~Once Upon a Skephalo~

~Chapter 6~

Bad woke up on his first full day at the mansion feeling very cold. He burrowed down into the blankets on his bed, trying to stay as warm as possible, but still he shivered. The mansion was FREEZING in the mornings, it seemed. Bad reluctantly got out of the bed, standing up. The floor felt like ice under his feet, and he had to slip his boots on to save his feet from freezing. He pulled his cloak tight around his shoulders and ventured out into the hallway.

He heard footsteps not too far away and walked towards the sound. Soon he found Skeppy walking briskly through the hall.

"Wait, Skeppy!" Bad called out. He rushed over to the diamond man. "It's so cold in here."

"Oh," Skeppy said off-handedly, his mind occupied with other matters, "Is it? I didn't notice."

"Yeah, I'm freezing, and I'm wearing my cloak and everything! Don't you have some way to keep this place heated?" Bad asked, crossing his arms over his chest and rubbing his hands over his arms to keep warm as they walked.

"Maybe, I don't know. I've never been bothered by the temperature, you'd have to ask Spifey if maybe he can do something." Skeppy stopped for a moment to peek into a room, before frowning and once again continuing his quick pace down the hall. He seemed to be searching for something.

"Have you seriously never noticed how cold it gets?! I can literally see my breath fogging up in the air!" Bad said.

"No," an annoyed tone entered his voice. "I don't feel temperature. Diamond skin isn't exactly sensitive to hot or cold."

"O-oh." Bad felt silly. He should've thought about that. "Sorry... I didn't think about that."

"It's fine," Skeppy said, sighing. "Just another reminder that I'm a freak," he muttered, not intending for Bad to hear.

"That's not true," Bad exclaimed, having caught the remark. "You should be proud of your diamond skin - it's pretty, and I think it's cool." Bad smiled, hoping to cheer Skeppy up. "I know you said other people treat you badly because of it, but don't let those meanies get to you."

"Thanks," Skeppy said, a tiny smile tugging at his lips. Bad's optimism amused him, and while he wasn't sure he agreed with what the boy said, he still appreciated the effort. Maybe, one day, Skeppy could explain to Bad why he hated his diamond skin so much, but for now, it was probably best not to get into the details.

"Do you know where Spifey is, so I can see about him making it a little warmer?" Bad asked, rubbing his hands together for warmth.

"I don't know, he might be in his room; it's back the way we came, to the left of your room if you're looking at your door. You'll probably be able to recognize it, it's the only room that has things growing from it."

"Uh... okay. Thanks," Bad turned back around to go find Spifey.

Skeppy continued his search, glad that Bad was gone. Not that he didn't like Bad, but he was doing something important. It was supposed to be a surprise and he didn't want Bad to find out ahead of time. He did have to admit, it was a little annoying to have to keep explaining about himself and his diamond skin, but at the same time, he appreciated the fact that Bad was treating him normally, and holding him to the same standards as any other human.

In fact, Bad had even gone so far as to apologize for upsetting him yesterday. And that was why Skeppy was now desperately searching for the basket that Bad wanted back so much. He planned on finding it and surprising Bad with it, and maybe even filling it with flowers or some other nice gift.

Meanwhile, Bad was searching desperately for Spifey. He had found the fairy's room, which was more of a garden than anything else. Plants clung to the walls and ceiling, and vines snaked across the floor, making the place feel more like it was outdoors than inside. Mushrooms of all colors and sizes grew everywhere, some popping up from the floor like umbrellas, others protruding off the walls like shelves. And shelves they were, for books and jars were stored on some of the mushrooms. Some young trees and bushes lived in the room as well, forcing Bad to walk around them to see the rest of the area. One corner of the room housed a hammock of sorts, made from netted ropes, hanging from the ceiling. Several jars and bags and things were also suspended from the ceiling in this manner, held in the air by the thick rope. Some furniture poked out from the thick vegetation of the room here and there; a wardrobe could be seen under some ivy, a desk stood nearby with its legs entangled in patches of flowers, and a bookshelf had been made into a home for many pots of plants and herbs and flowers.