Adventures of Dantero and Company - Part 2

-*- PurpleKoopa Deep aboard the meteor, a ragged man continues his daily obsession.
-*- PurpleKoopa The Mayor stands back and admires his creation. His town. His beloved town. It had grown considerably in the two years he'd spent on the meteor, and to him, perhaps it was something... /more/ than a town. A /vision/. He'd thrown around a few new ideas - Can City, Cantropolis, Cantralia... One of these days he'd narrow it down.
-*- PurpleKoopa But something was missing to complete this transformation. But /what/? What could constitute this being a city? Something the Dave human mentioned once... big, tall... Oh yes, that's right.
-*- PurpleKoopa /Skyscrapers/.
-*- PurpleKoopa After finding a spare corner of town in need of some improvement, he stacks can on can quickly as possible. Can he do it? Yes. Yes he /can/.
<alabastorArchbabby> (holy shit)
<alabastorArchbabby> (peeks i'm)
<alabastorArchbabby> (i'm so pride right now)
-*- PurpleKoopa did i do good
-*- Jaspersprite A+++]]
<LambentLodestar> (it's so beiuetuifiul)
<-> Jaspersprite is now known as grimMaryam
*** Mode #bromegle +o PurpleKoopa by ChanServ
<LambentLodestar> Lambda wayked into the scene, ogying the stacked metay objects with her usual googyy, sparkyy eyes. What a find in her usuay wanderings of the dream bubbyes! She poked one of the towers, "skyscrapers", and.... CRASH.
<LambentLodestar> "Oopsie!" She murmured, in slight shock from seeing it fayy. They were a yittye bit more, hm, deyicate than she had thought...
<LambentLodestar> Weyy now, it wasn't quite so pretty anemonemore, now that she'd knocked that tower over. What a wake of destruction it had yeft. She backed away from the carapacian she onyy now noticed had been tending it.
-*- grimMaryam And... SPLASH. Oh, boo. She really shouldn't walk as fast as she does-- it's not as though Can Town's going to get up and walk away anytime soon. /Now/ look at what she's done-- splashing her mug of coffee onto her shirt. It wasn't much, admittedly-- and alchemizing more cloth to sew up another one wouldn't be /exceptionally/ tedious, but... still! It's a
<grimMaryam> disaster. You either look your best or you look like the rest; and this certainly isn't her best!
-*- grimMaryam Kanaya has yet to fully understand that she can completely skip sewing the clothes and just alchemize a new set. Sewing's much more fun, anyway.
-*- grimMaryam She tries to wipe the spot with a handkerchief as she walks at a much more cautious pace to her destination, careful not to spill the mug any further than it has. Ugh. No matter, she guesses-- it's not as though anybody else on the meteor's given much thought to her state of dress, anyway. Save for Rose, of course.
-*- grimMaryam The state of can town is a bit distressing, however, once she finally arrives on scene. What a travesty! Katrina don't got shit on the toppled cans that once stood tall and proud as a tower. The handkerchief is tucked away in her sylladex as she assesses the damage-- today is not a good day for the people of can town.
--> chthonianGunslinger (~Rory@cpe-74-79-162-167.twcny.res.rr.com) has joined #bromegle
<LambentLodestar> Oh, oh shoot, another troyy. Lambda wishes she couyd wake up, but waking up's a yittye hard when... Ah, forget it. She never yiked encountering her feyyows, because normayyy- or at yeast, in her experience- they wanted to beat the crap out of her, the yittye seadweyyer.
<chthonianGunslinger> [siiiiigh]
<-- alabastorArchbabby (~Rory@cpe-74-79-162-167.twcny.res.rr.com) has quit (Ping timeout: 190 seconds)
<LambentLodestar> Weyy, maybe this one was different? She was never sure about these things.
-*- PurpleKoopa [need me to send you a recap, dude?]
<-> chthonianGunslinger is now known as alabastorArchbabby
<alabastorArchbabby> [i'd appreciate it lots, broseph]
<PurpleKoopa> Oh. Oh /no/. The mayor watches as the tower collapses right before his very eyes, and... Oh. /Oh/. It's /terrible/. Shocked beyond words, he trembles, shaking the can he still holds in his hands. He looks at the tower, then at the devastated downtown district. It's. God. What a /disaster/. There's no /way/ the damage could ever be--
<PurpleKoopa> Wait, get /ahold/ of yourself, man. It's not /completely/ ruined, right? The crime has just been committed, and the perpetrator still stood in his midst. Something could be done about this, and as the proactive mayor of this fair town, he would most rightly see to its end. THIS DEED WOULD NOT GO UNPUNISHED.
<PurpleKoopa> He stares at the new troll and points indignantly at the tumbled cans. Okay. You know what you did. Come on. Go. Pick those up.
-*- grimMaryam Oh-- yes, the other troll. Curious fellow, she thinks. How'd they even get here? Were they passing through another bubble once more? She hardly even noticed, frankly-- she was far too busy concerned on more important thinks. Coffee spills. Toppled cans. You know, first world problems.
<LambentLodestar> Lambda wasn't about to go near that guy. She didn't know how sharp those cyaws were.
<grimMaryam> "What Turn Of Tragic Events Has Occured Here"
<LambentLodestar> Okay, fiiiiine. She gingeryy approached and turned ayy the royying cans onto their fyat sides. Ayy of them. Every one.
<grimMaryam> "This Is Surely An Irreconcilable That Can Never Be Undone"
<grimMaryam> "The Citizens Of Can Town Must Be Devastated I Am Sure"
<grimMaryam> "Could There By Chance Be Anything That I Can Do To Soften The Strike" Might as well play along, after all. She'll pretend it's not just a bunch of gathered stacked cans if you don't notice the spill.
-*- grimMaryam ... On the black shirt.
<LambentLodestar> Not remembering AT AYY what Can Town yooked yike before she WRECKED IT yike a certain fictionay character in movies out recentyy, Lambda took a step back, keeping her previous distance.
<PurpleKoopa> Ah, citizen Kanaya! WV stops staring sternly at Lambda for a moment and turns to greet the other troll. "yes, thank you for asking about disaster relief. these buildings must be reassembled. this dangerous fool must explain herself. as mayor, i cannot stand for this."
<LambentLodestar> Lambda stuck her tongue out and byew raspberries. Dangerous fooy. Ahuh... And her horns were made of goyd. Goyd yike her pretty yittye spear. "I didn't hurt anemoneybody! It was just an accident. It's not a disaster."
<PurpleKoopa> WV takes a look at the upright cans. Hm. Better, but still not good enough. "you call this an accident. that is unacceptable. you didn't even rebuild the apartment complex." He sighs, sadly restacking some of the fallen buildings. "citizen kanaya. keep an eye on this one."
-*- alabastorArchbabby CRASH.
<grimMaryam> [[Oops popped away for a moment 8y]]
-*- alabastorArchbabby Today.
-*- alabastorArchbabby Is a very scary day to be mayor.
<grimMaryam> "I Am Sure She Did Not Mean Any Harm By It As She Says" She affirms, picking up a rolling can with the upmost caution. It was a building, right? Or a citizen? Honestly, she had no idea which was which."I Believe I Will Do Just That However In Case She Is Not Quite As Truthful As She Comes Off As"
<grimMaryam> "You Could Say"
-*- PurpleKoopa GREAT SMOKES WHAT WAS THAT
<grimMaryam> "I Will Keep Tabs On Her"
-*- grimMaryam  8y
-*- grimMaryam  8y8y8y8y8y
<LambentLodestar> Lambda continued to stare flatyy at this scene, a pout on her face, until her eyes brightened up to their usual wideness. "Wakey wakey, I thinky." Her form vanished with a yittye fyash of yight characteristic of waking from a dream bubbye.
-*- grimMaryam Also wAIT wHAT
-*- alabastorArchbabby There's been a disaster in the residental area, resident! Look at all those cans! LOOK AT THEM!
-*- alabastorArchbabby Look at them roll in agony!
-*- alabastorArchbabby The strip mall will never be the same.
-*- grimMaryam oH
-*- alabastorArchbabby There's also some bundle of blue and white sniffling in there.
-*- alabastorArchbabby But, shit, who cares about that? We've got a crisis to worry about!
-*- grimMaryam Are We Under Attack By That Thing From Dragon Tales
-*- grimMaryam The Blue One
<-- LambentLodestar (Mibbit@user-11fa61o.dsl.mindspring.com) has quit (Quit: http://www.mibbit.com ajax IRC Client)
-*- alabastorArchbabby https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LUjxPj3al5U
-*- alabastorArchbabby REBEL 1!
-*- alabastorArchbabby ACTION!
-*- grimMaryam This Is Not The Dragon Tales I Grew Up With
-*- alabastorArchbabby Except no, because that pile of flab doesn't look like it's about to attack any time soon. If anything, it's just wibbling there.
-*- PurpleKoopa are we fighting michael jordon now
-*- alabastorArchbabby surprise
-*- grimMaryam Nero is actually Michael Jordon also
-*- grimMaryam Best of both worlds yo
<PurpleKoopa> "yes. very good," he says to Kanaya. "you are a credit to can town. i could not do this without--" SUDDENLY! A rattle of cans breaks out! Speechless, WV stares down at a can rolling past him. He looks up to find yet /another/ heinous disaster scene. Two separate attacks on the same day??? This was completely unprecedented.
<PurpleKoopa> "BOY," he calls out at the sniffling bundle of tears. "YOU THERE. BOY."
-*- grimMaryam Oh good heavens, what *now*?! Kanaya spins on her heel as her grip on the can tightens. Cans go rolling every which way as disaster strikes once again, causing chaos amidst the once peaceful society of Can Town. And look at the mayor-- the poor Dersite was in an absolute wreck, already shedding many a tear over the disarray of the cans.
<PurpleKoopa> "DID YOU DO THIS. BOY. QUIT YOUR WIBBLING."
-*- grimMaryam ...
-*- grimMaryam But at least nobody noticed the coffee stain.
-*- grimMaryam P r i o r i t i e s
-*- alabastorArchbabby Said boy had finally managed to get himself off the floor, rubbing an eye with his loose sleeve. Crying? No, of course not! Crying was for babies. He just got some icky dust in his eye, that's all.
-*- alabastorArchbabby He couldn't have been older than seven or eight, from the looks of it. With his hair all ruffled up and his sweatshirt dragging behind his waist, he looked like a dead ringer for a street rat.
-*- alabastorArchbabby ...But he was not crying, okay?
-*- alabastorArchbabby These bruises barely even hurt.
-*- alabastorArchbabby B[
-*- alabastorArchbabby B,[
-*- alabastorArchbabby He snapped up as the mayor's booming voice startled him out of his daze, hair suddenly standing on end. Oh. Oh god. Look at these people. All gray and black and sharp and clawy.
-*- alabastorArchbabby They were definitely bad guys.
-*- alabastorArchbabby Shit.
-*- grimMaryam Swear. :c
-*- alabastorArchbabby ...No no, he couldn't be scared. Big boys don't get scared. Don't get scared. They can smell scared.
-*- alabastorArchbabby Had to stand his ground. Come on Nero, be a big boy. Don't be a baby don't be a baby--
-*- alabastorArchbabby "s-so what if i d-d-did?" he pouting, trying not to shiver in his boots. Trying not to cry.
-*- alabastorArchbabby Failing at both.
-*- alabastorArchbabby But he had to try.
<alabastorArchbabby> (an i-im not w-wibblin)
-*- alabastorArchbabby There. That would show them. He wasn't afraid of them or nothing!
-*- grimMaryam ... Oh, dear. The culprit of this was all but a human-- or, well. What appeared to be human? He was a lot smaller than the ones she's come in contact with, that much is for sure. And she wasn't aware that they could have hair whiter than a ghost, either. Every day's a school day, she guesses. He appeared to be distressed as well-- bruised, too. The mayor
<grimMaryam> didn't appear to look so good, either--
-*- grimMaryam It's like a party except everybody's crying.
<PurpleKoopa> The disgruntled Mayor commands authority in the most MATURE and AUTHORITATIVE way he can.
<PurpleKoopa> Hands on his hips, baby.
<alabastorArchbabby> (oh god hahaha)
<alabastorArchbabby> (sassy mayor)
<PurpleKoopa> "so. that means you are to pick them back up. undo what you have done. it is only proper."
-*- alabastorArchbabby ...Wh-what?
<grimMaryam> "Uhm"
-*- alabastorArchbabby The poor kid looks like a lost fawn in the middle of the road.
<grimMaryam> "Yes That Would Be Fair I Suppose"
<grimMaryam> "If You Please"
-*- grimMaryam < :l
-*- alabastorArchbabby What was he talking about? Pick what up? The cans? W-was this some kind of trick? Would something bad happen if he did it wrong? O-or didn't do it at all
-*- alabastorArchbabby Where was he, anyway?
-*- alabastorArchbabby He glanced around, seeing only cans and darkness in his wake. No way out. No way in.
-*- alabastorArchbabby Oh.
-*- alabastorArchbabby Oh no.
-*- alabastorArchbabby Oh no.
-*- alabastorArchbabby He was so dea.d
-*- alabastorArchbabby He should've never wandered away from his dad. Now he was lost and hurt and maybe even d-dead--
-*- alabastorArchbabby ...N-no, he'd be back. He'd always come back. Any minute now, he was gonna swoop in and save the day. He just.
-*- alabastorArchbabby Just had to keep them from eating him until then.
-*- alabastorArchbabby Slowly, bewilderedly, he started to pick a can up with shivering hands. Don't cry. Don't cry. Crying only made it worse. He could do this. He could stop them from eating him.
-*- alabastorArchbabby B-but.
-*- alabastorArchbabby He just had to know.
-*- alabastorArchbabby Were they going to throw him in a vat of acid? Eat him from the inside out? Throw the moon onto him? The suspense was going to kill him.
-*- alabastorArchbabby Literally. He felt like his insides were going to pop if he didn't know.
-*- alabastorArchbabby "a-an w-what if i dont?"
-*- alabastorArchbabby "o-or if i dont do it right?"
-*- alabastorArchbabby Wait. No. No. He shouldn't have asked. Not knowing was better. Oh god, not knowing was so much better.
-*- alabastorArchbabby He gulps.
<PurpleKoopa> Seeing that the child is starting to realize the severity of his actions, the Mayor crosses his arms and stands firm. He proceeds to throw away his lessons on human etiquette. "COMMUNITY SERVICE. AND IF THAT FAILS. STRICT JAILTIME. I WILL HAVE CHIEF ENFORCER TEREZI SEE TO IT PERSONALLY."
-*- alabastorArchbabby "m-my dads a real scary m-monster hunter. he eats guys like you for b-breakfast."
<alabastorArchbabby> "s-so dont try anything f-funny."
-*- alabastorArchbabby >B[
<alabastorArchbabby> "...o-okay?"
-*- alabastorArchbabby <B[
<grimMaryam> [[Oops I]]
<grimMaryam> [[Oblivion'd]]
-*- alabastorArchbabby ...They were going to throw him in jail? Monster jail!? He couldn't go to monster jail! They'd eat him alive!
-*- alabastorArchbabby There was probably pits full of lava and teeth a-and--
<PurpleKoopa> Monster hunter? /Coarse/ /threats/? What was this juvenile mastermind playing at? He reestablishes his crossed arms, in case the boy missed it the first time or something. "MONSTER HUNTER. MAYORS FOR BREAKFAST. YOU ARE BEING LUDICROUS, BOY."
-*- alabastorArchbabby And dinosaurs. Not the good kind either. The scary kind.
<PurpleKoopa> "I AM NOT TRYING ANYTHING FUNNY. I AM THE MAYOR. I DO NOT JOKE. LOOK. LOOK AT HOW SERIOUS I AM."
-*- alabastorArchbabby Suddenly his movements become frantic, wild, as he struggle to get all the cans in order. No, no, he couldn't go. Had to do it right. Don't cry. Damnit, don't cry.
<alabastorArchbabby> "i see it! i-i see it!"
-*- grimMaryam Well... the mayor seemed to at least get over his fit of tears, where the timid and horror-ridden boy's on the brink of letting loose a waterfall. It'd be unacceptable to just stand idly by while somebody was in such a state-- especially when there was no need fo... Monster hunter? Eating people like them alive?
-*- grimMaryam She believes there may have been a misunderstanding.
<alabastorArchbabby> "p-please don't eat me!"
<alabastorArchbabby> [everyone's favorite character in homestuck, everybody]
<alabastorArchbabby> [give him a round of applause]
<grimMaryam> "I Truly Hate To Speak For Us All"
<grimMaryam> "But I Highly Doubt That Any Of Us Intend On Eating You Alive"
<grimMaryam> "That Would Be Rude"
-*- alabastorArchbabby Wh.
-*- alabastorArchbabby What?
<PurpleKoopa> He nods sternly at the child, glad to see that he understands his duty. It's tough work, being a leader. He commanded an army once. This was no different. "YES," he adds. "THIS MAY BE CAN TOWN. BUT I DO NOT PROMOTE CANNIBALISM. THAT WOULD BE UNCIVILIZED.'
-*- grimMaryam Was this their first time actually seeing a troll? A rainbow drinker, no less-- and from the sound of things, a dersite as well. His blatant fear took on new clarity, if that were the case. The corners of her mouth sink into a frown-- or, well.  A deeper one, at least.
-*- alabastorArchbabby The boy freezes behind his pile, stunned. A sole can falls from his fingers, rolling away to safety. His eyes are wild and frenzied, still streaming with tears, as he quivers with fear.
-*- grimMaryam Poor thing.
-*- alabastorArchbabby ...They weren't going to eat him? B-but look at those claws! Those teeth! One of them even glowed. People never glowed.
-*- alabastorArchbabby Only monsters did. Or vampires. Or ghosts.
-*- grimMaryam Thank You For Throwing That Into My Face Small Human Boy
-*- grimMaryam Thank
<PurpleKoopa> The boy has given up on his task. Sigh. He turns to second-in-command and starts dictating orders. "CITIZEN KANAYA. SEE TO IT THAT NO MORE RABBLE-ROUSERS STRIKE TODAY. I AM PROMOTING YOU TO TEMPORARY VICE MAYOR UNTIL THE CRISIS IS OVER."
<grimMaryam> "... Oh Yes Right Of Course"
<grimMaryam> "I Will See To It That The Town Is Put On Lockdown Until Further Notice"
-*- grimMaryam That was the day Can Town became a police state and Kanaya became mad with power
-*- alabastorArchbabby He pauses, considering this, before his surprise melts into a far more sullen look. "...youre tryin to /trick/ me arent ya"
<PurpleKoopa> "YES. YOU HAVE MY THANKS TODAY. HOPEFULLY IT NEEDN'T TAKE TOO LON--" Wait, what? What was that?
<alabastorArchbabby> "s-so ycan just grab me when i least expect it"
<alabastorArchbabby> "an drag me tmonster jail"
<alabastorArchbabby> "an then youll probably toss me in some m-monster pit"
<alabastorArchbabby> "w-with lava an everythin!"
<alabastorArchbabby> "w-well"
<alabastorArchbabby> "i aint fallin for it!"
-*- grimMaryam She really wasn't planning on doing this, today. Dealing with small human boys and toppled cans. This is what she gets for deciding to see how Can Town was coming along. She blames society. An exasperated sigh escapes her jaws as she crosses her arms, biting the side of her cheek ever so carefully. "What On Earth Would Make You Believe That"
<grimMaryam> "We Have Access To None Of Those Things"
-*- grimMaryam ...
<grimMaryam> "To The Extent Of My Knowledge"
-*- alabastorArchbabby terezi might have upgraded the jail a bit
-*- alabastorArchbabby 8y
<PurpleKoopa> The Mayor is less than pleased to be interrupted from his very important talk with his new co-mayor. He casts the boy a dubious look. /Trickery/? /Monster/ /pit/? The boy speaks of madness. Trying to escape from the long arm of the law. Had he even /heard/ of democracy before?
-*- alabastorArchbabby That's it. Just had to be brave. Stand his ground until his dad found him. Then everything would be okay and he'd never have to go to monster jail. Come on, come on, he could do this.
<PurpleKoopa> "YOUNG BOY, YOU ARE BEING VERY FOOLISH. THIS IS NOT A DESPOT. IT IS A SAFE HAVEN FROM TYRANTS. AS MAYOR, I CAN PROUDLY SAY THERE IS ABSOLUTELY NO CHANCE OF ANY OF THOSE THINGS HAPPENING."
<PurpleKoopa> He takes a moment to consider this.
<PurpleKoopa> "WELL. TEREZI MIGHT THROW YOU TO THE DRAGONS. BUT THAT'S IT."
-*- alabastorArchbabby Despot? Tyrants? He had no idea what those words meant, but they sounded sc-
-*- alabastorArchbabby DRAGONS?
-*- alabastorArchbabby DRAGONS!?
-*- alabastorArchbabby The boy practically leaps out of his shoes with a terrified yelp, already backing away in horror. N-no, he couldn't do this. He couldn't be brave. This place wasn't safe, wasn't safe at all. He had to leave. Had to run. H-had to go--
-*- alabastorArchbabby Please, please don't fail him shoes.
-*- alabastorArchbabby He didn't want to d-
-*- alabastorArchbabby d-d-d
-*- alabastorArchbabby D-DON'T EVEN THINK ABOUT IT JUST RUN--
<grimMaryam> "I Dont Think He Is"
<grimMaryam> "Especially Fond Of Dragons"
<PurpleKoopa> "WHAT?!" The Mayor is outraged! "DESIST YOUR GETAWAY, BOY!" WV scampers off in pursuit of the perpetrator! He trips over a couple of misplaced cans, but is too caught up in the chase to care. "KANAYA! I MUST GO NOW," he calls out to the co-mayor as he follows him down the lab's hallway. "THE CITY IS IN YOUR HANDS NOW. IT IS IN YOUR HAAAANDS!"
<grimMaryam> "Wait I--"
-*- grimMaryam That boy was obviously /mortified/ at the notion-- and the fact that he's being chased probably won't aid that, either. She brings her hands to her mouth as she watches the duo run off. She'd. She'd go after them, but.
-*- grimMaryam But the city is in her hands.
-*- grimMaryam There is legitimately nothing she can do.
-*- alabastorArchbabby Shit, of course they wouldn't give up. They were going to keep chasing and chasing and chasing after him until the end of time! And if they caught him...
-*- grimMaryam /Monster/ /jail/.
-*- alabastorArchbabby Or worse.
-*- alabastorArchbabby Dragon jail.
-*- grimMaryam /Dragon/ /monster/ /jail/.
-*- PurpleKoopa or animal control service in the /squirrel/ /zone/
-*- grimMaryam He sees uncle gerbil there
-*- grimMaryam Unka gerbil
-*- alabastorArchbabby Oh, god--
-*- alabastorArchbabby He struggle to shake the awful images out of his head, focusing only on running. If he could just outrun them, he'd be fine. Just had to keep running. Through the halls, around the corner, past the weird machine stuff--
-*- alabastorArchbabby Wait.
-*- alabastorArchbabby Wait.
-*- alabastorArchbabby What if he was in monster jail all along?
-*- alabastorArchbabby Oh nO--
-*- alabastorArchbabby The very thought spurs him into a mad dash, sprinting like a race horse.
-*- alabastorArchbabby Mayor McMayor had a real slick fugitive on his hands. Look at that boy run!
<PurpleKoopa> This is not good. The felon is getting away, and the winded Mayor is struggling to keep up the pace. It has been some time since he's been called to action. Not since the 4th Biannual Canlympics has he had to run this fast.
<PurpleKoopa> But he would find him. Yes. Justice must prevail. An old ally of his would've seen to it this way.
<PurpleKoopa> "STOP!" he cries out between breaths. "YOU ARE *cough* YOU ARE NOT GETTING AWAY WITH *WHEEZE* WITH THIS."
-*- alabastorArchbabby No answer to that, only a fervant glance. Oh man, they were still tailing him! He had to lose them fast, or--
-*- alabastorArchbabby Or--
-*- alabastorArchbabby No, he just had to lose them. No time to think about all that other bad stuff.
-*- alabastorArchbabby He blazed around a corner, taking a sharp turn to the right, before pushing on with all his mad. Don't think, don't think, don't--
-*- alabastorArchbabby WHAM!
-*- alabastorArchbabby He didn't think, alright.
-*- alabastorArchbabby Didn't think right into a wall.
<-- grimMaryam (Mibbit@24.148.127.150) has quit (Quit: http://www.mibbit.com ajax IRC Client)
<PurpleKoopa> Rags sagging, and sash hanging loosely, WV only has enough energy to walk the rest of the way. He turns the corner and finally reaches up to his target. See. He knew justice would win in the end. Evil is stupid and that is why it cannot succeed.
<PurpleKoopa> ...This is a very wounded form of evil, he must admit. He leans in, trying to assess the damage.
<PurpleKoopa> "boy," he says, voice too hoarse to speak with mayoral authority. "are you hurt, boy. do you need to be escorted to can town hospital before resuming community service."
-*- alabastorArchbabby With a thudding slam and a hideous whine, he fell flat onto the floor. A awful looking bruise swells up from the impact, speckled with blood. Yeah, he might need some help...
--> Rabbit (Mibbit@173-26-241-249.client.mchsi.com) has joined #bromegle
-*- alabastorArchbabby ...But he wasn't down, not yet. Not on his life. He weakly kicks the mayor, more of a tap than an assault, and slowly backs away with a shiver...
-*- PurpleKoopa tiiiiiiiits
-*- alabastorArchbabby ...Right into a wall.
-*- PurpleKoopa we're in the middle of CRISIS IN CAN TOWN
-*- alabastorArchbabby Shit.
-*- alabastorArchbabby Shit.
-*- alabastorArchbabby He's out. He's down. He's so dead. His dad wasn't going to come in to save him after all. He was just.
-*- alabastorArchbabby Just.
-*- alabastorArchbabby Just dead.
-*- Rabbit oh nooo
-*- Rabbit oh no mayor to kill the bnaby
-*- alabastorArchbabby The waterworks come on like a dam break, streaming down his cheeks in rivers and floods. "p-please--"
-*- alabastorArchbabby SOB.
-*- alabastorArchbabby "p-please don't k-kill me--"
<alabastorArchbabby> "i-i'll d-d-do a-anytHING--"
-*- alabastorArchbabby He didn't come all this way to be eaten by a dragon--
-*- alabastorArchbabby Daaaaad, please--
<-> You are now known as vermillionVanquisher
<PurpleKoopa> The mayor looks down at his kicked, no, /tapped/ knee. ...Ow? It seems the fight was taken out of them - both of them. He stares at the weeping child dead in the eyes. Those poor, sad, tear-ridden eyes. He's seen them before, no, /felt/ them before. Something harkens in him, a memory long-since forgotten.
<PurpleKoopa> The slayer, with his eyes of flame, his bloodied blade. From out of nowhere he had appeared, lashing out at him with such... /hatred/. And then. Then everything went black. That was all he could remember. That was all he could ever remember.
<PurpleKoopa> Had he himself not been in this child's place? Quivering, fearing for his very life? No, he couldn't-- he couldn't have done this to the boy. But... The boy had remorse. This could never be the face of the slayer. What did he /do/ to the poor creature? Was he truly a monster?
-*- Rabbit wv has an existential crisis and then they both wind up huddled together weeping
<PurpleKoopa> He cast his gaze aside and stood in silence. Something was to be done about this. A wrong must be righted. It was his duty. An honorable duty. And without doing it, he may not even be fit to be mayor. A mayor of /playthings/.
<PurpleKoopa> He finally looked back at the child and said,
--> Jaspersprite (Mibbit@24.148.127.150) has joined #bromegle
<PurpleKoopa> "boy. look at me, boy. i am not going to kill you. do you understand that."
-*- alabastorArchbabby Sniffle. The boy looked up tearfully at his would be attacker, shivering with fear and pain. He didn't understand. The monsters didn't have to try and trick him anymore-- they could just attack him, eat him, and save him up for breakfast.
-*- alabastorArchbabby Why weren't they doing it? Why?
-*- alabastorArchbabby That had never stopped them before...
-*- alabastorArchbabby But this guy...this guy wasn't trying to hurt him or anything. He was just. Standing there. Looking all sad and stuff. Was it another trick? Did it really matter if it was?
-*- alabastorArchbabby Another sniffle wracks through him as he curls up into a ball-- just to be extra safe-- and fearfully stared at his captor. "d-d-do..."
<alabastorArchbabby> "do you really mean it?"
-*- vermillionVanquisher Snarl.
-*- Jaspersprite Snark.
-*- vermillionVanquisher The sound echoed down the hall ahead of its source, the forerunner of something that brought with it all-too-immense worry and, now, anger.
-*- PurpleKoopa what's all that snarkin' around for
-*- alabastorArchbabby ...Daddy?
-*- Rabbit and then Alpha shows up and becomes a huge pain in the ass
-*- Rabbit but not really
-*- Jaspersprite I Simply Cannot Help It I Am Radiating Snarknitude
-*- Rabbit because
-*- Rabbit they probably couldn't hold all these dantes
<PurpleKoopa> The mayor nods reassuringly, hoping to bring back some confidence to the boy. He was better. He was going to get better. All he needed to was to fix everything. "i do mean it. you have my word as a mayor and a decent man that--"
<PurpleKoopa> Oh. Oh /god/. It. It couldn't /be/.
-*- vermillionVanquisher A figure rounded the corner, blade brandished. His eyes were as white as his hair but they seemed to glow, dark and angry. An oncoming storm.
-*- vermillionVanquisher Perhaps reminiscent of something hateful.
-*- alabastorArchbabby Daddy!
--> PurpleKoopa2 (Mibbit@157.242.213.103) has joined #bromegle
<-- PurpleKoopa (Mibbit@157.242.213.103) has quit (Quit: http://www.mibbit.com ajax IRC Client)
-*- alabastorArchbabby The boy is quick to scramble over to the man's spot, hiding himself in the folds of his coat. He didn't know if this monster could be trusted or not, but...
-*- alabastorArchbabby ...He was safe now. That's all that mattered.
<-> PurpleKoopa2 is now known as PurpleKoopa
*** Mode #bromegle +o PurpleKoopa by ChanServ
-*- PurpleKoopa can someone resend me everything after "oh god it couldn't be"
<-> alabastorArchbabby is now known as Babbero|cocksureGuttersnipe
<PurpleKoopa> Oh. Oh no no no no no it was him it was him it was HIM with that horrible blade that fire in his eyes the rippling red of the blood he had split what was he DOING here what was the boy DOING to himself oh god oh god he couldn't bear this anymore this couldn't happen again no no he had to STOP THIS
<PurpleKoopa> WV closes his eyes tight and runs blindly into the fray. "GET AWAY. YOU GET /AWAY/ FROM HIM!"
-*- Babbero|cocksureGuttersnipe ...Wait, what? Why was the monster twitching so much? What did he mean by 'Get away from him?' Did he mean Nero? B-but--!
-*- vermillionVanquisher He was as angry as he looked -- his sON WAS MISSING AND THERE'LL BE HELL TO P--
-*- vermillionVanquisher Oh --
-*- vermillionVanquisher Wh-- oh.
-*- Babbero|cocksureGuttersnipe B-BUT--
-*- Rabbit well
<Babbero|cocksureGuttersnipe> "n-nO--"
-*- Rabbit this can only end well
<Babbero|cocksureGuttersnipe> "d-dON'T--"
<Babbero|cocksureGuttersnipe> "hE-E'S A GOOD GUY!"
-*- Babbero|cocksureGuttersnipe Who was, though?
-*- Babbero|cocksureGuttersnipe That, my dear reader, is up to you to decide.
-*- Jaspersprite ;3
-*- PurpleKoopa jaspers do i *KNOW* i can trust you
-*- vermillionVanquisher The tiny bundle that wrapped itself around him, practically dove into his coat, didn't knock him off balance in the slightest, and the sudden, overpowering wall of his son's scent was soothing enough for his grip on his swords to loosen just a little. His son was safe --
-*- Jaspersprite You dont but i am afraid that you do not have many options mister mayor!
-*- Jaspersprite Your tuna cans will be safe in my care.
-*- Jaspersprite ;3
-*- PurpleKoopa good. i knew i could count on you and kanaya. you are both exemplary citizens.
-*- Jaspersprite Kanaya soon found that being the mayor of cans wasn't quite what she was expecting. She thought it would be /exciting/ and full of /glamour/-- but she soon learned that all the glitters were not gold. Her inevitable fall from grace was hard, but she was able to retain her salary with a new job.
-*- Jaspersprite Designing teeny little ensembles for all the citizens of can town.
-*- Babbero|cocksureGuttersnipe -- He seems to be dead set on constricting all the blood flow from your left ankle, though. That might be a problem.
-*- Jaspersprite It's therapudic. Like arts and crafts at a nursing home.
-*- Babbero|cocksureGuttersnipe Also, he looks more shaken than a newborn foal.
-*- Babbero|cocksureGuttersnipe But you already knew that, didn't you.
-*- Babbero|cocksureGuttersnipe y
-*- Jaspersprite $:y
-*- Jaspersprite The $ Is Intended To Be My Horns But I Have Realized Precisely How Foolish It Looked Afterwards
-*- PurpleKoopa dollar rosa
-*- Jaspersprite Yes Thank You
-*- vermillionVanquisher The black-and-brown mass flying at him ("no don't") was knocked cleanly away, the heel of his sword striking hard carapace and throwing the pawn off its course. It was a light blow, compared to what it could've been, the punch pulled at his child's wild, screeching, desperate protest and pulling. The pulling did nothing to his solid stance but the sob pierced the haze of worry and anger he'd felt since the beginning of this ordeal.
<Babbero|cocksureGuttersnipe> [The pulling did nothing to his solid stance but the sob pierced the haze of worry and anger he'd ]
<Babbero|cocksureGuttersnipe> [4 u 8y]
-*- vermillionVanquisher  he'd felt since the beginning of this ordeal.
<vermillionVanquisher> [thank]
-*- vermillionVanquisher Protective anger burned just under his skin, and he wanted nothing more than to plunge the ornate, burning blade in his right hand into the foe, but the ironlike grip around his leg that seemed to both be an attempt at restraining him and seeking comfort halted him.
<PurpleKoopa> A voice called out, but it was lost to him.
<PurpleKoopa> All he heard was the SCREAM that took place when there was bloodshed on the field the countless SCREAMS of his men like pawns in the box they fell the miles the MILES how they crackled and sprang and NO he could not be late this time he could NOT be too late this time and oh god no here came the sword he was dead he was dead he was DEAD HE WAS
<PurpleKoopa> The heel of Dante's sword knocks the chessman away to the side. He collapses onto the ground, shivering helplessly in fear. It was late. There was always nothing he could do. "no. no. NO. please don't do this to him. please please PLEASE have mercy on the both of us."
-*- Jaspersprite La De Da Making Dresses For Cans
-*- Jaspersprite Did You Hear A Scream Ms Tab I Certainly Didnt
-*- Babbero|cocksureGuttersnipe His grip only tightened at the impact, desperately holding on as if that would actually change something. Like it would somehow make this all better and no one had to be hurt, or scared, or--
-*- Babbero|cocksureGuttersnipe Or dead.
-*- Babbero|cocksureGuttersnipe His lip quivers at the thought, but he tries not to focus on his. He was safe now. He was safe and-- and the monster was safe, and no one had to get hurt.
-*- vermillionVanquisher He stared down at the bundle tucked against him, arms like a vice. It wasn't an actual hindrance at all. But the touch, the presence, was soothing to every raging fiber of his being, a reassurance that his hunt had come to fruition. Mind settled only a little, he realized exactly what he'd failed to notice because it wasn't there. There was no blood. An unnecessary breath, this one solely devoted to double-checking that fact.
-*- vermillionVanquisher devoted to double-checking that fact.
-*- Babbero|cocksureGuttersnipe But he watches as the poor black bogeyman writhed and shivered on the ground like a madman. No, no, that wasn't right. That wasn't right word at all. He wasn't mad.
-*- Babbero|cocksureGuttersnipe He was scared.
-*- vermillionVanquisher Indeed, the air smelled only of fear and tears and panic, but his son was basically unharmed. Nevertheless, the fact that he was crying was more than enough to warrant --
-*- Babbero|cocksureGuttersnipe He was scared for himself and for Nero. He didn't want anything bad to happen to either of them.
-*- Babbero|cocksureGuttersnipe From...
-*- Babbero|cocksureGuttersnipe ...From his dad?
-*- Babbero|cocksureGuttersnipe Impossible! His daddy would never hurt him or anyone that didn't deserve it. He was a good guy like that. That was just.
-*- Babbero|cocksureGuttersnipe Just how good guys were.
-*- Babbero|cocksureGuttersnipe But.
-*- Babbero|cocksureGuttersnipe Maybe he didn't know this monster was a good guy too? Nero didn't know either, once. But now he was sure. He was worried about him and wanted to keep him safe.
-*- Babbero|cocksureGuttersnipe That made him a good guy.
-*- vermillionVanquisher ...Was... The black mass was pleading and desperate and shaking as badly as his son, and pleading for both of their safety, and even to his rage-hazed mind that didn't add up.
-*- Babbero|cocksureGuttersnipe He knew that for a fact.
-*- Babbero|cocksureGuttersnipe So he tried his best to steady his breathing and stop shaking so damn much-- failing on both counts-- as he gazed up at his eternal gaurdian. He'd understand, wouldn't he? He was good. He was good. He'd do the right thing.
<Babbero|cocksureGuttersnipe> "pl-please dont hurt him"
<Babbero|cocksureGuttersnipe> "he--"
<Babbero|cocksureGuttersnipe> "he promised he wouldnt hurt me or anythin"
<Babbero|cocksureGuttersnipe> "hes a good guy daddy"
<Babbero|cocksureGuttersnipe> "a good guy"
-*- Babbero|cocksureGuttersnipe Sniffle.
-*- vermillionVanquisher The sniffle was what did it.
<-- Rabbit (Mibbit@173-26-241-249.client.mchsi.com) has quit (Quit: http://www.mibbit.com ajax IRC Client)
-*- vermillionVanquisher The swords disappeared in a faint flicker into his strife specibus. A part of him -- a very large part -- still glowered silently at the perceived perpetrator. That part believed very firmly that his son -- HIS son -- had been somehow accosted, and even if on a small level, that deserved punishment.
-*- vermillionVanquisher But the sniff and the desperation and fear in the boy's voice seared to his human heart and he knew his son needed him. And there would never be a contest between his son's need for comfort versus his need for revenge.
<PurpleKoopa> Lost in his thoughts, the poor, broken mayor lies helplessly on the floor. He holds his arms over his face and waits for his inevitable undoing. He should be dead now. He knows this, this was /always/ the part where we was supposed to die. He remembered. Wait. No, he DIDN'T remember. How he left out there. Abandoned alone in a field of his fallen comrades.
<PurpleKoopa> No. He WAS dead. But not in life, but in spirit.
-*- vermillionVanquisher  He quickly, gently, dislodged the arms from his leg only to kneel down and hug the boy close, the fury formerly overpowering him reduced to a low simmer at the back of his mind.
<PurpleKoopa> That was all but a haunting vision of the past. There, he had an escape. But he couldn't use it now. This time he would end him for good. He would end him, and then this child and Dave and Terezi and Rose and Kanaya and that loud boy and...
<PurpleKoopa> ...The vagabond opens one eye. What. What was he /doing/. Was he... /holding/ him? Had he finally shown the slightest hint of... /compassion/?
-*- Babbero|cocksureGuttersnipe The movement had been sudden, but Nero didn't care. He was safe and warm and everything was going to be okay. Everyone was going to be okay.
-*- Babbero|cocksureGuttersnipe The tears didn't stop flowing and the bruises didn't stop hurting, but that didn't matter. They'd go away. Eventually. Because big boys didn't cry.
-*- Babbero|cocksureGuttersnipe Not when their daddies were around.
-*- Babbero|cocksureGuttersnipe So he pulled himself into that great big hug and wrapped his arms as far as they would-- that is to say, barely even halfway-- as he tried to muffle his tears into his father's vest.
-*- Babbero|cocksureGuttersnipe Sniffle.
-*- Babbero|cocksureGuttersnipe It didn't work too well, maybe.
-*- Babbero|cocksureGuttersnipe "d-dont ever scare me like that again"
-*- Babbero|cocksureGuttersnipe "o-okay?"
<PurpleKoopa> This... This is... Oh. Oh my. The mayor finds himself curled on the floor, watching the coated man embrace the small boy. This was... Not what he thought was happening. Yet it was all so /real/, and yet... No. This was real, it was real, he was /here/ again. He had to make this up somehow, but for now, he would... sit here. And gather himself.
-*- vermillionVanquisher And now every little sniffle made his heart twist and twinge and ache -- he'd left his little boy alone for too long, gotten there too slowly. But then, any measure of time was too long, any delay was too slow. And then the kid had the gall to say that to him. That was his line, thanks.
-*- vermillionVanquisher He couldn't help it when he laughed, and then, tightening his grip: "only if y'never scare me like that again."
-*- vermillionVanquisher Realizing his son was missing had been almost as bad as the day they died. Almost.
-*- vermillionVanquisher And there was still the matter of the injured humanoid that he could practically feel looking on, but only mostly here. But right now his son came first.
<-> Babbero|cocksureGuttersnipe is now known as alabastorArchbabby|cattyCarole
<-> alabastorArchbabby|cattyCarole is now known as alabastorArchbabby|cattyChoral
<-> alabastorArchbabby|cattyChoral is now known as alabastorArchbabby|cattyCarole
-*- vermillionVanquisher No. His son always came first. He held the fragile frame all the tighter, rubbing the little boy's thin back with one hand. "y'okay, kiddo?" he added -- and the words themselves seemed detached in nature, but were spoken tenderly, lovingly, a stark contrast to the wrathful appearance he'd had initially.
-*- alabastorArchbabby|cattyCarole "deal" he mumbled into the vest, squeezing his father closer. He learned his lesson for sure today: no wandering off, not even if it seemed important. This place was big and scary and--
<-> You are now known as vermillionVanquisher|abstersiv
<-> You are now known as VV|AT
-*- alabastorArchbabby|cattyCarole And big. No, ginormous! Super ginormous. Too ginormous to wander in, that was for sure.
-*- alabastorArchbabby|cattyCarole He was never, ever leaving his daddy's side again. They got lucky this time. Who knew would what happen the next time? They might...
-*- alabastorArchbabby|cattyCarole They--
-*- alabastorArchbabby|cattyCarole They--
-*- alabastorArchbabby|cattyCarole ...Bad stuff might happen again.
-*- alabastorArchbabby|cattyCarole Really bad stuff.
-*- alabastorArchbabby|cattyCarole And he didn't want anything bad to happen ever again.
-*- alabastorArchbabby|cattyCarole And it wouldn't. Not with his dad by his side.
-*- alabastorArchbabby|cattyCarole He dared himself to pull away from his dad's chest, feeling a little more brave than before, and smiled up at him. "i-"
-*- alabastorArchbabby|cattyCarole "im okay."
-*- alabastorArchbabby|cattyCarole "you dont gotta ever worry bout me old man"
-*- alabastorArchbabby|cattyCarole He tried his best to pull off the same detached coolness his father always seemed to posessed-- with a little bit of ruggedness for good measure-- but...
-*- alabastorArchbabby|cattyCarole It fell just a little bit off the mark.
-*- alabastorArchbabby|cattyCarole Like a little person trying their best to sound like an important grown up.
-*- alabastorArchbabby|cattyCarole But only a little bit.
<PurpleKoopa> The mayor has managed to pull himself together somewhat, or at least enough to say a few words. He didn't want to break up this heart-rendering reunion, but... he at least /owed/ something to them for acting so brashly. It was okay. He felt safe now -- safER in any case. Wait. No. It /was/ okay. He was going to be okay now.
<PurpleKoopa> Clearing his throat a little, he stammers, "excuse me. please. just forgive me for what i did. i did not mean to frighten the boy. or you. uh. sir."
-*- VV|AT Nero had pulled back, put on his brave face (even though Dante couldn't miss the way his voice broke -- just the once), and was okay, he felt assured. Even so, he kept one hand resting softly on the boy's head as he stood up again -- a show of affection, reassurance. He wasn't going anywhere.
-*- VV|AT And the black creature spoke. The quiet, protective rage that had calmed and withdrawn, if only a little, reared its ugly, flaming head again. He kept his cool. If what Nero had said was anything to go by, the creature had done nothing harmful, and the response was unwarranted. In fact, it was barely protectiveness at all.
-*- VV|AT He didn't stop to think about that, very much.
-*- VV|AT And now that he knew that -- knew the black thing was a good guy -- he...wasn't entirely sure what to do.
-*- VV|AT It was easy, when he'd thought the thing was a threat. Eliminate it. But it wasn't, and he hadn't exactly had the chance to consider that possibility.
-*- VV|AT He did know that standing around, doing nothing, was not a valid option. So instead, he tried to grin. "y'excused. 'm pretty sure it was a bit of a misunderstandin'." An understatement, to say the least. But the words were spoken soothingly, light-heartedly. Possibly reminiscent of a Texan he'd never met in this life, though with a much different accent.
-*- VV|AT A larger part of him than he wanted to admit still wanted to grill the creature, to make sure it hadn't upset his son and had no ill will. But rationally, he could see that was not the case -- could hear it in the thing's voice -- and for Nero's sake, he couldn't. Couldn't upset him. The kid didn't deserve that.
-*- alabastorArchbabby|cattyCarole For once, Nero didn't complain about the affectionate ruffling. Didn't even make a single peep. His dad was here, would always be here, and that's what mattered...
<PurpleKoopa> Oh, thank /goodness/ he was understanding. How he ever got him mixed up with... with that /thing/ he had /no/ idea. Rising to his feet, WV feels confident enough to assert himself. He's beginning to feel like... like... like a MAYOR again. He has DIGNITY, doesn't he?
- {Day changed to Mon Dec 3 00:00:00 2012}
-*- alabastorArchbabby|cattyCarole ...Even if it was a little obnoxious. He wasn't a baby anymore, dad. He was seven. S-E-V-E-N.
-*- alabastorArchbabby|cattyCarole But that was okay. He could live with it.
-*- alabastorArchbabby|cattyCarole He could always live with it.
<PurpleKoopa> "yes. thank you." *AHEM* "THANK YOU, SIR," he addressed in proud, mayoral tones. "YOU HAVE THE THANKS OF ME AND ALL OF CAN TOWN TODAY. AFTER MAKING REPAIRS, I AM CERTAIN I CAN GIVE YOU THE KEY OF THE CITY."
-*- alabastorArchbabby|cattyCarole He wiped away the rest of his tears with a droopy sleeve, now covered in snot and tears, before hovering away from the safety of his father's coat. Not too far, mind you. He didn't want to stray away from his dad ever again, honest. He just didn't want to look like a total wibbler, that's all.
-*- alabastorArchbabby|cattyCarole So he stood rather lamely by his father's side, trying his best to stifle what few remaining sniffles he had left. He was okay. They were okay. Even the nice monster man was okay.
-*- alabastorArchbabby|cattyCarole ...Sorta.
-*- alabastorArchbabby|cattyCarole He still looked a little bit scared.
-*- alabastorArchbabby|cattyCarole But he was trying to be awfully brave, Nero could tell. Brave, and dignified. D-I-G-N-I-F-I-E-D. His sister taught him that one.
-*- alabastorArchbabby|cattyCarole ...
-*- alabastorArchbabby|cattyCarole He didn't feel like thinking about her right now.
-*- alabastorArchbabby|cattyCarole Or.
-*- alabastorArchbabby|cattyCarole A really long while.
-*- alabastorArchbabby|cattyCarole Maybe later. Much later.
-*- VV|AT His daddy sure as hell wasn't ready to talk about it.
-*- alabastorArchbabby|cattyCarole And that was okay with him. She'd be back. Someday. That's all he needed to know for right now.
-*- alabastorArchbabby|cattyCarole He hoped.
-*- VV|AT He was focused on the...er. Person? who was speaking in an overly-loud, newly-confident (but still shaking just a tiny bit, Dante was pretty sure), booming voice. The gunslinger raised an eyebrow with a much less forced smirk. "keys of th'city, huh? sounds int'restin'."
-*- VV|AT "s'what's that make you? th'mayor?" Of...Can Town, apparently? Dante glanced very briefly at the wall, then flattened a palm against it and leaned on it casually, as though simply too lazy to stand like a normal person. Which was also convenient, but...
-*- VV|AT It didn't feel like tin, so it definitely wasn't a can complex. Which was silly anyway, obviously. That. That wouldn't happen. He hadn't believed it would be the case for a moment.
-*- alabastorArchbabby|cattyCarole ...Oh.
-*- alabastorArchbabby|cattyCarole Silly daddy.
-*- alabastorArchbabby|cattyCarole Nero tugged a bit on his coat, as if to grab his attention. "he um"
<alabastorArchbabby|cattyCarole> "has a town made outta cans"
<alabastorArchbabby|cattyCarole> "like"
<alabastorArchbabby|cattyCarole> "soda cans"
-*- alabastorArchbabby|cattyCarole He paused, remembering just how everything had gone down in the past hour, he quietly-- very quietly-- added "i"
<alabastorArchbabby|cattyCarole> "um"
<alabastorArchbabby|cattyCarole> "i mightve knocked a few of em over"
-*- Jaspersprite YOU DID /WHAT/.
-*- alabastorArchbabby|cattyCarole i dIDNT MEAN IT OKAY
-*- alabastorArchbabby|cattyCarole How was he supposed to know that he had knocked over an entire building's worth of cans? He thought they were just...cans.
-*- alabastorArchbabby|cattyCarole He didn't know it was supposed to be an entire town!
-*- alabastorArchbabby|cattyCarole No wonder the little monster wanted him to pick it all up so badly. He'd done a crime! A really bad one, at that!
-*- VV|AT ...oh. Oh.
-*- VV|AT ...pfffffffffffft.
-*- VV|AT If he wasn't fairly certain it would end with Nero pouting with an injured pride, he would've laughed. A town of cans. That was pretty priceless.
-*- alabastorArchbabby|cattyCarole Don't laugh!
-*- VV|AT And Nero had knocked them down like tiny angry Godzilla --
-*- alabastorArchbabby|cattyCarole He sees that look on your face.
-*- alabastorArchbabby|cattyCarole He's stupid, stoopid.
-*- alabastorArchbabby|cattyCarole >B<
<alabastorArchbabby|cattyCarole> *nOT]
-*- VV|AT He did his best not to even grin but the bizarre twisting around his mouth was probably a dead giveaway.
<alabastorArchbabby|cattyCarole> *nOT STUPID OH MY GOD]
-*- alabastorArchbabby|cattyCarole >8<
-*- Jaspersprite HE'S STUPID LADIES & GENTLEMEN
-*- Jaspersprite NOW TO MOCK HIM IN SCHOOL FOR THE NEXT TEN YEARS OVER IT
-*- VV|AT But then, noticing how genuinely guilty and upset Nero seemed over it, he ruffled the boy's hair yet again and leaned forward, still looking ever so slightly amused but mostly kind, affectionate. "y'know what that means, kid?"
-*- alabastorArchbabby|cattyCarole "...what?"
-*- alabastorArchbabby|cattyCarole ...Oh. Oh no.
<alabastorArchbabby|cattyCarole> "i-im not gonna go to monster jail am i?"
-*- VV|AT Wh--
<PurpleKoopa> WV looks around hesitantly. Where does that silly boy get these ideas?
-*- Jaspersprite G3STUR3S TO TH3 1RON M41D3N L4BL3D 'MONST3R J41L'
-*- VV|AT Dante's brow furrowed slightly, bemused. Ordinarily he'd have jumped on that and teased the child about it, but...he seemed pretty upset and genuinely anxious as he asked that, too. With an uncertain, almost suspicious, glance at the...uh, Mayor?, he said, "nah. i'm th'jailor there n' that's just a jail f'monsters. like th'ones i fight."
-*- PurpleKoopa oh, terezi. you card. that is obviously the can opening device.
-*- VV|AT "y'never gonna have t'worry about gettin' thrown in there, okay?"
<PurpleKoopa> WV would like to point at that he's never met this man before in his life, let alone assign him to the important task of jailkeeping (Terezi had picked that with nearly everything else in the judicial system), but he decides not to point that out. For now.
<PurpleKoopa> "yes. as long as you clean up your mess, you are pardoned of all charges. that i can assure you."
-*- alabastorArchbabby|cattyCarole Nero warily rolled this thought over in his head, trying not think about how bad monster jail probably was, before deciding to accept it as the gospel truth. How couldn't it be? No one else could possibly be the jailer of monster jail but his dad! No one. And he'd never let Nero get thrown in there, right...?
-*- alabastorArchbabby|cattyCarole "...okay." he mumbled, floating a little bit closer to his dad. No, his dad would never let anything like that happened to him. Never.
<alabastorArchbabby|cattyCarole> "i hope i dont ever gots tgo there"
<alabastorArchbabby|cattyCarole> "theyve got dragons!"
-*- alabastorArchbabby|cattyCarole And they probably were the nice kind of dragons either, like the one hiding underneath his bed.
-*- alabastorArchbabby|cattyCarole ...But, he still did a bad thing. A really bad thing, too. This wasn't 'sneak one last cookie' bad, no. This was 'wander off in the mall' bad.
-*- alabastorArchbabby|cattyCarole All those little can people would never be the same...
<alabastorArchbabby|cattyCarole> "...b-but i um--"
<alabastorArchbabby|cattyCarole> " ...msorry i wrecked your town."
<alabastorArchbabby|cattyCarole> "ill clean it up right away sir"
<alabastorArchbabby|cattyCarole> "i promise."
-*- alabastorArchbabby|cattyCarole He never thought he sounded more sorry in his life.
-*- alabastorArchbabby|cattyCarole Well, save for the time he tried to read his sister's diary. But.
-*- alabastorArchbabby|cattyCarole He was trying not to think about her.
-*- alabastorArchbabby|cattyCarole So, instead, he tried his absolute-- A-B-S-O-L-U-T-E, another word she taught him-- hardest to think about how he was going to fix can town instead. He was going to make up for all the bad things he did today. Especially what he did to dad.
-*- VV|AT Apologizing probably wasn't a skill Dante had taught him, but he didn't think much about it. Instead, he frowned, resting his hand on the child's head again to turn it very gently toward himself.
-*- VV|AT The kid looked half-miserable, and, fighting the urge to continue frowning concernedly because he knew it would make matters worse, Dante schooled his face and then smiled, just a little. "hey, c'mon. was just an accident. y'not gonna get jail time. jus' a little community service. y'daddy will even help."
-*- VV|AT C'mon, kid, don't be upset here. It's heartbreakin'.
<PurpleKoopa> The mayor smiles politely, accepting the boy's apology. What a good lad. Reminded him of that John boy he met so very long ago. "yes. thank you for your humblest apology." He looked up at the taller fellow. "and thank you, sir, for offering to help. can town has never seen a speedier recovery since the day of the 'drunk rose attack', as citizen dave likes to
<PurpleKoopa> call it."
<alabastorArchbabby|cattyCarole> [dRUNK ROSE ATTACK OMF]
<PurpleKoopa> "there is a memorial with empty martini glasses and everything. it's quite touching."
-*- VV|AT ...right.
<alabastorArchbabby|cattyCarole> [don't act like you haven't been there /dante/]
<alabastorArchbabby|cattyCarole> [8y]
-*- alabastorArchbabby|cattyCarole ...Well, it couldn't be so bad if his dad was going to help him. In fact, he could probably make it look even more stylish! That was what his dad was best at. The best, even.
-*- PurpleKoopa sssssstylish
-*- alabastorArchbabby|cattyCarole And look! The little monster wasn't even mad or anything! Probably because he knew that his town was in the right, no, the best hands. It still sucked that he made everyone so worried and unhappy and scared, but...
-*- alabastorArchbabby|cattyCarole That would never happen again. He was sure of it.
-*- alabastorArchbabby|cattyCarole So sure of it, in fact, that the tiniest of smiles had managed to split on his face. "oh--"
<alabastorArchbabby|cattyCarole> "uh"
<alabastorArchbabby|cattyCarole> "no problem"
-*- alabastorArchbabby|cattyCarole He wasn't sure how else to thank him for thanking him, honestly.
-*- alabastorArchbabby|cattyCarole Manners sure were hard!
<alabastorArchbabby|cattyCarole> "ill make sure cantown because the best town that ever was!"
<alabastorArchbabby|cattyCarole> "no!"
<alabastorArchbabby|cattyCarole> "the best city there ever was!"
-*- alabastorArchbabby|cattyCarole ...
-*- alabastorArchbabby|cattyCarole . . .
-*- alabastorArchbabby|cattyCarole . . .
<alabastorArchbabby|cattyCarole> "(...dad?)"
<alabastorArchbabby|cattyCarole> "(whats a martini?)"
-*- Jaspersprite Yes, /dad/. /What/, pray tell, is a /martini/?
-*- Jaspersprite /Chinclaws/.
<alabastorArchbabby|cattyCarole> [brb for a bit bros]
<alabastorArchbabby|cattyCarole> [showertime]
-*- VV|AT Haha, that's it, kid. Cheer up an' smi--
-*- VV|AT ...
-*- VV|AT ...uh.
-*- VV|AT "(uh,)" Dante vocalized after a pause. And then recovered, smooth as ever.
-*- VV|AT "(well, it's this stuff monsters n' sometimes humans drink. but if humans drink too much, they sometimes start t'act like monsters, too.)"
-*- Jaspersprite Like your /mother/--
-*- VV|AT ...yeah. Yeah, that worked. That worked just fine. Rolled off his tongue like honey, as much as he felt awkward about the half-lie.
-*- VV|AT you shut y'whore mouth --
-*- Jaspersprite Oh. And what are /you/ going to do about it again, /Dante/? Look at /me/. I'm all the way in the /Me/ /zone/.
-*- Jaspersprite And if you /squint/, you can see me /waving/.
<alabastorArchbabby|cattyCarole> [discord]
<alabastorArchbabby|cattyCarole> [never stop bein' beautiful ok]
<alabastorArchbabby|cattyCarole> [ok]
<alabastorArchbabby|cattyCarole> [uvu]
-*- Jaspersprite /uwu/
-*- alabastorArchbabby|cattyCarole Oh. Well that made sense, he guessed. That was probably why that Rose person wrecked Can Town so bad...though, there was just one thing he couldn't understand.
-*- alabastorArchbabby|cattyCarole Because it sounded like a monster potion, and drinking a monster potion sounded disgusting. Yuck.
-*- alabastorArchbabby|cattyCarole He made a face, just imagining the nasty taste of such a drink, then asked "(...but why would anyone want tdrink that?)"
<alabastorArchbabby|cattyCarole> "(it sounds gross)"
<PurpleKoopa> "your enthusiasm for city-building is contagious," he says to Nero. "you might have what it takes to make a fine mayor someday."
<PurpleKoopa> "now come along. we have a city to rebuild."
<PurpleKoopa> The Mayor gestures to the long dark hallway leading back to his section of the meteor. If the sun were anywhere in sight from here, it'd be shining down on the happy folk of Can Town, he'd tell you.
-*- VV|AT Dante took advantage of the Mayor's interruption to open his hand for his son to take and start off after the lumbering creature. But he knew Nero wouldn't simply forget, and after a moment, offered a response, just as smooth as the first.
-*- VV|AT "(sometimes, when people get sad, they want somethin' t'help make 'em forget whatever's makin' 'em sad. an' it's not bad at doin' that, most of th'time.)"
-*- alabastorArchbabby|cattyCarole speaking from experience, are we 8y
-*- alabastorArchbabby|cattyCarole ...Oh.
-*- alabastorArchbabby|cattyCarole He could understand that, sorta. Sometimes he wanted to forget stuff too. Stuff that made her feel bad. Really bad.
-*- alabastorArchbabby|cattyCarole But...he didn't want to be a monster. Not a mean one, at least. He knew he couldn't help being a little bit like one. But he was a nice one, and he wanted it to stay that way.
-*- alabastorArchbabby|cattyCarole So he decided to drop it for now, instead reaching out to grab onto his father's hand. He could ponder about all that later. Right now, they had a city to save.
-*- alabastorArchbabby|cattyCarole ...But, there was just one thing he knew he couldn't simply drop.
<alabastorArchbabby|cattyCarole> "...did yhear that? he said i could be a mayor someday!"
-*- VV|AT Dante grinned, glad for the subject change. "i did hear! an' y'know what?" He lowered his voice in a conspiratorial stage whisper. "(i think he's right.)"
-*- VV|AT "y' a smart kid," he added, in a more normal voice. "y'could do just about anythin'  i'm pretty sure, if y'decide y'wanna do it. jus' like y'daddy." It had taken him a long time to decide he had to do something.
-*- VV|AT ...
-*- VV|AT Or, to be forced to do something.
-*- VV|AT Kids.
-*- alabastorArchbabby|cattyCarole dang ass meteor
-*- alabastorArchbabby|cattyCarole His face lit up like a lightbulb at his dad's encouragement,
<alabastorArchbabby|cattyCarole> [i]
<alabastorArchbabby|cattyCarole> [what]
<alabastorArchbabby|cattyCarole> [nO]
<alabastorArchbabby|cattyCarole> [BAD ENTER KEY]
<VV|AT> [fffff]
--> Rabbit (Mibbit@173-26-241-249.client.mchsi.com) has joined #bromegle
-*- alabastorArchbabby|cattyCarole His face lit up like a lightbulb at his dad's encouragement as he hurried along side him, taking three steps for Dante's every stride. "yreally think so?" he chirped, hardly believing his ears. His dad really thought he could be a mayor? Or-- or anything he wanted it to be?
-*- alabastorArchbabby|cattyCarole Wow. His dad was the best.
<PurpleKoopa> The mayor leads the two to the wreckage of his beloved city. Overturned cans litter the city streets, and a couple of loose ones have rolled away to the corners of the room. WV sighs, but accepts his duty to work off the damages. It's not a /complete/ travesty, he knows that, and with these two new helpers, fixing up Can Town would be a sinch!
<PurpleKoopa> Hey, speaking about helpers, where'd his honorary mayor run off to? WV picks up a leaking Tab can off the ground and notices two holes in the side.
<PurpleKoopa> kANAYA,,,,,,,,,,,,
-*- Jaspersprite You Just Got Kanayad
-*- Jaspersprite Maryamd
-*- Jaspersprite Whatever
-*- PurpleKoopa you just got DEMOTED TO WORST MAYOR EVER
<PurpleKoopa> Oh, this other Tab can's got some kind of dress on, courtesy of... somebody. Well, that's not quite as bad, he supposes.
-*- Jaspersprite On The Plus Side
-*- Jaspersprite They Are All The Most Fashionable Cans Ever
-*- alabastorArchbabby|cattyCarole "dyou--"
-*- alabastorArchbabby|cattyCarole "dythink i could become a dino astronaut?"
-*- Rabbit yes
-*- Rabbit yes you can
-*- Jaspersprite Was That A Pun Because If It Was I Am So Done
-*- Rabbit yes
-*- Rabbit (didn't intend for it to but yes it is now)
-*- Jaspersprite So Done
-*- Jaspersprite I Literally
-*- Jaspersprite Cant
-*- VV|AT Haha, his son was too cute for his own good. "i bet y'could make y'own rocket t'go up in. 'm not sure 'bout changin' species, though. i dunno how i'd feel 'bout havin' a dinosaur f' a kid."
-*- Rabbit and then suddenly demon babby
-*- Rabbit now he just needs to go to the moon
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-*- alabastorArchbabby|cattyCarole Wow, his own rocket? That would be soooo cool! He'd paint it blue and red with polka dots on it, and it'd have extra thrusters for boost! Yeah! But...
-*- VV|AT Even as he spoke, he beheld in full for the first time the full glory of Can Town. It was surprisingly intricate, and crafted lovingly, like one of the careful LEGO constructs the kids used to make together. He helped, sometimes, when he wasn't working or otherwise occupied, but it was usually just them, and then Nero running to get him to show him whatever they'd built this time.
-*- alabastorArchbabby|cattyCarole His dad did have a point. Dinosaurs didn't really make for very good kids. They'd wreck the living room, never eat their vegetables or brush their teeth, and probably couldn't give too many hugs.
-*- alabastorArchbabby|cattyCarole Maybe he'd just stick to having a T-rex pilot instead. Yeah, that would do it. Maybe Gerbil could fly it? Yeah! He bet Gerbil was a great pilot!
-*- alabastorArchbabby|cattyCarole He'd have to ask Gerbil that later.
-*- alabastorArchbabby|cattyCarole Right now he had a job to do.
-*- VV|AT Yeah, it was kind of like that. Except made of cans. And on a pretty large scale. He could see a few places that appeared to have been knocked over carelessly, as though by someone hurrying to get by. He'd always been very careful of the LEGO buildings ("its a base of op-row-ate-shuns, daddy!" "that what y'sister called it?") placed on the floor of his house until the elder of his kids finally convinced Nero to deconstruct them so they could be rebuilt as better buildings later.
-*- VV|AT Nero to deconstruct them so they could be rebuilt as better buildings later.
-*- alabastorArchbabby|cattyCarole And what a job it was! There were cans strewed-- S-T-R-E-W-E-D, he wasn't very good at this forgetting thing was he-- all over the place! It'd probably take him a trillion years by himself.
-*- alabastorArchbabby|cattyCarole Good thing he had the best helper in the world, then.
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-*- alabastorArchbabby|cattyCarole A part of him felt a little guilty, seeing the town all torn up like that. It was like seeing his LEGO buildings get all broken up, except that was usually on purpose. He had no idea he had stumbled onto a town! Honest!
-*- alabastorArchbabby|cattyCarole But he made a real big mess, didn't he...?
-*- VV|AT Dante glanced down at his son briefly, concerned by the sudden silence and the very slight loosening of the child's grip. Nero looked almost dejected, and still guilty, like he'd left Gerbil stranded somewhere by mistake. He didn't forget his little dinosaur companion very often, but on occasion...
-*- VV|AT The young father did not like the expression. He squeezed the little hand that barely spanned his palm gently, as though to draw his son's attention, and then offered a smirk.
-*- alabastorArchbabby|cattyCarole ...?
-*- VV|AT "'s not too bad," he assured warmly. "nothin' that can't be put back t'gether. y'remember buildin' all those lego things t'play with with y' army men?" His free hand motioned vaguely toward the scattered cans. "this is just like that. r'member what y'sister said?"
-*- VV|AT "when y'take somethin' apart, it just means y'have t'put it back t'gether twice as good next time."
-*- alabastorArchbabby|cattyCarole ...She did always use to say that, didn't she? Even when their epic mountains and skyscrapers and army bases had to be torn down, that didn't mean they would be gone forever. They'd be back just as soon as you'd build it back up, only better. Newer. Nothing was ever the end, she said, when you could always build it back together again.
-*- alabastorArchbabby|cattyCarole It was only the start of something new.
-*- alabastorArchbabby|cattyCarole ...!
-*- alabastorArchbabby|cattyCarole He--
-*- VV|AT ...God, he'd really made a point of not talking about her very much since...for a while, hadn't he?
-*- alabastorArchbabby|cattyCarole He knows what they should make!
-*- VV|AT ...?
-*- alabastorArchbabby|cattyCarole "daddy! daddy!--" he was practically bouncing on his heels, shaking his father's arm like a soda pop can. "we should make a base of op-row-a-shuns!"
-*- VV|AT Startled by the abrupt skyward shift in his son's apparent attitude (even though that had been the entire intent) while his own was suddenly plagued, Dante blinked, white eyes the size of an owl's --
-*- VV|AT ...He wasn't sure if it was possible to cry when he technically didn't have eyes.
-*- VV|AT A sharp, painful swallow -- brief, almost unnoticeable -- was all it took before he could grin smoothly in return. A genuine grin, if just a shade sad. Just a little. Hardly visible at all, really.
-*- VV|AT "that's a great idea, kiddo," he agreed, warmly -- beyond warmly. His voice was practically bursting with emotion, as much so as his face. "it'll be th'best one yet," he added, stooping down to grab a can by his foot and offer it to his son. A starting point.
-*- VV|AT He wondered if he'd made a mistake, not talking about her very much. He hadn't wanted to upset Nero, so when it came up, all he said was that they would look for her, but she was a big girl. She was tough and stubborn and she could take care of herself so don't worry, don't worry, she would be okay. He was sure.
-*- alabastorArchbabby|cattyCarole The can was snatched out his dad's hands like it was a Wonder Ball, which it practically was-- it was can, yeah, but it was a can full of wonders. Who knew what they could build with it? He doesn't waste time starting, slamming the first can onto the ground like a flat on the Americas. "yeah! theyre gonna need a better army so all this--"
-*- VV|AT And then he'd tried not to let it come up. He wanted Nero to be happy. Not to worry about his sister or to be sad about it. And maybe it was a little painful for him to talk about, even as he kept an eye out for her -- no, actively searched for her -- while they travelled the dream bubbles.
-*- alabastorArchbabby|cattyCarole He frantically waves towards the mess that he caused-- no, no, the mess that he was going to fix-- around him "--doesnt happen again!"
-*- alabastorArchbabby|cattyCarole It was gonna be a great base, he thought, as he carefully but swiftly placed can after can onto the ground. No, it was gonna be the best base ever!
-*- alabastorArchbabby|cattyCarole The mayor would probably give them two keys to the city! And maybe even make him an honorary mayor!
-*- alabastorArchbabby|cattyCarole And--
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-*- alabastorArchbabby|cattyCarole And maybe someday he could show her sister too! And she'd think it was the greatest thing she ever saw. She wouldn't even want to tear it down, she'd think it'd be so great.
-*- alabastorArchbabby|cattyCarole "Wow, did y'make that?" she said, ruffling his hair (and he wouldn't even complain about "I didn't know I had such a creative brother!"
-*- alabastorArchbabby|cattyCarole Yeah.
-*- alabastorArchbabby|cattyCarole Yeah.
<alabastorArchbabby|cattyCarole> "an its gotta have a bridge a-an lots of bunkers an maybe even a can dragon!"
-*- VV|AT Dante grinned and had to watch for a minute, as though to burn this image into his memory. They hadn't encountered that many good things in this...place. Not a lot of it was bad, but most of it was just twisted, convoluted memories and dreams, mashed and mingled, from what Dante had gathered. It was a little scary for a seven-year-old, he was sure. They'd once had to walk through a place where the ground looked like the pattern of brain matter, the way they always showed it in diagrams and things. Dante had never seen it quite like that in real life.
<alabastorArchbabby|cattyCarole> "oh! oh! or maybe--"
-*- VV|AT where the ground looked like the pattern of brain matter, the way they always showed it in diagrams and things. Dante had never seen it quite like that in real life.
-*- VV|AT That one. That one hadn't been a pleasant experience. He carried Nero for most of it, Gerbil crushed between them in the boy's death-grip and his face buried in his father's shoulder. Because he was sleepy, he said.
-*- alabastorArchbabby|cattyCarole He goes on and on and on, adding more and more rediculous things as he built on. It was like a never ending stream of everything a grade schooler could ever want, and then some.
-*- alabastorArchbabby|cattyCarole One thing was for certain, though.
-*- alabastorArchbabby|cattyCarole He liked this place.
-*- alabastorArchbabby|cattyCarole He liked this place a lot.
-*- VV|AT Coming across something that the kid really enjoyed like this was the best thing to happen since...a long time, really. A lot longer than they'd been dead.
-*- VV|AT Dante didn't want to lose the memory of what that sheer joy and eagerness looked like.
-*- VV|AT ...He'd better help before the kid finished it without him. At the rate he was going, he just might.
-*- alabastorArchbabby|cattyCarole Fortunantly, something had gotten in the way of Nero's magnificient vision.
-*- alabastorArchbabby|cattyCarole Height.
-*- VV|AT Snrk. His height got in the way of a lot of things.
-*- alabastorArchbabby|cattyCarole He could barely reach the top now, even on his tippy toes, to add in those crucial battle cannons. And maybe a radio tower. Oh, and a lighthouse!
-*- alabastorArchbabby|cattyCarole You never knew when you needed a lighthouse.
-*- alabastorArchbabby|cattyCarole That's why there were probably so many back home.