#wanted to draw Perry finding an injured Heinz

[chio-chan2artbox]

Found you

[themurphyzone]

Aspects Ch 7

I had to divide this chapter into sections cause there’s a lot and it was getting long. 

Ch 7: Child: Sons in Turmoil

The commotion had drawn almost every aspect out to the balcony. The Shell remained on the couch, uncaring and infallible as always. 

“Norm doesn’t want everything to return to normal. Or as normal as it’ll ever be around here anyway,” Vanessa said quietly. Perry rubbed circles on her back, comforting her the best he could. 

He knew Norm had never been subtle about voicing his displeasure with Perry and Vanessa’s plan to retrieve the aspects. This was the longest period that Norm had received Heinz’s attention without the scolding. 

Perry perched on the edge of the balcony, motioning for everyone to stand back while he opened his glider. 

“I’ll stay with Vanessa,” the Father said, draping his arm across her shoulders and pulling her close. “I’m trusting you with Norm, Perry the Platypus. Don’t you dare hurt him more than necessary.” 

He was surprised the Father admitted hurting Norm was inevitable. Or that he hadn’t tried knocking him off the edge of the building. 

“How come you never said anything about Norm’s A.I allowing him to mimic human emotions?” the Scientist demanded. “I really need to find his instruction manual so I can know what other capabilities he has!” 

Thoughtless rolled his eyes. “It was obvious. Get your head out of your toolbox and step outside once in a while.” 

“And he’s not mimicking emotions,” the Father muttered. 

“Dad, please don’t start,” Vanessa said. “That goes for you too.” She pointed to Thoughtless, who scoffed at being singled out. 

The Performer leaned on the edge next to Perry, oblivious to the argument between the other three aspects. “There was a kid earlier. All the commotion we were making before we split up probably scared him off,” he sighed, shaking his head. “It’s like he didn’t want attention but still wanted attention. You know, when I put it that way it sounds confusing but I swear it’s true.” 

Perry gave him a thumbs-up, grateful for some information he could actually use. Then he took off, hoping this would be the final time he would need to comb through the city in search of an aspect. 

“The Aspect-inator is ready to go,” the Scientist reported. “Haven’t tested it yet. Maybe I should try hitting that pizza place down the street and try separating the ham and pineapple combo.” 

Vanessa shook her head. “Please don’t. If the OWCA sees it firing, they’ll alert Perry, or another agent. And whoever comes over might not be willing to reason.” 

The Scientist opened his mouth to protest, but thought better of it when the Father glared at him distrustfully. 

“She’s got a point,” Thoughtless admitted. “Since you’re handling the inator, I give it two seconds before it blows up in your face like literally everything else.” 

“Anyway, why are you and Perry the Platypus so focused on this mission?” the Performer asked. “The rest of these guys wouldn’t be nearly that endearing to an audience. No offense.” 

Thoughtless rolled his eyes. “I’m taking plenty of offense. Pretty sure they’re just trying to fix something we did. That’s how it usually goes. They wind up with our mess.” 

Vanessa didn’t have the energy to correct him. She sat on the opposite side of the couch from the Shell, though she didn’t find his constant silence reassuring. 

Like his dad, Norm wasn’t one for subtlety. He lay flat on his stomach, half of his body poking out from an alleyway. His legs swung up and down above the sidewalk, and several people were forced out into the street to avoid them.

“THEN I SPILLED PIPING HOT COFFEE ON THE EVIL ROBOT AND SAVED MY DAD FROM BEING PHARMACIST PUREE!” Norm exclaimed.

“Cool! I save my family from witches and evil spirits all the time, but....” a familiar squeaky voice faltered, and the conversation shifted into an uneasy lull. 

Perry landed on a building above them, quickly ducking next to a chimney for additional cover. 

A child was peeking at Norm over a small stack of cardboard boxes. His clothing was outdated by several decades, and his beak-like nose stuck comically across the surface of a box. 

Heinz only had a few childhood pictures, and they all seemed rather dull and lifeless. Because Perry had been part of countless family photos with the Flynn-Fletchers, it was almost shocking to see half an album where nobody looked happy at all.

Norm had found the last aspect, and Perry doubted he would be nearly as cordial this time. 

“BUT WHAT?” Norm asked. 

The Child shifted uncomfortably. “...they don’t say thanks. Mother says thanks to Roger. She doesn’t to me. And Father...I don’t know. He just yells.” 

“MY DAD DOESN’T SAY IT UNTIL HIS LIFE IS IN DANGER,” Norm quipped. “BUT HE SAYS I’M A PILE OF SCRAP METAL.” 

“Is being a pile of scrap metal the same as being a schnitzel?” the Child wondered. 

“SCHNITZEL GENERALLY REFERS TO MEAT THAT HAS BEEN COATED IN BEATEN EGGS, FLOUR, AND BREAD CRUMBS, THEN FRIED IN OIL OR FAT. MY SENSORS INDICATE THAT YOU ARE HUMAN AND NOT A SCHNITZEL.” 

“Um, thanks?” the Child said awkwardly, unsure of how to respond to that statement. “Piles of scrap metal can’t talk. And you work just fine.” 

Norm stood up, his mouth flipping into a grin. “THANK YOU FOR THOSE KIND WORDS. NOW THAT MY DAD’S NEGATIVE QUALITIES ARE THEIR OWN ENTITY, HE CAN NO LONGER DENY THAT I AM HIS SON. YOU’LL BE APPRECIATED AND NEVER YELLED AT AGAIN IF YOU JOIN ME.” 

He held out his hand, patiently waiting for the Child to take it. 

Perry crouched against the edge of the roof, preparing to intervene. He couldn’t allow Norm to take such drastic measures. The Child shuffled forward, a wary yet hopeful look on his face. His hand stretched forward....

Then he pulled back, looking down at the ground shamefully. 

“I can’t. I can’t just leave. They care. They’re toughening me up. They’ve gotta care if they’re doing that,” the Child’s voice quivered. 

“BUT WOULD IT KILL THEM TO SAY PLEASE AND THANK YOU?” Norm asked. 

“I don’t...I mean...sorry...” the Child stammered, taking a step back. “I don’t know what you’re getting at.” 

Perry climbed down the fire escape as fast as he could, putting himself between the Child and Norm. He spread his arms out to signal Norm to stop. 

“I KNEW YOU WOULD FOLLOW ME, PERRY THE PLATYPUS,” Norm said, forming a fist and raising it above his head. 

Perry pushed the Child to the ground, then crouched in front of him for protection. “I WARNED YOU BEFORE. DON’T TAKE THIS AWAY FROM ME.” 

Now there was a possibility of dangerously injuring someone if Norm hit a building. He would have to draw Norm out into the open. It was risky though. He ran a risk being spotted by the Flynn-Fletchers. 

OWCA would probably write him up for attracting the attention of a crowd or the media, who could easily compromise his identity. 

A hand brushed his back, and Perry almost lost his balance out of surprise. He turned to see the Child timidly averting his gaze. “He’s just scared,” he mumbled. “You shouldn’t hurt him if he’s scared.” 

And Perry was reminded of another child. His optimism was both boundless and contagious, and his smile could brighten up a dark room better than any light bulb. 

The Child had the potential to be like Phineas Flynn, but his parents stifled and feared any creativity he had. 

But they never succeeded in stomping out his empathy. 

Norm hadn’t brought his fist down yet. He towered over them, but his arm remained raised. Almost as if he was waiting for something. 

Now that he knew Norm wouldn’t harm the Child, Perry couldn’t keep using him as a shield.

He tensed, keeping his eyes on the opening to the left of Norm. If he could just get out to the main road, he could minimize the damage to any structures nearby. 

After a mental count to three, Perry sprinted for the street, sliding underneath Norm’s outstretched leg as he tried to block his escape route. 

Norm’s head spun to face him before the rest of his body did. 

“I WANTED A DAY WITH MY DAD. AND I GOT IT. ONLY FOR YOU TO TAKE IT AWAY!” Norm’s voice rose, his sentences punctuated with each punch he tried to throw. 

People were already taking their phones out and recording. More joined with every second that passed. 

Perry dodged another attack, which hit the base of a tree instead. It gave Perry an idea. He just needed to find an oak surrounded by acorns to get the squirrel out of his chest cavity. 

A van with a satellite swerved around the multiple potholes, trying to get close to the action. 

OWCA was going to have his head for this.