Troubled Ties

Onboard the Downed Airship Bluejay
Robin: Chester! Hey, Chester, are you up there?
Image: ... Who are...? Robin? Is that you?
Robin: Yes, Mrs. Arcane, I've regained my human form. Is Chester onboard?
Image: Yes, he is. Should I send him down?
Robin: No that's okay, I'm coming up.
Image: Sorry I didn't recognize you.
Robin: That's allright. It's quite a difference, isn't it? So, how are the repairs coming along?
Image: Pretty good so far, Robin. We expect to have it flying within 2 weeks. But I won't be here to help with the completion. I'm going on an expedition with Nucleo.
Robin: 2 weeks? Excellent! That's a lot of progress. And, yes, I heard about that expedition. I hope the two of you have a lot of fun and uncover something really significant.
Image: Thanks. I'm a little nervous. It's the first one I've been on in awhile and my memory is still a little foggy...
Robin: You'll be just fine, Mrs. Arcane. ... Chester!!
Chester: Robin! Dude, um, just give me one minute to tighten this bolt...
Robin: Do you need my help?
Chester: Uh, well, not with this in particular...but if you want to help...Robin? Is something wrong?
Robin: ... you haven't said anything...
Chester: About...what?
Robin: Everyone else was saying how nice I looked, but you haven't...
Chester: Robin, you look absolutely stunning. You always do. I would've said something...but um...how to put this into words...Dude, I'm not good with words. But, sometimes you act like a compliment on your human form is a degradation to your demon form and I'm always afraid of upsetting you. Whoah...I think I actually used "degradation". That's a pretty big word for me.
Robin: But you don't have to pretend I'm not a big ugly hairy monster in that alternate form...
Chester: I'm not pretending, Robin. I don't even know if I'd know how to pretend. Um...could you follow that?
Robin: Yes, of course...
Chester: Ergh. I don't think I got this bolt quite right...Let me try at it again...Dude...Robin, you know, maybe I'm just too dumb to know there is some reason I should be bothered by it, but the only thing that really upsets me is that we seem to have this same conversation all the time and I can never make you believe me, so...Ouch! Dammit! Stupid bolt!
Robin: Are you hurt?
Chester: Maybe.
Robin: I meant...your hand, not your...feelings...

Chet...

Chester: I just wish I could say something to make you understand how much I care about you, but I'm not good with words. I never have been.
Robin: No, Chet, it's not you, it's me. I'm sorry. My insecurity just keeps getting the better of me, and I don't mean to upset you. *hugs*
Chester: It's allright. I'm feeling better already.
Honen: You two are so silly. Perhaps Mr. Hallet should take break and allow me to continue war with ze stubborn bolt.
Chester: Dude, go right ahead. But I thought you were working in the lab today...
Honen: Aye. So I was. But I had to get away. Ms. Koma was driving me crazy.

Deuce: Can you hand me the soldering iron, Honen?
Honen: ...stop looking at me like dat.
Deuce: Like...what?
Honen: You know...like dat!
Deuce: ..? Are you saying you want me to go back to using my other avatar?
Honen: Just...don't stand so close...
Deuce: But...I need the soldering iron and I cannot move, because if I move, I'll let go of this, and...
Honen: Okay, here, just take it. Take it.
Deuce: You don't have to be so nervous. I'm perfectly capable of maintaining professional conduct in the presence of someone...
Honen: GAH-HA-HAA!!! Don't say it!!!
Deuce: Say what???
Honen: I've got to get out of here. Got to get out of here!! AYE-yai-YAI!
Deuce: Honen!!!! WTF?!?

Chester: Dude! No offense, but uhm...how does a little dude like you have the armstrength to turn that...
Honen: I am deceptively strong, Mr. Hallet. I don't think I could have built many machines on my own if I was not. Why you not go take Ms. Calypson somewhere for awhile? I do not require assistance for zis work.
Image: Besides, I could help him if he really needs someone.
Honen: With all due respect, Mrs. Arcane, I prefer to work alone for awhile.
Image: Okay. I'll go back down to the lower deck. Just call if you need me.
Robin: Allright, let's go, Chet.
Image: You know...Nucleo's big and hairy and has wings and claws and stuff, too.
Robin: Uh, well..True. Somehow, he still looks more "normal" to me than I do in my alt form.

Deuce: Tomes! Hey, can you hand me that eggtimer? Honen left me holding the phone here and I can't move...
Tomi: You know, this ain't gonna work.
Deuce: I'm pretty sure it works, Forrester. I just used it a few hours ago.
Tomi: I'm talking about chasing around that psychotic Oni to try making me angry.
Deuce: Tomes, if I wanted to make you angry, I wouldn't have to go through anywhere near that much trouble.
Tomi: Which is why I find it particularly pathetic.
Deuce: You know what I find pathetic, Tomes? It isn't anyone's fault that we got stranded on this planet besides mine and Ghestov's and maybe the Alliance for not sending a rescue team, and yet you treat everyone around here like it is their fault, despite how nice and hospitable they've been to us.
Tomi: I treat everyone with equal disrespect and contempt. Why should I make an exception for these people? And you know how much I hate being in a school!
Deuce: Why? Are you afraid you might actually learn something?
Tomi: Education isn't about learning, Deuce. It's about keeping the status quo. The rich families always move onto the better careers and the poor ones end up with the shit jobs, no matter what. The message schools send to the poor kids is basically, "You have no chance to ever get ahead in life, but we're gonna waste your next 13 years of it anyway." All those times I got sent on undercover missions in schools I saw it everywhere I went. These educational types are all the same, Deuce, and I don't like'em.
Deuce: Tomes, it's not like that here. Many of the people who came here had nothing, and, hell, Professor McRaven was a slave.
Tomi: Yeah, well he got lucky. Lucky that the rich headmistress wanted to adopt a child and had one slung on her doorstep. But what's he done with his education? Helped his race end all the slavery and corruption? No, he goes around scraping dirt off of old pieces of junk.
Deuce: First of all, Aurora wasn't "rich" when she came here, either. She was an abandoned child. And most of the money she earns goes right back into improving the school and its educational programs. Secondly, I agree completely with Nucleo's assessment that the mountaindevil society cannot change unless it wants to change. One man can't do much when no one's willing to listen to him. He feels that his work could eventually inspire others of his kind to strive for better, and in some small ways it already has. By studying the past, they can learn how older civilizations dealt with these problems and...
Tomi: You can sugarcoat it any way you want, it all sounds like BS to me, Deuce.
Deuce: You know, Tomes, I really don't see how you have room to complain. You also came from an impoverished background, and yet you don't do anything to help solve those problems, either. You also get to spend your life going on fantastic adventures.
Tomi: Well, not anymore. At least MY fantastic adventures actually did something to help people.
Deuce: Oh, yes, that's right. How could I forget? Our services certainly helped out all those nice rich people who could afford to hire us get rid of those pesky criminals who bothered them. Maybe we should bust Dr. Lizaki while we're here. We'd be doing a load of good for the poor Zyrconians who felt that making a spaceship was an act of terrorism.
Tomi: Knock it off, Koma. You know that those aren't the only types of missions I've done.
Deuce: Allright. That's it. I give up. I'm getting out of here before *I* burst into flames.
Tomi: You know, I've remained surprisingly calm through all of this...

Honen: Hmm...zis wire iz not connected correctly...Okay, dat should do it...
Zumo: ...

*BLLAARRGGH!!*
Honen: YOU STUPID WRETCHED WORM!!! Why ze HELL you do dat for???
Zumo: Relax, big fella. It was just a prank.
Honen: Well, you could have made me mess up my work!!
Zumo: Oh, come on, who cares about this big bucket of bolts?

Deuce: Hey, Im, I can't find Honen anywhere. Is he onboard this ship?
Image: Yes, he's on the upper deck, right up that ladder there.
Deuce: Thanks.

Honen: *I* care about zis ship, worm. Why you think I work so hard on it?
Zumo: Because you have nothing better to do?
Honen: No...maybe when repairs are all finished, I steal it and use it for escape vessel.
Zumo: Wow. Really? Gee, I wonder why I didn't think of that?
Honen: Dat's why I'm ze brains in zis outfit, worm.
Deuce: .......what?
Zumo: But where are we gonna go? The island is condemned. Most other places that would've been suitable have been overrun by those goop zombies, and...
Honen: We'll find a place. I really want to be alone right now, Zumo, so please go find something else to do. Think of it as having ze day off.
Zumo: Okay, if that's what you want. See you around.
Deuce: ..... ........ .....
Honen: Hmm...hmm...I probably shouldn't have said dat to.... ..!
Deuce:
Honen: What ze hell are you doing sneaking up behind me and pointing your gun at me you insane woman?!?!?
Deuce: You traitorous little scarecrow. I just overheard what you said about stealing this ship.
Honen: ...I didn't really mean dat!!!!
Deuce: Oh, sure you didn't. You're gonna tell me you just lied to your best friend for no real reason...about something that just seems to fit perfectly with the way you are?
Honen: Aye, yai! First of all, I lie to Zumo all ze time to get him to leave me alone. Otherwise, he'll sit here and annoy me all day. Secondly, I said "maybe", so iz not exactly lie since "maybe" leaves room for me to change my mind. Finally, I don't need to steal zis ship to run away if I really wanted to. Zumo is right. It iz bucket of bolts compared to my own machines.
Deuce: YOU EXPECT ME TO BELIEVE THAT?!
Image: Hey! What's going on up here with all the yelling?
Deuce: Honen was planning to steal the Bluejay.
Honen: CARAMBA!! I was NOT! I told small joke to Zumo to make him leave!
Image: Steal the Bluejay? Should I go tell Nucleo?
Deuce: Not yet, Image, I want to deal with Honen first myself, and then I'll take him before the judge.
Honen: You're just doing zis because you're mad dat I left ze lab.
Deuce: Honen...if you really do plan to leave, then just go right now and I won't report any of this, and I won't try to stop you, either. I can see now that you being here is like a timebomb waiting to go off.
Honen: I see...So, you're throwing me out...just like Leona. But you were right about me last night.
Deuce: Wait, um, that's too much information all at once. Who is Leona? And what was I right about?
Honen: I...cannot explain about Leona right now. But you were right when you said I am like dat type of person on ze message boards who always announces dat he's leaving forever, but then comes back a few days later. ...You know, I never kept track of years too much because I never felt different from year to year...but I think I might now be somewhere in my 30's and I suddenly am feeling ze difference with each passing year...Oh, what do you care? Just go ahead and tell Professor McRaven what I said.
Deuce: What on earth are you babbling about? Your thoughts are more incoherent than your speech!
Honen: If you can't figure it out, then nevermind and just go tell Professor McRaven what I said.
Deuce: Honen, if I let this slide, I'm always going to be suspicious about your every move. And if you did steal this ship, it'd be on my conscious. I don't know who "Leona" is, but...if you leave now, I'll go with you.
Honen: Dat's ridiculous. Just tell Professor McRaven. I'm not leaving, so you might as well tell him.
Deuce: ...
Nucleo: Hey there!
Image: Uff! Nuclee! What are you doing?
Nucleo: Giving you a hug, my dear. How are you doing? Need my help with any repairs? ...Deuce, Honen... What's going on...here?
Deuce: Hello, Professor. Um, I was just showing Honen my weapon. He's never seen a standard-issue Space Marine handgun up close before, and was curious. Um..
Honen: ...
Nucleo: A little dangerous to be holding it like that. Put it away now.
Deuce: It's okay. It won't go off. The safety is still on.
Image: Nucleo, I'm almost done with my part of the repairs. If I take a break now, will you go with me?
Nucleo: Yes, of course, m'love. Honen, Deuce, just be careful with those firearms, okay? I don't want to see anyone get hurt. See you later, now.
Honen: .....You had your chance! Why you not tell him?
Deuce: If you ever did steal this ship, I'll have ways of tracking it down.
Honen: Dat's why?
Deuce: Yeah, I know, I couldn't even track down a moonbuggy, but this time I'll take the proper precautions.
Honen: Dat's not what I mean. I have no doubt you could track it down. I just thought maybe there's deeper reason you didn't tell him what I said.
Deuce: I don't know. Maybe I really am just latching onto you because of a few things we have in common, but...
Honen: ...
Deuce: ...I have more in common with you than almost anyone else here, except maybe Tomi, but you're more fun to be around than him. I'm not saying he's not a good friend and partner when and where it really counts, but in our personal conversations...I just never see eye-to-eye with him and it always ends with me getting frustrated...
Honen: And how much do you seriously think you would be able to see eye-to-eye with me? You can't even tell when I make a joke.
Deuce: I thought you didn't have a sense of humor, though...
Honen: I don't. But ze worm drives me to it, sometimes.
Deuce: Well, then...I guess there's no way of knowing unless we try...
Honen: True, but I still think it has no chance of working out. But if you want to help me continue with repairs, you can. Maybe it will make up for my behavior today. I'll try not to freak out zis time.
Deuce: Allright. Sounds good. I need something to do.
Honen: Hm. And I thought "Starcrossed Destinies" was bad. Zis iz ze most unfunny sketch in ze history of zis series yet.
Deuce: I'm just trying to figure out how we should end it.
Honen: ...
Deuce: ...
Christopher: INTERNET DRAMA!!!!!
Honen: Well...there you go.
Deuce: Works for me.

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