Estimated Reading Time: 20 Minutes
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Boyz Chillin
Today is Thursday. Time to hang out with the boys. Except this one is special. Popo went online and found a therapist. It's going to be a big surprise for everyone when they come over.
Popo was of course hesitant, but he was confident that a group therapy session was going to be beneficial in the end.
[- Da Boyz 2.0
Group Chat
Popo: sup fuckerrrrzz
Sonic: sup
Toon: i'm excited fo r tonite
Popo: I want u guyz to cum early
Ness: Why?
Popo: bc i have smthng special planned
Lucas: Like what
Sonic: oooo im so hyped
Sonic: r we gonna get absolutely smashed
Sonic: im so ready for dis
Popo: nah idk if u guys will leik it
Toon: oh i think i know wat this is about
Lucas: What's going on
Ness: Yeah, what?
Popo: youll see just cum here early
Ness: Please stop typing it like that.
Sonic: nah keep typing it like that it funny asf
Toon: ya i'll be there early
Lucas: Me too
Ness: I mean sure I guess.
Sonic: i'll be the first one!
Ness: You're always late.
Sonic: earlier than u
Ness: It's not a race.
Sonic: it is to me
Ness: Pathetic.
Sonic: wats pathetic is that i'll always be there to beat u when ur so close
Popo: sounds sexual
Ness: Nothing about what he said was sexual!
Toon: idk it did sound kinda sus
Sonic: Hell no. i would never fucc ness
Ness: The feeling is mutual.
Popo: u guyz got some weird sexual energy
Toon: ya the way u guys fight all the time makes me think u too got somethin to hide
Sonic: bro i'm straight
Ness: Yeah same!
Popo: liek an old married couple
Toon: from haters to lovers?
Ness: Stop.
Sonic: yea even i dont wanna hear it
Popo: sonic bro didnt u say u wuld fucc him in the cave
Sonic: how do u know that
Popo: u told us when i asked if u had to kiss a guy who would it be lmao
Sonic: i did?
Sonic: i dont remember dat
Ness: Yeah! He said he would fuck me!
Sonic: out of an old guy and kawasaki yeah
Toon: u just admitted u would fucc him
Sonic: i mean he wouldnt be my first choice
Popo: YOOOO
Ness: I hate this. I hate this. I hate this. Can we stop talking about this please?
Sonic: wat? gettin uncomfortable?
Ness: Yes.
Sonic: listen i'm straight i wuld never actually fucc u dude
Ness: I don't know that.
Sonic: sounds to me liek u want it to happen
Ness: WHAT!
Toon: dis is gettin' sus
Sonic: just accept dat i wuldnt do such a thing
Popo: idk ur actin pretty sus somic
Sonic: i'm keepin it real. ness is the one gettin all defensive
Toon: bro u said u would fucc him
Sonic: out of those guys in the cave yeah
Sonic: it was a fun hypothetical
Popo: dats fair at least ur honest about it
Sonic: exaclty
Popo: if were talkin hypthoeticals i think id fuck ness too
Popo: out of all of u
Ness: What?!
Sonic: seeee i'm not the olny one
Popo: ur the cutest
Sonic: and i'm the coolest
Ness: You wish.
Sonic: a straight guy can admit to shit leik this an insecure gay guy wuld get all defensive and try to deny anything gay related
Toon: ness ur the one dat seems pretty sus now
Ness: That doesn't make any sense! I'm not gay!
Popo: idk man u do give friuity vibes
Ness: I'm done having this conversation.
Sonic: bro is in the closet
Ness: No, that's you.
Sonic: nah dude i aint gay
Ness: Neither am I!
Sonic: nah ur in the closet
Ness: I like girls!
Popo: and guys
Ness: You know what, I'm not entertaining this topic anymore. Popo, what time do you want us over?
Popo: oh shiiiit like maybe 2 hrs earlier than usual
…
Ness went to the bathroom and washed his face. He went back to his desk and sat there for a minute thinking to himself. Why is it always him and Sonic fighting? It's annoying, but also fun. They both were the loud ones that entertained the group. He hated admitting it to himself, but he liked that it was always them being the center of attention.
Sonic brought out the competitive side in Ness and it was genuinely exciting. No one else was able to get a rise out of Ness like Sonic. In a way those two are similar which Ness would've never thought. It's a weird thought, but he wondered if Sonic also found Ness intriguing.
Wait, why is he thinking about that dumb hedgehog? That guy is an annoying asshole. Whatever. He took out his laptop and booted up League. He made sure to set up an alarm so he wouldn't forget about the hang out.
A Few Hours Later…
Alright, those were some good games, but now it's time to head to Popo's. He sprayed cologne and left to pick up Lucas as always.
Knock!
Knock!
Lucas opened his door.
Ness: "Ready to go?"
Lucas: "Yep."
The two walked over to Popo's door. Ness looked behind him to see if Sonic was around. That pesky hedgehog is going to try to run right past them as always, but not this time.
Lucas: "Looking for Sonic?"
Ness: "Yep."
Lucas: "I don't see him."
Ness: "Hmm."
Ness squinted his eyes and did a double take. He turned back to face the door and knocked. Popo opened the door for them.
Popo: "Broskiiiis! Come in, come in!"
Ness pretended to take a step forward. Like he expected Sonic came rushing in, but this time he was ready. He smirked and lifted his foot slightly, tripping the hedgehog. Sonic came crashing in the room and Ness started laughing.
Sonic: "Ughhh… I should've seen that one comin'."
Toon: "Whoa! What the?"
Lucas: "Hahaha!"
Ness: "Look who was TOO SLOW to react~"
Sonic: "Ok, stop with that joke. It's gettin' old."
Ness: "No, it's still funny. Right, Lucas?"
Lucas: "Hahaha! Yeah!"
Popo: "Haaahaa! Ness got you good."
Sonic: "Yeah whatever. I still beat you."
Ness: "But you looked like a fool doing it."
Sonic: "A win's a win. I'll take it."
Ness: "I mean you didn't win. I let you."
Sonic: "I always beat you here."
Ness: "In an unfair way. I never expect you to run at me at the last second. Well, except today I guess."
Sonic: Whatever."
Popo clapped his hands together. He walked over to the group and stood in the middle.
Popo: "Toon already knows this but I have something special planned today."
Lucas: "What's that?"
Sonic: "Is it some crazy game?"
Toon: "No."
Popo: "So, I had a mental breakdown not too long ago."
Sonic: "Starting strong."
Lucas: "Oh gosh! Are you ok?"
Popo: "Haaahaa! No."
Ness: "I'm so sorry. Is there anything we can do? What happened?"
Popo: "I'm just dealin' with stuff. I realized that we're all dealin' with a lot."
Sonic: "What kind of stuff are you dealin' with?"
Popo: "Mental issues I guess. I'm just now figurin' it out."
Toon: "Don't worry though because Popo is tryin' to fix it."
Popo: "Yep!"
Ness: "I'm proud of you for that."
Lucas: "Yeah, it's great to know that you're working on yourself."
Popo: "Yeah, in fact I wanted to help all of us."
Sonic: "All of us?"
Popo: "We all have somethin' we're strugglin' with."
Ness: "I mean I guess…"
Sonic: "I'm not."
Ness: "You were trapped in a cave longer than I was. I doubt you're over it."
Sonic: "I am over it. Aren't you?"
Ness: "No! I still think about it often."
Sonic: "I guess I do too, but I don't let it get in my way."
Ness: "I don't either! It's just… You know sometimes certain things will remind me of those awful times."
Sonic: "It wasn't all awful."
Ness: "Yes, it was!"
Sonic: "I mean, you and I got closer. I wouldn't say that's awful."
Ness: "Y-yeah, I mean… Yeah that's true."
Sonic: "Aww, you do love me!"
Ness: "I tolerate you."
Sonic: "You know you love me~"
Ness: "Anyway, Popo, what do you mean by you wanting to help all of us?"
Popo: "I decided that we should talk about our feelings."
Lucas: "Our feelings?"
Popo: "Yeah! A deep dive into things we bottle up."
Sonic: "I mean I'm fine."
Ness: "For the most part, I'm ok as well."
Popo: "I knew you'd guys would say that. Talkin' about feelings is hard, but with the help of our therapist, I think we'll learn to get comfortable."
Ness: "I'm sorry. A therapist?!"
Lucas: (Wait, we're doing therapy? I don't like this…)
Popo: "Yup! Tonight we're all doin' brofessional therapy! Haahaaa!"
Sonic: "Brofessional-
Ness: "Therapy?!"
Popo: "Yup."
Ness: "W-what? No. Why?"
Toon: "Popo thought it would help."
Ness: "B-but-
Knock!
Knock!
Popo: "Oh shit! He's here~"
Ness: "He?!"
Popo went over to his door and opened it.
Popo: "Heyyyy! Nice to see you. Come in, come in~"
Popo moved out of the way. Everyone immediately turned to see who it was.
?: "Hi, everyone."
Sonic: "What the fuck?"
Toon: "Sonic, you took the words right outta my mouth."
Ness: "L-Link?!"
Link: "Yup."
Ness: "What's he doing here?"
Popo: "He's our therapist."
Toon: "Wait, aren't you the Link that went to court because Zelda stabbed herself?"
Link: "Yes."
Ness: (Isn't this the guy that never talks? He's not cut out to be a therapist.)
Sonic: "Since when did you become a therapist?"
Link: "Ever since Zelda and I split up, I've been doing a lot of thinking. I want to help people who are struggling. People who are like me. Confused, broken, and depressed. Breaking up with Zelda was the biggest challenge I've had to experience, but I did it. I want to help others get through their painful trauma like I did."
Ness: (He sure talks a lot now.)
Sonic: "You sure talk a lot now."
Everyone gave Sonic a shocked look.
Toon: "Dude."
Sonic: "We were all thinkin' it."
Ness: (He's not wrong.)
Link: "I know it's a shocker. I was afraid to talk before because of Zelda, but now that she's out of my life, I'm able to finally be myself and talk as much as I want."
Ness: "Why didn't you talk before?"
Sonic: ["Probably because of Zelda."]
Link: "In my games I don't talk. Zelda didn't want me to ruin that hero image."
Ness: "Hero image?"
Toon: "I kinda get it."
Popo: "Yeah, you didn't talk in your games either."
Toon: "Nope."
Sonic: "Why do you talk?"
Toon: "Because I don't care. I mean it's not like the people from the material world are watchin' me. They can only see us when we're in game."
Lucas: "That's true."
Toon: "Plus I love talkin'."
Link: "Me too!"
Sonic: "Do all the Links like talkin'?"
Toon: "I'd assume so yeah."
Popo: "I wonder if Young Link talks."
Sonic: "Toon, does Young talk?"
Toon: "I don't know."
Popo: "But you're a Link."
Toon: "What, you think just because we're all Links means we know each other?"
Everyone except Link: "Yeah."
Toon: "No! We don't."
Link: "It's true, we're all different."
Popo: "I'm not gonna lie, I thought you guys were the same dude."
Ness: "They're reincarnations. Except Toon Link."
Toon: "Mate! What are you sayin' I'm not a real Link?"
Ness: "Technically no."
Toon: "What do you mean? I have the Triforce of Courage."
Ness: "I mean eventually you became the hero by proving it, but you weren't born as the hero. Technically you're not a reincarnation."
Toon: "I'm still a hero!"
Ness: "I was just saying that you're not part of the reincarnation bloodline. I never said you weren't a hero."
Link: "I sense a lot of negative energy."
Toon: "Oh, what do you know?"
Link: "That there's a lot of negative energy."
Toon: "Tch! You think you're a better Link than me?"
Link: "Alright, everyone calm down. It seems to me like you guys are dealing with a lot of pent up emotions."
Sonic: "I mean I'm fine. I dunno about these motherfuckers though."
Link: "We should talk about the things that bother us. Who wants to start?"
Popo: "I'll start."
Link: "Ok, good. Popo, what's on your mind?"
Popo: "Well ever since Nana broke up with me, I've noticed that I've been doin' the same old boring routine everyday."
Link: "Boring how?"
Popo: "Just ya know, wake up, smoke like five or more joints a day, and watch tv."
Ness: (Poor Popo. I had no idea.)
Link: "Do you know why you do this boring routine everyday?"
Popo: "I mean no one is here to stop me."
Toon: "..."
Link: "Toon, you look like you want to add something."
Toon: "I…"
Link: "Go ahead and tell Popo how you feel."
Toon: "I mean if you want, Mate, I'm happy to you know…"
Popo: "What?"
Toon: "I wanna hang out with you more."
Popo: "Really?"
Toon: "Yeah, we've only done it a couple times, but I don't mind bein' with ya every day. I got nothin' better to do."
Popo: "That sounds nice."
Sonic: "Gay."
Ness: "Sonic!"
Link: "Toon, you seem to care deeply for Popo. Why is that?"
Toon: "I dunno. I guess… *Stares at Ness* We both lost someone who we thought would always be with us."
Ness cringed and looked away when he saw Toon Link stare at him. He knew who the young swordsman was referring to.
Link noticed the tension between the two.
Link: "It seems to me that you and Popo have lost someone dear to you and you're both using this trauma to bond. I think it's a good thing that you two are there for each other. Although there could also be problems."
Popo: "What do you mean?" *Raises brow*
Link: "Only bonding because of trauma might be a falling to your friendship. It can also stop you two from moving on because of echo agreement. I've heard stories that when people bond over similar trauma it can help in the short term, but if that's the only reason why you two are friends, the friendship won't last. You two need more than just trauma. You two need similar hobbies and such."
Toon: "I mean he's been gettin' me into climbin'."
Link: "That's good! I was just saying that if the bond is only because of trauma, that it won't last."
Ness: ["Well that's discouraging."]
Link: "What was that?"
Ness: "Hm? N-no, I didn't say anything."
Link: "I'm pretty sure I've heard you said something about discouraging."
Ness: "I mean, the way you said it sounded a little rude."
Link: "I was just saying it how it is."
Ness: "It was too blunt. That's going to make them feel discouraged and probably doubt their friendship."
Link: "I want them to expand on their friendship. They have something great going on and I don't want them to ruin it. I want them to question why they want to be friends."
Ness: "Um, because they just do? They don't have to over analyze everything."
Link: "I understand where you're coming from. I only wanted to point that out."
Ness: "By bringing down their spirits. Nice one."
Link: "I wanted to understand their friendship more, Ness. Now that I know that they are doing things other than talking about their trauma, I'm more hopeful that their friendship is going to last."
Ness: "You could've just asked instead of saying all that."
Link: "I just wanted them to know what could happen if their friendship was only because they bonded over similar trauma."
Ness: "Yeah but right now? They were having a moment. You didn't have to say all that negative stuff."
Link: "I don't like to sugarcoat things."
Ness: "How are you a therapist?"
Popo: "Ok, ok, let's all calm down for a second."
Link: "Sorry, I didn't mean to upset you, Ness."
Ness: "Tch!"
Ness rolled his eyes and crossed his arms. What kind of therapist is he? A noob that's for sure. He could do better.
Link: "You know, Ness, I like that you speak your mind."
Ness: "Ok?"
Link: "I've also noticed that you speak for others, but how about yourself?"
Ness: "I'm fine. I don't have any problems."
Link: "Everyone has problems. Even I still do to this day."
Ness: "Ok, but I don't."
Link: "Hmm. I've noticed that Toon Link was staring at you when he said he lost someone dear to him. Maybe you don't have problems with yourself, but it seems like others might have problems with you."
Ness: *Scoffs* "Ok. Why are you attacking me all of the sudden?"
Link: "I'm not attacking you. I'm pointing out something I saw."
Ness: "Toon and I made up. We're fine."
Link: "Toon, is this true?"
Toon Link stared at the group. He was nervous. He didn't feel comfortable talking about his feelings toward Ness. This is something he wanted to talk to him privately, but then again, they have and he's still not completely comfortable with the psychic.
Toon: "I mean…"
Ness: "What?"
Toon: "I do feel better that we talked."
Sonic: "You two talked?"
Toon: "Yeah. We're ok. For the most part."
Ness: "Come on, Toon, I-I still think of you as my friend. I'm here, aren't I? I'm not flaking anymore."
Toon: "I appreciate that, but that's not why I'm a little iffy about you."
Ness: "What?"
Toon: "So I talked to Nana."
Ness: "Don't listen to her. She's crazy."
Toon: "It's ok, I've talked to Popo about it."
Sonic: "Then what's the problem?"
Toon: "I know she's full of shit, but there is one thing she said that stuck with me."
Ness: "Like what?!"
Toon: "Why isn't Nate here?"
