Tails: instant gratification ahoy.

[splinterself]

[Dirk had decided to be productive. Ish. (Productiveish? That ain't even something tha-...and that led to a chain of thought he decided to not climb down for the time being. His responder had better not be letting him down, though.)

In a way he had gotten the idea from Faris. If the pirate use could magic from crystals (he wasn't sure he wanted to know) and the game they were in had no problems, then there was no reason why he couldn't use puppetkind or fncysntakind. It wasn't like he had forgotten how to use either of them. No reason at all.

Well, except for not having any puppets or fancy Santas to weaponize.

He had obtained the materials through a long and arduous process which - frankly speaking - didn't really matter. It was pretty boring, as was him finding a quieter part of Mac Anu and starting work, so we'll skip to the interesting part: Dirk had gotten a little bit sidetracked and was putting the finishing touch on a plush which was disconcertedly well done considering what he had to work with. (It was pretty sad, seriously. It felt like he was trying to build a robot and only had a chisel and a rock to work with.) In his defense, the idea was fucking amusing and he was going to roll with it for now, and as he turned it over in his hands to make sure he didn't miss a spot he had to admit...it ain't his best work, but it ain't the worst he's done either.

Enter someone else. You? Why not. If he knows you, assume that if he sees you he'll give you a nod of recognition, a sort of silent broed sup. If he's related to you or you're somebody from back home, he'd give you a hey, a greeting with your name. There may be a slight amused smirk accompanying the above. Your call.]

Comments

[splinterself]

[Dirk spluttered a little. Not much bro, just a little. A tiny bit. Just...physical affection. It's kind of weird going from nothing to this.

(...'kind of.' Yeah. Right.)]

Want a closer look? Think fast. [And he tosses it at Jake's head.]

[hoperaider]

[At first, Jake is amused by Dirk's reaction. Now? He only barely manages to catch the Tinkerbull. It still hits him in the face.]

That was rude.

[Still he looks it over, and he's really impressed by how good Dirk is with thread and needle.]

This is amazing! Did you give it a name already?

[splinterself]

[...hey look, sudden impulse. (Jake would be happier not knowing his first idea, though it involves faux swarms tormenting Jake. For the record.)]

What? Nah. It doesn't matter, anyway. When pets change owners they get new names. Fact. It's a plush, but the idea's still there.

[hoperaider]

[If it suddenly rains plush Tinkerbulls on him, he will know that it's Dirk.]

You're not keeping him?

[splinterself]

[Yeah, pretty much. Or he'll get one on a string, attach it to a stick, and use it as a tinkerflail. You have to take what you can get when it comes to the simple pleasures in life. Maybe he should see if he could train some random field's encounters to snuggle Jake on command.]

I guess that depends. You don't want him?

[hoperaider]

[Oh Jesus Christ.]

No, I'd love to take him in! I didn't think you made him for me or anyone, really.

[It'll stay in his inventory forever until a guild happens. Or in his arms when in town, whichever.]

[splinterself]

[Oh god.]

I was going to make a puppet but none of the materials I could find would hold up in a real fight. Plus, it would have kind of felt weird fighting with something that ain't Lil' Cal.

[hoperaider]

Well, I sort of doubt that puppets are typically used as any type of weapon here. How has it been without him around?

[Jake's going to just. Cuddle his now christened Chris Hemsworth to his chest.]

[splinterself]

[And he's just going to eye that tinkerbull for a moment before looking somewhere else. Actually, let's assume that it's a decent day and Dirk's gonna kick back and chill. If there's a wall he's going to lean back against it. If they're on the ground he's going to lie down on his back, arms behind his head, staring up at the sky. Chilling.

It's an odd feeling.]

Strange. He's always been there and now... [He sort of shrugs.] Now he's not.

[hoperaider]

[Jake looks down at his friend.]

Yes, I suppose it is pretty different. You've had him since you were a baby, didn't you?

[Man, he kind of can't imagine a life without Brobot anymore, since he's the only remotely human-like thing on his entire island. That's...pretty depressing, so Jake's going to ignore that thought.]

[splinterself]

...yeah. [Wow, this is veering sharply into things he doesn't want to talk about. Which...there's a lot.]

But hey, who knows, maybe he'll show up again. Weirder shit has happened. I mean, we're both here, aren't we?

[hoperaider]

[He chuckles.]

I wouldn't necessarily call it weird. Fortuitous, perhaps, since we get to see each other in the flesh way before we get into the game!

[Still, Jake hopes that Roxy and Jane come around soon. Dirk's great company and everything, but he's worried about the girls.]

[splinterself]

[YEAH. Yeah, just, where the hell are they? Is his responder taking care of Jane or did he ditch her on some planet while they're off here fucking around? Is Roxy okay? Did her dreamself just wander off and get killed without him to look after her? Just what the hell is going on?

-...right.]

...I guess you're right.

[hoperaider]

[Jesus H. Dick, Jake will probably never realize how much of a mother hen Dirk is. Okay, maybe he might, but.

He tilts his head.]

You know, if there's something on your mind, I don't have any problem just listening.

[For real, yo, having all those thoughts to yourself may drive a guy to insanity.]

[splinterself]

[And, if but for a moment, he closes his eyes and just...chills.

So fucking weird.]

No need for you to worry about it. I'll figure it out.

[hoperaider]

[Jake keeps frowning, hesitates, and places a hand on his friend's knee.]

Dirk, you're my best friend. It's kind of my business to worry. I want to lend a helping hand if I can.

[splinterself]

[...my god. He's torn between rolling away and draping on Jake like he's Lil Cal. Just. What. How. If Dirk thought that Jake was capable of it he might've wondered if Jake was trying to troll him through a steady stream of hugs and other sorts of physical contact.

He's settling for trying to remain very neutral.]

It's nothing. I'm just thinking about shit that I can't really do much of anything about from here, dude.

[hoperaider]

Would it help if I just listened a little? You can always pretend I'm not here and that you're just talking aloud.

[That hand is not moving, just a fyi.]

[splinterself]

[Very neutral. Chilling there, eyes closed beneath his shades, just chillaxing. Alright? No big deal.]

You really want to know that damn badly?

[hoperaider]

Um, yes?

[Duh? Otherwise he wouldn't be asking, Dirk, jeeeeeez!]

[splinterself]

...I've been sleeping normally here. [Does he have to connect the dots for Jake or can he handle it? He'll be connecting the dots shortly.]

[hoperaider]

...That's...good, right? [Slow-baked class in some respects.]

[splinterself]

[Some?] ...my dreamself's missing.

[hoperaider]

[Well, his subconscious isn't necessarily slow, is it?

And now he gets it.]

I suppose that makes sense, all things considered, but.... [Jake thinks about this for a moment.] That leaves the conundrum of whether or not time is at a standstill because we left. I think the only way we can tell for certain is if they find their way here or we somehow go back and forth?

[This whole thing is weird.]

[splinterself]

[Details.] Maybe you're right or maybe it portends something more ominous. I don't rightfully know. But, whatever the case may be, this is the first time in years that I haven't had to juggle myself and my dreamself.