You got it this time?
Yeah, I got it. You’re spotting me still, right Max?
Yep.
Okay – thanks, buddy. I’m gonna go for the same spot as before… *Carlos gets close to the fire pit and, much slower this time, he starts to lower the pot back to the ground*
“Uh? Oh, um… thank you….Wait, Max? Is that you?”
“…” His face turned light pink. “I… I really like him….”
Carlos folded his arms. “You like him… but you want to risk getting him in trouble?”
“N-no! I’d never…” He sighed, running a hand through his messy hair. “I just wanted him to be happy… he always talks about how much he’d want to rob a store and… how he wanted a new car…” Pure slightly bit his lip. “I just wanted him to be happy…. I never thought we’d actually go that far….”
“That’s what he told me as well,” Carlos said to him. “That he just wanted to please you, and he didn’t think it’d go that far. Am I to really assume that things just… developed that way on their own?”
He nodded. “Everything just… happened..!” He sighed. “As soon as we were in the car is just.. everything just happened…”
“So the car lured you in like a siren song and just drove you to the stores? Gave you masks and weapons?” The sarcasm was dripping in Carlos’ voice, but he wanted the kid to understand that he had to actually own up to what they did.
“No! Oh heavens no!” He yelled. “I-i just… everything just…” He teared up, nervously walking around. “I didn’t want it to happen! I-i’m usually a nice kid, I swear! I just…” He sobbed and whimpered quietly. “I dont know why I did it! I feel so bad, I’m sorry!”
“I know you’re sorry, Ma-… uh, Pure. But I’m not sure if it’s because someone’s holding you accountable or if it’s actually genuine.” Carlos sighed. “I don’t want to be mad at you. But you and Max got into a lot of trouble, so it’s hard not to be.”
“I-i know we got into trouble… h-hell… I stabbed someone! I could’ve gotten us hurt… or even killed..!” He dried his eyes. “I’m sorry for putting Max in danger, Mr Ramon…” He kept his head down, too scared to look at Carlos. “I just… I wanted him to be happy, to have fun…”
“There are other ways to have fun,” Carlos told him. “You guys could have gone to Chuck E. Cheese’s and it would have been less harmful.” He frowned at the kid, feeling very uncomfortable. He looked exactly like Max… but he wasn’t that Max. They weren’t the same. It just… he looked like him! Carlos was having a bit of trouble trying to remain stern with him.
But he could be at least a little chivalrous…
Carlos pulled out a pack of tissues from his pocket and offered one to Pure. “Here.”
“…” Pure looked at the pack of tissues, then back at Carlos. “Thank you…” He rubbed his reddened eyes, accepting the tissues.
“B-but.. wha- uhm, w-what’s “Chuck E. Cheese”?“ He slightly tilted his head in confusion.
Carlos blinked at him. “It’s… it’s a play-place for kids,” he said. “Um… like a pizza parlor and an arcade center. Though,it’s also germ-ridden… which is why I said it would have been… you know what, nevermind. You probably didn’t get the joke anyway.”
“H-huh…” He cracked a smile. “It… really does sound fun…” He frowned, sighing softly. “I… really did fuck up… I put both of us in danger…” Pure, once again, ran a hand through his hair. “I’m… sorry, Mr Ramon. I really am. I wasn’t thinking and thus could’ve gotten Max and me hurt or worse killed.”
Carlos frowned slightly. “I hope that this teaches you and Max to think about your actions.” He sighes. “Right now… Max is grounded. He can’t see you for a little bit, considering what the two of you had gotten up to together.”
Carlos was surprised that Hancock was
suddenly hugging him, but after a partial moment he put his arms around the
other and held onto him, trying to breath out high-strung tension in his chest.
“I’m sorry,” he murmured. “I didn’t mean to…
freak like that either. I… I shouldn’t have.
And… I shouldn’t have switched languages on you. Y-you’re right, I was
talking about myself and stuff but… I’m sorry if- if that shut you out or
something…” Carlos made a soft, pitiful sound and tried to bury his head into
Hancock’s shoulder. “My head hurts…”
Nods.
“They killed a buddy of mine…. virtually dissected him infront of me…
killing him while he screamed then died after removing a few of his
organs…..I would have been next but I was able to escape when they had
some power malfunction…”Edwardo looked at him, frowning sympathetically. “You have said,” he responded with a careful and calm tone. “I am truly sorry that has happened to you… I can’t even imagine that.”
“But I’ve found terrans who…. are really good people. You and your sons….. I’d like to call you a part of my family.”
Edwardo was a bit surprised by Yondu’s statement. He smiled and gave a soft chuckle. “That’s… I think that’s alright, Yondu. You’ve been good to me and my boys – especially Carlos. He seems to like you and trust you well enough. I think we’d be honored for you to consider us ‘family’. Friendship knows no distance, I believe.”
Yondu nods to him and smiles. “Aside from peter and kraglin and three others on my crew Oblo, Tullk and halfnut.. I don’t have anyone else. So this is nice.”
Mr Ramon nodded. “Right,” he agreed with a smile. “Want to help me start lunch? You can tell me more about what Carlos and you all have been up to.”
“Sure! I’ll even split this bag of the best snack in space. Carlos loves them too. Beastie worms!” Pulls out a a bag that looks suspiciously like a alien version of a Cheetoes bag.
Edwardo just looked at it. “What… what is it exactly?” he asked. “I heard you boys trying to explain it, but I don’t know if I understand…”
Grins and leads him to the kitchen. “Best thing ever. Just… don’t think about what your eating. Just eat it.” Opens the bag and pulls out a wiggling orange worm like thing.
Edwardo stared.”Carlos has been eating those?” he asked. “I’m surprised – usually he’s not very adventurous when trying new things.” He reached out and took the worm, examining it curiously.
The worm was wiggling around and actually tries to crawl around on his fingers leaving orange dust in its wake.
“Well in space he had to adapt. No terran like food out there really. I had to honestly convince him to eat one. Then he liked them. So we would pass a bag around at times.”
Edwardo hummed and nodded. He closed his hand around the worm to keep it from escaping. “You know, it’s arguable that it’s cruel to let them remain alive as you eat them. How do they stay alive in the package anyhow?”
“I honestly have no clue….. all I know is they are fresh and delicious.” Pulls one out then knocks it back with a crunch then swallows. “Carlos wanted to keepnsome as pets…. be interesting…. harvest them as unlimited source of beastie worms. Snacks forever.”
Edwardo looked at the trail of seasoning the worm left. “In theory… but you’d have to find out the recipe for the seasoning.” He smiled slightly. He sniffed at the seasoning with a hum. “It smells cheesy.” He opened his hand again and, with the other hand, picked up the worm between two fingers. “It’s sort of cute… I can see why Little Carlos wanted to try keeping one.”
Yondu chuckles. “Cute and delicious. Carlos at first thought it was cruel to eat them alive too but… if you kill them or dry them or something other then fresh they taste nasty….”
“Hm… maybe there’s a decomposition process that happens when they die.” He then smiled at Yondu again. “This wouldn’t be my first rodeo, eating a live animal. I’ve had the opportunity to have live octopus before.”
“Live oconopooos? What the hell is that?” Sets the bag down so the worms couldn’t wiggle out as Eduardo played with his food. “Hope the boys have fun.”
Peter watches as buildings go by in the car. “Been so long since being here….. it’s so strange….. almost like I don’t belong here.”
“Oh… um… it has a soft, round bulbous main body, and has eight tentacles that come out of the bottom of it like a skirt. It lives in the water. It’s really good with some spicy sauce, though you have to chew quite a bit to make sure to get it down safely.” Edwardo looked at the worm again. “I’m sure the boys are fine… It’s just a trip to the supermarket, after all.”
–
“I can’t believe I still remember how to drive,” Carlos said. “It just feels like it’s been so long… And I have to pay so much attention to the road.”
“You’re going the speed limit, so I think you’re fine,” Mikey reassured his brother with a grin.
Yondu blinks at the Discription. “Huh….. we have something like that. Don’t eat it though. Not unless you like the idea of melting from the inside out. Anyway. So what are we having for lunch? And you gonna eat the worm or keep it for a pet? Hehe.”
–
Nice they pull up peter couldn’t stop looking around and wandering off a bit curious about the daily lives of his species.
Mr Ramon looked at Yondu, and then grinned. He quickly popped it into his mouth and crunched down on it. There was a burst of flavor and he let out a pleasantly surprised hum. “Hm! Hmm!”
–
Kraglin kept close to Carlos and his brother. Yeah, he was curious too – looking around at everything. Watchers, it was all so…. alien. These people came in so many different shapes and sizes, it could probably rival the variety of Knowhere.
He watched Peter trying to wander and let out a low growl. “’Ey, Pete! Don’t get lost, you little shit!” A woman glanced at him in confusion and Kraglin just huffed at her. What did he care that she couldn’t understand him?
Well, I’m pretty sure if we add anymore water it’ll be too heavy to move, so, I guess it’s good?
*nods* Alright then. Lemme lift it. Make sure there’s nothing in my way?
Mhm, just a couple of little twigs and rocks, shouldn’t be an issue, right?
Right. Okay, keep an eye out for me bud! *he lifts the pot and starts walking* Where’s a good spot to set this?
Maybe like, next to where we build the fire- hey, watch out for the log.
*Carlos immediately stops* Where is it? *he tries to look around the pot to the ground.”
Like right by your feet, just step over it and you should be all good.
How big is it? *he lifts his foot and tentatively starts poking around at the ground in front of him.*
Probably about uh,, *he puts his hands up* that big? Not very,
*Carlos’ foot finds the log and he gently tries to kick it away out of the way* Okay… moving forward…
You should be good to set it down,
Right here? Okay. *slowly lowers the pot toward the ground*
Yeah, *he grabs a couple of the pods from his hoodie*
Okay. So – *the pot touches Carlos’ foot and suddenly tips forward, spilling half the water and scum out in front of him*
Hm. Well shit.
Oh, shoot! I’m sorry, Max. I’ll go fill it up again – hang on. *he turns around with a sigh and carries the pot with one hand back to the lakeside.*
*Max follows Carlos back to the lake, putting the pods back in his pocket* I could actually help carry it this time.
If you want to… I just need to make sure I’m not setting it down on my foot this time. Heh…
Yeah, it’ll be easier with two people.
It would be… but one of us is less than three feet tall. No offense, but it’d be better if we matched closer in height for that to be really effective.
I’m not that short!
*smiles sympathetically. “I’m sorry, buddy… but you kind of are. That’s okay though – you’re about average for someone your age.
I’m not. I’m below average.
What? Why would you say that? How old are you?
10. The average is like, 4’10. I’m below that.
Oh… I thought you were, like… seven. It’s hard to judge, considering your… surprisingly mature demeanor. My apologies, Max. But hey – I think you still have some growing to do!
I- fair enough, I guess. I doubt it.
Well, time will only tell. But it’s alright to be optimistic about it. You’re still young after all! *he kneels by the lake to fill the pot again.* Do you wanna get some more pondscum, Max?
Hells yeah! *he picks up a different stick and gets some pondscum on it*
*Carlos snorts and giggles* You’re such a boy – getting all excited about slime. That’s adorable.
Hey, it’s not slime. It’s pondscum. There’s a difference. And I’m not adorable.
*chuckles* Right, of course. At ten years old you’re the peak of masculinity. By the way, slime encompasses a wide variety of things – mud, scum, mucus, etc. The more you know! C’mon, get it over here and into the pot. *he smiles happily at Max*
Pondscum is it’s own catagory of scum. *he droped the scum in the pot, still on the stick, resulting in the water slashing a little*
*Carlos grabbed the stick and swirled it in the pot, trying to get the scum off of it* I don’t usually study nature, but I think I know about pondscum. I was a boy too, you know.
Look, there’s scum, then there’s pondscum.
Well, i guess… technically. Scum can be applied to a great number of ‘slime’ substances…
I’m going to throw pondscum at you.
Not while I’m carrying the pot, you won’t. *He stands up, holding the pot.* Spot me, will you?
*Max raises his eyebrows. Challenge accepted. He nods* yeah, sure. *he puts some pondscum on a stick when Carlos wasn’t looking*
*Carlos walks back toward the fire pit, looking ahead and making sure he goes around the log this time*
Nods.
“They killed a buddy of mine…. virtually dissected him infront of me…
killing him while he screamed then died after removing a few of his
organs…..I would have been next but I was able to escape when they had
some power malfunction…”Edwardo looked at him, frowning sympathetically. “You have said,” he responded with a careful and calm tone. “I am truly sorry that has happened to you… I can’t even imagine that.”
“But I’ve found terrans who…. are really good people. You and your sons….. I’d like to call you a part of my family.”
Edwardo was a bit surprised by Yondu’s statement. He smiled and gave a soft chuckle. “That’s… I think that’s alright, Yondu. You’ve been good to me and my boys – especially Carlos. He seems to like you and trust you well enough. I think we’d be honored for you to consider us ‘family’. Friendship knows no distance, I believe.”
Yondu nods to him and smiles. “Aside from peter and kraglin and three others on my crew Oblo, Tullk and halfnut.. I don’t have anyone else. So this is nice.”
Mr Ramon nodded. “Right,” he agreed with a smile. “Want to help me start lunch? You can tell me more about what Carlos and you all have been up to.”
“Sure! I’ll even split this bag of the best snack in space. Carlos loves them too. Beastie worms!” Pulls out a a bag that looks suspiciously like a alien version of a Cheetoes bag.
Edwardo just looked at it. “What… what is it exactly?” he asked. “I heard you boys trying to explain it, but I don’t know if I understand…”
Grins and leads him to the kitchen. “Best thing ever. Just… don’t think about what your eating. Just eat it.” Opens the bag and pulls out a wiggling orange worm like thing.
Edwardo stared.”Carlos has been eating those?” he asked. “I’m surprised – usually he’s not very adventurous when trying new things.” He reached out and took the worm, examining it curiously.
The worm was wiggling around and actually tries to crawl around on his fingers leaving orange dust in its wake.
“Well in space he had to adapt. No terran like food out there really. I had to honestly convince him to eat one. Then he liked them. So we would pass a bag around at times.”
Edwardo hummed and nodded. He closed his hand around the worm to keep it from escaping. “You know, it’s arguable that it’s cruel to let them remain alive as you eat them. How do they stay alive in the package anyhow?”
“I honestly have no clue….. all I know is they are fresh and delicious.” Pulls one out then knocks it back with a crunch then swallows. “Carlos wanted to keepnsome as pets…. be interesting…. harvest them as unlimited source of beastie worms. Snacks forever.”
Edwardo looked at the trail of seasoning the worm left. “In theory… but you’d have to find out the recipe for the seasoning.” He smiled slightly. He sniffed at the seasoning with a hum. “It smells cheesy.” He opened his hand again and, with the other hand, picked up the worm between two fingers. “It’s sort of cute… I can see why Little Carlos wanted to try keeping one.”
Yondu chuckles. “Cute and delicious. Carlos at first thought it was cruel to eat them alive too but… if you kill them or dry them or something other then fresh they taste nasty….”
“Hm… maybe there’s a decomposition process that happens when they die.” He then smiled at Yondu again. “This wouldn’t be my first rodeo, eating a live animal. I’ve had the opportunity to have live octopus before.”
“Live oconopooos? What the hell is that?” Sets the bag down so the worms couldn’t wiggle out as Eduardo played with his food. “Hope the boys have fun.”
Peter watches as buildings go by in the car. “Been so long since being here….. it’s so strange….. almost like I don’t belong here.”
“Oh… um… it has a soft, round bulbous main body, and has eight tentacles that come out of the bottom of it like a skirt. It lives in the water. It’s really good with some spicy sauce, though you have to chew quite a bit to make sure to get it down safely.” Edwardo looked at the worm again. “I’m sure the boys are fine… It’s just a trip to the supermarket, after all.”
–
“I can’t believe I still remember how to drive,” Carlos said. “It just feels like it’s been so long… And I have to pay so much attention to the road.”
“You’re going the speed limit, so I think you’re fine,” Mikey reassured his brother with a grin.
Well, I’m pretty sure if we add anymore water it’ll be too heavy to move, so, I guess it’s good?
*nods* Alright then. Lemme lift it. Make sure there’s nothing in my way?
Mhm, just a couple of little twigs and rocks, shouldn’t be an issue, right?
Right. Okay, keep an eye out for me bud! *he lifts the pot and starts walking* Where’s a good spot to set this?
Maybe like, next to where we build the fire- hey, watch out for the log.
*Carlos immediately stops* Where is it? *he tries to look around the pot to the ground.”
Like right by your feet, just step over it and you should be all good.
How big is it? *he lifts his foot and tentatively starts poking around at the ground in front of him.*
Probably about uh,, *he puts his hands up* that big? Not very,
*Carlos’ foot finds the log and he gently tries to kick it away out of the way* Okay… moving forward…
You should be good to set it down,
Right here? Okay. *slowly lowers the pot toward the ground*
Yeah, *he grabs a couple of the pods from his hoodie*
Okay. So – *the pot touches Carlos’ foot and suddenly tips forward, spilling half the water and scum out in front of him*
Hm. Well shit.
Oh, shoot! I’m sorry, Max. I’ll go fill it up again – hang on. *he turns around with a sigh and carries the pot with one hand back to the lakeside.*
*Max follows Carlos back to the lake, putting the pods back in his pocket* I could actually help carry it this time.
If you want to… I just need to make sure I’m not setting it down on my foot this time. Heh…
Yeah, it’ll be easier with two people.
It would be… but one of us is less than three feet tall. No offense, but it’d be better if we matched closer in height for that to be really effective.
I’m not that short!
*smiles sympathetically. “I’m sorry, buddy… but you kind of are. That’s okay though – you’re about average for someone your age.
I’m not. I’m below average.
What? Why would you say that? How old are you?
10. The average is like, 4’10. I’m below that.
Oh… I thought you were, like… seven. It’s hard to judge, considering your… surprisingly mature demeanor. My apologies, Max. But hey – I think you still have some growing to do!
I- fair enough, I guess. I doubt it.
Well, time will only tell. But it’s alright to be optimistic about it. You’re still young after all! *he kneels by the lake to fill the pot again.* Do you wanna get some more pondscum, Max?
Hells yeah! *he picks up a different stick and gets some pondscum on it*
*Carlos snorts and giggles* You’re such a boy – getting all excited about slime. That’s adorable.
Hey, it’s not slime. It’s pondscum. There’s a difference. And I’m not adorable.
*chuckles* Right, of course. At ten years old you’re the peak of masculinity. By the way, slime encompasses a wide variety of things – mud, scum, mucus, etc. The more you know! C’mon, get it over here and into the pot. *he smiles happily at Max*
Pondscum is it’s own catagory of scum. *he droped the scum in the pot, still on the stick, resulting in the water slashing a little*
*Carlos grabbed the stick and swirled it in the pot, trying to get the scum off of it* I don’t usually study nature, but I think I know about pondscum. I was a boy too, you know.
Look, there’s scum, then there’s pondscum.
Well, i guess… technically. Scum can be applied to a great number of ‘slime’ substances…
I’m going to throw pondscum at you.
Not while I’m carrying the pot, you won’t. *He stands up, holding the pot.* Spot me, will you?
Well, I’m pretty sure if we add anymore water it’ll be too heavy to move, so, I guess it’s good?
*nods* Alright then. Lemme lift it. Make sure there’s nothing in my way?
Mhm, just a couple of little twigs and rocks, shouldn’t be an issue, right?
Right. Okay, keep an eye out for me bud! *he lifts the pot and starts walking* Where’s a good spot to set this?
Maybe like, next to where we build the fire- hey, watch out for the log.
*Carlos immediately stops* Where is it? *he tries to look around the pot to the ground.”
Like right by your feet, just step over it and you should be all good.
How big is it? *he lifts his foot and tentatively starts poking around at the ground in front of him.*
Probably about uh,, *he puts his hands up* that big? Not very,
*Carlos’ foot finds the log and he gently tries to kick it away out of the way* Okay… moving forward…
You should be good to set it down,
Right here? Okay. *slowly lowers the pot toward the ground*
Yeah, *he grabs a couple of the pods from his hoodie*
Okay. So – *the pot touches Carlos’ foot and suddenly tips forward, spilling half the water and scum out in front of him*
Hm. Well shit.
Oh, shoot! I’m sorry, Max. I’ll go fill it up again – hang on. *he turns around with a sigh and carries the pot with one hand back to the lakeside.*
*Max follows Carlos back to the lake, putting the pods back in his pocket* I could actually help carry it this time.
If you want to… I just need to make sure I’m not setting it down on my foot this time. Heh…
Yeah, it’ll be easier with two people.
It would be… but one of us is less than three feet tall. No offense, but it’d be better if we matched closer in height for that to be really effective.
I’m not that short!
*smiles sympathetically. “I’m sorry, buddy… but you kind of are. That’s okay though – you’re about average for someone your age.
I’m not. I’m below average.
What? Why would you say that? How old are you?
10. The average is like, 4’10. I’m below that.
Oh… I thought you were, like… seven. It’s hard to judge, considering your… surprisingly mature demeanor. My apologies, Max. But hey – I think you still have some growing to do!
I- fair enough, I guess. I doubt it.
Well, time will only tell. But it’s alright to be optimistic about it. You’re still young after all! *he kneels by the lake to fill the pot again.* Do you wanna get some more pondscum, Max?
Hells yeah! *he picks up a different stick and gets some pondscum on it*
*Carlos snorts and giggles* You’re such a boy – getting all excited about slime. That’s adorable.
Hey, it’s not slime. It’s pondscum. There’s a difference. And I’m not adorable.
*chuckles* Right, of course. At ten years old you’re the peak of masculinity. By the way, slime encompasses a wide variety of things – mud, scum, mucus, etc. The more you know! C’mon, get it over here and into the pot. *he smiles happily at Max*
Pondscum is it’s own catagory of scum. *he droped the scum in the pot, still on the stick, resulting in the water slashing a little*
*Carlos grabbed the stick and swirled it in the pot, trying to get the scum off of it* I don’t usually study nature, but I think I know about pondscum. I was a boy too, you know.
Look, there’s scum, then there’s pondscum.
Well, i guess… technically. Scum can be applied to a great number of ‘slime’ substances…
“Uh? Oh, um… thank you….Wait, Max? Is that you?”
“…” His face turned light pink. “I… I really like him….”
Carlos folded his arms. “You like him… but you want to risk getting him in trouble?”
“N-no! I’d never…” He sighed, running a hand through his messy hair. “I just wanted him to be happy… he always talks about how much he’d want to rob a store and… how he wanted a new car…” Pure slightly bit his lip. “I just wanted him to be happy…. I never thought we’d actually go that far….”
“That’s what he told me as well,” Carlos said to him. “That he just wanted to please you, and he didn’t think it’d go that far. Am I to really assume that things just… developed that way on their own?”
He nodded. “Everything just… happened..!” He sighed. “As soon as we were in the car is just.. everything just happened…”
“So the car lured you in like a siren song and just drove you to the stores? Gave you masks and weapons?” The sarcasm was dripping in Carlos’ voice, but he wanted the kid to understand that he had to actually own up to what they did.
“No! Oh heavens no!” He yelled. “I-i just… everything just…” He teared up, nervously walking around. “I didn’t want it to happen! I-i’m usually a nice kid, I swear! I just…” He sobbed and whimpered quietly. “I dont know why I did it! I feel so bad, I’m sorry!”
“I know you’re sorry, Ma-… uh, Pure. But I’m not sure if it’s because someone’s holding you accountable or if it’s actually genuine.” Carlos sighed. “I don’t want to be mad at you. But you and Max got into a lot of trouble, so it’s hard not to be.”
“I-i know we got into trouble… h-hell… I stabbed someone! I could’ve gotten us hurt… or even killed..!” He dried his eyes. “I’m sorry for putting Max in danger, Mr Ramon…” He kept his head down, too scared to look at Carlos. “I just… I wanted him to be happy, to have fun…”
“There are other ways to have fun,” Carlos told him. “You guys could have gone to Chuck E. Cheese’s and it would have been less harmful.” He frowned at the kid, feeling very uncomfortable. He looked exactly like Max… but he wasn’t that Max. They weren’t the same. It just… he looked like him! Carlos was having a bit of trouble trying to remain stern with him.
But he could be at least a little chivalrous…
Carlos pulled out a pack of tissues from his pocket and offered one to Pure. “Here.”
“…” Pure looked at the pack of tissues, then back at Carlos. “Thank you…” He rubbed his reddened eyes, accepting the tissues.
“B-but.. wha- uhm, w-what’s “Chuck E. Cheese”?“ He slightly tilted his head in confusion.
Carlos blinked at him. “It’s… it’s a play-place for kids,” he said. “Um… like a pizza parlor and an arcade center. Though,it’s also germ-ridden… which is why I said it would have been… you know what, nevermind. You probably didn’t get the joke anyway.”
The Perfect Scientist 