Chapter Text
Ding.
Mapicc looked up from the absurd piles of paperwork on his table. Something about letting Parkour go or whatnot from the superiors.
He did not regret his actions slightly, even if it was a plan concocted at three am by a bunch of sleep deprived heroes on a dozen energy drinks and three cups of coffee each, it was still worth it.
Now, who in the name of the Void was knocking on the door at such an ungodly hour?
Mapicc could think of… maybe half a dozen people?
But, what he did not expect was to have a very hyped up Spoke burst into his room.
“Hey! I gave you the backup keys as a precaution!”
Spoke just shrugged. “Well, you didn’t answer. The last time you didn’t answer, your house burned and collapsed down around you.”
“I swear- That was what, eight years ago? I was a kid going through my mentally depressed stage, you don’t get to lecture me.”
“Oh yeah! The time when you were like, all emo and sad ?”
Mapicc swatted at his friend, who just batted it away.
“So, how’s… Planet?”
Spoke stiffened at the mention. Internally, of course. He wasn’t that stupid.
He wasn’t stupid, full stop! No matter what inner-Parrot and Clown and Kab and Flame and Mane and basically all the villains thought.
But did Mapicc know?
He racked his mind for a suitable answer, for plausible deniablity.
One way to find out, as Spoke forced out his next words, trying to do pre-damage control. “Oh… He’s doing well, I suppose. Haven’t seen him in- Void! a long time. Really have to check up on him though.”
Was it just paranoia, or did Mapicc eyebrows furrow, just a little bit, at that?
It didn’t seem to be the case, as Mapicc just sighed and asked, “Do you want coffee? Plus, why are you here at such a time?”
Spoke shrugged, “Well, there isn’t much to do these days. Thought I’d come and bother you, eh? Like the good old times!”
“If by the good old times you mean me having to endure the pure torture of you yapping about all your crazy adventures and proudly announcing every single law you’ve broken due to being underage, then yes, it was the good old times.”
“Come on, now! It’s a stupid rule to have to be twenty-one before you can drink!”
“And you know what’s stupider? A sixteen year old bluffing their way into an adult bar by saying they were twenty-two! You know the bouncer did not believe you, and that is final.”
“He totally did!”
“Did not.”
“Did!”
“Did no- see? What a bad influence you are. Why am I arguing with a twenty-year old child about something that is so obvious?”
“Do not pretend that you were not there, right beside me, as I so-called ‘bluffed’ my way into the bar.”
“You're just proving my point! I was next to you when it happened, so I know what happened?”
“Wow, such sound logic.”
“He- Why am I doing this? I don’t have the energy right now, please leave.”
***
“So… Branzy …” Rekrap drawled.
“I… do not like that look on your face at all…?” Branzy asked nervously.
“You worry too much! I thought since… Well y’know, like, every coffee store I’ve visited so far kicked me out because apparently ‘teenagers can’t drink fifteen shots of espresso’. Soooooooo… I’ve decided to repay the favor! Do you know the little corner restaurant thingy on the 5th?”
“You mean the one that sells… sandwiches or something?”
“Yeah!”
Rekrap proceeded to half-lead, half-drag a sputtering Branzy down the streets, which attracted a lot of looks.
At last, mercifully, Rekrap stopped dragging Branzy, who rubbed his wrist and winced, glancing at the eatery in front of them, which had the words ‘Bacon’s Bread’ scrawled on it.
With a dancing bacon strip next to it. Said dancing bacon strip had sunglasses and a very I-am-very-cool smile.
“Sorry.” Rekrap did not look sorry at all, Branzy decided.
Rekrap pushed open the door, which made a small ding noise as they entered. The eatery didn’t have a lot of people in it, but smelt of delicious, buttery bread.
When the duo approached, they saw a little sign on the table. ‘ BACON’S BAKIN’ BREAD RIGHT NOW. SORRY FOR THE INCONVENIENCE. RING THE BELL, AND HE MAY BE BACK IN FIVE. ’
Rekrap glared at the sign, then whirled around and pushed on the door that said ‘ STAFF ONLY ’.
He glared at that as well, until the door swung open and a very disgruntled looking person dressed in yellow and brown stripes poked their head out.
“What do you want, Rek?”
Rekrap gestured for Branzy to step forward, and as he did, Rekrap turned back to… Bacon?
“Brought a friend to try your… kinsman.”
“...Well! You came to the right place!” Bacon looked at Branzy, and then lunged and grabbed his wrist and pulled him into the backroom, before slamming the door right in Rekrap’s face.
The room was filled with shelves. Shelves upon shelves upon shelves upon shelves upon wrapped parcels with not-so-carefully labeled tags.
Bacon dug through a box on the ground, all the while muttering.
“So… we’ve got buttered bread, waffles, bacon sandwiches, extra bacon sandwiches, extra-extra bacon sandwiches, extra-extra bacon sandwiches with cheese, extra-extra bacon sandwiches with extra cheese, and our speciality: baconwaffles! I think you’ll like it!” Bacon shoved a wrapped parcel into Branzy’s hands, before opening the door and shoving him right back out.
Rekrap took a look at the parcel in Branzy’s hands. Then looked up and gave the door an exasperated look.
“Now he’s naming food after himself? Declaring himself as a bacon isn’t enough?!”