(Ye Gods! How long did that take, kids? *snicker* Sorry 'bout the long wait. If it's not one thing, it's another... well, here's CJD chapter 3. Enjoy! And, as usual, Bass, Roll, and everybody else belong to Capcom. If they belonged to me, Bass and Roll would REALLY be an item.)
Chapter 3:
(In Which Roll learns that persistence and an irate Bass don't mix, and Bass learns the value of a simple apology)
Roll stuck close to home for the next few days. She kept mulling over her encounter with Bass. He seemed to actually like her, she thought, and she found him both handsome and charming in a brash, oddball sort of way. But what kept her from venturing back into the woods was the self-reminder that this was BASS she was dealing with, f'rgosh sakes. He was probably just playing with her, or trying to screw with Mega through her somehow, because that was what Bass did. Besides, even if his intentions were sincere (as unlikely as that seemed), anything between them would never, ever work. After all, she was supposed to avoid him at all costs, and she had the feeling that he wasn't supposed to even pass her by without pummeling her. They could both get into really big trouble if they were discovered hanging around each other. So, Roll thought as she vaccumed the living room floor, by staying away, I'm helping us both out. I'm doing the right thing. She sighed deeply. Boy, the right thing can sure hurt.
It was about the time she finished vaccuuming that Megaman and Protoman burst through the door, laughing their heads off. "Oh, MAN, little bro, you got him GOOD!" Proto chuckled. "I mean, he was like... oh, geez, when did your aim get so sharp?" Mega smirked. "I guess all the training I've been doing is paying off." Proto whacked his bro in the back of the head playfully. "Training, my lilly white... hi, Roly-Poly!" Proto ruffled his sister's hair affectionately. "Boy, did you ever miss a fight! I tell ya, your hero brother here could shoot the fleas off an alley cat!"
Roll snickered. Her brothers could always snap her right out of a gloomy mood. "Oh, can he really?" Actually, she knew how good that Mega could shoot- but this was the only way that she could get Protoman to tell her the story. "How good CAN he shoot?" "Well..." Proto flopped on the couch beside Roll. "...that good-for-squat Bass was out causing trouble again, right? And Rock was all like, 'Cut it out!' and Bass was all like, 'Make me!' and they got into it real good, and Rock kicked his rear totally and completely." He chuckled. "That little menace isn't gonna try to steal any more tanks anytime soon, I'll tell you that..."
Roll paled. "Um, that's... great, guys. Hey, I'll be back in a minute... I just realized I, um, left something in the woods when I was back there this afternoon..." And without any more of an explination, she took off through the back door like a bat out of hell, grabbing a small first-aid repair kit on her way out. This wasn't good. She just hoped that Bass was where she thought he was...
He was. When Roll reached Bass' clearing, he was crouched on the rock where she'd first seen him. Only this time, he was clutching at his shoulder, was cursing in streams, and had a wild look in his eyes. Treble, Bass' wolf-dog, was pawing at the rock in a concerned dog fashion, and upon laying eyes on the newcomer, began to bark. "Hey, shut up!" Bass snarled, and looked up. "Roll, this ISN'T a good time. Seriously, get the hell out of here." Roll stood her ground. "You're hurt." Bass' eyes blazed. "Well, no shit, Sherlock! How long'd it take you to figure that out?"
Roll was a bit taken aback, but still didn't leave. "I came to help. Now let me see it." Bass flinched back. "I'm warning you... I'm a psycho..." Roll smirked, and edged closer. "I'm sure you are. Now let me take a look at that arm..."
He didn't really mean to do it, but he WAS a badass by nature. When Roll leaned in to get a better look at Bass' wounded arm, he hauled off with his good arm and punched her. And it wasn't a love punch, either. Roll, first aid kit and all, flew off the rock, while she shrieked in pain and surprise, holding her mouth. "Damn you! I try to help you out, and THIS is how you say 'thanks'?" Roll fumed. Bass seemed shocked by what he'd just done. He tried to say he was sorry, but instead, his mouth said "I TOLD you I'm a psycho! If you'd have listened to me, I wouldn't have had to sock ya." He was rewarded for this tender attempt at an apology with a stiff slap across the face. "My brothers were right." Roll spat, her eyes glistening with angry tears. "You ARE a monster. And to think I was starting to care about you!" Stifling an angry sob, Roll turned around and ran back home, leaving her first-aid kit behind.
Bass fell back against the rock, closing his eyes. "Goddamnit, I'm a complete and total moron. Why in the hell did I DO that?" He looked over at Treble, who was licking his hand in a canine attempt to reassure his master. "I think I just blew it, Trebs. I just punched a girl in the mouth for no reason, and I really don't think she's keen on forgiving me for it." Treble whined, and barked. "Yeah, I know. It DOES suck. Royally." Wincing a bit, Bass pulled himself up, and trudged toward home. "Well, I guess there's only one thing to do. Get this arm taken care of, and then go over there and see if she'll accept an apology." Treble barked again. "No, I DON'T have a clue why I care so much. I really shouldn't, I s'pose... but I do. I really do. Weird, eh?"
Later that evening, Roll was laying on her bed, staring at the ceiling, wondering how in the world she ever thought she saw something good in Bass. She was wearing a faded, yellow nightgown, her hair was down... and the look on her face was incredibly depressed. "I'm crazy... I must've been crazy to think that he actually cared..." Sighing, she clicked off her lamp, flopped onto her bed, grabbed her teddy bear... and got right back up at the sound of an odd clicking sound at her window. "What in the..." She walked over to her window and slid it open, and looked out onto the back lawn. Standing there, under the moonlight, was Bass, wielding a handful of pebbles.
Roll narrowed her eyes at him. "What do you want? You come back to punch me again?" Bass whistled, and Treble jumped onto his back and morphed into a flight suit. Igniting the jetpacks, Bass rose up to the window, holding a handful of wildflowers. "I came to apologize... really. I don't know what the heck I thought I was doing... and I didn't mean to hurt you. " He held out the flowers, and looked at her hopefully. "Please? Forgive me?"
Roll looked him in the eyes. Those glistening, ruby eyes showed no hint of deciet or cunning- just the hope that she would accept his apology. And he had come here, at great risk to himself, to say he was sorry for hitting her. All the anger she'd been harboring towards him all afternoon melted into oblivion, and she smiled and reached out to him. "Well... you seem like you've learned your lesson, and these flowers are so pretty..." She smirked playfully. "I guess I can give you ONE more chance."
"Really?" Bass' eyes lit up like red Christmas lights. "Aw, Roll, you won't regret it. And I'll make it all up to you. Right now." He gently tugged at her hand. "Whoa, wait a second!" Roll giggled. "What are you doing?" Bass pouted. "C'mon, just a short little trip around? I promise I won't drop you."
Smiling, Roll put her arms around Bass' neck. "Who knows. Could be fun." Bass chuckled, scooped her up, and flew with her towards the light of the silvery moon.
Chapter 3:
(In Which Roll learns that persistence and an irate Bass don't mix, and Bass learns the value of a simple apology)
Roll stuck close to home for the next few days. She kept mulling over her encounter with Bass. He seemed to actually like her, she thought, and she found him both handsome and charming in a brash, oddball sort of way. But what kept her from venturing back into the woods was the self-reminder that this was BASS she was dealing with, f'rgosh sakes. He was probably just playing with her, or trying to screw with Mega through her somehow, because that was what Bass did. Besides, even if his intentions were sincere (as unlikely as that seemed), anything between them would never, ever work. After all, she was supposed to avoid him at all costs, and she had the feeling that he wasn't supposed to even pass her by without pummeling her. They could both get into really big trouble if they were discovered hanging around each other. So, Roll thought as she vaccumed the living room floor, by staying away, I'm helping us both out. I'm doing the right thing. She sighed deeply. Boy, the right thing can sure hurt.
It was about the time she finished vaccuuming that Megaman and Protoman burst through the door, laughing their heads off. "Oh, MAN, little bro, you got him GOOD!" Proto chuckled. "I mean, he was like... oh, geez, when did your aim get so sharp?" Mega smirked. "I guess all the training I've been doing is paying off." Proto whacked his bro in the back of the head playfully. "Training, my lilly white... hi, Roly-Poly!" Proto ruffled his sister's hair affectionately. "Boy, did you ever miss a fight! I tell ya, your hero brother here could shoot the fleas off an alley cat!"
Roll snickered. Her brothers could always snap her right out of a gloomy mood. "Oh, can he really?" Actually, she knew how good that Mega could shoot- but this was the only way that she could get Protoman to tell her the story. "How good CAN he shoot?" "Well..." Proto flopped on the couch beside Roll. "...that good-for-squat Bass was out causing trouble again, right? And Rock was all like, 'Cut it out!' and Bass was all like, 'Make me!' and they got into it real good, and Rock kicked his rear totally and completely." He chuckled. "That little menace isn't gonna try to steal any more tanks anytime soon, I'll tell you that..."
Roll paled. "Um, that's... great, guys. Hey, I'll be back in a minute... I just realized I, um, left something in the woods when I was back there this afternoon..." And without any more of an explination, she took off through the back door like a bat out of hell, grabbing a small first-aid repair kit on her way out. This wasn't good. She just hoped that Bass was where she thought he was...
He was. When Roll reached Bass' clearing, he was crouched on the rock where she'd first seen him. Only this time, he was clutching at his shoulder, was cursing in streams, and had a wild look in his eyes. Treble, Bass' wolf-dog, was pawing at the rock in a concerned dog fashion, and upon laying eyes on the newcomer, began to bark. "Hey, shut up!" Bass snarled, and looked up. "Roll, this ISN'T a good time. Seriously, get the hell out of here." Roll stood her ground. "You're hurt." Bass' eyes blazed. "Well, no shit, Sherlock! How long'd it take you to figure that out?"
Roll was a bit taken aback, but still didn't leave. "I came to help. Now let me see it." Bass flinched back. "I'm warning you... I'm a psycho..." Roll smirked, and edged closer. "I'm sure you are. Now let me take a look at that arm..."
He didn't really mean to do it, but he WAS a badass by nature. When Roll leaned in to get a better look at Bass' wounded arm, he hauled off with his good arm and punched her. And it wasn't a love punch, either. Roll, first aid kit and all, flew off the rock, while she shrieked in pain and surprise, holding her mouth. "Damn you! I try to help you out, and THIS is how you say 'thanks'?" Roll fumed. Bass seemed shocked by what he'd just done. He tried to say he was sorry, but instead, his mouth said "I TOLD you I'm a psycho! If you'd have listened to me, I wouldn't have had to sock ya." He was rewarded for this tender attempt at an apology with a stiff slap across the face. "My brothers were right." Roll spat, her eyes glistening with angry tears. "You ARE a monster. And to think I was starting to care about you!" Stifling an angry sob, Roll turned around and ran back home, leaving her first-aid kit behind.
Bass fell back against the rock, closing his eyes. "Goddamnit, I'm a complete and total moron. Why in the hell did I DO that?" He looked over at Treble, who was licking his hand in a canine attempt to reassure his master. "I think I just blew it, Trebs. I just punched a girl in the mouth for no reason, and I really don't think she's keen on forgiving me for it." Treble whined, and barked. "Yeah, I know. It DOES suck. Royally." Wincing a bit, Bass pulled himself up, and trudged toward home. "Well, I guess there's only one thing to do. Get this arm taken care of, and then go over there and see if she'll accept an apology." Treble barked again. "No, I DON'T have a clue why I care so much. I really shouldn't, I s'pose... but I do. I really do. Weird, eh?"
Later that evening, Roll was laying on her bed, staring at the ceiling, wondering how in the world she ever thought she saw something good in Bass. She was wearing a faded, yellow nightgown, her hair was down... and the look on her face was incredibly depressed. "I'm crazy... I must've been crazy to think that he actually cared..." Sighing, she clicked off her lamp, flopped onto her bed, grabbed her teddy bear... and got right back up at the sound of an odd clicking sound at her window. "What in the..." She walked over to her window and slid it open, and looked out onto the back lawn. Standing there, under the moonlight, was Bass, wielding a handful of pebbles.
Roll narrowed her eyes at him. "What do you want? You come back to punch me again?" Bass whistled, and Treble jumped onto his back and morphed into a flight suit. Igniting the jetpacks, Bass rose up to the window, holding a handful of wildflowers. "I came to apologize... really. I don't know what the heck I thought I was doing... and I didn't mean to hurt you. " He held out the flowers, and looked at her hopefully. "Please? Forgive me?"
Roll looked him in the eyes. Those glistening, ruby eyes showed no hint of deciet or cunning- just the hope that she would accept his apology. And he had come here, at great risk to himself, to say he was sorry for hitting her. All the anger she'd been harboring towards him all afternoon melted into oblivion, and she smiled and reached out to him. "Well... you seem like you've learned your lesson, and these flowers are so pretty..." She smirked playfully. "I guess I can give you ONE more chance."
"Really?" Bass' eyes lit up like red Christmas lights. "Aw, Roll, you won't regret it. And I'll make it all up to you. Right now." He gently tugged at her hand. "Whoa, wait a second!" Roll giggled. "What are you doing?" Bass pouted. "C'mon, just a short little trip around? I promise I won't drop you."
Smiling, Roll put her arms around Bass' neck. "Who knows. Could be fun." Bass chuckled, scooped her up, and flew with her towards the light of the silvery moon.