Great Sogeking

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TJ had to bite his lip to prevent himself from reacting too wildly from the feel of Scab’s hand. He suppressed a disgusted groan as the gross sensation managed to get through his thick hands. Most things he touched normally didn’t faze him, so to have something as vividly… gross as this one was a shocker. Maybe he should focus on something else to get his mind off it. Like his introduction!

Scab…bard. Scabbard. TJ understandably nodded along as he related his Scab story. Nobody would want to be called a scab… Those are gross! At some point, TJ realized he hadn’t let go of Scabbard’s hand yet for some reason. Or rather- Scab hadn’t let go of his hand yet. What was this man’s grip?? Surely he had to have a fine one if he hoped to even lift that giant sword on his back, but this was getting ridiculous! TJ was making a very concentrated effort to slip out of it now while still maintaining his understanding expression. Come on… COME ON…

Roughly, TJ managed to jerk his hand from Scabbard’s. However, in order to maintain his gentlemanly airs, he fluidly transitioned his arm jerk into a hefty pat on Scab’s shoulder. “Yes!” he loudly stated, “I understand… It is unbefitting of anyone to have a less than admirable name no matter their appearance! You needn't worry about me referring to you as such, my friend. For now, though!” He pointed out down the road, “I believe that way is the road to our Cabbage Crasher!” Taking the lead, TJ started off for the shop Zehst broke through.

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TJ could feel a breeze pass through as he watched his disfigured companion fall into a cycle of thought. Maybe he would pick now? No… Now? No… Noooooow? It was becoming increasingly apparent to TJ that he wouldn’t be reaching a conclusion on his own anytime soon. But he couldn’t just impose his own will on him! That would hardly be gentlemanly!

………

His iron will crumpled as his overcooked friend entered yet another cycle of indecision. Clearing his throat, his voice cut into his train of thought like a deer stepping onto a busy road. Abrupt. “My good man! I say we capture this Cabbage Felon first! If he is indeed wanted, I see no harm in taking a detour from donuts if it means filling our pockets for spare food funds!”

He paused, realizing that his proposition required teamwork. And what sort of team didn’t have names to address each other with? “Ah,” he continued, “If we are to go ahead with that, we cannot simply remain enigmas to each other, correct?” He held a hand out to Scab. “Teodore Jay Dugrass! TJ for short! Good to meet you!”

Human+ OOC

Blake managed to untangle himself from the frenzy as everyone’s attention drew upwards. He couldn’t believe the sight. That was a UFO! That was unmistakably some kind of UFO! All his years of over-indulging on superhero media almost immediately drew him to this conclusion, and it’s also why he was the second person who dashed off after Richard. Should he have called the authorities? Should he have given this some more thought?

…Nah.

The idea of something terrible lurking on that ship hadn’t crossed Blake’s mind. Instead, there was just an old memory ringing right through his head. Something he really hoped would be the case here.

Blake Reyes: The Origin!

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"Ah, yes! I know what you're referring to," TJ nodded to Scab, "I haven't eaten breakfast yet either, though..." He gave Scab another look over, a mite... put off by his appearance, but if the man claimed to have no money who was he- a gentleman who had money- to not offer any help?

"Lay down your floor cabbage, my good man, I shall treat you!" he loudly declared. He sounded very sincere about it too, but he just couldn't help but peer down to the end of the road again. "...Unless, of course, you'd like to search for the whereabouts of our Crooked Cabbage Killer?"

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“…Ah!” TJ loudly cleared his throat, his face burning with embarrassment upon realizing the kind of shout he just made. “I- AHEGHM- I must have gotten something stuck in my throat just then! Yes, yes…” He glanced side to side to make sure nobody else was around to witness his embarrassing display. It was unbecoming of a gentleman to shriek so ungentlemanly, he figured!

“Ah, anyway, did you see that just now? The thing that barreled right through here?” TJ asked as he looked further down the road, making note of what seemed to be a hole in a building at the end of it.

Human+ OOC

Hoo baby. Can't wait!

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I'm pretty much on the same stance as well.

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A large, balding man with a curly mustache and a gut as round as a pig’s let out a heavy sigh as he watched the sun rise over the town. He had his arms crossed and was seated on a crate of cabbages going by the label on the back side of it. There was a long, thoughtful pause after that, and he let the sun rise on his face before finally speaking. As he turned to his right, his expression softened just a bit as he stated, “I think it’s a sign too, Teej.”

Teodore Jay Dugrass was seated atop an empty barrel, his top-heavy physique and younger appearance contrasting with that of the older man. His expression lit up as the old man expressed his approval. “Right?!” He hopped off the barrel and looked back to his former boss with a grin, “It’s gotta be a sign if this happens right when I’m considering leaving!”

The “this” in question refers to the charred remains of a restaurant laying behind the two. Hours prior, the once proud restaurant “Homme Gros” suffered an explosion by the hands of a newbie employee. How exactly they did it boggled everyone’s mind, but containing the resulting fire and saving as much of the building as possible was more important then. Unfortunately, the fire was so severe, the only things that could be saved was the money made that day, a crate, and a barrel.

Flashing back to the present, the portly man let out a groan as he shifted in his seat. “Well, either way it’s just as good for me too. I’m pretty sure running that restaurant was what made all my hair fall out.” He chuckled as he rubbed at the noticeable bald patch on his scalp.

“Heh. A shame that it had to end like this, though,” TJ sullenly replied as he looked back at the rubble.

“Bah. No use wallowing on your “dream resignation.” We both know you wouldn’t’ve left unless I closed up shop myself.”

“True, true. In my defense, it would be unbecoming of a gentleman if I simply left at the peak of your business.”

“Hah! You keep telling yourself that, Teej.” The portly man got off his crate and hefted it up with a groan. “I’ll figure out what to do from here. Maybe I can finally cash in on some insurance. Get me some easy retirement money.” He chuckled again and looked back at TJ, giving him a confident smile, “You should get back home now. I bet you got some stuff to take care of before you set out. Good luck out on the sea, Teodore. You’re gonna need it!” On that note, he finally turned back to the road and started walking away.

TJ wasn’t going to just let his boss of seven years simply walk away without a word back from him, so gratefully he bowed his head and firmly shouted, “Thank you very much, Monsieur Pierre!”

And thus came an end to one chapter of TJ’s life…

Wasting no time, TJ just started making his way back home. He decided to leave the barrel where it was, figuring if he needed it for whatever reason he could always just come back to it. For now, though, he had to pack! He had to get ready! He… probably should’ve asked for a business-starting loan from Monsieur Pierre, now that he thought about it, but what’s done is done.

As he walked out from an alley he heard the sound of something sailing through the sky. Looking to the side, he saw something quickly approaching in the distance. Was that… a dinghy?? And… someone on it?? He noticed it to be an awfully dinged up dinghy the closer it came. That thought couldn’t be entertained for long, however, and TJ let out quite the un(gentle)manly yelp as he recoiled back into the alley, just narrowly avoiding getting rammed full force by what was left of the hull.

"That nearly gave me a heart attack!" he thought. It took a few seconds for him to catch his breath, but when he did he peeked out from the alley. The dinghy was gone, but he noticed that it apparently rammed through a cabbage cart in its wake. Stepping out from the alley, he walked up to the remains of it and sighed. “What a waste…” he remarked.

Noticing someone else also inspecting the wreck, TJ turned his attention to them. He spied with his little eye something black-haired! Something with a huge sword! Something hORRIFICALLY BURNT AND SCARRED. Seeing Scabbard up close all of a sudden elicited his second un(gentle)manly yelp of the day.

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Renamed "Thick-Skinned Fists" to "Big Meaty Claws," just because I like a good ol' Spongebob joke. Working on my first post now.

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Yeah, I'd personally roll with the honor system here.