by LARDLAD (ANTHONY E. TAYLOR)
Lardlad soon found himself outside the building with the address Shady'd provided. He scratched his head and looked at the address again. He wondered if Shady could've been mistaken; the building was in a very affluent neighborhood. He would not have expected a prostitute to have such fine digs.
Shrugging, Lardlad entered the building and boarded the turbolift. When the computer asked whom Lardlad wished to visit, Lardlad replied "Bygg Jonson". After a brief pause, the lift proceeded and lifted him all the way to the top of the building.
"The penthouse? BJ Boy lives in the penthouse of this swanky place? Guess someone rich is keeping him for his services. What other explanation could there be?"
As he finished the sentence, Lardlad realized the turbolift had reached its destination. He got off the lift and prepared to buzz the occupant, but the door slid open before he could do so. Cautiously, he walked in, poised with the Lardforce in case this was a trap. A figure stepped forward. It was BJ Boy, alright. Sort of.
"Lard! How're you doing, guy? I was quite surprised when the lift computer identified you as my visitor. After all, you always preferred Pru, if you know what I mean! I always kept to the, er, other side of the rainbow." BJ's demeanor was friendly and welcoming. Strange since Lardlad had never even spoken to him before.
Lardlad stood agape for a moment. Bygg was wearing a very expensive-looking robe. He'd never seen BJ Boy wear anything but bright-colored spandex. Now, he seemed dressed more as you might expect a wealthy man to dress for bed. AND BJ was now almost completely bald except for two patches on the sides. Gone completely were his trademark long, golden locks! He looked so normal and so...unglamorous!
After the moment passed, Lardlad said, "I know what you mean, BJ. I'm here to talk to you..."
"About Pru?" BJ interrupted.
"Yes. Pru." As he said this, Lardlad looked around in wonder at the sprawling, elegant penthouse.
"But you also are curious as to how 'BJ Boy' got a flat like this, right?" Lardlad nodded. "Probably thought I was someone's boytoy, eh?" Lardlad's blush was all Bygg needed for confirmation. "I get that a lot! No, that's not how it happened. Once I got out of that wild phase of my life that the LMB knows firsthand, I found I had a remarkable gift for haute couture and founded a VERY profitable fashion design house."
Lardlad looked confused and said, "but when Lash and I saw Pru recently at the place she "worked" out of, she told Lash that BJ Boy was upstairs if Lash was interested."
"Well, when I broke off our "team", Pru found another guy to be 'BJ Boy'. She just couldn't deal with the breakup--so she enlisted another partner, a BJ Boy II if you will. I haven't been in that biz for several years now since I broke into fashion!"
"I see."
"So are you looking for Pru for her...services?"
"NO! I'm trying to help her! I'm worried about her!" Lardlad said with guilty indignance.
"Alright, alright. Calm down. I believe you."
"Y-you do?"
"Yes. Pru once told me about what happened at the LMB holding cell."
"She did? What did she say?"
"She told me everything that happened. She was very touched."
"I thought it was the beginning of a new life for her."
"She honestly wanted it to be, Lard. She did. But Pru's problems are so deep that wanting to just didn't cut it."
Lardlad took a deep breath and asked, "Is Pru on drugs?"
"Definitely! In fact she's on several."
"But she hasn't always been...right?"
"Correct--she only started a couple years ago. First, it was just the occasional experimentation. Then, it just grew and grew until it was out of control."
"Why did she start?"
BJ was visibly shaken and had to sit down. Then, he continued. "Probably several things: her personal let-down at not being able to change, my leaving the "team", and the LMB's breakup. She so loved those adventures! Other unknown factors also probably were involved. You see, Pru and I were very different people."
"How so? You both seemed to want the, er, same thing."
"Yes, but for different reasons. I was a young adult looking for a good time! I was all about being outrageous, daring, and naughty. I saw it as a way to meet guys. For Pru, there was something else..."
"What do you mean?"
"I'm not sure, Lard. She's never opened up to me, her best friend, about it. I mean, think about it: Pru was and still IS technically a virgin! Isn't that strange?"
"Um, yes..."
"Even back then I wasn't. I was a young man sowing my wild oats. Sure, I specialized in the same thing she did, but I DID go 'all the way' quite frequently. I was just a wildchild fixated on the sexual aspect of relationships. This is not all that uncommon for a young man of any orientation. But Pru was obsessed by what she was doing. She never got any closer than that act. It's obvious to me that she was and is, in fact, AFRAID of real intimacy!"
Lardlad was feeling a little uncomfortable, being somewhat a prude at his core, especially as he matured. But he understood what BJ was saying. "And you don't know why she's this way?"
"No, I don't. I know her better than anyone in the galaxy, but I don't know that much. She even keeps a certain distance from me. BUT I have a feeling you may be the only person who can find out!"
"Why me?"
"Because, 'Lardykins', she's always seemed to have a softspot for you! You were always her most frequent "victim", after all, and it was you she opened up to before. You really affected her more than you'll ever know."
"Honestly," Lardlad admitted, "she affected me, too. I was deeply troubled after I saw her a few weeks ago. Couldn't get her off my mind. I'd always hoped she'd bettered herself after the talk at the cell. I couldn't live with myself until I got to the bottom of this all."
"Good, good. She needs someone desperately, or she may not survive the drug abuse long. Since we broke up, she won't let me in anymore. I mean, I see her occasionally in amicable situations, but she won't open up or let me help her. Some mutual acqaintances were the ones who confirmed my suspicions of drug abuse. She hid it from me profusely!"
"BJ, do you know where I can find her?"
"Yes, Lard. Those mutual acquaintances help me keep tabs on her. She currently lives at the Vagabond Motel on 5th Street."
"Thanks, BJ. I'll go there immediately!"
"Please help her, Lard. Pru is, underneath that trampy veneer, a really sweet girl. I love her like a sister."
"I'll do my very best. I promise!"
From another room, a man's voice called, "Beej-honey! You comin' to bed?"
"Yes, hon! Just a second!" BJ answered. He turned back to Lardlad, "That's my husband of three years. Never been happier! Good luck, Lard."
"Thanks, BJ--I'll need it."
Lardlad took the turbolift down and wondered how he could ever succeed with Pru where her best friend failed.
End Part Two