video;

[rhombus]

[Hi, network, here's a porkschop mouth and bear hat you haven't seen in a long while. He appears to be smiling, but a pretty strained smile.]

Yo, peeps! I guess I'm back! I guess that's okay! Not like I was busy or anything! It's pretty jumpin' here, lots of adventures and dance parties to be had, even if Peebles isn't here! Or Marcy! Starchy! . . . Jake! I can do this again, YEAH! If the City still needs me to be a hero, I can't really say no, right? That's so not heroy, and that's what I'm allllll about. [A little arm wiggle dance to illustrate that this is, indeed, fact.]

[Pause.] I, uh, didn't beef it down a bunch of stairs again, did I? That'd be so embarrassing. Ahem.

Callin' out for all my City bros, answer me so we can do sweet screen fistbumps and catch up! And a special shout out to Zizi, where are you, gurl! I keep calling you don't answer. Scamper your sweet unreadable teal text on over here.

Comments

[rhombus]

[He sounds touched, like she just complimented his art project or something.]

Yes. Yes, exactly.

[aliveandticking]

Have you ever found one?! Here, I mean, on this Earth!

[rhombus]

No... [He looks a bit bummed about that.] All the places that have tombs and mummies aren't even close to here! And it's really hard to get to these places. No one wants to borrow a kid a hot air balloon or anything, it's pretty lame.

[aliveandticking]

Well that's just rude! Humans never think kids can take care of themselves.

[rhombus]

Yeah, I guess! Most adults there seem to trust me. But they're also not human, so I dunno. It's a real pain in my patoot here, though.

[aliveandticking]

Trolls are expected to basically raise themselves. I've been exploring caves since I was three sweeps old! I think we should just steal a hot air balloon and go anyway.

[rhombus]

Oh. I was raised by dogs myself!!

But . . . stealing's wrong.

[aliveandticking]

Well, I had my lusus. But I kind of took care of her? It's different.

Okay, how about we borrow a hot air balloon?

[rhombus]

Oh, yeah, Zizi told me about hers. I guess you'd call mom and dad my lususes but I think it's kind of different than what you guys expect. I def didn't have to take care of them, though, that seems kinda backwards!

Yeah, okay, borrowing is cool.

[aliveandticking]

It's supposed to teach us responsibility! Mostly I had to make sure mine didn't eat everything.

Okay! Next step, where do we find a hot air balloon?

[rhombus]

Hahaha, sounds like Jake.

Uhmmmm, I dunno! We'll probably have to ask someone.

[aliveandticking]

She was a sheep, so she kind of got into things.

By the way, do you know how to work a hot air balloon?

[rhombus]

Jake was a dog! I've never had a sheep as a family member, but I bet it kept you in sweaters!

Uh, no... But it can't be that hard, it's just a balloon.

[aliveandticking]

She would have, but I don't know how to knit!

Okay, well, if we can't find one and we can't pilot one we might have to hold off for a while.

[rhombus]

Oh. You should learn how for when you go home, then!

I guess, but now I'm so excited for it!! I'd be so bummed out.

[aliveandticking]

Well, she's dead and my universe is destroyed, so that isn't really a thing that's happening.

Okay, why don't we try and find another adventure?

[rhombus]

O-Oh...right... [Awkward laugh.] I always forget that about you guys...

Su-sure! Any happs goin' on now that needs a couple of hero's attentions? I'd have a clue before but not after being away for a few months! But whatever we do, it canNOT have anything to do with the green lady on the island, okay?

[aliveandticking]

It was a nice thought.

How come? Are you scared of girls, Finn?

[rhombus]

What, no way! I'm, like, girlphilic not girlphobic, yo! Like 80% of people I know are girls! Or . . . similarly enough to girls to count!

[aliveandticking]

Just joking! So, what's the problem with the statue?