All Together Now: Starting The Day With A Bang Pt 1. Prelude

<<*It is important to know your limits, young Roman. Once you do, that is when you can push past them and set new limits for yourself.*>>

Young Roman snorted. He was still only a little kid and though he hated being underestimated for it he knew that was the truth... he still had a lot of growing up to do... and until then he would happily use those who made the mistake of underestimating him to his advantage! Still that wouldn't work in this particular situation at all. "Easy for... you to say, Professor," he grunted. He was trying to maintain an illusion, while dodging attacks all while balancing and leaping from atop one pole to another.

<<*Indeed, it is,*>> his personal AI told him. <<*"But that doesn't make it untrue. Now what are Issac Newton's Laws of Motion?"*>>

"First. Inertia... An object stays at rest... or in uniform motion... unless a **** acts on it," he leapt for the next pole. "Second. **** & Acceleration... **** equals..." he grunted deflecting a hurled projectile from the ground and dodging an attack from his pursuer. He could practically hear their smiles. His AI wasn't the only one pushing him. His parents weren't taking it easy on him either. "... mass times acceleration... or F=ma-aaay!" He narrowly avoided his mothers ambush as his father hurled another ball at him. He quickly leaped away. "Third. Action-Reaction... For every action, there's... an equal and opposite reaction."

<<*"Correct. Pawn to E4."*>>

Roman grunted. His AI was in the process of beginning teaching him chess... but his AI was a Chessmaster and he as a novice hadn't managed to beat him... yet. "Pawn to B6," he said as he saw his father readying to throw more water balloons.

<<*"Pawn to D4."*>>

"Bishop to B7." This 'gauntlet' set-up was for training as much as it was for fun... but it was also about developing critical thinking and they weren't going to take it easy on him. His father's aim bordered on the superhuman... but that also meant he was taking it easy and playing 'fairly' with him. He knew he could surpass that if he wanted too. Roman reached into his pocket and grabbed a handful of tiny stones he'd grabbed earlier and, throwing them, began using them to counter the balloons popping them in mid-air.

<<*"Bishop to D3."*>>

"Uh, let's see-Ah!" He dodged as his mother appeared seemingly almost out of nowhere not only blocking his next planned jump but launching an attack... but not really. Much like the water balloons this was serious training but also playing around. This was more like an **** game of tag then anything else. He quickly ducked and parried a chain of her seeming effortless 'attacks' as he scrambled to find a new, different path to hus destination, a flat platform area. "Uhmmm... Pawn to F5?" He said uncertainly, changing direction and leaping to another pole to take a different path.

<<*"Pawn E takes Pawn F5."*>>

"Bishop takes Pawn G2," he replied boldly jumping onto the top platform and turning to face his mom with a smirk who smirked right back. There was a little space here Now the fun could really begin! They attacked and countered and then countered again with illusionary doubles followed by more illusionary doubles and then, you guessed it, even more illusionary doubles. Roman could hear his father laugh and then start claping, taking in the show and-

<<*"Queen to H5."*>>

Roman knew he'd messed up. His AI had played him... again. "Pawn to G6." He said blocking for real as well as in the mental chess match.

<<*"Pawn F takes Pawn H5."*>> His mother countered by sweeping him off his feet. sweeping him off his feet. She leveled her umbrella pointed at him-

But Roman had heard about a **** move from Ruby and lunged forward pushing her while triggering his mothers umbrella to open up. "Knight to F6!"

Neo smirked and tipped her hat as she floated away carried away on the breeze. Her son had gotten her with an old trick and she was proud... but smirked and wagged her finger at him. He wouldn't be getting away with that move next time!

<<*"Pawn G takes Pawn H7."*>>

"Huh? Oh, damn! Uh, Knight F takes Queen H5...?"

<<*"Bishop D to G6.*">>

Roman sighed. "You got me, M. I concede." He'd lost. He hated losing... but the only thing worse than being a loser was being a sore loser. "Good game."

<<*"Quite. Fret not young Master Roman. You are still new to chess and you are showing signs of improvement, if slowly."*>>

"Gee. Thanks, Professor," he said sarcastically but with a smile and a shrug as he started to make his way jumping down. He liked that too. That his AI, like his parents, didn't take it easy on him. Not that he liked losing... but he wanted to earn his "wins". He'd make a mental note of that particular move for further review later.

"Good work, Kiddo!" His father greated him with a towel when he reached the bottom. He smiled. "Nice aim with those pebbles."

"Thanks," he said accepting the towel and the praise. It took the sting out of his loss if only just a bit. "The rules you set didn't say anything about emptying out pockets."

Roman smiled as his father threw his head back and laughed. He was a giant man, or he always seemed so when Roman was little, and when he did his laugh seemed to always bounce across the mountain they called home. "Quite so! Well played, son! Who dares, wins. Or...?" His mother, Neopolitan, walked up and leaned against his father, Walter, smiling and nodding with something behind her back.

<<*"What is the 62nd Rule of Acquisition according to the Ferengi?*>>

Ronan smirked. "Easy. The riskier the road, the greater the profit." He didn't always agree with the Ferengi Rules of Acquisition but he did enjoy them. They were funny. "Not always True, that, but fun!"

His mother grinned, nodding and from behind her back she brought out and presented-

"Bark!"

"A puppy?" Roman asked grinning seeing the black, white and grey fur ball with the wagging tail. "For me?"

His father smiled and shrugged. "Well you said you didn't want a particular Character like your brothers and sisters so... I figured, maybe a dog? He's one of the puppies Dogmeat had with Zwei so he'll likely be tough like a tank and probably too smart for his own good and bound to be trouble... just like someone else we know." His father gave him a wink.

Neo nodded with a smirk. Roman was trouble just like her and his father! And the only thing better than trouble was more trouble... double trouble!

Roman reached up and carefully took the puppy in his hands. Seeing it look at him with one grey and one blue eye. "He's like me!"

"Arf!" The puppy agreed. They both had different eyes and were bound to have a lot else in common he hoped.

"Professor M can teach you many things, maybe even become 'a friend' someday, I hope so, but... that wasn't it's original purpose," his father said. "A child needs a friend... and since you didn't want a particular Character like your siblings and opted for money instead, we figured a puppy."

His mother held up a sign she must have prepared previously. [Kids and puppies just go together! Cute! ❤]

"Thank you! I'll name him- ah! Hey quit it! That tickles!" He said as the puppy started licking his face.

"Heheh! He's your responsibility from now on," his father said putting his arm around his mother as they smiled at him. "He'll be counting on you. Just remember when you do eventually get Characters of your own someday they'll be counting on you too for care, affection, attention and maybe even love."

"Ahahaha! Seriously! That... tickles..." the puppy was surprisingly heavy... and bigger than he remembered as it lay on top of him?

[Roman Stark - Knives Chau - Saya Takagi - Risty - Kim Pine - Jinx and Meiko Shiraki featuring extra guest appearances by Subaru Konoe and Felix Argyle

Will Return In

All Together Now: Starting The Day With A Bang Pt 2. Saya's Up First!

Coming Soon]