Putz12 Plus One

ELEVEN | MONKEY BUSINESS

Okay, I could run, she thought. Or I could faint, well, pretend to, anyway. I could call Sera for help, I could bash him over the head or kick him unconscious and tell him he had a bad dream. I could--

"Hey, dumb ass. I'm talking to you."

"I know... and--" She stood for a minute, his face showing no signs of mercy. She clenched her fists and jaw and darted right through him. As angry as he was, he looked quite pathetic in his tight, sleeveless vest -- more feminine than he'd probably like to be. With this she giggled, turning back. Chase me, Inkling Boy, chase--

But he didn't run behind her. He rolled his eyes and the door went shut and she kept running down the hill. Turning around would have been possible if she hadn't slammed right into Sera, who toppled down before her.

"Squit! I'm so, so sorry!" She reached her hand out and made sure she was alright. Jedd, Octofro and Felix came rushing by her side and didn't look too happy.

"It was an accident, I didn't mean it!!" But Jedd's face didn't give way. They all stood in confrontation and to her luck Sera got up from the ground and leaned on her arms.

"I'm okay, really."

"Are you sure?" Felix's hand touched her back.

"It was an accident." Her lip was bleeding now. Red, her blood was red. Like the humans in the books. And though everyone had been looking at her like it was a regular every day thing, Iza was staring, slack-jawed.

"Everything alright?" Jedd asked, but he wasn't asking Sera.

"Yeah, I--"

"Clearly not." Her voice was raspy now. She looked down, seeing Iza's torn-up boots. "Just look at those things."

"Sera, always concerned for others." Felix said. "And that's why I love you." He thought, without the courage to add.

Lurking in the trees was Derek, scowling at Felix and his stupid simpy hand resting on her back. "She doesn't love you, you moron." He muttered.

"Glad to see you're alright. Let us know if it's any trouble."

Crap. They didn't trust them. Of course they wouldn't. And they were wasting time. Dinner party. Lobsters. Sure it sounded like a pleasant treat, but things were moving all too fast in the wrong direction. It was like needles infiltrated her blood, causing nausea. She gagged, looking away as she helped lift Sera up.

"I'm sorry, my blood made everyone here queasy too, before they knew what bio blood was."

Bio blood? Was that what it was called? "It's not that. It's, I'm just sick about everything, I dunno." She turned to face up the hill, Putz's door still shut. Of course he'd isolate himself at a time like this, the dickhead.

"Your boots are worn and ragged. I have some ski boots I've never used, if you want. I'd offer ya heels but you don't seem that type."

Damn, not even a full two days have passed and she already knew her style. "Ooo, you're good." She admitted. She grabbed her hand and walked backward to the barn. And Iza liked being lead that way. A faint smile began to show, and Sera knew she was doing good.

The glass windows lead to a clear vision of everything going down below. He felt like a spectator in those short years he used to voice over Inkling turf war matches for the local radio. It never did get very far in its own sense, with his squeaky voice -- but it did get him introduced to League 80, a serious team which eventually made it to the playoffs. It was a seemingly small thing that lead him to infamy through a bunch of alternating events. He wondered if they'd ever defeat the nameless bad guys here and if this place would ever host some ranked matches. How well would the octolings do with a gun, anyway? He remembered Iza's unfamiliar handling of the dualies and laughed. He thought of building this place up, civilizing it. Would they make statues, making him the founding father? He entertained the thought.