Post by Mundo Kindo on Dec 31, 2021 1:04:54 GMT -6
Mundo Kindo is in his hotel suite, as provided for by Conrad Dukes himself.
For the first time in a while, his living quarters are completely isolated. No camera, no security guards, just Mundo and his two compatriots.
With the trio about to do something unprecedented.
“You have a big match coming up for a championship and you’re worried more about getting home?” Heather asks.
She has a point.
“Do you really think I give a fuck about the tag titles? Or the Rooskies? Or Von Brandt?” Mundo asks rhetorically.
No. Therein lies the problem.
“Fuck off that high horse, Josh, you’ve almost beaten it into glue.”
Hey man, if the shoe fits, wear it.
“A Cabinet Battle reference? Really?”
“Focus! This is not the time for your irrelevant arguing!”
I’d argue it’s always time for our irrelevant arguing.
“Shut up Heather…” Heather mumbles.
Yeah yeah…
“So…what…I just…say the phrase and they’ll show up?”
Supposedly.
“Normally.”
Ideally.
“Potentially?”
“Very helpful. I really appreciate having two people from another dimension here to help. I’m sure that Dukes finds your assistance quite an asset.”
First of all, fuck Dukes.
“Second of all, rude.”
No, that’s third of all. Second of all is that we’re dealing a dimension that is easy to get in and seemingly impossible to leave unless you have an unbelievably big amount of power.
“Power not easily replicated by normal means.”
“I got it. Prepare yourselves.”
Mundo sighs, lifting his mask over his head to reveal his normal face. He sets the mask on the nearby table.
He folds his arms across his chest, taking one final breath before opening his mouth.
“Wait a minute.”
Oh for fuck’s sake…
“What do you want Heather?” Mundo asks irritably.
“When you open your eyes…don’t freak out, okay? I’m getting this weird feeling in my gut, and I don’t know what it is.”
Heather you don’t have a gut.
“You know what I mean, Heather!” she shouts towards where she believes I am.
She is right though. I’m getting a feeling too.
“And you’re sure you both just aren’t anxious?”
Oh I’m always anxious.
“All the fucking time.”
This is different.
“Scarily so.”
“Fine. I won’t freak out. Happy?”
Never.
“Samesies.”
“Oh for fuck’s—just shut up and get ready.”
Mundo closes his eyes, resetting his arms by folding them across his chest.
He takes one last breath…again.
“I call upon the Luteces.”
He can feel the change.
There isn’t any air. Any noise.
That isn’t any different from before, but there’s a noticeable change in the…feeling, I guess.
Funny that huh…?
“I’d argue it isn’t funny whatsoever,” a posh female voice speaks.
“I’d argue comedy is subjective towards the comedian,” an equally posh male voice adds.
“Ah, but is comedy subjective or are the opinions TOWARDS it subjective?” the female voice hypothesizes.
“Postulates, Josh, not hypothesizes,” the male voice corrects.
Right, sorry.
“And certainly, but is the act not more indicative than the reaction?”
“Holy shit, I understand why you guys like arguing so much,” Mundo says.
Out of patience and full of irritation (moreso than usual) Mundo opens his eyes.
He doesn’t expect to find himself in a completely different location.
“Weeee told ya so…” Heather mumbles.
The sky is red.
Not even blood red.
Just…just red.
The groud is black. Pitch black. It’s grainy.
It’s sand.
The only thing present beyond the people (and ghost and narrator) is a single rundown wooden shack.
Mundo’s unmasked eyes are wide.
“This…what is this? WHERE is this?”
“Its name is unnecessary,” the female says.
“As is its location,” the male throws in.
The female is wearing a brown overcoat with a white dress shirt and red tie. She’s also wearing a brown pencil neck skirt.
The male is wearing similar clothes, albeit in a masculine form with slacks instead of a skirt.
“Who are you?” Mundo asks the question he had been resisting.
“Why, The Luteces, of course,” the female.
“I believe he meant our names,” the male.
“Ah, right. I go by Rosalind—”
“—and I, Robert—”
“—together we are—”
“Yeah, I get the gimmick. Look, I’m here for a reason,” Mundo interrupts.
Rude.
“And unnecessary,” Heather says.
“Quite,” Rosalind quips.
“Indubitably,” Robert throws in.
“Oh for fuck’s—you know what? No. I’m tired of the sake of a fuck. I’m tired of being away from my babies. I’m tired of dealing with big bosses and being subservient. I’m tired of wasting my talent for somebody who doesn’t even trust me. I just want to go home and away from interdimensional bullshit, but it’s all I’ve been dealing with for years now. So tell me…straight up…can you take me home?”
There’s silence.
None of the four entities speak. They just stare at the man standing tall.
For the first time in a while, truly alone.
Nobody speaks.
Mundo clenches his fist.
“This was a mistake,” he says. “You can’t help, can you?”
Us.
“Yeah, us.”
There is no retort.
From either Mundo or the Luteces.
“Fuck this.”
He closes his eyes in hopes of ending it.
When he opens his eyes, he’s still standing on the black sand.
“Life is not often about choices,” Robert says.
“Whether it be fate or destiny, there is always some unknown and often unreal force that influences entities,” Rosalind adds.
“The ability to decide your future is a rare gift and rarely given.”
“And ignoring that force is an improbability and a lesson in futility.”
But not an impossibility.
“Just not something that many would want to tackle.”
“Explain,” Mundo commands.
Bold.
Rosalind and Robert take a few moments to look at each other.
Which is just about when Heather disappears.
We—
…
…
…
…
…
“What the hell was that?” Mundo asks.
“Hm. It appears that the girl is starting to crack,” Rosalind says.
“Yes. You would think Miss Timely would take a lesson in her name and think more of when she intercedes,” Robert says.
“Where the fuck did they go?” Mundo asks.
He goes to grab for his belt, but when noticing the lack of…something, he winces.
“Ah, old habits I see,” Robert.
“Do not worry. A moment of decision will come, and soon,” Rosalind.
“It will be a choice you must make.”
“The unruly force will be coming for you soon.”
“You will be able to decide your future.”
“Let us hope you don’t ruin it for the rest of us.”
“I believe that will cover it?”
“Quite so.”
With a blink of his eyes, Mundo finds himself back in his suite staring at the table with his mask on it.
His fake, makeshift mask.
Like everything else since he left Johto behind.
“Make a choice huh? That's the help you give me…?”
Suddenly, as Mundo grabs the mask, he spots the translucent kimono wearing blonde ghost fade like a trick of the light.
“—that his Dad is a liar—damnit, just missed him!” she shrieks.
Mundo puts his mask on, ignoring her shouts.
—on?
What the fuck? What the hell just happened?
“Oh, you’re back too,” Heather says.
You left?
“Yeah, same as you.”
Mundo begins to walk towards the door, ignoring his two companions.
Heather, what the fuck was that?
“Hell if I know. You’re the omniscient one.”
I thought I was! What the fuck?!
“How disappointing. I thought I knew you better…”
Oh hardy har har.
“It is funny, to be fa—hey Mundo, where you goin?”
“To talk to Dukes. We have some things to discuss.”
After the door closes, Heather looks up and hopes to match my eyes, which I allow.
That was weird right?
“Very. Wait which part?”
ALL OF IT HEATHER!
For the first time in a while, his living quarters are completely isolated. No camera, no security guards, just Mundo and his two compatriots.
With the trio about to do something unprecedented.
“You have a big match coming up for a championship and you’re worried more about getting home?” Heather asks.
She has a point.
“Do you really think I give a fuck about the tag titles? Or the Rooskies? Or Von Brandt?” Mundo asks rhetorically.
No. Therein lies the problem.
“Fuck off that high horse, Josh, you’ve almost beaten it into glue.”
Hey man, if the shoe fits, wear it.
“A Cabinet Battle reference? Really?”
“Focus! This is not the time for your irrelevant arguing!”
I’d argue it’s always time for our irrelevant arguing.
“Shut up Heather…” Heather mumbles.
Yeah yeah…
“So…what…I just…say the phrase and they’ll show up?”
Supposedly.
“Normally.”
Ideally.
“Potentially?”
“Very helpful. I really appreciate having two people from another dimension here to help. I’m sure that Dukes finds your assistance quite an asset.”
First of all, fuck Dukes.
“Second of all, rude.”
No, that’s third of all. Second of all is that we’re dealing a dimension that is easy to get in and seemingly impossible to leave unless you have an unbelievably big amount of power.
“Power not easily replicated by normal means.”
“I got it. Prepare yourselves.”
Mundo sighs, lifting his mask over his head to reveal his normal face. He sets the mask on the nearby table.
He folds his arms across his chest, taking one final breath before opening his mouth.
“Wait a minute.”
Oh for fuck’s sake…
“What do you want Heather?” Mundo asks irritably.
“When you open your eyes…don’t freak out, okay? I’m getting this weird feeling in my gut, and I don’t know what it is.”
Heather you don’t have a gut.
“You know what I mean, Heather!” she shouts towards where she believes I am.
She is right though. I’m getting a feeling too.
“And you’re sure you both just aren’t anxious?”
Oh I’m always anxious.
“All the fucking time.”
This is different.
“Scarily so.”
“Fine. I won’t freak out. Happy?”
Never.
“Samesies.”
“Oh for fuck’s—just shut up and get ready.”
Mundo closes his eyes, resetting his arms by folding them across his chest.
He takes one last breath…again.
“I call upon the Luteces.”
He can feel the change.
There isn’t any air. Any noise.
That isn’t any different from before, but there’s a noticeable change in the…feeling, I guess.
Funny that huh…?
“I’d argue it isn’t funny whatsoever,” a posh female voice speaks.
“I’d argue comedy is subjective towards the comedian,” an equally posh male voice adds.
“Ah, but is comedy subjective or are the opinions TOWARDS it subjective?” the female voice hypothesizes.
“Postulates, Josh, not hypothesizes,” the male voice corrects.
Right, sorry.
“And certainly, but is the act not more indicative than the reaction?”
“Holy shit, I understand why you guys like arguing so much,” Mundo says.
Out of patience and full of irritation (moreso than usual) Mundo opens his eyes.
He doesn’t expect to find himself in a completely different location.
“Weeee told ya so…” Heather mumbles.
The sky is red.
Not even blood red.
Just…just red.
The groud is black. Pitch black. It’s grainy.
It’s sand.
The only thing present beyond the people (and ghost and narrator) is a single rundown wooden shack.
Mundo’s unmasked eyes are wide.
“This…what is this? WHERE is this?”
“Its name is unnecessary,” the female says.
“As is its location,” the male throws in.
The female is wearing a brown overcoat with a white dress shirt and red tie. She’s also wearing a brown pencil neck skirt.
The male is wearing similar clothes, albeit in a masculine form with slacks instead of a skirt.
“Who are you?” Mundo asks the question he had been resisting.
“Why, The Luteces, of course,” the female.
“I believe he meant our names,” the male.
“Ah, right. I go by Rosalind—”
“—and I, Robert—”
“—together we are—”
“Yeah, I get the gimmick. Look, I’m here for a reason,” Mundo interrupts.
Rude.
“And unnecessary,” Heather says.
“Quite,” Rosalind quips.
“Indubitably,” Robert throws in.
“Oh for fuck’s—you know what? No. I’m tired of the sake of a fuck. I’m tired of being away from my babies. I’m tired of dealing with big bosses and being subservient. I’m tired of wasting my talent for somebody who doesn’t even trust me. I just want to go home and away from interdimensional bullshit, but it’s all I’ve been dealing with for years now. So tell me…straight up…can you take me home?”
There’s silence.
None of the four entities speak. They just stare at the man standing tall.
For the first time in a while, truly alone.
Nobody speaks.
Mundo clenches his fist.
“This was a mistake,” he says. “You can’t help, can you?”
Us.
“Yeah, us.”
There is no retort.
From either Mundo or the Luteces.
“Fuck this.”
He closes his eyes in hopes of ending it.
When he opens his eyes, he’s still standing on the black sand.
“Life is not often about choices,” Robert says.
“Whether it be fate or destiny, there is always some unknown and often unreal force that influences entities,” Rosalind adds.
“The ability to decide your future is a rare gift and rarely given.”
“And ignoring that force is an improbability and a lesson in futility.”
But not an impossibility.
“Just not something that many would want to tackle.”
“Explain,” Mundo commands.
Bold.
Rosalind and Robert take a few moments to look at each other.
Which is just about when Heather disappears.
We—
…
…
…
…
…
“What the hell was that?” Mundo asks.
“Hm. It appears that the girl is starting to crack,” Rosalind says.
“Yes. You would think Miss Timely would take a lesson in her name and think more of when she intercedes,” Robert says.
“Where the fuck did they go?” Mundo asks.
He goes to grab for his belt, but when noticing the lack of…something, he winces.
“Ah, old habits I see,” Robert.
“Do not worry. A moment of decision will come, and soon,” Rosalind.
“It will be a choice you must make.”
“The unruly force will be coming for you soon.”
“You will be able to decide your future.”
“Let us hope you don’t ruin it for the rest of us.”
“I believe that will cover it?”
“Quite so.”
With a blink of his eyes, Mundo finds himself back in his suite staring at the table with his mask on it.
His fake, makeshift mask.
Like everything else since he left Johto behind.
“Make a choice huh? That's the help you give me…?”
Suddenly, as Mundo grabs the mask, he spots the translucent kimono wearing blonde ghost fade like a trick of the light.
“—that his Dad is a liar—damnit, just missed him!” she shrieks.
Mundo puts his mask on, ignoring her shouts.
—on?
What the fuck? What the hell just happened?
“Oh, you’re back too,” Heather says.
You left?
“Yeah, same as you.”
Mundo begins to walk towards the door, ignoring his two companions.
Heather, what the fuck was that?
“Hell if I know. You’re the omniscient one.”
I thought I was! What the fuck?!
“How disappointing. I thought I knew you better…”
Oh hardy har har.
“It is funny, to be fa—hey Mundo, where you goin?”
“To talk to Dukes. We have some things to discuss.”
After the door closes, Heather looks up and hopes to match my eyes, which I allow.
That was weird right?
“Very. Wait which part?”
ALL OF IT HEATHER!