#will perringer

[hgihrepaeryster]

I’ve been really jonesing to get back into art lately, so I made a cover image for my short Reaper High story!

You can find it here!

[hgihrepaeryster]

“Up” is Relative

Will could vaguely hear everyone around the campfire behind him laughing, undoubtedly laughing at some humorous recollection Blossom was telling about defeating a hideous monster or apprehending a super-criminal. It was an interesting mish-mash of canons and OCs at the campsite: The Powerpuffs themselves along with Jenny, Sheldon, Vega, and even Tootie representing the former; and for the latter, Nick, Shayde, Russell, Roulette, Xavis, Luca, Reita, and the young man that wasn’t sitting around the campfire with everyone else.

They were all so enraptured with each others’ fantastic exploits that no one had noticed Will slipping away a few feet and laying back upon the hill that overlooked the City of Townsville. It was his first time in this area, a universe he’d never seen before, and he was instantly taken by the sprawling urban metropolis. His eyes traced the skyline, trying to remember each and every feature, but there was just so much to look at.

Strange how superheroes always have that one city they need to protect. Jenny has Tremorton, and the Powerpuffs have this place. Gotta admit...it’s always a beautiful city that needs protecting.

He had just spotted a strange observatory in the middle of the city when he started to notice lights flickering out. It started in the suburbs around the edges of the city, but soon there was a wave of blackness that overtook the entire sprawl before him. He heard some commotion behind him as the others took notice.

“Oh, great.” Blossom grumbled.

“What’s happening?” Sheldon asked.

“Probably just Mojo Jojo trying another dastardly plot.” Buttercup snarled. “Time to go to work, sisters.”

“You need any help?” Xavis inquired. “If my tanktop had sleeves, I’d be rolling them up right about now.”

“Nah, I think we’re good.” Bubbles replied, cheerily. “Besides, this might take a while, so you shouldn’t have to wait up for us. Thanks for the offer, though!”

“Let’s roll!” Blossom commanded.

The beams of the three superpowered siblings streaked across Will’s field of vision as they flew toward the city in search of danger to defeat. They were so bright that Will needed to shield his eyes from the sudden intensity. As he lowered his hand, however, the first thing he saw was the field of stars above him.

It took his attention instantly.

“You guys go on ahead,” Jenny insisted to the others as they began to file out. “I’ll clean up our campsite.”

“Thanks, Jen.” Nick smiled in appreciation. “We’ll keep the portal open until everyone is back.”

Jenny nodded before getting herself ready for work. One hand turned into a bucket which immediately filled up with water; inverting it over the flames released a stream which instantly doused the campfire. Shifting both her arms into a broom and dustpan, respectively, she began sweeping up the hot ashes to prepare them for disposal. In order to make sure she got them all, she turned on her thermal vision and scanned the immediate area for embers she may have missed. To her satisfaction, there was none...but she caught a glint of someone’s body heat just over the crest of the hill.

I thought that was everyone. Who else did we bring? Xavis, Shayde...

After she buried the charred remnants of the campfire, she turned her attentions to the unknown individual, slowly and cautiously advancing upon the heat signature until she could finally tell who it was.

“Will!” She exclaimed softly as she knelt down over him from behind his head. 

How could I forget?!  She thought to herself silently. I was the one who invited him here anyway!

Will stirred from his focus upon the sky, realizing Jenny was speaking to him. “What’s up?”

“Since the Powerpuffs left, we’ve all decided to turn in for the night.”

“Oh, uh, okay.” Will muttered. “You all go on ahead; I’ll catch up with you later.”

“Everyone else is gone; it’s just the two of us now.”

Will’s heart lept up into his throat. Just...us?

“What were you doing over here, anyway?” Jenny asked. “I thought you wanted to hang out with everyone.”

“Well, yeah, of course!” Will said, somewhat defensively. “And yeah, that’s been great and all, but...I got a little distracted while looking at the skyline.”

“You mean the skyline that’s completely out of view right now?” Jenny noted sarcastically.

“Yeah, that one.” Will added, unaware of the irony in Jenny’s statement.

“I mean,” she clarified with a characteristic giggle, “why are you still here if there is nothing to look at?”

Will snapped his head toward her. “...nothing to look at?” He asked her incredulously. “After the city lights disappeared, there is everything to look at.”

Jenny cocked her head to one side. “Say what, now?”

“Lie down here next to me.” Will asked. “I’ll explain.”

Wait...did I just ask her that?

“Okay.” Jenny responded, still somewhat confused but willing to try it out. Since she was behind him, she decided the best way to go about it was to lay herself in the opposite direction from Will with her head almost right next to his.

“When I was 10,” Will began, “one of my favorite things to do was go stargazing. I would try to memorize all the constellations, watch satellites pass, and even - if I was lucky - see a shooting star go by. If there was ever a night that I was bored, it didn’t take long to cure it if I just brought out a blanket or towel, spread it out on the back lawn, and kept watch on the night sky. That all changed for me when I was 13, though.”

“What happened?”

“I had just taken a science class where we were talking about gravity. Something about that class stuck with me that night, so when I looked up at the sky, I didn’t feel like I was looking up anymore. I felt like I was looking down. The only thing keeping me from floating away forever into space was the gravitational pull of the planet. Think of it like...you spend so much time walking right side up that you lose your sense of perspective on how things really are. In space, 'up’ is relative. Earth is in space. We are on Earth. Therefore, we are in space, too.”

“I...” Jenny slowly replied. “...I can kind of see it. You start to feel like you’re on one of those rides at a fair where they spin you around and then release the lap bar, but the spinning force keeps you in place.”

“Right,” Will nodded, “but on a planetary scale.”

“What happened after that?”

“I was scared.” Will admitted. “I remember gripping the blanket tight, thinking that if I let go I would fall into the sky. I started breathing hard. I almost started to cry. But I shut my eyes and slowly allowed myself to sit up, bringing myself back to the familiar before opening them again.” He sighed. “It was a while before I tried it again, but after the first time the sensation was never quite as bad. The downside was it was replaced by another feeling.”

“What feeling was that?”

Will struggled to find the word he was looking for. “...I don’t want to say loneliness, but...more like insignificance. Such a massive universe and I’m only a small part of it.”

“Will...” Jenny rolled over onto her side so she could look directly at the human next to her.

“And when I saw the sky here,” Will continued, “I realized this is a completely different universe, yet it’s every bit as big. And it’s only one of however many there are that can be accessed in Reaper High, and-”

“Will.” Jenny whispered, placing a hand upon his shoulder.

oh god she is touching me

“You’re not insignificant.” Jenny insisted. “Not to me.”

Will could not bring himself to speak for a few seconds. “...you really think so?”

“I enjoy being around you. You clearly enjoy being around me, otherwise you wouldn’t hang out with us at lunch so much. You can make me laugh just about every day, and when I don’t feel like laughing you’ve been so supportive to me.” She pulled out a concealed drawer in her skirt (Yay, built-in pockets!) and removed a gold, music-note-shaped device. “Then there’s this.”

Will sat up slightly, slightly awe-struck by the sight of his old Musique: the one he gave to her at their second meeting. “You still have that?” He queried. “I figured you would have gone for the new special edition they came out with last week”

Jenny laughed. “First of all, that new one is $12,000; the last time I tried getting one that expensive, it did not end well for me. Second, it - what - has a built in cardiometer? I’m not going to need that unless I start doing this-” Jenny pounded her chest to the rhythm of a heartbeat. “-everywhere I go.” Will grinned and chuckled softly at the mental image of Jenny doing exactly that.

“But, most importantly,” Jenny continued, “is this.”

She turned the device over in her hands and, using a small flashlight from her fingertip, illuminated the name “Will Perringer” across the back.

She noticed that?

“This was personally yours.” Jenny explained. “You could have bought me one or something: I know you’ve been getting stuff for your other friends. But instead you decide to give me this Musique - incredible condition, deluxe edition, gold plating, and personally inscribed with your name, for Pete’s sake - without as much as a second thought. Sometimes, I think about what could make someone do that.”

“Jenny, you saved my life.” Will rationalized it the same way he did when he gave it to her.

“I’ve saved plenty of lives.” Jenny retorted. “But if I’m lucky, I’ll just get a ‘thank you’ out of the mountain climber I just saved from falling to his doom. Not that many have been willing to give something like this up; in fact, I can count them on...well, one finger.” Jenny extended her index finger to prove her point, and then pointed it into Will’s chest.

“You deserve better than that.” Will insisted.

“And you deserve better than to be left alone like this.” Jenny shot back, a bit more insistently than she’d let on before.

A brief pause took over, with only the wind supplying any noise to fill the gap before Jenny sighed.

“I’ve heard things.” Jenny finally said, softly. “Not good things. Things which make me worry about your safety when you’re alone. And I’m not the only one, either; everyone who knows you has had their lives made better because of it.” She gently touched his shoulder again. “I’m not going to force you into making promises, but I’d like you to know you don’t need to run away if you are feeling so small or worthless. You can always talk to me.”

Slowly, her arms wrapped around him as she pulled him in for an embrace.

“It’s what friends do.”

Will could feel the tears start to rise, but held them back as best as he could as he allowed his arms to reciprocate the hug. “Thank you, Jenny.” He whispered, feeling so secure and satisfied in her touch.

It was a while before Jenny loosened her grip. “Let’s head on back. We had a campfire started for a reason, after all; it’s kinda chilly for you to be out here much longer.”

“Yeah, good idea.” Will added, starting to realize he was developing a shiver. Whether that was actually from the temperature or from the adrenaline of ohmygodshejusthuggedmeicandiehappy, he had no idea, but he was definitely looking forward to his warm room as they headed back toward the portal together.

[hgihrepaeryster]

The many emotions of Will, as made by @ask-flaming-fish27! Thank you again!

[hgihrepaeryster]

After that, I don’t remember much apart from my rush to get out of the crossfire. I could hear Blossom muttering under her breath as she left, “I am NOT a cinnamon roll.” 

Let’s be honest, though; she’s totally a good and pure cinnamon roll.

[Drawn for @croxovergoddess and her obsession with this ship; it’s also my first attempt at drawing my own OC. I hope you like this dumb little sketch comic thing!]

[hgihrepaeryster]

An Awkward Introduction

Holyshitholyshitholyshitholyshitholyshit...

It was her. Up to now, there’d been some doubt in Will’s mind as to whether or not the robot girl would actually have a need to come to this school; after all, she could probably look up whatever it is she wanted to from the internet.  Yet there she was, sitting at a lunch table with what could only be a bunch of other heroes: the same smile; the same eyes; the same pigtails.  She looked so calm and happy here, so different from the way she was the last time they’d met.

He started to have second thoughts, even as he stood only a good ten feet away from her and her friends.  What would she think of me?  Would she even remember who I was?  Would I just be a reminder of the terrible fights she has to endure?  With each thought, he took a trembling step backward.  I was stupid to even try.

Something brushed against his ankle.  Losing his balance, he fell hard onto his back, barely escaping a nasty knock on the head.  Laughter ensued around him.  He couldn’t even bring himself to try again.  It wasn’t long before he’d dashed out of the cafeteria and curled up around the corner, trying desperately to control himself.

What a first impression.  He imagined.  You don’t have any business with someone like her.  She did her job, and that’s all; she doesn’t need losers like you “thanking” her just so you can get close to her, you pervy, selfish a-

“Um, hello?”

A fingerless hand was waving in front of his face.  He looked up and saw a big-eyed blonde trying to get his attention.  She reacted when he snapped back to reality.

“Oh!  You are conscious!  We were starting to get worried that the fall may have hurt more than we thought.”  She said.  “Don’t worry; we’ll keep an eye on the Krust cousins to make sure they don’t hurt you again.”

Will sputtered a bit in response.  “Thanks...I-I didn’t even realize that’s what happened.”

“That’s the problem with new kids, I’m afraid.”  The girl replied.  “No matter who they are, they make easy targets for the bullies.”  She helped him up off the floor.  “I’m Bubbles.  You probably saw me over at the table with my sisters.”

“Yeah, I was...”

I was only trying to introduce myself to someone I have no business being with.

I was going to force conversation on a robot girl even though she’s way out of my league.

I was stalking a super-heroine who has the ability to annihilate every atom in my body from a distance of 400 yards.  Smart!

I was busy letting a single meeting with XJ-9 determine my feelings toward her for the rest of my natural life.  Probably my unnatural life, too.

“I was just trying to say “Hi” to someone sitting with you.”

Sure.  Let’s go with that.

“Oh!” Bubbles squeaked with excitement.  “I can take you back over if you’d like!”

“Well, now, I don’t know if I-” Will was cut short when XJ-9 herself came around the corner.

“Everything okay, Bubbles?”  She asked.  “Everyone else was starting to get worried.”

“All good!” Bubbles reported.

“That’s a relief.”  Jenny grinned, extended her arm about twice its normal length toward the cafeteria, and gave her table a clear thumbs up without leaving her spot.  “Poor guy must’ve taken quite a stumble.”  She turned to him in order to see for herself, and this was the first time their eyes met each other since the incident that brought them together.  Even if she didn’t have the world’s most advanced facial scanners - which she did - it’s more than likely that she could have recognized Will from his expression: the same look of downright terror that he shared between being nearly crushed to death and locking sight with someone he was infatuated with.

“Say...I remember you!”  She said brightly.  “You’re the one that was trapped in his house!”

“I-I was?”  Will asked.  “Er, yeah.  Yeah, I was.”

“Well, fancy seeing you at Reaper High!”  Jenny gently grabbed him by the shoulder and gave him a playful shake.  “How are you doing here?”

“Uh...uh-bout as well as anyone else could on their first day, thanks...” The word seemed to stick to his tongue, reminding him of his debt.  “THANKS!  Thanks...I mean, uh, thanks for saving me that day.  I never got to tell you that.”

“It’s bound to happen, especially in an emergency situation like that.”  Jenny rolled her eyes.  “But there’s no need to thank me; I was just doing my job.”

“No, I insist!”  Will retorted, almost as though this was some sort of moral dilemma that needed to be rectified.  “I’ve got to be able to repay you for it in some way...”

Before Jenny could say another word, Will began to search through his pockets, starting with his coat and vest.  There’s got to be something.  Anything.  Just so I don’t have to feel indebted to her anymore.  His search wasn’t satisfied until he felt something in his pocket.  Metal. Would she like something metal?  She’s made of metal.  Wait, is that racist?  Speciesist?  Robot-ist?  Whatever, it’s something; just give it to her.

With a flourish, Will pulled his hand out of his pocket and revealed...

“...a Musique?!”  Jenny gasped.

Fuuuuuck.  Will thought.  That was a deluxe edition Musique that he waited three hours in line to buy.  It had his entire music library on it, along with all the alarms he needed to wake up each day for class.  He even had it engraved in his name.  Too late now, though. If this didn’t cure him of his survivor’s guilt, nothing would.

Bubbles was staring at it as though it were an impossible object.  “A Moo-what?”

“A Musique!”  Jenny repeated.  “They’re only the greatest music-player-slash-walkie-talkie-slash-food-processor that money could buy!  And is this...it is!  The deluxe edition!”  She reached for it, but stopped herself just shy of touching it.  “...I don’t know if I’d be willing to accept something like this.  This is way too valuable.”  She thought back to the time where she tried to steal a limited edition Musique that was to be sold for charity.  That was one of her darkest moments.

Will’s face went from nervousness to surprise to determination in the span of Jenny’s sentence.  Firmly, he grasped Jenny’s wrist, guided her hand palm upward, and placed the Musique upon it.  Clasping it within both of his hands, he responded to her concern with his most carefully chosen words. “You...you gave me...the gift of life...when I was in need of it most.  Nothing can be more valuable than that.  Thank you, Je-”

The world had no time for this display of gratitude, because as soon as he got to say her name, the bell rang to let students know class was about to resume.  Cursing under his breath, Will pulled out his map and started off toward his next course, leaving behind a startled Jenny and Bubbles.

“...well, that was nice of him!”  Bubbles said, after a beat.  “Hopefully he’ll grow into this school.”

“I haven’t seen a new guy that hasn’t so I’m sure that...” Jenny stopped.  “Aww, cogs, I didn’t catch his name!"

“I’m sure you’ll run into him again.”  Bubbles reassured as the rest of her sisters showed up to drag her along to their next class.

Jenny waved goodbye to them before turning her attention back to the Musique.  She turned it over in her hands, and was stunned to see the name “Will Perringer” etched into the back.  She smiled softly.

I’m sure I will.

[hgihrepaeryster]

NAME: Will Perringer (Formerly known as “Retsy”)  AGE: 16 YEAR: 10 (Sophomore) MAIN HALL: Music Hall In terms of personality, he's not exactly the most forward person in the world and prefers to keep to himself most of the time; he uses the arts to get out of his shell, though, whether it's physical media or performance-based.  He's got a small circle of friends, but he wants to branch out among the Canon toons in order to meet Jenny.  She saved his life once, and now he's harboring more than a little bit of a crush on her. He can be a control freak at times, and that's why he tries to reign himself in when it comes to interactions between people.  He also looks down on himself a lot, an old habit he's trying to kick. He's willing to take others into consideration, but this can often play against him when someone is trying to take advantage of his genuineness.  Just don't outright piss him off.

[hgihrepaeryster]

Progress

THWUMP.

THWUMP.

THWUMP.

THWUMP.

THWUMP.

Jack was about to suggest stopping for a break when Will dropped to his hands and knees in frustration, muttering several inaudible obscenities under his breath. The boy’s toes curled against the sole of his aching foot, sore from strike after strike against a wooden plank that might as well have been made of steel for all he could accomplish. Not a single fracture was visible upon it.

Jack sighed at the sight of his student losing hope, then rested upon his knees so he could come a bit closer to his student’s eye level. “William.” He said softly. “Look at me.”

Will hesitated for a moment, only giving in and making eye contact after a brief awkward silence; he attempted to straighten his back to match the samurai’s posture in front of him, but the lack of bravado made it more of a shameful slouch.

Jack continued, “Where are you right now?”

If he had been in a calmer state of mind, Will would have been taken aback by this question; regardless, he gave the only answer that made sense. “In Brawl Hall.”

“No. Where are you?”

What is Jack trying to prove?  “I don’t know...a dojo?”

“You are in my dojo, William. Do you know what that means?”

Will shrugged and shook his head, beads of sweat dripping off his hair and soaking into the gym mats beneath him. “It means I’m...way out of my league?”

“It means that you are on the path to making things right with yourself. If there was no hope for you, you would not be here, would you?” 

Will stayed silent. Despite the sound logic, there was a part of him that wanted to deny it.

“The only way to better yourself is to push beyond your limit, beyond the pain; pain is not a rule to be enforced, but an obstacle to overcome. Everyone has the capability to become great, but the fact that you are here with me right now is proof that you are one of the few who is capable of achieving it. There is only one thing that can stop you.”

Will sat up a bit straighter, realizing the direction Jack was taking. “Myself.”

Jack nodded. “So what is it that compels you to keep from reaching out for greatness? If it is within everyone’s right, do you not deserve it?”

Will stayed silent again. The word NO played out over and over again in his mind, but no reason came with it.

“There is much you dislike about yourself, is there?”

Will gave a short, slightly sarcastic snort. “Understatement of the century.”

“Do others not like you?”

“Well...no, I have family...friends...” Will shrank back a little. The idea that he could be wrong about himself only seemed to feed into his disdain. “...but they don’t see me for how I really am. All the imperfections.”

“That does not make you monstrous. Imperfections are in all things. What makes us human is our determination to rise above them.”  Jack stood, his voice echoing the wisdom of his father and the many warriors who taught him over the decades. “You are here because of that determination. Never doubt it again.” 

Jack picked up the wooden plank once more, extending it at arm’s length.

“Once more. Ready?”

It took a few seconds, but Will slowly rose to his feet, his right foot still aching from his previous attempts; it was more of a dull ache now, though, and not the stabbing pain from when it was fresh. His eyes locked upon his target, seeing within it every aspect of himself that was holding him back. Suddenly they were no longer an inherent part of him; they were, as Jack had said, obstacles to overcome.

As he pivoted on his left foot and raised his right knee to his chest, Will finally relished the thought of vanquishing each and every one of them.

THWAKK.

[hgihrepaeryster]

Fun fact

Will’s dad is named Kurtis, and he is the CEO of weapons manufacturer Baytheon.  Their motto is “Explosions with Purpose.”