The Pompous and The Prick

Chapter 14: He Who Holds The Napkin

Octavia struggled not to stumble as she was dragged by Loona, who could run much faster than she could. Loona reached the plastic, now half a bush, and crouched down, tugging Via's hand to do the same. Fizz and Oz were noticeably missing.

"Wait what? This is what you wanted to show me? A plastic bush?" Via knelt, confused.

"Shh! Okay, I don't quite get what's going on either, but essentially, this whole thing was a set up for Blitz and your Dad to go on a date. Supposedly, at least." Loona whispered.

"What?!" Via raised her voice subconsciously.

"Shhhhhh!" Loona hushed her again.

"Who planned all this?" Via whispered back.

"Some guys who say they are Blitz's old friends. Or one of them is. I don't know. Point is, they have a whole plan, so our job is to stay out of the way. Unless they start acting suspicious, then we jump in and save their *sses." Loona said, peering through the bush.

"Are you sure we should just let this happen? Are they ready to talk? If they aren't emotionally ready, then forcing them together like this could be-" Via started.

"What are you talking about? I thought that's what we were doing with the fake Blitz account, anyway. Besides, it's too late now, look." Loona pointed, and they watched as Stolas entered through the front doors.

— — —

Still a little unsure of himself, Stolas went up to the hooded figure by the front door, "Um, pardon me. Is this the location of the garden expo?"

"Yeah." Fizz said, hiding his face.

"Oh, well, um. I'd like 2 tickets, please. Or . . . 3?" Stolas began mumbling to himself, "Did Loona already buy herself a ticket? Would it be appropriate for me to purchase one for her? I wouldn't want to be presumptuous, or appear patronizing. . ."

"Uh, actually you pay when you leave." Fizz said, not wanting to get in trouble again for taking money.

"Oh! Really? How strange. Are you sure, because on the letter I received said that each ticket was-"

"Yeah yeah I know what it said but that's for after you leave the event. Can't have you going in and being dissatisfied, right? Now go on in! Say hi to the morgue tree's fruity demon heads!" The hooded Fizzarolli began pushing him towards the door and before Stolas knew it, he was inside, hearing a click behind him.

It suddenly became very clear to Stolas that something was very, very wrong. There was just one table in the room, and it looked nothing like a garden expo. He immediately turned around to open the door, to find that it was locked. Damn it, he was going to have to have a word with that person's supervisor. This was completely unprofessional. He turned back around to give himself space to make a portal, when he saw who was sitting in a big chair in the middle of the room, swinging his legs happily.

"Blitz . . .? Is that you" he approached the table.

Blitz, who had taken a black marker out of his pocket and began doodling horses on the very cloth, very expensive napkin in front of him, looked up startled, "S-Stolas! What the f**k?! Why are you- . . . Wait, don't tell me . . . You set all this up?!"

Stolas couldn't explain it, but seeing stars in Blitz's eyes after all this time apart, was bringing tears to his, but he held them back, "I'm sorry, no . . . What are you doing here?"

"Oh . . . Well, we were invited to a horse race and then all this was here. . . I just thought . . . nevermind, it's stupid." Blitz slouched.

"Horse race? So that's how they tricked you into coming. I was told this was a garden exposition. It seems we were both lied to, though I still don't understand why, or by whom." Stolas fidgeted a little, feeling awkward to just be stood next to the table, but wondered if it would be overfamiliar for him to sit in the empty chair.