"What I'd give for one of those inflatable mattresses right now…" Pom Pom sighed, leaning against the wall and folding his hands on his stomach.
"This is the lowest I've ever sunk in my entire life." Strong Bad complained.
"You'd rather get caught and miss the plane?" Pom Pom pointed out.
"No. I just never planned on getting a first hand look into the life of an airport cockroach. I didn't know Gavin had so many relatives on this end of the multiverse."
Just then there was a deafening crash. Homestar picked himself up off a slab of plastic that had just broken off the wall.
"I am not even gonna ask." Strong Bad shook his head.
"Homestar… you know that's a baby changing station." Pom Pom informed his friend.
Homestar blinked. "This is the weirdest motel room I've ever stayed in."
Strong Bad moved to the opposite end of the bathroom and turned his back on them. "Insane. Why didn't I just keep my mouth shut…" He muttered.
Somehow they all managed to fall asleep eventually because they woke up when the skylights began to fill with sunlight the next day. They emerged blearily into the hallway to meet up with Marzipan by the fountain. To their surprise someone was already standing next to her.
"Oh look who decided to creep out of his dark alley again." Strong Bad announced.
"Good morning to you too, Strong Bad." Scott replied pleasantly.
"I just found out Scott is leaving on the same plane as us." Marzipan beamed.
Homestar mumbled darkly through chattering teeth. His clothes were soaked from sleeping underneath the bathroom sinks.
"Well, it isn't like there are that many planes leaving for Cancun." Scott said, picking up his suitcase. "Anyway, it was nice talking to you again Marzipan. I'd better head off to security to have my bag checked."
"Oh, we'll come with you." Marzipan offered.
Scott glanced hesitantly at Homestar. "Uh, well… if you guys want to that's fine, I suppose."
Homestar began to open his mouth, but quickly shut it again under Marzipan's scrutinizing gaze.
"Homestar, are you going to be okay? You look kind of sick." Marzipan asked. "And you're wet…"
"You can borrow my coat if you like," Scott offered, starting to remove his jacket.
"No, I'm fine." Homestar huffed, and he started walking towards the other end of the lobby where the security gates were. Taking this as the cue to move on, the rest of the group followed.
"Place all of your metal items in the tray please." The security guard commanded blandly, shoving a tray in front of each of them as they walked past. Scott threw his suitcase onto the conveyer belt, and the rest of them tossed their backpacks on, following suit.
BZZT! BZZT! BZZT!
A blue light flashed at the metal detector as Strong Bad attempted to walk through. Another guard walked up with a handheld detector.
"You're going to have to take off your… uh, gloves." The guard with the detector explained.
"Why?" Strong Bad demanded.
"They have metal eyelets. They won't go through the machine." The guard responded patiently.
"So turn it off, what's the big deal." Strong Bad shrugged.
"I'm sorry, it's our security policy. It's for your own safety."
"Well for your safety I suggest you just let me through and quit making a scene." Strong Bad replied hotly. The other guard started to slowly pull out his radio.
"I can't take them off." Strong Bad continued.
"If you want to get on that plane, you're going to have to take off the gloves."
"Make me."
The guard slapped a pair of handcuffs on Strong Bad and pulled him to the side. Two more guards with handheld detectors were on him in a flash. Fifteen minutes later, Strong Bad marched through the detector and furiously nabbed his mask and gloves from the security guard on the other side and donned them immediately.
"What are you looking at!" He flared, seeing the shocked look on Homestar's face. Homestar appeared to be on the verge of a mental meltdown.
"You- you-" Homestar stuttered.
"Let's get moving, shall we?" Scott interrupted.
They continued to the waiting area for their gate and took their seats by the window that looked out onto the tarmac. Pom Pom, Scott, and Marzipan got into a discussion about the rights of sea turtles. Homestar was still staring incredulously at Strong Bad, who was gradually beginning to crack under the unblinking scrutiny.
Finally he snapped. "What the crap is your problem! I didn't stare holes into you because you got ARMS from walking through that portal thing!"
"Huh?" Homestar wondered blankly.
"Never mind. I'm gonna go get a drink or something." Strong Bad got up and walked out of the waiting area.
Homestar turned around and stared out the window at the airplanes that were coming and going. He was transfixed by the little luggage carts that snaked around underneath the docked planes. He didn't even notice Strong Bad return, or the announcements on the intercom about the arrival of their flight. It wasn't until Pom Pom tapped him on the shoulder that he finally turned around.
"C'mon, they're boarding now." Pom Pom said.
"Boarding up what?" Homestar asked.
"No, their boarding the plane. They're letting people on." Pom Pom clarified.
"Oh." Homestar got up and grabbed his backpack. He wandered up to stand in line between Scott and Marzipan. Strong Bad and Pom Pom handed over their tickets further up the line.
"Got your ticket?" Scott reminded him.
"Of course I have my ticket, stupid." Homestar replied sharply. He started digging through his backpack. In front of him, Marzi was getting the stub ripped off of her ticket. Then she walked onto the ramp and disappeared from view. Homestar still shuffled through his bag.
"Next." The ticket girl prompted, holding out her hand at Homestar.
Homestar upended his bag on the floor and scattered granola bars everywhere. "It's not here! My ticket is gone!"
"Ok, calm down buddy. Here, let's just step out of the line for a minute. Maybe you just missed it." Scott scooped the pile of junk from Homestar's backpack up and moved it out of the path of the rest of the passengers. "When did you last see it?" He asked.
"Um… yesterday I think." Homestar pondered. Suddenly Scott held out a second plane ticket.
"Is this it?" Scott asked.
"Hey, yeah!" Homestar reached for it, but Scott yanked it away and started turning it over in his hands.
"Too bad you'll miss the flight." Scott smiled strangely. Then he ripped up the ticket. Homestar gasped.
"What did you do that for!" He demanded, gathering up the fallen shards of paper and trying feebly to shove them back into a whole.
"Oh, Homestar. I'd explain, but I doubt you'd understand anyway. Suffice to say, your friends won't be getting help from the Chapmans. And now, they won't be getting help from you either. Enjoy your stay… you'll be living here the rest of your life." Scott got to his feet and stepped back in line, and as he did a dark rectangular object fell to the floor.
Wow... couldn't you just punch that Scott guy? Poor Homestar. Hmmm... what's the dark thing...? Heh heh heh.