The Takeaway SMP Novelization

Chapter 42 - A Red Reaction

Dennis tended to the plants outside his and Loppezz's home in Foreverland, using his shovel to dig holes to carefully plant new flowers for the coming late spring and summer. He'd had a lot of time to think about what Zombie said, offering him the chance to find this 'promised land'. It was intriguing to say the least. But he couldn't leave Loppezz and their home to go on another escapade. This was all starting to seem awfully familiar to Dennis, reminding him of when he used to live with Icevenom and trapped himself in the mentality of never moving. That had ended terribly, kicking off a chain reaction which ended with the war.

Dennis sighed as he planted the last flower, standing up and wiping his brow to clean off the sweat. The weather was hot, the sun was blaring and so it was a difficult day to spend outside. He'd been out in the heat long enough, needing some shade to cool off, turning around to go back inside. Looking to the portal, Dennis saw an unsavoury sight walk through. Farkie.

"What the hell are you doing here?" Dennis stormed over to him, "You aren't welcome here!"

"I need to speak to Loppezz," Farkie calmly responded.

"And I need you to leave!" Dennis shouted, gesturing for him to leave.

Farkie sighed, looking at Dennis, giving him a look of disappointment.

"Dennis, I-"

"Leave."

"Farkie?"

Both Dennis and Farkie looked back to see Loppezz, exiting her house and coming towards them.

"Oh you're in deep shit now," Dennis snarled at him.

"You have every right to be angry at me," Farkie attempted to reconcile.

"I heard you want to talk to me?" Loppezz asked, "Let's go inside."

Loppezz led the way, Farkie following closely behind and Dennis cautiously behind him. Going inside, Loppezz stopped to hold the door for Farkie as Dennis entered behind him.

"Dennis," Loppezz interrupted him as he stopped dead in his tracks.

"What?" Dennis, clearly annoyed by the fact they had invited someone with such a red-stained track record as Farkie into their home.

"I'm going to need you to sit this one out," Loppezz insisted, Dennis' face dropping.

"You can't be serious, he's-"

"Dennis, please," Loppezz kindly demanded as Dennis shuffled out of the room and Loppezz closed the door behind her, turning back towards Farkie.

"Thank you for letting me in," Farkie began, "We have a lot to talk about."

"Right," Loppezz responded as she stood on the opposite end of the table to him.

"You're going to need to run for President," Farkie dropped the bomb.

"I-" Loppezz spluttered, "I didn't even know there was going to be another election so soon."

"Talk of the town is that the Brigade might be trying something," Farkie warned Loppezz, "We cannot let them get back in power."

"You... don't want the Brigade in power?" Loppezz, confused, asked him.

"No," Farkie answered, "Because I am no longer part of the Brigade."

"Why? What happened?" Loppezz pressed, curiosity getting the better of her.

"Let's just say... Ben and I have drifted apart, and the incident with Blake was the final straw. The Brigade is on the brink of civil war," Farkie explained, "They're bound to try again, this time knowing the stakes of losing. And that means that they will pull out every trump card in order to gain control."