23 Joke - There's a Gag Here Somewhere, I Swear.

[pants_yourmove]

[[Aaron is in a good mood and has finished one of his projects

Comments

A

[strike_you_out]

[As Aaron rounds a bend in the road, he might suddenly become aware of an occupant in the passenger seat that he somehow managed to pick up without stopping or even knowing.

Leaning back in the seat, Slugger will simply grin and make no move to put on his seatbelt.]

[pants_yourmove]

[[Aaron's pulling some pieces of corn stalks out when Slugger arrives. Almost jumping out of his skin.

Looking it over then.]]

Oh... yeah! Thanks!

You can teleport too?

[strike_you_out]

[Nod. He's similar to Ai in some ways. Good to see you weren't killed by bears while he was gone.

Slugger sets the tank beside the kart and looks at Aaron. Sure, he could have went to the gas station instead, but he doesn't trust those people. Especially not Barbie.]

You don't have the cast anymore...

[He noticed long ago at the prom but chose now to finally say something.]

[pants_yourmove]

No, Lucas helped me recover a bit faster than expected.

It was rough getting around on crutches.

[[He'll open the gas cap and empty the container into the gas tank. Finding a good place to duck it and wedge it in place so it won't fall out.]]

[strike_you_out]

[He listens and while Aaron fills up the tank, wanders to the side of the road where he bats down some corn stalks as he waits. Soon after Aaron has found a place for the gas can, Slugger is back in the go kart, this time in the passenger seat.]

The symbol you had on the cast... Did you know what it meant?

[pants_yourmove]

[[Works at starting it up.]]

Kinda, Ai told me it was the same symbol she used back home.

[[She did not exactly tell Aaron she meant "mine" when she did that.]]

[strike_you_out]

It's the symbol people see before they see Hell.

[pants_yourmove]

Yeah, before she takes them I think.

[[Such a cheerful topic.

Making sure everything is ready before he settles in the drivers seat.]]

[strike_you_out]

[Slugger concludes this kid must know a lot, yet his reaction to such knowledge is highly unusual.]

Are you human?

[pants_yourmove]

[[Okay, that catches him off guard.]]

Umm... I think so...

[strike_you_out]

You're not bothered by what she does?

[He's genuinely curious.]

[pants_yourmove]

A little, but at the same time she's a good person. She's suffered a lot to prove that.

[[And she's the first person to give him an out from his own personal hell... but no, of course that can't be a reason he's able to overlook something like that. Right?]]

And if it wasn't her, it'd be someone else. So if she needs help I'm going to be there.

[strike_you_out]

[To this Slugger has nothing to say in response. He simply stares at Aaron with a mixture of shock, confusion, and perhaps a tiny bit of awe. It will be a while before he's able to decide what to make of this.]

[pants_yourmove]

[[Hey, awkward pause moment. A good time to get started.]]

So, where do you live?

[[He's going to look down the road and then pull onto the highway. Just to make sure they don't get hit.]]

[strike_you_out]

[Settling back in his seat, he gazes forward, still thoughtful...]

Anderson. 726.

...You're Aaron?

[He's heard of you, or he's at least attended class with you once or twice to know.]

[pants_yourmove]

Yeah, Aaron Taylor. Though this town calls me Aaron West now.

[[Driving and keeping his eyes on the road.]]

You and Ai get along pretty well right?

[[He's not sure what Slugger is, but apparently he understands what Ai is and can teleport.]]