Tensions were high as the group stared at the spoiled pompous oaf in front of them with massive spite.
"Parappa my dear friend! My has it been a while since we crossed path like this! What brings you here?"
Dear friend my ass… "I could ask you the same thing…"
"Well as I'm sure you probably overheard, you're staring at what will soon be 'Joe Chin's' All age invitational recreational pool center! The beauty of nature! The relaxation of water! All together labeled by me for the world to enjoy!"
"How did you even find this place?"
"I stumbled across here when I once read up that there was a massive pond out here! Now at first I thought it was nothing more than an errant myth! But low my surprise when I saw footprints embedded in the ground! Leading directly here! Whoever they belonged I must thank! They seemed to have come here quite often, but stopped not to long ago. Their pity. Now they can't take credit for all this business investing!"
You have GOT to be kidding me...he found this place from our old tracks here? How obnoxious do you have to be to look around every nook and cranny till THAT'S your saving grace? "I-I see…" Parappa began growling under his breath.
"My my what a face!...Do tell me what's gotten you so miffed my dear chum?" Katy speaks up in his place "This place doesn't belong to you! You can't just turn this place into a tourist trap! It's a secluded beauty of nature that should stay as such!..." Katy remembers how run down this place was before she and Parappa managed to clean and fix it all up "People would just ruin it…"
"Oh my word Parappa! You didn't tell me you had an entourage of fine young ladies accompanying you tonight!" Joe simply walks past Parappa towards the four girls behind him, completely ignoring what Katy told him "My yes, I recall who you four are! You were good old friends of the lovely Sunny Funny! And by extension him. On that topic. What happened to Sunny then Parappa old friend?"
"None of your business…" Parappa manages to growl out, not happy at how despite everything, he was still being a massive flirt to women who could care less about him. Which is every woman. Well...every woman except his supposed betrothed. Joe had a massive event take place to announce said engagement. And yet old habits seem to die hard for the oaf as he's still hitting on everything with a feminine anatomy.
"Pity, all that work, amounting to nothing." Parappa's patience had been obliterated in that instance as something within snapped. He would've body checked Joe then and there were it not for the girls speaking up, prompting him to wait out for them to see what would happen.
"You're quite the sleazeball Joe...Soon to be married. And still trying to get inside the pants of every other woman you see… It's sickening…" Paula says as she turns her back towards him.
"Ah i'm just a connoisseur of romance! I'm just being a gentleman of the night with adoration towards the lucky women, I'm not doing anything with them-"
("Yet…") Ma-sans fuse ignites violently.
"Feisty, I like that~ But no. That aside, my soon to be bride understands as she herself does the same!"
"An oaf of a woman who hits on every man they see? Making terrible business decisions and ruining the environment? Gee no wonder you hit it off so well with each other…" Katy was getting more and more aggravated with the man each passing sentence.
"There you go on again about the whole, ruining the environment speal. Look no one owns this land as you said, so therefore nothing is stopping me from investing in it for my benefit towards the town."
"Disrupting it you mean!.." Katy corrects him while her tail cracks on the ground like a whip.
"Ohohoh. This entire topic is touchy with you. Why is that? In fact, how do YOU all know of this place my dear azure beauty?"
"None of your business…"
"...Your name wouldn't happen to be Katy would it?"
"Why are you asking?"
"My oh my. Then you along with Parappa were the ones who were the previous patrons of this gorgeous secluded area. How devilishly selfish of the two of you keeping it towards yourselves only!" He then leans over and grabs Katy's hand "No one would ever bother the two of you here...alone in such a spot." He lifts her hand and kisses it, much to her disgust, then whispers in her ear "Just the two of you, Katy K. X Parappa R." Katy's eyes widen as she yanks her hand away from him "How do you…" The others look in their direction wondering what's being said to warrant Katy's expression.
"You left your mark on the other side of that lovely old oak over there a long while back it seems~ Fitting that it's old branches would bend in such a way. Almost looks like a heart doesn't it?" She simply shoves him away, as the other four see this, they pile in front of her to prevent him from getting close again.
"So THAT'S why you refuse to see this place become a lovely tourist spot! You rather not have everyone know! Well at least that's ONE of the main reasons."
"What's he on about?" Parappa says keep Joe at bay.
"N-Nothing…" she simply shuffles uncomfortably in place.
"Well unfortunately I can't comply. My mind's made up and I already hired the boys over here."
"Y-You all c-can't be serious w-with listening to h-his plans to t-turn this place into that h-horrible idea!..."
"Eh sorry miss, he says he'd pay a pretty penny for it, so it's in our contract to fulfill the request no matter how imbecilic. Them's the breaks" The head worker then looks at Joe while leaning on his jackhammer "Speaking of which when are we getting paid."
"In due time my good man! Just after you finish working!"
"You say that every project you force us to do. And it becomes less believable when you take your sweet time paying us back…" It was true, Joe constantly had business ideas, and they were always a flop. It was a miracle he had the money to do any of those things, let alone multiple times. Till it turns out he was asking for donations from the townspeople who he somehow managed to get to comply "But I do pay you, as you admit!"
"Feh…" The workers all grumble, unable to deny.
("So you're still a rip off artist…") Ma-san states, unfortunately a victim of his crappy wares.
"Look Joe we've had it, unless you keep your word and pay us the moment we finish the job, we ain't starting, or even working for you at all anymore."
"That's robbery!"
"What you're doing is robbery, and we've had enough part in it."
"Well if that's the case. I'll just find other people if worse comes to worst!" He then glances towards Parappa's direction "However…"
"What are you looking at us for?"
"You lot want me out of here correct?" They wasted no time in a group yes "Touchy. Well I don't, and I am adamant of making this place a pool center. So how about a friendly wager." Before Parappa agrees, Katy answers for him.
"What's your offer?"
"Oh nothing to difficult for my good old pal! You see those two giant long cinderblocks? Me and Parappa here will be chucking them across the pond. Whoever throws theirs the furthest wins. If Parappa here wins, I leave. And not just that, I'll leave Parappa town in general with my bride to be! If this town doesn't appreciate what I do for it, I'll mosey on to one that will." The group would've jumped for joy were it not for the ridiculous challenge to begin with.
"What if you win?..."
"Parappa here has to help me pay for it all! While you four each treat me to a date~" The four of them gagged on the spot.
"Joe that's hardly a fair challenge." The worker interrupted "You may be a moronic crook, but you still have a physique that surprisingly isn't for show...it's not exactly fair for the little guy."
"If you've seen what I've seen, you'd be eating your words, Parappa can hold his own quite well." For better or for worse when against me...but not this time. He can't beat me here.
Parappa then shocks everyone by accepting "You're on."
"P-Parappa?"
"You can't!"
("Dude that's not a fair challenge, sure you can bust stuff but not exactly chuck something like that across a further distance than this brute.")
"O-Oh d-dear…"
"Kid ya sure? Don't stoop down to an idiots level...they'll make you end up worse than them…"
"Ah so you admit i'm better!"
"I admit that you're an imbecile with no salvation."
The girls huddle around Parappa "Are you sure this will be fine?"
"Trust me, if I could manage to hold up a crumbling building up, than this shouldn't be that bad!" Joe overhears this but keeps to himself as he walks off.
("You managed to hold it up for three minutes, that's not much of feat..")
"I could've managed to hold it up for as long as you all needed to take in order to get out." He wasn't wrong, they just wished he wasn't right "Look I'll pick it up, and throwing it shouldn't be that big of a problem! I know I can do it, I just gotta believe I can, with you all supporting me with your belief to!" the girls simply sigh and nod. "Great!" He turns to Joe "Ready when you are."
"Old sport, I'm always ready." He lifts up his cinder block rail and rears back before chucking it, landing it smack dab in the middle of the pond "And with that, it's safe to say that I won." The big and deep pond truly was a massive place, almost easily mistakable for a lake, that could swallow up much if gone to the center, which was about one yard from where they were standing! And still the block of stone was still big enough to protrude from the surface of the water.
"Well then old boy, you're up next." He walks off chuckling.
"Oh boy...I gotta believe…" As Parappa walks up to his block, Joe speaks up again, rolling up with a crane "Oh I'm afraid to mention that, that won't be the block you'll be using! Yours is in here and you have to break it out! Good luck!" He opens the crane arm and drops the pile of slag over Parappa's head. As he was about to roll away to avoid being crushed, His sensei's voice echoed in his head from an old memory in a near similar situation during training.
Parappa, when facing bad mannered and ill willed adversity. One must always, stand there ground. No matter what!
"I-I don't think now a-applies Tamanegi-"
STAND. YOUR. GROUND!
"B-But!"
"PARAPPA DON'T JUST STAND THERE, MOVE!" Paula shouts, to no avail as he doesn't budge. "PARAPPA!"
STAND, AND FIGHT!"
"W-WAAAAAAAAAAH!" as the block nearly reaches him. Chop Chop's voice spouts out two words repeatedly in his head, to which is body reacts on instinct to it.
PUNCH CHOP CHOP PUNCH PUNCH PUNCH CHOP PUNCH PUNCH CHOP CHOP CHOP PUNCH! This repeated over in his head as his hands did the rest, digging out a hole in the middle of the rock, but it was still forcing itself down.
"T-THIS ISN'T WORKING!..."
"Parappa what's wrong? I thought you said you handled a collapsing building!" Joe says, dumbfounded that Parappa decided to stand under the rock and take it head on.
"JOE YOU'RE A PSYCHOPATH!" the workers head towards Joe to try and yank him out of the working vehicle "I didn't FORCE him to stand under it and try to take it on!"
The voice in Parappa's head just keeps at it as he just keeps Punching and Chopping at the rock, continuously breaking bits off, but not stopping it's downward progression. "OWOWOWOWOWWOWOWOWOWOWOWOWOW! THIS IS KILLER ON THE HANDS…"
The rock was now starting to push him down, Parappa was trying to block with his arms, or atleast hope Tamanegi sensei would say to do so So that he wouldn't sustain injuries, and dig himself out later. But neither happened and he just kept jabbing and slashing with his hands, till the rock engulfed him. The girls gasp in horror as the rock lands on the ground with a heavy thud.
"Oh...pity...why didn't he move from that spot? What kind of idiot just stands under it…"
"WHAT KIND OF IDIOT DROPS ONE ON A PERSON ANYWAY?!" the head worker says as he drags Joe out of his seat and tossing him on the ground. Before they can do anything else however, the ground soon starts to rumble around the giant rock that encased Parappa. And soon everyone hears him shout out three words from underneath the rock.
"PUNCH!" From the center of the rock, a cinder block slab is ejected out and into the air.
"JUMP!" Parappa leaps from the new hole and catches up to the block.
"KICK!" Parappa spins in the air before punting the block away. It flies across the pond, shattering Joe's block as it passes through it and lands on the far end of the other side of the pond, deeming Parappa the victor as he lands on the ground with his arms crossed and a huge grin spread across his face in success. Then he falls to his knees with his eyes wide and dilating with his wide smile now crooked from fear and shock, sweat pouring like a waterfall.
Tamanegi sensei you're teaching methods are insane...oh god i'm so glad that actually worked...I would've been crushed...owowow...my hands sure took quite the beating… "Y-Yay...I wonnnnn…" he says as he stays stuck in the position he's in.
"B-Bu-But that's not possible!"
"AAAAAHAHAHA! Can it Joe, you lost even with your unfair bullcrap of a challenge. Now get lost you maniac. You gotta keep your end of the bargain."
Joe gets up and dusts himself off angrily "FINE! See if I ever do anything good for this town again! I'll find some other town worth helpin-" He's shut up by ball of mud hitting him square in the face.
("SHUT UP AND GET LOST!") Ma-san says as she chucks another one. The other girls following her example soon after.
Joe was entirely encased in mud as he ran out of the forest, keeping his word. From this day on, Parappa town would no longer see him again.
As they girls were pelting Joe with mud, the workers head over to Parappa "Hey squirt? You ok?"
"D-Define ok…" they slap his back and laugh "Haaaa you sure showed that despicable oaf! No sane person would've accepted that challenge let alone do what you did! Who would've ever thought to beat a hole through that pile of concrete from the bottom straight to the top?"
"H-Hehe...yeah...no sane person…" Tamanegi sensei's teachings are a blessing and a curse…
"Thanks to you, we don't have to put up with that unbearable prick anymore!"
"Y-Yeah well not like anyone ever wanted to...just no one did anything cuz...who wanted to be around him?"
"Praise that fact, squirt!" With that they all get into their construction vehicles and drive off as well, leaving the five of them alone.
Katy dusts off and lifts Parappa and then stares at him with smile, to which he replies in kind with his own smile. Then she proceeds to slap him across the face, followed by Paula doing the same in the opposite direction, Lammy yanks his beanie down over his face and Ma-san punches him square in the gut.
"AUGH…" Parappa is back onto his knees in an instant "W-Why?"
"Don't you ever…"
("EVER.")
"Think of doing THAT stupid stunt again!"
"P-Please…"
"Believe me...I won't…" He manages to get back up, and covers his face as the girls approach him again. "Relax...we're not going to hit you again…" he warringly lowers his guard.
"Not counting that stupid outcome...thanks for getting Joe off our backs…"
"Yeah no kidding...finally, he gets out of our necks for good…"
("I never thought I'd see the day he'd finally take the hint!")
"Y-You're telling m-me...I f-feel bad for w-whatever t-town he migrates t-to though...n-now they gotta d-deal with him…"
"I'm sure they won't be as lenient as PaRappa town Lammy, no need to worry there!"
"You s-sure Katy? I mean look h-how long h-he's been at it h-here!"
"Ehhhh...frankly, I'm just glad he's gone…"
"Amen."
("Preach.")
Parappa cuts in "Well...I'm sorry...I uh...don't know what got over me to make me not move away...but I mean it technically turned out for the better?"
The girls say in unison as they roll their eyes "I guess…"
"And hey...now we can actually enjoy this place!"
"That is true...but thanks to Joe...it got all messy again…All that hard work years ago...only for it to happen again…"
"Guess i'll have to come here early someday to clean it all back up."
"By yourself?"
"Well yeah, you've already done enough Katy, plus I don't think you wanna see the place all dirtied up again."
"You're not wrong, but I gotta help clean it up to! That was what we promised back then! And so it counts even towards now!"
"I mean if you're really ok and up for it." She simply nods at his reply.
("Hey what are we? Invisible?")
"Yeah we wanna help out to!"
"I-If you don't m-mind…"
"Of course not! Right Parappa?"
"I won't say no to help if all of you are really up for this." They all nod and put their hands forward, to which Parappa does the same, topping it off "Then that's that! Joe may have have made of mess of this place again, but we'll just fix it back up! And with more of us now, it should go by quicker!" The launch their hands upwards.
"Agreed!...but man...what an unfortunate turn of events...I wanted you guys to see how amazing this place that me and Parappa found was, only to run into captain sleazy…"
"I think we already get the jist of how beautiful it can be!" Paula points to the water as the stars begin to reflect off it again, embedding them and the pond area all in a shiny, white light."
("Wow, a naturally made beauty, smack down right here in the middle of PaRappa Town. Who'd a thunk!")
"H-Hidden by the trees, as if to keep away anything that would ruin it." Lammy says, calming down thanks to the light of the area.
The group just stands there, gazing at the shining pond "I wanted to do so much more here, but I dunno what to do now. Sorry Parappa, guess this ended up a bust huh?..."
"You kidding? With Matt and PJ I had a great morning! Even got to show up some fools not to mess with this town! And Just flat out hang out and have fun. And here with you? You helped me ease back into singing again just for the fun and joy of it for me and others! And even got me to finally make Joe get lost for good. But...I guess it hasn't been exactly the same for you guys huh? I'm sorry…"
("Meh, Joe always soured the mood, not your fault dude.")
"Ma-san's right. No one could've predicted that we'd run into him." Lammy says as she puts a hand on his shoulder to reassure him."
"I guess you girls are right, doesn't mean I don't feel guilty over it. So…" He gets up, and since Lammy was the closest, grabs her hand that was placed on his shoulder and pulls her close "How about I dance with each of you? I don't really have anything else to offer, can't really sing since I didn't bring a mike or Boxy Boy, and you all really wanted to go to a club... So yeah...sorry for the crummy offer, I have two left feet and it's out of the blue, but-" He gets cut off "I'm ok with it. I think we all are."
"You bet I am." Katy just warmly replies.
"So you struggle with dancing, that won't be a problem when you dance with me Parappa, you know how great I am when it comes to dancing~ It'll surely rub off!" Paula announces proudly.
("Here's hoping he doesn't get your your ego in addition to his! That'd be to much to handle.") Ma-san says before laughing heavily at the thought.
"Well I'm just glad my suggestion was enough! And hey, we already have the dancing spotlights!" He chuckles as he waves his arm around in the bright white light, and then they begin their dance. And they just kept on dancing under the moonlight and starlight mix around the pool, a short break here and there for Parappa to relax his hands, but he was back at it again and again, as to continuously make it up to them. And before they knew it, they had danced the rest of the night away.
"Wow...time sure does fly when you're enjoying yourself doesn't it?" Parappa looks towards the girls "Well come on, let's head back to my car so I can drop you all off."
Upon arriving and entering the car, Parappa sighs and sinks into his seat.
"What's wrong Parappa? I thought you were doing great!..."
"Oh no no I am!... That's not it… It's Joe… I'm happy he's out of our hair, but at the same time. I always pictured the guy as a possible potential friend if he just…"
"Wasn't a womanizer?"
"Wasn't destructive?"
("Wasn't a rip off artist?")
"W-Wasn't always i-ignoring the r-reality of h-how things w-work?" After they all say their peace, Parappa simple sinks deeper into his seat "Exactly...but no...it's like the guy progressively got worse...after I began dating Sunny he seemed like a good sport about it...then he started up his business line's...and then...hoo boy...It was at that point I knew friendship was impossible, but still. I can't help but feel bad for the guy you know? I mean yeah he's getting married, but to basically a female version of himself! They won't survive for long and that's kind of upsetting that I was potentially the cause of that!"
("Joe brought that upon himself, there's learning and then there's arrogance. Take your pick on which you believe Joe decided to stick with. What happens to him was the cause of his own actions, He may be a dense moron, but he wasn't dense enough to not know that this would've happened to him eventually.")
"You're right, I shouldn't feel guilty in that case if this is the outcome he knew he'd get." He turns to face Ma-san ("Thank you for the realization.") He gives a goofy grin before turning back around and starting the car.
("D-Didn't need to thank me like that over common sense...dumb mutt.") she says barely over a whisper and with a quick hmph as she points her nose in the air, embarrassed over him choosing to speak in her native tongue in order to say thanks.
The ride to Paula's apartment wasn't to long nor hard to get to as the streets were surprisingly empty. Was there something going on or was it just that late? They didn't know, nor pay much mind to it.
"Thanks for the lift Parappa, and thanks for the invite Katy!" Katy waves with a smile while saying "No problem." As Parappa simply nods, keeping his goofy smile for abit longer before speaking up "I should be the one thanking you! If it weren't for your idea. I probably wouldn't have sung at all aside from that moment earlier today with PJ. But I don't entirely count that since the battle lasted under a minute. So this was the real deal with help over there!"
Paula snickers "You're welcome, but you gotta tell me all about that. Also don't forget, you owe me a song with the two of us as the duo!" She sticks her tongue out at him before closing her door and walking off. After she disappears inside the building, Parappa speaks up again "Any of you gals wanna take the main passenger seat now that's it free again?"
Ma-san and Katy wasted no time in answering him "Lammy would love to!" to which she replies upon hearing her name "W-Wait wha-"
"Lammy you wanna do that then?"
"A-Ah...well...s-since you're offering...I guess I w-will…" she heads on over to the seat right next to him "T-Thanks~"
"No problem!" He finally resumes driving "So where am I dropping you three off at?"
"Dropping off?"
"Yeah?...Katy I mean where's your apartment that the three of you stay-"
"I heard what you meant, what I mean is, did you forget already?"
"Forget wha-" You could literally hear the gears in his head spinning, until he recalled what she meant "Oh...right...I'm now your guy's new roomie!...h-hah slipped my mind…"
"O-Oh right! I'd forgotten that also..."
("Not gonna lie, so did I with what happened today.")
"Yeesh, Parappa you at least have an excuse, but Lammy and Ma-san? Girls this was something I thought I made sure you'd remember and be ready for!"
"I-I'm sorry, m-my mind was on o-other things after the open m-mike night…"
("And Joe soured my mood to the point that slamming his face into the concrete was all I had in mind.")
"Oh boy, well no worries! Doesn't really affect us much! You'll still move in nice and easy! Now to get to your new apartment you just gotta take this route and then, make a left at the second turn signal." After a surprisingly long drive, the reach the street where the place is located, but Parappa had something on his mind, he knew the reason for them choosing to be roomies, but never really explained the process. "So how was it for you three when you decided to be roommates?"
"Well I mean for me it was easy, my parents at first didn't want me to go, but after a bit of convincing and showing how this would be the best for me. They let me go. I love my parents and all, and they got better ever since meeting your family Parappa, but at the same time I just wanted to, you know leave. I wanted to spread my wings I guess. A caged bird never sings and that just wasn't my lifestyle." I wanted to leave it all behind and start anew, but that was easier said than done. "So it was at that point I decided, what if MilkCan lived together? Would make many things a hell of a lot easier. Plus Lammy already was in her own apartment, so getting her to agree wasn't gonna be to hard. At least that's what I thought at first. This kinda lifestyle takes quite the commitment. But we were MilkCan, we didn't cut any corners and well. The rest is history."
"Well b-basically what Katy said. I mean yeah I was living on my own, but that was cuz of family...They w-were always busy t-to a point of never really b-being there. So I f-figured they wouldn't mind me having a place to m-my own. They kinda d-did but eventually just l-let me be. When Katy d-decided for me to move in with h-her. That's when things g-got rough. M-My parents did n-not see eye to eye on t-that plan...To a point I almost had a f-falling out with them...l-lucky me…,but in the e-end they gave in on t-that idea as well. And well, h-here I am!" The whole situations was one stress inducing case I only wish I could've avoided, but it went well for me regardless…I guess.
("For me, I was informed on the plan and was gonna tell my father about as soon as possible. I wasn't gonna take no for an answer, but he just answered yes on the getgo. And I just got so mad that I literally exploded on the spot. I got mad as to why he was just, ok with letting me go. I thought he didn't care what I would do with my life now that I was an adult, but...he explained that he felt it was a necessary thing that just had to happen eventually. He knew that I would just move away one day and leave him alone. And rather than worry on the loneliness, he panicked over my condition on the matter. Then he said he was relieved when I was moving out to bunk with friends. Saying that, if that was the case, he'd have no reason to worry. And that the thought alone left him at ease with no reason to feel lonely. Then he spouted so much gushy crap and…") A single tear drops from her eye recalling her father's sappy words, but she immediately wipes it away, regaining her bravado ("Well the rest is history! End result is I moved in with them! But that should be obvious.") I just wish my dad didn't treat me like a baby even to this day, but I can't really BLAME him due to me being the only bit of family he had left! I wonder how my old man is doing now?...
"Sounds like you three had a lot to go through."
"It was, but we all remembered one thing!" As Katy said this, the three of them said in harmony "No cuttin' corners!"
Parappa laughs "To think my dad's old catchphrase would be the basis you three go by even to this day!"
"Well it helped even now!" Although to be fair, my mom and dad do not know that I'll be inviting you to bunk with us, but i'm sure they'd be fine about it knowing that it's you. ….or would they?
"I-It really did!" My parents threw a fit with the whole bunking idea, but if they knew a boy would be joining us they'd be flat out livid…"
("There's some merit to it! At least from what I witness anyways.") I wonder if pops would be eating his words if he ever found out a boy was one of said friends I'd be eventually bunking with? I don't peg him for the type to get upset at it, but he's already surprised me once…
The girls all sigh, leaving Parappa confused "Uh...something up?..."
"Nah it's nothing, at least for me it isn't. How about you girls?"
"I-I'm good!"
("I've got nothing to hide, i'm just tired.")
"Yeah no kidding...I'm exhausted…" Parappa says as his grip on the wheel tightens as he parks outside their place..
"I'd be surprised if you weren't! After what you've been through! How are your hands?"
"In pain, but i'll be fine."
"Lemme see."
"Um, alright…" he lets go of the steering wheel and turns around.
"HOLY-... PARAPPA! HOW HARD WERE YOU HITTING THAT ROCK?"
"Uh…" oh you know, with enough force as kilimanjaro's eruptions, at least that's what Chop Chop says when he taught me. "N-Not that hard…"
("The swelling, bruises and cuts say otherwise man.")
"I-It's fine! I'm fine!"
"Dude your hands bled all over the steering wheel, that's not fine."
"W-WHAT?" He turns to see she's right, while they were driving Parappa's hands had begun to bleed "Aw man that takes forever to clean! Damn...i'm gonna be here for hours trying to get that off. Well at least they didn't start bleeding as I was dancing with you guys..."
"You're worried about the steering wheel or the dances rather than your own HANDS?"
"Come on a-at least get em b-bandaged...I think he have some gauze bandages inside…" Lammy leaves the car, then heads over to Parappa's door to drag him inside "H-Hey! I don't need bandag- OWOWOWOW DON'T SQUEEZE MY HANDS!"
"That prove my point enough for you?"
"Ok maybe I do need it just a litt- OWOWOWOW OK YES I NEED THE HELP!..." Lammy disappears with Parappa inside while Ma-san and Katy Lock up and close the car "Wait for us!"
After a bit of struggling, Lammy finishes up disinfecting and bandaging up his hands "That should do it! Not only that, but...I t-think the look fits y-your style nicely…"
"Lammy has a point! Maybe you should consider keeping em after your hands heal!"
"Well this is outta the blue…" He looks at his mummified hands and fingers "You do have a point...I guess i'll consider it, anywho thank a bunch Lammy."
"N-No problem!"
("I think they make you look like a dork, but an endearing one.")
"Well you're not wrong there!" Parappa couldn't help but burst out laughing "People think I look good in anything, just saying it fits well with my 'cuteness'. But cuteness isn't what I'm trying to go for. At least not fully."
("I wouldn't try changing it, it's who you are. Don't let the others get you man.")
"Hm...you got a point there now that I think about it. Guess I'll just keep at it if it's what I do best!"
("You are such a mutt.") She laughs as she heads off to her room.
"Hey where will I be sleeping?"
"Oh! That room right there! And here are you keys!" she hands him his car keys, but quickly remembers that in her own van, his luggage is still packaged away. Before she can bring that up, exhaustion finally shows its hold on her as she yawns, infecting the room "Oh man... i'm sorry Parappa. I kinda forgot to take your stuff out of my van, and I'm too exhausted now to help unload your stuff, can we do it tomorrow? You still have a bed and sheets and all the basics."
"That's good enough for me! I'm beat as well so sure, we'll save it for tomorrow. Good night you two!"
"N-Night.~"
"Sweet Dreams man! But wait! Won't your dad need the car?"
"He has his own, he got a second one after the noodle fiasco. Good thing to huh?"
"Very! Good to know!"
"Now, g'night!"
Parappa enters his room and shuts the door, it was slightly decorated, showing that this room was possibly used as a hangout for the three of them. Especially seeing that it had its own TV like the living room did, but maybe each room has its own TV already? Seems like quite a money sink, but he'd be sure to help out, four sources of income was sure to keep this place in a very stable motion "So this is a new start for me huh?" He hops onto the bed "Man what kind of experience will this end up being I wonder." He removes his shirt, rolls it into a ball and tosses it to the side, then he takes off his beanie and stares at it before putting it on the counter to his side "Heh...I'm finally starting to feel better. Sunny I hope you're at least happy, but I can't help but wonder if you've already moved on. And I wonder if I should to..." He yawns, as he starts fading into dreamland "Can I even move on?...I don't really have any options when it comes to girls around here that would see me in the same light as you did, or if I would even see them in that light to begin with for that manner..." His eyes can barely keep open as he remembers what PJ was teasing him with earlier "Or do I?..." The four girls that helped him tonight reappear in his mind "N-No...that's stupid...I don't…" He soon feel himself get more exhausted all of a sudden, unknown to him that it's his heartbeat "Do I though? Nah...it can't be that…but is it them?" He can't stay awake any longer "None of them see me that way…" He closes his eyes "But it...would be nice...if one of them did…" He finally drifts into sleep.
Dreams are usually meant to be one's escape into a slightly more relaxed state of mind, unless they become a nightmare in which case they're the exact opposite, but what if it's neither? How does the mind handle such a strange dream?
"Augh...my head...huh...the floor? I was in a bed just a second ago...did I fall off?" He looks around "Hey where's the bed? Actually scratch that! Where's anything?" He starts searching the near endless hall of a room "What is this? Am I asleep?..." He pinches himself "Ow!...now did I feel that or did I dream I felt that?...Man this is confusing…" after a bit, he begins to run rather than walk, and eventually he comes across a door "Finally! In we go." As he enters the room, the door behind him disappears "Well, guess that's that...hey...is this a bathroom? Kinda...missing everything except the the sink and mirror…" he walks towards the sink and begins to wash his face "This also feels real…" He looks at the mirror "At least I can trust you!"
Are you sure?
"Of course I-...wait wait waitwaitwait! D-Did you just talk back?"
Of course I did, what do you think I am?
"A mirror!"
I ain't nobody's mere reflection!
"But...then...who are you?"
Who are you?
"I asked...gah...fine. I'm Parappa Rappa, or as the town calls me Parappa the Rapper!"
You're lying.
"No I'm not!"
You are, because I'm Parappa Rappa….aren't I?
"I...don't know...aren't you my reflection?..."
I don't feel like you...I don't feel anything at all...well that's a bit of a lie…. I feel somethings...
"Like?..."
Cold, Sad and sorry.
"Sorry?..."
Yeah...I'm sorry…
"Huh? Sorry for what though?"
This…
His reflection punches the mirror, shattering it from his side, and the entire room Parappa was in shattered as well. And with nothing below, Parappa plummeted "WHAAAAAAA. WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON!?" as he kept falling endlessly, he eventually saw something. It was the floor of the room he just fell out of. And immediately as he saw it, he made impact.
"Augh...my head...huh...the floor? I was in a be-...wait...I just...went through this...but...now...I'm at my house?...A-Am I awake now?..." he walks to where his room was, but something was off, his room was there. It just wasn't his room "This is...a storage closet...what's going on…" He closes the door and resumes exploring what he thought was his house. "Where's my room? Dad couldn't have gotten rid of my stuff that quickly...if at all...he wouldn't have wanted to do anything...ugh...my head hurts...I'm...gonna try and watch tv…" He uses the remote, but nothing happens "Of course…" he walks up to turn it on manually and as he does it flares a white light in his face. And immediately he gets sucked in "NOOOO!" and just like that, the tv turns off with him inside.
Parappa's eyes open as he's on his new bed "...no...I refuse to move…I'll just close my eyes." Parappa had strange dreams only rarely, and when he did, it was usually before something big happened. Like when he first met PJ, Katy, Matt, Paula and MilkCan. When he lost his mother, when he first fell in love...when his love left him. These are just to name a few. Sometimes he didn't know how long the dreams would last so when he had enough, he would try to just wait it out. Unbeknownst to him that he was actually awake now.
The door to his room suddenly opens "Maaaaan even though it's right across my room. I still never get used to waking up even earlier for a MilkCan group planning…" The voice belonged to a groggy Lammy as she plopped onto the bed, causing Parappa to panic. D-Did she forget i'm here?...Oh wait...this is has got to be the dream still.
"Katyyyyy...wake up...you're the one who asks for these meetings in the morning...It's not fair that you get extra minutes of shut eye and I don't...and why does Ma-san get to take her time…" She elbows Parappa mistaking him for Katy. This isn't a dream...uh oh…
"Katyyyyy…."
"Whaaaaaat…" Katy says as she opens the door to the room, yawning and rubbing her eyes as she enters.
"W-Wha?...But...if you're there...then who's…"
Please don't lift the sheets.
Lammy lifts the sheets, revealing him like a deer caught in the headlights. "U-Uh...morning!" Parappa looks at the two, only to realize their modesty is currently nonexistent. Lammy wearing just a lone shirt, labelled 'Fresh Milk' over her underwear as a nightgown. Katy was just flat out in her underwear and bra. The latter of which was hastily put on to answer Lammy's call as it was poorly worn due to her being half asleep at the time. The heat from all three of their faces certainly turned the room into an oven as Lammy quickly got up and held the shirt down with one arm to try to cover something, while also using her other arm to cover the ridiculous words on the shirt. She quickly glances over to Katy while whimpering out "H-Help!..." Katy however, is overwhelmed with many emotions to the point that she simply bolts out of the room and slams it shut, leaving the poor lamb in the room with Parappa. She'd leave to were it not for her own overflowing mix of emotions keeping her stuck in place. Parappa grabs his beanie and forces it over his eyes in an attempt to try and lower the awkward and embarrassing air, to no avail.
"M-Man this is quite a near similar experience to something y-years ago ain't it huh?..." Parappa says trying to fix the situation, but he gets no reply "I-I'm not seeing anything at all! S-So um...you're able to leave freely!...please!..." he hears no footsteps, nor the door opening or closing "I-I'm-" His apology gets interrupted by Lammy's
"I'M S-SO SORRY!...I F-FORGOT YOU WERE HERE! W-WE USUALLY USED THIS R-ROOM AS A M-MEETING ONE B-BEFORE WE STARTED OUR DAILY R-ROUTINES A-AND-"
"L-Lammy it's fine it's fine!" Parappa tries to calm her down, but she just keeps up apologizing to a point it's ends up devolving into whimpering and mumbling. He knew this meant she would soon begin to cry on the spot, and he had to think quick to prevent that.
Come on come on...what do I say in a situation like this? Is there even anything to say? "Um, look! It's fine! I knew that this was something everyone would have to fully get used to! And for that I'm sorry I had to be in a condition to force this radical change in your guys lifestyle…" silence becomes his reply once again. Gah...wrong thing…
Lammy surprised him by speaking up "You don't have to apologize for that…" she removes the beanie from his head "H-H-Hey wait!" He tries to cover his eyes with his hands "Parappa stop...this time it's my own fault that this happened...plus Katy can't get mad since this was her own idea to begin with."
"I mean that may be true, but it's not your fault for being so used to living amongst one another for a while now. I kinda threw that off by joining an all girl apartment!"
"Yeah, planning wasn't the best. But the end result is still the same as what she...no...what we all wanted. Isn't it?" She moves Parappa's hands "You said you were feeling better...w-was that a lie?..."
"No...not really…I did mean all that I said."
"And h-how was your sleep?..."
"Fine! Best i've had since the whole you know what situation." Aside from the weird dreams...but that's another story. "And I really do have all you guys to thank for that!" He grins awkwardly "It's so strange, seeing myself in the position that I usually help all of you guys out of."
"No kidding...it was so off p-putting seeing you so...not happy. So...defeated. Begging for help. Not like the guy I knew s-starting up five years ago that's for sure."
"Hehe...yeah...luckily I'm kicking that side of me to the curb!"
"Good, I d-don't think any of us want y-you to be that way ever again."
"With you guys by my side, that won't be a problem to worry about!" He smiles in such a bright manner that it reflect the morning light, it stung the eyes to look at for an extended amount of time, so she shuts and rubs her eyes, but soon takes into account that she stopped covering herself.
"E-Eep...I'm uh...s-sorry for the shirt by the way...it's not usually something i'd wear…Ma-san just joked about it one day because of the band name and how we were all girls and...well Katy found it both funny AND fitting, so much so that she got one for each of us...I mean I didn't find it funny and certainly wasn't gonna wear this out in public...b-but I also wasn't going to avoid wearing something s-she got for the band as a whole...And well...i-it is comfortable to sleep in...So...here we are...h-heh."
"I mean you don't really need to explain your reasoning for that, if it's comfy, then wear it for what you wanna! It's not really a style issue, but I see the reasons for not wanting to wear it publically." He released a forced, nervous chuckle "But I'm not really one for style no matter what people tell me. I mean I've been wearing that beanie since for as long as I can remember. Everyone's style is always changing but me? Nah."
"I mean it fits you at least, if that's something to go by. And hey you probably have sentimental reasons for keeping it. That's perfectly fine to…"
"Well yeah...See it was given to me by my mom, but at the same time she also said to not get overly attached and try to grow out of. Or at the very least update to a new beanie… And after her passing I guess I decided to overlook that and just keep it? It's weird."
She hands him his beanie back "It isn't weird if that's what you were comfortable with or used to. It's the style of Parappa."
"Maybe not, but that Parappa also got himself sent to the hospital twice, leaving his friends to worry over him. This Parappa needs to think better, act better, so that he doesn't do that again. A fresh start, know what I mean?" He stands on the bed and places the beanie on her head "W-Wait! I-Isn't it your last one?"
"It is. But hey, it looks good on you to. Plus, consider it as thanks for all this here." He smiles before having to blow the hair out of his face "Although I still will have to get a new one to keep this mess of a mane in check!" He simply laughs, unaware of Lammy's red face and her own goofy yet bashful grin, as she straightens the beanie on her head.
"I guess I should get used to seeing the three of you like this in the morning or at night then huh?"
"Oh u-um, i'll just have to make sure I don't-"
"No it's fine, I rather not force you guys to change out of a comfortable lifestyle routine. Besides you guys might end up seeing me in a few embarrassing moments from time to time as well! So it's best to get used to it and not have it affect what good would the becoming roommates idea be then?" She releases a small giggle "You're right. Oh boy sorry if I panic a lot during those moments like t-today…"
"You seem calm and composed now though, I'm sure you'll be fine! The coolest one sure has a composure to match!" He clenches his hand into a fist and fist bumps the air as he says this.
"I-I'm not that cool…"
"You kidding? You do things that make what I do look like childsplay. And when you get a guitar in hand, man oh man is that coolness skyrocketed to the heavens! I can't even compare."
"Ok ok you've made your point..~" She bashfully scratches her head.
"You know it's funny…"
"W-What is?"
"Growing up I only really considered PJ and Katy my best friends. Matt and Paula were odd cases as they were really best friends of my best friends, so I guess they became mine that way? But with you and Ma-san, I always felt like you two were out of my league...and I was just lucky to be your friend at all. But no you're both just as down to earth as you are amazing." He extends his hand "Consider me a best friend to?"
"O-Oh I uh…" H-He thought that I was out of HIS league? "Yeah." She grabs his hand and shakes it "Best friends~" Parappa couldn't contain his happiness as his tail went into a flurry, he then embraced her in a hug much to her surprise.
"E-Eep!" Please please please tell me this is a dream...wait...actually don't!...please let this be real! "Aw y-you…~" she struggles to get her arms around him, but eventually manages to do so. It is real... best day ever~...
To say Parappa was overjoyed would not be enough to describe his current happiness. So THIS is the reason for the dreams this time! However the joy was cut short when they hear a 'click'. They look over to the source of the sound, only to see Ma-san at the doorway with her phone.
("This is totally gonna come in handy for me in the future!") Ma-san begins laughing to herself at her newly acquired blackmail. The two sharing the moment, immediately break the hug and try to clear their names.
"I-It's not what you think!"
"W-We were just h-hugging, as friends d-do!"
("Ah yes, shirtless mutt and skimpy lamb in a nice embrace. Your hands through his hair while wearing his hat. While he nuzzles into your chest. That SOME friendly activity!") Ma-san only laughs harder, leaving the two speechless and red.
This is gonna be- Parappa glances over to Lammy with a look of apology.
One hell of a day... Lammy does the exact same.
At the Rappa's household, PJ rings their doorbell, only to be answered by Papa Rappa.
"Why good morning PJ!"
"Morning Mr. Rappa, how's Parappa doing? Came to see if he was finally starting to get better."
"Oh didn't you hear? He moved out last night."
"That's great to hear, amazing that Pinto let him be- wait come again."
"Yeah he no longer lives here."
"Where is he?"
"Oh didn't Katy tell you? He moved in with her and her band!"
"I see...well thank you, i'll be sure to go visit him there."
"Oh and would you mind taking this to him!" He hands PJ a powered off Boxy Boy "Sure…"
"Alrighty, thanks a bunch PJ!" He re enters his house and closes the door, with PJ facepalming afterwards "I told him to avoid anything that was odd to him-...of course he wouldn't find that odd...Gah…" And with that PJ ran off.
You better be alright...