* Chapter 7: I'll Stop With the Plot/Food Jokes, Honest *

Indalecio sat back down on the sofa in front of the television. His bowl of popcorn had cooled significantly during the time he spoke with Cyril and the rest, but was still edible. He was also happy to see that he had only missed the boring introduction of the movie. "Cooled, buttered goodness." he said, picking up the bowl of popcorn again. He was just about to start in on it when a loud knocking came from the front door.

"Crap, not again..." he sighed as he rose to answer the door. "Oh, hey guys," he said, opening the front door. "Wait, what are those two doing here?" he said, pointing towards Claude and Rena.

"Long story," Chisato said. "May we come in?"

As the small group walked into the living room, a sound much like taking a chainsaw to a piece of rebar emanated from the garage. Noel, Chisato, and Rena all covered their ears. Indalecio didn't, as he had gotten somewhat used to the noise by now. Claude didn't either, and it seemed a small smile crept across his face. Not to mention he was holding Ronixis and Kenny.

"My god, what is that?" Rena screamed. "It sounds like someone put a wrecking ball through your garage!"

"Actually, no," Claude said. "It sounds kind of like a song by Pantera. Maybe it's by Sepultura...nope. It's Pantera."

"That," Indalecio said, "is Cyril's garage band. They just started today."

"They've got a long way to go," Noel said.

"Actually, I don't think they sound that bad," Claude said.

"Gotta look at the positives," Indalecio said. "I finally have incentive to soundproof the garage like I've been meaning to. Now, why was it that you came to see us?"

"We know, Indalecio," Rena said.

"About what?" Indalecio said.

"About your plan," Claude said. "We know all about it."

"H-h-how?" Indalecio stuttered. "Who told you?"

"She did." Noel said meekly, pointing towards Chisato while at the same time ducking behind Claude.

"So much about that oath of secrecy we all took," Indalecio said.

"What oath of secrecy?" Chisato said. "I don't remember any oath of secrecy."

"Well, uh..." Indalecio thought aloud. "It was a secret oath of secrecy. Yeah! So secret you didn't even know about it." Chisato frowned at him.

"It's no use lying about it anymore, is it?" Indalecio said defeatedly. The other four shook their heads in unison. "Alright, I admit it..." he said at last. "I brought back Nede. I'll tell you all why..."

"Before you do so," Claude said, "mind if I put these two into your bedroom?" He held up the sleeping twins for Indalecio to see.

"Nah, go ahead," Indalecio said. He waited until Claude returned and then began his speech.

"Ever since the destruction of Nede, I felt an emptiness in my heart..."

Author's note: Indalecio's little spiel goes on for many more pages, and for the sake of brevity (and sanity), I will summarize it for you. He felt lonely after the destruction of Nede, and feels (correctly so) that he helped bring it about. To help atone for his sins, and to put his mind at peace, he brought back Nede after learning how through the income-tax hijinks. However, he does make one long, clumsy, and rather unintentionally funny analogy concerning the feelings he had, as seen here:

"Imagine, if you will, that you're blowing up a building with a bomb. However, before you can push the trigger, someone knocks you unconscious. Your body falls on the trigger, detonating the bomb. Instead of the entire building blowing up, it just blows up that room, and you survive, and you look at the room you just blew up...

"Wait, let me try that again. You're blowing up a city, not a building. And before you can push the trigger, someone knocks you unconscious, and you fall on the trigger. Those people severed the lines to all the other buildings, however, so only the one you're in blows up. You survive...ah screw it."

Author's note: See what I mean? Indalecio was never much of an orator (despite being rather long-winded). And now, for the end of his speech:

"And that's why I did it," Indalecio said, closing his speech. "Do you understand now?"

"Zzzzzzzzzzz...*snk*!" Claude said, disturbed from his slumber. "Oh, it's over?" he said, yawning. He then checked his watch. "Only took twelve hours, impressive."

"Ha ha, very funny," Indalecio said.

"No, really. I was with you until about the third hour, then I kind of crashed," Claude said, waking the other three.

"Huh? What happened?" Rena said, yawning.

"Indalecio finally stopped talking, that's what happened," Claude said.

"Good news, guys!" Cyril exclaimed, running in from the garage.

"What, did you guys have creative differences and end the group?" Indalecio said.

"No, I said good news," Cyril said.

"And I put forth a possible 'good news' situation."

"Ha ha ha," Cyril said sarcastically. "Actually, we got our first gig!"

"Really?" Noel said. "Where is it, and when? I want to know where to avoid, and when."

"At the Giveaway tavern, a week from Saturday," Cyril said.

"We'll be there!" Claude said, giving a hearty thumbs-up.

"Great!" Cyril said. "Well, I've got to go practice with the guys." He then ran back into the garage, and a wailing, grinding noise came from the garage, meant to be Big Truck by Coal Chamber.

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