The bartender glanced up as the man in the wraparound shades entered the dark, smoke-filled room. He felt his pulse quicken as the man took a seat in front of him.

"Lemonade, straight up," the man in the sunglasses said in a quiet, almost disinterested voice.

Two toughs got up from their game of pool, cues ready to cause pain and trouble. "Hey, I don't know who you are, fancy man, but you'd better just walk right on out." They stood, legs spread, the cues held in their meaty paws, waiting for an excuse to bash the stranger's head in.

He just sighed, turned on his stool, and lifted his shades. The two thugs gasped in horror and made a run for it, tripping over themselves to get out of the seedy bar.

The bartender set the glass of lemonade in front of the man as he resettled the sunglasses on his face. "Thanks," he said tonelessly, drinking down the fresh lemonade in a single swallow. Then, with a final glace around the old bar, he turned and left, heading back into the night.

"Who was that?" Asked one of the men seated there.

"That, my friend, was Steely Gaze." The bartender quickly grabbed a rag and began polishing the bar. "He was here a long time ago, and then he just...disappeared. Some say he was on the run, some say he had unfinished business out east, and some just said he would be back. I guess they were right." He looked up at the door the man named Steely Gaze had went through and a shudder ran through his body. "I guess they were right...."

---

Hi guys. Sorry for my absence. I had some things to take care of, and when I looked up it seems a couple months had passed since I last visited the forums. I felt bad, because I never said anything about this or even said goodbye or that I'd return to this wonderful community.

Well I am back now, and I hope you will all be kind enough to forgive my strange disappearance. If, that is, any of you can even remember me. :P

Wait, who are you again? Oh well, your avatar's hot, so you must at least be awesome. =]
Oh and hey - if you need help, there are some forums that...Okay, sorry.
Anyway, welcome back to the fold. Don't mind the ropes...they're uh...precautions.

Welcome back fellow hiatus-taker!

Thanks you two!

Well Amanda, I do this little comic on here. If you like my avatar, you ought to check it out; he plays a prominent role.

Also, untie me damnit! I promise not to bite anymore.

And thank you, Psychobabble. I've kept up on the site, just not the forums, a situation I hope to be changing immediately.

I still won't forgive you. On what you did that day you left, I will never forgive you!!! *Throws a brick at your head.*

Yaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay!

*Deftly dodges the brick thrown by Ninny*

Whew, that was a close one. Good to see you're the same as ever.

Now, Custard, I almost hope that was a scathing, sarcastic welcome home, just to make things all normal again.

Wow, I missed being around here, and I missed all of you as well. It's good to be home....

Welcome Back, Would You Like A Cold Hot Cola?

WE MISSED YOU!!!

PLEASE DON'T EVER LEAVE US AGAIN!!!!!!

Oh hey completely new person whom I've never seen before :D!



At all!

Thanks you three!

Erm, no, Dark Clown, I've been here before. I know the dangers of the cola.

Deepcheese, I honestly hope to never do this ever again. Life can just give you a kick to the groin. I reorganized and am happy to be back.

And Orange...Orange...hmm, that name sounds vaguely familiar. Where have I seen you before? Gosh, I just can't figure it out. Where could I have ever met a bright orange gradient before?

It's a mystery! :P

Welcome back to the addiction that consumes my life...!

Oh right.

*Ahem*

Oh great, and I thought DD was finally starting to suck less.

That sounds more like the caustic, sarcastic Custard I remember. Now I truly am home!

Huh? Steely Gaze? Is that you?

Oh my God, it is you! Steely, you're back! Oh, Steely, I missed you so much! We missed you so much! I'm so happy, I could just--!

(Renga attempts to use his weather machine, but then decides not to.)

No, Renga, not today. At least give Steely a chance to get reacclimatized here first.

.....

Oh, what the heck!

(Renga pushes the CELEBRATION button, causing balloons and confetti to pour down from the sky!)

YAY! Welcome back to DrunkDuck, Steely! Yes! More balloons! More confetti!

Wow, now that's a welcome home. I'm unsure whether to be flattered or to flee, Renga.

Oh well, I'll just be glad it's confetti and balloons raining down instead of giant hailstones and meteors.