In the small blue car PaRappa became calmer than he had in dragonbreath’s household. There was something sickening and uncomfortable about it. It was like someone had their eyes sticking out of every impurity and shadow in that place. With the negative feelings leaving with the factory, PaRappa realized how much he hated it. Even if he didn’t exactly know why.
He heard something so he perked his ears up to the source: the ceiling of the moving car. The sound wasn’t coming from the outside, but rather the opposite. It was like somebody was carving into it with a knife. When the engraving suddenly ceased it read out a shaky “Ta”. PaRappa stared at it for a little before curling back up into his seat. There weren't a lot of roads in HaHa Land. People were encouraged to walk a lot of the time. It was mostly due to the old roads being in a state of ill repair, and being too tiny to be a proper 2 laned road. Despite all the negatives, it still made a better profit by forcing everyone to take a better look at all the shops they were passing.
It was around midday, and it looked like it was about to rain. PaRappa could even smell the moisture in the air. The car stopped at a red light. Randomly PaRappa noticed that Andy was looking at him using the mirror. It confused him because he comprehended the reflection as its own entity, making it seem like the mirror itself was looking down at him. Put at a state of unease, he sat up and repositioned himself to deal with the uncomfortable feeling. The light turned green again and Andy looked back to the road.
About a minute later Andy parked his car in front of a shop. That’s when it started to rain. The smoke golem quickly exited the car, picked up PaRappa from the backseat, and carried the anxious animal to the shop. It was a very friendly looking shop with all sorts of dog and cat toys.
It would’ve also come across as colorful if not for the lad’s colorblindness. That wasn’t on the dog’s mind though, food was. PaRappa could smell all sorts of treats scattered about. It got him kind of excited.
“Hello there!” a human woman with purple hair waved from checkout. She was eating lunch and reading a book.
“Oh hi! Slow day today?” Andy asked in a friendly manner.
“Yeah I usually get more business in the afternoon. Uh, have anything you’d like to buy today?”
“Well, I just got em today so i’m really looking for the whole dog starter kit,” PaRappa was slipping from his arms so Andy nudged him up a bit.
“You can put him on the floor, it’s ok. Just make sure he doesn’t chew on anything you’re not ready to pay for heh,”
“Oh ok,” While Andy let PaRappa put his feet on the ground the clerk got out from behind her desk.
“Where’d you get em?” She asked.
“Hmm?”
“Where’d you get your dog? I volunteer at the shelter maybe i’ve seen him before,”
“Oh my dad got him. I don’t know where,” Andy shrugged awkwardly.
“I hope you got him from the shelter. A lot of other places can do real nasty things to dogs to make a profit. If you or your dad ever gets a dog again be sure to get em at W.A.S.H. heh,”
“Thank you. i’ll remember that If I ever think about gettin another dog heh,”
…
PaRappa was wandering the store with a scent of interest in mind. His snout eventually discovered what he was looking for. It was a fluffy cat sitting in an empty shelf fast asleep. It wreaked of sidewalk, grass, wood, and cat food. All of those smells from the cat’s territory made the dog dog desire to get the biggest whiff possible. Ignoring personal space, he stuck his snout into the felines puffball belly. the beast woke up in alarm and smacked him in the whiskers.
PaRappa jumped back. He wasn’t done yet, stunned, but still determined. He inched over to try and get close again. When getting in range with the cat’s paws he squinted his eyes shut. He anticipated another bat at his face (The cat hadn’t let its claws out yet).Instead the cat growled a low yowl. PaRappa scuttled back again. He had become frustrated. He just wanted to get a better smell, but it didn’t seem like it was working out in his favor.
PaRappa whined, jumped and then barked. Andy and the clerk looked over to what he was doing. Andy trying to be responsible, intercepted PaRappa from his personal space invasion.
“No! Uh, Leave the cat alone,” Andy didn’t want to upset the clerk with his disobedient canine.
“Oh, come Cheese Onion! Sssp! sssp! ssp!” The clerk did not want to upset Andy by having her cat be a distraction to his dog. Cheese Onion popped out from her makeshift bed and leaped up to the clerk’s counter, “Sorry about that,” She said. Since the people were talking again, PaRappa could go off and do something else. Something familiar caught itself in his range of sent. Trotting over to the window display PaRappa looked out into the drizzling HaHa Land streets to see a Matt Major with his smell of paper. He was being followed by Error who seemed upset by the rain.
PaRappa gazed over the semi familiar sight. It felt like deja vu.
“So you’re a what?” The clerk asked.
“A smoke golem, well I was a alligator dragon,” Andy said.
“If you don’t mind me asking, how did you change?” The clerk leaned on her counter.
“I never really did, I uh, i’m a being of the past. My father coughed me up to help him with his business… after my other 2 siblings. I am my father, but at 21 years of age! I’m not even my own person anymore,” Andy said.
“Sounds complicated,” The clerk wanted to let him know that he was listening, but couldn’t think of anything right to say.
“It was a lot to handle when I was first created. I was plucked from my life and placed into this crazy new reality that everything i’ve ever done, or will do belongs to somebody else. My life’s a-a-a- lie! And it’s a sad one too. My true self has become this sick twisted being. I sometimes wonder If it was better that I am what I am because what I would’ve been became so horrible,”
“Oh dude… You don’t have to be like him. You’re your own man now. Unlike your father, you have a chance at change,”
“No I don’t. My father controls me, and I’m his slave. He has say if I live or die. I don’t matter to him at all, in fact, out of all my brothers, he cares about me the least,” Andy sighed.
“Maybe you can get him to let you go,”
“Ptt radical action against him is a sure way to get him to erase me and get a new golem,”
The clerk sighed. It didn’t seem that anything she could say would make his situation any better.
Sad ain’t it?
Uh huh. Freedom is for those who have none.
Somebody was writing into the foggy window that PaRappa was looking out of. Nobody’s finger seemed to appear. Just the abstract shapes that made up the words.
PaRappa sat don at the window to continue to look out into the street. Matt had since walked on past his view. There was something blocking his better understanding of that dog man. PaRappa ignored the thought just to prepare for a better nap. Why contemplate deja vu when you can nap.
“Well you can always talk to me about it, about anything really. Talking it o-out can really help make you feel better. I also hear that a dog dog helps,”
The clerk looked over to PaRappa who was curled up by the window. Cheese Onion was creeping up behind him trying to get a good sniff. Once the feline was close PaRappa noticed her. He swiftly put his head up to look at her. Cheese Onion hissed and walked away.
“Hahahaha! ahhhh I need help,” At first he was laughing at the cat, but then he remembered the sorrows he had talked about beforehand, “I’d like to look for stuff you buy now,” He said rather down.
“Oh well we have collars over here ohh and leashes uhhh, there,” It was a little awkward because the store was small enough to clearly see everything, “We also have this new name tag machine next to the counter. You can pick out a cooooool shape for your, I mean your dog’s tag,”
“Have a lot of people who want tags for themselves?” Andy scanned the shelves as he talked.
“Yeah, in fact I get more people in here buying stuff for themselves rather than for a pet,” The clerk smiled.
“How can you tell?” Andy started getting more on task by grabbing a leash collar and tag.
“I see em play with their items. They like to test out the products. I find it fascinating cause I’ve never seen that until I started this shop,” The clerk whispered it with glee like she was telling a secret.
“Neat,” Andy was fully out of it.
“Alright, well if you’re already to go then we’ll go to the cash register to get you checked out,” The clerk’s tone was iced with a shiny or forced smile. The 2 walked over to their respective places in retail and the clerk started scanning items.
Thunder rumbled like a distant roar. It startled PaRappa, who had become comfortable until that moment.
“Neat tag choice,” the clerk held it in her hand.
“It’s a circle,”
“Haha yeah,” The clerk wished she hadn’t said anything.
“What’s your lunch?” Andy pointed to the half eaten wrap that she was finishing on his way in.
“Hmm?”
“What’s your lunch, like what type of sandwich is it? It looks good,”
“Well It’s not really a sandwich, it’s a gyro. I forget where I got it, but i’ll totally tell you if I think of it. YAWOO!” The clerk suddenly threw the name tag up in the air in pain.
“What’s wrong?!” It startled the golem.
“The tag burned m-me!”
“H-H-H-H H-H H-H-H AH HA AAH,” A screeching laugh coming from all directions shirrled.
The pets looked around curiously while the people stood motionless with fear.
“What was thaaaaat?” the clerk tried to relieve the tension.
“I don’t know,”
“Umm, What’s the name?”
“How about Gyro based off your sandwich?” He said sharply.
“It’s not a sandwich in fact I would’a thought you would guess it was taco or a quesadilla or something,”
“Since we’re talking about names, what’s yours?” Andy asked.
“I’m Wendy,” Wendy said.
“Cool, uh, i’m Arnie, but my friends call me Andy,” Arnie said. PaRappa was getting antsy, so he got up from where he was lying and cried at the people in the room.
“And you’re Gyro!” Wendy pointed to PaRappa.
“Grrrruft!” PaRappa bowed and barked.
“Haha!” Wendy picked up the tag and placed it in the machine, “What’s your address, if you don’t mind me asking. I need it so if Gyro ever get’s lost somebody can bring him home,”
“You can just write ‘family friends factory’. Everybody knows where it is,” He said casually.
“You work THERE?! I haven’t ever heard anyone ever go in there. And yes you are right, everybody knows where it is. It is the tallest building in HaHa Land after all,” Wendy said while placing the tag in the machine.
“I work there as security. It’s... tense,”
“Why?”
“The robots hate me so they always try to creep me out. Stare into the camera and drool oil. It’s terrifying. Sometimes they even visit my office and stare some more though the doorway,” Andy shivered.
“Do they ever come in?” Wendy was very intrigued.
“No. I think they’re just upset, and want to be known as a force to be feared. Yaknow intimidation,”
“Annd why would they want to do that? They’re just robots,” Wendy tilted her head.
“Ehhhh. What if I told you they're powered by the souls of the unfortunate,” Andy gave his own false smile.
“Huh?” Wendy looked back over to the machine as it printed out the engraved metal tag.
Lightning struck the building and the power went out.
“You said they were powered by the souls of the unfortunate?” Wendy said stiff again. A deep clip like some hooved creature was heard nearby the back windowless wall. The 2 stared deep into the blackness to try and find a hint of any movement.
“AHAH AAA HAH HAH H AHAH A!!!!” Laughed a skeletal horse horse. The creature reared up on its hind legs and then began to charge forward. Scared out of their minds, Wendy and Andy jumped to their feet and dashed out the door. Hiding under the showcase window they could only watch as 20 skeletal mustangs exited the store. The creatures trotted around just outside while waiting for something.
Some of them glanced at Andy and Wendy, but they were not interested in them. Turning to the shop doorway they looked to something that made them all laugh hysterically.
“HHAH HAH H H AHH AAA AA!!!”
Trying to get a taste of the commotion, Andy leaned in to get a glance. Emerging from the shop was a skeletal horse holding PaRappa by the scruff. The dog dog was very uncomfortable and squirming.
“HEY!” Andy threw a rock at the horse holding PaRappa. Surprised, the creatures turned to look at him.
“ANDY WHAT THE #@%& !” Wendy whispered loudly.
“THAT’S MY DOG!” Andy picked up a shard of brick and began approaching. Wendy just covered her mouth, “Give!” Andy held his hand out so that the horse could “place” PaRappa there. The skeleton held its head up and snorted as if the very idea offended it. In response Andy gestured to to brick again in a threatening manner.
The other horses whinnied and fidgeted at the threat like giddy children. With the skeletal horse focused on Andy, it didn’t really think about holding PaRappa. The dog had had enough of being held in such an uncomfortable position. He yapped right into the horse’s ears. It startled the skeleton into releasing his grip. PaRappa flopped on the ground. Diving in like he was playing football, Andy grabbed PaRappa and ran backwards before turning around and running off.
The horses easily caught up in front of him making the smoke golem do a u turn. This only led , him to be surrounded.
The horses had formed a circle. One after another they jumped out to try and trample him.
Being a flexible smoke being, dodging was simple. Still, he could not do it forever. Along with the first problem PaRappa was also biting his hand. Andy just ignored it because he would rather get bitten for an extended amount of time than drop the dog he risked his life for.
Scanning the area while he still had time too, Andy glanced at a skinny alleyway that was way too thin for a horse to get through. It was the same for himself, but he was made out of a gas so it didn’t matter. As for PaRappa, he was definitely juuust the right size to squeeze through. The exit was in view and the plan was fabricated, all Andy needed was the opportunity to begin action.
He figured after the next horse he would sprint for the alleyway, and he did. The skeletal horses gasped when they realized what Andy was doing.
He slid into the alleyway like a coin. He held up PaRappa as he shuffled through. Andy could hear all the chuffs and cries of the ghouls. He turned his head and looked back at 20 desperate broken faces all take turns seeing their defeat. The last one to look reached out before disintegrating into dust, as all of the rest followed.
With the threat gone, Andy changed directions and came out the way he entered. He looked around expecting to find some sort of surprise. All he found was rain. Andy walked down the street back to Wendy. They both went back into the shop silently. Inside was still dark due to the power outage, but the purchase was still made.
“Uh… Wendy, that was the most incredible thing i’ve done in like 5 years ya know,” Andy said still catching his breath.
“Oh?” Wendy didn’t know how to respond.
“Sorry if I scared ya. I don’t know anything about those horses though,”
“They look like they wanna steal Gyro,” Wendy picked up the dog tag and fiddled around with it, “You think they were the souls of the unfortunate?” The silence that followed was lulled into an odd comfort by the rain.
“Uh… probably,” Andy said. He looked over to PaRappa who was again looking out the window. Wendy used the engraving in the dogtag to scratch her finger when she realized there was something on the other side. It looked like it had been melted into shape by a blowtorch, and it spelled out something. It was too dark in the shop to read it all at once, so one letter at a time Wendy read it.
“ ‘P. A. R. A. P.’ ?” She read aloud.
“Parap? What’s that mean?” Andy looked over to her.
“I don’t know. It’s like, brashly engraved like some sort of handwriting,” Wendy explained.
“You think the ghosts wrote it in?” Andy suggested.
“Well I don’t know who else would,”
They both looked over to PaRappa who was staring at them eerily. The dog dog then turned his head back over to the window. “And I thought a guy coming in for his very own muzzle was the strangest thing i’d see this week,”
“Well, that still is pretty strange. You should tell your friends that a guy came in for a muzzle, and *then* tell em about the spooky scary horse skeletons,” Andy pointed when he said ‘then’.
“*sigh* I never thought any of this stuff would happen to me. I’m just a normie 20something girl who is fond of animal animals. My friends always tell me that there’s never a dull moment in their lives. Well there’s plenty for little old me,”
“I’m sure there’s more to you than that. Nobody’s just a normie,” Andy said.
“If nobody’s a normie than everyone is,” Wendy stated.
“No… if nobody’s a normie everyone’s a weirdo,”
“If everyone’s a weirdo than it’s the norm to be weird so everyone’s a normie,”Andy said.
“What?!??” Wendy started giggling, and then her little chuffs turned into laughs.
“I-I’m just not that interesting. Grew up in ‘planet normie’: Ottam. And now i’m here selling stuff to dogs that stand on their hind legs. Uh, in Ottam there’s like almost no non humans whatsoever so… I came to HaHa Land when I was younger and I had a really good time. Mostly cause i’d never seen polygons, uh I mean nonhumans before that. Everything else kinda took a backseat. Don’t get me wrong, I love all the different rides and modes of transportation. It’s just the culture shock struck me and just told me this was a fabulous place,”Wendy reminisced.
“Well HaHa is one for adventure, but almost all places round the world have polygons. There’s so many more places you could’a gone and met polygons before here,” Andy kept in mind HaHa’s facade.
“I did meet a polygon before going to HaHa. Polygon’s do live in Ottam yaknow. They never really stay long though. First one I met was a monitor lizard kid in 3rd grade. Everybody wanted to touch his scales. The funny part was that he didn’t mind at all. He would just relax his body, close his 3rd eyelids and let us all rub his head,”
“Don’t we all love getting rubs,” Andy made it seem a bit awkward, “Did anything happen to the kid?”
“Expelled for being a distraction in class too often. Ottam patriots hate polygons. It’s like a strange little prejudice that polygons bring chaos and unrest. I was like, ‘well if you make it such a big deal there’s going to be chaos and unrest’ ya know what i’m sayin?”
“Yeah totally. Ahhh look out i’m a polygon, i’m gonna start a butterfly effect no matter where I go!” the truth is is that polygons generally have more chaos than humans.
Out of the polygons we know Lammy scores highest amount of chaos at level 20. PaRappa sources in second place with a level 15. The higher the number, the worse things become for a character. Wendy has a level negative 1 chaos score, like most humans. These still can always change.
“OH! I met a butterfly gal the other day! She said that the humans of Ottam just need to chill and stop being so ‘dingle darn racist’”
“Haha! What if there was a country where there was just polygons?”
“Ya think it would be called… Matto?”
“PTTT MATTO OH MY GOD,” Andy chuckled. Wendy smiled and laughing herself, “What a strange name!”
PaRappa got up and barked at all the excitement. It was a sudden stop to all the laughter, “Well I better get going,”
“Oh, well what are you doing?”
“To be completely honest, nothing much. My dad get’s upset if i’m not around to boss around. We’re basically going bankrupt so his temper is like a ticking time bomb,”
“Well who says you have to confront him?” Wendy wished for him to stay.
“I do, so uh..”
“Oh, here’s my card,” Wendy took out a single business card from a stack.
“Hmm?” Andy wondered why she would give it to em.
“It has my number on it,” Wendy said avoiding eye contact.
“OH! Well, I actually communicate more on email,” Andy said.
“It has my email too,”
Andy looked back down at the professional looking card to read all of its communications.
“So it does. I will contact you when I can,” He didn’t really know how to respond, “Uh, I guess i’ll see you later,”
“...Bye,”
Andy put PaRappa’s collar, tag, and leash on. He then left without looking back.
After the door closed and Andy was out of sight, Wendy sat in the dark as the pitter patter of rain massaused her ears. She didn’t move because she wanted the moment to last a little longer, and it did...and it did...and it did.
“What an adventure Gyro. Are you popular or something?” Andy asked as he dove for cover in his car.
PaRappa didn’t reply. The smell of wet sidewalk reminded him of Stone Cold, “What’s with the long face? You hungry? OH DARN I forgot to get some grub. Hold on I’ll be right back,” The smoke golem rushed back outside putting his arms over his head to hopelessly try to stay dry.
Now PaRappa was alone with what could be called his thoughts.
He was incredibly hungry after all the energy he had depleted running around the factory. There was a hole in his heart that couldn’t be filled with food though. It was the joy to create. He couldn’t fathom a drop of any creative thought in him, but something cried out to him. It told him in words over and over the key to being himself again. Each time it yelled more desperately, and sadder and sadder still. All he knew was there was something wrong, that he was broken, and that he needed help. It held a feeling of wasting time like no other. Similar to walking into a room to get something vital with 2 minutes to spare, only to forget what you were trying to find as you enter. PaRappa was in a constant state of the forget, and it was depressing him.
As a distraction he hopped off the seat and began smelling the car floor. It smelled like cheez-its. Dragonbreath was a fan. PaRappa tried to find the crumbs of the stuff to try and fill the void of his heart. They were very small crumbs, but he didn’t care because he was a dog dog.
Andy returned with a bag of kibble, covered in rain.
“I’m back!” He said slipping into the car. He reached out to the irritable dog without hesitation, and rubbed his head. Andy then started up the car to get home.