One Cupcake

[stubbornskeptic]

[Jane tiptoes around the gate, eyeing it like it’s about to jump out and attack her. With all her ties to her various allies (and potential murderers) cut, she’s feeling a little off-kilter. Whether this is the thing that brought her here or the thing that will get her out, she doesn’t feel like jumping into it will have any bearing on her tight-assery. After all, it’d be just ludicrous to jump headfirst into it when she doesn't know what it does.

Unless her dad’s in there.

Oh shit, what if her dad’s in there?!

Jane grips her cheeks (the ones on her face, geez!), groaning a little. Whatever is she meant to do now?]

Comments

[cawcawmthrfckrs]

Yeah, but he's called John Egbert. It'd be accurate to call him my best bro.

[stubbornskeptic]

Oh? I guess not everything is the same between our sessions, but it's a bit saddening to learn something as simple as his name is different. Still, I want to know everything about him! He must have been especially funny!

[cawcawmthrfckrs]

He likes to think so. He's a supposed Master Prankster, though I think his dad's got him beat, still. Shit, I don't think he can even really top his Nanna, basically our version of you. Kinda got a thing about magic or some shit, too. Blunt and honest, but a good friend. You'd like 'im, I think.

[stubbornskeptic]

[Jane covers her mouth, surprised.]

Really? I'm that good as an old lady? Hoo hoo, that's great! I can't wait to get old!

[cawcawmthrfckrs]

Oh, yeah. Last I remember, she was off bakin' shit loads of birthday cakes for the dude.

[stubbornskeptic]

[Jane laughs.]

The better to smoosh in his face with, after all.

[cawcawmthrfckrs]

I'm sure that's exactly why she did it. Personally, I'd be happily content with a bottle of apple juice.

[stubbornskeptic]

Really? I'll remember that!

[She really will.]

[cawcawmthrfckrs]

Anythin' else you wanna know?

[stubbornskeptic]

Hmmm. Do we need to do regular things like sleep and eat in here? Obviously, sleeping won't be as significant as it was in Sburb, but the question strikes me because I suddenly feel a little peckish!

[cawcawmthrfckrs]

Well, it's forever in the fuckin' late afternoon around here, kinda like how it's never mornin' or evenin' in the Medium. So, you sleep when you're tired and eat when you're hungry, 'cause I've seen food stalls around here, too. Gettin' money's easy enough; you just kick the shit outta the monsters in the dungeons.

[Well, seeing as she's basically John's ectomom and all....]

You wanna go somewhere if you're feelin' up for lunch?

[stubbornskeptic]

Oh, sure! I'm sure you know where to go, after all, hoo hoo.

[cawcawmthrfckrs]

C'mon, then.

[Davesprite starts leading the way to a nice cafe he's been to once.]

So, what're your friends like?

[stubbornskeptic]

You mean Jake and Dirk and Roxy? Hm. It's hard to sum any of them up quickly!

Well, you haven't met Roxy at all, correct? She's a firecracker! Her mother's a famous author and she likes to write as well, but I haven't read much of it. I bet it's fascinating, though, given how saucy it's supposed to be, hoo hoo. She likes old games and is apparently "queen of the grid" when it comes to hacking, or something like that anyway. She's my BFF if I ever had one.

I hope she shows up soon.

[cawcawmthrfckrs]

Haven't met Roxy or that Jake kid.

[Minute raise of the eyebrow.]

Queen of Hackers? Shit, don't let Egbert hear you say that or he'll start buggin' the shit outta her for programmin' tips.

She'll probably show up. Just give her some time to get her ass into gear.

[stubbornskeptic]

Alright, noted, hoo hoo.

I'm surprised Jake hasn't introduced himself! He's really friendly and energetic that way. He hasn't got the best taste in movies but he makes up for it in being the most charming gentleman with the best manners I've ever met. He's outdoorsy and rugged and strong and goofy and-- um.

[Oops. Gushing.]

He's one of my very best friends and I'm so glad I've finally gotten to meet him.

[cawcawmthrfckrs]

[Oh he totally picks up on the crush.]

Sounds like he's pretty well liked. Think I know where Egbert gets his taste in movies, too.

And Dirk? [The birdman shrugs.] Haven't seen my Bro in a year and now I suddenly see him again around my age. Kinda unnervin', and I figured you'd probably have a better view on what he's like.

[stubbornskeptic]

Hmmm. Dirk's more of an enigma. He likes to play up the irony thing so much that you can't always be sure when he's being sincere, you know? But he too is one of my best friends, so. I guess I should say he's intense. Intensely loyal, intensely dedicated, intensely interested in things. It means he's always a step ahead. The puppet master thing is a pretty apt metaphor, now that I think of it. Maybe that's the only reason he got into puppets in the first place, hoo hoo.

[cawcawmthrfckrs]

[He uses the pause of entering the cafe and getting their seats to think over it before answering.]

Yeah, Bro was the same way. Guess no matter the universe, you can't change the core of a person.

[In all honesty, that relieves him. Nothing important about his brother has changed, despite the vastly different circumstances between the sessions. Sure, Bro had been more mature and shit, but that came with age. Maybe this won't be quite as awkward as he'd been thinking it would be.]

[stubbornskeptic]

I sure hope that's true. It'd be a shame for the people we love to be totally different just because they grew up somewhere else. Nature versus nurture is an interesting argument and all, but one hopes for nature to win out in this instance.

[cawcawmthrfckrs]

I'm thinkin' nature won out 'cause lemme tell you, there's not much different between you and Egbert's Nanna. That'd probably extend to Rose's Mom and Grandpa Harley.

[Scanning through the menu.]

So, what're you thinkin' on orderin'?

[stubbornskeptic]

[Harley? Guess she's not the only one with a different last name than expected.]

Oh, just a sandwich, I suppose. [Anything more elaborate will have her comparing it to her father's cooking and that just won't do, today.]

[cawcawmthrfckrs]

[Mmmmmmmmmm he's going to order a caramel latte and...pancakes, why the fuck not.

Topic, topic, topic. Shit, it's still weird that there's other people to talk to besides consorts, John, and Jade.]

[stubbornskeptic]

So...your version of Dirk was a mastermind of sorts as well?

[She's...a little curious on the effectiveness of his plans, though she's never seen him exactly fail, yet.]

[cawcawmthrfckrs]

Sorta. I mean, he had a smuppet enterprise, and if he hadn't started trainin' me in usin' swords and the way of the flashstep, I doubt I would have been as prepared in Sburb as I was. Dunno if I'd call him a mastermind.