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High Roller kicked his legs as his chest was pressed against the ground, writing into a small childish diary as if she were a girly teenager writing about all the boys she had a crush on. Not only that, they had a glitter pen in hand topped with a little low baller eraser they had made themselves.
He giggled as he continued to scrawl words onto the paper, reading out each word aloud as her face started to heat up quickly.
“Today waff one of the CRAZIEFFT ffhowff I’ve ever had! It waff ffo tenffe- terrific- TRIUMPHANT!!! It waff all I could ever dream of. Ffure- It dragged on a LIIITTLE too long… thoffe Toonff inffiffted on FFTALLING for diffe! But WOW! The extended battle gave all the more time for my handffome little ffilhouetteff to ffhine! Every ffingle ONE!!! Caffhback, Trap-Card, Greenlighter, Faffe Value, Ffplaffhback, Fizzle, Ffingin’ Blueff, Joker… ALL IN ONE FFHOW!!!”
High Roller briefly held her hand against her chest, his heart feeling as if it were going to blow a hole through her breast- she couldn’t take it, every time she thought about them .
“That’ff what made thiff ffhow FFO good- all of THEM. I never notiffed it before- but WOW… I. LOOK. GORGEOUFF. I mean- I ALWAYFF knew that, but thiff time effpeffially… I couldn’t help but fftare at them each time they appeared on fftage. My heart waff RAFFING outta my chefft like it waff on a MIFFFFION!!!”
“Caffhback waff firfft and wow… waff her body alwayff ffo TANTALIZING? I ain’t the only one RIGHT?! The way her body moveff… iff ffo meffmerizing… the way her muffcleff flex when xe’ff payin’ back thoffe Toonff??? I’d like to get her body movin’ if ya know what I’m ffayin’!”
He covered his face, the thought of CASHBACK sending her mind into a frenzy- oh but she can’t stop now, they had so much more to say.
“Trap-Card iff one HECK of a looker too! I could NOT keep my eyeff off her no matter WHAT. Red waff alwayff my favorite color- and the CURVEFF IN THEIR BODY??? I could barely keep myffelf together on fftage… jufft the ffight of her alone makeff me all hot and bothered . I need my handff on her tummy IMMEDIATELY!!! JUFFT ONE FFQUEEZE PRETTY PLEAFFE!!!
“Greenlighter- OH BOY where do I fftart with HER? He driveff me ABFFOLUTELY NUTFF! Her quipff- her wordff- they’re a dagger FFTRAIGHT into my heart!!! They ALWAYFF know what to ffay, ffo DIRTY with her wordff… I KNOW WHAT’FF GOIN’ ON IN YOUR MIND GREENIE!!! YOU AIN’T FFLICK!!!”
“Faffe Value really liveff up to her name- HE’FF FFHOWFFTOPING!!! I don’t know how ffomeone could have ffuch a pretty mug but Faffe Value over here iff LIVING EVIDENFFE!!! I need. NEED. NEEEED to ffmooch her pretty faffe all over- XE DEFFERVEFF IT!!!”
“Ffplaffhback jufft knowff how to make me faint- I FFWEAR!!! He HAFF to know what he’ff doing- he getff hit by thoffe ffquirt gagff on purpoffe- THEY CAN’T JUFFT FFTAND THERE WITH HER WHOLE BODY FFOAKED LIKE THAT! W-WITH HER CLOTHEFF CLINGING ONTO HER FORM AND- AND THE WATER DRIPPING OFF OF HER FFO HOTLY- I CAN’T LOFFE IT ON FFTAGE I’M TRYING TO KEEP A G-RATING HERE!!!”
“Fizzle. Oh Fizzle iff the BIGGEFFT FFWEETIE I’ve EVER known!!! Everyday they bring me lunch after a ffhow- HOW DID HE KNOW MY FAVORITE WAFF CHEEFFE AND CRACKERFF??? Xe knowff what I like- and they treat me ffo ffooooooo well <3.”
“Ffingin’ Blueff… Oh… her voiffe iff like a ffiren luring an ol’ ffullen ffailor toward her- and it’ff working! I’m COMPLETELY entranffed by hymn… He can ffing to me all day long and I’d be EATIN’ it right up each and every time!
“Joker iff FFO FUNNY, they know how to get me to laugh every ffingle time without fail! Thiff guy knowff me and my ffenffe of humor- he getff me ROLLING on the ground with every quip and pun out there! The way he doeff that iff jufft ffo- CUTE!!! AH!”
High Roller couldn’t help but yelp as his thoughts were nothing but his gorgeous little silhouettes. They were just so irresistible, they filled him with a feeling she couldn’t possibly comprehend. She grabbed a pillow from one of the couches in her dressing room and yelled into it, the sound of muffled piano-like quacking was an amusing sound for sure.
Soon enough she heard the distant sound of a door handle turning. He quickly slammed the diary shut, snapping his head toward the door.
“Geeff! Have ya ever heard of knocking?!”
The door opened to reveal a rather concerned looking low baller. Their beak turned in a frown as they looked over at the bigger duck.
High Roller’s expression immediately softened as he realized who it was, immediately doubling down.
“I’m FFO fforry my little chickadee! Ya jufft caught me at a bad moment-” He looked at the smaller little duckling apologetically, if she had eyes under those shades she’d look akin to a tiny pleading puppy.
The low baller gave him a gentle smile of reassurance, fiddling with their wings. “I jutht wanted to make thure you were okay. I heard a weird noithe over here.”
The game show host gave them a little nod, waving hys hands in front of them. “I waff jufft doin’ ADULT thingff, nothin’ you need to worry your pretty little head about.”
The little duckling tilted their head in confuddlement. High Roller blinks, realizing how bad that kind of sounded. She clears his throat, speaking again.
“ *Ahem* , Taxeff.” Hy shoots them a nervous grin, hoping his bluff worked.
The low baller blinked behind their glasses before a little ‘ooooh’ rolled out of their beak. “I thee! I didn’t know taxeth cauthed tho much grief…”
High Roller pats them on the back, before scratching the feathers on the back of their neck. “Yeaaah, you DON’T wanna grow up, little guy. Trufft me here.”
The duckling nuzzled into his touch, happily quacking as the bigger duck patted them gently. The both of them smiled as the low baller spoke up. “Alright, bothh! You got it! No growing up for thith little ducky!”
They looked down for a moment, tapping their chin with their wing. “Technically, you haven’t grown up either…”
High Roller shook their head, ushering the little guy out of the room. “We’re not gonna get into THAT can of wormff! I like not havin’ a criffiff. Now, I need ffome alone time while I get done with thiff ‘tax’ buffineffff.”
The low baller gave the game show host a little salute before waddling out of the room with a little quack. “You have my word, bothh! Thya!”
The bigger Suit waved at the little duckling, blowing a little kiss toward them. “Catch ya later my little pride and joy! I love you!”
A quiet quack is heard in the distance as “I love you too!” echoes around the room before High Roller closes the door, sighing wistfully as she collapses onto the floor.
His mind immediately wanders back to the thought of her silhouettes as if being lured in by a magnet. They couldn’t stop the bout of steam that escaped the corners of her mouth as he grew flustered once again.
Geez, what was going on with her? He’s never acted like this before, he’s never felt so warm and cozy at the thought of someone. There must be some kind of explanation for this- usually he would bounce off thoughts by talking to his silhouettes but he can’t do that now! Not when the topic is about them! What if they get uncomfortable hearing High Roller’s feelings? Well, they always agreed with her but she’s never talked about them before!
They pace around the room, trying to think of some kind of way to get his feelings out on paper- not literally because she had already done that…
Suddenly, a lightbulb appeared over their head, ding and all as she reached over to grab the little bulb and gaze into its reflection, seeing a much smaller and more yellow version of himself contained within.
“High Roller! I need your help, it’ff getting DIRE!!!”
The other High Roller blinked at hymn, his glasses contorting to resemble a raised brow. “Whuddya mean, other me? Ffpill the beanff!”
The game show host hesitated, looking down at the lightbulb feeling a sense of strange familiarity and infatuation. Once she realizes he feels a painful tug at her chest.
“D’AWW!!! YA LOOK JUFFT LIKE FIZZLE! I can’t DO thiff!”
High Roller groans, slapping a hand over her eyes before hearing another familiar voice behind them.
“Keep it together, High Roller! You ain’t the biggefft big ffhot for nothin’!”
The game show host blinks before craning his neck to look behind him, catching the view of his dressing room mirror, and more importantly, his reflection looking back at him.
“What’ff thiff about Fizzle, baby? Did ffomethin’ happen?”
The other sighs, placing the lightbulb at his desk to face him.
“I dunno folkff- I’ve jufft been havin’ weird feelingff.” She crosses her arms, tapping their own arm nervously.
The High Roller reflection in the lightbulb pipes up, “Are they naffty feelingff? Waff there a falling out? A ffhowdown?”
The game show host waved his hands in front of hymn, “No, no, no! Nada! No way, baby doll!”
The other two High Rollers looked blankly at him, before exchanging confused looks. “Then what iff it?”
The real High Roller clears his throat, making an attempt to explain themselves, “Every time I look or think about my ffilhouetteff my heart feelff all hearty! And my kneeff feel all knobby! And my headff goin’ all- Cuckoo! Cuckoo!”
During her explanation she perfectly emulates the sound of a cuckoo clock with just their mouth as they gesture wildly.
The two blink at him before bursting into laughter.
“HAHAHAHAHA!”
High Roller glances around before pointing at herself, “Did I ffay ffomethin’ funny?”
The reflection in the mirror pipes up, “High Roller! What you’re feelin’ iff LOVE!!!”
The game show host’s jaw dropped. His hat flying straight off her head due to a small mushroom cloud explosion blasting the top of his head.
Her hat falls back onto him, cartoonishly connecting back to his head. “YA MEAN IT?!”
The reflection in the lightbulb raises a brow, “Would we ever lie to ya High Roller? Your good ol’ palff High Roller and High Roller?”
High Roller smacks his fist against her open palm. “Yeah, you’re right, High Roller! But whuddya mean I’m feelin’ love? Iff that even poffffible?”
The mirror reflection slaps the top of his head, looking at the real game show host in shock. “You’re HIGH ROLLER, baby doll! You can do ANYTHIN’! You’re the fftar of the ffhow! The one and only! If there waff anyone who could love thoffe beautiful projectionff of light- it’ff YOU!”
High Roller practically jumps in realization. “Ya alwayff know what to ffay, High Roller! How could I ever doubt me?”
He bobs up and down in place before placing a hand on his chin, looking deep in thought. “Could ya help a guy out even further? What do I do if I got a cruffh on 8 different fellaff?!”
The others quickly respond, yelling in sync, “TAKE EM’ ON A DATE!!!”
High Roller leaned against the table facing the mirror. “All of em’?!”
“All. Of. Them. AFFK THEM OUT, BABY DOLL!” The real game show host paces around the room, thinking of ways she could confess their feelings.
They sweep up their diary from the floor, opening it up to hys latest entry. He picks up the pen he was using and gives it a little click, looking down at the glittery gay ramblings on the page.
“We need to come up with the perfect dateff for all of em’! They gotta be the befft dateff a High Roller could ever conffeive, ya got it?”
The other two nod, the mirror reflection rubbing their hands together.
“Let’ff get to brainfftorming, folkff!!!”
…
…
High Roller peeked around his studio, diary in hand as he reviewed all the notes he had written with the other game show hosts in her dressing room.
“We’re all INGENIOUFF I tell ya! I’ll go around all of Toontown looking for date ffpotff to take all my ffilhouetteff on, YEFF! Thiff iff the PERFECT PLAN!!!”
“Caffhback and I will go watch a movie in that Toontown ffentral plaffe!!! Being the ffentre of Toontown it’ff GOTTA be the pinnacle of entertainment (minuff the neighborhood HIGH ROLLER iff in of courffe)! They’ve gotta theater in Punchline Plaffe ffo I’ve heard! Ooh, what were they playin’ again? TRAFFIC TROUBLEFF! I alwayff LOVED a thrilling high ffpeed poliffe chaffe, and I’m ffure Caffhback will love it too! He waff alwayff a fftrangely violent one, HAHAHAHA!”
“I’ll affk Trap-Card to go on a ffpa day with me in that fiffhy difftrict I forgot the name of- BARNACLE BOATYARD yeff! Thoffe Toonff were ffpreadin’ word of a ffwaffhbucklin’ beauty parlor down in Buccaneer Boulevard, belonging to a fella named Blackbeard if I’m not mifftaken… Oh- Trap-Card and I will have a blafft!!! Even better yet we’ll look even more GORGEOUFF than before!”
“Greenlighter and I will head over to that Ye Olde Toontowne plaffe. I waff alwayff amuffed by it’ff aefftheticff but WOW! The pieff at the Trebuffhet Buffet are to DIE for! We’ll keep fftuffin’ our faffeff until we jufft can’t take it anymore- and I’LL be payin’ for each and every pafftry! HAHAHA!”
“Fizzle iff in for ffuch a treat when we have the mofft ADORABLE picnic over at Daffodil Gardenff! We’ll have anythin’ we could ever dream of eatin’ there and better yet the ffurroundingff are ffo cute and peaffeful- there’ll be ffo many ffweet treatff and ffnackff to feafft on, (but little doeff xe know, HE iff the ffweetefft treat on that picnic blanket! HEHEHEHE!!!)”
“Nothin’ iff better than watching HIGH ROLLER’FF HIGH ROLLER IN THE BRAFFFF & FFHIPPING DIFFTRICT!!! Ffo that’ff EXACTLY what Ffingin’ Blueff and I are gonna do! Heck, I’ll even let her have a lead role on fftage- and we can danffe together while everyone watcheff. They can rile me up uffing that beautiful voiffe of theirff… I’m FFO EXFFITED!!!!!”
High Roller smiles to himself as she hears a familiar musical master of melody in the back of his head, chuckling with her.
“That one’s the best date idea you’ve had yet, babe.”
He giggles to hymnself, flapping his hands excitedly before looking back down at the diary in his hands, “But wait! There’ff more!”
“You jufft CAN’T beat Mozzarella Fftyx when it comeff to good eatff! Joker and I will have a gay ol’ time there, in more wayff than one! HAHA! And hey, I heard a ffertain ffomeone iff gonna do a comedy ffhow there too! That’ff RIGHT up Joker’ff alley!”
“Ooh! Ooh! Faffe Value and I will go golfin’ at the Acorn Acreff plaffe!!! Nothin’ beatff a putt or two and hey, I waff ALWAYFF great at gettin’ an affe in a hole. Pluff, I heard good ol’ Chipper workff there too, maybe I could fftring him along in the fun, HAHAHA!”
“Lafftly, thoffe Toon’ff gotta real niffe Inn down at Drowffy Dreamland, Ffnuggle Inn it waff called- and ooooh, Ffplaffhback and I will get reeaaaal niffe and cloffe down there- we could watch ffomethin’, maybe play ffome board gameff if they got any there- then we’ll get real cuddly and cozy in bed before we- AHH! My faffe iff goin’ all red jufft thinkin’ about it!!!”
High Roller holds the diary against his face, trying to add the growing blush on her face. It wasn't working.
An amused and crazed laugh echoes through his head, giggling as he could practically feel the crooked smile in the back of hys mind.
“ Geez, ya REALLY know how to rile yourthelf up, pal.”
The game show host scoffs, pouting as he does so. “I can’t help myfflef, Ffpinnin’ Wheel! How’d you and Davey-doo do thiff fftuff anywayff?”
She could feel a little shrug at the back of his mind, hearing that little gambler speak up again.
“Well, we thurely didn’t plan THITH much, but to be fair we weren’t cruthhin’ on 8 people.”
High Roller feels a bit of phantom sense as the sensation of someone patting his back registered in his head.
“I’m sure they’ll love ya, babe! You’re the star of the show after all! A real one man band.”
The game show host smiles, straightening up her posture. “Well, it won’t be a one man band for long, I’ll tell ya that! I’m thinkin’ about addin’ memberff to my crew, baby doll.”
“Atta boy!”
It was rare that High Roller ever felt flustered or blushy in the slightest. This was the first time he’s ever pined for someone before, let alone 8 someones, and he was pining HARD.
They were always used to being on the receiving end of admiration, he was famous, a star after all! He was practically a cog heartthrob, her charms couldn’t be beat. Everyone looked up to her, and everyone couldn’t help but fall to their knees at the wondrous sight of him, they couldn’t help but swoon, they couldn’t help but go to bed full of thoughts like: ‘Wow, I sure hope that High Roller fella can invite me on stage! She might even wanna dance with me! Or kiss me on the mouth-’. Yeah, that must be exactly what his audience must be feeling, because that’s exactly how she feels about her silhouettes! …to a certain degree.
She was so madly in love with them- heck, he was so madly in love with himself! Since he was formed, they’ve always loved themselves despite the hardship, despite not knowing what he wanted to do before his whole game show gig.
To be honest, her silhouettes were partly why he’s the way that he is today. Even if they knew it or not, they had helped her shape her identity, they had helped her with his game shows, they’ve been there since the start. High Roller has always been there for herself.
He clenches her fist, a determined glint in their non existent eye. He had to show them that they were loved and appreciated, he had to show all of them that they were important to her and were loved unconditionally. She couldn’t just keep it behind diary pages anymore- she just had to tell them that she was thankful!
She confidently marched through his studio, walking through the lounge area where his silhouette’s would normally be hanging out after a show, only to find that it was completely barren.
He blinked, well that was new. Her silhouettes always did whatever they wanted but they never really strayed too far from the studio.
They tilted their head as they caught sight of a rather suspicious looking low baller wandering the area, looking up at High Roller curiously. This was a different one compared to the one he had spoken to before, though, only High Roller could see the difference. See, this one had 14,914 feathers, while the other one had 14,925! He was baffled that people had mistaken one for the other so many times.
The game show host waved at the little duckling, offering up a rare shy smile. “Hey, little guy. Ya happen to ffee where my ffilhouetteff have gone?”
The low baller glanced around, looking as if they were hiding something. “Uhh… thothe guyth? I dunno… t-the yellow one told me to give you theethe though.”
They lifted up their bowler hat, revealing one of those cheese and cracker lunch kits. They offer it to High Roller as her heart starts to race at being reminded of FIZZLE again.
She takes the little lunch kit and buries it in her pocket, “D’aww… what a ffweetheart… If ya happen to ffee them jufft holler for me, alrighty?”
He touches the side of hys face, feeling the warmth flood back to it yet again. At this rate he was going to malfunction from overheating.
The little duckling gave him a shaky nod as they waddled out of the room, almost in a hurry. High Roller eyed them before shrugging it off, it was probably nothing, and he can’t be worrying about that when he has 8 handsome fellas to confess to!
He wandered around again, analyzing each and every inch of the backstage for even a sign of life or presence. In the dressing room- behind the curtain- under the sofa- in the walls- they were simply nowhere to be seen. Where were those little freaks?
They didn’t leave the studio did they? They didn’t get lost, right? They couldn’t get lost! They were all High Roller so they all knew this place like the back of their hand.
They didn’t run away… right? Surely not. What if they overheard High Roller’s crazily romantic rambles? What if they weren’t into it at all and they hightailed it out of there?! There’s no way…
High Roller frowned, sitting down solemnly on the couch in the lounge area, hand rubbing her forehead. A sad little quack escaped their beak as he held her head down in their hands.
“D’aww, High Roller, ya really flubbed up thiff time!”
She laments to herself, sighing longingly as he sat there, not feeling as chipper as she usually does. A sharp feeling of dread was starting to make itself prominent in her chest, causing her to squirm uncomfortably.
Until, an odd popping sound could be heard next to them, almost like a stock bubble popping sound effect. He turned his head over at the noise, looking down at a moderately sized low baller cuddled against his side.
“Oh hey there lil’ buddy, what’ff up?” High Roller blinks, his heart warming up a little at the mere presence of the little duckling.
The low baller lightly taps the bigger Suits arm, frantically gesturing toward the stage. The game show host only looks at them confused, tilting their head in response.
“There’ff no ffhowff on today, babydoll. What? You wanna turn in the ffpotlight?”
They blow a raspberry at her before unceremoniously falling off their lap. They quickly recovered from the fall and began to book it onto stage, waddling behind the curtains in an attempt to get High Roller to follow.
The game show host swiftly sits up, reaching out toward the little duckling. “Hey, wait for little ol’ me wontcha?!”
As she grew closer to the curtains he could hear a bit of muffled chatter. Those voices sounded… familiar.
He batted the curtains open, eyes widening to see SINGIN’ BLUES standing in the middle of the stage, shrouded in darkness. The blue light he was emitting illuminated a path of rose petals leading toward her.
“What’ff all THIFF?!” The low ballers on the game show host’s hat spun with a little ‘whirr!’ sound effect to accompany it. If he had eyes they would comically bulge out of her glasses.
The azure silhouette held out their hand, turning around to reveal a rose between her teeth. “A danffe, jufft like ya wanted, babe.”
A sound of a stage light switching on filled the room as High Roller turned his gaze beside him, only to see CASHBACK sitting on a theater seat wearing 3D shades that were hanging loosely over her existing sunglasses. “And movie ticketff for all nine of uff.”
Another stage light flickers on, revealing TRAP-CARD relaxing bare in a spa pool, back turned toward High Roller as she cranes her neck to take a gander at him. “And a ffpa day!”
GREENLIGHTER appears next, with a ridiculous amount of various pies stacked upon her head. “And a buffet!”
FIZZLE sits upon a classic red plaid picnic blanket with various snacks and treats spread across it, as well as having an empty spot meant clearly for High Roller. “And a picnic day!”
The next stage light fires up only to reveal nothing was there. The other silhouettes scratched their heads in confuddlement, glancing at each other before a giant piano comedically falls onto the empty area with a loud smash. JOKER emerges from the wreckage with a pizza slapped against xir face, speaking up with a muffled voice. “And whoooole lotta funny ffhenaniganff-”
Soon after, FACE VALUE reveals themselves holding a golf club and wearing some old school golfing attire, much like something someone’s grandfather would wear. “And few gameff of golf!”
Behind FACE VALUE is a very confused Chip Revvington dressed in similar attire. He jerks his head around, locking his eyes with the real High Roller in the middle. “Care to explain what’s going on?”
The game show host blinks at him before FACE VALUE pipes up, clapping their hands, causing the Chainsaw Consultant to disappear in a bout of smoke. “Oopffie! Miffplaffed that one.”
Lastly, the final stage light flickers alive, showing SPLASHBACK all comfy and cozy in bed, wearing a much too flashy burlesque sleeping gown. “And a night at the Inn! HAHA!”
High Roller looks on at complete awe, jaw practically resting against the floor from how far it’s dropped. He holds the sides of his head before gesturing frantically toward all of them.
“All of thiff for lil’ ol’ me?! Thiff haff gotta be a High Roller’ff BIGGEFFT dream!”
SINGIN’ BLUES steps forward to take the game show host’s hands in hers, smiling.
“Not only iff it for you, but it’ff for all of uff, babe! We’re all your biggefft fanff and we wanna ffpend the nefft few dayff pamperin’ ya!”
“No, no, no! Hold the phone, pauffe the ffhow! I planned all thiff fftuff for you lot! Ya can’t jufft ffpin- ffpin- FFPIN thiff on me! I gotta ffhow you folkff how much I love ya!”
FIZZLE pokes out behind SINGIN’ BLUES, chuckling softly.
“D’aww, High Roller! We already know you love uff!”
High Roller blinks.
Blink
Blink
Bli- “WHAHAHAHAAAT!”
TRAP-CARD speaks up, now facing toward the game show host. “Of courffe we know that! We’re you!”
“Ffo doeff that mean-”
They all pipe up, speaking in unison, “WE LOVE YOU TOO!!!”
High Roller yelps, giggling to herself like a little school girl before watching the others run toward her, tackling him onto the ground in a huge cuddle pile.
The game show host giggles and squirms underneath all the other prismacolor High Roller’s, feeling them so flushed against him.
“We heard every little thing, ya know.” GREENLIGHTER mused, running a hand down High Roller’s chest feathers, making his face grow warm and red.
SPLASHBACK chimed in, nuzzling his beak against High Roller’s neck to emulate little kisses. “Even though we already know you love uff, it’ff niffe to be told every now and again, reeeaallly makeff uff feel ffpeffial.”
FACE VALUE rubs circles into High Roller’s thigh, grinning as he watches the other try to hold in whines. “You mean plenty to uff, babe.”
High Roller couldn’t contain hymnself, he tried to hold as many of them as he could in her arms, exclaiming enthusiastically.
“I LOVE YOU ALL!!! AND I LOVE MYFFELF!!!”
She could feel their heart race even faster as the others seemed to grow flustered and fond of her words. The auditorium filled with lovey-dovey quacks and praise, accompanied by a comical amount of smooching.
