milliways_bar | (no subject)

Fry is in the bar, going through his phone.

Some idiot (probably his teacher) apparently left the sheet of paper with everyone's phone number on lying around when they went on the school trip the other day, because that's the day when he started getting prank text messages.

It's the usual idiotic stuff that only other nine-to-ten-year-olds would think is funny, like 'You smell!' and 'Your a stupid baby'. It doesn't upset him. It's just annoying. He resents having rivals that don't even challenge him. He'd actually be glad to have a few of his old arch-nemeses back, preferably the ones who know how to use an apostrophe.

So he approaches Bar with his pocket money, climbs up onto a barstool, and deposits the coins on the bar.

"I need this book please, and a blank A5 notebook that looks like the one in the picture." he says, slipping another piece of paper onto her surface, which disappears.

'Won't you get into trouble?'

"No, it's my own money. Come on Bar, please? I could get it at school but it's in the top cupboard and I'm not allowed to stand on chairs."

Bar produces the book. Fry thanks her and picks it up. It's nice to have a fresh copy, that hasn't been manhandled by other students for forty years. He takes it over to the fireplace and flops down on a rug, takes his fountain pen out of his pocket and starts writing in the notebook.

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"Hey Fry." Jay comes over to the bar, ordering a coffee. "How's it going?"

"Boring." Fry says. "All my real rivals left. Otherwise okay. How are you going?"

"It's hard when you've got no-one worth your time." Jay nods, sympathising.

"I've been busy. The new Drones were born new year's night. Cute little things, nothing like their parents to look at."

"Rosie Sinclair left because she's too old. George is in America. Bradley went to a 'normal school'. And Xiao won a place to a prestigious boarding school." Fry says. "So now rather than a proper rival I have to deal with Ben who's an idiot who doesn't realise that he makes it dead obvious who is behind stupid anonymous texts when you put Americanised spelling on it."

He looks up. "Can I see the drones please?"

Jay shakes his head. "Yeah, I see what you mean. He's really not that clever."

"We can go down to the Hive and ask if the little ones want to come out for a bit. They're still very young and they spend most of their time there."

"Yeah, he's really not. Very jealous of people, but not clever."

Fry gets up. "Where is the hive?"

"The meanest people are often the most insecure."

"The Hive is down in the garage. Not far from my workshop."

Fry follows him.

"Near the party?"

"Other side of the workshop." He heads downstairs, pointing to a large structure suspended from between several large beams, hanging about 2 metres from the ground and extending up into the dark of the ceiling.

"This is the Hive." He smiles as one of the adult drone came out to meet them. "Hey Lock. This is Fry. Fry, this is Lock."

"Hi Lock." Fry says. "I won't touch."

Lock gives an approving beep. "Hey Lock, are the kids free to come out for a bit?"

Lock gives a long serious of beeps and whistles. "No, I understand. I don't want to tire Princess out either."

Lock gives them another quick look over and goes back up into the Hive.

Jay nods to Fry. "The little ones will come out but they can't stay out long. Princess is a little... delicate. She was born with some birth defect, we're still working out the best way to help her."

"I understand. Like Gil." Fry says.

"Like Gil." Jay answers, holding his hand out as the little drones climbed down to join them.

"This is Pocket, Goggle, and Princess." the three little drones curl up in Jay's palm, chattering happily. "Kids, this is Fry."

"Can Dad help Princess get better?" Fry asks, waving at the little drones.

"Hello, Fry!" The drones squeak in high, slightly mechanical voices.

"I hope so." Jay nods. "But she needs a bit more time to get her strength up before we try."

Franklin's curled up in an armchair by the fireplace with his generic portable gaming system.

"YESSS SOLGALEO."

(Okay, it's a 3DS with Pokemon.)

That gets Fry's interest, and he comes over to watch.

Franklin continues through the most important bits of the game before realising someone is watching.

"Oh hey Fry-- Whoa!"

Franklin closes over his 3DS and twists round in his seat to peer at the other boy.

"You got old."

"I grow at the same rate all the time." Fry says. "Our door is very consistent. The only difference is I'm nine now rather than eight."

~~He just has a new PB because some of his old pictures were four years out of date~~

~~Well that makes sense. Though Franklin is prob only a month older, cheers Marvel.~~

"Well, uh--" Franklin grins. "Happy Birthday! Oh, hey--"

He holds up the 3DS.

"Do you have Pokemon?"

Edited 2018-01-16 19:48 (UTC)

"Yes, but I don't have that one yet." Fry says.

Franklin nods and starts playing it again for a few seconds. Then saves the game and holds up his 3DS again.

"You wanna try it out? Just don't save."

Fry looks tempted. Then shakes his head.

"No, I like to play games in order from start to finish. It would suck if I had to lose my progress. Thanks though. Which is your favourite pokemon?"

"...whoa. Like, at all? Or my fave starter? Or...?"

"At all." Fry says.

This is a very difficult question. Franklin has put down his 3DS and turned to face the other boy.

"...Xerneas."

Beat.

"Or Machamp. He reminds me of my uncle."

"I like Machamp too, but I think Eevee is my favourite." Fry says. "Because it can become any type."

Franklin frowns.

"I guess. Do you have a favourite Eeveelution?"

"Depends who I'm battling. I sometimes have a whole team of different Eeveelutions."