Tucker & Dallas vs. Evil (Science!) 1 - Strange Places

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Hello friends! I bring you a new save in the form of a brief story about what happens in one of my versions of Strangerville. Since everyone has their take on it. I was very tempted to call this "Yet Another Strangerville Story aka CODE: YASS", but I thought it was cuter if I titled it Tucker & Dallas vs. Evil! (Science). Y'know, like the movie.

Now let me be transparent for just a moment. This was supposed to be a legacy. But I got very bored of playing it past the Strangerville section, so...yikes at me...but I had enough content for a fun little one-off thing. And it's great to establish continuity in my universe. So! I love that for me. Let's get on with this one!

It should go without saying that if you haven't yet played Strangerville GP, I am issuing a...

⚠️ CONTENT WARNING: Spoilers for the Strangerville story! ⚠️

...right now.
 

 

Uptown, San Myshuno
March 2131 - 27 days to the Event
 

–Gentle nighttime traffic–

–Television going on in the background–

…

Jimmy James Thursday: …you wanna…run that by me one more time, son?

Tucker Thursday: (sigh) You know damn well you heard what I said.

Jimmy James: Oh, Tucker, I heard what you said. I heard the words. I simply fail to understand—

Tucker: Here we go.

Jimmy James: —why it is you’re so hell-bent on throwing your damn life away?

Tucker: I’m not “throwing my life away”, old man. I’m saving myself.

Jimmy James: Saving it? From what? From what, damn it? From a—a life of security? From a life where you ain’t gonna want for nothing? From a life where—where you’ll be taken care of for the rest of it, where you don’t gotta raise a finger?

Tucker: You talk like I’m some kinda infirm.

Jimmy James: I’m talking like I know you’re the weakest of my living children! The frailty! The hell you wanna throw away your insurance plan for?!

Tucker: That’s telling, old man. You think of the Abedayos like a safety net.

Jimmy James: And don’t you? Son—they aren’t kidding when they say they’re one of the richest families from Nigeria. Toyin would have you set up good!

Tucker: I don’t even like Toyin.

Jimmy James: God damn, boy—it ain’t about liking anybody! You think I liked your damn mother when I married her? No! She needed a place to stay, and I had it! I goddamn had it. It’s a transaction, Tucker!

Tucker: You can’t spend your life dealing in people as if they were cash, you old idiot!

Jimmy James: I can, Tucker. And I have been. And it’s got me this: everything I have. Everything your brothers have. Everything you have.

Tucker: And that’s why you can keep all this shit when I move. I don’t want anything of yours, Jimmy James. Not a cent.

Jimmy James: (scoff) You’ll eat those words, Tucker. You’ll eat those words for dinner when that’s all you have in the fridge, and your shivering ass is curled up on your kitchen floor with all the roaches and rats on it. You’ll wish you’ll have just married that pretty boy from Lagos. Goddamn. You’ll wish you listened to your father.

Tucker: I wouldn’t wish anything of the sort on my worst enemy. Keep your advice, you crazy old sonofabitch. And keep your damn phone plan, too. Keep it all. I’d rather be dead than be reminded of you even once.

Jimmy James: What a got-damn idiot boy you are.

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The Plaza, Strangerville
April 2131 - 20 days to the Event

–Desert wind blowing; morning traffic sounds–

“…Here it is. The start of my new life alone. Or—sort of. ‘Bedroom for rent in the heart of Strangerville’s central plaza. Landlord lives in the house with you. Communal space. Going fast!”

“Going to the rats, more like. But I guess a broke boy disowned by his father doesn’t have much other choice in this world.”

“Tucker, you’re in this world alone. You don’t have anybody. Remember that. Remember that, goddamn you.”

Tucker: Uh, hey… I’m Tucker Thursday. The moving team came ahead of me, I guess, sorry.

Dallas Dinh: Ain’t much a problem. Welcome to Strangerville, Tucker Thursday. Name’s Dallas, and I’m your landlord. Guess your room’s set up for ya.

Tucker: Yeah, guess it is. Thanks again.

Dallas: What are ya thankin’ me for? Can’t tell me from Bob, far as I know.

Tucker: …I don’t know what that means.

Dallas: (chuckles) Let’s just get you inside then.

Dallas: Now, I ain’t got much in the way of rules. Just that, since I own this place, any sort of damage from you comes out of your pocket. Understand?

Tucker: Yeah. I got you.

Dallas: Also I’m not much of a partyin’ kinda man. This house ain’t nearly big enough to have one, I think. And that’s why I bought it. Understood?

Tucker: Understood. Don’t even friends out here yet, anyway.

Dallas: Besides that, I don’t got much anythin’ else. (pause) So, yeah. You...uh...sure got a lotta plants with you, lil buddy.

Tucker: (awkward laugh) Yeah, it’s…kinda my thing.

Dallas: Hey, ain’t no judgement from me, friend. Your room’s right behind ya. Take care of it.

“…I packed up what little furniture I’d bought with my own money, grabbed up all the shit I owned and left. And this one room in this one immensely shitty house is all I have to show for it.”

“But you’re doing it for you, Tuck. You’re doing it. You’re free.

…

“You’re free.”

Dallas: …

(sigh)

Alright, Dallas. You better go and make lunch or some. Keep it to yourself. Keep it all to yourself.

Tucker: Hey, Dallas…?

Dallas: What’s up, Thursday?

Tucker: I see you have garden beds here… Do you, uh…use them any?

Dallas: I ain’t grow anything in these since I bought the place. Why, do you like having crops?

Tucker: Yeah, actually. I was gonna ask if I could use them.

Dallas: Sure thing, Thursday. Be my guest.

Tucker: Thanks, Dallas!

When he went to take his first shower here, Tucker learned there’s a reason the rent here is as low as it is.

Tucker: Good mother Mary. I better not catch anything here.

Better look good for the gram.

Tucker: Ahahah you already know what it is…your boy is single and living well. Don’t hit me up, but know I’m good.

–Beep!–

Tucker: (sigh) I am so miserable.

Tucker: Huh? …is that Dallas?

Dallas, from far away: (quiet muttering)

Scientist: (likewise quiet muttering)

Tucker: …Weird, man.

Tucker keeps seeing these bizarre little plants popping up everywhere in town.

Tucker: …so weird! Some kind of bromeliad, maybe? Maybe my old prof can tell me what the hell this is.

He can’t help but feel that…this place has some weird energy.

Ted Roswell, distantly: GHHK—CHGHK—HHH…HRRR…

Tucker: The hell is that?

Ted Roswell: HNGNGK—RRRKK—GHRHK…

Dallas: …so? How’s Strangerville treatin’ you so far?

Tucker: Well, it’s different, that’s for sure. Like, that Ted Roswell? He's...so weird. Heard him muttering to himself today.

Dallas: Pay no mind to Mayor Roswell. He's old and crazy, but so long as he don’t open a giant crater in town, he’s fine.

Tucker: Yeah. Besides that, I...don’t exactly know if it’s the place for me, but it’s gotta be, for now at least.

Dallas: Don’t nothing “gotta be” anything for you, lil buddy. Though, uh…I would appreciate if ya at least saw your lease through.

Tucker: Oh, don’t worry about that, Dallas. I wouldn’t just up and leave. It’ll just…take some time.

Tucker: …

“It’ll just take some time.”

…

“You’ll wish you listened to your father.”

–Dull thud!–
 
Tucker: Damn it…! Missed….

Tucker thinks it’s odd that almost every night, Dallas tends to disappear. He’s not sure where he goes…

…who he talks to, or what he does.

…But he’s always back by the time Tucker is awake.

Tucker’s not sure what it is about this Strangerville soil but his spinach and peas popped up overnight!

It’s a really good sign for his sustenance farming dreams!

Tucker: I…made this? I made these! Fuck YEAH boy!!

In his exploration of Strangerville, Tucker found himself at the local saloon down the road.

…which was where he found Dallas interrogating another bunch of people, as well.

Tucker, to himself: Jeez...what’s this guy’s deal?

…when he saw him shove someone seemingly unprompted!

Cadet A: Hey! The fuck you think you’re doing, fuckface?

Dallas: You take that back right this moment, friend.

Cadet A: Get fucked! What are you gonna do?

Dallas: This how you wanna find out?

–Confused, concerned mumbling–

Bartender: Come on. Cut it out or take it outside. You know the rules.

Cadet B: Goddammit, Price, you quit this shit right now!

Cadet A: He started it!

Cadet B: So end it, you clown! You’re a goddamn officer and he’s some deadbeat cowboy!

Tucker, to himself: Fuck. He’s gonna get himself arrested if he keeps this up.

…

Tucker: Dallas?! Hey man! Hey! What a surprise to find you here!

Dallas: Thursday?

Tucker: Yeah man, remember me? From—from school? Yeah! Come on, let’s get out of here!

Dallas: Uh—?

Tucker: Before something bad happens. Okay?

Dallas: …I appreciate that back there, Tucker. But y’ain’t gotta do all that. I was handlin’ it.

Tucker: No, I don’t think you were. What were you doing in there? Starting a fight with a private?

Dallas: Ugh, I wasn’t thinkin’, I admit that. Let him get under my skin. Fuck.

Tucker: Why? What was the reason?

Dallas: …just…shit, lil buddy. Shit I don’t think a new transplant would understand.

Tucker: What shit, Dallas?

Dallas: Just…something weird. Something that I’ve…had a feelin’ about for a long time. Nothing you need to concern yourself with, Tucker Thursday. Get me?

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Well. That was a lot. But such is the nature of the one-off story. As always, hope you guys enjoy this foray into Strangerville, and I'll see you next time!