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.

Comments

[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.

[talkyourwayout]

Louie allowed himself to be dragged along, silent until they were well into the actual garden.

"Gobo, what was all of that?!"

[gobetween]

"Our oracle." Reaching the rows of (comparatively) giant vegetables, he let Louie go. "Find a radish, the absolute best one you can. I'm going to put together something to take it back with us."

[talkyourwayout]

That was probably all the answer he'd be getting, wasn't it? Gobo seemed to be a Fraggle on a mission, and there was left effort in playing along, for now.

"No offense, Gobo, but they're all the same kind of thing." Still, he started to look over the radish rows, trying to find one that looked particularly big and red.

[gobetween]

"Find one with a good looking top, too!" He rooted around in the assorted debris around the edge of the garden, briefly considered consulting the castle- but nah, there was no telling which Gorg he'd run into. It was safer if Junior was already out here and he wasn't, so he went back to his making.

After a short time he was able to pull over a makeshift wagon, made out of a squat empty flowerpot and a few rollers tied to it.

"Got one?"

[talkyourwayout]

Louie had no idea what made a radish top look "good," but he found a big, red one with thick leaves atop it. He was leaning against it when Gobo approached.

"I think so. How's it look?" he asked, standing up straight.

Hopefully Gobo hadn't expected him to actually pull it up.

[gobetween]

Gobo inspected it himself a moment, then nodded and smiled. "I think it looks perfect!"

Thankfully for Louie, Gobo was able to manage just fine on his own, if with a bit of extra effort at the start. He hefted the radish onto the wagon and lashed it down with some twine he'd also pulled up, then started pulling it away.

"Let's go. We've got a little walk ahead of us, but don't worry, I know the way!"

[talkyourwayout]

He had to chuckle a bit at Gobo's reassurance, and he nodded. "You always do, man." Or at least, always thought he did. 6 of one, half a dozen of the other.

Then, after another beat, "I don't suppose I could get in there, too, huh?"

[gobetween]

He snickered some, slowing a bit. "Well, I do need someone to make sure the radish doesn't fall out."

1/2

[talkyourwayout]

Louie smirked at that. "Now, that's the kind of job I can handle," he said, climbing in alongside the radish. They continued on for a ways before Louie heard a rather familiar exclamation of Wow!

2/2

[forachange]

"Gosh, that sure is a nice radish- Oh, wait, but Gobo!" Wembley scrambled part-way in front of his best friend, arms up in the air, waving a bit in a frantic way. "Gobo, Gobo, I need to talk to you!"

[gobetween]

He'd paused when he heard that first exclamation; only if Louie was looking at him at the time would he see a brief look of flat annoyance on Gobo's face. Then it cleared as Wembley actually came over to them.

"Can it wait? I don't want to be caught out here."

[forachange]

"Nooo, Gobo, I really gotta talk to you!" Wembley protested, lowering his arms so his hands could gesture in front of him. "See, Boober told me what happened with those mean bullies!"

[gobetween]

"Yeah well, that's what I'm trying to fix, so if you'll excuse me Wembley-"

And he started pulling the wagon along again, hauling it with both hands.

1/2

[forachange]

It was when he brought a second hand up to pull the wagon that Wembley gasped sharply, moving in closer. "Gobo, what happened? How bad did-"

2/2

[talkyourwayout]

Louie frowned and leaned around to get a look at what Wembley was referring to. He sighed - he hadn't realized it had been so bad, Gobo's hand - then glanced over at Wembley. "Hey, Wembley, it's okay. We'll be back soon, alright?" He sighed again as Wembley protested further.

[gobetween]

"Wembley!!" His voice snapped, and he turned to give him a glare. "I'm going to fix everything, just trust me. I'll find you later."

[forachange]

"Oh..." Wembley shrank in on himself, with a sniffle that he tried to cover as a hiccup. "Okay, Gobo. I'll talk to you then. I'm... Sorry."

[gobetween]

He hesitated a moment, then shook his head to himself and just carried on with the cart, leaving Wembley behind.

[talkyourwayout]

Louie gave Wembley a half-hearted wave as they went by. Man, he felt sick to his stomach - in some ways, that had been worse to see than the fight with Clef and the others. He considered saying something, but was it his place? And if so, was Gobo ready to hear it - or would he just lash out at Louie, too? He hugged his knees to his chest with one arm, the other resting along the side of the radish.

"We getting close, Gobo?"