You gotta be someone, you gotta be strong, when you got the goods y'know you can't do anything wrong

[gobetween]

There'd been a few days since his visit to Bridge after his illness, following dropping by Perdita, and now here he was racing through the tunnels doing it all over again. This time involved a quick vault through the T. Matthew Fraggle Room, one moment spent to get his bearings, and then off he went again.

The world on the other side would require just a bit more caution, but hopefully Louie would be rather close to the Fraggle hole and he wouldn't have to spend time looking for him.

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[gobetween]

The silence after that was deafening, and it was hard to tell what Gobo's reaction was. Louie couldn't see it, but he was staring at the wall wide-eyed, and after a moment he turned enough to look over his shoulder at him.

"...Yeah. He did."

[talkyourwayout]

"Yeah," Louie echoed. "...Look, I won't ask about your parents. I'm sure you get that enough, and I... I don't like it when people ask about mine. Even if Mom's back now, it's just... Not cool. But that's the thing, Gobo - my mom was already gone when I hatched. Uncle Donald raised me and my brothers for, like, ten years. So, you know, I- I get it.

"And for what it's worth? I would've knocked someone out, too, if they'd talked to me about Uncle Donald like that. Or at least, I'd have tried." A beat. "You can't tell anyone that, but it's the truth. I have tried, before, because some people are jerks about him. So I know how you feel, Gobo." He glanced away, but raised a hand to place on the rock wall alongside Gobo's head, leaning. "And I wouldn't say that if I wasn't sure it was true, because I don't like it when people think they know how I feel. But... This is different. Or maybe I'm wrong, but it sure feels like I'm right."

[gobetween]

His expression dampened as he watched Louie, turning to see him better. His own uncle had raised him-? That... was something he hadn't known either, hadn't even thought to ask about. The sudden connection between them took him a bit by surprise, but just as it had for Louie before, it was like something clicked into place now that he knew that.

And there was just one thing to do. He sat up in bed, took Louie by one arm and pulled him into a tight, warm squeeze.

[talkyourwayout]

The tiniest of ohs escaped Louie as he was hugged, but he quickly returned the gesture. "Thanks, man," he whispered.

Really, it was no wonder why they were friends, was it?

[gobetween]

"Thank you," he returned, just as softly. One final little squeeze in the hug and then he leaned back, giving Louie a smile. It faded after a moment though and he sighed, glancing down at his hand. It had been wrapped from wrist to middle knuckles, and he carefully flexed his fingers as he stared.

"That doesn't make what I did right, though. Fraggles don't solve problems with their fists, even if it is a bully issue. I just got so caught up in the moment, and I lost my head."

[talkyourwayout]

"Not really, but... Man, you should spend some time with my brother, Huey. He's usually the smartest person you'll ever meet, and the nicest, too - but don't tell anyone that, either. Anyway, when he gets mad or feels hurt, he really goes nuts... But he's still Huey, you know?"

[gobetween]

Gobo was still looking down at his hand as Louie spoke, but he nodded, showing he was listening. Then he sighed and looked up.

"...There was a time, not long after my uncle left for the first time, where I found myself really doubting that I had it in me to be an explorer. Because I got so caught up in my own head, I wound up screwing up real badly and unleashing a monster through the Rock, from a labyrinth it usually remains trapped in. I made it right in the end and resealed it, but when I came back to cheers, I didn't really feel right about it, at first. I was the one that caused it to get out in the first place, right?

"But my friends reminded me that, in the end it was how I made it right, that showed who I really was. Even if I lost myself for a minute there and caused some trouble, the real me shone through. The brave explorer, who always knows just what to do to help people."

At a sudden thought he blinked and glanced off past Louie, brow furrowing a bit in thought. He put his hands down on either side of him and hopped off forward out of the bed.

"Come on. We're going out to the garden."

[talkyourwayout]

Louie was smiling and nodding along when Gobo hopped out of his bed - at which point he was suddenly quite lost. He stared as his friend zipped away, out of the room, staying put in his own confusion.

"Gobo? Gobo, wait, what are we doing now?!" He took off after him. "Gobo, hold up!"

[gobetween]

"We're going to the Trash Heap!" He'd gone out of the room at a good clip, but once out into the wider, more populated areas of the Rock, he loped along the pathways instead.

"I've got an idea, but I have to check something first!"

[talkyourwayout]

"You've mentioned that before," Louie said, panting slightly as he caught up with Gobo. "Are we taking about a literal heap of trash?"

[gobetween]

"She's our oracle, knower of all our wisdom. She sees everything, and if anyone knows what I need to know, it's her."

[talkyourwayout]

"So... Not actually a pile of trash, I'm guessing?" Then again, it was hard to be sure with these guys... "What do you need to know, anyway?"

[gobetween]

"You just leave that to me." He jogged down a quieter tunnel, and soon light filtered in at the front. Gobo paused before going outside though, looking at Louie.

"Once I talk to her though, it might get a little dicey. Are you in or out? It's okay if you wanna hang out with the others while I do this."

[talkyourwayout]

Dicey? He didn't like how that sounded - nor did he like that he wasn't being clued in on the full plan. Maybe he should hang back with the rest...

Except he didn't want to hide again because the going might get rough. No matter what Boober had said, Louie still felt like a heel for doing that earlier.

"...I'm in," he said - and if he looked surprise as he said it, it was because he sort of was.

[gobetween]

Gobo smiled, then walked up the rest of the way to the hole and peeked outside. Junior may have been their ally, but notsomuch his parents. Thankfully, though...

"Looks like no Gorgs are out. C'mon, let's go, and keep low."

He jumped out of the hole and stuck to the side of the short stone wall, making a break for the corner around the other side of the garden.

[talkyourwayout]

Honestly, being out there still left Louie feeling jumpy and unsettled, Gorgs or no. Everything was far too large here. But he'd already committed himself to doing this - to not chickening out - so he followed Gobo out and around, keeping his head down.

[gobetween]

As they got closer to the other side of the garden, there would be a particular... smell. Somehow both earthy, leafy, and rotten, like a Gorg-sized compost pile. And, as they came within view, that's exactly what it was.

"Alright, we're nearly there. Let me do the talking, eh?" He chuckled a bit, coming to a stop and glancing at him. "Not that you can't o'course, but we're here for a purpose after all."

[talkyourwayout]

"Gobo..." Louie stopped when the compost pile came into view. "What am I looking at? What am I smelling? What, no, don't answer me. I don't think I want to know... Ew, are those rats?"

[gobetween]

Gobo had been about to answer, but he was cut off by the creatures Louie had spotted, and so he just glanced along at his friend with a knowing little smirk.

"Halt!" One rat started. "You are in the presence of the all-knowing-"

"All-seeing," the second rat added.

"Trash Heap! Nyeehhh!" They said together. Then one snickered and looked up. "Marjory, we got one of the little Fraggles again! Looks like he's got somethin' big on his mind~..."

[talkyourwayout]

Louie looked baffled, edging on horrified, as he stared at the two creatures. It was rare for him to be rendered speechless, but if there was ever a time it was fitting, it was now.

And then the large pile of compost started to move and rise, eventually revealing an area that looked almost like a face-

"Thank you, boys!"

-Oh. It was a face. One that could actually talk. Louie turned his head to face Gobo, while he gestured broadly at the Trash Heap, but the Fraggle seemed totally unfazed.

"So, Fraggle and Fraggle's little friend... You've come because you have troubles, and I know these troubles well! You listen to me, though: You are on the right path."

[gobetween]

"You're right, Madame Heap. I'm in a lot of trouble, and- I think I know how to fix it, but I'm not sure.

"Do you know where a Fraggle named Clef might be found? I've never met them before, and with how big the Rock is I might be looking for a whole month and never turn them up, and I don't have that kinda time."

[talkyourwayout]

So, this was really happening, and Louie wasn't sure what to do - so perhaps it was for the best that neither Gobo nor... The Trash Heap? Were paying him much mind. He couldn't stop looking between them, waiting for the punchline, or the reveal.... Something. Anything that would make this make sense.

"Let me tell you something, little Fraggle: You don't have to worry about looking for a month! Didn't I just say you're on the right path?"

[gobetween]

Gobo paused a moment, and glanced around as if he half expected the other Fraggles to be nearby. One of the rats snorted.

"She means, whatever idea you got in your lil' peabrain there, that's what's gonna work out for you!"

[talkyourwayout]

"This is the new weirdest day of my life," Louie sighed under his breath, barely audible as the Trash Heap began speaking again.

"And if you need to know where you're going, young Fraggle, just think about what they need! People will always seek out what they need."

[gobetween]

"People always seek out what they need..." He repeated it to himself, rubbing his snout for a moment. He glanced up when the rats added "The Trash Heap has spoken!" and he just barely kept from rolling his eyes before looking up.

"Thank you, Madame Heap. I'll- do the best I can!" He started jogging away toward the garden proper, grabbing Louie's wrist on the way and dragging him behind.