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[ Not think anything about it until he remembers, oh right: Fabian doesn't check his text for ten years!!

So it's time to call him. BRNG BRNG!! ]

[ Well, it's easy enough to not notice a text, but a phone call is a little different. So when he hears that, it - thankfully! - doesn't take too long for Fabian to pick up. ]

Yes-- Hello, Gorgug? Is something up?

[ Another upside of phone calls: there's no random wanton panic the way there often is in any texts between the bad boys.. ]

[ Ah, there, here we go. It's good to hear Fabian sound normal. ]

Hey, yeah, I had a question. [ Important pause. ] Are you a pirate?

[ Anyway! ]

Am I--

[ He sounds kind of baffled. Not even by the answer to the question, but by Gorgug just.. asking this at all? Out of the blue?

This has to be coming from somewhere, right. ]

In what sort of context? [ Are you talking about him, bro?? ]

Uh...

[ Can you hear the cogs in Gorgug's brain trying to work from here, Fabian? Because apparently, Gorgug needs to think what he means. He, himself, that is. ]

...culturally...? I know your dad was the pirate, [ "is"????? ] but you live in a boat, and you had a pretty pirate lifestyle for living on the land.

[ SO HE COULD BE-- A PIRATE? A LAND PIRATE?

Gorug sounds ready to continue, too, if he has to!! (please understand his logic, fabian) ]

[ At least Fabian is used at this point to the things that go on in Gorgug's head being a little incomprehensible. It's like his friend just gets some strange new idea every time Fabian looks away for a minute..

At least it means he's providing the answer before questioning this further. Maybe he feels like questions actually won't tell him all that much more here, not when it comes to Gorgug's wild mind palace. ]

Sure.

[ There's some Complicated angles to it involving Leviathan and the things told to him there that Fabian is trying real hard to not think aboput right now, but.. culturally? Sure, he can claim that. ]

I am pirate-esque enough, I guess. Culturally, aesthetically-- I mean, I'm not doing actual pirate things, because I am fairly sure our battles don't really count as that when we keep fighting on land all the time.

[ ...

Okay, so Gorgug has his answer, but-- ]

Why were you thinking about this?

[ Fabian will hear sounds like uh huh, mm--so, sounds of approval, and that's exactly what Gorgug was thinking the situation was like in his BEAUTIFUL mind palace, thank you very much.

And now he might be better able to understand what Fabian himself was looking for, with that more direct question: ]

Oh, there was a guy-- you know the animal guy I told you about in that city who was helping the cats that I gave the water jugs to? [ Gorgug definitely told him about that. ] He turned out he was made a cop too, and I was saying how you got made into a cop, but how you're really the opposite of a cop, since, you know-- you're not really a cop.

[ LOGICAL. ]

I know you're not the standard definition of a pirate, but... there's a lot about it in your life, and I didn't-- I didn't know how you saw that part about yourself. Or how you want to carry it. You know...what you would call it.

I didn't want to brush it off.

[ And it's as much in his tone as it is in his words, the careful consideration he's trying to bring: this part of Fabian influenced by his living conditions growing up, that might not make sense or mean nothing towards being another's idea of a real pirate. But this is Fabian, and until there's a better way of describing it...

Pirate-esque is the best they're got here for it. ]

[ Gorgug's mind palace just keeps on going, huh. Fabian isn't even sure if he understands half of it, but he's kind of used at this point to it. Just enough to know that it doesn't really matter if he's missing half of it, as long as he's getting the gist.

And the gist here - aside from Gorgug just getting to specific topics in the absolute weirdest ways - is the fact that Gorgug was considerate enough about this part of him to want to check.

It's sweet, and Fabian smiles a little bit as he listens to his earpiece. ]

Thanks.

[ It sounds a little casual, especially in the face of Gorgug's way longer rambling, but-- if you listen well enough, the smile is audible in his voice. ]

Though I think you might give him a kind of strange idea of me if you describe me that way. [ He points out. Lightly, almost teasingly. ] Remember how most of these worlds out here don't even have orcs or elves? I'm not sure if I want to know what their idea of a pirate is, in that case. What if it's something seriously uncool?

[ Don't worry, he's still not being Fabian dramatic. He mostly just sounds kind of amused as he speaks. ]

You aren't going to make me look uncool in front of people I don't even know, right?

[ A simple thanks from a friend is enough to make Gorgug smile quietly on his side. Cool, he didn't do a bad thing.

:)

Except maybe he did, but not because of that. Gorgug does know what Clark thinks a pirate is, and it didn't read like anything off-putting (granted, they didn't stick on the subject long...).

But Fabian brings up about making him look uncool, and Gorgug hadn't thought about this at all.

So, sounding stumped: ] What do you want me to tell people?

[ It's asked, like Fabian does have an answer for this scenario especially! And Gorgug would rather ask him than to say what he thinks already: that he couldn't make Fabian sound uncool, there's plenty he would do to make sure nobody got that idea (well, unless something uncool did come up....). And how Clark--or anyone--would only have to meet Fabian to know what he's like. That uncool isn't the impression anyone would get.

But this isn't about what he thinks, and it's not about him, so: Fabian should get to decide what sounding cool over multiple realities is. ]

[ .. That is a good question, actually.

It seems to stump Fabian for a moment, as if he's trying to figure out over here what might be universally cool, before he settles on-- ]

That I am cool, of course!

[ He's helping.

.. Maybe.

The worst part is probably that Fabian meant that answer very, very sincerely. Go ahead, Gorgug, just tell people he's cool. No need to say anything more about Fabian. ]

I mean, how would you describe me to other people if you had to? What if you had to do so right now? [ P-Pressure?! Fabian, you'll make Gorgug go into a worry when there's nothing even to worry about here..

At least Fabian does seem like he's shooting the shit at this point in the way the Bad Boys do, rather than being entirely too serious about this. ]

[ What if he had to do so right now... let Gorgug think about it. ]

Well, I did describe you as a pirate to Clark. [ So if they wanted an example of how Gorgug has introduced Fabian to people. ] But if I describe you... I guess I mostly tell everyone you and the other Bad Kids are part of my adventuring group?

[ Hm. ] I think I told Krouse you're the most popular kid in school, so-- I'd say that.

[ If he didn't tell Krouse, maybe it was someone else? Was it Spider-Man, he/him? Or it was in a conversation that never happened... ]

I might mention your bike. [ If Gorgug had to go on, as he is now. ] And how your bike hates my van.

[ Really important info, here. ]

[ He laughs a little. ]

I don't think the fact the Hangman hates the van is exactly cool.

[ But apparently everyone else did pass muster - or surely Fabian wouldn't be laughing. He'd be whining, the way he always does. ]

But introducing me as the most popular kid in school is pretty good. That's what I've also been doing myself-- even if some people here utterly refuse to believe I am Maximum Legend. Can you believe it? I think it's pretty obvious if you just take a single look at me! [ You know. Because of the obnoxious golden tattoo.

But Fabian does mean it beyond just the tattoo, okay. ]

You were working really hard on it. [ Hey, it was hard not to notice everything that Fabian was getting into back at school, even if Gorgug couldn't always be there. But the people wanting to talk to him, the constant study sessions and even the attempts to give time to his friends for relaxing (even if it was hard to relax under the stress of schoolwork).... ]

I think you were doing a good job. I couldn't do it--I didn't even have time for my birth dad, before he left.

[ And maybe it's just because Gorgug's never thought about arranging anything for other people that is the key issue here on that, but--Gorgug can appreciate the effort it takes. It's envious, really. He doesn't know how Fabian, Fig, and Kristen do it. ]

I bet a lot of people liked it.

The freshmen seemed to like it.

[ It seems that Fabian is eagerly latching onto this particular compliment. Maybe it's because he really did put a lot of effort into all of it. The moment he realized his friends didn't have time for him anyway after classes and Owlbears practice, it was something to pour time into rather than sitting all alone in a far too empty house.

Not to mention that it filled up the halls, even if it was always just temporary. ]

Which is good, right? I wish someone organized fun lo-fi study nights back when we were freshmen and new to school. [ His tone shifts a little, obviously more light and joking as he adds: ] You know, instead of first day detention.

[ FABIAN.. Whose fault was it that both you and Gorgug were in detention, huh!!

Not Gorgug's!! ]

[ Did we need a reminder of detention and the following death from being in detention?

It's cool, Gorgug's actually really good at emotionally blanking out from that! It's so long ago, right? ]

I would've taken it over a lot of freshman and sophomore. [ HONESTLY... LET'S BE REAL.... Their school years so far have sucked bad!!! ] I mean-- we learned a lot and really grew together as a team, but...

It would've been nice if life wasn't always as crazy.

[ Right? Do those two years feel like a whirlwind of crazy to everyone else, or is that just Gorgug? ]

[ Sometimes Fabian says little things that are so telling, and he doesn't even understand just how telling they are.

Like so: ]

Isn't that what life is like?

[ Sorry, Gorgug. Fabian's life has never not been crazy. If anything, this junior year is almost the most calm period in his life he's had, despite the murders.. and the whole deal with the gods.. ]

I mean, last year and the year before that were a lot like the stuff I was off doing with papa. On a grander scale, yes, but-- it wasn't all that different from everything I did before. [ .. a slight pause, and then: ] It's more fun with you guys though.

[ He'd say to not tell his papa about that last part, but. You know. Even Fabian hardly ever gets to talk to his father, let alone any of the others! ]

[ Imagine being Fabian, already going out on adventures and all that... admittedly, if Fabian ever told them about his previous adventures, Gorgug forgot about it. Huh.

But Fabian saying he liked it with them--that gets a small smile out of Gorgug, and despite what he just said, he already feels the need to tilt his head, admit: ]

I wouldn't take an easy time over being part of a team with you.

[ And everyone else, but does he really need to clarify that? If he had to go through hell and back, then let it be with the Bad Kids. Let it be with Fabian.

He hates the horrors, but he prizes each and every one of them. ]

[ There's a slight pause, like there's a faint hesitation in this. Like even Fabian "overly impulsive" Seacaster is thinking twice about saying this so easily, weighing in his head for a moment whether or not it's appropriate enough to bring up before he says it.

Apparently he's made his decision though, since he does speak up with: ]

I'm glad that you prefer a world where I did punch you on our first day of school over a world where I didn't.

[ L-Look, Gorgug punched him right back? They're even, r-right?! ]

I mean, just imagine where you would've been now if I hadn't. [ Especially since the Bad Kids only ended up as a party together because they were stuck in detention and couldn't form a party with anyone else.. ]

[ You wanna know the reaction you get for saying that, Fabian?

You get a chuckle from Gorgug's throat, a heh where he doesn't open his mouth, but smiles after the fact. Heh. Yeah, that was a weird way to meet someone, huh. But the chuckle can definitely be heard over the call. ]

Terrible. It was worth the detention punching you back. [ ... ] I could've skipped the dying part, but I haven't had to die twice yet, so.

[ So it's a good deal only getting to die once? Unlike Kristen. But Gorgug sounds unperturbed about the whole thing. ]

[ Hey, if Gorgug sounds unperturbed, then of course Fabian isn't going to make a big deal out of it either. Or even think about it too hard. If Gorgug can talk about it so casually, it surely can't be something that's secretly festering deep down in the other, right.

Zero thoughts. Only vibes. ]

Well, at least I am sure there's going to be no dying here. I mean, this place is..

[ His voice trails off for a moment. ]

It is strange. [ That's for sure. It's trying so hard to pretend to be a normal town, but it sure isn't.. ] But it does not exactly seem like there is a secret hidden dragon lurking somewhere either.

There's the robots who show up if you break curfew. [ You know, the companion bots that seem really into killing people who don't comply... ] I don't know if they kill you on sight or if you get a warning... I haven't asked a lot about it.

Riz probably knows.

[ Let's not kid ourselves: they'll just ask Riz about everything going on in the city if they wanna know about it!! ]

Oh, I bet The Ball already knows every single thing there is to know about this place. [ Fabian doesn't even sound sarcastic or annoyed about that. He sounds completely calm and neutral - because it's just a fact, of course. Why wouldn't Riz already know everything? That guy could walk into a room and immediately tell every single important thing about it, Fabian is pretty sure. It's what Riz is good at. ]

.. Curfew kind of sucks though. [ And not just because Fabian, much like some of the other Bad Kids, just doesn't like the concept of rules in general. Though that fact sure doesn't help. ] That means we cannot see each other at all while curfew is going on. Almost as if this place hates fun or something like that.

It's even on the weekends. Who has curfews on weekends? [ ...Plenty of people, but if it's being called a curfew, why does it have to be a bummer! Gorgug is in complete agreement. ]

We should ask around if people do parties, or if we need permission. I don't know that Riz would know about that. I don't think he'd ask.

[ Because the kind of information Riz would ask about....is potentially not the one about winding down and having fun. That's the one thing they can't go to Riz about! ]

[ With absolutely zero hesitation at all: ]

Of course he wouldn't know.

[ Does Fabian believe that Riz is so unbelievably good at smart investigating that he'd already know way more about this place than them? Yes.

Does he also believe that Riz would have zero idea of how they could have fun here? Also yes.

Fabian and Gorgug are of one mind in that regard about the remaining third of their Bad Boys group.. ]

Who would we even need permission from to throw a party though? I mean, I'm.. [ .. well, he doesn't like saying it, but if it might help with a party.. ] I'm a cop. I am the permission, I imagine.

[ whoa.

Whoa. Fabian has unlocked a potential cheat code here, and who knew that being a cop could have any perks? There's research that needs to be put into this, but Gorgug asks after a moment of silence: ]

Can you get us a party permit?

[ Bro. Bro. This place is weird enough to have one of those and can you put out?? ]

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