AN: Welcome to Act 4, everyone!
I can confirm that this is the start of the second-third of the entire story. There's a lot to discover! The first-third could be considered the introduction; we're arriving at the stage where things heat up.
Chapter 23 - Rise and Shine!
The sun wasn't as bright as before but for those wanting a bit of more light tuned into the news. After its successful ratings, a bigger demographic began watching the Butterfly Chain Link show, probably due to the crowd's interest towards the Bad Guys' recent activities. It was hard to meet them, even for 18 Years Till Gone.
After the introduction title card, the screen transitioned to their newsroom, already packed with people. They were drawn to the hotel the band was staying at. The three vocalists were already ready to report…well, sort off.
"Rise and shine, everyone!" said Glock, flipping a strand of her blonde wig. "This is 18 Years 'Till Gone coming at you live!"
"It's us," said Black Rose, smirking proudly as she shook her head, the black bob wig swaying majestically. "Black Rose, Glock and Mania!"
"Welcome to our small show, 'The Butterfly Chain Link'," said Mania, not caring about the red wig covering his eyes.
"What are you three wearing?" asked a cameraman off-screen.
Black Rose's smile fell and she tore off the wig. "Nothing."
"Oh, we just got a last-minute request to attend the reading program at a local library nearby," said Glock. "Thought that the wigs would help."
"...we still have great hair," said Black Rose.
"I don't think the library staff is happy to show our dyed hair," said Glock, slowly taking off her wig. "I thought it would be a good idea to apply natural-colored wigs."
Both female vocalists turned to Mania, just dumbly sitting there.
"...give me that," hissed Glock, tearing the wig off Mania's head.
"Aww…" whined Mania.
"Anyway," continued Glock. "Welcome back to the show, where we give you all the juicy bits you never heard of!"
"You drop in the details, we evaluate them into retails!" said Black Rose, putting back on her fedora.
"Well, we don't have that much time due to schedule," continued Mania. "So let's look quickly at what's everyone talking about in the city."
"Oooh, now that sounds different!" said Black Rose. And then, she broke into a sweat. "Speaking of different, we got…an incident."
The monitor next to them switched to a long shot at an apartment with cracks seen near the building. It was at the length of a crater, but the damaged area looked like it could form a hole. Emitting loud trails of turquoise smoke, evidence of Snake's and Drillaärgh's fight with each other.
"Gotta say, it nearly looked like some teenagers throwing spray bottles all over the place," said Mania casually.
Glock scratched her chin, worried. "This isn't really good. Yesterday, there was an explosion in the underground level of this apartment complex. No one was injured, but police reported that there might be a likely casualty. The source of the room came from the room of 59-year-old David Drillaärgh."
A picture of the jackal appeared on the monitor, but not the one his present look. Instead, they just used his high school picture. The one where he had shiny teeth.
"David's status is unknown," continued Mania, rubbing his hands together. "Police are searching for him. Witnesses reported hearing some kind of fight in his room before the explosion. Strangely, they said they heard him laughing and…some kind of drill. His neighbors only know him for creating dangerous inventions."
"What makes this more confusing is that Mr. Snake and Mr. Wolf were found near the scene minutes later when the police arrived," said Black Rose, switching the monitor to an image of Wolf, Snake and Stanley being confronted by the police. "They seemed to have an unidentified person with them and Baron Hoggust. Unfortunately, cops don't have evidence of what they did and already labeled them as 'not guilty'."
"Oh, and Baron got arrested and he escaped," said Glock quickly. "Again."
"Aren't you guys worried about what the Bad Guys did there? They don't have information on…"
"But we all know they aren't murderers," pointed out Glock. "It might be a coincidence that they appeared at the scene…"
"...or they staged it," muttered Mania. "However, David was said to be making dangerous inventions. No one can pull off such an explosive like this."
"They even said that the smoke smells like…cocaine. It wasn't even poisonous! It didn't even affect the climate!"
Black Rose slowly nodded. "OK. Just want to make sure in case we're not in the middle of a war zone."
Mania huffed, a little arrogant. "No worries! We're not going to be in danger! The cops can handle this. They must have interrogated the Bad Guys already, so they're good!"
However, this claim fell on deaf ears.
"Thinking about it," said Black Rose. "I wonder if this is some kind of terrorism."
"It cannot be that," said Glock, shaking her head. "Do you see turquoise colors used in warzones? And if this is a terrorist attack, then they wouldn't use bath bombs."
Even Mania was starting to understand what they meant. "Maybe we should go out there and investigate?"
Black Rose gasped. "You're saying we should go down there to search?"
"Well, it wouldn't be too bad to see what's left of David's room."
Glock hummed. "Not a bad idea, but I'm unsure if we are allowed. Cops don't let outsiders in easily. It's already blocked off. Everything's already burnt to a crisp."
"We'll return to this soon today," said Black Rose, shrugging with a sheepish smile. "But let us know in the comments if you think the Bad Guys are involved. 3 out of 5 people already filled in the approval rate. 4 out of 5 people are already installing metal gates."
Glock sighed, leaning back in her chair. "Man, I feel like we're going into somewhere. Like there's a lot of information about this!"
"You mean the lore?"
"Not exactly. Well…I think the appropriate term should be 'myth'." Glock sat back up. "Speaking of which, I think we might dive into some new myths for today. It's story-telling time!"
The monitor next to them changed to the familiar letter envelope background. The black envelope was also there, waiting to be opened.
"We actually got a new writer!" chirped Mania. "They prefer to use the name 'Dickie' and he's associated with Adeline, apparently."
Black Rose chuckled to herself. "Dickie."
"No laughing," said Glock.
"Adeline hasn't even replied with another letter," said Mania. "So it seems like she's deciding to let this one have his turn."
The black envelope on the monitor burst open and the letter filled the entire screen. Like last time, it was enlarged so that the text could be read for those watching at home.
"'Good morning, 18 Years 'Till Gone!'" read Glock enthusiastically. "'Words cannot describe how happy I am for my friend Adeline opening up. My sister loves you guys and the second she told me about your program, I wanted to join in to share my story. Though, it's a lot to unpack, so forgive me if it's too personal.'"
"'My family grew up in this country for a very long life, though new people seemed to be forced into it,'" read Mania. "'I worried a lot since I come from two worlds. We were strong together, but despite the reassurances, I wonder if my family feel the same way as I do. School couldn't say the same. I knew it was a foreign place ever since I stepped in. But I followed everyone. No one was excluded. It felt nice for a while. But for some reason, I still feel like a freak."
Black Rose cleared her throat to go next. "'Growing up, the pressure became more visible when you're a tidy, limp baby spoon. You're not a kid anymore, groups are made, the weaker get picked on. And suddenly, it became an unnecessary reboot. No one was willing to stick together for long. I only survived by a notch, yet everybody thought I was dragging behind for being too 'unmanly' or too 'nitpicking' or just disinterested in normal things boys do."
Glock scanned through the following lines, her eyebrows raised. "Hmm…'I once screamed loudly when I saw a silverfish. A girl had to carry it away. But then, later on, the girl caught up to me after school."
She grinned, liking where this was going.
"Sharon changed my life. She was part of the 'sympathetic watchers', but it was the first time she talked to me normally. And then, she asked if we could be friends and…I accepted it. Some say that she is wild. Some say she is 'one of those rich girls'. 'Her father is an aggro cop,' they say. But she didn't leave my side. She was patient with me. She even asked what I wanted to do in life. While she could be hot-blooded, she inspired me to be more active for once. At least I got some muscles now."
Mania took a long time to prepare himself to read. Came to the point that his extended silence earned curious looks from his partners.
"'I'm really grateful to meet someone like Sharon. Even though we haven't seen each other in a while, she is why I'm able to go out in the world without feeling like I don't belong.'" Mania cleared his throat. "Sorry. Something was really in my chest."
This letter surprised the three vocalists. Adeline's letters were quite grim, but to see Dickie's letter on how things seemed to be going up for him was inspirational. And mentioning this 'Sharon' person got them wondering how long they were together as friends before they seemingly went their separate ways.
As the monitor turned to black, Glock and Black Rose glanced at each other. Meanwhile, Mania continued staring at the offscreen teleprompter.
"To say the least, I'm…yeah, I'm surprised, but it's…" Mania was stuttering. For real. He wasn't able to form words, appearing choked up. "Sorry, what I was saying was stupid and…"
"No, no, no," said Glock. "You can talk. Black Rose and I already got something out from the past few letters. Seeing this, I can relate to struggling to fit in."
"The thing about coming from 'two worlds' is making me think about the family Dickie grew up in," pointed out Black Rose.
"I think it's deeper than that," explained Mania, crossing his arms in discomfort. "OK, I know that some of you are jealous that I seem to have a perfect life. But growing up can nearly be seen with no value: the more you become aware, the more you act differently. Nobody said a single word about it, but it worried my family when I…grew distant from them after thinking my problems defined me."
"Aww," cooed Black Rose, wiping her eyes. "You don't need to feel ashamed. You got us. And this letter here proves anyone can find people who care about them. Sometimes, you find another loner. This Sharon girl must be really amazing."
"Yeah," said Glock, nodding. "It's sad that Dickie and Sharon seem to be in different places, but she helped him when they were kids. Dickie must have used that to build a good life. Maybe that's how he was looking out for Adeline."
Mania's eyes were waterly as well, his stoic look cracking. "Yeah…that's true. It just sucks growing up knowing that you are different to everyone…"
"Likewise," said Glock, smiling sadly. "Interestingly, his family appears kind enough, but there seems to be some trouble. I wonder what was up with 'forcing people in'."
Black Rose tilted her head. "I don't know. He didn't exactly say what and it's left vague on what that could mean."
Mania sighed, readjusting his vest. "Uh, we'll keep your word in touch, Dickie. Thank you for reaching out and sharing this story with us. We'll be praying for you, mate."
"And we hope you'll be alright with your current situation," said Glock. "And to Sharon, you're amazing. Thank you for tuning in for this session! We'll be back again for our night session with more to come."
"More news will be announced as we speak!" said Black Rose. "You know the drill by now."
"As always, keep an eye on our social media platforms for special updates," said Mania. "Until next time, catch you all later, butterflies!"
Melbourne Convention & Exhibition Centre
Even after a good night's sleep, Shark was still rattled by the worrisome nature of Dreary Dream Universe. He was still grateful for his conversations with the kind club members. He felt much tougher when facing the naive Thelma. However, despite having the strength to walk away, he was upset that he could have been framed for something he didn't want to do.
When Webs heard about what Thelma had tried doing the previous night, she was LIVID. However, Shark reassured her that the dachshund dog wouldn't cause more trouble. He told her he made it painfully clear to Thelma to the point she seemed to double down. It seemed to calm down the tarantula, but she was sore that she wasn't there for Shark last night.
So that was why she offered to accompany Shark to find their next targets. They were assigned to investigate through a video game convention in the city. Naturally, they both guessed. People could get stupid using dangerous weapons for THIS kind of event.
Wolf and Shark told them not to think about it, but they couldn't help noticing the two leaders becoming quieter this morning. They had never acted like this before. The charming wolf and the grumpy snake suddenly devoid of any life or energy. They suddenly became zombies without souls left to remind them of who they were aside from their appearances.
The bad side of Shark wanted to believe Snake was sulking like old times. But there was no way of cutting out the seriousness ever since the start of their trip here. It told him much about how bad Thelma and Spalding were towards their friends, so there was no use thinking it would pass quickly.
Webs wondered if they could do something, but when they all went their separate ways for the mission, it was clear everyone wanted to get this day over with. After all, they did say they wouldn't go near that university again. Still, she wondered if that would ever make their leaders feel safe to talk again.
At the moment, Shark and Webs were riding on a horse carriage. The ones often used for tourists for a grand tour around the city. They were a bit lazy travelling by foot to their destination. After yesterday's rush, they decided to try to relax a little before going on their next robbery. Pretending to be riding might help calm the seemingly worried locals watching them.
It seemed to be working and sitting inside a royalty-decorated carriage provided a good view of the city.
Shark hummed in content on the soft, comfy seat, his chin resting on his palm. To him, he was more focused on the sounds of their ride. The trotting of the horses acted as his percussion. The melody was peaceful, helped by the visualization of the horses gracefully walking on the side road lane with no distractions.
Though, the headphones-wearing Webs was groaning away, being as flat as possible.
Currently, they were crossing over a bridge above the water. They had to admire the large body of the lake below them. It was a surprise that this separated the city, yet the isolated islands remained connected. Even if only through this high bridge. The cloudy sky got a brilliant blue, but a slight drizzle caused the temperature to contrast this sunny look. It was still cold today.
After adjusting the headphones covering her ears, Webs rubbed her hands together to feel the cold and the warmth in her hands. The opposite of warm Los Angeles, but at least she could get used to it. The street cred of the urban landscape allowed her to feel like she was at home. Melbourne was a little gloomy, but the brilliant sky and ocean blues brightened her day.
Just too bad that she and Shark were stuck with an old guy sitting next to them, singing '100 Bottles on the Shelf' with a dusty, outdated accordion. Shark seemed alright with it, even singing along at random times. But for Webs, it was an ear-piercing key held onto a keyboard for too long. She tried listening to her headphones, but the grating noise overshadowed her music.
She felt trapped.
Why did they agree to take the carriage?
Finally, the carriage stopped, and Shark gently hopped out.
Webs groaned in relief when she saw this. "Phew! Good thing that was over…"
"ONE MORE TIME!" declared the old man.
"Sorry, man," said Shark, picking up Webs tenderly. "We got to go now."
And it was time for Webs to try to recover as she turned to the tour guide sitting in the carriage. "Thank you for taking us here."
"No worries," said the tour guide, nodding. "Safe travels…oh, and this Shark guy your boyfriend?"
"We're not dating," scoffed Shark.
"Want to ask stupid questions and get thrown into the water?" snarled Webs.
The tour guide raised an eyebrow. "Okey dokey then. Have fun."
The two didn't need to wait for the horse carriage to leave or for the old man to resume playing his accordion. They spun around and it was glorious: the convention company seemed to be taking things seriously by holding such a promised, gigantic event at one of the most well-known buildings in Melbourne. The roof overgrew the building, looking like it could tip off at such an angle.
Thousands of people were gathered at the front entrance, ordered neatly by metal gates separating each line. Many of the attendees were dressed in cosplay. Hand-crafted. Richly detailed. Three posters hung from the side of the building. A new video game, a new book and a new movie. It looked like the ultimate pit stop for geeks and consumers alike.
Shark's eyes fluttered in sparkles at the sight of so many cosplayers. "Whoa! This is huge!"
"Obviously," squeaked Webs with retrained glee. "It's the VG8 Expo! We're going to be meeting the big cameras in there."
"Remind me again, what is it about?"
Webs smiled brightly. "Oh, good! I don't know either."
Shark tilted his head quizzically, but not too suddenly since Webs was standing on top of him. "Looks like we have to find out. I hope that we get tickets at the general admission."
Admittedly, neither of the two researched the place or the event. All they knew was that it was some kind of 'nerd' convention. Hardcore fans of different games, shows and books were excited for this event.
Shark and Webs were wearing their agent outfits without changing the looks since that might make them easier to blend in. The attendees would be assumed them to be wearing cosplay rather than weapons.
As soon as they joined the entrance lines, the increasing crowd blocked them from escaping or entering.
"I don't see a shorter line anywhere," said Shark, looking over the sea of helmets, hats and bulky headcaps. "Not through this mob."
"Fortunately, we have all the time," said Webs, rechecking her laptop. "Our targets will be staying here for the next few hours. Some of them looked like they just arrived!"
Shark scratched his chin. "Something tells me they have those things embedded in plastic props. Or clothes. Like bikinis!"
Webs chuckled. "That's so gross when you say that!"
"I know! It's weird!" Shark guffawed, petting the tarantula carefully. "Wait, will there be a beauty contest here?"
"I think there's one!" cooed Webs, rubbing her tiny hands on Shark's head. "I saw the schedule. I think it has a rave party as the first act before the fashion pageant and then the…"
Shark thought for a while. "Do you think 18 Years Till Gone will be here?"
"I doubt so. Conventions could only hire at least one or two musical artists. Unless it's a musical festival."
"If it is a regular musical festival," said a raspy voice behind them. "Then you two would have been taken away now for bringing crack."
The voice was all too familiar for Webs and her first response was to shut down both her computer and her emotional state. Shark didn't and he turned around to the crocodile with an innocent smile. It turned into one of a surprise to see a crocodile as tall as he was.
But it didn't last long when Shark read the crocodile's moody scowl.
Milton Gumbo wasn't wearing his police uniform, already on his break. To his dismay, seeing Shark and Webs made him feel like one of them. He was wearing what could be a typical 'bad guy' look: a black sleeveless leather vest with golden zippers, a black sleeveless collared shirt with gray buttons, black armbands over his biceps, black fingerless gloves, a custom utility belt with holsters for his batons and taser, ripped black jeans and black leather boots.
Up this close, Webs knew that they were screwed for sure. Gumbo would still have his badge. Despite being covered by armbands, she noted how muscular his arms were. Probably more stronger than Shark! He could even shatter her easily! However, Shark's much bigger and thicker body could snap his slender build in half.
Gumbo's tail curled upwards like a hostile cat, clearly agitated. It remained in that posture, demanding an answer and authority.
Shark remained the polite guy he was. "Oh, hello there! Come here often?"
Gumbo sighed in discomfort. "Unfortunately, Mr. Shark and Ms. Tarantula."
Webs offered a nervous grin. "Y-You're a cop, aren't you?"
The crocodile lazily pulled out his badge, his eyes looking away like he had other business to do. "Officer Gumbo. I deserve an explanation why I shouldn't put you in handcuffs."
Shark would have hesitated, but this time, he kept going in spite of the power clash. "Don't be salty. We won't do anything bad here."
"And how am I supposed to know that?" said Gumbo, rubbing his eyes in exasperation. His tail began moving around, wagging in frustration at Shark's obliviousness. "You totalled a 19 million dollar car, spilled powder everywhere that could have been toxic AND nearly blew the bottom of a bloody penthouse!"
"To be fair, the last part wasn't our fault," said Shark more quietly.
The crocodile groaned, shaking his head. "You're lucky I can't put a finger on you two. Something about the police not allowed to arrest you bunch."
And instead of pleased reactions, Gumbo saw the two Bad Guys reacting in surprise.
Usually, whenever they caused mayhem, the police would chase after them. But with only Gumbo right up on them without even trying to…?
"That was weird," commented Webs, her voice hoarse.
"I know, right?" complained Gumbo. "Can't believe they have the nerve to let any terrorist roam freely."
"We're not terrorists," scoffed Shark, a little offended.
"Oh wow, I'm not so surprised," said Webs sarcastically. Then, she switched back to being surprised. "OK, I honestly didn't see this coming."
Gumbo shrugged, feeling a little indifferent. "Look, is there another reason why I should let you have your fun?"
Shark and Webs glanced at each other, sharing a nervous gulp. This felt like standing next to Chief Luggins. The person who wouldn't be afraid to break their spines. Except that it was a crocodile who could drown them in a swamp. It would be impossible to get Gumbo to look the other way when stealing the Eden Apples, but he said the police couldn't arrest them…
While they would have been alright to mess with the police, the sudden thumbs-up was…unnatural. They didn't feel like they would want to go along. They promised not to cause a scene. But they had to use this to succeed in their mission.
The two Bad Guys gave an agreed nod in shared understanding. Despite their differences, they knew a lot about people's reactions. They learnt that from Wolf. It would be called reverse psychology.
"Officer Gumbo," said Shark, adopting a calm and mature approach. His face was emotionless, showing he knew what was at stake. "What happened yesterday was an accident. All in all, we don't mean to cause so much distress."
"We will definitely behave today," backed up Webs, looking upset. "Sorry won't fix anything, but we can make it up to you. You can patrol us, stick with us. But promise that you won't ask about our task today."
Gumbo liked being given the thumbs-up to go on patrol. Not only would it make him feel like he was in control, but he was approved to take care of the people around him. To say that a rebellious tarantula openly telling him he could monitor them today was new.
Normally, criminals would hate being under watch or on probation. The two Bad Guys took a while but didn't appear hesitant. Just hearing them accepted it without hesitance was something he didn't expect.
"Did you say stick with…you?" he repeated, confused.
"You make a good point that we caused some destruction," pointed out Webs. "And clearly, you want to spy on us. But we are fine as long as you don't butt into our business. It's…weird."
"I think it's a fair trade," agreed Shark. "You won't need to stress out since it's like an excursion."
Gumbo rolled his eyes. "Until you arrive at the gift shop."
"Aww, thank you," said Webs with a teasing smirk.
"Yeah, you're welcome," grumbled the crocodile, adopting a British accent again. "A party for three fake VIPs. It wouldn't be possible for me to bend backwards and see what's underneath your fantastic jackets, huh? Got to see those feathers you plucked from the-"
"Hate to break it to you," said Shark sarcastically. "But do you think our reputation is built on petty theft?"
As if on cue, several golden watches fell from his jacket and clattered around his feet.
"...partially," muttered Shark, picking the watches back into his jacket.
"But, hey," said Webs, offering a kinder smile. "You have nice gadgets on you as well! And honestly, I can't blame you. It's a fair fight."
Gumbo was one second from walking away if it weren't for remembering Agon's warning. With the police not allowed to interfere with the Bad Guys, it would be a bigger risk for him than those two. If true, the government trusted the Bad Guys for an apparent reason. It frustrated him why he couldn't be allowed to know.
A part of him whispered that he had forgotten the obvious: the Bad Guys never tried hurting an innocent. He was afraid of testing that theory. Words spread around could be poisoned. Eventually, just seeing the soft, patient eyes told him they weren't even trying to get away with it. Looks could still kill if he DID butt in. Serious business he couldn't understand.
His eyes widened in astonishment at their current civil attitudes and fear of the possible manipulation used on him.
One look back at their soft, waiting eyes alike everyone else's.
Shark and Webs waited patiently to see the crocodile give up.
To their surprise, it wasn't with an exasperated groan.
There was only a small sigh, but Gumbo stood around with a blank look. He shuffled his feet around awkwardly, his tail curling around them timidly. He was torn.
"OK," he muttered, his eyes still narrowed. "I will. I'm expecting that you two know what you are doing."
"We'll try to," promised Shark, shaking his hand. "Promise, babe."
Gumbo looked embarrassed. "Babe? Why are you calling me that?"
"Sorry if this has caused you worry," said Webs apologetically. She wasn't being sheepish. She looked worried. "We could buy the tickets and cover for you."
"Actually…you don't have to." The more well-prepared Gumbo whipped out a couple of tickets from his pocket. "I might have accidentally bought a bloody combo at the last second."
Shark and Webs gasped. At least five tickets in hand! There was even a ticket to a special VIP venue. The fashion show Shark wanted to see! Both their eyes were wide and sparkly as anime eyes, admiring the tickets as if they were blocks of gold.
And couldn't you blame them? To be fair, Shark suddenly came up too close with his hands covering his hands. The sight prompted the crocodile to lean back, nearly falling over. The tail wrapped around his angles tightened, uncomfortable.
"Dude, you must be rich!" chirped Webs.
"Wait, you got a combo of several tickets," asked Shark curiously. "Do you have friends you plan to give tickets to? Should we just buy our own?"
Gumbo cleared his throat and gently pushed Shark to stand up properly. "I-It was a misclick. But you can have them."
Shark squealed as he gingerly took two for himself and Webs. "Aww! Thank you! You shouldn't have!"
Webs could see the growing confusion on Gumbo's face. His tail emphasized this, noting his discomfort. Usually, police cops would have appeared annoyed or too arrogant when having control. Here, the crocodile seemed to be as slow as a rock. His breathing was noticeably silent in comparison to Shark's feet clicking on the floor.
The tarantula smiled. This could happen often when meeting Shark. He could get excited whenever he wanted to. And without being in disguise, he didn't have to hide his face for this task. Looking down, she grinned at the cute smile and the puppy eyes Shark gained. His childlike nature always endeared her.
"Now!" said Shark, twirling around. "Let's move forward, alligator! The line isn't going to continue with us."
Technically, he was a crocodile. But Gumbo didn't seem to protest against it. He just seemed more focused on Shark's bubbliness. The taller shark proceeded to follow the moving line. They were already filling in the building. Gumbo took a few cautious steps, slowly getting close to them. Wanting a better look, Webs turned around to face him.
Their eyes met with the wariness of each other's presence. They might be wearing the same thing but on different sides of the law. Both Gumbo and Webs suddenly grew paranoid of each other.
Webs activated her fruit catapult weapon as quietly as possible.
Gumbo silently pulled out his taser gun.
Both pointing at each other in a warning.
Both intensely pointing fingers from their eyes to each other as if saying 'always watching'.
It didn't last when they had to get through security before they could enter. Once inside, all worries were pushed to the corner by the echoing bass of attractions inside.
The main hallway suddenly felt like the red carpet. This one wasn't completely empty, covered by food stands, small venues promoting their work and people chatting with each other as if on break. There were still decorations hanging around. Floating planets taking the form of being made from pixel blocks hovered above everyone's heads. An invitation to enter a different realm to inspect and gaze at.
Shark took the time to admire everything in sight. On one hand, it was to find anyone who looked suspicious and might have the Eden Apples. On the other hand, it was to marvel.
One thing he enjoyed about conventions was that they presented all kinds of art. The colorful planets above set the mood and promise for a fun convention.
Webs was already taking photos with her small phone, grinning away. This was definitely like a video game convention! It already reminded her of the previous times she went to many, enjoying the vivid variety of attractions from the official franchises.
Meanwhile, Gumbo was walking calmly, already familiar with the exhibitions.
The crocodile looked down at Shark's bottom. A look like this would have been considered a pervert move, but his blank look said otherwise.
"...you don't have a tail."
Shark turned around, casually. "Some of us sharks are born that way. But I'm surprised you have one. Does it feel good?"
Gumbo shrugged, his tail reflexively curling upwards. He grunted in pleasure from the movement. "It's delicate. And useful."
"Just curious," asked Webs. "Do you know anything about the VG8 Expo? Because…we don't."
The crocodile blinked for a few seconds. "So…it's your first time?"
The two Bad Guys were about to answer before he proceeded to explain.
"Every year," he narrated with a small smile. "The Virtual Galaxy 8 Expo opens its gates, offering slots for rising entertainment companies mixed with market spots for newcomers of this land. Every corner you see fills in the textbook of your dream mall, so whatever your heart desires, it'll be there."
"And what does your heart desire?"
Gumbo looked embarrassed. "...I…kind of want to mostly hang around in the science section."
"We can look through everything," offered Shark. "Got plenty of time."
"Also, I heard that there was a rumor of a disappearance here," added Webs unhelpfully. "Is that anything related to-?"
"It's actually two, but who's counting," said Gumbo flatly.
The tarantula's eyes widened in horror.
The crocodile realized this, looking sheepish. "Oh. You're…still new. Sorry. But don't worry. It's not connected to the staff. Anyway, I planned to see some new inventions at the science section or…experiments to watch."
"Speaking of new inventions," said Shark. "Is that one?"
He was pointing to a blue telephone kiosk that eerily resembled the TARDIS machine from Doctor Who. The only differences were the lighter shades of blue on its walls and rainbow colors painting the windows. There was even a sign on top that read 'DO NOT TOUCH'. Not to mention the group of people taking pictures of themselves near it.
"Oh no, that's just a prop, buddy," said Webs, patting Shark.
Gumbo snorted. "Would be a shame that we don't have a time machine that allows us to see the dinosaurs. Makes a really good history lesson!"
And then, the telephone kiosk mysteriously shook, the windows glowing colors similar to a holographic fabric.
Immediately, many people scrammed away from it, frightened.
The door busted open and out came four armored American cops, covered in steaming orange goop. Like ragdolls, they flopped onto the floor in an exhausted pile.
Unbeknownst to Shark and Webs, these were the same cops Hornet saw disappeared upon using a time-traveling smoke bomb.
"Boy, that's why we never learn about the prehistoric times!" said one cop.
"We're NOT using those time-traveling bombs again!" said a second cop. "It's horrible!"
Everyone stared at them with buggy eyes and gaping jaws.
One of the cops looked up to see the two bewildered Bad Guys.
"...is this an alternative dimension?" he asked dumbly.
"Know what?" said Shark with an unnerved grin. "Go to the nearest airport and they'll listen. Bye-ee!"
And away he went, pushing Gumbo away to avoid confrontation with those mysterious time travelers. The young crocodile made the dots that it had to do with the Bad Guys involved with time travel once.
But in the middle of trying to steer Gumbo away from the confusing scene, Shark and Webs noticed how sharp the people in front of them looked in cosplay. Some of these clothes didn't even look fake!
In the distance, they saw a familiar group of people who looked like they weren't intentionally in cosplay. Sinister-looking hunters dressed in marine outfits with sharp grappling hooks resting on their shoulders. Shark's stomach did a flip-flop, remembering who they were.
[Live Louder - Nathaniel]
[0:00]
Without thinking, he pushed Gumbo to the left into a random door. He didn't care which section of the convention they would end up in. As soon as they were lost in a larger crowd and the colorful booths, they were safe from the poachers.
"What was that?!" hissed Webs.
"We have a couple of new assassins after us," whispered Shark. "And I'm not talking about them being in the act!"
"What is this about?" said Gumbo, turning around.
"It's nothing. None of us should be worried."
The lie was easy enough to say. Even though Gumbo could be curious, Shark decided to spare him the extra stress. He was actually hoping that he might be wrong since it was already a pain in the back. And he thought Baron coming to Melbourne was a nightmare.
At least they were in the corner of the huge main convention room. And the section they were in appeared to be miscellaneous due to several booths consisting of different categories. It was a chaotic space, but it wasn't too clashing. These booths strangely fit one another. They offered new flavors or products to watch and buy with a healthy dose of visitors watching.
The music here was more louder. A funky song echoed through the room, building a carefree and adventurous vibe to the exploration of the convention. One that would get people moving, enhanced by the additional bass in the crowded room. There weren't that many fancy decorations hanging on the ceiling, but it didn't seem to matter. The music was enough and it already encouraged people to get together in harmony. It was a festival of celebration.
[0:25]
As Webs checked back on her laptop to find their targets' whereabouts, Shark's attention turned to a booth decked in rainbow colors. To his surprise, it supported the LGBTQ+ community, much like Truman's at Dreary Dream University. An assortment of buttons, badges and clothes in different colors. Many in which represented the colors Shark and Webs were wearing.
Even though Shark could make his own, he felt the urge to buy a couple of pins to support the booth.
Gumbo noticed Shark bouncing up and down again, tilting his head. "Huh. So fancy those buttons?"
"You know it!" said Shark giddily.
The giant shark already went out of his way to buy a couple of badges from the booth, generously tipping the surprised vendor.
By the time Webs looked up from her screen, Shark already slapped a badge over her head in the colors of the asexual flag.
The badge wielder himself applied a rainbow heart badge and a non-binary flag badge to his jacket.
Webs chuckled, holding the badge upwards. "Aww! Thanks! I thought you might also get the lesbian pin."
"I want to be careful since you haven't mentioned much about it," remarked Shark, grinning widely.
"Yeah, but I'm cool of having it as well!"
Shark immediately turned to the watching crocodile. "Want one of these badges as well?"
While his role as a cop meant he should be outgoing, Gumbo's more reclusive, sheltered self downplayed his knowledge towards the remaining badges in Shark's hand. To Gumbo, these were just colorful stripes. He faintly remembered them, but his constant, unresolved weariness got the best of his judgement to look further.
He felt his cheeks warming up in embarrassment as he shook his head politely.
As Shark kept the remaining paid badges in his jacket, the crocodile's eyes spotted the badges Shark immediately pinned on his woolly jacket. Gumbo could barely make up his mind if the rainbow colors represented LGBTQ+ as a whole or being…gay? Was that the correct term, he asked himself?
The white, purple and black badge surprised him the most since it even resembled the dagger holster design.
[0:55]
Gumbo suddenly felt curious. "Um…what is this badge there?"
"Oh, that resembles the non-binary flag," said Shark with a smile.
"I'm sorry, 'non-binary'?"
A faint blush covered Shark's cheek, feeling embarrassed to explain it to the strangder. "Well, it would mean that…um…I considered not fully identifying myself as boy or girl? Adding 'they/them' pronouns to my identity and how I should be…"
He couldn't finished his sentence, a mixture of feeling foolish and shy to continue. Unfortunately, it didn't seem to clarify enough for Gumbo.
"Isn't being called 'they' and 'them' confusing?" asked Gumbo.
"...not really," said Shark, wiggling his thumbs together.
Gumbo took a while to think through this, even trying to apply his basic logic. "But you're born and sound like a man. So, it's…not possible calling yourself 'they'?"
"Well, I kind of already know that," said Shark, starting to sound more confident. "But it isn't exactly wrong."
Gumbo didn't have the clearest idea towards that. Shark felt a little sore inside but expected it. He wondered if his father might ask the same thing. But it came to him that this crocodile seemed unaware. Somehow, he reminded Shark of Thelma.
When he noticed Shark's nervous eyes looking down, Gumbo turned to the attentive Webs. However, the tarantula even appeared awkward with telling him.
"...but is it too…complicated?" asked Gumbo, his voice shockingly monotonously.
To the crocodile, he was trying to sound serious. In his mind, he thought it was a fair statement to make.
Eventually, Shark glanced at Webs with a look that told her to let it go at the moment. Noticing the discomfort, the tarantula sighed and shrugged. They didn't want to drag this on for too long when they should be moving.
"I'll…be right back, you boys," said Webs in haste as she hopped onto the floor. "Actually, I heard some crooks are causing a disturbance. Save me any food!"
Gumbo didn't have time to ask as Webs disappeared in the crowd. He wanted to warn her to watch out, but she was really fast to avoid the stomping feet around her. Thank goodness the visitors were aware. The crocodile swore he even saw another tarantula walking through the busy crowd. He turned back to see Shark shrugging before coming forwards to him.
The crocodile felt a little hurt by this, frustrated that he wasn't given a clear, committed answer. "Please don't hide this from me."
Shark shook his head. "No, no, man. Forget it. It's all good."
'Not like you would know', he would have added, but he didn't want to anger the crocodile further. It would also be insensitive to say as well. Shark grabbed Gumbo's hand and pulled him away from the LGBTQ+ booth, deciding to explore further.
[1:30]
Fortunately, the colorful booths sweetened up Shark's mood. Helped that he saw more cosplayers, even some crossdressers, both for laughs or for spectacle. He looked at Gumbo's reaction and a smile grew to see the crocodile's full attention. Even though he still wore a blank look, his eyes were wide and watchful, observing everything around them.
Funnily enough, he got some uncharacteristic reactions when they came across unusual booths. Shark wouldn't be sure if having booths such as 'Looking for Girlfriend' would be legal, backed up by sweaty, hairy guys waiting on a couch. That sight got Gumbo nearly gagging.
Ignoring the weirdness, he focused more on the ones that caught his attention. Lots of venues showcased fashionable clothes on display to promote upcoming shows and games. Half were Australian-made. A good number were based on streetwear or beach fashion.
Some of them even appeared in the likeness of Indigenous Australians, land formed by creative use of dots, stripes and shapes. These shapes told different stories, different presentations. Seeing these interested Shark and he noted how he saw patterns like this in similar artworks and clothing materials.
This was one thing Shark was proud of towards fashion of culture. He had heard much of Australian fashion, but seeing it face-to-face made him appreciate the convention more. If it would make Wolf and Snake feel better, maybe he should buy some for them.
The giant shark couldn't blame him, but he was slightly disappointed that Gumbo didn't take the time to admire the clothes. His widened eyes were the only readable signs.
Maybe he shouldn't waste time showing off a lot to Gumbo when it might not make him feel safe. Bribe the highly-strung cop with some lunch! Slowing down, Shark's nose caught a nearby scent of the perfect spot.
[2:03 - End of Song]
A salty and smoky barbeque from a food venue nearby. As the two got close to the source, they saw a team of vendors selling and cooking what appeared to be hot dogs.
Well, something that resembled hot dogs since they only used bread slices as the buns.
"Say, maybe some stress food would kick things off, buddy?" asked Shark sincerely.
Gumbo had been silent for a while, but when he saw the booth, he started talking again.
"You're thinking of getting a sausage sizzle?" he said quietly.
"Why yes!" said Shark, chipper. "Make it 100! But…why bread slices?"
"Does it matter? It helps hold the bread."
"There's a significant difference between sandwich bread and regular hot dog buns."
This time, the crocodile was quick to catch on. In fact, it invoked a reaction from him. A nod of surprise. "Ah, you mean the classic American way to hot dogs. This is a quick snack whenever you want to have a snag."
"But wouldn't the juice of the sausage spill through the thin sandwich slice?"
"If the paper towel is like the school toilet paper."
As the two of them conversed about the real bread for hot dogs, an echidna assassin opened up a ceiling tile from above. He looked down, finding Mr. Shark in the hungry line. An evil chuckle shook his body, two daggers pulled out from his jacket. Just where he wanted him to be…
Back down on the ground, Shark nearly blew out the credit card Diane granted him by ordering exactly one hundred and one sausage sizzles. He got fifty one in his hands (saving one for Webs). Gumbo carried fifth. The two large animals made it to a table to dump the mountain of sausages carefully on the wooden bench.
The greasy heat radiating from the mass of meat got Shark drooling. All topped with sour mustard sauce.
To Gumbo, it made him feel nauseous. "Are you sure we can eat THAT many?"
"Well, my stomach is already rumbling like a Kraken!" said Shark, licking his lips. "I can just pour the whole thing in my mouth…well, I guess I'll do that!"
"Whoa, whoa, whoa!" said Gumbo, holding his arm out to stop Shark from grabbing all. "You can't just choke on them! Like, don't rush?"
"Hold on, man. I actually did this many times. I mean, we ARE big animals! With big jaws!"
Gumbo narrowed his eyes. "Don't call me big, mate."
"Sorry, but it can work for you. Like swallowing a human-sized plate! And…" Shark blushed, thinking this idea was stupid. "Comes back to your primal instincts when eating."
Completely new to this idea, Gumbo had no idea how to think of this. But if it meant getting through all 50 hot dogs in front of him, then…Shark had a good point. The question remained on how many he could fit in his long jaw. Shark looked like he could fit all one hundred in his gaping mouth.
The crocodile swallowed hard, feeling his throat dry. "Um…OK then? Only for this once!"
"Good!" said Shark cheerfully, picking up his pile. "Now, you don't have to rush. Let all of them come into your mouth and savor it slowly~!"
As the two animals lifted up their pile of sausage sizzles, that was when the echidna chose to strike.
With a loud battle cry, he dropped from the ceiling and flew down as fast as possible to strike…
…and smoothly fell through Shark's mouth before he could eat the fifty sausage sizzles.
While thinking it was just something else he swallowed, he instinctively swallowed the sausages fully. He hummed in satisfaction, licking his lips. He didn't need to chew eventually. Just feel it run through his tongue. Once gone through his throat, Shark patted his bloated tummy with a burp of satisfaction.
Gumbo took the longest swallowing his. He nearly choked the second he placed all his sausage sizzle in his jaws. Tears immediately formed in his eyes and his tail shot upwards. Quickly, he chomped on them through his sharp teeth. Quicker to consume. He tried swallowing the resulting mush, but they were blobs in his throat.
After a long time, they finally rested in his stomach. He remained slender, but his face was strained in a light gold color similar to barf.
"Ooooooh, crikey…" he groaned, wiping the tears away. "It feels like an echidna forced down my windpipe."
There was a loud screaming from the echidna assassin, kicking Shark's stomach from the inside.
"Ooh!" squealed Shark in a childlike manner. "It kicked!"
"Wha-zha?" said Gumbo in the middle of recovering.
"I think I'm actually having a baby!"
Properly timed, the loose ceiling tile crashed next to their table.
Gumbo yelped, jumping upwards. He looked up to see the hole in the ceiling. He looked down to see Shark's bloating and squirming stomach underneath the cotton vest. The screaming inside him sounded like a 40-year-old.
He did the math.
Gumbo's eyes widened and his pupils shrank in absolute horror. "That's not a baby."
AN: I have a feeling that Day 4 might be nearly the longest. More in terms of the stories presented. Since, once again, everyone is separated into duos/trios.
And get this: initially, I didn't plan Gumbo to follow along Shark and Webs without needing to break his tail to watch them. I planned that he would spy on them, but I decided it might not be a good idea and even a little unsympathetic. Getting him up close with two Bad Guys would address their concerns. It's even fitting for the non-action side of the story, not to mention exploring this version of Milton more. To say that the crocodile is a bit far out of touch is an understatement.
The starting scene highlights the realistic outcomes of the shenanigans that occurred in the span of two days. Once they got hands on controversial events, the media would take it SERIOUSLY. While the police here are held back from interfering, it doesn't make people feel safe, as shown by 18 Years 'Till Gone's growing concern towards the Bad Guys.
And as for the rival criminals hunting for the Bad Guys, well, they're more expendable, so their one-minded goal makes them less of a threat. Just ask Gumbo and the police who ended up arresting them off-screen.
The VG8 Expo is a concept that I actually planned using for a Sonic story, specifically a Forces United sequel. But after it was scrapped, I decided to move this to here, even fitting for the nerdiness of Webs and Gumbo. Additionally, the Melbourne Convention & Exhibition Centre was gonna be used in a Trolls story, but that was added to here to fit the setting.
Originally, the carriage ride was gonna be longer and would include a full Amphibia reference of the old guy singing '100 Bottles on the Shelf' and him asking if Shark and Webs are a couple. But that was shortened in the end.
There's even a reference to The Owl House! In the form of Shark's belongings falling out, lol.
Also, this sub-plot for Shark and Webs takes some inspiration from Pride Parade by Daniel_Lee and TotallyNotALemon from AO3. I recommend checking their story out! While there are some similarities, I'm taking a bit of a newer approach to the concept.
What do you think of this chapter so far? What do you think of today's concept of a police cop walking around with two rowdy Bad Guys? Let me know in the reviews. If you enjoy this story so far, be sure to favorite or follow. Constructive criticism is appreciated, but if any flames, then it's down the drain.
Until next time, keep on rocking!
