The streets of Fandom, Monday night

[superartie]

Artie is out and wandering the streets.

He seems to be laying out construction paper roads to mark short cuts.

He would not be adverse to coming across someone in the need of saving.

No.

Not adverse at all.

Comments

[oatmanspatient.livejournal.com]

After his trip to DC you would think that Marty would be tired of walking. Apparently not, because he's walking down the street of Fandom when he comes across a guy in a striped shirt laying out construction paper.

"Um, what are you doing?"

[superartie]

Artie startled upright and affected a daring pose of balance and grace. And absudity. Absurdity is most important.

"Short cuts!" He chuckled to himself. "I am marking short cuts for Fandom!"

[oatmanspatient.livejournal.com]

"It's a pretty small town," Marty said with a skeptical look. "Do we really need short cuts?"

[superartie]

"Every town needs short cuts, boy!" Artie's pose grew somewhat more . . . shocked. "Why, without short cuts, how would one know which way was the long way home?"

[oatmanspatient.livejournal.com]

Marty blinks a couple of times. He's not sure if it's because the man in tights is right or because he's nuts.

"So, which way is the shortest way back to school from here? Also how are these construction paper sighs going to stay in place?"

[superartie]

"The magic," Artie pulls a tube from . . . somewhere. "Of superglue." His eyebrows dance as he peers off to the side and laughs knowingly to himself.

"Back to school, you say? You are a student then?" Artie began leading the way, not bounding this time, but walking with an odd gate in which he placed each foot carefully in front of the other and sort of wobbled side to side. "Tell me, boy, are you in need of a superhero?"

[oatmanspatient.livejournal.com]

Marty blinked again at Artie. "Um. No. Why would I need a superhero? And would you be related to the Tick in any way?"

[superartie]

"Why, because there is danger lurking on the breeze in this town." Artie led Marty onto a construction paper moving sidewalk between buildings. "But perhaps you would require a superfriend?"

"And I have heard of this Tick fellow. Seems like quite a pipe person!"

[oatmanspatient.livejournal.com]

Marty gives Artie a strange look.

Then the moving paper which pulls him along.

Then back at Artie again.

"A Super friend? I guess so. Are you super? And what does pipe mean?"

[superartie]

"I am indeed super! For I am Artie! the strongest man . . . in the world!" Artie stepped off the moving sidewalk and into a canoe. "Hop in, boy!"

"When life is all happiness and light, it is pipe! When a person understands the purpose of silliness, they are pipe."

[oatmanspatient.livejournal.com]

Marty again wonders if someone has drugged him.

If they have it's pretty good stuff because he gets into the canoe.

"Really? How strong is the strongest man... in the world?

Marty then realized he'd been in Fandom too long when he started talking in italics

[superartie]

"Why, stronger than all the other men in the world, of course!" Artie began to row, effortlessly propelling the canoe across the asphalt towards the school.

[oatmanspatient.livejournal.com]

Marty sat in the canoe and tried to get a grip on the situation. When that failed he just decided to enjoy the ride.

"Well that's a pretty great feat. Were you in a competition? Did you outbest all the other strong people?"

[superartie]

"No need for a competition, boy, no need." Artie brought the canoe to a gentle halt in front of the gates of the school. "And here we are, home sweet home."

[oatmanspatient.livejournal.com]

Marty got out of the canoe and gave Artie a wave.

"Well, thanks for the... um... boat ride home."

[superartie]

"You're welcome, my little viking! Should you need me, you have but to call! and Artie shall be there!"

He waived cheerfully, then rowed off into the . . . well, not the sunset, since it was already dark, so then into the darkness.