Dr. Roberto

Dr. Roberto was in his lab in the District of Corruption trying to find the "root cause" for difference. Pacing back and forth, he kept speaking aloud about his theories and talking to himself. He had an aluminum foil hat, wild hair with silver and brown streaks, a pair of tinted goggles, a beige lab coat, dark gray khakis, and polished black shoes.

"There must be a cure," Dr. Roberto stated. "We must find out what it is! Environmental factors? What could be the cause for this preventable disease?!"

A national database was made for everyone deemed other, along with hundred of scientists joining him in his research. It was all part of a scheme he had teamed up with Toddler Dictator Donny about healthy initiatives, grudges against vaccines, and aiming for a rigid normal.

Later that afternoon, a lightbulb appeared over his head while deep in thought.

"I know," he exclaimed. "I'll create a specific tool called The Neurolizer Ray!"

And Dr. Roberto spent the next few hours building his invention. He did a series of experiments to study their effects on test subject mice. A video call came in that evening with Toddler Dictator Donny enjoying a burnt steak with ketchup and a diet soda for dinner.

"Have you found the solution," Toddler Dictator Donny requested with his mouth full of food.

Dr. Roberto proudly displayed his creation. "Yes! With The Neurolizer Ray, we will finally be able to end the epidemic of difference! I already tried it out and it's working as planned. This one is the prototype, but I'll have a final model constructed in a few days."

Toddler Dictator Donny clapped. "You are a wonderful person! The best person! Good job! I will be going on a stroll in elevated places now. But first, I need to remove portraits of our enemies!"

So he did that and went on the roof of the Blight House for twenty minutes. The skies were red and cloudy while some thunder boomed in the distance. It wasn't long before some observing eyes spotted him from down below.

A news reporter questioned. "What are you doing on the roof?"

Toddler Dictator Donny responded. "Just taking a little walk."

Another one on the team called out. "Is it for something specific?"

Toddler Dictator Donny smiled. "It's good for your health!"

Henry the Grump popped out of his dumpster, disturbed by the commotion. "Not him again! Why are you even up there?! Building something ridiculous, I presume?"

Toddler Dictator Donny gave an evil grin. "Weapons of mass destruction! I'm spending my money for this country! And a luxury ballroom for me and the winners!"

Henry hurled a rotten tomato at him. "More like for your ego! Your delusions are through the roof literally! And a ballroom? So you can dance while the nation burns to the ground? You really are trash, and not the good kind."

Toddler Dictator Donny's lip quivered, then he burst into a tantrum. "WAAAH! I'M TELLING LIES SOCIAL ABOUT YOU! SO MEAN! SO UNFAIR!"

Henry scoffed. "Oh yeah? Go ahead and try! I'm not afraid of those red jester hat morons and spineless cronies of yours! The whole lot of you are ruining everything!"

The yellow-green puppet went back into his dumpster and locked the lid.

"Can't reason with stupidity... And why should I?"

A few days later, Dr. Roberto had upgraded the tool to its fullest potential. Not a prototype anymore, but the final creation.

"At last," Dr. Roberto declared. "It is time to take care of this burden! They will be zapped, one by one. Secretly. Silently."

Meanwhile at Grandpa John's house, he was watching the news on TV with Grandpa George. Footage was shown of Toddler Dictator Donny mandating that difference would no longer be accepted and must undergo treatment.

"The cartoon villain is at it again," Grandpa John growled. "Never seems to be a day without him."

Grandpa George roared. "WHAT?! Did you say something about cartoons?!"

"I'm talking about him," Grandpa John pointed.

Grandpa George shook his head. "I was hoping for some throwback ones, not another episode of that noisy baby."

And then, Dr. Roberto appeared on the screen. Behind him stood his research team, which they all had their hands behind their back and appeared serious. He displayed his invention and explained briefly.

"We are looking for the root cause of difference! It's a massive testing and research effort! Those affected can't do anything, like writing a poem!"

Grandpa John snapped. "Maybe you should look for the root cause of ignorance instead!"

He turned off the TV and buried his face in his hands.

"What is this world coming to," Grandpa John mumbled. "Registries, rights gone, services dried, and the nerve! How does anyone even accept this?!"

Grandpa George scratched his head. "Can't you just turn into Super Grandpa John and take him down?"

"I would, but this is more insidious," Grandpa John said. "Not sure where I would even go. They are trying to frame this as urgent, which makes it harder."

Grandpa George patted him on the back. "Don't worry. Maybe the purple monkeys will take care of... what's his name? Rob Why the Pseudoscience Guy?"

Grandpa John chuckled. "No, he's Dr. Roberto. And they might do that."

A purple monkey who had been eavesdropping on their conversation held up a puzzle piece to his heart, then went back to the others. They devised a plan that night with their intellect and unique skills, then quietly found the lab, destroyed The Neurolizer Ray, dismantled the registry, and left a disaster along with a note:

"You can't handle difference, so let them be,

Instead, you double down and cannot see.

They are fine for who they are, one and all,

It's you that shall meet your downfall."

The next morning, Dr. Roberto entered his lab with a coffee in hand. Upon spotting the scene, he dropped the hot drink and fell to his knees in defeat. All of his dubious work had been erased, plus purple fur laid all over. One of the monkeys laughed at him, flung a crumpled paper ball (the precious report) at his head, then swung out a window.

"My glorious invention," Dr. Roberto cried. "NOOO!!!"

It wasn't long before the two senior citizens found out what happened.

Grandpa John smirked. "That's what happens when you try to fix what isn't broken."

"At least nobody was harmed," Grandpa George mentioned. "Except for his narrow worldview."

With that, Dr. Roberto never learned his lesson and instead let fear guide him. After cleaning up, he even attached a banana to his flashlight for safety measures. Stories were eventually fabricated about the purple monkeys trying to suppress the truth. But they knew better and continued to do what was right.