This story takes place after the first story; the narrator has been removed.
(Saturday morning at 6:30am; the beach at dawn)
Tino: Whoa! I saw it this time!
Lor: Saw what?
Tish: Hey! I didn't see it!
Carv: I saw it! I saw it! I saw the green flash!
Tino: Nice job my man!
Lor: The green what? Where?
Tish: The green flash! When the sun rises, the light it sends us is separated into a spectrum of colors by the Earth's atmosphere and during this period, we can see a green flash as it passes at the right angle... It is actually extremely hard to see and has disappointed a lot of enthusiastics! Yeah I know I know everything; I've heard every single joke about it so bring it on!
Tino: It's just a beautiful thing you got to see at least once in your life.
Lor: Or a legend made up by a bunch of nerds that are bored out of their books.
Tish: Heard that one in 3rd grade...
Tino: Actually it sounds more like a comic book hero... yeah! The green flash! The flashest man alive!
Tish: Heard that one a month ago...
(Apart)
Tino: Hey Tino here! This is a pretty special weekend because it's one of those weekends we have nothing special planned! Hehe, that's right! We're just gonna follow our instincts and see where democracy leads us.
Carv: So now that we have a full day ahead of us, what do we do?
Tino: I vote Funville!
Lor: I vote Funville too!
Tish: I could end this vote right now but I'll add some suspense; I vote foods
of the world!
Tino: Carver? Our fate is in your hand.
Carv: Ok, let the bids for my vote start at one chug-a-freeze!
Tish: Nice try! I change my vote to Funville.
Carv: no fair!
(Funville arcade)
(Carver and Tish are playing Motorcycle space avenger)
Tish: Take that!
Tino (fast-talking announcer voice): ...Katsufrakis takes the lead! Sending Descartes stalling and losing many precious milliseconds... but wait, Descartes is not over yet, he struggles to keep up, dodging those deadly mines, after blasting his path through a cloud of meteorites; Katsufrakis is looking at her opponent's screen: a move that is gonna cost her... indeed, Descartes performs a flawless comeback but still has too much to regain... but wait, Katsufrakis just hit an asteroid! I knew she should have kept her eyes on her own screen! Oh it's all over! Descartes wins this duel equalizing the score at 2versus2! What a match!
Carv: Who da man?
Tino: ...all opinions indicate YOU! My man!
Tish: So close! Let's do that again!
(Everyone around looks the other way)
(Lor's shadow appears on the other side of the arcade)
(Everyone gets out of the way; Lor turns her hat backwards and starts walking toward the space avengers machine)
Tino: Oh! What an apparition! It's the all-categories-seven-times-undefeated champion of Bahia Bay, the invincible Lor MacQuarrie!
(Everyone around bows down except Tino and some kids)
Everyone: We're not worthy! O master of the pedal!
Lor (arrogantly): Humpf! If no one volunteers in ten seconds, I'll pick him myself!
Tino: Her terrifying eyes are scanning the crowd; who will be the unfortunate soul she will challenge and humiliate once again? ...her eyes have stopped... on ... oh! Laird Princeton, of course! The one and only worthy challenger that has ever been able to make MacQuarrie worry for her title!
Lor (Pointing at Laird): You're on!
Laird: You're going down!
(They get on the cycles)
Tish: May the best player win this in fair and honest... I mean GO Lor! Eradicate him!
Tino: ...and the race starts! MacQuarrie takes the lead, gliding through the field of comets like a F16 through clouds... Laird follows her closely ... but obviously fails to keep up with this pace … MacQuarrie pushes further and OH! She removes her right hand and challenges Laird to do so! Laird responds by a clumsy move and ends up in an irrecoverable whirl ... but what's this? MacQuarrie is looking at his screen instead of her own! She hits the trigger but it's too late! She hits a rock! The race is over! The champion has been dethroned! Now comes the most painful part of a defeat: the winner gloats!
(Lor falls on the ground)
Laird: AH! And you call yourself a champion, uh? Loser! Loser! Lose...
(The voices fade in Lor's head; the trio goes to help her; Laird goes away)
Tino: Lor! Are you ok? Talk to me Lor!
Carv: Hey! It's just a game! It's not like she's gonna die!
Tish: But it is still an emotional shock to be beaten off a usual point of advantage for the first time…
Lor: I ... I challenged him! ...and he won! Oh my ego! It hurts!
Tino: Don't worry! You'll trucidate him next time!
Tish: I'm not sure if there will be a next time; see, she has an emotional shock to overcome and unless she can fight the fire with fire, she's gonna be too afraid to ever play again!
Carv: Sometimes, I wonder if it isn't those weird things you say that I hear in my nightmares, Tish!
Tish: Heard that one in 5th grade but keep trying!
(Lor, looking terrible, stares at the ground)
(Noon; the pizz-seum of art)
Pizza guy: ... And what we have here is a glorious masterpiece of cheese and pepperoni...
(Alarm sounds; Carver is eating a slice of the Mona-pizza)
Pizza guy: Hey you! You are eating the Mona Lisa!
Carv: No I think it's my lunch...
Pizza guy: No, the pizza is on this side, you're eating a painting!
(Carver spits)
Tish: So where's Lor?
Tino: She's still at Funville! She's been playing that game for hours and couldn't even beat me!
Tish: Wow, this must be pretty serious!
Tino: Oh well thank you very much Tish, I think you're a fine player yourself!
Carv: It can't be that bad!
(Lor runs in to them)
Lor (Zombie voice): Me need quarters!
Carv: Ok, it is that bad.
Tino: Lor, this is just a game; take a break.
Lor: You guys don't understand; this is the only non-sport thing that I can do better than anyone! It's like I'm loosing a part of myself... and to Laird!
Tish: Of course not! You're good at ... ahem... oh you said non-sport eh? ... Well, what's wrong with that? Besides, you've already used up all our quarters!
Lor (looking at Tino): Not ALL of them...
Tino: Hey! How did you know... aww! Here!
(Tino gets coins from his back pocket and hands them over; Lor runs away)
Tino: There goes the laundry...
Carv: I do have a question, T: How did she know?
Tish: Yeah! She had to be pretty close to notice that...
Tino: ... well ... uh... she might ... I mean
Carv: Oh man! Are you guys... like...
Tino: NO!
Tish: Yes in the right dialect!
(Carv laughs and Tish hums romantic music)
Tino: I'm not good at this, am I?
Carv: T, don't you think you're too young for this?
Tino: Hey! You have a crush on a TV-show model!
Tish: Of course it's not too early! Emotional behavior vary...
Carv: ... Show of hands! Who's for no more tishing on the weekend?
(Tino and Carv both raise hands)
Carv: Sorry Tish, the voice of people has spoken!
Tish (Angry): This is actually the first time I hear this one!
Tino: Huho! We asked for it this time...
(Saturday night; Tino's)
T Mom: You know, this foil in your hair is not gonna help against telepathy.
Tino: Oh yeah? Well, what do YOU know about it?
T Mom: You feel bad for Lor because she's hooked up to video games, right?
Tino: Mmmh! That paranormal expert is nothing more than a crook!
(Tino throws away the foil on his head)
T Mom: Tino, video games are a way to entertain yourselves but if you get addicted to it, you can pretty much loose all concept of the real world! I heard her grades aren't bulletproof... You got to deprogram her!
Tino: So, how do I help her, do I get to Funville with a flame-thrower?
T Mom: I was more for something like showing her the other parts of her life she's missing: sports, music oh and most importantly: her friends!
Tino: ... That could work too!
T Mom: Five points for me!
Tino: Hey wait a second! Rice! This is rice! Rice isn't weird enough to be on this table!
T Mom: That's not really rice...
Tino: ...keep going...
T Mom: It's steamed larvae...
Tino: AH! (Squishy scream)
(Tino runs away)
T Mom: I knew I shouldn't have said it like that...
(Sunday Morning; Funville)
Funville guy: I told you! It won't open for half an hour!
Lor: But I got to get in! Please?
Funville: Just come back later!
Tino (to Tish and Carver; all hiding): You all know what to do?
Tish: Affirmative!
Carv: Yeah! ... But let's pretend I don't!
Tino: Arr! Ok, fine. We got to get Lor away from the video games before Funville opens, right? So we'll have to find a way to get her attention...
Carv: Get her attention in front of Funville? That's gonna be harder than keeping people's attention off of Chloe Montez!
Tino: I know, so we have to find the dearest thing to her that's not related to video games...
Tish: I might have a suggestion...
Tino: Which means we might have trouble ahead...
Tish: Carver?
Carv: Yeah?
(Tish smiles evilly; Carver doesn't get it at first)
Carv: Oh!!!
(Carver grins back at Tish)
Tino: Guys? I don't like the way you look at me!
(Ten minutes later; Funville)
Tish: Lor!!!
Lor: ...whathe... oh hey guys!
Carv: It's terrible!
Tish: It's a disaster!
Lor: Funville's closed today?
Carv: Tino was trying to buy chili cheese fries when...
Tish: ...It's a calamity!
Carv: Tish! You can stop now! Tino's been kidnapped!
Lor: What?!?
Tish: Tino's been kidnapped, Lor!
Lor: And that happened this morning?
Tish: Yeah!
Lor: Ten minutes after I saw him talking with you guys?
Carv: Uh... yeah? ... Oh man! That was not part of the plan!
Lor: I know I'm tired but I haven't lost my head!
Tish: We blew it!
(They sit down with her)
Lor: So, where is Tino?
Carv: We tied him to a tree near the mall... you were supposed to find him there.
(Tree near the mall; birds are poking Tino's head)
Tino: SHOO! GO AWAY YOU BIRDS! OWW! HELP!
(Back to Funville)
Lor: Oh... I see. You guys have a quarter?
Tish: And all this means nothing to you?
Lor: All what?
Tish: All the stuff we are doing for you!
Lor: Sorry guys, I've really lost my mojo; all I need is getting back on top of that game...
Carv: Well then, we'll do what we can.
(Sunday afternoon; inside Funville)
Tish: Come on! Come on! Ooww! That's got to hurt!
Carv: Well, it was better this time; you crashed on your own...
Lor: This is hopeless! What am I gonna do?
Funville guy: Hep! I may have some interesting information for you!
Carv: If it's to sell us an insurance...
Tish: Carver! (To Funville guy) Of course, please proceed...
Funville guy: Yesterday's event was recorded on tape and...
Lor: Yeah like I want to see that again!
Funville guy: You might have overlooked an important detail... Come with me and see by yourselves.
(Video room)
Funville guy: See?
(The tape shows the race between Laird and Lor from a camera angle; Lor is winning and then taunts Laird. Then, while Lor is looking at his screen, Laird pushes Lor's bike with his foot… she hits the asteroid and looses)
Lor: Oh my God!
Carv: He cheated!
Tish: What a cheater! Lor, you should have won just for that!
(Laird is yelling loser on the tape; it echoes in Lor's head)
Lor (sees red): I knew I couldn't have crashed that easy! Oh man, he did that on my turf! He's gonna regret this move.
Carv: Now, that's more like it!
Tish: So why are you helping us?
Funville guy: Lor was the only thing that kept those punks away from the arcade. Without her, Funville would become Punkville.
(Meanwhile; Tree near the mall; a crowd of kids and people laughs at Tino)
Tino: Yeah yeah yeah! Bless you too! Don't you have to waste your spit somewhere else?
(Kids laugh at him even harder)
Tino: Aww, the things I do for friends...
(Back to Funville; evening)
Tish: OH YEAH!
Lor (dancing): WHO'S BAD?
Carv: WE BAD!
Lor: Oh, that was too easy!
Carv: Man, you laminated his face!
Laird: You haven't seen the last of me! Muahahaha!
(Laird runs away laughing but trips and falls down on his face)
Lor: Ah yeah! That's the kind of spectacle I like! I'm sure Ti... Oh! Wait, where's Tino?
(Tree near the mall; Evening; Tino's still bound and has ads on his chest, a bird on his head and a dog urinating on his feet)
Lor (Running to him): Oh my God! Tino, I'm so sorry!
Tino (Delusional): Mom, is that you?
Tish: I can't believe you forgot to untie him!
Carv: Hey! You forgot about him too! I'm only 45% responsible!
Tish: I can't get your logic here...
(Lor unties him; Tino falls but Lor gets him)
Lor: You stayed here the whole day without food for me?
Tino: I did try to get away but that rope was convincing enough...
Lor: Thanks!
Tino: Oh it's nothin...
(Lor gives him a kiss on the cheek; Tino turns red)
Tish: Whooo! She's back to normal!
Carv: Now, Tino's really a pumpkin head!
Tish: Yeah he should be scaring those birds now.
Lor: Let's go to the beach... we still have some time and you really need a condensed dosage of weekend to get you back!
Tino (still in the clouds): Gah?
Carv: Man! That really achieved him!
Tish: Ah! L'amour!
(They all walk away except Tino who's carried in Lor's arms)
(The beach; Sunset)
Tino: Isn't it beautiful?
Lor: Yeah!
Carv: Totally.
Tish: So how long has this thing been going on between you two?
Tino: Not long enough...
Lor: Actually since he tried to save me on that fishing trip and he knocked himself out after jumping and falling on that chair head first...
Tish: Yeah that's love alright! I'm surprised I didn't notice.
Lor: Hey! I saw that green flash! I saw it! That was so cool! Did you see it?
Tish: Oh man! I missed it again... and I'm the one who wants it the most!
Carv: Don't worry miss, your day will come...
Tish: That's what Bluke says to those muffins in the bakery...
(Tish looks at the sun sinking under the horizon and takes a deep breath; she looks at Tino and Lor and feels lonely, then she looks at Carver shoving fries into his mouth...)
(Apart)
Tino: Hey guys! Well, we all learned things today; Lor learned that video games can be easily addictive and really ruin your life or even make you forget your best friends before you know it; Carver and Tish learned that there are other ways to help people than lying to them and I learned that my head is like sugar to those birds... Ha! I'm gonna leave you now, 'cause I haven't looked at Lor for nearly a minute and my heart is pinching me! Ok!
Later Days!
THE END