Wade is driving down a long road as Prince sits back and enjoys the wind on his face
Wade
Are you really sure about coming with me to DC?
Prince
Yeah, you're the first person I felt I could be friends with, so of course I'd wanna do stuff with my friend!
Besides, I told you, right?
I need to talk to my dad, so if this is a way to see him, then I consider it a win-win for both of us!
Wade
If you're sure…
Should we stop by your house quickly before we go to DC so you can pack any essentials?
Prince
Yes please!
Oh, can we also stop by the hospital before we go?
Wade
The hospital?
Why there?
Prince
I need to see someone before we go.
Wade
Oh, ok…
Wade pulls into the driveway in an upscale neighbourhood as Prince unlocks the door and invites him in
Wade
Are you sure it's ok to just enter without permission?
Shouldn't I say hello to your mother?
Prince
Ah, don't worry about that, she isn't here right now.
How much stuff should I pack?
Wade
Hm?
Oh, just necessities, like toothbrush, some clothes, a bottle, stuff like that–
What are you doing?
Prince is standing in front of his suitcase holding a guitar and a tophat
Prince
Um, packing necessities?
Why, what does it look like?
Wade
I'm not sure in what world a guitar and a tophat would be considered as necessities.
Prince
You don't know that…
They could be very useful…
Wade
Sigh, fine, but remember, only bring stuff you can pack in a small bag or a suitcase.
You're going to need to carry this stuff during our whole mission after all.
Prince
Ugh, fine…
Sorry trombone, it looks like you'll be staying here.
Wade
How many instruments do you have?
Prince
Hm?
Oh, I'm good at pretty much any instrument I've tried
Wade
How does that work?
Prince
Well, thanks to my Manifesto, I'm really sensitive to sounds, so if I've heard it once I could replicate it.
Watch this: ahem
Devil's Trill emerges as Prince starts to speak in a perfect impersonation of Wade…other than the content of what he's saying
Prince (Wade impression)
Golly gee willikers, that sure is a cool trick, Mr. Prince!
Prince (normal)
What?
C'mon, it isn't that impressive.
Prince (Wade impression)
No, you have truly outshined me, I'm happy to be your friend!
Prince (normal)
Aww, that's so sweet!
Thanks Wade!
Wade stares blankly at Prince during all of this
Prince (normal)
Tah-dah!
Prince starts doing jazz hands while Wade looks at him disgusted
Wade
…
(There's no way this can be James' son.)
(Except, the power his Manifesto showed was the real deal…)
(I could sense there was even more lying inside of it, but probably because he's never trained with it, it isn't reaching its fullest potential.)
(With the right training, he might one day be able to surpass even his father–)
Prince
Oops, I almost forgot this.
That would be a pretty big mistake.
Wade looks at Prince holding a comic book
Prince
What?
It's for some light reading
Wade
Of course it's light reading, it's like 20 pages long!
Prince
Oh, you're right…
What about you?
Do you like any books?
Wade
Me?
Well, I read a few great autobiographies by former presidents about their formative years!
They were such interesting reads!
Hey, I could lend them to you sometime if you wanted to try reading them–
Prince
Oh look at that, I'm all packed up.
Well, let's get to the hospital before we head to DC!
Wade
Oh, ok…
The two are sitting in the car, as the wind blows gently in Wade's face, like a refreshing fan, whereas Prince is feeling the full force of the wind
Prince
Ptooie!
Yuck, look I'm sorry!
But we needed to get going!
Wade
No, no, I understand.
Afterall, even in the academy, I was mocked for my taste in books…
So go ahead, make fun of me for it.
Prince
I think it's pretty cool though.
Wade
Eh?
Prince
Well, not the books themselves, but the fact that we're the same age and you're able to understand and enjoy such complex books.
Meanwhile, I'm sitting here not even understanding something like the concept of freedom
Hehe, pretty funny isn't it?
Wade
…
Prince, why are you always smiling and laughing?
Prince
Hm?
What do you mean?
Wade
Well, it's just that ever since we met, you've always got a big smile on your face, despite the fact your father is missing, and you've been isolated from a young age because of a power you weren't able to control.
Prince's face looks solemn for the first time Wade's ever seen, as Wade begins to sweat
Prince
…
Wade
I-I'm sorry if I hit a nerve or something like that, I was just curious…
Prince's signature smile returns to his face, as he starts beaming again
Prince
No, it's fine!
I was just thinking, it's because of my mom…
Wade
Your mom?
Prince
Like I told you, I've never had any friends, because everyone was too scared to talk to me.
My mom told me not to worry, and to just be myself.
So I was, things weren't great, but because my mom was with me, I felt like I could keep smiling.
No matter how often I came home bruised or beaten from bullies, she told me to keep smiling, and to keep enjoying life to get back at them.
Instead of hurting them and justifying everyone's fear that I was dangerous, she told me that if I was going to spite them, then I should do it by living my life to the fullest despite what they did to me.
And So I have been!
I've been living everyday, finding the joys from the little things in life.
It's because of my mom's kind words that I'm able to keep on smiling and laughing!
Wade
Wow, your mom sounds like an incredible person
Prince chuckles to himself
Prince
She is!
Oh, it looks like my story took just enough time for us to arrive at the hospital!
C'mon, last stop before we head to DC!
Prince gets out of the car as Wade follows behind him
Wade
(Prince Spectre, what's going on inside that head of yours?)
(No matter what you say, there's no way you could've lived your whole life smiling while the world was against you…)
(...you couldn't possibly be that strong, right?)
Nurse
Oh my, good afternoon, Prince
You're early!
Prince
Yeah, I'm going on a trip for a bit, so I wanted to say hi to mom before I go!
Nurse
Aw, are you going with your friends?
Prince
Yeah!
I'm going with this guy to DC!
Wade
G-good afternoon.
Nurse
Well isn't that nice?
Give me a minute, and I'll make sure she's free right now.
Prince
Thanks!
Wade
Prince, is your mom a nurse?
I guess that would fit with the kind image you've painted
Prince
Hm?
Who's a nurse?
Nurse
Right through here, Prince
Prince enters the room, as Wade looks in shock to see a young woman who appears to be in her mid-20s lying, comatose in the bed
Wade
!?
Prince?
Is this…?
Prince
Yup, this is my mom!
Wade
…
I have way too many questions!?
Why does she look so young?!
Prince
Hm?
Dunno, great skincare?
I take after her, look, not a single pimple or blemish on me!
Wade
Wow, you're right–
No, that shouldn't have been my first question, what happened to her?
Prince
Ah, well, y'know how I got bullied, well, growing up, my mom faced constant harassment from the neighbours.
They spread rumours, made fun of us, and left hate notes in our mailbox almost everyday.
One day, one of our neighbours accused my mom of being a communist in the middle of the grocery store, but true to herself, she just kept smiling and finished her shopping…
…mom was kind, she didn't want me to worry, so she wouldn't let herself be broken by their insults.
After that day, the harassment got worse, both at school and at our home.
Our tires were slashed, rocks were through at our windows, and I was beaten up almost constantly.
I broke down crying all the time, but Mom would just keep smiling and telling me that things would get better.
She would tell me stories about how she met my father and the kind of man he was.
Whenever she talked about him, she had a different kind of smile. A bittersweet one, as if just thinking about him hurt her a bit every time.
I'm pretty sure our neighbours were just looking for a reason to get rid of us, because one day, my neighbour's spouse abandoned them, and they immediately said my mother had seduced him and made him leave, saying she tempted him into defecting to the communists.
Not only does she look very young, but the fact that no one had ever seen my father and based on the rumours their kids told about me, there was no one to defend her.
She kept true to the same lesson she taught me, and pushed through the harassment with a smile. The police let her go, but the neighbours weren't happy with that.
Neighbour 1
There's no way that she's not a communist
Neighbour 2
She definitely slept with the officers or something to get away with it.
How else do you think she could afford such a nice house without a husband?
Neighbour 3
What's with that stupid smile on her face all the time?
Is she looking down on us or something?
Prince
One day, they had had enough and decided that they didn't want my mother around any longer…
When I was out at school, they attacked her.
I came home to a horrible scene, my mother unconscious, bleeding, with bruises all over her body.
The neighbours had given up any kind of subtlety and let out all their hatred on my mother.
It was a day I'll never forget.
A young Prince, has his eyes filled with tears as he stands in the middle of the cul-de-sac, and with Devil's Trill unleashes an ear piercing amplification of Prince's crying, destroying all the windows and causing neighbours to collapse, with bleeding ears.
Prince
It was the day my mother was taken from me, the day I first used my power to hurt other people…
…That was also the day I met my father.
The hero from mom's stories
In Prince's memory, an older James, with a five-o'clock shadow, graying hair, and the same jet black hair from the past held Prince's mother in his arms, with his silhouette being highlighted by the sun behind him
Prince
He didn't say a word to me, he just hugged me, before picking up my mother and carrying her to the hospital.
Even after you say he went missing, it seems like he must have prepaid the hospital because they haven't mentioned anything about money.
So, yeah, I wanted to say bye to mom before we leave!
So thanks for letting me come here!
Wade is tearing up slightly as Prince keeps smiling
Wade
Prince…I'm so sorry you two had to go through all of that…
Prince
C'mon, Wade!
Look at mom.
Even in her condition, she's still smiling!
She wouldn't want my first friend I brought to meet her to be crying!
So let's keep smiling and making each other laugh!
No matter what happens, we've got each other's backs, right?
Wade looks dumbfounded for a moment before he smiles and fist bumps Prince
Wade
Ha ha, sounds good.
Onto DC!
As the two leave the room, Prince's mom faintly speaks
Prince's mom
Have…fun…Prince…
Prince notices as Wade stops too
Wade
Something wrong?
Prince smiles even wider than before
Prince
Nope!
Nothing at all!
The two leave, as Prince's mom keeps smiling too
Prince reflects on something his mom told him when he was young
Prince's mom
Why do I keep smiling?
Hmm, well, I guess it's because being able to smile means you're free!
Free to express yourself and show how happy you are!
So Prince, keep smiling, don't let other people take away your freedom!
Prince's mom shows a big ear-to-ear grin and a young Prince does the same