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It was always so mystical when it happened, it felt as if they were floating through a sky of flying colors every time she formed, it felt as if the rules of the world didn’t exist for a moment. Nothing around her made sense, nothing about this world, about his existence, made sense to anyone. Every time he…
…
Blink
…
Blink
…
The fusion woke up nestled within the bed in confusion, staring up at the ceiling.
It felt weird existing, hy didn’t exactly do it all the time which was a weird sentence to think out loud. If he remembers correctly this was only the second time he’s been formed. Thinking about it too hard made hys head pound, so he opted to push the thought away for now.
Hy shakily lifted hymnself out of bed, letting out a loud midi converted yawn as he stretched like a cat.
Crack!
High Roller winced as he heard one of hys joints pop.
“Hoo! Geeff! How old am I?!” He chuckled to himself, slapping hys knee underneath the blanket before really thinking about it. Would he be… 1 day old because of how long hy’s been fused for? Or would hy be a combination of Buck and Dave’s ages? If that’s the case… Nevermind he didn’t want to think about being in hys 80s. Maybe it was something different, the average of their ages? A completely unrelated number? Maybe he could be whatever age hy wanted-
He grabbed the sides of hys head and spun it around 360 degrees as if trying to screw it back on, hys brain scrambling inside as he tried to figure out hys next course of action, no longer wanting to go down this mental rabbit hole. He twisted his head back into place as he looked out the bedroom door.
She tiptoed out of bed, her steps feeling oddly heavy as hy started heading toward the door. Hys head shifted in the direction of a full sized mirror in the room, only to realise-
“GOOD GRIEF, I’M NAKED!” He jumped up and snapped his fingers out of instinct, clothes appearing on his form out of thin air.
Hy blinked as hy examined hymnself again, her reflection now donning a white long sleeved undershirt and a black and red pinstripe vest, along with black pants and a black bowtie. Atop his head was Dave’s cymbal hat, now with a black hat band with a card featuring a little birdy on it slid inside it, as well as two ace of heart cards hanging off the sides.
She patted hymnself down, feeling up hys own body as hy just continued to stare in the mirror. What he wore was reminiscent of a casino dealer, it seemed Buck’s influence is a lot stronger in his appearance. He flicked his cymbal hat, hearing it make a little ‘tsst!’, when it came to hys face there was a bit more of Dave there, piano teeth, sick shades, dinky hat, there was still a Maestoso Maestro in there.
“Ffinffe when could I do that!?” Hy repeatedly snapped hys fingers again, nothing happening as he thought he would. Maybe things just happened to hymn when it was funny or convenient, hy wouldn’t doubt it considering his components.
After admiring hys reflection for a couple of moments, he turned toward the bedroom door finally, his entrance to self discovery and freedom! With just one turn of the handle he stepped through, walking into Buck and Dave’s living room, reminiscent of Dave’s lobby back in his building. Buck really hit the lottery when it came to a living space because this place was thousands of times more pristine than the shoddy shed house of an apartment he used to live in.
Anything in the confines of this house he had at his fingertips! Surely Buck and Dave wouldn’t mind a little High Roller snooping around, poking at their belongings… Eating leftovers… Now that hy thought about it, he was really hungry.
Looking down at the coffee table in the living room she would find empty takeout boxes and bags from the previous few days, despite Dave having more than enough money he still pulled things like this, haha, neither of them can cook can they?
“C’mon! That pie I made a bit ago wath KILLER.”
“‘Killer’ as in it almost killed me, babe!”
She chuckled to herself, hy forgot that they were constantly chattering in hys head. Wait, did that mean they could read her thoughts?
“No.”
“No.”
…
“Okay, palff.”
She rolled her nonexistent eyes behind her glasses, huffing as he picked off the garbage from their table.
“Gee, what a MEFFFF. I woulda expected BETTER from the Muffical Maffter of Melody hymnffelf. NEVER meet your heroff.”
He heard an annoyed huff in the back of her head, and the feeling of someone back there crossing their arms.
“Hey, hey, no one gets to see this anyways, it’s all backstage!”
High Roller motions over to himself, exasperated.
“Well ya gotta audienffe now! Ffo pick up your cabooffe and VAMOOFFE!”
Xe pointed xyr finger up for dramatic effect, watching as the garbage in his hands suddenly levitated in the air, quickly crashing into the ground as soon as High Roller took notice.
She blinked twice, scratching his beak.
“...Or I gueffff I will.”
He pointed at the garbage again, getting no reaction as it did before. Was she going crazy or something? Seeing hallucinations? Brain playing tricks?! …she wouldn’t doubt it considering the little duck fella in hys head.
“Heeeey.”
“Okay, now you’re jutht lookin’ like a dope…”
Hy stuck hys tongue out at no one as she stepped toward the garbage, kneeling down to clean up the mess that he now made. Making quick work of it by tossing it graciously into the bin.
“BACK ON TRACK! Get ffome grub in me!”
She ambled toward the front door, gently twisting the doorknob and prying it open. He was expecting light from the outside to flood his vision, completely blind hymn with all the new and unknown! …but, the outside was all boring and grey.
Right, this was “Suitopia.”
There were pops of lights and colours here and there, mainly in the form of adverts and featuring several con artists and swindlers (not to be confused with the current Boardbots).
No one really wore a smile here, they could practically rename the place to “Frown Town” with the amount of miserable schmucks on the street. Well, Mr. Hollywoods always had that grin plastered on their face but everyone and their mothers knew they were fake. Those Mr. Hollywoods were falling off anyways. That recent movie they released: Hollywood Heaven featuring the blossoming love story between Mr. Hollywood #2756 and Mr. Hollywood #3190? A complete box office bomb! The acting wasn’t even good- the love wasn’t REAL.
High Roller shook hys head, he never even watched that movie! How could he have formed an opinion-
“Bleugh!”
The fusion blinked as they could somehow feel Dave gag from the back of hys head.
“THAT bad?”
“It’s a disgrace to cinema, babe! You wouldn’t understand.”
“I thought it wath pretty funny, not funny enough to throw up over though.”
“Finding it funny is against the director’s intention, babe! They’re TERRIBLE writers! This is why I’m makin’ sure MY crew doesn’t end up like THAT.”
High Roller shrugged as he continued to walk, ambling around the streets of the city, Suits buzzing and cars driving around hymn. No wonder so many Suits wanted to work at C.O.G.S, this place got boring to look at fast, while Toontown on the other hand, well, it was a spectacle really! Different themes for each area? The colours? The flare? The Brass and Shipping District as a whole? Oh, it was great! Hy was glad that it was now part of Cog Nation. The world could be in the palm of hys hand… she’d just have to find her way…
Though at the rate he was going, it was gonna take a while to actually get to Toontown… actually, why did he want to go to Toontown in the first place? Wasn’t he trying to get something to eat? Didn’t he want to go out to discover hymnself? Do they have better meals here or where the Toons go? Wasn’t that new Mozzarella Styx place an absolute must go nowadays? Now where was it again-
She shook her head, making it spin around and around again. Hy was getting scatterbrained- c’mon High Roller… focus, lock in, get your head in the game and on straight! You gotta get back to business.
He grabbed the sides of hys head to stop the rotations, his glasses whirring around to a stop like a fan.
“Woah, woah, woah… slow your roll, babe! I know you’re the #1 Roller but you’ve really got your head rollin’!”
“Gee, your thoughtth are thtartin’ to rathe like mine! Go find thomethin’ dithtractin’ before you thpiral.”
“I’LL WHAT?”
Xe pats xemselves down, giving each part of her body 2 pats before trying to shake out the tension through the tips of her fingers down the shoulder of her arm. Hoo! Geez, she was feeling it! Feeling what? Hy wasn’t too sure. It almost felt like she was trying to get hymnself to think, think, think to avoid… something.
“Jutht uhh… imagine thothe breathing thhapeth! Breathe in when the thircle getth bigger and breathe out when it getth thmaller! FLAWLETHH! …Ya know what I’m talkin’ about right?”
High Roller tapped the side of hys head with hys finger, thinking hard. Shapes… Circles… increasing in size… breathe in… breathe- Quack! Breathe ou- 🎰Breathe in… breathe o- 🎲??? Hey what’s the big 🦆🦆🦆idea? High Roller grabbed the sides of her head, trying to breathe evenly as very distracting images of casinos and music invaded his mind, little ducklings walked in and out of his thoughts as it was practically impossible to focus on the task at hand.
“I think she lost the big picture here.”
“Well, I've done all I can do!”
“Babe, ya think a guy made outta the both of us can pay attention to anythin’?”
“Look, I’m jutht freeballin’ here! I don’t thee YOU tryin’ to help!”
“Well, I don’t even know what’s…”
High Roller held the sides of her head, her feathers standing up as her thoughts raced and paced around the clock, thinking, thinking, thinking. What will you do now? The man that you are, what even are you? What do you even want to do? Why were you brought into this world? How did you even come about like this? What is your purpose? What were you made for? A guy like you, what can you even do?
Hy grit hys teeth as Dave and Buck’s voices were drowned out, even in her own head she couldn’t decipher anything, it’s like there was fog- no, murky waters- no… pulsating lights in her head overwhelming her to her core. Just don’t… think…!
Quack!
High Roller jumped as he felt something feather light pat the side of his leg, hys head twisting over with a whirr as she caught sight of…
A duckling? A really big one at that.
It had nice green feathers, grey beak, donning a yellow bowler hat and shades just like yours truly. It went up to around her knee, continuously patting the side of his leg with its wing.
“Are you Mithter Roller?”
High Roller perked up. How did this little guy know of him? Surely word hasn’t gone around yet, the only ones who should know are Buck and Dave.
“Yeff, that’ff me! What? Ya think I’m ffome kind of ffelebrity or ffomethin’? You want an autograph?
Was this little guy related to him? That’d explain the appearance… Actually… wait… he’s seen that face before! Or should he say… face card?
Hy pulled the card from his hat out of the band, taking a better look at it… it was the same duck he was just staring at! He pointed at the card, then at himself, then at the duckling in front of hymn. Hys glasses morphing to mimic widened eyes.
“Better quefftion, are YOU a ffelebrity?”
The duckling tilted their head, hopping up to take a better look at the card. High Roller knelt down and handed it to them, the duckling’s eyes underneath the shades scanning over the picture.
“Wow… maybe I AM famouth!”
The fusion chuckles, reaching out and petting the little guy on the head.
“Well ain’t you a cute one? I am honored to meet ya, you renowned mallard!”
He holds out his hand for the little duckling to take. Hand clasped over their wing as they shook hands, or would it be shook wings? The High Roller reaches into her suit pocket, somehow materialising a black marker out of thin air as she flipped it in her hand.
“Mind doin’ a fan a favour? Sign this ol’ card for me.”
The duckling’s shades sparkled, beak shaped into a little small ‘o’.
“Really? Little ol’ me?”
High Roller smiles gently, placing the marker carefully in their wing. “Yep, from little ol’ you…”
The duckling beamed, tapping the card with the marker before realising something.
“Uhh… What thhould I write?” Their expression fell a little in confusion.
The fusion tilts their head, mirroring the birdie’s befuddled look. “Never given out an autograph before? Well, don’t fret, ol’ pal! High Roller haff written PLENTY… in another life.” Hy chuckles to hymnself, thinking about when Dave would autograph Suit and Toon’s belongings without their input.
He cracks hys knuckles, “Let a PROFEFFFFIONAL ffhow you how it’ff done!”
He takes the little card, scribbling down hys name in fun and sharp handwriting, a little dice accompanying the letters.
Hy presents it to the little duckling who proceeds to gawk at the words on the card, flapping his wings.
“Wow! A real autograph from the real High Roller! What an honor!”
The aforementioned High Roller grins proudly, posing as hy gains a little more confidence.
“Now, now, it’ff YOUR turn, babydoll! Go on, write your little name on thiff here card.”
The duckling tilts their head again, tapping the side of their head with their wing.
“...but… I don’t have a name.”
High Roller blinked in confuzzlement, no name? Was this little guy born yesterday or something?
“You ffure? Didya forget it? Y’know, yourff truly haff a bad memory too, it’ff nothing to be affhamed of.”
The duckling shook their head. Well this was a conundrum for sure.
“Hmm… well… ffinffe you look JUFFT like me… that’d make you a…”
Hy snaps hys fingers a few times before pointing at the duckling dramatically.
“Low Baller!”
A huge grin forms on the duckling’s face as they jump up and down excitedly, flapping their wings.
“Yeth!!! That’th me! That’th me! Low Baller!”
They enthusiastically snatch the marker from High Roller’s hand, haphazardly writing ‘Low Baller’ in messy handwriting, akin to what a little kid would write.
High Roller holds up the card, smiling proudly as she lets out a laugh. “HAHAHA! Now we got the world’ff GREATEFFT card in our handff, ffigned by the two COOLEFFT duckff on the block!”
The duckling jumped up, running around in circles erratically, exclaiming: “YAY!!!”
It felt nice, High Roller had a connection of some kind. Sure she had Buck and Dave but they were only really in hys head, Low Baller was real, tangible, and… bared a striking resemblance to her.
“Y’know it’ff been on my mind ffinffe we met a few minuteff ago… Where’d ya come from?”
The Low Baller tapped their chin with their wing, thinking long and hard.
“Well… Low Baller jutht appeared here! They felt you were really thad and wanted to help!”
“You could tell I waff upffet? Well…” Was this guy omnipresent or something? Surely they couldn’t see a hint of sadness behind that gigantic grin of hys… and their answer didn’t explain where they came from. Were they born just now???
He rests hys hands on hys hips, smiling proudly, “I’m back on track now, all thankff to you! Ffay, could ya do High Roller one more little favor?”
“Of courthe! Anything for Mrth. Roller!”
“I needa hitch a ride over to Toontown, I can’t ffhake the feeling that I got ffome buffineffff over there! Could ya help a High Roller out?”
The Low Baller grins wide, jumping up and down. “Ooh! Ooh! I know a really really really fatht thhortcut! I know the playgroundth like the back of my wing!”
The bigger duck chuckled, scratching hys head. “Didn’t ya jufft get here? Hatched right outta an egg? Built by a company even?”
“D’aww, I didn’t hatch, thilly! I jutht thtarted exithting! Get with the program.” The duckling shook their head, laughing at the other as if this were common knowledge.
High Roller raises his hand to ask a question before the Low Baller cuts her off, presenting their wing to hymn. “Jutht take my wing, and you’ll be there in no time!”
The other shrugs, knowing that they won't get anything from questioning the little duckling. “Ffure, I trufft you budd-Y!!!”
Their eyes widened as soon as hy took the other’s wing, sparkles enveloped the two of them as the world grew black. Hys feet left the ground for a moment, their bodies floating in a seemingly unending abyss. The darkness lasted for only a moment, but he swore she could see other people around them, other Suits in the void before the void quickly reformed into wooden walls and floors and pristine red leather couches as if nothing happened-
…
Dave’s lobby?
Little dizzy Low Ballers flew around her head like stars as xe regained xyr footing, trying to figure out what just happened.
The ballers pop out of existence once she comes to, looking down at the real Low Baller looking up at her like a proud child.
High Roller let out a breath hy didn’t even know he was holding, petting the little duckling on the head. “That waff one heck of a ffhortcut, little buddy. Good goin’.”
“Really?!” The little duckling beamed, flapping their wings excitedly.
“Really. Now, let’ff get to explorin’, pal.” High Roller kneeled down and picked up the Low Baller, holding them in her grasp as if she were handling a fat cat.
The Low Baller does a little salute with their wing before snuggling up into High Roller’s chest, quacking idly. It took all the restraint in High Roller’s body to not let out a little ‘aww…’ but to be fair she didn’t have much restraint to begin with.
Hy walked down over to the door, finagling with the handle before being blinded by the pink and purple hues of the elusive Brass and Shipping District!
She ran out excitedly, taking in the sights of the wonderful music themed world. Now THIS was more her style! Well, except for those few cog buildings over there… and right there… he’ll have to tell those cogs to rack off so he can enjoy the view.
Hy walks through the streets, sweet melodious tunes filling hys auditory processors. Maybe this place could be her new home, hys new place of belonging! Dave already worked here, it wouldn’t be too much of a hassle, right? The more hy thought about it, maybe hy was just stealing Dave’s bit- that guy already had the whole music theme going on, and looking at herself she had the whole gambler getup on display…
Say… are there any casinos in Toontown? Maybe xe can build one- Hy highly doubts the Toons would have an interest in such a thing though… what will they even bet? Jellybeans? Poprocks? Lollipops? Ha! Even if hy was more fond of Toons than the average cog, he can’t help but find their antics a little silly.
No matter, if hy wanted to be big- if xe wanted to make a name for themselves, they gotta expand their audience! Suit and Toons alike will come together to watch High Roller fool around! She could see it now but…
What would xe even do-?
“Oof!”
High Roller reeled back as she had accidentally bumped into another Suit, watching them fall to the ground as he was completely zoned out.
Hy held hys hand out, scrambling out an apology. “Fforry, babe! I-!”
The melodious mallard flinches as a cane gets pointed at hymn, the tip barely grazing hys chin.
“Watch where you’re going, mister! That’s no way to treat your elders!” A stern radio static laced voice scolding the other.
Hys eyes traced the cane, leading back to…
“Granny?”
Dave’s cadence leaked through High Roller’s voice for a moment, looking down at the other with widened ‘eyes.’
The cane retracted slightly, the older Suit mirroring that bewildered expression.
“Brubot…?”
High Roller felt an odd bubbling sensation in hys chest as if something were trying to escape, her head clouding a little. Xe cleared xyr throat as hy pushed the feeling down, trying to clear up the brain fog.
“Err… you’ve got the WRONG guy, High Roller here iff a… relative of hiff.”
Belle’s eyes shined, a smile slowly gracing her receiver as High Roller could practically feel the electricity run through her.
Oh no.
“Oh my goodness! Oh my goodness! You’re really one of Brubot’s?! Oh, hy never tells me about hys family! Hy’s always so secretive about hys family tree- I’m so so so honored to meet you, dear!”
She zips around him, analyzing every single part of him, straightening hys lapels, brushing off hys suit, and petting the Low Baller in her grasp before grabbing their hand and shaking it vigorously.
“High Roller was it? Oh, you don’t need to be professional, no one really calls each other by their Suit names, not the managers at least. And you look like you have a whole lot going on, sir!”
High Roller shrugs, trying to act nonchalant. “It’ff the only name I like to go by, it really ffcreamff ME, y’know?”
Belle blinks before chuckling, waving xem off. “Alright, I'll humor you. So, what does that make you to Dave? Brother? Cousin? Cog brother? Uncle? Father? Third cousin twice removed??? Say, you look a lot like Ruffler too if I think about it… wait… are you their S-?!”
High Roller holds in a laugh, holding a finger against the Mouthpiece’s receiver. “How about we catch up… NOT in the middle of the fftreet?”
The telephone woman looks behind her, watching as a mini cog traffic jam waits for the two Suits to move.
“Oops…”
…
…
“Right here!” The older Suit exclaimed.
High Roller squints up at the sign, if he wasn’t mistaken this was a Toon building not a cog one…
“Wagner’ff Vocational Violin Videoff…?”
Mrs. Dama pat hymn on the back. “I can see the confusion on your face, dear. See, this building used to have a Toon living in here, but for whatever reason they got driven out, so now this nice little abode is where I have my knitting club sessions now! It’s much better than those drab business buildings…”
High Roller hears a distant piano laced cough in the back of hys head, making her raise a brow, whatever drove out that Toon was something relating to hymn for sure.
Belle walks the mallard into the building, switching on the lights. The interior was pink much like the rest of this district, the desk where a shopkeeper would normally be was riddled with knitting equipment and a tray of cookies. Two green arm chairs were on opposite sides of the room, and in the middle laid a small television with a VHS compartment.
Odd false memories flood High Roller’s head as she grimaces. Hy can feel Dave in the back of hys head shrugging and sweating nervously as Buck’s laughs fill the remaining space of her mind.
“Go on and make yourself at home, dear. I’ll hand you some knitting needles and some cookies…”
The bigger suit made herself comfortable as she sat in one of the arm chairs, the Low Baller resting snuggly in hys lap. She gives it a little pat, scritching the feathers between their neck, hearing it coo softly.
High Roller perks up as the television comes to life, showing off some generic Toon shows on the screen. The Mouthpiece puts down the remote and hands High Roller a pair of knitting needles, white yarn and a container of cookies for hymn.
“Do you know how to knit, dear?”
The mallard scoffs, taking the needles in his hands. “Eh, I could figure it out. I’m High Roller!” Hy laughed at that, she wasn’t really sure what that statement even meant. Who was High Roller anyways?
Belle tittered, patting her on the shoulder. “Alright, if you’re having difficulties, just holler for me, okay?”
The old Suit walked toward the opposite side of the room, sitting in the chair adjacent to hymn.
She brings up her knitting needles, already starting to knit something red with expert precision. High Roller glanced over at her, eyes widened, yeah he was not topping that.
The Mouthpiece’s receiver fired up, the sound of crackling behind her voice, “So tell me more about yourself.”
Literally the worst question she could start with.
High Roller coughed into her fist, giving her a shaky smile before pointing to herself. “Who, me?”
She chuckles, shooting an amused look back. “Who else? The little cookie muncher on your lap?”
The mallard looked down at the smaller duckling sitting in hys lap, the little ankle biter had somehow found a way to open the container, chowing away at the cookies inside.
Hy poked them on the beak, frowning. “Ffafe ffome for me, will ya?”
The Low Baller snickers at him, showing no sign of stopping. High Roller shook hys head disapprovingly despite the smile on hys face, there was no stopping a guy as cute as Low Baller.
“I guess secrecy runs in the family, huh?” The old woman chuckled, looking down fondly at the bright red wool in her hands. “The mysteriousness is endearing, that must be why you Brubots are so darn charming.”
The bigger suit smirked, feeling hys ego inflate a little. “Hah! You’ve cracked the code alright! Ya alwayff gotta keep the audienffe gueffffing, y’know?”
A ring rang out of the phone as the Mouthpiece perked up. “So I take it you’re the showman type too, then?”
High Roller scratched hys head, hys personality did seem to stem from Dave more, though no doubt Buck added a little more crazy into her.
“It’ff COMPLICATED, High Roller here iff… METAMORPHOFFING! Fftarting anew, ffpreading hiff wingff! Though, xe doeffn’t know where to begin. Ffo uh… DON’T worry about anythin’ in my pafft.”
Belle nods, a soft smile on her face. “How interesting… Well, in this district there are quite a few music related things here… maybe one of them will suit you?”
High Roller tapped her chin before shaking her head, “While I DO detect delight in danffe and ditty- I don’t wanna be doin’ Dave’ff dutieff FOR hymn, y’know?”
He points to the roof, looking up. “High Roller’ff gotta fftart hiff own production! Her OWN ffhow to take the world by fftorm! Gotta fftack the caffh, gotta raiffe the fftakeff! Don’t ya get it? I gotta fftand out or elffe…!”
As she lets her spiel roll out of her mouth she glances over at the other Suit looking at hymn with a curious stare, hy couldn’t help but feel… that the sight of eyes was oppressing him, that the expectations from the reality around hymn were too much to handle for a guy who was born only a few days ago. Hy has Buck and Dave to surpass- how could hy even achieve that?
The mallard shrunk down a smidge, looking down at the sad tangled bits of white yarn in hys lap. “Or elffe…”
“Or elffe I wouldn’t have anythin’ to my name.”
He picks up the yarn, in hys hands, tilting hys head. “I’d be a tangled meffff, ya hear?”
“Gotta make all my betff count or elffe… why would I even be here?”
Belle’s expression grows melancholy as she puts her equipment aside and sits up. “Oh… dear…”
She rests a hand on hys shoulder, squeezing it gently. “You don’t have to do anything for anyone…”
Her hand glides over to hys chest, her finger poking where their heart would be. “You just have to be… whoever’s in here.”
Hy sighs, meeting her gaze. “I don’t know who High Roller iff, y’know? It jufft feelff like a product of the two fellaff who made him.”
The other’s face lights up, as if a realisation had just hit her. “Y’know… Dave was the same way.”
High Roller perked up in surprise, holding the side of hys head. “Really…?”
She nods, recalling her conversations with the Maestoso Maestro. “Hy would tell me hys parents were never the best, hy never wanted to follow the path they had paved for hymn oh so meticulously, because that wasn’t the life hy wanted. Hy wanted to sing and dance, and have fun with hys hobbies! Not practice, and practice and practice for the next big orchestra, because hy was never the star of the show. Hy was in a shadow, following the blind steps of someone else. Hy almost entirely quit music until…”
Belle trails off, making High Roller raise a brow. “Until…?”
The Mouthpiece let out a resigned chuckle, rubbing High Roller’s back soothingly. “Well, hy never told me. It’s one of the only memories I’ve never heard in full. It just made it seem like that one day… something happened, a change, that helped him become the man he is now.”
She looked down at the yarn High Roller was weaving earlier, gently taking it in her hands, handing it to the man hymnself.
“Sometimes, things just happen to you, things that’ll change the course of your life.” She rests her hands atop the other, guiding hys movement of the needles.
“I would know, I’m an old phone, I’ve been through the ringer, haha!”
The woman laughs at her own joke, watching High Roller crack a smile. She looks down at the yarn, the patterns now more organised and even. “I lost my job, I became widowed… I was starting to think, maybe a Suit like me finally got lost to time…”
“My threads, they tied onto anyone they could find, tangling them into a mess I didn’t even know was being made.”
She took a piece of yarn in her hand, unravelling it and gently twirling it around High Roller’s finger. “Those threads, they eventually found other threads to be tied to, other people who made me feel like… I had purpose, like I was being helpful again. It really felt like… the people here… they were my family.”
The Mouthpiece glanced over fondly at High Roller, a reassuring look in her eye that made hymn feel… secure. “You’ll find whatever it is that gives you purpose in due time. You’re bound to get tangled, trapped in the threads you made yourself, but one day, you’ll learn how to manage those threads, and you’ll make something truly wonderful.”
High Roller looked down at the yarn in his hands, neatly knit into a rectangle, to be honest hy didn’t know what to do with this shape, but it didn’t really matter did it? Nothing about her made sense, her existence, her very nature, it was all a bunch of meaningless glitz and glamor, and y’know what? She liked that, hy wasn’t like anyone else, hy was truly a new and unique experience. If nothing made sense… he might as well make nonsense!
[DING!]
The two Suits jump at the sudden noise, looking down at the television.
The older suit’s expression falls into something more annoyed, shaking her head. “Ugh… it’s another one of those glaring game shows… a little too wild for my tastes.”
Belle reaches over for the remote, wanting to change the channel before she feels a hand grab at her arm.
The telephone lady glances around in confusion, her speakers crackling to say something before she notices High Roller’s awestruck expression, nonexistent eyes trained onto the screen.
She watched the Toons scramble on screen, their faces desperate to win whatever game they were in. Pies flew, pianos fell, laughs were had, all tied up in a little red bow that was their flamboyant host, commentating on each and every thing.
Hy was absolutely enamoured by the display, the rowdy audience, the high stakes, the crazy challenges! It all appealed to High Roller in specific. It’s really got it all! Just the amount of nonsense shenanigans hy was looking for. He could feel it now- that spark- that thread- finally forming!
The Low Baller on hys lap quickly hopped off as hy felt himself be lifted into the air. Light slowly enveloped hys figure, the yarn from earlier being sucked into the mass of bright white.
The Mouthpiece stared in astonishment as she eventually shied away from the overwhelming brightness, hearing a piano laced laugh escape what was once High Roller.
A pulse of energy shook the room, feeling like a huge gust of wind as the mass of light floated down to the ground, multicoloured beams emitting from it before finally dissipating into a sparkly explosion, revealing High Roller within, now dressed in a pristine white suit, a red undershirt and a green vest adorned with dice as buttons. Her hat spun around as it now resembled a roulette wheel, Low Ballers spinning along with the brim of hys hat.
Hy looks over at Belle, who was leaning on the arm chair for support. Hys display must’ve really made an impactful first impression, and hey, it was just going to get more exciting from here!
She grabs her hand, helping her up as hy bounced up and down excitedly. “Ya ffee thiff, Granny!? I finally figured it out! I’m gonna be the Tooniverffe’ff mofft renowned game ffhow hofft of a lifetime! I’m bringin’ Ffuit and Toon into one plaffe, and they’ll ALL get to feafft on High Roller’ff High Roller, YOU’LL FFEE!!!”
She shakes her head as she really takes in the sights. “My… that metamorphosis wasn’t metaphorical was it…?”
Hy chuckles, posing dramatically in front of her. “Nothing will be metaphorical to thiff guy! He’ll make all the nonffenffe and chaoff a reality with the ffnap of hiff fingerff!”
A snap resounded across the room as sparkly magic levitates the Low Baller up into the air with a ‘Wee!’, flying into High Roller’s arms as hys legs pace in place so fast they’re starting to look like a blur.
“Hold on a moment!” High Roller’s head spun toward the old woman, catching view of something red cupped between her hands.
“Have this… I think it would suit you.” She hands hymn a hand knitted rose, gently placing it in her pocket. It really brought her outfit together.
High Roller’s smile grows unimaginably wide as hy pulled the old Suit in for a hug, cautious of cracking her old lady skelecog.
Hy let go, legs back to pacing uncontrollably “THANK YOU! Now, I can’t waffte any time! EVERYONE haff got to know the name of HIGH ROLLER!!!”
Xe barges out the door, leaving a High Roller shaped hole in the wall.
…
Belle smiled to herself, her head tilting in exhaustion, “Heh… oddness runs in the family, doesn’t it?”