TV TIME!

...don't give him the satisfaction Kris. You're stronger than that Kris. You're way more powerful than that KRIS-

"...which flavor."

for the "i don't need your help" one

you can get lost.

i thought i told you i had this under control.

you never listen to me.

i was taking care of it.

leave me alone.

are you happy now?

you just stepped in and ruined it for me.

that was completely unnecessary and you know it.

i had it under control.

you didn't need to show up.

can't you let me handle my own shit?

i would have appreciated it if you asked first.

i had it handled!

you didn't need to do all that!

what part of "i don't need help" do you not understand?

they were about to give it to me before you showed up!

i had something going and you ruined it!

what, you mean you don't trust me to handle it myself?

you trained me better than this.

you can't just show up every time and save me.

what's the point in putting me out here if you're not going to let me do it on my own?

i thought you trusted me to take care of this by myself.

you taught me this.

i'm never going to forgive you for this.

that was uncalled for.

what happens when you're not here one day and i have to take care of things on my own?

how am i ever going to learn if you keep stepping in?

i'm not you.

for the "i'm just trying to help you" one

i heard you struggling.

i was just trying to help you.

and this is the thanks i get for trying to help?

things were getting out of hand. i had to step in.

you never would have done that by yourself.

it's okay to ask for help.

it's not that i don't trust you. i don't trust [them].

a minute longer and you'd be dead in there.

i had to make sure you were okay.

of course i trust you. this was never about trust.

i'm not going to risk your life like that!

i should have been there sooner.

if i'd only reached you faster.

a simple "thank you" would suffice.

you could thank me for saving your ass back there.

sure didn't seem like you had it under control.

things were getting out of hand, and i stepped in.

i'm in charge here, not you.

i'm not going to put your life at risk like that again.

we're done here.

i'm not arguing with you.

i saved your life, and this is how you repay me?

i just wanted to make sure you were okay.

maybe i crossed a line back there, sure, but i did it for you.

it's because i care about you.

of course you're capable. that was never up for debate.

you're not ready.

next time, let me handle it.

clearly you need more time before i let you do that alone.

there's still a lot of work to be done.

i'm not finished with it yet.

i can't give up just yet.

there's nothing noble about working yourself to death.

you think i can't handle this myself?

there's not enough hours in the day.

i realize you think you have to do this.

working like this helps me think.

i'll sleep when i'm dead.

your work ethic scares me sometimes.

i don't need your help.

do you ever sleep?

they need me.

no matter how hard you work, it won't bring them back.

do you realize how crazy that sounds?

i'm not stopping until this is done.

you need to slow down.

i feel like i'm wasting my life.

have you ever taken a vacation?

i can handle this on my own.

i'm nothing without my work.

you're going to get sick if you keep going like this.

you've proven your point.

you're going to work yourself to death.

there are worse ways to spend a life.

you can't keep going at this pace.

i don't have time to rest.

it needs to be done.

do you have any healthy coping mechanisms, by any chance?

there's no time to waste.

i think it's time for you to take a break.

everything was going great until you stopped me.

i can't sleep yet. not until this is done.

i'm the only one who can do this.

at least let me help you.

if i just focus on my work, i don't have to think about anything else.

i'm not asking you to take a break, i'm telling you.

did you really have to interrupt like that?

i'm not budging.

it's my life's work.

you're not going to convince me otherwise.

when was the last time you slept?

i'll help you finish the job if you promise to get some rest.

you're practically falling asleep standing up.

you can finish this in the morning.

let me get you to bed.

don't you get it? it's over!

working yourself to death isn't going to fix anything.

if i don't do it, no one else will.

i wish you would take some time to rest.

i'm not taking a break, if that's what you're asking.

you just broke my concentration, thank you very much.

i'm not going to bed.

i don't know how to quit.

they're counting on me.

too many people rely on me.

i can't disappoint them.

you need a vacation.

i wish you would just listen to me and slow down.

your eye bags have eye bags.

all right, that's it. i'm putting my foot down.

no more excuses.

what do you get out of this? this overworking thing?

without my work... i'm nothing.

no one else is going to step in.

i don't care about me. i care about them.

we have unfinished business.

if i stop now, it'll be like giving up.

i'm a perfectionist. it's in my nature.

better to pour myself into my work than something else.

i wish you would go easy on yourself.

Unless he's trying to flirt via talking about kids. Very clever. Everyone loves a single dad who loves his kids-- erm, almost everyone.

"I Dunno If They Did They Never Filmed It???"

...they probably did tho.

"They Did Send Anon Hate To Berdly Sometimes? That's Not That Bad The Wall Of Texts He Writes Back Are Very Funny. That's How They Keep Eachother Ready For Battle I Think

And Uhmmmmmm They've Been Trying To Pirate Stuff? Watch Music Videos- Do You Know Rush E They Watched It On Loop For Like Three Days Once."

...that's not answering the question, hm. Hand on her chin, Queen pouts lightly. Is Kris a good person?

« - ah?? » NO NEVERMIND ABORT MISSION ABORT MISSION THIS IS TOO MUCH HE'S HORRIBLE HE'S THE WORST WHAT DID HE TURN KRIS INTO « A... anon hate?? » WHAT EVEN IS THAT. NO WAIT HE DOESN'T WANT TO KNOW. « Pirate??... i-it's not like playing the pirates, eh...? » WHAT'S RUSH E-- « ... l-lackey huh?? Hahaha good great amazing thanks hahaha »

Okay no, welp, there he goes. He's shrinking again. He understood one third of what Queen said and he didn't like a single word, great! In a matter of a few seconds, Tenna shrinks so much that he can now be picked up like literally a kitten. He hugs his legs laughing weakly, and after a few seconds falls on his side still holding himself like a baby.

Still with a leg forward, ready to take yet another step, the Queen let out a confused noise as she turned around, looked for him. Ended up looking down.

"Ah.

Smol."

The Queen's leg returns next to the other as she turns completely, leaning down in a perfect 90 degrees, her hands on her hips.

"Hey Really They Were Cool Actually"

Well. That was an interesting... attempt? At trying to make him feel a little better about himself.

« Mmhh… »

His antennae bend down as he rests his head on the arms. Kris was… cool? But shoplifting is not a good thing to teach to a kid… Perhaps it's those old movies that give a life as black and white as their film, but he doesn't think that is a good thing. But… well. He also keeps seeing Kris as the small child that needed him. And they are not that kid anymore. Perhaps Queen knows best. And as she says, they didn't hurt anyone, which is the real important thing.

« … okay. » he admits in the end, a weary nod accompanying that small word. « I mean, I… I guess he shoplifted me too, right? He, uh… houselifted. » Is that even a word? « That is. Okay? » Well, he's not shrinking anymore, so her words did have a somewhat good effect on him. He doesn't grow back in size either, but it's a start.

« Uhm, Mike? I've been hearing you went around fighting against the Lightners. I've received complains about it. Uhhh why did you do that...? »

"Boss. Lemme tell ya somethin'."

He sure as hell beat the crap out of the Lightners, alright. And with 'he', we mean Mike. All three of them. But of course, of course, when it's time to get yelled at, it's Motormouth who has to take the blame for something all three of them did! ...who CARES if he started, the Lightners were the one who started that crap when they entered the Mike Room!

Why the HELL did the Prince even make a Mike Room to BEGIN WITH?!

"Lemme do my job, and I'll let ya do yours, y'hear? They, like-

Ah. Concerning? It is not the first time Mike uses that tone with him ( the one that, depending on the day, either made him very irritated or very scared without a real reason, and that today miraculously finds him in a very weird middle ground - likely because of his confusion, way stronger than anything else right now ), but it is a really rare occurrence for sure. Tenna stares at Mike for a moment, the broken antenna twitching in a hidden show of him not really knowing how to respond. Eventually, only one answer comes to him.

« … o…kay? »

Okay. Uhm, yes, sure, okay Mike. Tell him something.

And he tells him something - that is… confusing? Tenna listens, opens his mouth to interrupt him, closes it without saying anything, keeps listening. In the end, it takes him a good handful of seconds before actually responding, his hands joined in prayer in front of the mouth in an attempt to actually find the right words. They really don't come. He's even more confused than before, to be fair.

« … uhm. Mike? Wwwwhat are you talking about? »

« hello, kris. i’ve been expecting me. … you. i’ve been expect– I’VE REHEARSED THIS AND EVERYTHING! »

They just kind of. Stand there. At the entrance of the room Ralsei made for the TV World's gang. It looks like most of them left to see Susie personally fistfight the Queen's giant robot at the cafè, leaving Tenna behind.

Tenna and Kris, who for some reason was told by a certain something to sneak out to meet their television, apparently. Television who tried so hard to do a cool entrance.

♥ that was bad. that was bad.

"That was bad."

Then, after a handful of painfully long seconds of silence:

« YES I know it was bad thank you!! It was awful actually!! Hahaha!! » Oh boy. The worst entrance he could make, he did. Wonderful. He can't even remember the last time things went smoothly. It was easier once.

Not true. But let him dream.

« Well, I'm-! Erm. » He gives one last pat at Mike - who was purring gently on his lap and was very much enjoying his attempt at being a James Bond villain, with all the cuddles it meant for him -, and then gently picks him up to put him on the ground. He waves at him, an invitation ( gentle, for once ) at meeting the others and enjoy Susie's fistfight with the giant robot outside. Mike stretches and leaves with a happy meow, leaving the sorta two of them alone in the room - Tenna sitting on a makeshift chair, index fingers touching with embarrassment.

"Oh Yea A Lot I've Been Technically Shoplifted Too Lmao. That Was Very Impressive Actually."

Is it shoplifting if technically she's from a library? ...semantics.