-Uh, maybe you should just... ask Mana to hire you as a chao caretaker like Tikal.
Ana: *a squiggly mouth appears, but she uncovers her blushing and exasperated face and presses hers to his in retaliation*

Hana: *approaching Mana and everyone, holding a black angel flight/run chao that sports both a metallic bow and a huge grin, Kimitsu close behind her* Did you guys figure out where to go~?
Mana: *nods, a better smile on her face* Yeah~ We're ready to go.
Kimitsu: *bored expression* I hope you don't need need to be transported far.
Bella: Yeah, because Kimi-kun isn't very strong
Kimitsu: *gains a vein of anger*
Bella: *sees Whip and grins hugely at him*

*Sugar continues to giggle for a while with the chao in hand, but then look to Melody curiously*
Sugar: "I... can?"
*Her expression slowly shifts from curious to overjoyed. Drench, on the other hand, suddenly becomes a two-toned chao and lights up at Ana's sneak attack*


Whip: "Um.."
*Whip cautiously edges away from Bella, most probably in fear, before continuing*
Whip: "Well... do you think you can make it to Empire City, Kimi~?"

Ana: *lets go, pleased*
Melody: Yeah yeah~! We can ask!

Kimitsu: *turns a wicked glare on Whip* ... *sinks into the shadows and then reappears behind him, grabbing the back of his necklace and pulling him close to the ominous dark portal, his face frighteningly shadowed over except for his sadistic grin* I don't know, Whip. Do you wanna find out?
Bella: *laughs* I guess Kimi-kun isn't that bad c:
Hana: *smiling* No, Kimitsu's not bad at all~ ^w^
Tanya: Only sometimes though.
Mana: *the only one that seems rather concerned, as she sweatdrops and laughs nervously*

Sugar: "Okay~!!"
*...*
Sugar: "...How do I put all of you down?"
*Sugar awkwardly stumbles with the chao in her hands, trying to place them all carefully. Drench's emoticon pops into a heart, and his eyes, a swirl*
Drench: "Chaa-ooo~" (What a woman... @v@)

*Whip thrashes and flails in fear*
Whip: "YES!? I MEAN NO!? I DUNNO MAN LEMME GO LEMME GO!?!"
*He is doing a great job keeping up that menacing low voice as he screams in terror*

*Most of the baby chao manage on their own and stumble out of her hands, some of them already knowing how to glide, and others just fall to the ground, but seem unaffected by the fall, save for the swirl on their heads; however, the baby chao that was scared of Sugar seems to cling to her, unwilling to leave her*
Baby Chao: *makes a baby chao sound against Sugar's shoulder*
Melody: Let's go find Mana so you can adopt her and then get hired~!
Ana: Chao~ (You know it~)

Tanya: *laughs at Whip*
Hana: Alright Kimitsu, let's stop before Whip needs new pants~ ^w^
Bella: *scary chao giggling* I think it's too late. c:<
Kimitsu: *lets go of Whip, as requested*
Mana: In all seriousness, do you think you can make it to Empire City, Kimitsu?
Hana: Don't worry~! I know he can~ I have these! *holds up a brown pouch, and pulls out a little blue mint*
Mana: ...A... mint?
Hana: *sticks her tongue out at Mana* I finally took your suggestion, silly~ I made you guys Mobian Sensu Beans~
Mana: *gasps and grins* Oh, awesome! You're great, Hana!
Hana: *giggles* I know~
Kimitsu: *looks a little unsure at the idea of eating something Hana made, however*

*Sugar hears Ana, but the chao clung to her shoulder garners her complete attention. Her arms automatically wrap around the young chao and she nuzzles it with the side of her cheek lovingly*
Sugar: "There there..."
*Her eyes hypnotically flutter shut as she pets the chao*
Sugar: "Ana... even if I begin working here with all the other chao, would I still be allowed to mother at least one?"

*Whip sits upon the floor with his arms crossed, grumbling the whole time*
Whip: "grumble grumble like to see you get there grumble mumble I don't need supplements to get there groan mumble"

Melody: Of course! ^w^ That's why we should catch Mana before they leave so we can let you adopt her~
Baby Chao: *looks up hopefully at Sugar, heart ecomotion popping up above her*

Hana: *gives it to Kimitsu, smiling* Here Kimitsu~
Kimitsu: *eyes it suspiciously*
Hana: *huffs* I promise it tastes better this time.
Kimitsu: *sends a narrow eyed look at her* Did you try it?
Hana: (with a smile) A scientist never tests her projects on herself!
Kimitsu: *takes a page out of Whip's book and grumbles as he takes it* Fine, whatever... *looks at it before chewing on it with a blank expression*
Hana: How is it? =3
Kimitsu: *wipes his mouth* ...It's good.
Hana: *eyes sparkling* Really?!
Kimitsu: ... *the tiniest smile as he looks at her* Yeah. Your best batch yet.
Hana: *eyes bright, and looks like she'd like to hug him, but Bella remains in her arms* Thank you~!
Kimitsu: *the smile dies away, however, and he looks away from her to Mana, as if guilty* We should probably get going.
Mana: *looks a little surprised at his change of pace, but nods slowly, looking to Whip* Are you ready?

Sugar: "Is she going to leave soon?"
*Sugar pops up at the notion*
Sugar: "Then let's get to her quickly~!"
*She pokes a small light into the ground in front of her, which quickly transforms into a thin layer of ice. As she jumps onto it, the ice continues to form just in front of her shoes, which she gladly uses to skate off, hoping to find Mana and the others with the baby chao carefully tucked in her arms*

*Whip shrugs, somewhat grumpier looking as Kimitsu and Hana spoke, but also attempting very hard to ignore those feelings as he stands up*
Whip: "I'm ready. Are you.. ready Mana?"

Baby chao: *contentedly snuggles into Sugar's chao*

Mana: *nods* Yeah. *looks down at her hands, eyes sad* I'll be more than happy to return these memories to the people they belong to.
Tanya: And I'll just hang onto mine because they're vague. c:

*Whip looks at Mana considerately and places a hand on her shoulder*
Whip: "I know."
*He looks like he wants to say more, but he instead makes odd sounds with his mouth and looks away shyly*
Whip: "I guess... we sh-"
*Just as he decides to change topics, however, he is run over by a large amount of Sugar, who comes to a halt gracefully as Whip is run into the ground*
Sugar: "We stuck the landing~!"
Whip: "Mhhhh..."

Baby Chao: *a little heart appears over her head as she smiles and claps her hands, giggling*
Mana: *blinks in surprise* Su…gar?

*Sugar looks to Mana with gleeful surprise*
Sugar: “Oh! Mana! It’s so good to see you~! “
*Sugar lifts the baby chao happily in her arms so Mana can see*
Sugar: “Is it okay if I adopt this chao please?”
*Her eyes plead Mana with all of her soul and some of the chao’s*

Mana: *blinking in surprise still* Uh…
Baby Chao: *clapping happily in Sugar’s arms*
Mana: *smiles* Yeah, sure!
Melody: *floats next to Mana* Sugar wanted to work here, Mana!
Mana: In the hotel?
Melody: Like Tikal! *points the quiet and seated Tikal near the lake, who has simply been watching the events*
Mana: … *looks to Sugar in surprise* As a chao caretaker?

*Sugar nods excitedly, her floppy hair flowing even more than before now, and she snuggles with the baby chao even closer to her chest*
Sugar: “I hadn’t ever really spent time with chao before now, but I absolutely love them so much!”
*Sugar smiles and her giggles are diabetic in nature*
Sugar: “I would love to assist you around the hotel, especially if you’d let me care for the chao as well~!”

Mana: *for reasons she’s not sure of, her cheeks feel a little warm, but she nods nonetheless* You’ll have to get training under Tikal, but if she sees you’re ready to work with chao…
Tikal: *makes her way over, a more genuinely happy smile now on her expression* I would be more than happy to oversee Sugar’s training. *turns her smile on Sugar* It would be wonderful to have company here~
Baby Chao: *makes happy baby chao noises at the sight of Tikal and seems to vvy for her attention as well*
Tikal: *moves closer to the chao, petting her so that her ecomotion becomes a heart, which makes her own smile brighter as well* Hello little one~! *looks up to Sugar* Have you named her?

*Sugar seems overjoyed at being considered, but she surpresses it enough to realize she hadn’t quite named it yet. Looking down at the little chao, she grins happily and replies to Tikal*
Sugar: “Cube~!”
*She looks down at the little chao and pats its head carefully*
Sugar: “Would you be alright with that name~? “

Baby Chao: *a little question mark forms out of her dot as she puts a hand to her mouth in contemplation, making a little chao hum* ... *the question mark becomes an exclamation point as she makes happy cooing sounds of approval*
Tikal: *laughs lightly* Looks like she likes it~

*Sugar laughs giddily and spins around with the chao once*
Sugar: "Okay! Cube it is! It's so good to be friends with you, Cube!"
*She has all but forgotten the reason she was there in the first place with her infatuation with Cube as she cuddles more closely with it*