[Gift] Knight's Hangover

Lancelot didn't drink often. That was something very clear.

He only drank during the holidays in Seronus, as he often liked to visit the planet and even called it home- And as he laid in bed, one paw over his sore face, he regretted ever deciding to take it easy and drink through the night.
"So er.." Naomi started, fiddling her paws, "This probably isn't a good time to mention this, but.. You were planning to return to that planet with the king today." Lancelot grimaced, ears lowered, as he slowly got up. "Get me a paper and pencil, please." He groaned, and Naomi quickly rushed off- Lancelot clutching at his aching head. Soon enough, the Brown-furred Luminite returned with paper, a pen, and an envelope just in case. Lancelot leaned forwards, quickly grabbing onto the items and writing something onto it.

Grabbing the envelope, he folded the paper and put it inside. "Take this to Checkmate," He grumbled as he put his head back on his pillow. "You'll recognize him. Checkered fur pattern, sounds enough like Shakespeare to put me to shame." "Wuh- Me? You sure?" Naomi's tail wagged with excitement- He had always been so insistent that Naomi never, ever follow him to the planet that King Checkmate followed home. 'He would absolutely destroy thee without any hesitation! I will not allow thou to such dangerous areas yet.' He would always insist, and yet here he was, telling her to go off to there by herself. "I can do that!" She confidently rushed out the door before Lancelot could even realize what he had just done.
Lancelot lay in bed for a couple of seconds, before his eyes immediately shot open, processing what he just did. "..NAOMI, WAIT-!" He yelped, trying to get out of bed- But immediately felt like his insides were going to become outsides. *'Oh stars, be safe...'*

"Alatar, c'mon! We're going on an adventure!" Naomi quickly grabbed her brother before he could even yelp, dragging him along the streets towards the port. "Where- Huh!?" The purple-haired Luminite yelped as Naomi rushed through the walkways of town, jumping into the air and heading off into space. "Where are we going!?" Alatar managed to sputter out as Naomi grinned. "To Checkmate's!" "WHAT?!" Alatar floated after his sister regardless, but his expression was completely and utterly baffled. "We'll die if we go there! Lancelot has made it VERY clear we'll die!" "Oh, c'mon. I got told by him to deliver a letter, and don't act like you aren't curious!" Naomi held up the letter with a smug grin, and Alatar sighed. "I mean, I am, but still..." He huffed as he followed her through the empty void of space, all the stars around them billions of years away. "Shouldn't take too long to reach it. Then we look around, drop off the letter, and go!" Naomi did little motions with her paws as they wandered the cosmos, going at speeds that were just a casual jaunt to them- But to anything not a Luminite, would be the speed of a comet.

---

CRASH! CRASH!
The sounds of the stars falling echoed throughout the kingdom, Those who lived there instantly on alert. Normally, one bang would simply be the usual now- Just an alert that Lancelot was arriving. But two was unusual- Was it some foolish self-proclaimed "heroes" after the king? Or did the Silver Luminite bring a friend? Instead, two Luminites, barely adults, rushed towards the castle. "This place makes me feel uneasy." Alatar noted, quick on his sister's heels as Naomi nodded. "Gotta admit, Lancelot must feel so cool every time he goes through here!" She replied, as the two headed towards the entrance. They were immediately stopped by some guards- But Naomi showed them the letter, waving it around. Hesitantly, the two were let in- And while they were looking around, someone clearing their throat caught their attention.

"And whyeth have thine both figured themselves worthy of my presence?" The large Luminite towered over them both- Alatar's paws ready to set alight at any moment, and Naomi tried to keep confident despite her legs shaking. "Er, Sir- King-" "Your Majesty," Alatar quickly corrected his sister, "Your majesty, I uh, have a letter from..." She quickly grabbed the envelope, holding it out. "I have a letter from Lancelot-" Naomi started, but Checkmate silently snatched it out of her paws. Naomi struggled not to recoil immediately- She wasn't about to show her already scared brother how freaked out she was. While Checkmate gazed over the letter, Naomi glanced back at Alatar. "He is so much taller than I expected," She whispered, and Alatar grimaced. "He looks like he could decapitate us. Why did I let you bring me along?" "Maybe I wanted my emotional support mage!" "You're a mage too!" "Ahem." The two bickering siblings snapped to attention, and Checkmate held out the letter with an unimpressed expression. "And thou art being completely honesteth that this is from him?" He held out the letter, written in sloppy handwriting- And Naomi quickly nodded her head, wishing she just got flung into the stratosphere.
"Yes- He's got a hangover, he would've come here otherwise!" She quickly rambled, gesturing with her paws- "He's always here! I know that for sure, I'm his apprentice-" "He has an apprentice? I almost pityeth thee." Naomi bit back every snarky remark on her tongue while Alatar gave her a silent look of pleading, almost like he was trying to imprint 'DO NOT DO IT' in her mind. "He teaches me very well," She said curtly. "We are just here to deliver a letter, so we'll be leaving now." Naomi turned, beckoning Alatar to follow- "Do thou really thinketh this is believable?" Checkmate said with a slight growl, and the two looked at him with wide eyes- Naomi spoke before she even thought about what she was saying. "We'll literally bring you to him just to prove it!" She said, and grimaced. Why did she open her mouth? Checkmate stared for a moment, and then nodded. "Then do so with haste!"

---

The flight back home was painfully quiet and awkward, with Naomi wishing a comet would run into her and kill her immediately- Alatar made attempts to talk to the king, but it mostly just led to awkwardness. "So, er, what's with.. You and Lancelot?" Alatar started, floating alongside the black-and-white Luminite, "The fool tried to claimeth mine bounty- I took him down countless timeseth, yet he keeps coming back." Checkmate responded with a roll of his eyes. "It's gotten to the pointeth where I can't go a day or two without seeing him." "This could've been one of those days," Naomi spun back, floating backwards to face Checkmate, "You wanted to go see him." Checkmate glared her down with the fury of royalty- "Only to ensure he isn't making excuses!" "Lance isn't a coward," Naomi responded. "Welcome to Seronus." The planet was in the same solar system as Checkmate's, yet stayed off his radar- Or, rather, some sort of outer force kept his soldiers from getting too far into the atmosphere without being flung back out. Yet, today, the trio got through with no problem. As Naomi crashed into the lakes below, Alatar landed on the docks nearby- And Checkmate descended onto the walkways with grace. The aquatic Luminite lunged out of the water, her brother rushing away to barely avoid a soaked pelt, and the three head off. The town was.. Quaint, much warmer in atmosphere than Checkmate had expected.
Luminites occasionally looked over at the trio, be it with familiar gazes to the duo or confused looks at Checkmate- Some even calling out greetings to the siblings, who waved back in return. Eventually, they stopped upon a house.

"This is it?" Checkmate sounded unimpressed, and Naomi once again had to fight her impulsive urges to snap back at him. "Yup." The door opened without much trouble, and the two nervously walked in- Careful not to be too loud. The floor was rather simple- A large table rested near the left of the house, with a large map on top alongside several scribbles of other Luminites, a plain kitchen that looked like Lancelot hadn't touched it in ages, a loveseat near a bookshelf. Photo frames scattered the walls, primarily just photos of other Luminites- Occasionally Lancelot was in the frame too, but never alone. Checkmate could recognize Naomi, Alatar, and some other dark-furred Luminite being common in the photos "Don't be too loud," Naomi warned, and Checkmate snorted. "Thou has no righteth to tell I what to do-" He started, only to hear a loud groan from another room. Naomi winced, smiling nervously at the source. "Lanceee, I'm baack- Uh.. You have.. A guest..!" She called out, and after an angry huff, someone whispering, and the sound of shuffling- Lancelot appeared, looking like an absolute *mess.* Checkmate was almost taken aback at how different he looked from his usual self- While he normally took care of his fur, it was sticking out in all sorts of positions. A blanket wrapped around him like a cloak, and another Luminite peeked out of what was supposedly his bedroom. "Oh, is that-" "Checkmate," Lancelot didn't even try with the formalities, "*Why* are you in my house? Was the letter not enough?" "I found it hard to believeth that even *thou* has this sloppy handwriti-" "I have had a night of drinking. Of course my handwriting isn't the best!" He growled, as the other Luminite exited his room. "Let's just take it easy-" He hummed, with a flap of his wings. "My name's Shadow. It's a pleasure to meet you, King Checkmate." Shadow purred, putting his paws together, and Checkmate huffed. "At least someoneth here has a hint of respecteth." Alatar blinked as he glanced over at his sister, who rolled her eyes in response.

Lancelot huffed as he shuffled back to bed, Checkmate clearly considering following after. "Since you're already here, maybe I could show you around town!" Shadow offered, and Checkmate barely responded. "Perhapseth." He peered into Lancelot's bedroom, the curtains blocking out any light to keep his migraines at bay- But outside of that, the room showed clear parts of Lancelot's personality- Books of fantasy lined the shelves, particularly folklore- A large sword rested on the wall, and more photoframes- Particularly Lancelot with friends, be it Shadow, Naomi and Alatar, or others. "Are you just gonna head back to your planet now?" Naomi asked, tapping her paw. "I might as well maketh my trip worthethwhile," Checkmate responded with a flick of his tail, "Though I doubt anything here shall impresseth me." Shadow gave a shy smile as he flew out the door, Checkmate following after. "You," He suddenly turned, looking at Naomi who froze up. "Ensure that Lancelot recovers-" He glared. "For he will falleth at my paw, but I demand a fair fight." Checkmate said, before leaving the house- Leaving only Naomi, Alatar, and the pained groan of Lancelot from the bedroom. "..Whateth the fucketh just happened?" Naomi asked, and Alatar just shrugged. "..I'm gonna go get my Snowglobe Fox. Lancelot might want some Coven snuggles." Alatar responded, hearing Lancelot chuckle in the other room. "Right.. Let's just help the big guy get some rest."