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

[splinterself]

[Oh hell yes, he'll hug Jane and sob on her shoulder later about his missing wayward puppet and best friend. Except not really. But, to be serious for a moment, he'll probably allude to it at some point.]

Guess so. [Glances at her. Then back again. Then:] Pretty much a fresh start with everything. My brother's here to take his legacy back and I'm sure your suddenly younger old man...you know, I'm pretty damn sure Dave's younger than I am. [What the fuck.] But your old man will probably show the fuck up sooner or later. "Hey," he'll say, goofy grin and all, "Jane. Hope you weren't getting comfortable seeking the Zen of a pie to the face, the Tao of falling the fuck down. I'm here to take it back." And we'll be stuck making due with what we're left with: a ton of crappy level one equipment and Jake's legacy assuming his grandmother doesn't roll in next.

[stubbornskeptic]

...I think I'd like it if my younger dad were here, actually. He might see how silly it was to keep me grounded inside so often, hoo hoo.

Um. Even if he was absolutely right to.

[splinterself]

He'll probably ground you the moment he gets here. Find some corner of Mac Anu for you to chill in, stick a giant safe he got from somewhere in front of the entrance. Bam. The status quo returns.

[stubbornskeptic]

Even as a kid?

[She laughs at the image. Surely his mangrit wouldn't be high enough to lift a safe if he were her age.]

[splinterself]

Maybe. I wouldn't put it past the man to somehow figure out a way.

[stubbornskeptic]

I really hope my dad was less of a spoilsport as a kid, hoo hoo. But perhaps you're right. I imagine you are learning a lot about your Bro that you didn't know before, yes?

[splinterself]

Yeah. For one thing, I never expected he'd have an orange feathered sprite counterpart. Kinda puts AR to shame. [God. AR, don't be dead.]

[stubbornskeptic]

Yes! I've only met the fellow with the wings, actually. He was quite nice, if a bit clumsy with the gate.

Fine. I've taken your bed but gave you a tag.

[splinterself]

Yeah. I guess you can say wingless Dave's being himself. You know, following the exhortations of his self and doing his own thing. [Shrug.]

/tags back from the floor

[stubbornskeptic]

So...making shitty films and getting hero worship from you and Jake?

[;D]

Hey, only 195 more points until you can have your bed back.

[splinterself]

God I'd love that. I'd love to see what he'd come up with here given what he has to work with. Hold on. [And he takes a moment to idly buy an...apple, sure, why not. He may or may not be taking this general Mac Anu opportunity to work his way down the metaphorical food aisle of an equally metaphorical supermarket.]

i don't even know what earns points ;A;

[stubbornskeptic]

Movies might be a bit beyond him, from the looks of this place. But I'd sure love to help him out if he tried! Maybe they'd come out a little differently with my oldie-but-goodie touch, huh?

And that's part of the learning process.

[splinterself]

Oh hell yes. Mixing his irony and your vaudeville bullshit together? I'd love to see that trainwreck. I'd offer you - again - an apprenticeship in the ways of irony but I don't have Cal to help with the anointment.

[stubbornskeptic]

I think I'm plenty ironic, for now.

[She looks around, frowning a little.]

What was it you used to pay for that apple?

[splinterself]

What? Oh. Jake and I've been busy. The monsters outside give you money when defeated. [Oh. Wait.] You want anything? I'll buy. I mean, shit, you just got here and all. I'm not rolling in the metaphorical boondollars, though, so keep it reasonable, but you usually do.

[stubbornskeptic]

Oh. No, it's just. I'm going to have to relearn everything again, aren't I? And figure out how to live on my own...

[She looks down, obviously scared about this and at least a little embarrassed for it.]

[splinterself]

[The fuck is this?] Your own? Jane, last I checked, we're friends. Do I really have to give you another long metaphor about plush asses?

[stubbornskeptic]

[Jane winces a little. Yes, maybe it was a little unfair for her to assume Dirk and Jake would want to shack up or something silly like that, leaving her out in the cold. Then again, part of her fear is simply having to be an adult.]

I meant...without my Dad, mostly.

[splinterself]

[Growing up does suck. And now he feels kind of bad. No, scratch that, reasonably bad. Not over the top woe, but still bad. He just kicked a puppy.]

...sorry. I don't know exactly what to tell you, really. I know he'll be fine, wherever he is, and you'll be fine too.

[stubbornskeptic]

It's good that you have faith in me, of course! I just...didn't expect to be out on my own so quickly, I suppose. Sburb just sounded fun and once-in-a-lifetime, not...well, what it ended up being. I guess all those attempts on my life should've gotten me ready to face the big ol' world out there but, well, I'm still a little shy of prepared!

[splinterself]

And that's fine too. It's all part of the learning experience, Jane, and you've got myself and English to act as meatshields while you climb up the levels as a healer. Still, if it makes you feel better, when we get back I could always send you a robot to act as a sparring partner... [Hm. Seb, maybe?]

[stubbornskeptic]

[...She snorts.] Just how much do you want me to be like Jake, sir? I just mean I don't know if I'm, you know, mature enough!

[splinterself]

Relax, I wasn't thinking of an urban predator to hone your survival skills. For one thing, I'm sure that Dad Crocker would find some way of traveling through time just to kick my ass if I tried that.

[stubbornskeptic]

Ah, yes. I guess that's...one of those things I need to start believing, huh? The time thing.

[It's hard to believe just like that, but she's gonna try.]

I suppose you'll be schooling me on lots of things like that, now.

[splinterself]

The lessons have only begun, Jane.

Still, like I told Rox, it was a reasonable position for you to hold. For all intents and purposes, the individuals who I and Roxy had claimed as parental figures were alive and well, and the greater explanation was difficult to digest. Hell, I was surprised when Jake believed it.